Wonder what the PP will look like with him on it

Wonder if he'll play on the PK?

This is going to be fun, be nice if they sign Domi a nice left handed shot for Bedard on the PP

I agree with all but the stick work, kane was always a class of his own elite with his handlings.

You guys are going to realize this isn't pat kane, it is a even better more dynamic goal scorer....
- wiz1901

One more..Bedard has an Edge on his game....Kane never had that...Yes, Kane was a perhaps little better in stick handling while passing but Bedard has far better stick handling when shooting.

Wonder what the PP will look like with him on it

Wonder if he'll play on the PK?

This is going to be fun, be nice if they sign Domi a nice left handed shot for Bedard on the PP
- BetweenTheDots

I wouldn't mind seeing Domi back with a C...I don't think neither Murphy nor Jones is a captain material....

Over thinking getting competent NHLers to skate with Bedard and a couple guys that can police the ice and skate an NHL shift?

Who right now is their top 6 and who besides Tinordi does a goof on the other team respect?
- Mr Ricochet

I think they'll bring Domi back, he can take the faceoffs while Bedard carries the puck, Domi doesn't back down either

Would like to see any highly-rated rookie forward join Bedard so there's less pressure. Think that was beneficial to Toews and Kane, starting the same year. That said, the cupboard is pretty bare so we would need to trade to get a blue chip and other than draft capital, nothing much here.
- Popsghostly

I don't think Bedard will have a problem with the pressure that comes along being the #1 pick. Kid has had pressure and crazy expectations since he was a Pee Wee. Look at what he did under the intense pressure of this yrs WJC.

That said I agree the NHL roster is damn near bare. I'd be just fine with a line of Bedard-Domi-Reichel and like Guttman and Kurachev types, Johnson too ,but there is much to do to protect Bedard and the other rookies and add NHL level players for these kids to develop properly.

I don't think Bedard will have a problem with the pressure that comes along being the #1 pick. Kid has had pressure and crazy expectations since he was a Pee Wee. Look at what he did under the intense pressure of this yrs WJC.

That said I agree the NHL roster is damn near bare. I'd be just fine with a line of Bedard-Domi-Reichel and like Guttman and Kurachev types, Johnson too ,but there is much to do to protect Bedard and the other rookies and add NHL level players for these kids to develop properly.
- Mr Ricochet

Since i get all the questions, i have a question for you, do you think LR handled Reichel the right way?

Personally i think they handled him as well as you can handle a prospect who needed time to develop

IMO the construction of the roster in Bedard's first yr is crucial. As great as the kid's skills are he's going to be playing in the best league in the world vs men, for his first time, there is a chance he won't develop as well as he could without a proper roster.

I feel LR will pull all the right strings on the ice and will have an influence on how KD proceeds building the roster. For sure he needs a least a few competent NHL vets to develop properly. Not worried at all about his skills translating but the chance his brain does not without solid NHLers to skate with is a possibility.

I wonder if you feel signing a couple heavier players like Hathaway, Reeves or Lucic would be a good idea to keep an eye on things on the ice?

The rebuild will still be in process next yr but IMO it's crucial to build a roster to insure proper development of Bedard understanding it's still a rebuild.
- Mr Ricochet

I think they will probably sign a tough guy for the roster as a general deterrent but that really only means they carry a policeman as part of their 23 man roster. Their need is for more size, smarts and skill in players who can actually play with somebody like Bedard. My #1 choice would be Tom WIlson but he would not be cheap to acquire.

Thanks for asking me this.

I think Vlasic moves great for a guy his size and is going to be a solid #4 guy who kills penalties, plays tough minutes and gets the puck out of the zone via pass or skating.

I think Phillips played a simple game in the NHL and did not look out of place. Great skater in great shape. Solid 5 or 6 in the future.

Always want more from Reichel. Seems like he is dancing on the ice while everyone else has to work hard to move. Too much on the perimeter and too much no look stuff. If he wins the lottery and plays with Bedard I hope he plays a simple game of give and go to the net not button hook at the blueline and blind backhand pass to nobody.
- stevefrmglencoe

Remember now, Reichel is only 20 yrs old. Long way to go and a lot of mistakes to be made as he develops. One thing I haven't really read here is how much Bedard makes his teammates better. Kid has elite vision and hits his teammates with passes that allows them to be dangerous...... Bedard will be very good for Reichel.

Still curious if you think a change in coaches in RKF is beneficial for prospects to develop. Indeed, their regular season and playoff record underwhelmed when KD brought in some players to improve the RKF squad.

I think they'll bring Domi back, he can take the faceoffs while Bedard carries the puck, Domi doesn't back down either
- BetweenTheDots

I can see Domi returning to the Hawks - 3 years x $5 million AAV.

I think they will probably sign a tough guy for the roster as a general deterrent but that really only means they carry a policeman as part of their 23 man roster. Their need is for more size, smarts and skill in players who can actually play with somebody like Bedard. My #1 choice would be Tom WIlson but he would not be cheap to acquire.
- RickJ

What contracts does Washington want to dump? I know that they have LaPierre the junior who had serious injuries and he is probably ready for NHL. A second round pick and we pick up the contract, or two second round picks in different years if Wilson’s contract isn’t too long. That is worth a discussion? Not sure how much you get out of Wilson and he had been injured some, but his toughness is primarily what you are after…helps that he skates ok ( I think)

What contracts does Washington want to dump? I know that they have LaPierre the junior who had serious injuries and he is probably ready for NHL. A second round pick and we pick up the contract, or two second round picks in different years if Wilson’s contract isn’t too long. That is worth a discussion? Not sure how much you get out of Wilson and he had been injured some, but his toughness is primarily what you are after…helps that he skates ok ( I think)
- jhawk59

Mantha? https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/capitals

What contracts does Washington want to dump? I know that they have LaPierre the junior who had serious injuries and he is probably ready for NHL. A second round pick and we pick up the contract, or two second round picks in different years if Wilson’s contract isn’t too long. That is worth a discussion? Not sure how much you get out of Wilson and he had been injured some, but his toughness is primarily what you are after…helps that he skates ok ( I think)
- jhawk59

As long as Ovechkin is playing, Washington is not dumping contracts. At the deadline they traded pending UFA’s Orlov and Hathaway.

Anyone think that KD might use that #20 overall pick to trade for a top 6 forward from a cap stressed team?

Anyone think that KD might use that #20 overall pick to trade for a top 6 forward from a cap stressed team?
- Dieselhead

I’m sure STL will trade us Saad lol

I’m sure STL will trade us Saad lol
- Revco38

Let's get Panarin from the Rags for our #20 pick, then trade him to St. Louis for Saad.

As long as Ovechkin is playing, Washington is not dumping contracts. At the deadline they traded pending UFA’s Orlov and Hathaway.
- LAHawk

Only one contract Washington will be looking to dump soon. It starts with an S and ends in a trome.

Anyone think that KD might use that #20 overall pick to trade for a top 6 forward from a cap stressed team?
- Dieselhead

#20 in this draft is too valuable to waste on some 28-32 year old winger. Reichel will be of some use, the rest we can rummage from free agency or as sweeteners for taking the last year or two of a bad deal. Don’t forget we’re a good amount of money from the cap floor.

I do. He likes that GM paycheck
- Elbows15

The owners gave Davidson full rights to run the club as he felt. As a article I believe on here a while back stated a few gms chimed in saying their owners would never allow them to dismantle the team the way Davidson is because of fear of losing their jobs. Davidson is allowed to dictate and make decisions however he chooses and the owners are on board. He built out a roadmap and a plan to get to success again. But Bedard could most likely be the one, but we have to wait and see. Davidson had a rebuild plan for a while and I just don't see him deviating from that.

The only reason I can see them not drafting Bedard is if they don't want to rush any of the other prospects to the NHL and Bedard is pretty much ready for the show. Even if you keep him down for a year, is korchinsky and nazar and our other prospects going to be ready to join all around the same time. I recognize this speeds up the rebuild but it doesn't give us a deep pipeline with recurring prospects to as they get more costly we have other McD or Bedards on the farm to jump in and take their spot for the next year. So it's a continuous success cycle while maintaining a comfortable cap.

Just me overthinking a little bit.

We got very very lucky winning the lottery. We now need some more luck with the current series’s:

If Florida wins the TB 1st and 2nd rounds move up (19 and 51) and Rangers 2nd round moves up as well (55).

If Seattle wins Rangers pick moves up 1 space (so either 55 or 54) and Dallas 3rd round moves up 1 space (2 if florida wins as well).

I spot here or there may not net a significantly better player but it gives us more control over whom we draft and adds value to those picks if we decide to move them.

I went back watching last years World Junior U-18 in 2022 just to verify who played with Connor Bedard (besides Fantilli when they finally broke the line up after it didn't click.) and big centre UCONN Matthew Wood was on the wing after that...on my board I have him off the board at pick #12.

Sure, Glencoe Steve K, there is not the nucleus of Keith and Seabrook and a real star opposite him, just the hopes that Kurashev and Reichel can play, with Nazar I a year, and C Ryan Greene next in line, and the hopes they can fortify that group with solid forwards, and if if there is a drop maybe Axel Sandin Pelikka is there at #19 and you fill after that with bigger guys who were dropped into later spots after starting out higher like Kasper Halttunen, Koehn Ziemmer, Charlie Stramel, Mathieu Cataford and later, Danny Nelson or Carson Rehkopf.

And this means Allen and Korchinski have to ascend to high level top three defenders and I would like another to develop in the mix.

This may deter ideas of select smaller junior prospects, because you want size around Nazar and reset of their forward future with Reichel the closest to "not small."

They will look outside in free agency and trying pry pros to play around him, but no doubt, the draft party doesn't win us anything until more pieces are in place.

the future is already brighter so I cannot go gloom and doom on what the head coach can do for that but now they have a much clearer idea of the big piece in place.

(And I bet any prospect we are picking or have picked who is in college or college bound, that we don't see any Kevin Hayes scenarios...)

Anyone think that KD might use that #20 overall pick to trade for a top 6 forward from a cap stressed team?
- Dieselhead

It would have to Washington's Tom Wilson, and the 20th overall isn't getting even a nibble from Caps for him.

Finally, I am not the only one who see Fantilli with a little less shine like I have:

https://theathletic.com/4...nor-bedard-adam-fantilli/

Pretty sure it's Polish
Like Da Super Fans on SNL
Dose sliders from Whitey's game me da runs!

I always liked Pequod's deep dish
But tavern style is the way to go 99% of the time
- captainserious

Barnaby’s

Pretty sure it's Polish
Like Da Super Fans on SNL
Dose sliders from Whitey's game me da runs!

I always liked Pequod's deep dish
But tavern style is the way to go 99% of the time
- captainserious

Barnaby’s

Pizza is meant to be thin, cut into triangles, folded and picked up with your hands. A deep dish pizza, or a pizza cut into squares is as sacrilegious as breaking spaghetti before you cook it or …. shudder cutting spaghetti to eat it!
- paulr

Really… sure makes a difference in the taste if you fold it or cut it