NHL 2010/2011

[SeanDMan]

So, eventually, we need a new thread anyway, and the draft is as good a place to divide this season from last season as any.

Anyway, my dad always told me to start with a joke, so...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVJfJAQY-BI

[The Third Dukes]

Isn't 16 months before the puck drops a little early to preview the 2011/2012 season?

[SeanDMan]

Maybe for you, but for people who actually know hockey, it's a sinch.

I think Hamilton has a really strong looking team a year from now.

[SeanDMan]

Now make me a sandwich, silver.

[Plubby]

Ahh, the Olympics. I remember fondly the times when Luongo performed in the clutch. Now he just shits all over the bed

[SeanDMan]

I'm reminded of a certain game with Craig Anderson sliding around on the ice like an autistic child coated in non-stick cooking oil who thought that instead of being a goaltender, he'd try out competitive ice dancing.

Also, the team Anderson shit the bed against? How'd they do in the Cup final?

Shit, wait.

They didn't make it.

That doesn't make it any more sore, does it? Losing to an overrated and overpaid group of also rans who have never gotten out of the Western Final?

[Plubby]

The only thing I can see being sore about this season is Luongo after he has the shit beaten out of him by Keith Ballard.

[TGWL]

2011/2012 can't come soon enough, and by that time at least the rangers wont.............Oh, fuck, we still have Redden.

[Toe]

2011/12 is when the Leafs finally have a first round pick!

[Cactus Drags]

I think 2011/12 is the season Duchene will be able to grow a proper playoff beard.

[Gabriel]

I still can't believe that it took four rounds for someone to draft Phillip Grubauer. The Capitals picked him up pretty late there, considering he was the Memorial Cup winning goalie and has seemed to be on the rise in terms of skill and confidence for the past year. He's moving into a good system though. The Capitals have a tremendous record with young goalies and their development, even if sometimes they end up rushing them and making all of that moot. To be fair though, it hasn't seemed to happen for awhile. Varlamov has really had to fight for the number one spot, Neuvirth wasn't rushed along either, and will finally be taking a backup role next year. It's a good situation there for young goalies.

[TGWL]

Trade

Pens: 2011 3rd round pick

Flyers: Dan Hambuis

(Flyers just got Hambuis last week after trading Ryan Parent to Nashville. Hamhbuis becomes a free agent on July 1st and apparently Flyers couldn't agree on a deal with him)

Rangers: Bobby Sanguinetti

Hurricanes: 6th round pick, 2011 2nd round pick.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

I still can't believe that it took four rounds for someone to draft Phillip Grubauer. The Capitals picked him up pretty late there, considering he was the Memorial Cup winning goalie and has seemed to be on the rise in terms of skill and confidence for the past year. He's moving into a good system though. The Capitals have a tremendous record with young goalies and their development, even if sometimes they end up rushing them and making all of that moot. To be fair though, it hasn't seemed to happen for awhile. Varlamov has really had to fight for the number one spot, Neuvirth wasn't rushed along either, and will finally be taking a backup role next year. It's a good situation there for young goalies.

Grubauer had an excellent defence corps and one of the best OHL offenses in years in front of him. It's a lot easier to look like a great goalie when the rest of your team is severely cutting down the number of plays you have to make.

[Gabriel]

Oh, of course it is, but I'm also looking at the fact that his resume is more impressive than a lot of the goalies who were taken before him. You can say what you want about stats and the teams in front of goalies, but winning is also a big deal. You give a guy a taste of what it's like to win at the lower levels, and his compete level is usually outstanding at the NHL level. Just look at Marc-Andre Fleury, same type of deal. Of course, on the other end of things, you could say that Carey Price was very similar, and he's not done so well up to this point.

[Lowerdeck]

Maybe for you, but for people who actually know hockey, it's a sinch.

I think Hamilton has a really strong looking team a year from now.

And who goes to Hamilton?

[TGWL]

Flyers swap their 2011 7th round pick for Nabokov (if Nabokov signs)

[Gabriel]

Flyers swap their 2011 7th round pick for Nabokov (if Nabokov signs)

Has it been confirmed anywhere? Last I heard, it was purely speculation.

Confirmed though, is that the Hawks have tendered a qualifying offer to Andrew Ladd, which surprises the hell out of me. I figured he would be let go to continue making cap space heading into free agency.

[SeanDMan]

Ladd will probably decline the offer and become an RFA. Chicago wants to trade him, not let him go for nothing.

The Flyers thing is conditional; they traded the pick for the rights to talk to him. If he doesn't sign by July 1, the pick stays with the Flyers.

[Ruki]

I was disappointed by the lack of trades at this years draft

From Darren Dreger:

Leafs may have some interest in Savard, but Kaberle won't be included if that trade happens.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Ouf so Halak gone, our fairly talented but small top 4 forwards are locked up for infinity, so it seems that Gauthier has learned not from the playoffs.

At least Sergei is gone. He's one of those players who you know is talented, but just has such a bad attitude. It was the same story with Grabovski, and I'm sure that once Toronto finds more than 3 or 4 NHL quality players on their team and he gets bumped down to the 3rd line he'll throw a fit again haha. Maybe there's something in the water in Belarus.