in a different league

Boucher is pretty good for Utica too...not so much in the NHL.
- dbot

He had better forwards to play with on the Comets

Not a lot of teams have 3-4 guys who can really shoot from the point. You can have guys like Edler/Tanev/Stetcher and have 1-2 guys who can actually shoot and still be solid.
- Nucker101

Edler/Gudbranson/MDZ/Pouliot/Hutton can all shoot the puck rather well from the point. Whether it gets through every time is a different story. Stecher's wrist shot is a lob pass. His slap shot is as hard as most D's wrist shot.

MDZ and Gudbranson..
- Nucker101

They were UFA's or had UFA leverage. I stuck with guys that were RFA's predominantly.

i totally thought he was about 10 years older than that.
- dbot

there's a reason why he's already a NHL journeymen as a 27 year old dman. He can't defend at the NHL level and he doesn't really create much offense either compared to what he does in the AHL.

It's not like he's payed on some loaded teams and gotten screwed by a deep depth chart. He's just not good in the NHL lol.

He had better forwards to play with on the Comets
- VANTEL

how dare you besmirch our future captain Brock Boesser.

this.

i'm fine with cutting ties with Hutton and keeping Stetcher.
i'm on the fence with Pouliot.
- dbot

I'd rather have Pedan and the third rounder back than Pouliot. That third rounder might not lose every attacker on the pivot.

Edler/Gudbranson/MDZ/Pouliot/Hutton can all shoot the puck rather well from the point. Whether it gets through every time is a different story. Stecher's wrist shot is a lob pass. His slap shot is as hard as most D's wrist shot.
- manvanfan

I agree, but at the same time, you don't have to have a legit slap shot to put up points as a dman in today's game.

Bieksa used to be the best on the team at just getting muffin shots through to the net and have forwards tip them on or screen the goalie and make it a tough shot to save.

how dare you besmirch our future captain Brock Boesser.
- dbot

Bo is the captain, Brock is better as the quiet badass assassin.

I'd rather have Pedan and the third rounder back than Pouliot. That third rounder might not lose every attacker on the pivot.
- Lindenis#1

except that 3rd rounder was a 4th.

I'd rather have Pedan and the third rounder back than Pouliot. That third rounder might not lose every attacker on the pivot.
- Lindenis#1

The 4th rounder is gonna be a top 100 pick in this draft too

Fine....

#SuckForTkachuk
- EnzoD

I agree, but at the same time, you don't have to have a legit slap shot to put up points as a dman in today's game.

Bieksa used to be the best on the team at just getting muffin shots through to the net and have forwards tip them on or screen the goalie and make it a tough shot to save.
- Nucker101

Tomas Kaberle had one of the worst shots in the league. Jovanovski, who could wire it, would often just find a hole to get it through. Both guys created a tonne of offense that way. Justin Schultz doesn't have a shot that would stand out in a high level beer league, but he gets it on net.

except that 3rd rounder was a 4th.
- dbot

I'd still take it. Top 100 pick in the draft at the time and still is.

Is the draft here yet?


- LordHumungous

Brendan Smith signed a four-year, $17.4MM contract in the offseason with the New York Rangers after an impressive run last season, but hasn’t been anything close to what the team had hoped for. After struggling through 44 games with the team, he was eventually waived and sent to the minor leagues to toil with the Hartford Wolf Pack despite his huge salary.

That might have built some frustration in the 29-year old, who according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post has broken his hand while fighting teammate Vinni Lettieri in practice on Sunday. That puts an end to Smith’s season, and perhaps his career in New York if the team decides a buyout is the only course of action.

A lot of applauding of the NYR GM for what he did at the TDL. How soon people forget about 6.65 for Shattenkirk and Smith deals in the summer. The fact that they didn't have a 1st round pick for 4 years.

A lot of applauding of the NYR GM for what he did at the TDL. How soon people forget about 6.65 for Shattenkirk and Smith deals in the summer. The fact that they didn't have a 1st round pick for 4 years.
- manvanfan

Shattenkirk had offers at over 7 and longer than 4 years. He got well below the max was on the market.

As for the first rounders you should look to Glen Sather for those trades and not Gorton.

I'd still take it. Top 100 pick in the draft at the time and still is.
- Lindenis#1

hindsight is a wonderful thing.

i was happy with the trade at the time.
Pedan can't crack the Canucks or Pens...that's saying something.

JB rolled the dice and Pouliot played awesome at the start and faded into oblivion.

I'm on the fence with him and still see his upside, but wouldn't be upset if he was flipped.

hindsight is a wonderful thing.

i was happy with the trade at the time.
Pedan can't crack the Canucks or Pens...that's saying something.

JB rolled the dice and Pouliot played awesome at the start and faded into oblivion.

I'm on the fence with him and still see his upside, but wouldn't be upset if he was flipped.
- dbot

I don't think he can be flipped for much more than maybe a late 5th at best.

He can't handle speed, and that's the way the NHL is going. Pedan is trash too, guy was even worse than Pouliot at defending against speed.

I thing the red flags were there with Pouliot when he couldn't crack a depleted Pens defense over some guy named Chad Ruhwedel.

hindsight is a wonderful thing.

i was happy with the trade at the time.
Pedan can't crack the Canucks or Pens...that's saying something.

JB rolled the dice and Pouliot played awesome at the start and faded into oblivion.

I'm on the fence with him and still see his upside, but wouldn't be upset if he was flipped.
- dbot

Pouliot did what Pouliot has always been, not good enough. If only it was someones job to scout and figure out he'd end up in the pile of failures with Vey, Etem, Clendening, possibly Motte and not the only good one in Baertschi.

The amount of favour Baertschi being good has bought Benning in benefit of the doubt in trades is insane.

Pouliot did what Pouliot has always been, not good enough. If only it was someones job to scout and figure out he'd end up in the pile of failures with Vey, Etem, Clendening, possibly Motte and not the only good one in Baertschi.

The amount of favour Baertschi being good has bought Benning in benefit of the doubt in trades is insane.
- Lindenis#1

Grandlund - Shink trade too. But i take your point.

too me it's a low risk move for potential for high reward.

Grandlund - Shink trade too. But i take your point.

too me it's a low risk move for potential for high reward.
- dbot

I personally saw it the other way around. If Pouliot couldn’t crack a depleted Pens dcore 5 years after being drafted then to me his upside likely isn’t that high anymore. I’d rather draft a prospect with a top 100 pick and hope to get a steal.

I see Pouliot as the “safer” asset. Higher floor or lower ceiling

The top 100 pick as the more volatile asset with a chance to become nothing or the chance the prospect becomes a future Top 4 dman or Top 9 forward.

DP obviously had higher odds to play more NHL games than the high 4th, but I disagree that he has more upside at this stage of his career path.

In the Canucks situation, I’d rather scratch a lottery ticket than have another depth guy.

I personally saw it the other way around. If Pouliot couldn’t crack a depleted Pens dcore 5 years after being drafted then to me his upside likely isn’t that high anymore. I’d rather draft a prospect with a top 100 pick and hope to get a steal.

I see Pouliot as the “safer” asset. Higher floor or lower ceiling

The top 100 pick as the more volatile asset with a chance to become nothing or the chance the prospect becomes a future Top 4 dman or Top 9 forward.

DP obviously had higher odds to play more NHL games than the high 4th, but I disagree that he has more upside at this stage of his career path.

In the Canucks situation, I’d rather scratch a lottery ticket than have another depth guy.
- Nucker101

In my opinion the jury is still out on this trade. I am hoping Pouliot will train hard this summer and show some growth/ consistency next season. If he doesn't? Well it's a small loss. Benning needs to replace the 4th and add a 2nd round pick for this draft.

In my opinion the jury is still out on this trade. I am hoping Pouliot will train hard this summer and show some growth/ consistency next season. If he doesn't? Well it's a small loss. Benning needs to replace the 4th and add a 2nd round pick for this draft.
- CanuckDon

Fair enough

I personally saw it the other way around. If Pouliot couldn’t crack a depleted Pens dcore 5 years after being drafted then to me his upside likely isn’t that high anymore. I’d rather draft a prospect with a top 100 pick and hope to get a steal.

I see Pouliot as the “safer” asset. Higher floor or lower ceiling

The top 100 pick as the more volatile asset with a chance to become nothing or the chance the prospect becomes a future Top 4 dman or Top 9 forward.

DP obviously had higher odds to play more NHL games than the high 4th, but I disagree that he has more upside at this stage of his career path.

In the Canucks situation, I’d rather scratch a lottery ticket than have another depth guy.
- Nucker101

well, therein lies the difference of opinion.

id' rather have a 24 year old Dman that can put up points and could still develop into a top 4 Dman vs a scratch and win.

if Pouliot learns to play more consistently and the draft pick never plays an NHL game, that's an easy win.

if pouliot has peaked and the draft pick turns out to be a gem, that's an easy loss.

i'd still take my chances with DP.

well, therein lies the difference of opinion.

id' rather have a 24 year old Dman that can put up points and could still develop into a top 4 Dman vs a scratch and win.

if Pouliot learns to play more consistently and the draft pick never plays an NHL game, that's an easy win.

if pouliot has peaked and the draft pick turns out to be a gem, that's an easy loss.

i'd still take my chances with DP.
- dbot

Fair enough then, we can agree to disagree.

I feel like Top 10 picks always get the most attention from coach’s and development staff along with the most opportunities to make the NHL team and if they can’t take advantage after 5 years then I doubt they’ll become difference makers. Maybe decent depth players.

We’ll see how it works out.