2015/2016 Official NHL thread

[Doc Holliday]

Penguins win the Cup!!!!

Thank god this fucking long hockey season is over!!! Finally!!!!

Congratulations to all the frenchmen on the team and Mario Lemieux!

The Conn Smyth trophy went to Sidney Crosby!! Phil "The Thrill" Kessel led the team in scoring, but you can't deny Sid's contributions! I'm extremely happy for Phil "The Thrill"!!!! He was a great Maple Leaf and gave it his all!!!! Way to go, Phil!!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Now that the hockey season is finally over, i'm curious to see if Las Vegas will be in the league next season. If so, there will be an expansion draft prior to next season and i'm curious what the teams will do in order to position themselves better for that draft. It will likely affect their decision-making during the offseason. Who should they try to sign as a free agent? Which players should they try to trade? Will players on current non-movement or no trade contracts be forced to go to Vegas if they are picked?

I still say that PK Subban will potentially be moved out of Montreal in order to avoid his no-movement clause to kick in prior to the beginning of next season (or does it kick-in after July 1st?). I'm also nearly certain that the Penguins will try to move M-A Fleury, who has no lost his starting goalie job in Pittsburgh. You don't pay back-up goalies the kind of money the Pens are currently paying Fleury. But which team out there will want a goalie getting paid that kind of money? Calgary maybe? Toronto? Personally, i believe the Leafs will try to go the RFA route in order to sign a top goalie. Either Andersson from Anaheim or Mrzek in Detroit. My guess is that they'd prefer Andersson.

And now the fun begins! :nod:

 

[smuler]

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins

They should make sure to award a Stanley Cup ring to NJ Devil coach John Hynes, who developed all these nobody's into players that stepped up and shined since January 1.

He spent 5 seasons as head coach of AHL affiliate Wilkes Barre

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins

They should make sure to award a Stanley Cup ring to NJ Devil coach John Hynes, who developed all these nobody's into players that stepped up and shined since January 1.

He spent 5 seasons as head coach of AHL affiliate Wilkes Barre.

Most of the players that were key to their success in their Stanley Cup run either never played for him or barely did.

 

[smuler]

Most of the players that were key to their success in their Stanley Cup run either never played for him or barely did.

On the roster both in 2013/2014 in Wilkes Barre

Zatkoff
Murray
Dumoulin
Rust
Sheary

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

On the roster both in 2013/2014 in Wilkes Barre

Zatkoff
Murray
Dumoulin
Rust
Sheary

Best Regards
Smuler

Most of them nobodies, as i've said.

 

[Doc Holliday]

NHL chooses Las Vegas for expansion, sources say

by Kevin McGran, Toronto Star

The expansion will happen provided the owners can come up with a $500 million fee.

As NHL commissioner Gary Bettman predicted at the Stanley Cup, the decision of the NHL’s executive committee to expand has been leaked.

The Associated Press reported the league’s 31st team is a mere rubber stamp away from becoming reality. It’s expected the expansion will be made official at the June 22 board of governors meeting.

With an expected $500 million expansion fee (U.S.) to be divided among the league’s owners — none goes to the players — the Knights will join the league with favourable expansion rules designed to get the new team into the winning column as soon as possible.

The 2017-18 season is likely the earliest the league could expand.

“The team is going to pay $500 million and they don’t want to give them (Las Vegas) a doormat team,” said Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman, now an advisor to his son, Stan, with the Chicago Blackhawks. “It’s a big change for a lot of teams. It will hurt some teams, the ones that have been rebuilding for two or three years. There will be some young players they will have to make their mind up on.”

The last time the league expanded — adding the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000 for a fee of $80 million each — existing teams could protect one goaltender, five defencemen and nine forwards (15 players) or two goaltenders, three defencemen and seven forwards (12 players.)

This time however, teams can either protect seven forwards, three defencemen and one goaltender (11 players) or eight skaters and one goaltender (nine players). So more players will be available and only one team is choosing.

“They should be better than Columbus and Minnesota,” said an Eastern Conference executive. “They’re going to have some players to pick from.”

The rules are not set in stone, but the jockeying for position has begun. Basically 18- and 19-year-olds will be protected, but the league is doing its best to free solid young players.

“As soon as we get the firm rules, everyone is going to try to find a way to not get hurt,” said an executive with an Eastern Conference team. “No one wants to lose a good player. That said, it is about one player. You just want to make sure it’s a player you want to lose.”

The expansion draft will take place in about a year, but it’s never too soon to fret over how it affects your team.

Here’s how the rules, as currently understood but subject to change, will affect the Maple Leafs:

VEGAS: The expansion team will draft one player from every existing team, including at minimum at each position three goalies, nine defencemen and 14 forwards. The total contracts of the selected players must hit at least the salary cap floor and cannot exceed the ceiling. None of the selected players can be bought out for at least a year.

EXEMPT: Players with two years of professional experience or less will be exempt from the process. So the likes of Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews will be exempt, but not William Nylander or Kasperi Kapanen, Connor Brown, Brendan Leipsic, Stuart Percy, Josh Leivo or Andreas Johnson.

LOSS: Each NHL team can lose only one player. It might be a pipe dream for the Leafs to hope Vegas will take an older player with a big contract, like Joffrey Lupul. And it would not be against any rule for the Leafs to incentivize the Black Knights from doing just that by offering prospects and picks.

40/70: A minimum of two forwards and one defenceman must be exposed who have played 40 games the previous season or a total of 70 over the previous two. They must be under contract for the expansion team’s first season. Leafs who fit that criteria are Nazem Kadri, Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner. Others who will soon fit that criteria also include Peter Holland, Matt Hunwick, Martin Marincin, Frank Corrado, Tyler Bozak, Leo Komarov and James van Riemsdyk.

TRADE BAN: To prevent a team from “hiding” a player on another, teams cannot reacquire players they trade after Jan. 1, 2017 prior to Jan. 1, 2018. So if the Maple Leafs are in a tank-and-sell mode, it will mean a permanent goodbye to players traded at the deadline. No more Daniel Winnik re-acquisitions.

NATHAN HORTON: Players with no movement clauses for the season after the expansion draft must be on the protected list. Still to be determined is whether players with no-trade clauses and limited no-movement clauses are required to be protected. This might be the most contentious issue with the NHLPA. Horton has a NMC for 2016-17, but a limited NMC in ’17-’18. The Leafs may be required to protect the injured winger.

BOTTOM LINE: Much can change, and trades and free agency will have an impact, but based on the Leafs’ current roster Nylander, Kapanen, Kadri, van Riemsdyk, Komarov, Brown, Leipsic, Rielly, Gardiner, Carrick and Antoine Bibeau would probably be protected. Holland, Lupul and Marincin would be sacrificed for the 40/70 requirement.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Randy Carlyle hired as new Anaheim Ducks coach

Carlyle led Ducks to 2007 Stanley Cup title during parts of seven seasons in charge, becoming winningest coach in Anaheim history

by Greg Beacham, Associated Press

ANAHEIM, CALIF.—Randy Carlyle walked back into the Honda Center and discovered he still knew just about everyone, from the guard at the front door to the accountants in the Anaheim Ducks’ offices.

“Everybody welcomed me back with open arms,” Carlyle said, a grateful smile on a frequently stony face. “This is a special place.”

The veteran coach is home again, and the Ducks are betting their Stanley Cup hopes on a fruitful reunion.

The Ducks re-hired Carlyle on Tuesday, welcoming back the franchise’s only championship-winning coach 4 ½ years after firing him.

Carlyle replaces Bruce Boudreau, who replaced Carlyle Nov. 30, 2011. After firing Boudreau in April and conducting a lengthy search, Ducks general manager Bob Murray decided to go back to the winningest coach in franchise history to guide his veteran core’s probable final chances at another title banner.

“I know in my heart this is the right move at this time for this hockey team,” said Murray, Carlyle’s close friend. “We all know this group has got a little window here. Three years, maybe. And you had to get a guy in here that knew some of the players and knows that it’s time — that knows how to win.”

The 60-year-old Carlyle led the Ducks to the 2007 Stanley Cup title during parts of seven seasons in charge, going 273-182-61. After his tumultuous stint in charge of the Maple Leafs ended in January 2015, he moved back to Encinitas, Calif., and attended many games in Anaheim, usually sitting in the press box and taking notes while waiting for another NHL job.

He was grateful when the next one was down the freeway.

“I don’t think you could come into a better hockey club, on ice or off,” Carlyle said, wearing a new orange tie. “It’s hard to find teams of this quality, and I feel very fortunate that I’m the guy they trusted and are showing confidence in to coach this group.”

The Ducks’ decision to re-hire a coach is rare, but not without precedent: Michel Therrien is in his second stint behind Montreal’s bench, and Carolina re-hired Paul Maurice in December 2008 five years after firing him.

Boudreau went 208-104-40 in Anaheim while winning the last four Pacific Division titles and falling one game short of the 2015 Stanley Cup final. He was still fired by Murray on April 29 after Nashville’s surprising first-round elimination of the Ducks, who blew a 3-2 playoff series lead and lost a Game 7 on home ice for the fourth consecutive season.

Carlyle was known as a stern disciplinarian early in his Anaheim career, but Murray and Carlyle both believe the coach has changed.

“Randy is going to be different than he was before,” Murray said, calling Carlyle “much more mellow” after two firings.

Captain Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Cam Fowler and Andrew Cogliano are the four Ducks left from Carlyle’s tenure. Murray consulted Getzlaf and Perry before the move, and the GM said several veterans strongly approved of Carlyle’s return.

Carlyle, who coached Ducks veterans Ryan Kesler and Kevin Bieksa in the minors, also spoke to players about his plans.

“The players of today want to be heard,” Carlyle said. “They want to have a voice. They want to participate, and you’ve got to let them be heard.”

The Ducks won plenty of regular-season games over the past four seasons, but just three playoff rounds for Boudreau. The veterans’ leadership skills have been questioned by Murray, who squarely blamed the players for the first-round loss to the Predators that cost Boudreau his job.

Carlyle spent parts of four seasons in Toronto, leading the Leafs to their only playoff berth since 2004, before getting fired despite being in playoff position. He received severe scrutiny in the world capital of hockey over his old-school approach and a perceived reluctance to embrace analytics and puck possession.

He believes much of the criticism was Canadian hyperbole, and he intends to prove his openness to new-school philosophies.

“If you’re not prepared to evolve as a coach, you’re going to get lost in the shuffle,” Carlyle said. “I’ve paid my attention and done my homework. When you come from the media market that I came from, there’s a lot of scrutiny that takes place. I don’t believe I’m a Neanderthal, from the standpoint of wanting knuckles dragging and fighting. I don’t believe that.”

Carlyle was a serious candidate for the Calgary Flames’ coaching job, interviewing with GM Brad Treliving and president Brian Burke, who hired him in Anaheim 11 years ago. Carlyle also interviewed for the vacancies at Ottawa and Minnesota, which hired Boudreau.

Carlyle hasn’t chosen his coaching staff, but strongly hinted he hopes to keep Paul MacLean and Trent Yawney. With those assistants in charge of special teams, the Ducks became the first team in 31 years to have the NHL’s best power play and penalty kill in the same season.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Is every NHL team going to have to cough up a player? or 2?

 

[smuler]

Most of them nobodies, as i've said.

Nobodies who did excellent work since January 1

Unlike my high priced Rangers who continue to develop nobody in the minors

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

Nobodies who did excellent work since January 1

Unlike my high priced Rangers who continue to develop nobody in the minors

Best Regards
Smuler

True, but the Haglin/Kessel line and the likes of Crosby, Malkin, Letang and veteran Cullen were huge for Pens throughout these playoffs. Murray was very good in the nets for the Penguins, but if i'm looking at it from San Jose's perspective, any goalie will look good if you barely shoot at him. They only had 2 shots on net in the third period of the final game and that second shot came with about 3 minutes left to play. The Penguins looked great defensively and puck-possession had a lot to do with this.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Interesting. I know a team going that direction as we speak, also a super fast and skilled team just like the Pens. They are also adding a high end, big talented franchise center in less than two weeks at the draft in Buffalo NY. Me likes

puck-possession had a lot to do with this.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Interesting. I know a team going that direction as we speak, also a super fast and skilled team just like the Pens. They are also adding a high end, big talented franchise center in less than two weeks at the draft in Buffalo NY. Me likes

The habs??

Not!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

 

[Doc Holliday]

Blackhawks trade Bickell, Teravainen to Hurricanes

by Luke Fox, Sportsnet

One team needed to reach the salary cap floor. The other needed to duck under the ceiling.

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Bryan Bickell from the Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday in exchange for a 2016 second-round draft pick and a 2017 third-round draft pick. A trade made for this salary cap era.

“The goal is to try to keep this thing going and have young players coming in,” Blackhawks senior vice president and general manager Stan Bowman said on a conference call. “Even though Teuvo is a young player, it’s hard these days when you have young guys that are entering the final year of his first contract and then things get tricky when players get raises and you’re always looking to have that next wave of young guys coming in.”

Bickell has notched 65 goals and adding 70 assists in 384 games with the Blackhawks, spanning nine seasons. A member of the 2013 and 2015 Stanley Cup championship teams, he was the Blackhawks second-round selection (41st overall) in the 2004 NHL Draft.

The 30-year-old Bickell has been shopped by Chicago for months and, with one year and $4.5 million left on his contract, he would've been a prime buyout candidate if Bowman wasn't able to strike a deal like this.

Bickell failed to score a goal in 25 NHL games this past season but put up 31 points in 47 AHL games with Rockford.

Teravainen was the cost Bowman had to pay for the low-budget Hurricanes to take on Bickell.

The 21-year-old Helsinki native has one year remaining on his entry-level contract. He recently completed his third NHL season—all with the Blackhawks—and has collected 17 goals and 27 assists in 115 games. Chicago's first selection (18th overall) in the 2012 NHL Draft, Teravainen was an important member of the 2015 championship squad, putting up 10 playoff points on that run to the Cup.

Carolina had stocked up 10 draft picks in each of the 2016 and 2017 drafts to use as currency. Evan after this trade, the Hurricanes still hold a second-rounder in 2016 and two third-rounders in 2017.

“This deal allowed us to use some of our collected draft picks to improve our group of forwards for the coming season by added two Stanley Cup champions,” said Carolina GM Ron Francis, who was in need of boosting his forward core.

“Teuvo is a young, highly-skilled player still on his entry-level contract who is coming off of a strong first full NHL season, and Bryan is a veteran who has experienced great success in his career. Both players give our organization more options and flexibility among the forward ranks.”

 

[Doc Holliday]

Damien Cox's 2016 Mock Draft

by Damien Cox

Things could get very interesting over the next eight days.

With the expansion draft rules foremost in the minds of many NHL general managers these days, you can anticipate that some teams are going to try and use players they fear could be exposed as assets to move up in the NHL Draft.

How high could they go? There are certainly top 10 teams that might be willing to move down – Calgary, Buffalo, Arizona – and have made it clear they’re open for business. What about Edmonton at No. 4? Most had anticipated that pick might be up for grabs, but now it seems more and more the Oilers might have their eye on London Knights winger Matthew Tkachuk.

Let’s just say Red Deer may have sharpened the focus on Tkachuk.

Here’s a mock draft with the order we have now.


1. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (Swiss), 6-foot-2, 190 pounds: Many scouts were impressed with Matthews’s defensive acumen at the World Championships. Leafs can’t pass on this opportunity.


2. WINNIPEG JETS
Patrik Laine, LW, Tappara (Finland), 6-foot-4, 200 pounds: The big winger believes he’s the best player in the draft. Only years of NHL competition will prove whether he’s right.


3. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Finland), 6-foot-3, 198 pounds: Blue Jackets can add this outstanding skater to the youngsters that captured the Calder Cup with the Lake Erie Monsters.


4. EDMONTON OILERS
Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL) 6-foot-1, 188 pounds: Outstanding at Memorial Cup despite playing on one leg because of a bad ankle. Potted OT winner in championship game.


5. VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW/C, Cape Breton (QMJHL), 6-foot-3, 201 pounds: This youngster has added 40 pounds of muscle and two inches in height over two years. Very complete player.


6. CALGARY FLAMES
Alexander Nylander, LW, Mississauga (OHL), 6-feet, 172 pounds: If the Flames don’t trade down, Nylander makes sense to complement young centremen already in organization.


7. ARIZONA COYOTES
Olli Juolevi, D, London Knights (OHL), 6-foot-2, 180 pounds: Yotes have a nice group of young forwards, could use a smooth puck mover to work with OEL.


8. BUFFALO SABRES
Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL), 6-foot-3, 195 pounds: Many GMs see the young Russian as the best defenceman in the draft. Could easily be gone by the time Tim Murray picks.


9. MONTREAL CANADIENS
Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL), 6-foot-6, 200 pounds: Great size down the middle is an element the Habs don’t have. Juolevi or Sergachev could fit here if they’re still available.


10. COLORADO AVALANCHE
Logan Stanley, D, Windsor (OHL), 6-foot-7, 210 pounds: This big defenceman is high on some lists, not so high on others. One of the variables on which the first round could turn.


11. NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Tyson Jost, C, Penticton (BCHL), 6-feet, 195 pounds: Had an outstanding world under-18 tournament, where he broke Connor McDavid’s Canadian record for points. Scouts say he oozes leadership.


12. OTTAWA SENATORS
Jake Bean, D, Calgary (WHL), 6-feet, 165 pounds: Didn’t get to play under-18s because of a broken foot. Might be best puck mover of the first round blueline candidates.


13. CAROLINA HURRICANES
Clayton Keller, C, US NTDP (USHL), 5-foot-9, 170 pounds: Have added Teuvo Teravainen up front for more skill, and Keller might be the most skilled centre in the draft.


14. BOSTON BRUINS
Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL), 6-foot-2, 194 pounds: Bruins need to replace aging blueliners Chara, Seidenberg, at some point. Chychrun may have tumbled, but he’s still a blue chip prospect.


15. MINNESOTA WILD
German Rubtsov, C, Russian National U18 Team (MHL), 6-foot-1, 180 pounds: Few think meldonium controversy at under-18s will hurt the Russian centre. Strong, two-way pivot.


16. DETROIT RED WINGS
Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston University (NCAA), 5-foot-11, 195 pounds: Wings will try to move up, but if McAvoy is there, Detroit is hoping to add a defenceman.


17. NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Julien Gauthier, RW, Val d’Or (QMJHL), 6-foot-4, 221 pounds: Dropped in the final Central Scouting rankings, but impressed at combine, particularly in jumping exercises. Big goal-scoring winger.


18. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Luke Kunin, C, University of Wisconsin (NCAA), 6-feet, 190 pounds: Right-handed shot played left wing most of the season, sees himself as a centre. Plans to be back as a Badger next fall.


19. NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL), 6-foot-1, 184 pounds: Could ultimately be a replacement for Frans Nielsen if he moves on via free agency. McLeod one of the best skaters in the draft.


20. ARIZONA COYOTES (FROM RANGERS)
Max Jones, LW, London (OHL), 6-foot-2, 189 pounds: Big, rambunctious, fast and skillful. Sounds like nice fit with young forward group Coyotes have put together.


21. CAROLINA HURRICANES (FROM LOS ANGELES)
Riley Tufte, LW, Fargo Force (USHL), 6-foot-5, 205 pounds: Headed to Minnesota-Duluth next season. Bit of a head scratcher to evaluate, bounced between USHL and high school.


22. WINNIPEG JETS (FROM CHICAGO)
Dante Fabbro, D, Penticton (BCHL), 6-foot-1, 185 pounds: This feels like too low for the talented Penticton blueliner. He and Laine together would be a nice draft day haul for Jets.


23. FLORIDA PANTHERS
Kieffer Bellows, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL), 6-feet, 189 pounds: A new scouting crew will do this draft for the Panthers. If there’s a good D-man left, could go that way after trading Erik Gudbranson.


24. ANAHEIM DUCKS
Pascal Laberge, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL), 6-foot-1, 170 pounds: Ducks may dangle a defenceman to move up. If not, GM Bob Murray could jump at this two-way pivot.


25. DALLAS STARS
Alex DeBrincat, RW, Erie (OHL), 5-foot-7, 165 pounds: Stars love to score, and DeBrincat has enjoyed back-to-back 51-goal seasons. Size hasn’t held this young man back yet.


26. WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Rasmus Asplund, C, Farjestads (Sweden), 5-foot-10, 175 pounds: Caps don’t necessarily have a major need. Can store a centre away for a few years, insurance behind Backstrom, Kuznetsov.


27. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Filip Gustavsson, G, Lulea (Sweden), 6-foot-2, 184 pounds: Time to start looking towards depth in goal. Could lose one of their current goalies in the expansion draft.


28. ST. LOUIS BLUES
Tage Thompson, C, Connecticut (NCAA), 6-foot-5, 189 pounds: Long-term project perfect fit for a Blues team that will be taking a run at the Cup next season in Ken Hitchcock’s swan song.


29. BOSTON BRUINS (FROM SAN JOSE)
Sam Steel, C, Regina (WHL) 5-foot-11, 165 pounds: Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are both 30. Time to start thinking about depth down the middle.


30. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (FROM PITTSBURGH)
Dennis Cholowski, D, Chilliwack (BCHL), 6-foot-1, 170 pounds: Heading to St. Cloud next season. Jumped to No. 23 from No. 48 in final Central Scouting rankings.


2016 NHL Mock Draft

 

[lgna69xxx]

Logan Brown for the habbies? Michael McCarron clone. Another third/fourth liner that Bargin Bin Bergervin is so great at getting. Great draft pick for the Canadians lol.

 

[smuler]

ZERO First round picks for my NY Rangers..way to go :rant: :smash:

Best Regards
Smuler

 

[Doc Holliday]

Logan Brown for the habbies? Michael McCarron clone. Another third/fourth liner that Bargin Bin Bergervin is so great at getting. Great draft pick for the Canadians lol.

I still think they'll pick a European. It's their style!! ound:

 

[lgna69xxx]

This would be great news if it happen.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/ron-maclean-hockey-night-in-canada-1.3642819

Grew up watching Ron Maclean every saturday night and I can't stand Strombo as host of HNIC.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Who is Auston Matthews and how did a kid from Arizona become the #1 prospect?

this is who and this is how,

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...matthews-toronto-maple-leafs/article30508528/