Link67

a victim of our over abundance of bottom 6 forward depth, exactly where we don't need it.

He was pretty clutch in 2009 too

So because we want him fired, we are supposed to ignore the fact that in that interview, he at least sounds like he is in a place of competency? that he won't trade the 3rd pick for a present day fix? that he believes speed is the key in today's NHL, which it is, and is also a 180 degree thought process from his 2017 deadline deals? That he acknowledges our need is at Center, publicly, which lends to the thought that he will at least be making an effort to fill that void this summer, when it feels like he hasn't in previous offseasons? Besides I am pretty sure he babbles on about Agony and Suffering through the season, and paying a heavy toll for this 3rd overall selection, not much in the way of we ain't that bad. He mentions that after some changes and players reverting to their usual selves, we could be back in the mix. He isn't going anywhere, you can lament about it irrationally all you want, we can't fix his past mistakes, we can't make him get fired, we are at least living with him for another season, and going forward, if he sounds like someone on the path of doing the right things this off-season, then that is something to be positive about for once.

That isn't the point, and if he lost his job I certainly wouldn't be mourning about it.

He is simply re-signing an organizational prospect that was recently acquired, there really isn't any spin on this. Bargain BIn signings are when the size of the need outweighs the player brought in to fill it by a significant amount, AKA Streit last summer.

I don't understand what all the fire and fury about this article is folks, sounds like some of you are still letting yourselves get sucked into the quick sand of negativity for the most nonsensical reasons, bordering on irrational frustration. I get it, he has done some truly foolish moves, especially in the last 2 years, but the kicker is, everyone, including him, is capable of redemption. Everyone can get their asses handed to them, their mistakes pointed out, and a general slap in the face style wake up call for one reason or another and get their acts together afterwards. Remaining positive, and judging the moves that come next as they come is the key to not getting wrapped up in this irrational blanket of negativity. Lets dissect this interview and its answers a little bit, and figure out what some of you got your panties in a bunch about. Because to me, objectively speaking, this is some of the most positive feedback from Bergevin I've heard all year. 1. He claims we had some really good seasons, we have finished 1st, 3rd, and 6th in the league during his time, pretty safe to call those really good seasons. 2. He claims we had 1 really good playoff, we went to the Conference Final once during his time, pretty safe to call that a really good playoff. 3. He claims to not be interested in trading the 3rd pick, that it will help improve this team in the long term. He is absolutely correct, he could try some "Save my Ass" trade that doesn't help this team long term, but instead is aware and willing to make the right hockey decision, regardless of his fate. 4. He claims there is a need at Center, and says Drouin could fill the role if needed, it is pretty clear, Drouin as a top Center is not his 1st choice. He rather add a Center, but if the plans to get one backfire on him this offseason, he is ready and willing to let Drouin continue to grow at Center. He is saying without saying, I need a Center, I am going to try and get one, but I am willing to use Drouin again, in case the league thinks they can hose me for a center just because it may look like a dire need. He is trying to leave himself a bit of leverage for any potential acquisition, that he is in need, but not admitting a dire need publicly. He is also trying to make sure Drouin doesn't feel as though he failed, and lack confidence, so he can come into next season without that monkey on his back, regardless where he will play. 5. Pointed out the obvious, some of our usually awesome players had very under the norm seasons, Pacioretty and Price come to mind. Our season would not have played out the way it did if Price is his .924 SV% self, if Pacioretty is his 30 something goal scoring self, if Weber was there for most of the season. These are all just facts, and not simply excuses, the team has its holes and fair share of needs, but when you couple that with 3 elite players either missing or playing like they're missing, its a disaster. 6. He actually mentions he Believes the league has certainly shifted towards tons of speed, and again he is bang on, it has shifted towards speed majorly. If he is now finally thinking that, then perhaps we are done with the Dwight King, Steve Ott, Karl Alzner type of acquisitions. If he evaluates any player he goes after going forward, using speed as one of his main criteria, because he believes speed is the way of the league now, we could assume at the very least, he is done acquiring slow pokes now. So like I said, it is either all accurate statements, or a sign that his head is in the right place as far as how to approach the draft, what his needs are on the roster, and what qualities those targets need to have to fit in today's NHL and make your team better because of it. Simply put, he has his priorities straight, his targets are clear, and he sounds like he knows what kind of NHL game is currently being played. So to me, after the debacle that was last summer, that is all Positive Positive Positive. So I don't get what all the fuss is about.

Key words being this year, since Hopkins and McDavid were dynamite, and Hall was ridiculous, the 3 elements combined this year would have been a treat

Imagine if Edmonton would have been able to play a line of Hall - McDavid - Hopkins this year.

Actual Footage of Commandant not showing any mercy for Bergevin the day After Real Madrid wins their 3rd Champions League Cup

That's sure to quell the topics of division in that country, great idea guys...

I hope if they swing and miss on Tavares, they don't look to Free Agency for a top C solution, because there simply isn't one. Only through trade can the player be found, and likely going to have to be a high level prospect C, before its a active NHL top C. Personally, I'd rather go with Drouin and Danault before I'd want them to spend needless cap hits on Bozak. And its not that I think Bozak sucks, he is a useful player, but we need a real Top C, either currently, or potentially going to be in a season or 2. Bozak is basically another Danault, a solid all around player capable of flirting with the 40 - 45 point mark, that's fine and dandy. But our need is clearly a C who can play on a top line and flirt with 60 to 70 points, and I'm quite frankly done using chewed bubble gum to fill that hole, I hope this front office is too.

We can all have our opinions about it, and thats cool, but I am just going to leave this here....

One does not have, one 30 goal season and suddenly become as valuable as one who has multiple 35 goal seasons.

The more I research this, the more I am starting to wonder if Wahlstrom instead of Zadina is the way to go. I was pretty much set on Dahlin, Svechnikov, and Zadina as 1 - 2- 3, but man does Wahlstrom look like an intriguing player who is messing with my Mind now the closer we get.

There is also the Sakic and Duchene thing, Patience for the right moment to strike more often than not yields positive results, of course nothing is ever 100% but the odds are in your favor.

I am ready to face the crippling loss of Alzner here, with a Brave and Courageous stance we must stare the uncertainty of our Future without him and Persevere none the less. someone will take him so we can feel his loss right guys?........guys?..

That evaluation is all done in context, are you a contender with 1, maybe 2 more pieces? If you are, you hold on to your best players and try to acquire the piece. If you are a fringe playoff team who is more likely to miss the playoffs by a few points than actually squeak in, then why keep losing with your best players until they are worthless? What if the make up of your team is just wrong, and you need to re-tool, your best player also happens to be in a position you are well stocked in, move him for a position you are in much more need of to potential take a big step forward. The context you used Souray in, is bang on, we were going nowhere near a cup final with that team, a decision could have been made to ship him out for lots of assets that could have helped us come back stronger a few years later. There is a context for Pacioretty being moved, he is a winger, we are very likely about to draft an elite one in the making, and still have Galchenyuk able to play the Left side. We lack a top C and a top pair LD because the make up of our team is wrong , Patches could be used to re-tool that make up. Allowing us to acquire a quality roster player in one of those positions or some very good prospects in those positions, which would likely help us take a big step going forward. Where your team figures in its transitional arc is what determines when and who of your high value players you should be shipping out. Make no mistake, there is a good time to trade players while they are at their most valuable, and a bad time to trade them while they are at their most valuable, the outlook of your current team is and always should be the deciding factor.

The Roy trade is the obvious one But man would I love to have that Gomez trade back, I would have absolutely loved to watch a top 3 of Markov, Subban and McDonaugh play together.

Oh well in that case his chances of moving are also slim, I didn't realize it was set in stone, I thought it was still being worked out, my bad. They have the players, the front office guy now, and also the stability to build something very good as early as next season. Stick a quality netminder back there and watch the ball start rolling, Tavares really has no reason to leave there anymore from a hockey perspective.

You can bet your behind Lou is going to throw out all of the mob boss machismo he's got at Tavares, he will woo him with sensible talk about building a very competitive team for him. He will offer him the money he deserves, a proper well thought plan to take the team to the next level during the next 1 to 3 years, and Tavares will likely love it. The only thing Lou can't control, is the instability of that market, if the name John Tavares doesn't get people in those seats every night, then I doubt Lou Lamoriello's will. If I had to pick, I'd say this just escalated to a 70% chance Tavares stays with them now, with only the fear of re-location during his next contract really playing a role in his uncertainty.

I like it, will either put the heat on Charlie to make sure he brings his best, and that nothing is guaranteed, or it will be a very solid insurance policy in case Charlie still needs another bounce back and forth type season. Best case scenario, we have covered our bases in the goaltending department and might end up having to "Al Montoya" Niemi during the season if everything works out. Worst case scenario, injuries or faltering play allow us to still have some capable goaltending for this season. in Stephane Waite I trust, about the only person on the coaching staff in the last 5 years who hasn't made me shake my head about something or other.

Its not just about production numbers, of which Kovalev's were quite good, its about how he produced them and what he was capable of at any given moment. Those capabilities are unmatched by anyone currently, or since, that game breaking dynamic left the moment he did. So its easy to throw shots at him for falling short on his defensive game, but that was never his game, his game was all about dominating a game offensively with what looked like sorcery at times. He was good for at least 25 or so games a year where he was simply sensational, in those games it was pretty good odds for us to win. He was also good for about 6 or 7 games where he just looked like the most dominant player on the planet, in which case, a win was generally a lock, entirely because of him. I try not to define him by the things he wasn't, but by the things he was, and that is, exciting, insanely skilled, offensively dominant, and every bit a Harlem Globe Trotter in the NHL. A little refresher for those who have clearly forgotten, or ignore the positives because he didn't look like Patrice Bergeron or Jere Lethinen out there...