2014 / 2015 Official NHL Thread

[lgna69xxx]

It's true, you learn something new everyday, I had never heard that about Nail.

Yakupov could flourish in the right 'environment'. He's an extremely devout muslim and needs to play in a major city with a large concentration of muslims. Toronto, Montreal and New York would be perfect for him.

 

[voyageur11]

hom many mosque in sarnia? look at kadri he is doing so much better in toronto

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Do you know whom the Oilers should have traded for? Tukka Rask. And he was available Saturday and was offered to them. He wouldn't have cost much and he would have been a safer choice than Talbot, who's yet to prove he's a true #1 goalie.

I agree, guess someone is putting faith in Talbot. Should be interesting around July 1 to see what happens.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

Jordan Eberle was supposedly available a few months ago, but it all changed when Peter Chiarelli was fired from the Bruins and joined the Oilers.

Personally I would trade Hall or Hopkins before Eberle, rumors were going around last year that Hall, Hopkins or Eberle may be available and Eberle was the only one who said he would prefer to stay in Edmonton, and as I have said before Hall is known to be an asshole off the ice.

 

[Doc Holliday]

hom many mosque in sarnia? look at kadri he is doing so much better in toronto

Nazem Kadri wasn't drafted first overall. I've also learned that even though he's an arab-muslim, he's not as religious as Yakupov.

Being muslim doesn't mean that you're necessarily die-hard religious. One of my closest friends is a muslim and he's as religious as i am. And i'm an atheist. Or as i prefer to say, a realist.

p.s. Sarnia has two mosques.

 

[Doc Holliday]

It's true, you learn something new everyday, I had never heard that about Nail.

A former NHLer (incl. habs and oilers) told me this last winter. He's still close to the Edmonton scene. He mentionned that Yakupov has felt very lonely in Edmonton since his arrival there and would welcome a change of scenery to a city with a larger muslim community.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I agree, guess someone is putting faith in Talbot. Should be interesting around July 1 to see what happens.

I'm curious to see how much money Edmonton will pay Talbot. That situation kind of reminds me of the Jonathan Bernier scenario when he first joined the Leafs out of LA.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Peter Chiarelli overpay Talbot. He overpaid a lot of players during his time with the Bruins and his biggest fault was his inability to manage the cap properly.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Personally I would trade Hall or Hopkins before Eberle, rumors were going around last year that Hall, Hopkins or Eberle may be available and Eberle was the only one who said he would prefer to stay in Edmonton, and as I have said before Hall is known to be an asshole off the ice.

Everyone would love to have Eberle. There is more interest for Eberle than any other Oilers player (minus McDavid). Nugent-Hopkins is a great talent, but he has a knack to get hurt often. I've heard that teams interested in him have found Edmonton's selling price too high. A very reliable source (former NHLer) told me that Taylor Hall has serious off-ice issues and refused to name them. He told me he's fairly certain that Edmonton wouldn't mind parting ways with him if they got similar value back. So if i'm aware that he's got serious off-ice issues, then it means most teams are already likely aware of this also. Or should.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I was listening to TSN Radio 690 Montreal this morning and habs fans are rejoicing about what's going on in Boston. One caller said "The Bruins are now the Sabres and the Sabres are now the Bruins." He explained that the Bruins got considerably worse this weekend, while the Sabres considerably improved themselves.

Host Tony Marinaro mentionned that Don Sweeney is destroying the Bruins and wanted the callers' input. He and a guest made a good point that what Sweeney did this weekend was very confusing. Trading Lucic may mean they're rebuilding. But trading a stud 22-year old defenceman (Dougie Hamilton) who's among your top 2 makes no sense if you're rebuilding. He's the guy you must rebuild with! And signing Adam McQuaid for 4 years also makes no sense. That amount of money could have been used to re-sign Hamilton. They feel they're likely rebuilding and would be surprised if Chara started the season in Boston.

On another talkshow on that same channel, the hosts can't understand the Martin Jones move if you're intent on keeping Tuuka Rask. Jones wants to start and it's surprising he didn't wind up with some other team looking for a #1 goalie. The hosts eventually admitted they didn't have a clue what Boston was doing. The other guy said "Boston doesn't even know what they're doing!"

 

[voyageur11]

with the bruins in need of money a team not making the playoff do you need to give $7.5mil. to your goaltender $ 7m on the salary cap?

 

[Doc Holliday]

with the bruins in need of money a team not making the playoff do you need to give $7.5mil. to your goaltender $ 7m on the salary cap?

I agree that even though the Bruins likely wish to clear up some cap space & expensive contracts that now appear bad, getting rid of the salaries of a Tuuka Rask and a Zdeno Chara will be quite difficult. Not many teams are left out there in need of a #1 goalie and able (or willing) to pay Rask's contract. Chara is 38 years old and a shadow of his ol' self. His cap hit is nearly $7 million. Rask's cap hit is also $7 million. So unless Boston is willing to cover a good portion of their contracts and take back another bad contract, i can't see them being moved out of Boston this season. Note that Peter Chiarelli is the one who created this mess and left them with it after he got fired and took his act to Edmonton.

I like what the Flyers did in the Sam Gagner trade. They basically traded Chris Pronger's bad contract for Sam Gagner. They finally rid themselves of his contract and created themselves some cap space for the future. It's similar to what Columbus did last season in the David Clarkson for Nathan Horton trade. The trades worked for all teams concerned. LA regrets not buying out Mike Richards when they could have (at no cost) last season, and tried this past weekend to make a similar move to Philadelphia's. But they had no takers. I said it last March at the trade deadline: the move pulled off by Toronto in that Clarkson trade was not only creative, but brilliant. It's not surprising more teams will now do likewise if the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Merlot]

:noidea:

Host Tony Marinaro mentionned that Don Sweeney is destroying the Bruins and wanted the callers' input. He and a guest made a good point that what Sweeney did this weekend was very confusing.

Of course the Bruins are rebuilding. DUH!!! For a guy who has put down Dougie Hamilton numerous times of course now that he's been traded you won't stand by your previous position and commend the move. That's Doc.

Yes, Hamilton is very young. YES, he could improve a lot, or maybe the system he was in didn't bring out his best, kinda like when the Bruins wanted Kessel and Seguin to be unselfish team players. But if you watch the Bruins or listen to analysis all year long, instead of coming here just to piss at anything they do, you'd know Hamilton has not been developing into the kind of defensive player the Bruins hoped he would become. Two of his biggest drawbacks has been a weakness in positional instincts and getting pushed around too much. "Hockey News" says just that: "Needs to fill out his 6-5 frame and round out his all-round game, and in particular learn how to use his size more to his advantage. Must prove he can be a dominant player against men". Yes they could have given him more time to develop. They chose not to. If he goes somewhere else and does much better then good for him. Maybe like Seguin and Kessel he can go elsewhere and be wonderful...individually. But when those great individuals actually help get their teams to the PLAYOFFS and win a round or two...let us know, won't you Doc sweetheart.

http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.php?8637

http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.php?5307

On the other hand regarding Adam McQuaid "Hockey News" says; "Has a huge frame at 6-4, plus the physical strength and aggression teams love from the back end. Is fairly sound in his own end. Excels when he keeps his game simple. Could stand to add a more consistent mean streak so as to maximize his NHL potential as a physical defender. Doesn't have the ability to put up big point totals". He is the kind of physically dominating player the Bruins and other teams want.

The Bruins were soft on defense last year, even considering frequent injuries. Hamilton wasn't cutting it, while McQuaid has shown he can. Don't be surprised if Sweeney trades Chara despite his defensive dominance capabilities. He's nearly 40 and despite his great capabilities his weaknesses are "difficulty defending some of the quickest forwards in the NHL, since he can struggle with quick turns. Is prone to taking the occasional bad penalty. Doesn't have the speed to rush up ice with the puck consistently. Is starting to show signs of decline". It's time for the Bruins to get what they can.

No fan likes to see a team rebuilt when there's still a chance that team can make a run. There will always be those who say so-and-so "is destroying the team" right along with those too far to the other side who say the team is crap. It takes balls to ignore the loudmouths on both ends and do what you believe is best, whether you succeed or not.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[Doc Holliday]

The Bruins just acquired gritty forward Zac Rinaldo from the Flyers for a third-round pick in 2017. Another questionable move by Sweeney. I'd never give a 3rd rounder for Rinaldo. Maybe a 6th or 7th, but not a 3rd. He was selected in the 6th round seven years ago. Last season, he had 1 goal and 5 assists. In 223 NHL games, he has a grand total of 8 goals and 16 assists. And guess what, the Bruins figured he was worth a third-round pick!

And the rebuilding continues.....:lol:

p.s. Poor Claude Julien.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Maybe Don Sweeney heard wrong when he got the GM job. Maybe when told to 'rebuild' the team, he heard instead 'destroy' the team.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Just saw this tweet from a respected hockey writer: "I guess those Milbury replacing Chiarelli rumors weren't so ridiculous after all!":lol:

 

[voyageur11]

Maybe Don Sweeney heard wrong when he got the GM job. Maybe when told to 'rebuild' the team, he heard instead 'destroy' the team.

may be claude julien will keep his job.And cam neely and sweeny will loose theirs

 

[Doc Holliday]

may be claude julien will keep his job.And cam neely and sweeny will loose theirs

Maybe. But that's usually not how it works.

 

[wolfie7]

For years, Babs would throw tantrums at around this time since he felt his scouting department (minus the european scouts) was always letting the organization down.

:lol: It was the European scouting department, led by legendary Hakan Andersson, who picked out all those 'fluke' gems in the late late rounds for us. All the Russians, Swedes, Finns and Czechs are courtesy of Hakan's team. He's been the secret weapon for the Wings for three decades now. So, again, can't say I agree with Cherry. By the time he Wings usually pick, all the high-end North Americans are gone.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Congratulations to Chris Pronger, Niklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov and Phil Housley to being named to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the likes of Dave Andreychuk and Eric Lindros wait patiently for their turn.

 

[voyageur11]

Maybe. But that's usually not how it works.

i know but something is very wrong with the bruins and i like boston