The Coaching carousel?
Interesting rumblings out of LA that John Stevens may be getting a promotion....Stay tuned to that.
Also hearing at least two teams are considering a coaching change and would like to interview Julien.
Another source tells me Hitch and Vegas may be happening soon...
Should have more on that tomorrow AM...plus plenty of other rumors...
Now, back to your questions....
Acup2buff asks… What are the Sabres doing?!? A whole lot of nothing?? Or something to spark this team because they need one.
Eklund says: Still up in the air, but you know the owner wants them to buy and get better now. He has been patient, as have the fans up there….
Jance asks… Are we driving cars, or are cars driving us?
Eklund says: Self driving cars are frightening because you KNOW they will get hacked and try to kill us…but in a broader sense, anyone who has ever owned a slew of lousy used cars (like I did back in college) will tell unequivocally “Cars are driving us……
Bwalks2 asks With Gostisbehere being a healthy scratch for three straight games and struggling for offense do think they could potentially try to move him? The player I am wondering about is Matt Duchene.
Could the flyers try to package Ghost, another player/prospect and a pick to acquire him? The other player would probably have to carry some cap hit to make it work with Duchene's cap hit but could maybe work with someone like a Matt Read?
If Ghost isn't in the Flyers plans going forward and they think he can be replaced by Sanheim then why not move him? G, Duchene and Couturier down the middle would be had to match up against. Then with the D prospects moving up from the Phantoms over the next few years this team could be scary good.
Eklund says: I don’t think you are far off, but I don’t think they are scratching Ghost for his play on the ice completely…I think they are looking for his attitude to change a bit…some felt he came in taking too much for granted…I am not someone who thinks that AT ALL, but I am not scratching him… Ghost + Read + a pick would land Duchene, but I would be really afraid to make that move because Duchene is, like Giroux and Jake, very streaky…
Streit2ThePoint asks.. Hi Eklund, I just wanted to get an update on the Vegas Golden Knights blogging. I have several blogs ready to go, just waiting for the green light.
Eklund says: Thanks for the interest..its amazing how many Vegas applicants we have gotten. please email me (eklund at hockeybuzz) some of your samples. I am all about giving people a legit shot…
Mount Albert asks…Hey Ek, I'm hearing rumblings about Quebec and now Hartford as possible relocation targets. Which one of those two former WHA teams has the inside track? Is Markham still in the mix ?
Eklund says: Hartford is not likely to land another NHL club with their current building and their proximity to Boston market was always an issue. Quebec WILL get a team, but I would be surprised if it was a relocation team…there is so much more money to the owners for expansion…Markham could possibly be a relocation team down the line…I believe strongly that they could support a team.
Landsbergfan asks..Ek this is the most boring and soulless Flyers team i have seen and i have seen them regularly since the late 90s agree?
Eklund says: Oh yes. MIND NUMBING ….They have moments, but they are not a defensive team like they are constructed. If Hakstol wants them to focus on defense then they are God awful to watch…during their streak they were winning games 5-3…They were exciting at that point…but this system which I call “mid 90’s NJ Devils… simply doesn’t work unless you have the specific kinds of players to play it.
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) December 12, 2016