krsmith17

Yup. If those are the types of players Yzerman is targeting, it's because they're the players he deems to be the best fit to build around. I completely agree with BPA more so being geared toward the 1st round, maybe extending into the 2nd round. Beyond that, balance out your board with different positions. Maybe. But maybe Yzerman and his staff have one ranked far ahead of the other... When you hear people (everyone) talking about BPA, I feel like you think everyone is just reading off the same list from Bob McKenzie. That isn't the case at all. Every team has their own list based on who *they* believe will be the best player / best fit with their team.

LOL "most dumbass fans", and general managers (including Steve Yzerman), scouts and analysts. Of course kipwinger knows better than any of these schlubs... Yes, all of these factors come into play, which is what makes a player the "best" player available to them. Position is definitely considered, along with handedness, and other factors, but they are (should always be) secondary to overall skill / talent level.

LOL You think when people say best player available, they're referring to the best player in the draft, at that moment, not who *they believe* will best transition to the NHL?... Every GM / amateur scout / draft analyst talks BPA. They're projecting who they believe will be the best player in 3-5 years from now... This.

Absolutely. I'm not down on Edvinsson. I'd be perfectly okay with him at 6, just wouldn't be one of my top picks. Edvinsson - Seider could be a sexy top pair though...

I would say going from a 45 point pace, to a 70 point pace is pretty significant progress, regardless how record level bad we were the year prior. Larkin had a down year. Obviously you didn't see improvement in Zadina's game. No surprise there. We have three potential trade pieces in Bertuzzi, Fabbri and Vrana, which would all garner decently high returns. We have a lot of very good prospects coming (Seider, Raymond, Berggren, Johansson, etc.). There's definitely reason for optimism, but like I said, we still need another couple high end prospects to add to that pipeline. One this year, and one next year.

I'll take one more year in the bottom 10. Our pipeline is shaping up, but one more top 5ish pick would go a long way in advancing this rebuild... Ideally we see some more progress again this season, key players take big steps, still finish 24-32, (*win the draft lottery*)... and then turn the corner the following season and push for the playoffs...

Eklund, McTavish, or Hughes at 6 Lambos, Svechkov, Raty, Lysell, or Stankoven at 23 / 38...

No. Unfortunately NITF isn't here anymore...

To be fair, Yzerman didn't give up any young player or prospects, and didn't even have to give up a high pick. He literally traded a pending UFA that he wasn't going to sign anyway, and a late 3rd round pick, for a fresh 25 year old.

Yes. Yes it is...

Yes. This is exactly why most of us have been against taking goaltenders high in the draft. You can always sign or trade for capable goalies without relinquishing premium assets. Fantastic trade once again by Yzerman.

Ne-dal-ko-vich

Maybe. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get a contract, and at least start the season in Detroit though. Maybe flip him at the deadline similar to Mantha. I'd assume teams may be wary of the back injury...

Yeah, read that wrong. Still a great trade. Yeah, for sure. Because of all the times I said Leddy was a great acquisition...

They have nearly $30M, but have to sign like 11 players, including Svechnikov, and Bean, and Necas next year...

Nope. You're not. Yzerman did overpay for Leddy, but it's whatever. This is an absolute steal though. Rights to 32 year old Bernier for much younger - 25 year old, and better Nedeljkovic AND a 3rd round pick... Great trade by Yzerman.

I was not aware of this...

I don't get the Virtanen buy-out... I get that he hasn't been good, but you'd think Benning would be able to make a deal with some team, even if he had to retain salary and / or throw in a late round pick. I would have taken a flyer on Virtanen at $1.275M for one year. Hell, I'd probably even give up a late round pick... EDIT: Never mind. I just had a look at his buy-out. and apparently it will only cost the Canucks $50K this season, and $500K next season... That doesn't seem right to me. I thought it was 3/4 of the total owing spread over double the years remaining?...

I know he was a highly regarded prospect a few years ago, but I don't think he's lived up to the hype since then. He's 25, and his numbers overall are pretty unspectacular. I don't think I'd give up 23rd overall. Maybe one of our two 2nd rounders, but even then, there may be better options available... I still say we try to pry Alnefelt out of Tampa by taking on the remaining three years of Johnson...

"clever"... I think Hyman will be a good fit in Edmonton, but $5.75M for 7 (or 8) years is going to be really, really bad. He might be worth that contract for the first few years... maybe... but after that, it's going to be one of the more egregious contracts in the league...

Disappointing. I was really hoping it would be one of Namestnikov or Stecher. I still say Lindstrom over Cholowski was a mistake (no way Seattle would have taken Lindstrom). Oh well...

You're comparing Buffalo (Botterill / Adams) to Detroit (Yzerman)? Eichel is a whiny little b****. Have you heard a single player being upset / wanting out of Detroit because of the rebuild? Serious question. I haven't. Have you? I think they all know what's going on, and they trust Yzerman. Anyway, we're getting away from the original point. It would not be wise to add any of the "big fish" in free agency to long-term, high dollar contracts. Yzerman is going to continue the low-risk, short-term, low dollar contracts this off-season, continue building through the draft, make a few savvy trades, and get this team out of the gutter the right way.

Yup. That's exactly what Yzerman is doing, "crossing his fingers and hoping"... Or maybe, ya know, *help* Larkin at the top of the lineup... He sure could use it... It's amazing how out of touch some of you think these players are...

Hell No!