Commandant

Florida has a bright future? Not with that management that dumped money for nothing all off-season for the umpteenth time cause they cant afford it. Buffalo? With a first pair defence of Nathan Beaulieu and Rasmus Ristolainen?

If we are 2nd in the division, we won't be a bottom seeded team in the playoffs... we will have home ice in the first round.

Its not an either/or proposition. you need to build a playoff team, before you can build a contender. I would have liked them to add on to the current team, but that doesn't make them a bad team. A bad team would be one like Colorado or Detroit or Vancouver, where one move is not going to fix things. The Habs have the cap space and are one move away from being a contender.

I don't see it as optimism either. Im not happy that this team remains in a state of "not good enough", I just reject the pessimism that they are now a bad team.

Yes there is that. I also don't think they are the same player. Jagr is a powerplay specialist, who is slow and not so good five v five or defensively. Hemsky has become quite good defensively and at 5v5. He's not that good on the powerplay.

To me, Byron drops to 10-15 goals, but there is no chance that Gallagher + Plekanec + Galchenyuk is ~35 goals combined this season. They will do much better.

I didn't say this team was going on a long cup run. They are still the same team they were. A very good team, but one who is not good enough to go on a cup run... unless a big upgrade comes via trade at some point.

Yes, if you look at point projections based on advanced stats.... Dom Luczysyn did an article in the Athletic.... we are still the top team in the division based on advanced stats. 98 points if Price is a 923 goalie (and 98 was his top projection for the division). if he's closer to 930 where he's been in the past? Same 103 point team. I'm not putting "an awful lot of faith on hemsky and de la rose" ... if Drouin and Radulov is a wash.... is it an awful lot of faith to say that those guys will be better than Bryan Flynn, Andreas Martinsen and Steve Ott? Nope... its not. Thats who they are replacing, and thats why the offence is a big upgrade. And yeah, being better than emelin isn't saying much... but emelin was on our first pair for 3/4 of last season and we did fine. Alzner is better than emelin and Schlemko is also a decent puck mover. yes markov hurts but I feel we made up for that with our gains on the other two LHD and at forward. I'm not saying this team is great. I'm saying its no worse than last year.

Who cares about toughness and size? Speed and skill wins hockey games. As for talent upgrades. Drouin, Hudon, Hemsky, De la Rose > Radulov, Flynn, Martinsen, Ott, I honestly think the offense is better. The coach is better, Julien for a full season over having 6 months of Therrien. Markov is a loss. Alzner > Emelin and Schlemko > Beaulieu The overall numbers show a team that has changed pieces... upgraded in some spots, lost a little in others, but ultimately is unchanged... I'd put money on the fact that they are a lot better than 10th to 12th in the east. Here is your chance... 9th or better... you donate $100 to the charity of my choice (i want a screenshot of the receipt).... 10th or worse in the conference, and I'll give you $100 via paypal or transfer. I'm fully confident this team is much better than that. Only a Carey price injury would put them in that range, and even then I think Lindgren, while not Price, would hold down the fort and they'd get a wild card.

There have been a number of articles looking at this team from an advanced stats perspective. For all the Debbie Downerism you've put in here, it doesn't change the fact that the overall talent level of the team this year is pretty much exactly the same as the team that got 103 points and won the division last year. No better, no worse, just different right now.

I thought Martinsen was a very good skater. Unfortunately that (and being large) were his only skills. No hands, no awareness, not good offensively or defensively, didn't win enough battles for his size, no shot, no passing.

Nope. He was a big college free agent signing 3 years ago.

It was less than a year. He didn't switch to #20 on opening night in 2009-10. He switched to #20 during the 100th anniversary game in December, when he gave the number 3 up so Emile Bouchard could have it retired before that game.

OT losses 6 SO losses 3

This alleviates one of the vets in Laval. Baun was highly hyped coming out of college 3 years ago, but hasn't done much since, although he did have 40 points in the AHL last year. He is Bobby Baun's grandson. I think this is a nice pickup, cause I think Martinsen is pure shit.

The defensive side of the puck was Sergachev's biggest improvement in Windsor last season. He got a lot better. That I did see.

Martinsen to chicago for Kyle Baun seems to alleviate some of that. They are still one vet over, but Jerabek won't be in Laval long iMO.

In fairness, the pickings on defence were rather thin at the time of the pick as well.

No, but all the reports have been glowing out of tampa reporters.

of course i figure guys like Ebbing, Veilleux, and Parisi will spend some time in Brampton, sooner or later.

Or be traded to Buffalo?

The Montreal Canadiens trade Zach Redmond to Buffalo for Left Wing Nicolas Deslauriers. A litle more grit in the AHL and helps with the pro rules.

Tyson Jost

Mete is also a year older than Sergachev was at last year's camp. Sergachev has turned heads at this year's lightning camp and is starting the season in their top 4.

48-25-9 105 pts 1st Atlantic 3rd East 230 goals