When the season started there was alot of false optimism. The changes that needed to be made... Many of us were asking for after the finals loss.

Many were saying things like-- You don't change a team that came within one game of a cup...

WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP. After the loss to the Kings in the playoffs it should have started.
- rugdnit

I think you're taking some peoples' opinions to the extreme. Optimism doesn't mean people are denying that the team has issues.

There are still things to be optimistic about, but changes that should have been made a while ago are even more apparent now.

As you say, it was pretty obvious after the Kings series that the team had issues.

So is this just city or whole province? In from Ontario. We didn't have an NHL team till the league expanded to Ottawa. So (frank) you guys
- Bieksa#3

So is this just city or whole province? In from Ontario. We didn't have an NHL team till the league expanded to Ottawa. So (frank) you guys
- Bieksa#3

I think you're taking some peoples' opinions to the extreme. Optimism doesn't mean people are denying that the team has issues.

There are still things to be optimistic about, but changes that should have been made a while ago are even more apparent now.

As you say, it was pretty obvious after the Kings series that the team had issues.
- Fosco

This.

Pretty sure the consensus on this board last summer was that we'd finish somewhere in the 6-8 range this season. We're still in that range.

I will agree that the fans seemed to pick up on the failings of this team quicker than management has or will admit to.

You picked up Trouba after I dropped him because he was on IR for two months

Was planning on picking him and Forsberg back up eventually...

Yeah, I got some solid players off waivers as well.
- Fosco

Picked up Nyguist on waivers, lost some good ones on there as well when I was first figuring this pool out.

This.

Pretty sure the consensus on this board last summer was that we'd finish somewhere in the 6-8 range this season. We're still in that range.

I will agree that the fans seemed to pick up on the failings of this team quicker than management has or will admit to.
- AlexF

And this is what I am saying. Mgt didn't pick up on it and then preceded to sell the line of crap. Some lapped it up too.

MGT needs to be ahead of the curve. Gillis has really blown this.

And this is what I am saying. Mgt didn't pick up on it and then preceded to sell the line of crap. Some lapped it up too.

MGT needs to be ahead of the curve. Gillis has really blown this.
- rugdnit

You won't find much push back here but I've exhausted that argument so will put my thoughts on the subject on ice for a while.

You won't find much push back here but I've exhausted that argument so will put my thoughts on the subject on ice for a while.
- AlexF

Cheers!

Picked up Nyguist on waivers, lost some good ones on there as well when I was first figuring this pool out.
- Chest Rockwell

Always a good idea to regularly check the waiver wire (yes, thanks tips). I managed to snag Zibanejad earlier in the season (only 20 years old and averaging around .5 points a game to date but is projected to have significant upside - he's already 6'2 and 211 lbs and still filling out )

Edit - great pick-up in Nyquist

And this is what I am saying. Mgt didn't pick up on it and then preceded to sell the line of crap. Some lapped it up too.

MGT needs to be ahead of the curve. Gillis has really blown this.
- rugdnit

that is easy to say looking back, forecasting is much harder. So many unpredictable things this year creating this glaring elephant in the room we have now. For all we know MG could have realized earlier the downfall but maybe wasn't prepared for the serious drop off. Just like us fans weren't. It is also very hard to make moves in todays nhl.

Maybe, just maybe, they realized we weren't going to be top tier this year but thought we would probably be in the 3 spot or so in the pacific. Trying to retool bit by bit on the fly, appease the fans some what in this mad market while slowly trying to bridge the gap with some of the prospects we have.

I do think no one was prepared for these injuries and or scoring decline though.

that is easy to say looking back, forecasting is much harder. So many unpredictable things this year creating this glaring elephant in the room we have now. For all we know MG could have realized earlier the downfall but maybe wasn't prepared for the serious drop off. Just like us fans weren't. It is also very hard to make moves in todays nhl.

Maybe, just maybe, they realized we weren't going to be top tier this year but thought we would probably be in the 3 spot or so in the pacific. Trying to retool bit by bit on the fly, appease the fans some what in this mad market while slowly trying to bridge the gap with some of the prospects we have.

I do think no one was prepared for these injuries and or scoring decline though.
- anavar

Maybe, but waivers early in the season are full of players that end up having very good seasons. I picked up guys like Trouba/Killorn/Kreider myself.
- Nucker101

And almost Hertl lol.... I have added many players on waivers as well... I also had Trouba for a bit haha

I think it might be best to set the ground rules sooner rather than later on what we intend to do for the draft next year. It will help people map their strategies and use their draft picks (or not) as added leverage in trades.

I'd personally be in favor of reducing bench spots and thereby reducing team sizes. Those surplus players, + the 2 teams being dissolved, can join the newly drafted players in making our own draft more meaningful.
- AlexF

Def not a fan of this... it helps the teams that traded 2 for 1s all year like Nucker... look at his top 10 players... and it hurts guys that have made up for not having superstars like ovechkin and Stamkos, with better depth. It really hurts all the guys that have built a team based on depth. There are still 2nd line players on Waivers daily... the depth isn't an issue and many days we are not icing full rosters because we dont' have enough players playing that day.

Always a good idea to regularly check the waiver wire (yes, thanks tips). I managed to snag Zibanejad earlier in the season (only 20 years old and averaging around .5 points a game to date but is projected to have significant upside - he's already 6'2 and 211 lbs and still filling out )

Edit - great pick-up in Nyquist
- Zogg

yeah you got him from me.... was too impatient because he was sent down early in the year.

Picked up Nyguist on waivers, lost some good ones on there as well when I was first figuring this pool out.
- Chest Rockwell

Yeah, I was considering picking up Nyquist.

He was a gamble because he was up and down from the AHL a few times.

Gamble paid off for you, though.

that is easy to say looking back, forecasting is much harder. So many unpredictable things this year creating this glaring elephant in the room we have now. For all we know MG could have realized earlier the downfall but maybe wasn't prepared for the serious drop off. Just like us fans weren't. It is also very hard to make moves in todays nhl.

Maybe, just maybe, they realized we weren't going to be top tier this year but thought we would probably be in the 3 spot or so in the pacific. Trying to retool bit by bit on the fly, appease the fans some what in this mad market while slowly trying to bridge the gap with some of the prospects we have.

I do think no one was prepared for these injuries and or scoring decline though.
- anavar

Yup.

And Gillis has a lot more to lose than anyone on this board who was forecasting the future a few years back.

He can't approach decisions the same way...

Def not a fan of this... it helps the teams that traded 2 for 1s all year like Nucker... look at his top 10 players... and it hurts guys that have made up for not having superstars like ovechkin and Stamkos, with better depth. It really hurts all the guys that have built a team based on depth. There are still 2nd line players on Waivers daily... the depth isn't an issue and many days we are not icing full rosters because we dont' have enough players playing that day.
- SMP8719

Fair comments, I'm open to a vote for anything in this league. But I don't agree for a second that there is any quality on the waiver wire. I've checked it, several times in several ways since I've joined, and there's nothing but scrubs and injured guys. There doesn't even seem to be any young guys possessing future talent available as they're all parked on someone's bench until future seasons.

This is by far the deepest league I've ever seen which also happens to have the most amount of players per team. There's no coincidence there. Apart from getting the better of people through trades and early season waiver wire pick-ups, there seems to be little opportunity to improve your team.

Fair comments, I'm open to a vote for anything in this league. But I don't agree for a second that there is any quality on the waiver wire. I've checked it, several times in several ways since I've joined, and there's nothing but scrubs and injured guys. There doesn't even seem to be any young guys possessing future talent available as they're all parked on someone's bench until future seasons.

This is by far the deepest league I've ever seen which also happens to have the most amount of players per team. There's no coincidence there. Apart from getting the better of people through trades and early season waiver wire pick-ups, there seems to be little opportunity to improve your team.
- AlexF

Trades my friend.

Fair comments, I'm open to a vote for anything in this league. But I don't agree for a second that there is any quality on the waiver wire. I've checked it, several times in several ways since I've joined, and there's nothing but scrubs and injured guys. There doesn't even seem to be any young guys possessing future talent available as they're all parked on someone's bench until future seasons.

This is by far the deepest league I've ever seen which also happens to have the most amount of players per team. There's no coincidence there. Apart from getting the better of people through trades and early season waiver wire pick-ups, there seems to be little opportunity to improve your team.
- AlexF

At this point yes... but not unlike the real NHL where you can't even make trades after the deadline. The way people have been bettering themselves is picking up those players with high potential for next year.... Unfortunately you came late .... But to change the roster size would impact the people that haven't already planned to build that way. There will be many players dropped and youth picked up during our draft as you will need to drop players to pick players up. And you did just pick up a 2nd line player on pace for 40 points in 76 games.... I would say that is still quality for a waiver pick up.

yeah you got him from me.... was too impatient because he was sent down early in the year.
- SMP8719

ahhh, that was you lol... sorry, don't mean to rub it in or what have you.... I can relate, though, as I often feel it's the moves that you DON'T make which can end up being more favorable in the long run. That said, it's really difficult to remain patient with younger guys, especially ones that seem to go back and forth between the AHL/NHL.

I picked him up because I really liked what I saw whenever I got a chance to see him play, so figured I'd take a chance on him

ahhh, that was you lol... sorry, don't mean to rub it in or what have you.... I can relate, though, as I often feel it's the moves that you DON'T make which can end up being more favorable in the long run. That said, it's often difficult to remain patient with younger guys, especially ones that seem to go back and forth between the AHL/NHL.

I picked him up because I really liked what I saw whenever I got a chance to see him play, so figured I'd take a chance on him
- Zogg

no worries lol I have picked up guys like Fowler and Hertl on there so what goes around comes around

no worries lol I have picked up guys like Fowler and Hertl on there so what goes around comes around

- SMP8719

Ahh, so you were the one that snagged the Hertl sensation! nicely done (and Fowler's future is looking good as well)

Fair comments, I'm open to a vote for anything in this league. But I don't agree for a second that there is any quality on the waiver wire. I've checked it, several times in several ways since I've joined, and there's nothing but scrubs and injured guys. There doesn't even seem to be any young guys possessing future talent available as they're all parked on someone's bench until future seasons.

This is by far the deepest league I've ever seen which also happens to have the most amount of players per team. There's no coincidence there. Apart from getting the better of people through trades and early season waiver wire pick-ups, there seems to be little opportunity to improve your team.
- AlexF

Agreed that there is very little on waivers now.

But there were lots of great players that got picked up early in the season.

Whether we drop bench spots or not, I do like the idea of every team dropping players in the offseason.

That should add some depth to the list.

Also, the draft isn't going to be a snake draft, so the lower teams will get the better picks every round...which helps a bit.

EDIT: the shallower teams will also likely be more willing to give spots to prospect—there was lots of trades this season of quality veterans for packages with highly-touted prospects and young players involving teams that felt they were out of it early.

At this point yes... but not unlike the real NHL where you can't even make trades after the deadline. The way people have been bettering themselves is picking up those players with high potential for next year.... Unfortunately you came late .... But to change the roster size would impact the people that haven't already planned to build that way. There will be many players dropped and youth picked up during our draft as you will need to drop players to pick players up. And you did just pick up a 2nd line player on pace for 40 points in 76 games.... I would say that is still quality for a waiver pick up.
- SMP8719

That might be the first time I've heard "quality" and Scottie Upshall in reference to each other. He'll go on his 10 game pointless streak soon enough, have no fear.

Agreed that there is very little on waivers now.

But there were lots of great players that got picked up early in the season.

Whether we drop bench spots or not, I do like the idea of every team dropping players in the offseason.

That should add some depth to the list.

Also, the draft isn't going to be a snake draft, so the lower teams will get the better picks every round...which helps a bit.
- Fosco

There are many players in the minors that could make an impact next year, Players will be dropped and early season waivers will have some gems regardless of the draft choices.