General Hockey Talk - Injuries, signings, factoids + other news from around the league

Lightning beat the Isles but lose Stralman to a broken leg. He's their #2.

After missing nearly a month on the IR Elliott pitches a shutout as the Blues clinch a playoff spot. This was his third consecutive shutout.

Holtby wins a 1-0 in OT to become the 6th player to get 45 wins in a single season. Brodeur has done it twice, and holds the all-time single season record of 48. The Capitals have 10 games remaining for Holtby to try for the record.

Jimmy Vesey's season is over (when BC beat Harvard). He is a Preds pick but interesting part is that he is not signed, as he elected to stay at Harvard to finish his degree. So now they have until August 15 to sign him, or he becomes a UFA. I wouldn't be surprised if they bring him up for a few games (his NCAA eligibility is no-longer an issue, so they can sign him to a PTO and pay his way). Who knows, maybe they'll end up signing him and paying him in the post-season.

If not, there will be lots of teams lined up to sign him. He's a Massachusetts kid, payed at Harvard, so you'd think Boston might have the inside track. Again, all just conjecture here, but if the Preds can't sign him ...

wprager wrote:After missing nearly a month on the IR Elliott pitches a shutout as the Blues clinch a playoff spot.  This was his third consecutive shutout.  

Vancouver had a grand total of 15 shots, including 2 in the 3rd period. As bad as we might be right now, at least we're not the Canucks.

The art of tanking.

That Flyers/Coyotes game was nasty. Both Captains got knocked out of the game. Gudas is a dirty player, I can't believe he's only been suspended for that one hit on Zibanejad. Last night Doan had fallen down and was sliding on his knees into the boards. Gudas added a bit of a hip check into his head to drive it against the boards. No call on the play.

Hanzal later hit Giroux from behind into the boards and Giroux appeared to be initially out on the ice. Honestly, hit didn't look that bad, and Giroux turn at the last second -- it looked like he was going to curl right and into Hanzal then he turned left instead. Hanzal go 5+10+game.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25532378/flyers-lose-brutal-game-to-coyotes-both-captains-knocked-out-of-game

Remember when I said Elliot got his third shutout in a row in his first game back after missing nearly a month? Well the Blues went to Jake Allen and he stoned the Caps 4-0. Four straight shutouts for the Blues. I guess the problem now, who starts the playoffs?

In case you're wondering, the NHL record is 6 consecutive shutouts. That feat was accomplished by the Ottawa Senators. In 1928 For the modern-day NHL the record is 5, by Phoenix in the 2003-04 season.

Oilers' Hall says Doughty is overdue for the Norris. "That’s what makes him tough because he’s got a great group around him." I'm just shaking my head. Sure, give an individual award to a guy who is great because he's surrounded by greatness.

LA won 6-4 last night. Doughty had 0 pts and was +2. I dunno...I watched the game and he didn't really stand out. The Oilers are really embracing the tank though...they're not even starting Talbot.

I watched the first two periods of that game last night and from the get go they both scored in the first couple minutes of play. Pretty exciting game. Makes me even more mad that the Oilers got McDavid. It's going to take that team 10 top 5 draft picks to for them to make the playoffs. I can't believe the NHL didn't fix the model for this draft. If they win again they should be prohibited from tge top 3 for the next 10 years.

http://www.tsn.ca/report-yakupov-asked-for-trade-from-oilers-1.460184

i mean, not really surprised but how much has this kid showed in the past two years? he's as close to a bust as you can get nowadays for a first overall. the oilers are going to be lucky if they can get anything close to a top 4 Dman/work in progress for him.

Flo The Action wrote:http://www.tsn.ca/report-yakupov-asked-for-trade-from-oilers-1.460184

i mean, not really surprised but how much has this kid showed in the past two years? he's as close to a bust as you can get nowadays for a first overall. the oilers are going to be lucky if they can get anything close to a top 4 Dman/work in progress for him.

They can have Wiercioch.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hockey/25532781/will-the-predators-be-able-to-sign-top-prospect-jimmy-vesey

Hmm, doesn't sound great for the Preds. This is what Vesey wrote last monthg:

Beyond hockey, staying for my senior year has given me the opportunity to graduate from Harvard. One of the things I'm most proud about is that I'm from Boston. I come from a long line of blue-collar Bostonians.… City people — that's who we are.

If he signs with the Preds the advantage is that he can play in the post-season right away, and he burns a year of his ELC. But he managed to wait 4 years, what's another few months.

wprager wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:http://www.tsn.ca/report-yakupov-asked-for-trade-from-oilers-1.460184

i mean, not really surprised but how much has this kid showed in the past two years? he's as close to a bust as you can get nowadays for a first overall. the oilers are going to be lucky if they can get anything close to a top 4 Dman/work in progress for him.

They can have Wiercioch.

Overpayment.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

wprager wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:http://www.tsn.ca/report-yakupov-asked-for-trade-from-oilers-1.460184

i mean, not really surprised but how much has this kid showed in the past two years? he's as close to a bust as you can get nowadays for a first overall. the oilers are going to be lucky if they can get anything close to a top 4 Dman/work in progress for him.

They can have Wiercioch.

Overpayment.

I'd take a $2.5 for a season flyer on Yak, if he was basically free (Wiercioch).

I would propose a puempel + 2016 2nd rounder (higher pick since we won't be making the playoffs) for Yakupov and I would say that's about right for his value right now. 1st overall pick hasn't scored more than 33 points in a season and that was 2 seasons ago.

Michallica wrote:I would propose a puempel + 2016 2nd rounder (higher pick since we won't be making the playoffs) for Yakupov and I would say that's about right for his value right now. 1st overall pick hasn't scored more than 33 points in a season and that was 2 seasons ago.  

im not sure I would. Yak seems to have bust written all over him. Not sure I want his attitude in our locker room.