TurdBurglar

I've read those rumors too, but every one mentions cap hit is the issue for New Jersey. I'm not sure exactly what it is about the cap hit as I'm not invested into that rumor enough to look into it.

The flip side to that is IF he develops a solid defensive game, he makes a great 3rd line player. A more offensive version of Lehkonen that can play higher in the lineup if needed, but is a solid 3rd liner. Which is a great idea, but defense is arguably the hardest thing to teach effectively.

The whole situation highlights Toronto's problems. They brought in Reaves, Domi and Bertuzzi to fix their toughness issues. This situation happens and instead of the mentality of "we will make them pay for that," they resort to a cheapshot. Now instead of the next game, or the end of that game, this gets repayed, it's Ottawa coming out with the motivation for the cheapshot. Shot themselves in the foot being soft.

Slaf might score 20 this season. That's a pretty good improvement over last season, injury aside. His improvement so far this season is a strong indication it's more than possible.

If the net is empty, it's the losing team attempting to come back, not signaling the game is over. The reference to football and basketball are misplaced. In hockey, if the net is empty to attempt a comeback, it's fair game to score on it. Teams don't avoid scoring on an empty net if given the chance. When was the last time you saw a team have a breakaway on an empty net and purposely not score?

I don't understand this mentality. It's was unnecessary and disrespectful? Players have made entire careers on being disrespectful and doing unnecessary things. Teams look for pests to antagonize the other team. That part is completely embraced and accepted by the hockey community, but heavens forbid someone slap shots a puck into an empty net.

When it does happen, or is proposed, it usually is part of a bigger trade, like the Subban for Draisaitl trade that fell through. The picks aren't the main part of the trade. I could see some draft day scenarios involving Ottawa or Columbus, with that availability of Chyrchurn or maybe Laine. I doubt we'll be super happy with what the cost would be to acquire one of those and move up the same time. Laine would be more realistic.

In wake of Reilly cross checking Grieg in the face, TSN has a bunch of stories of idiots defending Reilly's actions, the worse being Martin Biron. Biron went as far as saying he doesn't believe Reilly even deserves a suspension. TSN has always been bias, but to even defend that is unacceptable.

It's one way of thinking about it. I would say though, that if you're paying a player $5m+ they shouldn't be on the 3rd line, limiting minutes and quality of teammates. I know there are 3rd line players making $5m+, like Gallagher, but they were signed to those contracts while being under the assumption of playing top-6 roles.

His element of speed and driving the puck to the net. For a team that takes a lot of outside shots, someone driving the puck to the net is valuable. He's ineffective once getting there, but still doing it. Also, injuries, the bottom 6 is nearly all AHL players that aren't there because they earned their way out of Laval. That's why he's still getting 15 minutes a night.

I get your point, but I think it was more about his dissatisfaction with the officiating. There were a few calls that he clearly didn't agree with, like any coach would, and it was more about making their jobs a little tougher than getting the call right.

I hope next season they get the penalties under control. The Evans high stick was just a bad penalty.

I think a second is possible, but on the high end. I would guess closer to a 3rd for Harris. Right now he’s a bottom pair defenceman on good team and as Brian pointed out, his ceiling isn’t much higher than where he is now. Could he develop into a second pairing guy? Maybe, but teams aren’t going to pay extra for maybe for a player like Harris.

In all fairness, Toronto found out how good Komisarik was without Markov…

I don't understand how Levi, with less than 30 games of NHL experience is being considered right now as one of the 3 goalies for Canada over Montembeault. A lot can change from now until the Olympics, but from common trends, he will be in his first or second full season as an NHL goalie. Those 2 years typically aren't great years for goalies, with few exceptions.

I think the Souray comparison is a little off. Souray had a bomb of a shot, that's pretty much all he had. Xhekaj has a decent wrist shot, but I've seen nothing in the way of a bomb that would warrant comparison to Souray in that respect. I would compare him more to younger Komisarek right now. Size, developing defensive game, will put up the odd goal and point, but won't knock your socks off with anything he really does in the offensive zone.

There's flashes of something more there. First thing he needs to do is find a way to stay out of the box.

Gallagher possibly.

Maybe none. If there has to be a choice, it really comes down to Xhekaj, who management has already doubled down on keeping, and Struble, who is a pleasant surprise. With that there are always questions. Is management proclaiming how much they want to keep Xhekaj to drive his value up? Is there really much more of a ceiling to Struble’s game? Or even Xhekaj’s for that matter? If either of these players are at or near their ceiling, they aren’t going to cost a fortune, so wouldn’t they make great 7th D? Does anyone firmly believe Struble or Xhekaj are a lock for bottom pair on a good team, assuming Guhle and Hutson develop into good/great LD for the first 2 defensive pairs?

Isn’t Newhook a center that also plays wing?

The consensus return was below what they actually got. It was expected to get between a 1st and 2nd, they got a 1st+, even if it is conditional. Getting more than expected isn't underwhelming. I very well doubt you're going to hear anyone say this wasn't a good trade from Montreal. There's a post from Brian a couple of weeks ago where he was confident Montreal wasn't getting even a 1st for Monahan.

With Monahan now traded without retention, and there's no way you could of known that at the time of writing your comment, retaining part of Savard's contract is more likely IF he is traded this season. Personally I don't believe he will be traded until the off-season or next year, unless the return is great, like a 1st/equivalent+.

Prior to the Lindholm trade, consensus was a 1st or 2nd was going to be the return. So the 1st wasn't guaranteed. By the expectations to what Montreal actually got, this is an excellent deal. Montreal ended up getting 2 1sts, potentially 3rd and 74 games of service for taking on a cap dump. That's probably the best case scenario.

They may, but I would imagine it would require retention on Savard which will last until the end of next season. Not sure the appetite on that, unless it’s a good prospect. in a package I would imagine Monahan plus Kovacevic/Barron/Harris would be more attractive because of the cap hit. Also, if a team needs a top-4 defensemen and a 2nd/3rd line center, how much of a contender are they really?

I agree. At this point of the rebuild they are looking for players closer to ready or ready to be in the NHL.