Vanek to Phoenix for Boedker and Samuelsson.

P5.

(Not really. Just really bored with this inactivity)


- Powerslave

http://www.hockeybuzz.com...ay/164/52949#.Ue60yqXe6lY

I like both Sabres offers mentioned there, what do you think?

McBain is getting a beating on here. He is a very decent dman. My strategy of dmen is simple.

Top 2 Ehroff and Myers, good or bad, they are considered are top dmen for the long haul. you keep them.

The next two, who create a Top 4 are rounded out with solid younger guys who cant really gain much experience being in the AHL anymore and deserve their shot in the NHL on a full time basis. Also vets who still can produce and a stop gap solution till yungsters are ready. Tallinder is a stop gap while McBain is a very solid dman who will only get worse if demoted. If he regains form he will be at worst a top 4 d man playing with Weber on our last pairing. Pysyk is only Dman who does deserve a shot at top 4 minutes. Risto is questionable to me at this point. Need to see more.

The bottom pairing dmen which give us our 5/6/7 dmen for the year are veterans who excel in certain aspects such as PK or PP. Consistent play, locker room guy, guys who can be ready if an injury occurs mid game to move up a pairing. Mike Weber is the 5th dmen for sure. Excels on PK and overall great leader. Sulzer can fit here too as an extra. You do not throw Ruhwedel or a Pysyk or young guy on here just to basically ride the bench when they can be a top 2 or top 4 guy in the AHL

If you have read this far you see who the locks will be on the team. Making lines look like:

Ehroff-Pysyk
Myers-Tallinder
Weber-McBain
Sulzer

Risto returns to Europe
Ruhwedel plays in the AHL along with McNabb
Zadarov when eligible plays Top 4 in AHL then can play a top 4 in NHL later on
- Beezer33

Any good/bad/solid/made-up rumors?

This is why I hate the off-season.

McBain is getting a beating on here. He is a very decent dman. My strategy of dmen is simple.

Top 2 Ehroff and Myers, good or bad, they are considered are top dmen for the long haul. you keep them.

The next two, who create a Top 4 are rounded out with solid younger guys who cant really gain much experience being in the AHL anymore and deserve their shot in the NHL on a full time basis. Also vets who still can produce and a stop gap solution till yungsters are ready. Tallinder is a stop gap while McBain is a very solid dman who will only get worse if demoted. If he regains form he will be at worst a top 4 d man playing with Weber on our last pairing. Pysyk is only Dman who does deserve a shot at top 4 minutes. Risto is questionable to me at this point. Need to see more.

The bottom pairing dmen which give us our 5/6/7 dmen for the year are veterans who excel in certain aspects such as PK or PP. Consistent play, locker room guy, guys who can be ready if an injury occurs mid game to move up a pairing. Mike Weber is the 5th dmen for sure. Excels on PK and overall great leader. Sulzer can fit here too as an extra. You do not throw Ruhwedel or a Pysyk or young guy on here just to basically ride the bench when they can be a top 2 or top 4 guy in the AHL

If you have read this far you see who the locks will be on the team. Making lines look like:

Ehroff-Pysyk
Myers-Tallinder
Weber-McBain
Sulzer

Risto returns to Europe
Ruhwedel plays in the AHL along with McNabb
Zadarov when eligible plays Top 4 in AHL then can play a top 4 in NHL later on
- Beezer33

Not that this is necessarily the case with Pysyk or Ruhwedel, but the blanket statement that letting younger players ride the bench at the NHL level is always worse than letting him get top minutes in the AHL is often incorrect. Players at the AHL level benefit most when they need to hone their in-game skills. Certain players, however, simply just need to learn how to "be a pro". They need to learn the mental aspect (i.e. preparation, nutrition, etc.) of what it takes to succeed at the NHL level. They learn that by being around veterans. That being said, there aren't many here that I want them learning from.

McBain is getting a beating on here. He is a very decent dman. My strategy of dmen is simple.

Top 2 Ehroff and Myers, good or bad, they are considered are top dmen for the long haul. you keep them.

The next two, who create a Top 4 are rounded out with solid younger guys who cant really gain much experience being in the AHL anymore and deserve their shot in the NHL on a full time basis. Also vets who still can produce and a stop gap solution till yungsters are ready. Tallinder is a stop gap while McBain is a very solid dman who will only get worse if demoted. If he regains form he will be at worst a top 4 d man playing with Weber on our last pairing. Pysyk is only Dman who does deserve a shot at top 4 minutes. Risto is questionable to me at this point. Need to see more.

The bottom pairing dmen which give us our 5/6/7 dmen for the year are veterans who excel in certain aspects such as PK or PP. Consistent play, locker room guy, guys who can be ready if an injury occurs mid game to move up a pairing. Mike Weber is the 5th dmen for sure. Excels on PK and overall great leader. Sulzer can fit here too as an extra. You do not throw Ruhwedel or a Pysyk or young guy on here just to basically ride the bench when they can be a top 2 or top 4 guy in the AHL

If you have read this far you see who the locks will be on the team. Making lines look like:

Ehroff-Pysyk
Myers-Tallinder
Weber-McBain
Sulzer

Risto returns to Europe
Ruhwedel plays in the AHL along with McNabb
Zadarov when eligible plays Top 4 in AHL then can play a top 4 in NHL later on
- Beezer33

Tallinder played in less than half of the Devils regular season games over the past 2 seasons and 3 out of 24 playoff games. Now he's a 2nd pair lock?

I'm stunned to see Benn didn't get an invite to Team Canada but I veemently disagree with your comments on Lucic, Marchand and Kunitz. Those guys are good experient hockey players and above all, winners. Not saying I would take all of them over Benn but they deserve to be called just as much.
- Orpik44

I agree. Lucic especially is no banger and Marchand is a playmaker. Plus as you said, all three have played in finals recently and won.
Benn is a great player but his omission over those guys makes complete sense to me.

McBain is getting a beating on here. He is a very decent dman.
- Beezer33

McBain is not a good defensman. He might trend up with a change of scenery, but he does nothing very well.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Ian-Esplen/Offer-FriMonday/164/52949#.Ue60yqXe6lY

I like both Sabres offers mentioned there, what do you think?
- Sabresfan-365

A) I think Vanek and Hodgson (+ Sabres eating salary?) for Stepan and Kreider is a serious overpayment on our part.

I mean, I know Hodgson is probably a better #2 center than a #1, but yikes. Make it Vanek (+ some salary retained) for Stepan, straight up, and I'm good.

B) I'm OK with Staff and Adam for Wheeler, but I doubt the Jets would be. I guess you never know. It would be basically two regulars with sh!tloads of talent that don't always show it traded for each other. Although Wheeler had a good, if not great, year last season. Which is why I think Winnipeg hesitates on this trade.

McBain is not a good defensman. He might trend up with a change of scenery, but he does nothing very well.
- sambarugh

He's probably a poor-man's Jason Woolley.

And that ain't sayin' much.

McBain is not a good defensman. He might trend up with a change of scenery, but he does nothing very well.
- sambarugh

Tallinder couldn't be run out of town soon enough in 03/04, next thing you know he's on the top pairing with Myers and plays for the Sweden Olympic team in 2010. Dont' write Mcbain off yet.

B) I'm OK with Staff and Adam for Wheeler, but I doubt the Jets would be. I guess you never know. It would be basically two regulars with sh!tloads of talent that don't always show it traded for each other. Although Wheeler had a good, if not great, year last season. Which is why I think Winnipeg hesitates on this trade.
- Powerslave

I think adding Wheeler to our roster would be a positive move, plus it might keep Vanek here.
WIN would never move him for Staff and Adam though. Maybe Ennis straight up.

Tallinder played in less than half of the Devils regular season games over the past 2 seasons and 3 out of 24 playoff games. Now he's a 2nd pair lock?
- keptupl8

I would take him out and bring up ruhwedel or mcnabb but he was traded for and we all know he will be myers best friend for the year. hes the stop gap this year

He's probably a poor-man's Jason Woolley.

And that ain't sayin' much.
- Powerslave

Hes not flashy. he knows the basics and does them well.

Hes not flashy. he knows the basics and does them well.
- Beezer33

If by basics you mean not blocking shots, not hitting and turning pucks over, then yeah he does them well.

I agree. Lucic especially is no banger and Marchand is a playmaker. Plus as you said, all three have played in finals recently and won.
Benn is a great player but his omission over those guys makes complete sense to me.
- sambarugh

lucic won't do as well on olympic ice. marchand is hugely overrated, and choked badly in the most recent finals he was in.

benn is twice the player marchand is, and a better player for olympic ice than lucic.

and thats to say nothing against lucic and marchand, both are talented (although i think lucic is far more deserving than marchand), but it's not a question of if they are talented, it's a question of if they are the best choice.

if a player like benn is left off they obviously aren't the best choice, at least in my opinion.

and especially when the bruins general manager is part of team canadas management. i dunno. i dont think marchand is even considered if he wasn't there.

I agree. Lucic especially is no banger and Marchand is a playmaker. Plus as you said, all three have played in finals recently and won.
Benn is a great player but his omission over those guys makes complete sense to me.
- sambarugh

Those two can also slot into the bottom-6 of the lineup and be effective in a shutdown/energy role.

Canada can build two all-star teams, maybe they're trying to build one complete team?

If by basics you mean not blocking shots, not hitting and turning pucks over, then yeah he does them well.
- sambarugh

dont be bitter cause sekera is gone. mcbain will do all sekera has done....cept sick trade value that is

dont be bitter cause sekera is gone. mcbain will do all sekera has done....cept sick trade value that is
- Beezer33

McBain = younger Leopold.

lucic won't do as well on olympic ice. marchand is hugely overrated, and choked badly in the most recent finals he was in.

benn is twice the player marchand is, and a better player for olympic ice than lucic.

and thats to say nothing against lucic and marchand, both are talented (although i think lucic is far more deserving than marchand), but it's not a question of if they are talented, it's a question of if they are the best choice.

if a player like benn is left off they obviously aren't the best choice, at least in my opinion.

and especially when the bruins general manager is part of team canadas management. i dunno. i dont think marchand is even considered if he wasn't there.
- Putzfrau

I wish I had your clairvoyant apitude to know exactly how well certain players will play on a different ice area.

Plus Benn has never played a single playoff game. Lucic and Marchand have playeed a combined 115. Experience means something in the Olympics.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Miller coming off an injury that sidelined him for quite a while? Now I do remember his play was stellar leading up to the olympics that year, and should he have made it? Yes. However, those three goalies, DiPietro especially, had played very well up to that point (they were awful in the olympics). I wouldn't mark it as a slight against Miller so much as it was a cautious move. In hindsight, yes, the GM made a poor decision. However, at the time it is hard to argue against the move to bring in 3 goalies that are sure to be 100% healthy. Again, I believed at the time Miller should have been the goalie, however, you can't blame the GM for wanting players he knew were healthy.

Tallinder played in less than half of the Devils regular season games over the past 2 seasons and 3 out of 24 playoff games. Now he's a 2nd pair lock?
- keptupl8

WHo said he was a lock? Beezer? Meh.

dont be bitter cause sekera is gone. mcbain will do all sekera has done....cept sick trade value that is
- Beezer33

Why would I be bitter that our future Captian, future Hall of Famer, defensive behemoth and highest value player has been traded?

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Ian-Esplen/Offer-FriMonday/164/52949#.Ue60yqXe6lY

I like both Sabres offers mentioned there, what do you think?
- Sabresfan-365

Stepan and Kreider for Hodgson and Vanek



Stafford and Adam for Wheeler

I wish I had your clairvoyant apitude to know exactly how well certain players will play on a different ice area.

Plus Benn has never played a single playoff game. Lucic and Marchand have playeed a combined 115. Experience means something in the Olympics.
- sambarugh

i wasn't aware you needed to be clairvoyant to see that certain players do better on the larger ice and certain players do worse.

i dont think it's much of a stretch to assume that lucic would do worse on the larger ice simply do to his skating and the game he plays. its not necessarily a bad thing. sekera is a much better player on larger ice.

WHo said he was a lock? Beezer? Meh.
- RynoBull

He was brought in to help Myers confidence. Playing with someone you know and won a calder with helps. So I am failing to see where I am in the wrong here.

But keep up the good work !

Why would I be bitter that our future Captian, future Hall of Famer, defensive behemoth and highest value player has been traded?


- sambarugh

Its not your fault...its not your fault...