BlueKross

Hope you are right. Picking late and armed with only a handful of picks makes for a very pedestrian draft year. I have no problem with giving picks away for the right players, but I wish MB would pay more attention to recovering picks so we don't put the franchise into inertness this time of year. Give Timmins the tools to do his magic. Don't tie his hands behind his back.

I am pretty sure the subject of realignment will come up-

i think all teams do that. These are borderline NHLers. If you let the dust settle and everybody has a chance at them, then it is not likely you would lose them to waivers if you sign them later. Any "hot" demand would be eliminated.

The cap is ensuring that there will be some nice pickings I would let Chicago twirl in the wind and make them make a choice that they don't wish. Sharp is a real valuable asset. What if they had to cut him loose for nothing? As far as i can see, if one were to get into a bidding war for their assets, you would just be enabling them. Let them squirm.

Just a feeling, but somebody maybe with multiple picks will select a goalie first round.

The gist of offer sheets is to hone in on the market value of a RFA and keep the original owner honest. Most owners have their own ship to sail and will not significantly overvalue any player relative to their own interests. There is some truth to the adage that "one man's junk is another man's gold" ; players may be more suited and valuable to other teams--- but this is all under the determination of market value. The real reason that there are few offer sheets is that the original owner can match, and usually does, and you have wasted that energy. I would suggest that the compensation package could be tweaked to encourage more or less activity on this front!

I believe that the law in question is an Arizona State Law and not a city bylaw, if I heard correctly yesterday. I would expect that the NHL is trying to make enough viable market options that two teams (32 team league) will step up and pay the half a billion dollar expansion fee. CHING CHING. The owners of the Coyotes as late as yesterday, still believe in the Glendale market. I would say that relocation is not a preferred outcome to the stakeholders. I could see the Coyotes winning some damages. The case is not as clear cut as the city thinks it is.

DITTO

That makes sense to me. I am wondering however what kind of glove fits both hands, else a pitcher would need to switch gloves (delay?) every time he changed his pitching side?

I only recall hearing about one other time and of course can't remember details. I think there are rules in place to stop the circus act of pitching every other pitch from the other side. But I am not even sure if a batter can switch sides during an at bat.

Wishful thinking is right. He didn't play last year because nobody wanted him? The year before he was reduced to the Swiss NLB because he wasn't able to secure a contract in a higher league?--- My point about the transfer agreement is that it would be in Russia's best interest to sign or risk raiding. Players go were the money is.

The only reason that this is coming up (Kovalev return), is that money is running a little thin in Russia which may expose those, of long in tooth (42 yr old Kovalev) to the unemployment line. Also apparently, the Khl position may have weaken enough that I am told that a transfer agreement is close. This may be the best year ever to raid KHL talent , barring an agreement.

Yeah--probably most would be hopefuls who were not selected in draft-- should be only a month away-- I would expect some college kids might already have invitation in hand

Any news around development camp of invitees other than the normal suspects?

Vermette looks good-- might have made the difference had we traded for him-- could use him next year

EOTP is reporting Hab signings of Ellis and Dumont on 1 yr. contracts. So much for the rumours.

He spent most of the season with Pax and was the first wave of the powerplay most of the time. That makes him a first line center in my book. The reason he was bested by Plekanec with ice time is that he was rarely on the PK.. Serviceable second line center-- i give you that. Good-not so much!

CC- i take exception to the statement that DD is a good regular season player--- he would be good in a reduced role but not the way he is being played

Good job 30/31 bring the board over to the dark side--- their weakness at center has been excruciating painful for years.

Just to throw another name out there. Zajac. New Jersey is changing things up, starting with sweet Lou. Obviously they need young blood. Don't know what it would cost. Elias might be cheaper and available. Too bad he is so damn old. I do believe you need a bridge to the guy you potentially draft

Not sure anyone still in junior is assured as a center shoe-in.

I think you are close here to what MB is thinking. Even the second tier centers will be expensive. ideally we will get lucky and draft our own. Keep drafting centers till one or two stick to the wall. This ought to cause hysterics, but I will throw it out anyways; it may be easier at this point to replace Subban than get a true number one center.

Technically they would be moving from their new position then. That position should be named prior to moving to new team if their is a compensation issue. The compensation should reflect the new position. if I recall, most positions don't have compensation attached?

I believe they can sign him now. What the NHL doesn't need or want is side stories that may take a little away from the playoffs going on. I believe they could have already a deal in place and are just waiting for the appropriate time to announce it. Dlbair will correct me if wrong, but the trade deadline doesn't exclude you from signing players. I don't think there is anything stopping you from re-upping your own players? Obviously, you can't bring new players aboard other than those elligible (junior and college). to play in the current year.

With the state of things in Russia, all NHL teams should be looking to cherry-pick mature veterans from the KHL. Maybe Philly has started something. It remains to be seen if other NHL follow suit. Nobody likes being left behind. Also there is no love loss between the NHL and KHL.