Briere played with guts and grit much larger players could only dream of. He was always around the net and it the dirty areas of the ice. The slot, behind the net, in the crease.

Always ready to give you a little butt end of his stick in the gut. He bought time and space by acting like a wasp on the ice. If you got too close or too rough he would sting you but good.

I remember when the "big 3" free agents, Drury, Briere, and Gomez were all available at once. I didn't want Gomez at all, and felt Drury was the best fit. But it turns out they made far and away the best choice by targeting Briere.

See? The front office at that time did have a clue every now and then huh?
- MBFlyerfan

It helped that they hired player development guy Don Luce away from Buffalo at that time. I'm sure he gave them pretty good insight on both Drury and Briere.

He and Jake really have to bounce back this year or you guys are in trouble.

At least you have a lot of young talent.
- BINGO!

Cant disagree with this....

He and Jake really have to bounce back this year or you guys are in trouble.

At least you have a lot of young talent.
- BINGO!

We'll give you Giroux and a nice hand stiched blanket for Aho

We'll give you Giroux and a nice hand stiched blanket for Aho
- Mordecai

No thank you. Aho reminds me of what Claude used to be back when he played with some fire.

It's easy to score goals when you're six feet offside.

No thank you. Aho reminds me of what Claude used to be back when he played with some fire.
- BINGO!

Ahope you enjoy the blanket i made

It's easy to score goals when you're six feet offside.
- Scoob

I will never not love this goal.

He and Jake really have to bounce back this year or you guys are in trouble.

At least you have a lot of young talent.
- BINGO!

Pretty much.

The young talent will make this year interesting, just to watch them develop and integrate themselves into the lineup.

But they aren't going anywhere if Voracek and Giroux put up numbers the same as last year's.

Pretty much.

The young talent will make this year interesting, just to watch them develop and integrate themselves into the lineup.

But they aren't going anywhere if Voracek and Giroux put up numbers the same as last year's.
- johndewar

Can't pay $16.5 million for 35 goals again. Just can't.

I will never not love this goal.


- johndewar

I was just kidding around - mistakes happen. That's life.

Can't pay $16.5 million for 35 goals again. Just can't.
- BINGO!

One of those numbers is lead pipe locked.

Can't pay $16.5 million for 35 goals again. Just can't.
- BINGO!

How did you ever cope when Jordan Staal earned $6m for scoring 6 goals a couple of years ago?

How did you ever cope when Jordan Staal earned $6m for scoring 6 goals a couple of years ago?
- Feanor

He broke his leg and played about half the season.

It wasn't great, but he doesn't really get that money to score goals anyway.

When do rookies report?
- Konalover

September 11th

He broke his leg and played about half the season.

It wasn't great, but he doesn't really get that money to score goals anyway.
- BINGO!

So assists are points, too? That would be big, if true.

September 11th
- mayorofangrytown

So assists are points, too? That would be big, if true.
- Feanor

I'm not sure what you're saying... Are you trying to say it was okay that Claude produced at about the same rate as Brayden Schenn last year?

I'm not sure what you're saying... Are you trying to say it was okay that Claude produced at about the same rate as Brayden Schenn last year?
- BINGO!

I could see scenarios where they combine for 35 goals and still be worth the money. They do need to improve their even strength production though. Even still I would hope for 40 goals at a minimum

I'm not sure what you're saying... Are you trying to say it was okay that Claude produced at about the same rate as Brayden Schenn last year?
- BINGO!

he's making fun of some of our own in here tbh

I'm not sure what you're saying... Are you trying to say it was okay that Claude produced at about the same rate as Brayden Schenn last year?
- BINGO!

I'm saying it's idiotic to focus only on goals and pretend assists aren't points.

Voracek had 20 goals last year and 22 in 14-15. But they were very different seasons.

I could see scenarios where they combine for 35 goals and still be worth the money. They do need to improve their even strength production though. Even still I would hope for 40 goals at a minimum
- YuenglingJagr

ES production is really the key. And production is more than goals.

Ryan Johansen got 8 x $8m after a contract year where he scored 14 goals. In fact, he had back to back 14 goal seasons.

When do rookies report?
- Konalover

Physicals on Sept. 9, first on-ice day the 11th.

I will never not love this goal.


- johndewar

It was cosmic payback for Leon Stickle

ES production is really the key. And production is more than goals.

Ryan Johansen got a 8 x $8m after a contract year where he scored 14 goals. In fact, he had back to back 14 goal seasons.
- Feanor

Okay well Claude's production has dropped every year for the last four.

Difference is they're paying Johansen for what they think he can do in the future, not what he's already done.

That said, I do think they overpaid him short term.

It was cosmic payback for Leon Stickle
- MBFlyerfan

It was actually payback for Pittsburgh's 3rd goal, where they inexplicably called off the icing.