The thing is, people want to go to war and create conflict with me when I point out where I feel this current team really lacks. The 07-08 team was stacked. The 09-10 team I feel was stacked. I look at a lot of our boys and see that we need to improve. Voracek needs to work on that shot. Raffl would probably be a really good asset on a cup contender but in the bottom 6. Couturier is a good second line center but the Sharks, Pens and Bolts have Marleau, Malkin and Johnson as their second line centers who are all better offensively.
- SuperSchennBros

yeah i hear you. that 09-10 team definitely slacked during the season but you're right, both teams were stacked compared to our team now. thankfully the difference is that we are now growing a stacked team the right way. there are numerous reasons why we couldnt sustain what those teams did, but one of them was cap issues, giving away players because we couldnt afford them, not enough young talent in the pipeline to make the roster and keep the cap hit cheap. now hopefully once G and Jake get the secondary support from simmer, schenn, coots, and hopefully konecny, possibly NAK, we can keep the window open longer and maybe can sign that one difference maker that we couldnt once necessarily do, due to our cap issues. one thing we definitely need is more goals coming off those aforementioned 5 sticks

Hopefully the RFA status works in our favor because Gudas is a better player than Miller. 3 years @ $2.75m is what I hope/expect.

Hextall has quite a few RFA contracts to get sorted out soon, plus UFAs White and Gagner to make decisions on. And before that deciding on buying out Umberger.

Alt
Cousins
Gudas
Manning
Schenn
Straka
Weal
- Feanor

I think Straka is gone. He could probably get a better deal overseas. Not sure about Weal. I guess I could see everyone else resigned. Alt, Cousins and Manning to minimal raises. Gudas maybe 3 year deal. Schenn will be tricky. I am still not a 100% sure he is resigned. Still think he could be moved in a draft day trade.

yeah i hear you. that 09-10 team definitely slacked during the season but you're right, both teams were stacked compared to our team now. thankfully the difference is that we are now growing a stacked team the right way. there are numerous reasons why we couldnt sustain what those teams did, but one of them was cap issues, giving away players because we couldnt afford them, not enough young talent in the pipeline to make the roster and keep the cap hit cheap. now hopefully once G and Jake get the secondary support from simmer, schenn, coots, and hopefully konecny, possibly NAK, we can keep the window open longer and maybe can sign that one difference maker that we couldnt once necessarily do, due to our cap issues. one thing we definitely need is more goals coming off those aforementioned 5 sticks
- sjk540

I personally feel that NAK is going to really surprise people...I think he will be what we hoped Read would become

yeah i hear you. that 09-10 team definitely slacked during the season but you're right, both teams were stacked compared to our team now. thankfully the difference is that we are now growing a stacked team the right way. there are numerous reasons why we couldnt sustain what those teams did, but one of them was cap issues, giving away players because we couldnt afford them, not enough young talent in the pipeline to make the roster and keep the cap hit cheap. now hopefully once G and Jake get the secondary support from simmer, schenn, coots, and hopefully konecny, possibly NAK, we can keep the window open longer and maybe can sign that one difference maker that we couldnt once necessarily do, due to our cap issues. one thing we definitely need is more goals coming off those aforementioned 5 sticks
- sjk540

Bring on King Julien!

The thing is, people want to go to war and create conflict with me when I point out where I feel this current team really lacks. The 07-08 team was stacked. The 09-10 team I feel was stacked.
- SuperSchennBros

Stacked at forward, but they both had low quality third pairings and decent-at-best goalies.

Wish we had it in 1980.
- MBFlyerfan

lol...not the reason they lost though

The coaches challenge for offsides review is a horrible rule.
- Scoob

I like the coach's challenge. I don't like the offside rule where the player's skate has to be on the ice.

I like the coach's challenge. I don't like the offside rule where the player's skate has to be on the ice.
- PhillySportsGuy

I don't. Too much is being taken out of the ref's hands. It's a game played by humans in real-time, monitored by humans in real-time. Leave it that way.

Also, put discretion back in the ref's hands for when the puck is cleared over the glass. That penalty last night was horrendous.

[quote=Feanor]Hopefully the RFA status works in our favor because Gudas is a better player than Miller. 3 years @ $2.75m is what I hope/expect.

Hextall has quite a few RFA contracts to get sorted out soon, plus UFAs White and Gagner to make decisions on. And before that deciding on buying out Umberger.

Alt-can easily be re-signed to a cheap one year deal
Cousins-same as Alt
Gudas-will likely be re-signed to a 2-3 year deal, cap hit under 3 mil
Manning-another easy one year deal
Schenn-This will be the only tricky one
Straka-who cares, borderline prospect at best
Weal- today's Tim Tookey, minor league depth player, easy to re-sign

Stacked at forward, but they both had low quality third pairings and decent-at-best goalies.
- Feanor

The last truly stacked team, IMO, was the 03-04 team. If their entire damned D didn't all get injured at the same time.......

I don't. Too much is being taken out of the ref's hands. It's a game played by humans in real-time, monitored by humans in real-time. Leave it that way.

Also, put discretion back in the ref's hands for when the puck is cleared over the glass. That penalty last night was horrendous.
- Scoob

With you on this one, Scoob

[quote=Feanor]Hopefully the RFA status works in our favor because Gudas is a better player than Miller. 3 years @ $2.75m is what I hope/expect.

Hextall has quite a few RFA contracts to get sorted out soon, plus UFAs White and Gagner to make decisions on. And before that deciding on buying out Umberger.

Alt-can easily be re-signed to a cheap one year deal
Cousins-same as Alt
Gudas-will likely be re-signed to a 2-3 year deal, cap hit under 3 mil
Manning-another easy one year deal
Schenn-This will be the only tricky one
Straka-who cares, borderline prospect at best
Weal- today's Tim Tookey, minor league depth player, easy to re-sign
- BiggE

Agree with all but I still have some feeling that Schenn is used as a tool to move up in the draft along with 18. Not sure why but listening to hextall and reading quotes, I just kind of feel that they aren't sure if he can continue this production for what the price might be.

I know I can be a 100% wrong but just have a gut feeling.

With you on this one, Scoob
- BiggE

It's common sense.

lol...ducks and makes a bee-line for the door

It's common sense.

lol...ducks and makes a bee-line for the door
- Scoob

Agree with all but I still have some feeling that Schenn is used as a tool to move up in the draft along with 18. Not sure why but listening to hextall and reading quotes, I just kind of feel that they aren't sure if he can continue this production for what the price might be.

I know I can be a 100% wrong but just have a gut feeling.
- J35Bacher

Anything's possible, but I'm guessing that Schenn gets re-signed.

Anything's possible, but I'm guessing that Schenn gets re-signed.
- BiggE

I could see him being involved in a package to move up in the draft and also allowing cap space for Andrew Ladd

It's common sense.

lol...ducks and makes a bee-line for the door
- Scoob

They should make off side a 2 minute minor. Not only will it put a halt to these stupid off sides that do nothing but slow up the game, it will also bring additional scoring to a league looking to increase goals per game.

I think Straka is gone. He could probably get a better deal overseas. Not sure about Weal. I guess I could see everyone else resigned. Alt, Cousins and Manning to minimal raises. Gudas maybe 3 year deal. Schenn will be tricky. I am still not a 100% sure he is resigned. Still think he could be moved in a draft day trade.
- J35Bacher

I also think straka is gone. Weal as well is my guess.

They should make off side a 2 minute minor. Not only will it put a halt to these stupid off sides that do nothing but slow up the game, it will also bring additional scoring to a league looking to increase goals per game.
- mayorofangrytown

The three-line pass will become the most exciting play in sports.

Agree with all but I still have some feeling that Schenn is used as a tool to move up in the draft along with 18. Not sure why but listening to hextall and reading quotes, I just kind of feel that they aren't sure if he can continue this production for what the price might be.

I know I can be a 100% wrong but just have a gut feeling.
- J35Bacher

schenn is already proven, no need to move him IMO. they called him out and he stepped up. I would move others before I move him.

The three-line pass will become the most exciting play in sports.
- Scoob

It'll be the hockey version of the alley-oop slam.

I also think straka is gone. Weal as well is my guess.
- rinaldo

Weal will be kept and come to camp needing to earn a job. If, as is my guess, he fails to earn one, they'll waive him. If someone takes him, no biggie, and if not, the Phantoms get a very good AHL player.

Weal will be kept and come to camp needing to earn a job. If, as is my guess, he fails to earn one, they'll waive him. If someone takes him, no biggie, and if not, the Phantoms get a very good AHL player.
- BiggE

very possible.

I don't. Too much is being taken out of the ref's hands. It's a game played by humans in real-time, monitored by humans in real-time. Leave it that way.

Also, put discretion back in the ref's hands for when the puck is cleared over the glass. That penalty last night was horrendous.
- Scoob

Nothing personal but I disagree.

NHL officials are absolute horsepoop trash. Mother (frank)ing tenured positions.

Nothing personal but I disagree.

NHL officials are absolute horsepoop trash. Mother (frank)ing tenured positions.
- flyer_nutter

Wow. I wholeheartedly disagree with that sentiment.

Some rules need to be clarified, others modified, and some done away with. Are refs and linesmen perfect? No. They're human, how could they be? I don't know anything about how refs are trained, reviewed, retrained, and disciplined, but I'll go out on a limb here and say that there probably could be some improvements there, too.

That said, basically 50% of all fans watching a game will disagree with every call a ref makes. That's not going to change no matter what.