650,000 people. Way to small to support a fringe sport
- CanuckDon

Same reason why I shake my head when people say Halifax is a good destination for NHL or CFL.

Halifax is way too small and poor to support pro sport franchises.

David Backes now leads playoffs with three game winning goals. 2g, 9 hits, 2 blocks, 3 sog, +2, 72% on face-offs in Game 3 win #stlblues

Backes is really playing well! Not sure if you guys are watching the Blues/Stars series but St. Louis looks good.
- LeftCoaster

The guys an absolute goof. For a captain he is so easily thrown off his game. Dallas needs to get under his skin a bit. Distract him. He'll bite if the bait is right.

Bro Jake saying Troy Ward will be Uticas next head coach

Seattle city hall turned down request for new arena. Bye bye NHL
- VANTEL

I heard Pratt talking about Hartley being fired and people not usually wanting to see anyone fired, Pratt forgot about himself campaigning to have WD fired for 2/3's of last season.

I understand your point...but what team has a 25 goal scoring, 50 point man at 3C? The Pens when they had staal? Not realistic in he salary cap era?
- CanuckDon

Long term it wont work in the salary cap era, but for a period with ELC's and hopefully reasonable extensions to Horvat there is a window where that happens. I just think that if Horvat is the 2C that the depth of the lineup might not be enough to really contend for a cup. He can still develop and evolve his game, but my expectations right now for him offensively are not very high going forward

EDIT: And I acknowledge he had a tough start to the year because of the Sutter injury, so maybe now he will have more time to focus on refining his offense and convince me otherwise

We should just send him to live with Byfuglien for the summer
- Codes1087

Buff might eat him.

I heard Pratt talking about Hartley being fired and people not usually wanting to see anyone fired, Pratt forgot about himself campaigning to have WD fired for 2/3's of last season.
- hillbillydeluxe

Or a lot would have to go right.

Having Bo play 3C would mean we have two better guys up the middle.
- golfingsince

I think people are putting too much into what at 1C is supposed to be. If you put him on a line with Boeser and Tkachuck and they can put the puck in the net, control the play, put in big minutes and be defensively responsible then you can call that the #1 line. The best way to mitigate the fear of Horvat as a #1 center is to actually have 3 other lines that can all play and help with secondary scoring, then the pressure won't be on him to score 80 points a season.

I think people are putting too much into what at 1C is supposed to be. If you put him on a line with Boeser and Tkachuck and they can put the puck in the net, control the play, put in big minutes and be defensively responsible then you can call that the #1 line. The best way to mitigate the fear of Horvat as a #1 center is to actually have 3 other lines that can all play and help with secondary scoring, then the pressure won't be on him to score 80 points a season.
- fiveandagame

Morrison was the #1c with Bert and Naslund, wasn't ideal but it worked.

Morrison was the #1c with Bert and Naslund, wasn't ideal but it worked.
- hillbillydeluxe

Exactly. One of the best lines in the league at the time. Now imagine if they actually had some secondary scoring to help them out.

No rush to trade him at all. He wants to be a NHL regular, which is why he isn't going home for the summer and why he is staying with the trainers in VAN to get big and strong. The kid has drive that is for sure.
- Codes1087

Then why does every one want to trade him?

I think people are putting too much into what at 1C is supposed to be. If you put him on a line with Boeser and Tkachuck and they can put the puck in the net, control the play, put in big minutes and be defensively responsible then you can call that the #1 line. The best way to mitigate the fear of Horvat as a #1 center is to actually have 3 other lines that can all play and help with secondary scoring, then the pressure won't be on him to score 80 points a season.
- fiveandagame

I agree, I made sure to say that chemistry will dictate, but for me a 1C is the catalyst on the line, some teams dont have a true 1C and succeed. I think Sven and Bo have really good chemistry and have produced good goals but I would put more of that on the playmaking ability of Sven than Bo (see when they were apart). Bo can finish, he can make plays and good passes, and produce some dominant shifts but I just dont see him as the consistent threat on a line at the moment.

I heard Pratt talking about Hartley being fired and people not usually wanting to see anyone fired, Pratt forgot about himself campaigning to have WD fired for 2/3's of last season.
- hillbillydeluxe

Sekeres has now taken that on as his # 1 cause.

Then why does every one want to trade him?
- Marwood

I don't think people really want to trade him. I feel we are going to see a ton of proposals from now until the draft. We should all be prepared for the content that is going to be here for the next couple months lol

Then why does every one want to trade him?
- Marwood

SR - McCann’s long-term potential has him as a dependable two-way pivot with some scoring upside.

He's a prospect with a recognizable name. Probably not too difficult to replace. Depth at centre. Got to give quality to get quality.

Lots of reasons.

Exactly. One of the best lines in the league at the time. Now imagine if they actually had some secondary scoring to help them out.
- fiveandagame

Thats kind of the point I was talking about though. Morrison was 1C by default, and that is an indication of how successful those teams were. Same with Andrew Cassels before him. If in a couple years Horvat is your 3C, you must be a really good team. If Horvat is your 2C in a couple years with McCann or someone not on the current roster in front of him, your team should be a playoff team because that should mean you have good depth

Long term it wont work in the salary cap era, but for a period with ELC's and hopefully reasonable extensions to Horvat there is a window where that happens. I just think that if Horvat is the 2C that the depth of the lineup might not be enough to really contend for a cup. He can still develop and evolve his game, but my expectations right now for him offensively are not very high going forward

EDIT: And I acknowledge he had a tough start to the year because of the Sutter injury, so maybe now he will have more time to focus on refining his offense and convince me otherwise
- WhiteLie

Fair enough. Ultimately we disagree on Horvats ability, now and in the future. I see him as a stud 2C and you seem his as 2/3 C

I don't think people really want to trade him. I feel we are going to see a ton of proposals from now until the draft. We should all be prepared for the content that is going to be here for the next couple months lol
- Codes1087

He is in almost all trade proposals daily.

lots of people felt the same about the Sedins...
- kaptaan

The Sedins are two players not one. I'm not so sure Hank has a long career as a #1 all by himself....

Fair enough. Ultimately we disagree on Horvats ability, now and in the future. I see him as a stud 2C and you seem his as 2/3 C
- CanuckDon

I really hope he becomes a stud 2C. He is a guy I want on my team in the playoffs for sure, but maybe I am a little cynical because of Kesler. I always felt because of his limited offensive abilities (shoot first mentality) that he was either an average 2C or excellent 3C. Horvat is still young and has the tools to be good offensively, but my concern is that when teams start catching onto his speed/power move off the rush, his production might slow a bit. Also adding his defensive responsibilities is a big task to balance, so I guess thats another reason I am setting the bar a little lower for him

I really hope he becomes a stud 2C. He is a guy I want on my team in the playoffs for sure, but maybe I am a little cynical because of Kesler. I always felt because of his limited offensive abilities (shoot first mentality) that he was either an average 2C or excellent 3C. Horvat is still young and has the tools to be good offensively, but my concern is that when teams start catching onto his speed/power move off the rush, his production might slow a bit. Also adding his defensive responsibilities is a big task to balance, so I guess thats another reason I am setting the bar a little lower for him
- WhiteLie

He scored 40 points in his 20 year old season...he is a kid that is growing and has a great attitude. You have high expectations for a 2C my friend. What is he average production expected from a 2C on a playoff team? 45-55 points? Horvat should have over 50 points for the next 10 years

He is in almost all trade proposals daily.
- Marwood

He is an easy target for people I feel. Give him 2 years and 20 lbs of muscle and he will prove a ton of people wrong for ever including him in trade talks.

I really hope he becomes a stud 2C. He is a guy I want on my team in the playoffs for sure, but maybe I am a little cynical because of Kesler. I always felt because of his limited offensive abilities (shoot first mentality) that he was either an average 2C or excellent 3C. Horvat is still young and has the tools to be good offensively, but my concern is that when teams start catching onto his speed/power move off the rush, his production might slow a bit. Also adding his defensive responsibilities is a big task to balance, so I guess thats another reason I am setting the bar a little lower for him
- WhiteLie

Surround Horvat with 8 other very good top 9 forwards and i don't care what line he plays on or what line you call it: 1,2 or 3.

He is in almost all trade proposals daily.
- Marwood

It's strange, kid made the team as a 19 year old...an incredibly skinny and weak 19 year old. Let's see what he can do after a full summer of training and an extra 15 pounds of muscle. Our fanbase is always chasing other teams B level prospects. New is better lol

The Sedins are two players not one. I'm not so sure Hank has a long career as a #1 all by himself....
- boonerbuck

They were also drafted 2 and 3 overall so I think a couple of people saw some potential to have an impact.

ISS just released their draft rankings and this certainly makes things interesting...

Pulj ahead of Laine..

Nylander ahead of Tkachuk and Dubois...

http://www.prweb.com/rele...2016/05/prweb13388758.htm