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2015/2016 Official NHL thread

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Doc Holliday

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Salary cap crunch makes for early NHL trade opportunities

The echoes of a Stanley Cup parade in Pittsburgh have only just faded and NHL teams are already getting down to business preparing for next season.

There are still a few days left before the draft and the free agent negotiating window that follows, and general managers are wasting no time making trades to prepare for the jockeying that’s about to come. On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers all made moves to address their immediate future.

With the salary cap expected to remain flat, the Maple Leafs and Panthers were opportunistic in giving up draft picks to acquire NHL-caliber help. The Maple Leafs traded first- and second-round picks to the Anaheim Ducks for Frederik Andersen and signed the 26-year-old goaltender to a $25 million, five-year deal. The Panthers sent a sixth-rounder and a conditional fourth-round pick to the New York Rangers for the rights to pending unrestricted free agent defenceman Keith Yandle.

The Panthers could have talked to Yandle for nothing beginning Saturday, but general manager Tom Rowe wanted to get a head start.

"I thought it was a risk worth taking, given the ability of the player and the way the game's going," Rowe said Monday. "It gives us a few extra days before free agency starts (on July 1) to pitch him on the type of program that we have, the type of ownership we've got, the type of players we have."

Yandle had 47 points last season, 15th among defencemen, and over 50 in the previous two years. If the Panthers sign Yandle, perhaps as a replacement for the smooth-skating Brian Campbell, it would make them much more serious contenders in the Eastern Conference, even before free agency.

The Maple Leafs aren't ready to contend for the playoffs yet and are picking first in the draft Friday night. But that didn't stop them from acquiring a legitimate No. 1 goaltender.

Andersen was sought after, especially by the Calgary Flames, but Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello jumped at the opportunity to give up a couple picks to acquire him.

"Timing, you never know when that will come," Lamoriello said. "The opportunity of acquiring him came now, and I believe, and our organization believes, that this will help the growth of our young players."

Young players on cheap, entry-level contracts are more valuable than ever for teams, no matter their status. It's what led the Chicago Blackhawks to trade 21-year-old potential star Teuvo Teravainen to the Carolina Hurricanes last week along with Bryan Bickell, whose contract they had to shed to stay afloat.

"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," said GM Stan Bowman, who turned around and signed 2014 first-rounder Nick Schmaltz to a contract as a potential replacement.

Another incoming prospect, Harvard's Jimmy Vesey, will cost the maximum entry-level deal available, but the Sabres traded a third-round pick to the Nashville Predators for his rights. Vesey could still test free agency Aug. 15, but Buffalo GM Tim Murray considered it worth the gamble.

This time of year is all about calculated risks. Florida didn't give up much for Yandle, but Rowe hopes the acquisition pays big dividends because patience isn't at a premium.

"We want to win, and we want to win now and we want to follow our blueprint and stay with it," Rowe said. "All the moves that we do going forward every single move is going to be predicated on us winning a Stanley Cup."


Salary cap crunch makes for early NHL trade opportunities
 

Doc Holliday

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Will PK be traded soon?

That's the question of the day. Marc Bergevin has indicated that at least 10 teams have shown interest. One of them confirmed is Vancouver, who've also indicated interest in Stamkos and Lucic. Some may call this tampering, who knows.

One of my better sources has confirmed to me that an extremely reliable source with the Oilers has told him that Bergervin's asking price for Subban is Leon Draisaitl and their 4th overall pick. If i'm Edmonton, i tell them to take a hike, unless Montreal adds their own 9th overall pick in the trade. And even then, i'm not sure i'd do it. Subban is a $9 million/year cap hit for another 6 years. He's not worth that kind of money. He finished 14th overall in voting for the Norris trophy last night. He's a showboat with decent offensive talent and nothing more, other than a big shot which usually misses its target and risks injuring your top forwards.

But i'll state it again: I've been saying for months that PK Subban will likely get traded away from Montreal prior to July 1st of this year and i'm sticking to my guns!
 

Doc Holliday

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What will be the name of the Las Vegas team? The Blackjacks? How about the Slot-slappers, as opposed to Slapshotters?

Black Knights was the first name rumoured, then it was simply "Knights". However, we learned yesterday that they still haven't decided what it will be and fans will likely be asked to come up with suggestions.

Here's mine:

The Las Vegas Gamblers
 

gohabsgo

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Black Knights was the first name rumoured, then it was simply "Knights". However, we learned yesterday that they still haven't decided what it will be and fans will likely be asked to come up with suggestions.

Here's mine:

The Las Vegas Gamblers

I hope they get a better singer ...

[video=youtube;KpXzASiXX8U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpXzASiXX8U[/video]
 

gohabsgo

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One of my better sources has confirmed to me that an extremely reliable source with the Oilers has told him that Bergervin's asking price for Subban is Leon Draisaitl and their 4th overall pick.

I guess you follow Georges Laraque's twitter feed ... :doh:
 

EagerBeaver

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Word is that UConn freshman hockey player Tage Thompson will be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. Expect him to go in the 20s, not sign and return to UConn for his sophomore year where he will join fellow sophomore Maxim "Max" Letunov, already a 2014 2nd round pick of the St. Louis Blues. Both Thompson and Letunov are tall lanky forwards- Thonpson 6'5" 185 and Letunov 6'4" 170.

UConn baseball pitcher Anthony Kay was selected by the Mets with the 31st pick of the MLB Draft, UConn basketball forward Daniel Hamilton was selected last night with the 56th pick of the NBA draft and Breanna Stewart and Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck of the UConn women's basketball team were the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall picks of the WNBA draft, a historical first. It's been a great spring for the UConn kids. Unbelievable.

I am looking forward to seeing who drafts Tage Thompson. He is a local Connecticut kid who grew up in Orange, CT.
 
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Doc Holliday

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Word is that UConn freshman hockey player Tage Thompson will be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft. Expect him to go in the 20s, not sign and return to UConn for his sophomore year where he will join fellow sophomore Maxim "Max" Letunov, already a 2014 2nd round pick of the St. Louis Blues. Both Thompson and Letunov are tall lanky forwards- Thonpson 6'5" 185 and Letunov 6'4" 170.

I am looking forward to seeing who drafts Tage Thompson. He is a local Connecticut kid who grew up in Orange, CT.

No chance he gets picked in the first round. Likely mid-to-late second round, at best. The Hockey News has him ranked 47th in their mock draft.
 

Doc Holliday

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Sports Illustrated has him going #23! See the link I posted! This is based on actual scouts opinions not writer's opinion.

The Hockey News is widely recognized as the bible of hockey. Hockey guru Bob McKenzie is a well-known contributor, among dozens of others.

Who's the Si writer who has him going 23rd overall??? Probably a nobody.

If you want to put money on this, i dare you! ;)
 

Doc Holliday

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I just took a look at EB's Si article. It's written by some high school kid i've never heard of named Allan Muir. I could write my own article about the draft and it still wouldn't mean shit next to the Hockey News.

p.s. Actually, i will!!!! lol
 
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