krsmith17

Nielsen does not need to be protected, and definitely won't be protected. We have two forward spots remaining after the obvious Larkin, Mantha, Bertuzzi, Fabbri, and Rasmussen. Yeah, Svechnikov and Timashov will be in the mix, but don't be surprised if Smith is there as well, by the end of next season. Either way, like I said, we won't be losing anything too significant. I'd say worst case scenario, we lose a Lindstrom (3rd pair defenseman) or a Timashov (3rd line winger), and best case scenario, we give up a mid round pick to get them to take Nielsen... The latter is probably unlikely, but Seattle will be looking to take on some bad contracts to get to the cap floor. They can't build a team completely with players on entry level contracts...

I'd prefer Pittsburgh over Toronto... My order of preference... 1 - Edmonton - most fans would be pissed, but I like the Oilers, and would love to see Lafreniere on a line with McDavid for the next 10+ years... 2 - Winnipeg - I also like the Jets, and they were in the spot that would have won the lottery, had there not been this gimmicky second lottery... 3 / 4 - Nashville / Minnesota - Western Conference kind of irrelevant teams that could use the help... 5 - Florida - Eastern Conference kind of irrelevant team that could use the help... 6 / 7 - Pittsburgh / New York - Two teams that definitely don't need the help, Penguins because they have Crosby and Malkin, and have won 3 Cups in the past 11 years, 5 in the past 30, and the Rangers are absolutely stacked with young talent / high end prospects... Toronto - F*** that! I will boycott the NHL if the Leafs win. I won't watch a single game next season...

Well yeah, I agreed with that part... However, I'd say it's "likely" we get an "All-Star" calibre player at 4th overall, probably not Hall of Fame / Steve Yzerman calibre though... Keep in mind, it's still possible that one of Stutzle or Byfield drop to 4...

Unlikely, but definitely not out of the realm of possibility. I'd say All-Star, good chance, Hall of Famer, probably not... but maybe...

The expansion draft is irrelevant for any players on 2021 expiring contracts. If the Wings want to keep him, and Svechnikov wants to stay in Detroit, they negotiate a contract and sign after the expansion draft has taken place. Regardless, Yzerman is going to be hard pressed to find 7 forwards that MUST be protected. Worst case scenario, we'll be losing another Nosek, replacement level player.

I'm still hopeful that Svech can become a solid middle six winger. He has the tools, it's just a matter of if he can put it all together. This is likely a make or break season for him. I'll be rooting for him...

Canucks definitely need cap space, but they won't trade one of their top offensive players to alleviate that. If they want to shed cap space, they can trade Eriksson or Sutter or Beagle or whoever, but they won't trade Boeser for that reason. Boeser >>> Toffoli, and five years younger. Boeser has had some freak injuries, but no reoccurring, and none that would suggest he won't be healthy going forward. When healthy, he's one of the best players on the Canucks.

I think Vancouver wins that trade, unless Podkolzin develops into a stud (I wouldn't bet on it). We shouldn't have to give up Cholowski and Rasmussen, if we're taking on all that cap space (terrible contracts)... Also, Vancouver traded away their 2020 1st round pick. Benning has made some questionable moves for sure, but no way he would rather give up a proven, near point per game, top line winger, over an unproven prospect. Podkolzin *might* be as good as Boeser some day, if everything goes right... But if that's the case, give us Boeser... Benning has said that he's not on the trade block, but if we're taking Loui Eriksson's contract, that's the main piece I'd be looking at in return.

It's going to happen. I think it'll be Stutzle though, which I would be completely okay with.

Blashill demoted Athanasiou to the bottom six for shifts, periods, games from time to time, but he still spent a large majority of his time in the top six. He's a middle six winger, that can play up and down the lineup. But again, he has played with McDavid and Draisaitl, and he will continue to get looks with McDavid and Draisaitl. And if you could score 30 on their wing, I'm pretty confident Athanasiou can as well...

Okay, but why not? I'm sure he'll see time on the 3rd line with Sheahan and whoever, but he'll also 100% see time with McDavid and / Draisaitl. He started on a line with McDavid and Ennis, and finished on a line with Draisaitl and Yamamoto. EDIT: he's currently practicing on that same line with Draisaitl and Yamamoto.

What's your point? You said "as a 30 goal scorer it is", referring to it being "done". I think Athanasiou can and likely will hit 30 goals again. You seem to think you could, but Athanasiou can't...

He will be playing mostly in the *middle* six, and will definitely get plenty of looks with McDavid and Draisaitl. He's consistently hovered around that 20+ goal pace. I'm sure he'll pop off a year or two and hit 30 again.

Yeah, it's obviously such a convoluted, big brain idea, that only THE Devin Little could come up with. I'm sure not a single other person could come up with such a complex trade scenario... I mean, a cap dump going to a rebuilding team, with ample cap space? Crazy... A young prospect going the other way to the team he grew up idolizing? Crazier... But really, why the f*** would I try to pass it off as my own idea if it wasn't? LOL you're such a f***ing tool.

I think it should be enough, or very close, if you consider trading Eriksson alone should net a 1st round pick, at the very least. So the question then is, is Boeser worth more than a 1st round pick, a 22 year old former 1st round pick, and a 2nd round pick? I'm not sure, but it's definitely close in my opinion. Adding Fabbri along with a sweetener? along with Cholowski, a 2nd round pick and taking on two years of one of the worst contracts in the league seems pretty steep to me...

Yeah, I don't think Raymond is a can't miss, elite prospect, but I do think he's a "safer" pick, with just as high a ceiling as Askarov. None of this is even my biggest qualm with taking the goalie though. It's just a matter of what you believe to be the best way to construct a team... Personally, I would prefer to build my team around an elite forward core, with solid defense, and good goaltending, rather than elite goaltending and an average team in front of him... Let's hope... I guess I get what you're trying to say, but to be fair, the Blues have been one of the better shot suppression teams in the league the past couple years. Binnington has been good, but he's had a lot of help in front of him too. If we can build a team like the 2019 St. Louis Blues, I think we'll be in pretty good shape... I mean, they did just win the Stanley Cup with a solid goaltender picked in the 3rd round...

You're right. I would never do that. As hard as it may be for you to fathom, it is possible that two different people can have the same idea on a matter... I didn't read that article, and if I had, I absolutely would have credited the source. I always quote sources. Why would you assume this time be any different? I could care less whether or not you believe me, but don't f***ing accuse me of something I didn't do.

Benning has already come out and said that Boeser is not available. However, this sort of thing happens all the time. Player is rumored to be available, GM says rumor is false, player gets traded shortly after... In saying that, even if he is available, it's not like if would be a cap dump. I think he'd still cost a fair bit to acquire, unless we also take Eriksson in the trade... To DET: Loui Eriksson, Brock Boeser To VAN: Dennis Cholowski That seems fair to me, but maybe add in a pick or two to even it out one way or the other...

He's in a great position to hit 30 again, and I think he will. I'm not sure I get the Mrazek analogy though...

I'm far from the biggest AA fan, but I'd take that bet.

This wouldn't be the first goaltender that was touted as being a "can't miss", elite, number one though. He may be the best goaltender prospect pre-draft since Carey Price, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will translate to the NHL. He could just as easily become the next Jonathan Bernier or Jack Campbell. He'll likely be better than those guys, likely a number one, but will he be elite? Maybe?... Fair enough. I'd take the forward for sure. There will also be centers available at 4, that I would take before Askarov as well. Keep in mind, the 10th best winger, is still over a point per game player, and your number one goaltender is only playing 55-60 games a season, at most. Would you rather have Mitch Marner or Andrei Vasilevskiy? I'd slightly lean Marner, but I'd heavily lean Marner if the likelihood of the winger hitting that ceiling was much higher than the goalie hitting that ceiling, which I believe to be the case. #goaliesarevoodoo Even the elite of the elite goaltenders will have off games, and lose a game their team should have otherwise won. What?!? Why would any GM "build a team that needs a LOT from it's goaltender(s)"? That's the team we have right now, but that's definitely not the team Yzerman is trying to build...

Imagine how fun this place would be if everyone agreed on everything... Vernon won the Conn Smythe that year because he played out of his mind. Good goaltenders have the capability to play great (elite) for stretches. Vernon was able to do so in the '97 playoffs, and Osgood in the '08 / '09 playoffs. Neither were elite on a consistent basis though in my opinion. Both were also 3rd round picks, furthering my point that you don't need to pick a goaltender in the 1st round to get strong goaltending. I didn't need Vernon or Osgood to prove that though... There's a much longer list of elite goaltenders taken outside the 1st round, than there are goaltenders taken inside the 1st round...

Underrated or not, he was never elite. Certainly not in his time in Detroit. I would argue that Osgood was better than Vernon during his tenure with the Wings. Either way, both were good, not great, and in the end, that's all a team needs to win. Which is why I'm against taking Askarov at 4, or any goalie in the top 10. Elite player >>> Elite goalie

I don't think there will be any compliance buyouts, which could actually play in our favor, assuming Yzerman (Illitch) is willing to take on a bad contract to gain assets... I'd still consider using a regular buyout on Nielsen though. And yeah, I'd be okay with bring Gagner back on a 1-2 year deal. He can still play, and is an upgrade over several players in our bottom six. Oh, and he's a right-handed shot... Howard should NOT be re-signed, but I wouldn't be terribly upset if he were. I'd rather go a different route via free agency or trade, but this team is a ways away yet, with or without Howard.