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

I give Grapes s little more leeway than most people (his passion for Canada's history, support for the military and first responders and most of his takes on hockey outweigh the bad imo) but he's been getting increasingly more difficult to defend. If he's gone I'm ok with that. As long as it doesn't mean more Kypreos, Hrudey, Doug McLean.

wprager wrote:I give Grapes s little more leeway than most people (his passion for Canada's history, support for the military and first responders and most of his takes on hockey outweigh the bad imo) but he's been getting increasingly more difficult to defend. If he's gone I'm ok with that. As long as it doesn't mean more Kypreos, Hrudey, Doug McLean.

He's been steadily declining over the past decade with a significant drop over the past 3-4 years. The bunch of jerks thing was a clear sign that he's lost grip on what people want to see and that hockey's evolved past his comprehension. He's become like the YouTuber 'Kid From Brooklyn'. If anything, I give kudos to Ron for keeping Don somewhat on point - or at least steer him back in the right direction somewhat.

The problem with Don is that he just can't quite keep up. He gets confused, mumbles, stumbles, and just isn't suited to TV anymore.

Seems to me like Buffalo sold on Nylander at a low price.

I bet Chicago turns these young players around and starts competing in a couple of seasons. Stroke and Nylander could be real good for them.

I dont like that trade for Chicago one bit. Not one bit.

PTFlea wrote:I dont like that trade for Chicago one bit.  Not one bit.

really?
I mean, Nylander isn't looking like his brother but I still think he's an NHL player. a top 6 at that.

Flo The Action wrote:

PTFlea wrote:I dont like that trade for Chicago one bit.  Not one bit.

really?
I mean, Nylander isn't looking like his brother but I still think he's an NHL player. a top 6 at that.

Right handed puck moving d men are a rare thing in the nhl, especially ones who were drafted had an immediate impact in first the ahl then the nhl. I guess they have a surplus of dmen in Chicago, but I was surprised to read they had traded him and for nylander, who is a gamble.

Buffalo giving NYR and run for their money when it comes to improving. They’ve acquired Miller, Jokiharju, Vesey and Johansson on top of recent drafting success. When they’ve made trades to acquire legit talent, they’ve given up nothing. Buffalo seems to add RHD at will.

PTFlea wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:

PTFlea wrote:I dont like that trade for Chicago one bit.  Not one bit.

really?
I mean, Nylander isn't looking like his brother but I still think he's an NHL player. a top 6 at that.

Right handed puck moving d men are a rare thing in the nhl, especially ones who were drafted had an immediate impact in first the ahl then the nhl.   I guess they have a surplus of dmen in Chicago, but I was surprised to read they had traded him and for nylander, who is a gamble.

Pretty much this. Jokiharju has proven he can be a top 4 Dman, Nylander has proven that he might not have what it takes for the NHL. Hyperbole a bit, but whatever. Adding Miller for nothing was enough and now this. Sabres mean business obviously.

Yes, the Sabres are looking better and better with each transaction they make (exception being the Skinner signing). I still have some doubts with their center depth (Mittlestadt is their 2C), but there aren't a lot of glaring holes otherwise on their roster.

I also didn't understand the need for Chicago to take a HUGE gamble on Maata for Kahun, a kid that was developed away from the North American pros, came into the NHL and posted ~0.5 PPG. It's hard to tell if this 24 year old kid has more of a ceiling, but I'd sure be interested in seeing if he can improve on those numbers.

Pittsburgh must have been overjoyed to make that trade.

Ferland to Vancouver. Curious how much $$ he got on what is apparently a 4 year term. 20 million?

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Yes, the Sabres are looking better and better with each transaction they make (exception being the Skinner signing). I still have some doubts with their center depth (Mittlestadt is their 2C), but there aren't a lot of glaring holes otherwise on their roster.

Just wait until they get a King’s ransom for Ristolainen. It will almost be on the Rangers level of quick rebuild after seeming to stall for a couple years.

Lagoon wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Yes, the Sabres are looking better and better with each transaction they make (exception being the Skinner signing). I still have some doubts with their center depth (Mittlestadt is their 2C), but there aren't a lot of glaring holes otherwise on their roster.

Just wait until they get a King’s ransom for Ristolainen. It will almost be on the Rangers level of quick rebuild after seeming to stall for a couple years.

A couple?

PTFlea wrote:

Lagoon wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Yes, the Sabres are looking better and better with each transaction they make (exception being the Skinner signing). I still have some doubts with their center depth (Mittlestadt is their 2C), but there aren't a lot of glaring holes otherwise on their roster.

Just wait until they get a King’s ransom for Ristolainen. It will almost be on the Rangers level of quick rebuild after seeming to stall for a couple years.

A couple?

It's amazing what good ownership can do. The Sens could have turned this all around by now given the number of mid-to-high end prospects and draft picks in the system.

Happy for Buffalo. They've been in the toilet for long enough. Not even they deserve awful Sabres and Bills teams.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

PTFlea wrote:

Lagoon wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Yes, the Sabres are looking better and better with each transaction they make (exception being the Skinner signing). I still have some doubts with their center depth (Mittlestadt is their 2C), but there aren't a lot of glaring holes otherwise on their roster.

Just wait until they get a King’s ransom for Ristolainen. It will almost be on the Rangers level of quick rebuild after seeming to stall for a couple years.

A couple?

It's amazing what good ownership can do. The Sens could have turned this all around by now given the number of mid-to-high end prospects and draft picks in the system.

Happy for Buffalo. They've been in the toilet for long enough. Not even they deserve awful Sabres and Bills teams.

We do need good ownership, but the Buffalo teams are basically examples of rich owners not leading to anything noteworthy on the field/ice. Perhaps the Sabres are turning the corner now though.

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:

PTFlea wrote:

Lagoon wrote:

DefenceWinsChampionships wrote:Yes, the Sabres are looking better and better with each transaction they make (exception being the Skinner signing). I still have some doubts with their center depth (Mittlestadt is their 2C), but there aren't a lot of glaring holes otherwise on their roster.

Just wait until they get a King’s ransom for Ristolainen. It will almost be on the Rangers level of quick rebuild after seeming to stall for a couple years.

A couple?

It's amazing what good ownership can do. The Sens could have turned this all around by now given the number of mid-to-high end prospects and draft picks in the system.

Happy for Buffalo. They've been in the toilet for long enough. Not even they deserve awful Sabres and Bills teams.

We should be a playoff team every year. We should have kept Karlsson, Stone, Duchene etc. It's a damn shame.

PTFlea wrote:Ferland to Vancouver.  Curious how much $$ he got on what is apparently a 4 year term.  20 million?

Think it was $15Mish.