The Thread Where We've All Got Playoff Beards

[Mountainous Cleavage]

I haven't got a great defense for why I picked Iginla I'll admit picking him was in kind of a scramble as I was hoping that I could get either one of the Sedins, Stamkos, Ovy or Perry, and they all ended up being the top 5 picks.

Stop making me regret things!

I still kinda like the trade though, nonetheless.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Closed and Moved to Archives

[Ruki]

I don't know what kind of crack this person is on...but this is the trade I got offered/took.

Daniel Sedin + David Rundbald

for

Ryan Kesler + Ray Whitney.

So, I get the other Sedin, Rundbald (don't know anything about him) and give up Kesler (out until November, will not be as good as Sedin) and Whitney (Decent D-man, but isn't he a little injury prone?)

[Guest mr. potato head]

...Ray Whitney's a forward, Ruki. He's been in the NHL since you were three.

[Ruki]

Ryan Whitney.

Shut up.

It doesn't matter, I have both Sedin's.

[NobBe Nobbs]

I haven't got a great defense for why I picked Iginla I'll admit picking him was in kind of a scramble as I was hoping that I could get either one of the Sedins, Stamkos, Ovy or Perry, and they all ended up being the top 5 picks.

Stop making me regret things!

I still kinda like the trade though, nonetheless.

MALKIN. Or BACKSTROM. Hell, throw in KOPITAR because I like his name. Or LUONGO. Iginla should have been way down the list, I bet the guys below you spunked themselves when they saw the pick. You'd have been able to get Iginla in round 2 if not even later!

[Ruki]

Depends on how many teams...anything after probably 10th and Iggy would be fair game in my mind.

[SeanDMan]

You think the Sabres are worse this year than last year? You think the Hawks are better this year than last year?

Show your working.

I was under the impression you were comparing the 11/12 Sabres to the 11/12 Hawks, not to their respective prior season.

I was not.

I don't think the Sabres have improved by as much as you're implying here. I think a year of stable goaltending for the Hawks rather than Crawford having to win the job will give the Hawks more confidence going forward. I think you're onto something with the Hawks injuries in that they'll start slow, but I think Kane is going to be top-drawer this year.

I think injuries and the loss of Brian Campbell (one of the leagues premier wrong way defensemen) will hurt the Blackhawks offensively, which will likely hurt Kane. I think his ceiling is about a 100 point campaign, but I doubt he gets there given the losses of complimenting players and the fact that many teams in his division have made changes to get better (Nashville and Minnesota should be tough teams this year, and Columbus might not be a laughing stock either). So I think, realistically, his cap is around 85.

Vanek, meanwhile, had an upward trending year in a year where the Sabres as a team went the wrong way. Called out a few years ago for bad giveaways and lackluster defensive play on a playoff team, Vanek has improved his game while the team has stagnated, turning from a -5 a few years ago to a plus 9 two years ago and a plus 2 last year. He's also improved his points a game number over the same time span, and all of this is independent of any of the changes the team made. So now add Leino (on the opposite wing, possibly on the same line, who had 34 assists and 53 points last year which would have been second (behind Vanek) on the Sabres last year) and Ehrhoff (36 assists and 50 points, which would have put him 4th on the Sabres and tops amongst defensemen) and you have a player who is not only improving his numbers, but suddenly finds the complimenting cast around him to be improved as well. While Kane is younger and more likely to continue to improve as a player, it's not like Vanek is in his twilight years (he's 27). I think Vanek could hit 90 points if the team around him stays healthy, but I'd say a realistic cap might be 85.

So IMO, Vanek for Kane is a wash, and Miller for Ward is a win since Carolina is basically dressing an OHL team with the odd ECHLer.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

MacArthur's been suspended the pre-season and two regular season games. Noooooo

[Ruki]

Oh shit....I need to trade away Kule and Grabbo now!

[caucasianheat]

Abdelfaker is one of the best salesmen around but the hit definitely landed on the head and it's still early enough for Shanahan that you can't have any perceived inconsistencies. It's funny because it might have even been last night's game where they were showing instances of guys avoiding making dangerous hits and MacArthur was in one of the videos they ran. I figured it would be worth 2-3 games; how many are left in preseason anyway?

EDIT: Just watching some games in preseason and browsing capgeek today, I love Dallas this season as a sleeper team. Pretty solid forward group with stable defence and they're doing it on a real budget. A few players like Dvorak and Souray are going to need bounce-back seasons but I like what they're working with on the whole.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

1 pre-season game for the Leafs left, making it a 3-game suspension. Sucks he won't be there for opening night, but I see perhaps Frattin up there with Kulie/Grabo

[The Sultan of Swank]

So how many games for Malone? 5 or 10? Clearly targeted the head, repeat offender, intent to injure was called on the play.

Shanaban, make it happen, he's fucking filth.

[caucasianheat]

Yeah, that's a bad one. Elbow to temple, not even trying to play the puck.

[Plubby]

Hit was bad....but I loved the aftermath...he beat the shit out of Gorges

[Enter Blue Guy]

Brutal.

Campoli should fit in well. Isn't that the way the Habs like their d-men? Injured?

Edited October 2, 2011 by Enter Blue Guy

[Mountainous Cleavage]

Campoli should fit in well. Isn't that the way the Habs like their d-men? Injured?

(Y)

Thanks for the help on opening night, Malone. Brutal hit though.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Edler knows Hall is coming, forgets about the pucks and decides to ready the shoulder check instead. Not necessarily targeting the head, but goes in with a general upward trajectory.

The problem I have is Hall coming in with a head of steam, then letting up and deciding to timidly prod at the puck, setting himself up for what could have been really devastating. Hall is fine here, the aftermath is minimal, but whats happens if Hall goes down hard here? Edler quickly abandoned any intention to play the puck as soon as he knew Hall was coming. But if you're racing to the corner with a solid body like Alex Edler visibly coming into your path, suddenly pussyfooting and taking a stab at the puck is the worst thing you can do.

I hope you enjoyed eating, sleeping, and family, Shanny.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Enter Blue Guy

[Plubby]

I think Hall is at fault here. Edler is mostly stationary at the time of the hit. Edler sort of goes to brace against the boards (and i'm sure if Hall gets stood up as well, that's more than fine from his perspective) and catches Hall. If Hall stops, he gets nailed like he did - if he doesn't, he plows Edler into the boards...I think the onus there has to be on Hall to go "around" the player there.

[SeanDMan]

The way Edler moves his arm makes it a dirty hit, but otherwise I mostly agree with Gabriel. Too many examples of players putting themselves into vulnerabale positions.

[Plubby]

As soon as I set the name I realised this would happen. I'm not Gabriel