Machine of Loving Grace

In before someone says, "He didn't talk to Nashville either!"

The popular theory right now is that Toronto offered a one year deal with a wink wink this is not against the CBA of him knowing he can sign for 8 years after the one year is up. I think people are just coming up with theories, but if that was the plan? That's a smart plan for Tavares. If his one year in Toronto flames out he can just go back to the market. If Toronto wins a Cup he sticks around as the greatest hero in Leafs history and becomes a bigger star than he's ever been. (Still think he just stays with the Islanders.)

Offer sheet Nylander, Toronto doesn't match, Montreal gives their 2019 1st Round Pick, Montreal finishes 30th, wins lottery for Toronto, Toronto drafts Hughes.

We do not have the assets for Huberdeau or Trochek. We are not a contender now, nor will we be for a long time. Add Tavares and we wouldn't be much better than the Islanders he had left.

ROR: Realistic acquisition Toews: Bowman will not trade him Trochek: Florida is stupid but not that stupid, he won't be traded Sam Bennett: Got any more Galchenyuk's lying around to get him? Otherwise Calgary will want our first rounder. This is why trying to get a top six centre is a waste of time right now. Develop one.

If Tampa nabs Tavares they will be trying to shed cap, not take it back. Problem Tampa has is so many NTC clauses. It's not like Nashville who if they landed Tavares they could trade Johansen anywhere. Johnson got a no trade clause so if he doesn't want to leave he won't. Callahan has likely been on the block for a while. Miller just got signed but his lack of NTC makes him easy to move unlike everyone else. And almost all of their D have NTC clauses. That said, would one help Tampa win a Cup and possibly form a dynasty by helping them out of cap crunch if they get Tavares? My answer? Absolutely if they give up enough. I would gladly take Callahan and Coburn off their hands if they send back a package with Taylor Raddysh, Gabe Fortier, Ross Colton, and some high draft picks. Would even toss them a cheap defenceman back. I'm all for the long run game. I don't care what a division rival does in the next three years if it means us being better five years later.

He landed a bunch of Habs stuff in 2014 when Danny Briere was (allegedly) feeding him into. Hasn't done much since. Sometimes I have to remind myself not to be too hard on the internet insiders because guys like Al Strachan nailed one story in Gretzky to the Blues and relayed it into a 10 year career of making shit up on HNIC and eventually got called out on it so much he was finally let go. He claims it was due to his Leafs bashing book but the fact we don't all own "Why The Leafs Suck" should tell you how bad at his job he is. Today we still have guys like Simmons slandering players and still keeping cushy TSN jobs and guys like Aaron Ward having no business being in broadcasting but still pathetically attempting. I don't entirely blame hacks like Eklund and Incarcerated Bob and Aivis for attempting it. It feels less like reporting and more like storytelling. And society loves storytellers. Even if you don't watch the NBA, check out how much stuff Woj reports compared to NHL insiders. He finds out everything. He is deeply connected. He got a new job and was told not to leak NBA draft picks before they were selected and he did it anyway just to flex. Makes me jealous.

Bryukvin is the kind of player I am glad they are trying out. He busted in the Q as a teenager but had a decent season last year in the KHL tying for the team lead in goals with Dynamo Moskva. Clearly wants to play in North America. Maybe he shows something special due to maturing on the ice and ends up a quality pick up. Or he just goes back to the K. No harm. Good to see Cam Lee get an invitation. He has a great point shot and is strong with the puck. I think he could make Laval with a good camp. I would be surprised to see Teasdale not make the team. He's a free draft pick basically. Back in 2016 he was looking on his way to becoming a Top 50 pick but he didn't develop the way anyone had hoped. If it is a maturity issue he can overcome he could get better fast. If it is an ability issue, then he will just fade and this will be the most I will have to talk about him. But good camp call by the club.

I will take 5 years of complete misery in the basement watching kids with actual superstar potential come here than the current treading water. We have been treading water for so long. Decades now. 98-18 ECF: 2 2nd Round: 5 1st Round: 5 Missed playoffs: 8 Unfair? I should only focus on Bergevin? 13-18 1 ECF 1 Second Round 2 First Round 2 Missed Playoffs 13th most regular season wins 18th most regular season losses 19-21 playoff record Tanking is no guarantee, but it is certainly better than false hope. We haven't selected first overall since 1980. It would be real nice to do it again.

We rarely play him on the left which was his biggest pet peeve in Edmonton. So there's that I guess. He did have a career year.

Reports are that he's going to Vancouver. It's almost confirmed already.

J.T. Miller signs a big contract with Tampa. I don't see how Tavares goes to Tampa now, but if Tavares wants to be a bolt... I bet that means Johnson goes to market.

It's honestly the best fit for both. Buffalo likes former Habs captains, needs a left winger, Montreal is starving for a centre, currently likes players with awful attitudes.

Feels like maximizing the return is a team he wants to play for that will give him his 8x8. The rumoured returns for Pacioretty from LA were impressive and that's because of the extension. If it is just a UFA deadline deal it'll be nothing like a sign and trade. And with this much of a leak, I think it'll be done sooner than later. Paul Fenton got updated trade lists for some of the top Wild players like Neiderriter and Spurgeon. I don't think we get either but I bet he will end up the ideal trading partner. New GM, makes a splash, we get a package with Zucker back.

I like everything except no focus on 2020. I want at least two extra first round picks by the time we get to 2020. Maybe that's what we get from Spezza and Weber. I also see what we could get for Petry and Gallagher.

Rumour by Manarino is that the Kings deal fell through because he wanted 8x8 and the Kings wanted 6x6. No agreement meant the deal was canceled.

Some in the past used this team to get better offers. Lapointe bein the best example. Tavares isn't looking for the most money. He wants to win.

With that being said you are perfectly fine with a woman being beaten up if it means 35-40 points for your hockey team. No we get it. He's a multi-millionaire. Nobody is stopping him from playing hockey. He can play in the KHL until he retires.

Certainly not against it. Every team does this. Look at an over ager to see if there's a good fit in ECHL/AHL or if there's maybe something more that everyone missed. Some NHLers have been discovered this way.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-slava-voynov-pleads-no-contest-domestic-violence-case-20150702-story.html He admitted guilt through his agent. Stop trying to create some wiggle room to excuse Bergevin out of another bad decision. Doesn't look good on you.

So it's okay to beat your wife if she stays with you? Gotcha.

Nothing special for a 20 year old in the Q season but he had a good playoff.

Expected: Danault, DLR, McCarron, Rychel, Shaw, *maybe* Carr If it was up to me: Danault, Carr, maybe McCarron now that Lefebvre isn't there? But probably not.

Galchenyuk gets assaulted by his girlfriend and ends up apologizing to the team for being assaulted. Has his character assassinated afterwards and is eventually traded. Voynov assaults his girlfriend and flees the country for doing it. Montreal interested.

Getting kind of sad at that point.