TurdBurglar

If that is a penalty, then all contact between players that aren't near the puck has to be a penalty. Typically if players collide without intent, there isn't a penalty call. Not only was this not a collision, Suzuki actively tried to avoid the contact. The only thing he could of done different was put himself in harms way to avoid the contact and that's just not a realistic expectation. It's an unfortunate outcome, glad he wasn't hurt, but it's not a penalty. Rule 56.1 A player is allowed the ice he is standing on (body position) and is not required to move in order to let an opponent proceed.

Anderson!

Caufield is done for the game, not good news. I respect your opinion, but I disagree. You can see Suzuki is turning, and he even tries to sidestep the contact. What else is Suzuki supposed to do in that situation? He's trying to get out of the way, which is what he's supposed to do in that situation. He doesn't lay his shoulder into Kadri or attempt to make contact. He's actively trying to avoid it.

Suzuki is getting a penalty now for trying to get out of Kadri's way? At best it's incidental contact. This is a special type of officiating tonight.

How is that a penalty on Anderson for tripping Markstrom when Markstrom was already in his butterfly before Anderson made any kind of contact????? Is that the new standard for tripping?

That was an awful call against Dach. You can go after a player after they hit your teammate, unless you knock him down or something? The penaly is on Dach for going after Lewis for the hit on Caufield. Almost all the time they let that go, except the one where Dach didn't punch anyone? So it's ok if you punch the guy, just don't tackle him?

Sounds like Lindholm and Lewis are out for Calgary.

With Monahan it's not as difficult as some want it to be. This team won't be ready to compete seriously for 2-4 more years, realistically closer to 3-4. By the time the team is ready, will Monahan still be able to produce like he is now or even better? If the answer isn't 100% yes, then his best value is as an asset. I'm not sold Edmundson is going anywhere this year. As Brian pointed out, he has a year left on his deal, he's affordable and he's just in his prime now. Anyone can be traded for the right package, and I believe Anderson and Edmundson are those players. It'll be for a good package, not because it's this year and it's a rebuild.

Calgary (13-11-4) - 30 pts Montreal (13-12-2) - 28 pts Huberdeau - Lindholm - Toffoli Dube - Kadri - Mangiapane Ruzicka - Backlund - Phillips Coleman - Zohorna - Lewis Hanifin - Andersson Zadorov - Tanev Mackey - Stone Markstrom Caufield - Suzuki - Anderson Dadonov - Dvorak - Armia Slafkovsky - Dach - Hoffman Pitlick - Evans - Pezzetta Edmundson - Guhle Harris - Kovacevic Xhekaj - Wideman Allen No lineup changes for the Canadiens as per St. Louis.

I'm agree with most of the points you are making. I'm not sure how trading an affordable center with term now, on a team that is thin down the middle, helps for the centers coming up in a couple of years. All it will accomplish is forcing one, or more, of the other centers to come up too early. All for what? A later round pick? We are going to potentially stunt the development, something we have all agreed Montreal has been guilty of for awhile, for a later round or throw in on a trade?

Monahan is the big chip we have this year. I think Hoffman is more valuable than you guys are letting on. Secondary scoring, and a good PP guy on the right team. His biggest drawback is he has another year on his contract. I would expect him to be traded next season, unless a great deal comes along. Edmundson is in the same boat, but more valuable with his position and contract. Drouin and Dadanov are going to have their contracts expire here, nobody wants either at a league minimum, let alone with the contracts they carry. I must of missed the memo on why we are getting rid of Evans. He has 2 more years of a decent contract.

I've read, as recent as today, the Oilers are still asking a 2nd round pick for Puljujarvi.

This PP is looking better. I'm glad Salf is at least on his one-timer side and shooting it. It does seem like Slaf is taking alot off of his shot to make sure it's on net, which I appreciate, but he needs to more opportunities to be a real threat from that spot, which I believe he can be.

Why is Slaf being used on the PP on his natural side? Either they believe in his shot, so put him on his off wing and let him let it fly or they don't believe in his shot, so at least use his size and get him in front of the net. I've seen nothing in scouting reports praising his vision and passing ability over his other attributes to warrant him in a passing position. Tied to that, he needs to be encouraged to drive the net more without the puck.

What he does have going for him is a good contract and another year left on it. As for his game, the rest of Montreal’s defence isn’t really stellar, so his quality of defence partner and workload can’t be managed as good as it will on another team.

From the scouting reports I've been reading Broberg is currently projected to be a 3/4 guy. Of course he could end up to be better. As Brian pointed out, Edmundson still has a year left on his contract. He's also extremely affordable with Puljujarvi being included in the trade and Montreal has no obligation to trade him this year. Hughes should be making the offer for Broberg and sticking that as the asking price for Edmundson, it's there until a better offer comes along. I think Holland nibbles.

I completely agree. That’s why I proposed Montreal targets Broberg and Puljujarvi for Edmundson. Future top 4 and a cap dump for a current top-4 that they desperately need with another year and a good contract. Puljujarvi is RFA at the end of the season, but has a $3m qualifying price tag, which isn’t helping his value at all.

Great quiz, as pointed out the Monahan question should be multiple questions. I think Slaf should goto the world juniors. He should be able to dominate there with his NHL experience now, it will only help his confidence. It’s one of the reasons I’m still not opposed to him going to Laval. I’m still holding firm with not resigning Monahan until free agency, as slim of a chance as that is. If he can keep producing at this rate, I think the picks or prospects would have greater long term value than him resigning at this point. As for Caufield, he’s on pace for 47 this season. There’s a real chance he could cross 50 as early as this season. I think once the team gets a little better and spends less time in their own zone and puts the final pieces together on the PP, he’s going to be a top goal scorer in the NHL. He also reminds me of Draisatl a few years ago where for every goal he got he misses the net or hit the post. Once he gets that dialled in, look out.

Puljujarvi will be a decent top-9 guy if he gets out of Edmonton fairly soon, but the clock is ticking. The Oilers offence has an issue where it’s all about McDavid and Draisatl. So it’s either fit in or figure it out yourself. They don’t seem to worry much about bottom-6 production as long as their top 2 guys are producing. By the time he came to the NHL and got his feet under him, the Oilers had their top-6 filled with Hyman, Kane, Yamamoto, RNH, Draisatl and McDavid. Puljujarvi’s only slot in the top-6 is it push Yamamoto out.

I agree Edmonton would be a good fit. I would be after Broberg. Edmundson for Puljujarvi + Broberg. A current top-4 defenseman, to a team in need, for a cap problem and a future top-4 defenceman.

I’m not sure why we would be trading away Evans just to take on Ryan. Lavoie seems like a great pickup, but his issue is consistency. I feel like with the proposed trade, Edmonton is getting 2 players to solve problems, while Montreal is taking on Edmonton’s cap issues with very little return.

This rumor has been hanging around for a few weeks now for what it's worth. The biggest issue for the Oilers is their results has been so inconsistent that I'm not sure they make the trade. Thus far Campbell has been a bust and Skinner, the goalie that they didn't want to hand the starting reigns over to, is now apparently their starter. Their position in the Western conference isn't as solid as they would hope, with Colorado nipping at their heels in the wildcard spot. What this all means is they are in a sticky situation. It's well in the realm of possibility they don't make the playoffs unless they can figure something out. If they wait too long, that could be even more of a reality. If they pull the trigger too early, they have cap issues to deal with once Kane returns, and that doesn't guarantee they will be safely into a playoff spot then either. If they give up a premium RD and they don't make the playoffs, it's a bigger loss than just not making the playoffs. If Montreal does manage to pull this off, I would fully expect Puljujarvi to be apart of that trade as well. Oilers can't seem to give him away and would need to address their potential cap situation at the same time rather than wait.

It's really hard to fathom that Guhle is only 20. He's going to be something special.

the Caufield Suzuki chemistry is something most teams can only dream of with their top 2 guys.

They gave up playing with under 5 seconds left in the period.