They could use a competent coach more than anything.
- Feds91Stammer

A year where their season doesnt end in complete disappointment

Nashville: Josi, Subban, Ellis, Ehholm, Irwin, Y.Weber

Washington: Carlson, Alzner, Niskanen, Orlov, Shattenkirk, Schmidt

I think the Hawks d-corps are right there with Nashville and Washinton

What other teams have good d-corps?
- EbonyRaptor

True, Hawks are right near the top on D. Plus guys like Keith/Seabrook seem to elevate their game in the post-season in a big way.

Watched the last period of the last two Wild games. Few observations:

Jason Zucker is ferocious -- especially for a guy 5'11'', 187 lb

Both victories came without Pominville and Parise, who are both out with the mumps -- isn't their a vaccination for that?

Granlund is killing it this year. He had the winning goal last night against the Kings in the first 12 seconds of overtime -- it was a nifty move, but Kopitar looked like he was watching someone in the stands https://www.nhl.com/wild/...p-d/c-49817403?q=granlund
- etchtech

Also gving up a lot of goals against the Kings, who can't score, and WPG, which can. Without checking, I thought the Wild were in the mix for the Jennings.

Looking at some cap friendly stuff,
goodness am I happy that I am not a Kings fan right now.

Kopitar at 10 million for 6 goals this year
Dustin Brown is another anchor at 5.875
Gaborik isnt worth it at 4.875 for another 5 years
D core is alright
Gotta sign Toffoli this offseason

If Kopitar isnt significantly better than he is showing this year that contract is going to stop them from winning for a long time.

The ducks

Wild are up there though for sure.

MIN, ANA
- Feds91Stammer

Lol

Pierre LeBrun

Hearing that the San Jose Sharks are close to acquiring winger Jannik Hansen from the Vancouver Canucks.

LeBrun
Hearing that the San Jose Sharks are close to acquiring winger Jannik Hansen from the Vancouver Canucks.

Looking at some cap friendly stuff,
goodness am I happy that I am not a Kings fan right now.

Kopitar at 10 million for 6 goals this year
Dustin Brown is another anchor at 5.875
Gaborik isnt worth it at 4.875 for another 5 years
D core is alright
Gotta sign Toffoli this offseason

If Kopitar isnt significantly better than he is showing this year that contract is going to stop them from winning for a long time.
- kevndevries

Kopitar has had a brutal year. Is he hurt?? Still the Kings are a dangerous team in the playoffs.

The ducks

Wild are up there though for sure.
- SimpleJack

Hampus Lindhom is legit
Sami Vatanen
Cam Fowler

That is a pretty good trio and they are all 25 or younger...

Hampus Lindhom is legit
Sami Vatanen
Cam Fowler

That is a pretty good trio and they are all 25 or younger...
- kevndevries

And you didn't even mention Manson. Or Montour and Theodore.

Kopitar has had a brutal year. Is he hurt?? Still the Kings are a dangerous team in the playoffs.
- z1990z

I think he missed a little time but he is healthy now. He was a minus 3 against the wild...theres that Selke defense they were paying for...at least when Toews' scoring was down (although never THAT much) he was still bringing it in other ways...Kopitar has been flat out bad

Hampus Lindhom is legit
Sami Vatanen
Cam Fowler

That is a pretty good trio and they are all 25 or younger...
- kevndevries

Good, but they have a lot more to prove before they are near the top of the league. Definitely not there yet.

True, Hawks are right near the top on D. Plus guys like Keith/Seabrook seem to elevate their game in the post-season in a big way.
- breadbag

Shh... Intangibles can't be put into a graph or chart with any degree of accuracy. Therefore, they do not exist.

Leadership, "heart", commitment, responsibility. All vague, useless words that have nothing to do with winning the Stanley cup.

I really do respect the amount of detailed information available, and the people that can compile and decipher it's meaning about how good or useful players are. I'm not at that level myself.

There are layers of reality and context that are woven through it all but don't show up though. Seabrook, Keith, Hjalmarsson... these guys are special. Quenneville too (as much as he pisses me off sometimes, he knows what he's doing, I don't)

And you didn't even mention Manson. Or Montour and Theodore.
- Feds91Stammer

Manson is a nice player. The others are still playing mostly in the minors if I am not mistaking? Not sure havent followed the ducks as closely as others this year

L_B_R dug up some stats already. Slowing down but still playing sound defensive hockey. Anomalies in the stats for this season due to injury and 3rd pairing duties with lesser partners.

I'll get a clear picture after watching this month's games (too dumb for fancy stats and charts)

I'm excited to see this play out.
- kinigitt

Saw that as I was 6-7 pages behind when I posted......... And as you can see she had the answers to the questions I wondered about.

MIN, ANA
- Feds91Stammer

MIN are pretty on par imo. Suter-Spurgeon are definitive top pair d-men, Brodin-Scandella-Dumba can all be 3-5, though Prosser is replacement level. That's pretty much Hawks performed for their game scores, with Rozsival being the replacement level guy.

Don't think I agree about Anaheim for this season. I know their XPM is decently high, but that stat is flawed when it comes to D imo. If you look at their individual game scores, their top 3 are nice (though only Lindholm is currently forming as a 1st pair, though Fowler is close), and then both Holzer and Bieksa are replacement level players. Manson is the one that is performed as a 3rd pair, but projects to be 2nd pair. If you replaced their bottom pair next year with some of their elite d-prospects, then I'd agree.

Other strong defenses are WSH, NSH, PIT when healthy, LAK. SJS and MTL both have good top 4, solid bottom pair.

Hansen to SJ for Goldobin and a conditional 4th.

Doan and Inginla are available reports claim in media. Both are too slow to skate on a top offensive line, but they could spot in while their greatest asset should be powerplay duty. Board work and or net front presence is what Doan should be doing. Inginla could snipe a key goal now and then.....so two oldies aren't exactly good, just good enough to hopefully make a difference

Hansen to SJ for Goldobin and a conditional 4th.
- DarthKane

Makes a solid team better.

Habs acquire Ott for a 2018 6th round pick.

Hansen to SJ for Goldobin and a conditional 4th.
- DarthKane

Goldobin is a decent prospect, I believe - could turn into another Russian sniper.

Habs acquire Ott for a 2018 6th round pick.
- DarthKane

Good, people can stop mentioning him now. I was starting to fear he was like Beetlejuice and he was going to appear like a slow, stupid ghoul in a Hawks sweater tomorrow night if someone said his name again. Thing of nightmares.

Goldobin is a decent prospect, I believe - could turn into another Russian sniper.
- L_B_R

Decent return for Benning. The Canucks have put together a couple of decent trades this week.

Good, people can stop mentioning him now. I was starting to fear he was like Beetlejuice and he was going to appear like a slow, stupid ghoul in a Hawks sweater tomorrow night. Thing of nightmares.
- L_B_R