saskhab

Apparently Ekman-Larsson said the tweet was a joke. Goals.by, a Belarusian website, is quoting Andrei Kostitsyn as being quite pissed with Martin, saying he doesn't talk to him when he tries to approach him about faults in his game, etc. I actually assume this is part of Martin's MO: he did put Muller in charge of those type of conversations. Martin plays the bad cop. The sources I'm using for this is Slava Malamud on Twitter, who works for the Russian tabloid Sport-Express.

No touch: just watch hockey everywhere else on the planet. No need to waste time in a development camp for that. Verification line: seems like an economical solution for lower levels, rather than trying to put in a tennis-style shotspot system. But the shotspot style system would make goal reviews quick and unquestionable if it could be adapted for hockey. Shallow-back nets: Let the kids rip the puck a few times and see how often and quickly the puck comes back into play. This should be the only concern for this development, as more ice back there is a good thing. Trapezoid removal: We have 90 years of material for how hockey works without the trapezoid. Why are we wasting time with this? Either we like how it works now or we like how it was before. Hybrid icing: Worth testing, as it's still only in use at a few levels. Allow hand passes in all zones: Uh, why not just ban hand passes in the defensive zone? There are sticks for a reason. Offsides result in faceoffs in own zone/no change allowed: Stupid. This will reduce offence on the rush. Hey, here's an idea, change the puck over glass rule to this one, since clearing the puck over the glass or the length of the ice is the same freaking thing. No icing while SH/penalties run their course: In theory, I'm fine with this, but would rather concentrate on 5 on 5 situations. However, this would probably make the top PP's go from 25% to 35% or higher, possibly reducing stick fouls... or else make refs less inclined to call them. Bear-hug Rule: Boy, you better be specific for what makes this okay and what makes it a penalty. I also want solid data that d-men are experiencing more injuries today than pre-lockout. Give me numbers to prove that this is necessary. Curved glass: If it can prevent another Pacioretty incident, I'm for it. Shootout variations: All stupid. All pointless. The only shootout variation that should be considered is its elimination. All Star Skills Comp: I guess this is a free scouting session for the prospects now?

I had heard Roy might not be ready for the season's start. But judging by his chirping with Paul Bisonnette on Twitter the other day, his mouth is ready. Yeah, Kotalik has already been banished to the AHL before, so I expect that to happen. And I've also heard like Brian that Mmoorriissoonn is the odd man out on D.

I'm terribly unobservant for design issues, but I did notice it was brighter. Never put two and two together, though. Looks sharp. I am also an idiot when it comes to design. I am blissfully comfortable not having anything to do with the design of my own website other than some vague direction and "yeah, that's cool" feedback about the logo.

Price.

I really wouldn't consider Diaz a rookie... he's been playing pro hockey since he was 18! Bumping Stejskal to 7th would probably be good, though. I'd be comfortable with that top 4, though.

It's still incredibly low. Less than 10 offer sheets have been signed in 7 summers. And one was retaliatory.

Considering Doughty is available now as a RFA and he hasn't received any known offers, yeah, the chances of Subban getting some are pretty darn slim.

We've never seen a drop in 7 years, let alone a $4.3m drop. Winnipeg should generate more revenue than Atlanta did, and the NHL now has a TV deal that they actually make money off of. Plus there's that whole 5% inflator thing the PA has. Even if a new CBA is negotiated with less revenue going to the players, it likely wouldn't take effect until after the 2012-13 season. And even if there is smaller cap, I have to imagine that they'll make players take a paycut as well. Or else the buyout rules will be more cap friendly.

Subban is not arbitration eligible.

While that may be true, I still expect there to be enough injuries that Kostitsyn will essentially be on the top 2 lines for most of the year anyways. Cole's lack of PP production in his career also makes me wonder whether he'll be a fixture on the PP or not. I don't think we'll really see a slip in his production numbers.

The Hawks have $56.9m committed to 17 players next year, with only one RFA (Ben Smith, who won't be in line for a big raise). They're hardly painting themselves into a corner, since the rest of the positions left to fill are all depth ones. They're loaded, and will win the Cup again. And Sharp is worth $5.9m. I'd trade him for Cammalleri, no ifs ands or buts about it. White gets the money he lost in the Devils buyout right back.

Mitera-Diaz Nash-St. Denis Henry-Stejskal I assume McFadden will figure in here. Do the Bulldogs really need much more? I assume all they'll get on D are guys invited on tryouts.

It wouldn't require Subban... Beaulieu is a more realistic starting point.

I guess it depends how the lineup shakes out. If Spacek is a lock for a bottom pairing spot, then who is the regular #6? Yemelin seems the most accomplished of the group. I can definitely see him on the 2nd PP. I could definitely see Weber on the 2nd PP, too. Same with Spacek. I don't see an obvious forward to play the point on the PP... Seems like we have more than capable D to do the job. I think Gionta is on the top unit because he's a RH shot. After Gio our RH shots drop off to the group of 4 players battling for 4th line spots: White, Trotter, Palushaj, Engqvist. Of course, Weber might be dressed on the 4th line, too. So I see our top unit as Cammalleri-Plekanec-Gionta-Markov-Subban. Second unit: Cole-Gomez-Kostitsyn?-Spacek-Yemelin/Weber. If both Yemelin and Weber are dressed I think they'd be the regular 2nd PP unit on D.

Oh, the city of Nashville does plenty to honour their musical heritage. They could've done a lot better than Predators I agree, but I like exposing other stories about a city. I mean, I like that the Blue Jays' AAA affiliate is called the Las Vegas 51's (referring to Area 51) and not the Gamblers or something. Although the Las Vegas Shotguns would be hilarious.

Stillman is a winger. And I still hate his guts from 2006. When he faked a high sticking minor and started biting his lip to draw blood in the same game that Koivu had his eye damaged from a missed high stick call he immediately went on my ****list for all time.

Is the year suddenly 2007 again?

Columbus should put Carter and Nash on separate lines. They're both elite shooters, it'd be a heck of a match-up issue for opponents. I believe I read that Nash and Carter were 1 and 2 in the NHL for shots on goal per 60 minutes. I don't think they'd elevate each other that much by putting them together, except for those times when you need a goal badly. Like when Colorado would all of a sudden put Sakic and Forsberg on the same line, or Detroit puts Datsyuk and Zetterberg together.

Well, the logo of the Predators is a local reference, referring to a sabre-toothed tiger skeleton that was found in the city's downtown in the 70's. The logo was chosen first, the name was chosen to represent the logo. I don't think this puts it in the category of choosing a team name based on an animal that has gotten into the popular conscious via a Hollywood movie that is huge at the time. Blue Jackets is a local content reference as well, referring to the large volunteer force the state of Ohio leant to the Union's Civil War cause.

Well, that's one guy I got wrong. I believe I was pushing for him as the Habs pick that year (the one we traded for Tanguay). Injuries really screwed up the young Mr. Gustafsson.

The Red Wings had a D with Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Kronwall that was big 3 like... but Lidstrom was taking way less than market value as he was 35+ when this was formed. Anaheim had Niedermeyer, Pronger and Beauchemin. Beauchemin is a big drop off from two All-Stars but more than competent on his own, and with the way they ran their D he often played more minutes than the other two guys. Chicago had Keith, Seabrook, Campbell. Campbell is paid like a big 3 D though he's given soft assignments. Now they're hoping for Hjalmarsson or Leddy to take some of those minutes away from the big 2.

Atlanta?

Except that the Islanders have Tavares, Nielsen, Bailey, Strome, etc. down the middle. And Tavares needs a new contract for 2012-13.

Is it entirely possible that this article got confused the fact that Daniel Pribyl, a Habs draft pick this past year, was on the team? They could have just said 'uh, the goalie was the Habs guy, yeah!' and really it was Pribyl.