krsmith17

You know you can switch the audio feed right? Granted, Kaser and Figurski are quite the homers themselves, but at least they're OUR homers...

3-0 Griffins! Renouf with a pair.

2-0 Griffs!

IF we re-sign him. I wouldn't be opposed to giving him another contract, but I wouldn't be surprised either way if we re-sign him or let him walk.

Turgeon cuts lead in half.

Coreau s***ing the bed again. 3-1 Crunch...

Bertuzzi ties Pulkkinen with 22 playoff goals for 1st on the Griffins all time list.

Bertuzzi! Scores off the rebound from Frk that ripped one off the iron. 1-1

Good to know. But I'm not sure why these things would make Button believe his game won't translate well to the NHL. Hardest things to work on at this stage of development in my opinion, are skating and shooting. Easiest thing to work on, cycling the puck and other fundamentals. Explosive speed, blistering right-handed shot, sounds great to me. Also, we could use a couple guys that are "one-dimensional", that concentrate more so on the offensive side of the game...

Guillame Lepage has Tippett ranked at number 6, and Makar at 9. https://www.nhl.com/news/guillame-lepage-second-mock-2017-nhl-draft-projections/c-289753990 Adam Kimelman has Tippett ranked at number at 8, and Glass at 9. https://www.nhl.com/news/second-nhl-mock-draft-adam-kimelman-projections-2017/c-289750808 Mike Morreale has Tippett ranked at number 9. https://www.nhl.com/news/mike-morreale-second-nhl-mock-draft-projections-2017/c-289750810?tid=277764372 All three of these mocks were done post combine. However, I'm not sure how much any of them took the results from the combine into account, if at all. I'd personally be okay with any of these three picks, but then again, there are about 7 players I'd be more than happy with taking at 9. The only player that consistently pops up in the top 10, that I'm really not in favour of drafting is Rasmussen...

It was a little tongue in cheek... Of course I know drafting Tippett doesn't mean we're getting a Kessel clone... All I'm saying is I don't think it would be that disastrous to pick him at 9. This is what one draft analyst has him ranked, and as much as I value Button's opinion, I wouldn't take it as gospel. I'm sure there are numerous other draft analysts that would still have him up there. I still wouldn't be at all shocked to see Tippett go in the top 10, and I'd be a little surprised if he's still available beyond 15.

Meh, I wouldn't go that far. He's been compared over and over again to Kessel, but maybe it's not just his style of play... Maybe Tippett hates working out and loves hot dogs and doughnuts, but if he can play hockey and score goals like Kessel, I don't care if he ever steps foot in the gym... I'd take Kessel at number 9 in this year's draft.

Pettersson wouldn't be my first choice at 9, but I wouldn't hate it. Same goes for Necas. I posted a link to the combine results a few posts back, and yeah, Tippett dropping so far down could be due to a poor showing. He didn't rank in the top 10(+) in any of the dozen or so tests that took place at the combine...

Craig Button's final draft rankings... http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-hischier-edges-patrick-in-final-ranking-1.772654 Like always, a few players moved up and a few others moved down. I was really surprised to see Tippett fall all the way down to 23 though. Also surprised to see Makar as the top ranked defenseman at number 3, ahead of both Heiskanen and Liljegren. Glass is at 4 and Vilardi dropped down to 6. Josh Norris, who destroyed the combine ranks number 25. If this is how the first 8 are selected, I hope we draft one of Liljegren or Suzuki at 9.

Frk is 23 (24 this coming season). There are many players that don't make their mark in the league until their Frk's age or even later. Detroit aren't really a team known to move their prospects along quickly either... Jensen finally got the call this year at the tender age of 26. DeKeyser was a highly sought after free agent that was never drafted and never played a game pro at the same age Frk is now. Frederick Gaudreau is 24, just made his debut this season, and is giving the Preds an added scoring punch in the playoffs. Ryan Dzingel is another example. Zach Hyman, and how about the great Luke Glendebing... I'm sure there are many other examples, but those are just a few off the top of my head. I agree though that the likelihood of Frk having a major impact isn't great, I'd just like to see what he can do if given the opportunity. He has to know that it's make or break this coming season for him.

My sleeper pick (3rd round), Fabian Zetterlund...

All I'm saying, and I'm sure the same goes for kip, is give him the opportunity in that role and see what he can do with it. Nowhere did I say that AHL success automatically translates to the NHL. Sure, there are many examples of players that had great numbers in the American League that could never hack it in the NHL, but you know what a high percentage of those players have in common? They lack size. Miele, Boychuk, Pulkkinen all lack size, and I believe was a big reason none of them played significant time in the NHL. And for the same reason, Street, Lorito and Criscuolo likely won't ever play significant time in the NHL either. The difference is, Frk has NHL size and uses his size well. I'm not gushing over Frk by any means, all I'm saying is that IF he could become a decent 3rd line winger and a threat on our power-play that lacks right handed shooters, he could be a solid addition to this squad. Give the kid his shot.

If we're trading back he wouldn't be my first choice, but if we had two mid-late 1st round picks, I guess I wouldn't be opposed to taking him with one of them...

I know you're being sarcastic, but I'd take Jarnkrok back in a heartbeat. I get why we made that trade at the time, but we definitely lost the trade. I think David Poile is one of the better (probably most underrated) GM's in the league (maybe not after this season)... The Forsberg trade may be one of the most lop-sided trades in recent memory. The Jarnkrok trade has worked out great for them. The Johansen for Jones trade was a great one considering their insane depth at defense. The Subban for Weber trade is up there as another one of the more lop-sided trades. I think he's been doing a great job there for quite some time, and it's all finally paying off. Good to see.

Maybe that is what you meant, but you did ask "is Frk really a skill player"... and the answer to that is "Yes". I never said it would definitely translate, but there's no reason to believe a 23 year old, top scorer at the AHL level won't at least be reasonably productive as 3rd line winger at the NHL level. I'm not saying he would light the league on fire, but I do think he could potentially put up 20-30 points, which is what we would expect from any of Abdelkader, Helm or Sheahan in a similar role. I also think that a 4th line of the three aforementioned would be very good. Similar to the old grind line, fully capable of shutting down top lines, while actually producing some offense.

Zetterberg IS still a number one center in this league, would be on many teams and is on THIS team. THAT is the reality, not whatever you're trying to spin. I'd like to see Zetterberg's minutes reduced and Larkin's (as well as the other kids') minutes increased, but as long as Zetterberg demands the minutes (with his elite play), you don't take it away from him. You don't sit your best player when you're trying to win hockey games. You get him out there as often as you can, as often as his body will allow it. I'll admit, I was one of the many that said Zetterberg may be better suited in a 3rd line role before last season. I'll also admit that I couldn't have been more wrong about that. Z had an awful season the year before (to his standards), and it looked like he was slowing down at rapid pace. He proved this past season that that is not the case, and he still has a lot left in the tank. So I'll say it again, until he shows fatigue, you keep playing your best player, the work horse, Hank the Tank, Zetterberg as your number one center...

Josh Norris seems to be the beast at this years combine. http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/2017-nhl-combine-results-top-10-drill/ Projected to go in the 2nd round. Michigan native with good size, 6'1", 192 lbs. Center.

Seriously? You think Zetterberg should be our number 3 center? After the season he just had, ranking 11th in the league in points? Zetterberg proved, not that he can just keep up, but that he's still an elite level player. He's putting up great numbers, while still being one of the better two-way centers in the game. Z is still far and away our best center (and our best player), and he will be our top center until he inevitably slows down. Maybe that's this year, maybe next year, but until then, he is our best option down the middle, and it's not even close.

Frk is a very skilled hockey player, and to say otherwise is just ignorant. Whether that skill that has made him so successful at the AHL level will translate to the NHL is yet to be determined. If put in the right situation, I think Frk can be a very good 3rd line winger at the NHL level. If he's thrown on a line with Sheahan and Abdelkader, I don't think he will do a whole lot, but if he's put on a line with Nielsen and Svechnikov (guys that can distribute the puck) like kip suggested, I think he'd be able to put up points. If he's used properly he could be a good fit on a team that lacks quality shooters. I hope he's given a legit shot in training camp...

I think there's quite a few people that seen how badly Nashville outplayed Pittsburgh in the better part of those first two games, and thought this thing was far from being over. I'm still not sure if they will win it (I hope they do), but I knew they wouldn't go quietly. If the Preds play Thursday night like they have the rest of this series and manage to win in Pittsburgh and pull out a third straight W, this thing IS over, and we can all sleep easy knowing the Pens won't win back to back Cups... Nashville have been one of the more exciting teams this entire playoff, and I've been rooting for them since they swept the Hawks in round one. GO PREDS!!!