Please tell me we are not holding out on Cullen because of Vesey. Cullen is an excellent C even though he's 38 already. In my book Cullen is a better C than Bonino.
- Barnaby36

matt cullen is actually 39 and will be 40 in november but ye I agree cullen was great here. but getting cullen INSTEAD of vesey would be a mistake

Vermette is busy mulling over 5 offers! He's very average. https://twitter.com/walsh...status/764480450689728512

Everything I've read says they are just waiting for Cullen to make a decision and aren't pursuing Vesey. Might be bonus overages they want to avoid, or maybe they are just happy with the guys they got.

Even if they aren't true top 6 guys, Sheary adds to the team speed concept they are built on and Kunitz drives possession as well as anyone. Not to mention Wilson and the possibility of Guentzel or Simon coming up at some point.

I'd like to offer Cullen's money to Hudler myself (after Vesey, I'd still try that), but this could just be the team sticking to their identity.
- Tojo.

We don't need Cullen, it would be fine to have him but Fehr can play 4C and Fehr, Kuhnhacle, and Rust as a 4th line would be just fine. Fehr has all the same leadership qualities that Cullen has. Hudler is a RW and we are good at RW. We are weak at LW.

It's a low enough occurrence to make it officially no guarantee of anything.
- Dcoms

No one was saying it was a guarantee just a higher probability. Almost 1/3 is a significant probability.

Vermette is busy mulling over 5 offers! He's very average. https://twitter.com/walsh...status/764480450689728512
- Dcoms

Less than.

We don't need Cullen, it would be fine to have him but Fehr can play 4C and Fehr, Kuhnhacle, and Rust as a 4th line would be just fine. Fehr has all the same leadership qualities that Cullen has. Hudler is a RW and we are good at RW. We are weak at LW.
- Dcoms

I'll agree on Cullen. If he comes back great, but I'm not worried about it. But I like our center depth fine without him. Wing on the other hand, wouldn't mind another guy who can compete for a spot on a scoring line.

Hudler can play either wing. But if you have Rust and Fehr on the 4th line, who is on Malkin's RW? Hudler I like because of the fact he can play anywhere.

No one was saying it was a guarantee just a higher probability. Almost 1/3 is a significant probability.
- Victoro311

Just the nature of hockey. Puck luck and injuries are significant factors.

Consider that 1/16 is the probability a random playoff team wins the cup I consider 4 times that rate significant.

I'll agree on Cullen. If he comes back great, but I'm not worried about it. But I like our center depth fine without him. Wing on the other hand, wouldn't mind another guy who can compete for a spot on a scoring line.

Hudler can play either wing. But if you have Rust and Fehr on the 4th line, who is on Malkin's RW? Hudler I like because of the fact he can play anywhere.
- Tojo.

Hudlers issue is money. My guess he's still trying to 3 per year even if it's a one year deal and he's probably worth that amount.

Hudlers issue is money. My guess he's still trying to 3 per year even if it's a one year deal and he's probably worth that amount.
- sditulli

Could be. About half the league can't give 3M without getting too close to the cap while many of those with space are on a budget. He might not have a chair left worth that even if he is.

Pens should be going after Vesey hard like the Hawks. I don't understand why they wouldn't.

I'll agree on Cullen. If he comes back great, but I'm not worried about it. But I like our center depth fine without him. Wing on the other hand, wouldn't mind another guy who can compete for a spot on a scoring line.

Hudler can play either wing. But if you have Rust and Fehr on the 4th line, who is on Malkin's RW? Hudler I like because of the fact he can play anywhere.
- Tojo.

Malkin will play with Kunitz and Wilson if nothing changes. Wilson has much more offensive upside.

Well looks like we can stop talking about Vesey https://twitter.com/Murph...status/764524332810924032

matt cullen is actually 39 and will be 40 in november but ye I agree cullen was great here. but getting cullen INSTEAD of vesey would be a mistake
- martox

Everything points out to Vesey choosing anywhere but Pittsburgh that's why I wouldn't waste my time with him.

Cullen or Hudler and be done with it.

Well looks like we can stop talking about Vesey https://twitter.com/Murph...status/764524332810924032
- Dcoms

alot of people says alot of diffrent things. Vesey has not decided on any specific teams yet, I mean devils? really? why not rangers? why not pittsburgh? stop beliving everything you see. also this is the same guy that said stamkos to toronto was 100% sure

alot of people says alot of diffrent things. Vesey has not decided on any specific teams yet, I mean devils? really? why not rangers? why not pittsburgh? stop beliving everything you see. also this is the same guy that said stamkos to toronto was 100% sure
- martox

Yeah I was being sarcastic

Yeah I was being sarcastic
- Dcoms

oh ok...

They won't be the worst in the league, but they won't have any top players apart from their goalie. A team of middle 6 forwards and borderline-to-solid top 4 defensemen can only get so far. With good coaching and a lot of luck they could be good enough to just miss the playoffs, but until they have several elite forwards and a number 1 D (or two number 2s) they won't get much further.

The hard part will be convincing guys to stay around while the future core players grow. The team could be 100% different after the 4-5 years it will take to build a core.
- cygnus41

Actually think they will be the worst team in the league. Think of even bottom 10 teams this year....they still have some interesting players. Edmonton had Mcdavid and hall. Toronto had jvr and a few mid level players. Columbus had saad, jones, Jenner and a few more interesting pieces. I don't see lvs having any guys at the level of these teams.

I expect lvs to have pretty good defensive depth and a lot of bottom 6 forwards. I mean we are in one of the worst expansion positions and worst case we lose hornqvist. But he's a role player on a top line and not the stud. And I don't expect us to lose hornqvist but likely trade him before if it looks likely he would be exposed.

They should have good defenseman depth. But that's not going to make them a good team. I don't see them picking up much more than tradable assets to move at the tdl. If they would pick up hornqvist out likely worst case loss then they could move him at tdl for something like the Andrew Ladd deal. Teams would love to add his grit at the tdl so it probably starts at a 1st round pick.

No one was saying it was a guarantee just a higher probability. Almost 1/3 is a significant probability.
- Victoro311

7 in 30 is almost a third?? 7 x '4' doesn't even equal 30 so let's call it almost a quarter eh - what do you say there analytics man??

Pens should be going after Vesey hard like the Hawks. I don't understand why they wouldn't.
- madmike71

Isn't there tampering laws? How can an organisation go after Vessey when Buffalo has his rights - I've read this in several articles, just thinking Benning was fined so how are the Hawks allowed to make it so obvious?

(frank) off and mind your own business the best team doesn't always win the cup. it is just more probable that they do. that is what everything is like in the world especially sports. nothing is certain just some things are more probable than others
- martox

Soooo many things...............

Firstly the playoffs are a different kettle of fish than the 82 game comp. you can be the most dominant (cough Ducks cough cough), & not make the final. Then you can be an underachiever (cough LA cough cough), & scrape into the playoffs (actually the Hawks did that as well last time they won), & win Stanley. So is the best team the team that performs when it matters or week in week out through the season?

How many seasons has the 'favourite' actually won - which is another topic altogether as the favourite doesn't have to dominate they just need to be sexy. This year LA was sprouted to be the team throughout the season (forget what the Hawks board was saying ), along with the Caps. But it's then easy to move around & bring different arguments & factors into it - much like analytics guys do with their results.

So where do you start & finish. Hockey is unique & its 1 reason why the 'numbers' that advanced analysis use are in my mind tainted & corrupt. There is no 'probability' in a lot of what happens in hockey in my opinion. Every single game is different, every environment a game is played in is different, every player that plays each game is different.

It's funny that analytics guys want a large sample size, but when they 'predict' at the start of the playoffs they use data that is very recent (which is the data they should use all the time for player evaluation now), & not the large sample they use on hero charts etc. Answers a pineapple!

Pens should be going after Vesey hard like the Hawks. I don't understand why they wouldn't.
- madmike71

Maybe because they already have a guy who scored 46 points last year in D-1, can play LW and is a year and a half younger?

(frank) off and mind your own business the best team doesn't always win the cup. it is just more probable that they do. that is what everything is like in the world especially sports. nothing is certain just some things are more probable than others
- martox

I don't know that I completely agree with this statement, what qualifies a team as the "best" team? Is the team that had the best regular season record the best team? Is the best team the best that the media/fans proclaim to be the best team? I've always been of the belief that the ultimate goal is winning the Cup so I would say that the team that wins by default has to be the best team because they were the team that achieved the ultimate goal. Anything else because to subjective and allows too much bias to enter the equation.

alot of people says alot of diffrent things. Vesey has not decided on any specific teams yet, I mean devils? really? why not rangers? why not pittsburgh? stop beliving everything you see. also this is the same guy that said stamkos to toronto was 100% sure
- martox

I thought it has been reported ad nasuem that Vesey has a list of 6 teams he willing to meet with. Pretty sure I even seen direct quotes from either him or his agent that have verified the fact that he has cut the list down to just a few specific teams.

Every OT goal from last years playoffs https://youtu.be/MWWnw26Xmm4
I forgot how many times we went to OT but man MAF looked bad on the Garrison goal. Wow!

I thought it has been reported ad nasuem that Vesey has a list of 6 teams he willing to meet with. Pretty sure I even seen direct quotes from either him or his agent that have verified the fact that he has cut the list down to just a few specific teams.
- jaydogg1974

there has been alot of reports. tbh I don't trust any reports about vesey even from credible sources but ye I have seen some reports of a list too.