The Thread Where We've All Got Playoff Beards

[Ruki]

MPH, C-Heat. Do you guys know if TSN.ca will be streaming the draft again this year?

[Guest mr. potato head]

The only reference to that I've been able to find is buried deep in this press release, but it says the draft will be streamed. Don't know if that's just Round 1 or the whole thing (hoping for more as I don't get NHL Network).

[caucasianheat]

From what I can tell on the website, TSN will stream starting at 7ET. NHL Network will probably run everything tomorrow, in which case you can stream it somewhere.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Tim Thomas has reportedly agreed to waive his no-movement clause. Cue annoying speculation over whether he'd be willing to play in Evil Socialist Canada.

[SeanDMan]

Thomas for Luongo!

[SeanDMan]

[Ruki]

Thomas is waiving? Holy crap.

I thought he was taking a year off?

[Guest mr. potato head]

Maybe he just wanted a year off from Boston.

[Ruki]

I'm guessing some bad blood over the White House thing.

And it is really sounding like Edmonton isn't going to be taking Yakupov 1st overall.

Edit: And the Habs are apparently shopping Subban

Suck on that Basha

[Guest mr. potato head]

Habs are shopping Subban? I've heard people give Subban and the third as an example of what it would take to get the first, but I haven't heard anywhere that Subban's actually being shopped. You'd think the Habs would want to keep him.

[Ruki]

Nick Kypreos‏@RealKyper

#SNdraft Sources saying #Canadiens quietly shopping PK Subban. Would PK entice #Oilers for package deal involving 1st #NHL over-all pick?

Subban + 3rd OA seems like a bit much to get Yakupov.

If it's Subban + 2nd +3rd + whatever for the 1st? Then I'm scared. Because Montreal would have two good, young pieces + Price :/

[TGWL]

If Oilers draft Murray, and Columbus passes on Yakupov, Montreal will get him. That's crazy.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Yeah and if the Islanders and Lightning passed on Tavares, Colorado would have got him.

I think the two scenarios have about an equal likelihood of playing out tonight.

This "wait maybe they WON'T take the best player available at #1!" bullshit comes up every year and never amounts to anything.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Signs really do seem to be pointing to Edmonton keeping the pick and taking Yakupov. If there aren't any good offers there, there aren't any good offers there, but a solid NHL-level defenceman and a pick in the 3-4-5-6 range (to say nothing of Subban and #3) would be enough for me to take the trade. The Oilers need defence more than another flashy forward, and a phenomenal d-man will still be available at that spot. Hell, if the guy you're offered is good enough, trade down to 8-9-10-level and take Cody Ceci.

[Ruki]

@TSNRyanRishaug

Burke and Gillis just walked off the draft floor together into the tunnel by penguins room. Clearly not a quick hello, all business.

What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall. Curious how those talks go down.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

Anyone else getting more and more excited as the hours pass to find out who the hell everyone is picking? 20 minutes to go until this all goes down. I just hope Burke doesn't end up picking a Dman.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Here's why I think Edmonton will take Yakupov: In an interview last night, Tambellini said his scouts had put the same guy at #1, significantly ahead of everyone else, all year long. Murray and Reinhart and the rest came on later in the year, but started well below on most draft boards. Yes there's a chance they had one of those guys above everyone else from the beginning (especially Reinhart), but more likely IMO is that they just really like Yakupov.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Also, Vic Rauter hosting SportsCentre this week has been awesome.

[caucasianheat]

See you next year Edmonton, same time.

[Mountainous Cleavage]

Hall-Nuge-Yakopov is going to be a deadly fucking line, maybe not right away but they will. God damn.