MDZ is the 15th toppest free agent.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...ner-oshie-eaves-thornton/

3 skilled players, part of 4 skilled lines, who can outscore the opposition and have a positive impact against who they are matched with. Doesn't mean flash and dash players, just quality ones. If we had a 4th line of Laughton-Cousins-Weise or something, you're telling me that wouldn't potentially have a big net positive facing off against other 4th lines?
- Mononoke

Do you really think the 4th line is only used against other 4th lines?

I feel like Hakstol uses them differently than that.

MDZ is the 15th toppest free agent.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...ner-oshie-eaves-thornton/
- Feanor

I kinda wrote him off, but I suppose it's possible they resign him.

Another year like this with no changes to the team.It's time to fire Hextall.The guy has done nothing but make mistakes. Any draft picks that actually turn out is the scouting staff not him.He has been a huge disappointment. Everyone can blame Hakstol all they want. Hextall put him here.He also made dumb ass trades and signings.Sorry I don't see the genius in Hextall as a Gm.

But think about how much better they'd be with the playoff experience they aren't getting.
- mayorofangrytown

I know, right! Look at how much last year's playoff run hel... Oh. Uh. Nevermind.

Let me think.......

Couturier, Simmonds, Filppula, Raffl, Read, Laughton, Giroux, Leier, probably Lindblom can.......honestly I would love to see it experimented on just using your best players on the PK in some of the most high leverage situations of the game. I'm convinced almost everyone on the team could kill penalties as well as or better than the twosome if actually tried there. Obviously it's OK or even better if you have depth players that can do it just as well, but therein lies the Rubtsov. People act so surprised to see Simmonds can PK well, when it really just seems intuitive. Good player, good skater can kill penalties and be a dangerous SH threat too.
- Mononoke

I was being sarcastic

Its so beyond idiotic to use your worst players on the PK. Logic not even once.

What you're saying has been proven on hockeygraphs, but (frank) fancy stats. I read it a long time ago so I forget the criteria, but Giroux and Coots were among the top 20 forwards in the league using the criteria they looked at.

I'd like to see them experiment with using 3 Fs on the PK to be more aggressive, and obviously their better players. Guess I'm being greedy with that hope, but I can live without ever seeing the terrible twosome out there shorthanded again.

Wow, I do not know what is worse, the video of some dude walking through doors or the whiny voice singing lyrics I can barely hear.
- hockeylover

For the life of me I just do not get Radiohead.

That FA article has a link to an exhaustive look at the eternally controversial Kris Russell.

http://edmontonjournal.co...ll-of-the-edmonton-oilers

That FA article has a link to an exhaustive look at the eternally controversial Kris Russell.

http://edmontonjournal.co...ll-of-the-edmonton-oilers
- Feanor

Sounds about as fun as reading a Vegas mock draft

For the life of me I just do not get Radiohead.
- Scoob

besides karma police I pretty much agree

Wow, I do not know what is worse, the video of some dude walking through doors or the whiny voice singing lyrics I can barely hear.
- hockeylover

That's ok. Not everyone is able to reach the highest plane of existence and achieve transcendence. I won't look down on you, promise. Besides, I can't even see you guys from up here!

Also, that video was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Slander Radiohead, but do no such thing to him or else.

Charlie O'Connor covers the Flyers for Broad Street Hockey and has spoken directly about the same low-to-high strategy that Mono has.

The others don't cover the team directly but the NHL in general. After Jack Capuano was fired, I believe Dimitri Filipovic tweeted that Hakstol was the 2nd worst/most puzzling decision making coach in the league.
- JFlyers00

Not Disco Dan?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...ice-vegas-golden-knights/

The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington wrote an interesting piece a couple of weeks ago, wondering if Sabres players were “tanking” to undermine head coach Dan Bylsma. He’s in the second year of a five-year deal, and if I was an owner, I wouldn’t be happy about that. Terry Pegula is already paying Rex Ryan not to work, and that’s not something I’d want synonymous with my name. To me, that’s failure.

Eichel missed the first six weeks of the season. Evander Kane went down in Game 1 and needed a month to get back. Dmitry Kulikov was never healthy. I think you have to be realistic about where you are. If the Sabres do have an issue, it’s a divide between older and younger. The organization is in the process of turning over its roster. Losing causes fissures. Ice time changes, and the veterans don’t like it if they feel some of the younger players are not accountable. Edmonton went through this too. When you surpass expectations (Toronto is a good example), no one’s complaining.

Lets Go Team..or something.

That's ok. Not everyone is able to reach the highest plane of existence and achieve transcendence. I won't look down on you, promise. Besides, I can't even see you guys from up here!

Also, that video was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Slander Radiohead, but do no such thing to him or else.
- Mononoke

I only watch Damien Chazelle now

For the life of me I just do not get Radiohead.
- Scoob

besides karma police I pretty much agree
- Just5

But think about how much better they'd be with the playoff experience they aren't getting.
- mayorofangrytown

They should all be sent down to the Phantoms if they want to experience a true winning culture

I only watch Damien Chazelle now
- YuenglingJagr

He looks like someone who farts in public on purpose and doesn't walk away after

He looks like someone who farts in public on purpose and doesn't walk away after
- Mononoke

No wonder the people from Moonlight looked so flustered up on stage

I know Crims believes in Radiohead. His opinion matters way more.

Probably TobyFlenderson too because he agrees with me on everything.

Not Disco Dan?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...ice-vegas-golden-knights/
- Feanor

Dimitri Filipovic‏Verified account @DimFilipovic Feb 16
More
If you give ones who've been dealt a bad hand a pass, worst coaches I've seen this year:

1. Jack Capuano
2. Paul Maurice
3. Dave Hakstol

Guess he considers buffalo to be a bad hand. Same for Blashill in Detroit. I forgot the bad hand part before.

Thahaha

Nobody on any other team gives a flying (frank) about what Manning and McDavid have going on
- KINGKENZO

Prove it. I grew up in Canada and grew up watching TSN. When Steve Downie sucker punched Jason Blake, everyone knew about it. The hockey hot bed talks about everything and I guarantee the players do too. Sean Avery, as big a ass as he was, he could do something small and players went after him for it just because....

Mind you Avery deserves everything he got but if players could find a little extra motivation to win, they will. Even if I tried has nothing to do with them. If players find an unflattering nickname to use against another player, it's getting used.

I promise you, you're wrong.

Do you really think the 4th line is only used against other 4th lines?

I feel like Hakstol uses them differently than that.
- johndewar

Except for that stretch where Couturier was injured and we were treated to 2nd line Bellemare, yes, they tend to have the lowest quality of competition and easiest minutes on the team and been wrecked in the process. That line I made up could probably be considered a low end 3rd line anyway. There's just nothing they couldn't do better than our current 4th line. Offensively or defensively.

Dimitri Filipovic‏Verified account @DimFilipovic Feb 16
More
If you give ones who've been dealt a bad hand a pass, worst coaches I've seen this year:

1. Jack Capuano
2. Paul Maurice
3. Dave Hakstol

Guess he considers buffalo to be a bad hand. Same for Blashill in Detroit.
- JFlyers00

Can imagine the way the days would go with the type of season Anthanasiou has had and the subsequent treatment of him

Caution. You're dangerously close to hipster territory.
- Mononoke

I was always under the impression that, in order to seem to like Radiohead, you had to be a hipster.

Dimitri Filipovic‏Verified account @DimFilipovic Feb 16
More
If you give ones who've been dealt a bad hand a pass, worst coaches I've seen this year:

1. Jack Capuano
2. Paul Maurice
3. Dave Hakstol

Guess he considers buffalo to be a bad hand. Same for Blashill in Detroit. I forgot the bad hand part before.
- JFlyers00

Bylsma and Blashill are totally worse than Hakstol. I'm quite confident in that one