So is it wrong to say “go Habs” tonight.....cuz it helps the tank and a hand win is bad for the leafs.

It's maybe time to start worrying about the backlog of players that's starting to develop on the team. White was signed under the assumption that he'd be playing a top-6 role, but they now have Pageau playing over 18min/gp, and Tierney still playing in more critical game situations. Brown is getting some of the remaining offensive role time, Anisimov plays over 14min/gp, and White seems to be kind of just caught in the mix. Factor in having no fixed linemates, and a S% that's down to under 6%, and that's a recipe for a slow start. But at the end of the day he has a versatile skill set, a good attitude, and a solid work ethic.

So no, I'm not really worried about White... but they will start doing harm to their young core players if they don't keep moving out some of the congestion in the system and create opportunities for them to get meaningful playing time. In terms of names, that means all of Namestnikov, Ennis, Boedker, and at least one of Pageau or Tierney by the end of year.
- khawk

Or maybe it was simply that stone was carrying white.

AA and the capitals 2nd for White.
- Feds91Stammer

Don't you think Detroit could get a lot more than that for AA?

Or maybe it was simply that stone was carrying white.
- Tumbleweed

I thought Stone was carrying Tkachuk. Now it's White?

I think they shoulda got white on a shorter term deal...
We are stacked with potential 2nd line centers but no 1st line centers. White makes too much to be a 3rd or 4th line center and lacks the grit. With Norris and L.Brown in the mix as well as the potential to keep Pageau and draft a first line center in the upcoming draft are you going to put White on the 4th line with that contract? Could be used as a winger i suppose.

I thought Stone was carrying Tkachuk. Now it's White?
- Storman

both played on his line.

b.tkachkuk looks like a solid 40 point player though.

Don't you think Detroit could get a lot more than that for AA?
- lemieux_66

No clue. But white is a hell of a player.

I'm not in panic mode yet personally. he is relatively quick, plays a solid 2 way game. I believe the offence will come back once he gets his confidence.

he had a good finish to last year against top lines after stone was traded. mind you he had Brady on his wing.

I dont think he will ever be a top 6 center but think he could be a btm 6 shutdown guy that has a bit of offensive upside. maybe squeeze out 10 to 15 goals, 30 to 40 points. aka jgp...

so far it looks like he doesn't have the potential to drive a line offensively but with skilled wingers can do some damage.

At worst he projects to a 3c , yea were overpaying him for that role. one area he needs to work on for sure is faceoffs

I was thinking more about the White situation (after watching him closely last night) and even at worse he just becomes a 3rd line centre that is not a great place to be when he is making 4.7 mill a year in seasons 22/23, 23/24, etc. Assuming the rebuild goes somewhat decently, around that time, 4.7 mill to 3rd line players can be annoying in terms of cap structure and trying to bring in supporting talent. Don’t forget who the owner is. Of course, if White doesn’t translate into a core player, it also probably means the rebuild isn’t going decently.

I think khawk’s post is fairly accurate in terms of playtime distribution, however, I do feel strongly that if players are good enough, they will get their ice time. The player has to prove they can play rather than be spoon-fed minutes and line mates.

Team Canada made a number of cuts today for the WJC team:
https://www.tsn.ca/canada...pionship-roster-1.1412293

At first glance, this would seem to put Bernard-Docker on the team. He's not only one of 6 NHL-drafted d-men remaining on the roster, but also a RH shot, and one of the larger d-men in terms of physical frame. You have to think that Byram, Smith, and McIsaac will all feature prominently, but they're also all natural LH shots. As such, it doesn't seem impossible that JBD might even see some top-4 ice time, given that Addison and Drysdale (the other RH options) are both smaller and more offensive-minded.