(Spoilers) The thread where CALIFORNIA LOOOOVE~!

[Plubby]

I was asleep when the draft started, and I forgot to do this earlier in the day.

Welcome to the new season, everyone!

I'll edit in some more thoughts over the course of my Monday, but for now all i'll say is that MacKinnon better score ALL of the goals if we've passed up on Seth Jones to a team within our own division.

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My draft day:

• I woke up at 4am to go to the bathroom and decided to check Twitter to see who we'd drafted, dreaded the worst. Scroll back through tweets...Yup, MacKinnon. Dammit, I wanted Seth.
• What's this, you say?! Major trade? I'll stay awake for this.
• HOLY FUCKING SHIT CORY SCHNEIDER!!!
• At this point I probably did what you all did, which was dash to @strombone1 and wait.
• As I watched some media coverage, Holy F'n Shit was I ever NOT prepared for Nathan MacKinnon's lisp.
• Oh god Seth Jones is in our division I hate my life.
• Good lord, that is a WORLD CLASS lisp.

[Gabriel]

Ugh.

Hunter Shinkaruk is inexplicably available... the Flames draft Poirier.

Zach Fucale is inexplicably still available... the Flames draft Morgan Klimchuk.

I get the idea of going into a draft with your lists of who you want that might still be available when you get to your pick. It's a good way to gauge how far you can trade down and still get a player that you've targeted... but when there is someone still available who is leaps and bounds ahead of the guys on your list, it's inexcusable to pass them up.

...fucking Flames.

[Drock007]

Ugh.

Hunter Shinkaruk is inexplicably available... the Flames draft Poirier.

Zach Fucale is inexplicably still available... the Flames draft Morgan Klimchuk.

I get the idea of going into a draft with your lists of who you want that might still be available when you get to your pick. It's a good way to gauge how far you can trade down and still get a player that you've targeted... but when there is someone still available who is leaps and bounds ahead of the guys on your list, it's inexcusable to pass them up.

...fucking Flames.

Don't the Flames have alot of Goalies in there system all ready?

[Gabriel]

Sure they do, but unless you're drafting a player that you expect to play in the NHL right away, you should always select the best player available.

When you have too many good prospects at one position, it's not really a bad problem to have. Oh no, I have too many really good goalies, but I need a power forward. Well then, find a team that's going to need a goalie soon, or needs one right now, and put a trade together. Move a piece you have in excess for a piece that you need.

Drafting with the intention of filling holes just creates more holes. These are kids still. Lots of them won't ever reach the NHL, and there's nothing more aggravating than missing out on a player just because it wasn't what the team needed at the time.

Monahan might make the team next year based on how thin we are up the middle. Poirier and Klimchuk probably won't see the NHL for 3-5 years. By that time, we may need a Zach Fucale, and he's in Montreal because we picked up Klimchuk instead.

I'm not saying that these guys aren't good. I'm just saying, they're not going to play in the NHL next year anyways, so Feaster and the Flames should have been drafting the best players available.

The big shocker was Poirier. A guy who would definitely have been available with the 3rd first round pick... and they let Hunter Shinkaruk slide by.

And then to say that these are guys in the team's Top 10 is ridiculous. Top 10 what? Of the whole draft? Because that's a shitty list if that's the case. And if it's the Top 10 guys they think will be available for them to draft, then go off the list when someone who is so far ahead of your list drops to you.

When the Leafs took Gauthier, I shot to attention because Shinkaruk was still on the board. It was a no-brainer. He's the best guy that was still available, and it wasn't even close. So what does Jay Feaster do? He drafts someone that was pegged to go in the middle-to-end of the second round.

I can't really defend anything he did today, other than using the picks. I guess he gets marks for that.

[The Buscher]

I really wanted the Islanders to take Fucale. That's no knock on Pulock, who I think can be very good - I just feel the Isles already have a lot of depth at defense and they very much need to get a goalie of the future. Also a bit disappointed with giving up on Niederreiter so early. I know his agent had asked for a trade, but he was still young so I would have like for them to have tried and smoothed things over. The Islanders had a good offense last year, but they don't have much organizational offensive depth if people get hurt.

[SeanDMan]

What a strange day.

[Plubby]

#PattysBetter - but that moment at the end with Marty drafting Anthony Brodeur was one of my favourite moments in my history watching hockey.

EDIT: Oh, and for those who have seen the thread before the timestamp of this message, I edited in my draft day in the first post.

[Gabriel]

Bold move by Gillis to trade Schneider without discussing anything with Luongo first.

What if he doesn't want to play for Vancouver anymore? Then what? Then Gillis either has to move his other goalie anyways, or he goes through the season with a number one who wants out. Bad, bad management.

Good for New Jersey though, and for Schneider. He's their guy moving forward, and Marty gets to have a bit of a break during his last season (or more if he continues past this year).

[Toe]

I think the hiring of Torterella is a win-now move, so keeping Loungo also makes sense.

If Nathan Horton is going to test free agency, I think the Canucks would love to get him (if they can free some cap space).

Edited July 1, 2013 by Toe

[Cactus Drags]

I thought Colorado needed help in other areas more importantly than they needed another center.

[TGWL]

I's hard to pass on a guy who could be a franchise center.

[Drock007]

I's hard to pass on a guy who could be a franchise center.

What about a franchise Defensemen?

[Drock007]

Sergei Bobrovsky has just been re-signed for 2 years with an anual Cap hit between $5-6M a year.

Blackhawks sign Bryan Bickell to 4-year, $16 million extension.

Vincent Lecavalier met with nine teams in New York: Boston, Calgary, Detroit, Montreal, Philadelphia, Toronto, St. Louis, Washington and Dallas. On all the interest:
“Teams can’t resist the chance to get a big centre and especially a free agent. You don’t have to give up anybody to get him and he can still contribute,” said a league executive.

In attempt to keep Nathan Horton, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli sniffed around to see what Tyler Seguin might bring back. Chiarelli was caught off guard when Horton said he would test the free agent market. 15 teams called the Bruins about Seguin. Trade talks died after Horton said he was moving on. GM Chiarelli continue to listen to teams on Seguin after Horton said he wouldn’t be returning. It’s likely that he won’t go anywhere, but LeBrun wouldn’t close the door on it.

The Phoenix Coyotes' four-year bid for stability will finally come to a close soon.

If the vote is against the lease deal, the Coyotes are likely headed out of town for good, possibly to Seattle.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has said the Coyotes likely won't be playing in Arizona if the lease deal isn't approved.

The New Jersey devils are close to resigning forward Patrick Elias to a 2 year extension close to 9m will make a little more then 4 a season

The Tampa bay lightning did not qualify rfa Benoit pouliot and he will be in this years free agency as well

Tom gulitti New Jersey devils reporter for the record has reported that he talked to devils gm Lou lamoriello yesterday after the devils acquired goaltender Cory Schneider from the Canucks and he confirmed that Lou had discussions with goaltender Johan hedberg about his future but would not mention the outcome that was resolved whether it be trade, buyout or more

Alex Edler’s no-trade kicks in on July 1st and the Canucks are still listening to interest on him. The Canadiens, Red Wings and Ducks inquired about Edler. The Wings did make an offer and the Canadiens may circle back.

The Washington Capitals will not re-sign Mike Ribeiro, meaning another player will hit the free agent market

Tsn analyst bob mckenzie has just tweeted "expect an announcement shortly that goaltender Tim Thomas is exploring his options to return to play opportunities in the NHL"

NHL players are just a slap shot away from returning to the Olympics next year.

While a deal hasn't been reached yet between the NHL, the union and the International Ice Hockey Federation, to send the league's players to Sochi, a long meeting Monday pushed the sides much closer to an agreement.

"Things are moving along," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Drock007

[Cactus Drags]

I's hard to pass on a guy who could be a franchise center.

We have Duchene! I know Stastny's slipped the past couple of years, but still. I just think we needed Jones or some help on the wing more.

[Gabriel]

I think they picked the better player, and like I said earlier, unless you're drafting someone who's going to come in and make a huge difference at a position of need right away... that you should always draft the best player available. Colorado did that.

It just means that they have wiggle room to move Duchene, Stastny or O'Reilly sometime in exchange for a guy who can fill a need.

[Cactus Drags]

I don't want them to move those guys though >_>

[Pizza]

They could always try some of them out on the wing. But Gabe has it mostly right. Jones doesn't make them a contender, the best thing they can do is stockpile the most talented players they can. Plus, Stastny, Duchene and O'Reilly are all free agents after 13-14, with Stastny unrestricted. Stastny and O'Reilly won't want big pay cuts, Duchene will want a raise, and it will be very expensive to keep all 3. MacKinnon will be cheap for years. There will be a space for him, especially if he doesn't start until 2014-15.

[Drock007]

They could always try some of them out on the wing. But Gabe has it mostly right. Jones doesn't make them a contender, the best thing they can do is stockpile the most talented players they can. Plus, Stastny, Duchene and O'Reilly are all free agents after 13-14, with Stastny unrestricted. Stastny and O'Reilly won't want big pay cuts, Duchene will want a raise, and it will be very expensive to keep all 3. MacKinnon will be cheap for years. There will be a space for him, especially if he doesn't start until 2014-15.

You really don't think Nathan MacKinnon plays this season?

[Pizza]

He probably shouldn't. Cap is king. If they can keep his entry level deal from starting until the 14-15 season, they'll be in great shape up the middle for years with him, Duchene, and one of Stastny and O'Reilly. And with MacKinnon only counting for $925,000 for 3 years, why waste one of those years now, when they won't contend?

[Gabriel]

This season is going to be all about positioning the team going forward for the Avalanche. Or it should be, anyways. Let the guys they have play, see who Roy and Sakic want to keep going forward, move out any bodies that aren't going to be part of the solution and go for it in 14-15.

That's not to say that they should tank or that they won't make the playoffs. They just aren't in a position where they need MacKinnon right away. I wouldn't bring the kid up until you can play him in the top 9 consistently. So like I said, play out the year, and move one of the centers at the deadline or the draft. MacKinnon can come in when the team has more of an identity and a focus.

Him playing next year probably hurts his development.