kipwinger

Weber certainly has a cannon, but Pronger didn't have a shot like THAT. Just a good hard, accurate slapper that he could get through. From what I've seen Seider's point shot is more similar to Pronger than Weber for sure. But I think the archetype still fits.

For sure. Barring something crazy happening with the draft lottery in the next two years I think the likelihood that we're going to land some surefire offensive dynamo (Wright or Bedard) is pretty slim. So he's really only got two options. Take some swings on high offensive ceiling guys while he can (Kent Johnson/Chaz Lucius) or try to build along the lines of Boston in 2011 or St. Louis two years ago and hope a hard working, blue collar, team can find a way to win it. To me the second option isn't a good one. Both those teams relied on a ton of luck and INSANE goaltending performances to win. And neither seemed likely to sustain that level of success. MAYBE, if we're SUPER lucky we've got a Kucherov in Rayond and a Hedman in Seider but that's asking a lot. I think he's gotta swing on skill this year and next and hope someone exceeds expectations. That, along with a lot of depth guys outperforming their draft slots (as you've mentioned).

Prior to the Zadina/Veleno/Berggren/McIsaac draft a scout said something like 'whichever team gets Jonatan Berggren is getting the steal of the draft". There are always guys who everyone knows are going to be really good, but for some reason they're just not at the top of any team's draft board. I think Viro is like that. Not many called it, but a few did. I know Craig Button was really high on him. I think every team had one or two guys they'd rather take, so he fell, but it's clear he's a very very good player.

Much as I hate to admit it, he looks fine. So far that has been the best series of the playoffs IMO. It's unbelievably tight and both teams are playing their asses off. Oddly, I'd argue that Boston is playing a little bit more offensively and Washington is playing a little tighter defense. But all in all it's a good series. Mantha hasn't stood out, but he's not been bad either. Oshie and Hall have been the only marquee players that have been especially noticeable through two games. As with most really close series, the depth players are really the ones that are making and breaking this one.

I was watching the Caps/Bruins last night and Viro reminds me a ton of Dmitri Orlov (whom I'm a huge fan of). Great skater, sneaky physicality, solid (but not exceptional) offense. If we have an Orlov-Carlson pair already in our system (Viro-Seider) we're in REALLY good shape.

He hasn't scored in what, 13 games or something? Must be his bum linemates...wait (checks notes)...his linemates are Backstrom and Tom Wilson. Right. Mantha sucks.

To be fair Mike Babcock did the same thing, only with Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Rafalski, Kronwall, Franzen, and Hossa in the lineup, and he was called "the best coach in hockey" for it. Soooo, Blash for Jack Adams?

That makes sense to me. Two years to see what he's got with a (hopefully) improving roster. Aside from any trades/UFA signings he'll be getting Seider and Veleno to start the season, along with Larkin, Bert, and Fabbri back. By season's end he might very well have one of Berggren or Raymond as well. Next year he'll have the other of the two, plus Johansson (probably) and Smith or Pearson (maybe). If Blash can't get close to the playoffs with that influx of talent then it's time to bring someone new in.

Agreed with the bold. But like I said, if I had that pick I'd trade back to the 5-7 range because I don't like him enough and some defense starved team surely does. I genuinely like Beniers, I see him as basically a Bo Horvat kind of center. Those guys are super useful and exactly the kind of guy I have advocated acquiring (Ryan Johansen is essentially the same player too) to be our 2C. I just don't like him enough to take with a high end pick. But a team like Columbus, who needs centers worse than we do, will take him in a heartbeat knowing that's he's a pretty sure bet to hit his ceiling.

In either case I'd probably trade back. I don't think there's a big enough separation in talent between basically anyone in the top ten to justify making the pick. If I was Yzerman I'd be perfectly content trading back and seeing how the board shakes out, knowing full well that I'm picking one of Johnson, Eklund, or Lucius (whom I like in that order). I view this draft like I viewed the Seider draft. I'm not impressed with the top of the class (Hughes/Kakko) and would have been happy with any of Zegras, Dach, Cozens, or Turcotte. But that seems like a deflection. So, if I couldn't trade back and HAD to pick first I'd probably take Power and if he were off the board and I HAD to pick second I'd take Johnson.

I'd add Lucius, who I think is probably the most gifted goal scorer in the draft but is hard to really evaluate because he played so few games this year. I'd also remove Lysell, only because more and more I'm seeing him tumbling down draft boards into the late teens or 20's. He's kinda like Raty, he's got tantalizing skill but seems like a reach with the 5-8 pick. Based on the current standings (which will obviously change) I'd expect Buffalo, Anaheim, and New Jersey to all go with defensemen. Seattle takes whomever is the surest bet with their pick. Columbus will take a center. So I'm assuming Power, Evidsson, Hughes, Clarke, and Beniers are off the board by the time we pick. I presume we'll take Eklund. According to his scouting report he's super smart, works hard, and has some skill. Plus it seems like Yzerman favors drafting players who are already performing well in men's leagues. Wouldn't be my pick, but I don't really hate it either.

Yeah, I'd love either guy. Maybe not my "ideal" picks, but I wouldn't be upset in either case. The guys I really want to stay away from are Evidsson and Guenther. The first seems like Swedish Jay Bouwmeester and the second seems like Zadina 2.0. Both would probably be helpful but I think we need to take bigger swings with this year's picks.

So what? I've seen Clarke compared to Doughty, Eklund compared to Zetterberg, and Johnson compared to Marner.

It's completely irrelevant who's better now, what matters is who will be better in 3 years and beyond. The better question, this year, would be is Power going to be better than Clarke, Edvinsson, or Hughes, and will Beniers be better than Eklund, Guenther, Johnson, or Lucuis. Edit: I'd add that Power and Beniers are probably both surer bets than the others, even if they don't have the ceiling.

At least Chris Pronger, at worst Shea Weber. I'm calling it.

Edit: We are drafting no worse than 8th. Forgot Seattle.

I think you're right, but I don't think it's Blashill's "brand" as much as it's the only way you can win with a talentless roster. I'm sure he'd prefer to gain the zone with possession, all coaches would, but he's probably got one line that's skilled enough to do that consistently. And one defenseman capable of jumping into the play and helping. I'll continue to beat the drum that it's hard to judge Blash off what this roster can/can't do. He's got loads of talent coming the next two years, extend him and let's see what he can do for those two seasons before cutting bait.

Mantha, on playing for Detroit, and why it's absolutely necessary to get back to winning as soon as humanly possible: "It sucks," Mantha said. "You're playing hockey because you want to play in the playoffs. And when you don't have the chance, and you just pack every summer to go back home, and you're like, 'I'll just take two weeks off and start training again.' I mean, there's no motivation in that."

Apparently Craig Button felt like muddying the waters with his latest draft rankings. https://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-defencemen-dominate-top-of-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings-1.1638404

Like, I bet 80 years ago Buffalo and Toledo Ohio were basically the exact same place. Don't tell that to anyone from Buffalo though. Also, there's nobody more Italian, Irish, Frence, etc. than an American of European decent. Like, man alive are Americans really Italian ya know?

Can confirm. My lady is from Buffalo, been there many times, and have always loved how Buffalo residents are ALL ABOUT Buffalo stuff. I love that town though. It reminds me of mini Detroit. However, I was once in a brewery in Buffalo and was making conversation with some gals and made an offhand remark to one of them about how Buffalo is culturally mid-western (they are) and she WAS NOT having it. Must have been from Rochester or Ithaca.

So here's some good new, Washington's playing Boston (the hottest team since the TDL) in the first round. Boston is peaking at the right time and Washington seems to be in disarray. For the first time ever I want Boston to win something.

The number of top six centers supposedly on the market, and the number of teams expecting something similar back might make a lot of these trades a wash. Eichel, Reinhart, Kuznetsov, Monahan, Duchene, Johansen, Domi may just all sorta get traded for one another. I can see a world where Monahan plus could get an Eichel deal done. That type of thing. This is why I like the idea of Johansen, because he IS the bad contract. But one we can easily stomach considering his age and our team's needs. I think the ask for him is quite a lot lower than someone who doesn't have the baggage.

Agreed, they're working on an extension. If he was gone they'd say he's gone, but if he's staying they're not going to announce it until there's a deal. Otherwise management would essentially be handing over some of their leverage in the contract negotiation.