My engagement with you is a work in progress. Experimentation will lead to optimization.

The reason why institutional patterns are important across GMs is because of multiple factors that may cut across them. I give you 3

1. Scouting - good or bad

2. Analytics staff (likewise)

3. The fan base - the one constant, which may not be willing to tolerate the kind of pain that seems increasingly necessary to produce winners.
- PT21

I give you A for effort but a D for creativity and an F- for complete and utter lack of any logic. One of the dumber things I've read on hockeybuzz.

Thanks.

What I am saying really boils down to this step by step argument:


1. In comparing the nucleus of Toronto and us, the difference is this: Toronto's core already has elite level talent, more elite than what our D prospects currently are, and more elite than what they are projected to be. Roughly speaking, on forward score, their forward core collectively score probably 9 out of 10. We project to say 8 at best and are currently 6.5.

2. The difference is contract value. We have more money to spread around our core. other good players if we can get rid of Giroux/Voracek/JVR

3. However, looking at the cup winners of this century, most seem to have elite, HOF type talent in several of these categories: scoring forward, defensive forward, #1 D and goalie. It seems more statistically likely that you will win with an unbalanced star studded cast than a deep team with no eilte talent but with more uniform ability.

Ergo, from steps 1-3, Toronto is closer than what where we are.
- PT21

We have the better defensive forward: Couturier
We have the better elite talent goaltender:Hart
We have the better an more advanced defense: Provorov, Sanheim, Myers.

Jake will either be protected or traded. If you left a player of his stature that has been with the team for however long he has been, wears a letter, and didn’t protect him the relationship would be ruined and he would demand a trade if not picked up in expansion.
- ClaudeFather

Jake will just have to get over it. Who cares if he doesn't like it. Not a factor.

I think you are a very kind person and engaging in some grade inflation and hope.

If Hart is already great after 1 season where he often struggled in road games, and Provy is already great where he is routinely ranked outside the top 15 D-men playing today, what would you call Price, Vasilevsky, Hedman, Jones, etc.?

You saw a great D man, aging but still able to take our top forward and make him pretty much vanish in the series against the Habs.

Thats the kind of guy I call great. Do you think Provy is there yet? If so, how come others in the league don't rank him higher?
- PT21

Pleas provide this ranking.

Provorov took his team further than Weber did. Ask any team in the league who they would choose, Weber or Provorov? See I can speculate also.

Thanks for the good wishes. There is nothing I said here, that needs revision,including calling you a dimwit.

Go read the first page of this thread where the necessity of having stars for winning the cup (which is different from the sufficiency) was already discussed.

No hard feelings. Good night to you too.
- PT21

You're unraveling. Continually calling people morons are ditwits. If you were actually as superior as you think you are, you'd have no need to do that. If you don't think your posting needs revision, well there is a word that comes to mind.

well, there goes the season for me. avs are my main team, flyers my favorite in the east. couldn’t care less about these stupid bubble playoffs anymore.

loathe dallas. indifferent about the isles. tampa and vegas in the cup final seems likely, but i’m out. cya all in december.
- avsgrinder

I was praying the Avs pulled it off. What a fun team to watch. In my opinion, McKinnon is the best player in hockey.

Baseball question. JT Realmuto... what’s the story with him and the Phillies? They having good negotiations for an extension? Hearing a lot of Steve Cohen and Mets rumors about crushing the offseason and getting Realmuto, Stroman, and Bauer.

No. Its time to excise the internal organs, except the Hart. The body rots from within and the stench is strong.

We can but hope that our top 3 young D develop to who we think they can be. And that Hart continues to get even better.

But there is a huge dearth of dangerous talent up front. And there is not much in the pipeline.

Couturier has played tough mins for many years now, and has had multiple injuries. I am guessing he has 5 years left as a top tier center at most. He looked slow this playoffs even before the injury. Hayes is not a #1 center.

Sure there will be lots of waffling and sweet talking and accusations of lacking faith.

But here is the bottom line: We are not close
- PT21

Wait what!?!? They were in the final 8 and lost in a Game 7. In a season where there was a 4 month pause. How can you make such an ignorant statement? They need another piece or two, but they are absolutely close.

Here’s the bottom line: They were the second best team in hockey from November until the pause. They weren’t the same team afterwards. These playoffs are an absolute joke. I wanted them to win and am disappointed they lost, but there is no doubt this gets an asterisk for whoever wins.

Jake will just have to get over it. Who cares if he doesn't like it. Not a factor.
- MJL

I really like Jake. Think he is a hell of a player and great in the lockeroom. But my god, is there a player with less “hockey IQ” in the league? The amount of low percentage plays in high danger areas he makes are maddening.

We have the better defensive forward: Couturier
We have the better elite talent goaltender:Hart
We have the better an more advanced defense: Provorov, Sanheim, Myers.
- MJL

And you cannot win if you can't score.

Let me check game 7....oh hey! Look at that!

It's a good thing we don't need young elite offense when we have elite defense already!

Cuz we can continue to get bounced in the second round

And you cannot win if you can't score.

Let me check game 7....oh hey! Look at that!

It's a good thing we don't need young elite offense when we have elite defense already!

Cuz we can continue to get bounced in the second round
- DrMidnite

In a salary cap world it takes time. They are going to have to explore ways to boost their scoring. But having elite defense and goaltending is the foundation that you need to be a consistently good team.

We vary on that 4 year projection. How about the loser remembers to apologize within 4 years if proven wrong? I’ll agree now to forgive you.

I look forward to your apology which I expect to be eloquent.
- NC Flyers Fan

Good morning and Happy Labor Day to all,

And oh for sure, I can actually give you guys a better, sharper bet than that. But I accept this one.

I give you A for effort but a D for creativity and an F- for complete and utter lack of any logic. One of the dumber things I've read on hockeybuzz.
- MJL

And I will ignore this subpart of our interaction because, well, it has nothing from your side (not uncommon)

We have the better defensive forward: Couturier
We have the better elite talent goaltender:Hart
We have the better an more advanced defense: Provorov, Sanheim, Myers.
- MJL

Try to read posts before replying to them, my man.

Around and around and around and around and around ...

Pleas provide this ranking.

Provorov took his team further than Weber did. Ask any team in the league who they would choose, Weber or Provorov? See I can speculate also.
- MJL

I will honor your request, and of course you will disagree, with the delusion that your disagreement is worth anything. But I will provide it and answer your question at face value:

https://www.nhl.com/news/...up-qualifiers/c-317307316

https://www.nbcsports.com...re-leagues-top-defensemen
(only goes up to top 10)

https://dobberhockey.com/...efensemen-september-2020/




This one is fantasy picks, so interpret with caution:
https://www.nhl.com/news/...ankings-pools/c-282830728

You're unraveling. Continually calling people morons are ditwits. If you were actually as superior as you think you are, you'd have no need to do that. If you don't think your posting needs revision, well there is a word that comes to mind.
- MJL

Oh goodness, there is no superiority claimed. I am just a blunt dude.

If I call someone a moron, especially you (large sample set), its probably because the interaction deserves it.

I was praying the Avs pulled it off. What a fun team to watch. In my opinion, McKinnon is the best player in hockey.
- Flyers1218

I'd still say McDavid is the best offensive player in the game (still think Sid is the best overall) but MacKinnon is right there with him. I remember my first time really watching him was the World Cup, and I realized just how good he was.

I was pulling for the Avs too.

I'd still say McDavid is the best offensive player in the game (still think Sid is the best overall( but MacKinnon is right there with him. I remember my first time really watching him was the World Cup, and I realized just how good he was.

I was pulling for the Avs too.
- jmatchett383

McDavid, imo, is in a different planet.

But Mackinnon is at the top of the rest of the mortals.

Wait what!?!? They were in the final 8 and lost in a Game 7. In a season where there was a 4 month pause. How can you make such an ignorant statement? They need another piece or two, but they are absolutely close.

Here’s the bottom line: They were the second best team in hockey from November until the pause. They weren’t the same team afterwards. These playoffs are an absolute joke. I wanted them to win and am disappointed they lost, but there is no doubt this gets an asterisk for whoever wins.
- Flyers1218

an asterisk lol

Around and around and around and around and around ...
- jmatchett383

This place has somehow managed to become more toxic than before.

Wait what!?!? They were in the final 8 and lost in a Game 7. In a season where there was a 4 month pause. How can you make such an ignorant statement? They need another piece or two, but they are absolutely close.

Here’s the bottom line: They were the second best team in hockey from November until the pause. They weren’t the same team afterwards. These playoffs are an absolute joke. I wanted them to win and am disappointed they lost, but there is no doubt this gets an asterisk for whoever wins.
- Flyers1218

I will go further. I do not beiieve they will make a Stanley Cup Finals appearance in the next 4 years.

And there will be no asterisk, as there should not be.

This place has somehow managed to become more toxic than before.
- Tomahawk

Oh look, here comes our resident fly-by carper.


Happy Labor Day, buddy.

And you cannot win if you can't score.

Let me check game 7....oh hey! Look at that!

It's a good thing we don't need young elite offense when we have elite defense already!

Cuz we can continue to get bounced in the second round
- DrMidnite

I actually think scoring is the easiest to get between scoring, defense, and goaltending. I think we have the other two. Not saying it's easy to get, just easier than the other two.

Oh look, here comes our resident fly-by carper.


Happy Labor Day, buddy.
- PT21

I mean...he has a point. Not pointing fingers at either of you because I've done it before too...but you and MJL have the same long, drawn out 6 page argument every day.

Have either of you won the argument or succeeded in changing the other's opinion yet? Or is screaming at a wall fun for you ?

Edit: I do agree with your terminology. Must be very fulfilling to drop by, tell everyone how wrong they are, and walk away.