Official lead up to 2015-16 season thread

[batdad]

As I said before...the media only has a few good ones. Their names? Bob McKenzie, Elliot Friedman. The rest make garbage up or get garbage.

[Prowl]

I should try the Hamilton deal on EHM

[Peter_Doherty]

Everyone talked about Talbot today though, Dreger did the most talking though... I thought i knew better then to jump on the hype train but i admit that i did, i went all-in on that train, and now it hurts

[Prowl]

Everyone talked about Talbot today though, Dreger did the most talking though... I thought i knew better then to jump on the hype train but i admit that i did, i went all-in on that train, and now it hurts

Wait until tomorrow. I suspect he will be dealt then. Given what Jones and Lehner went for, I still think you'll get a decent return

[philou21]

Perfect trade for the Oilers. EXACTLY what they need.

That's what they need yes but will they develop him well? That is something that I'm not sure it's gonna happen.

[Peter_Doherty]

Yeah, i still think we will get a good deal for Talbot, it's just that i made the mistake to jump on that hype train so here i sit at 3:30 am swearing at my computer screen I can only blame myself... and Dreger...

Actually think Oilers overpaid by quite a bit for Reinhart, he's looking like a semi-bust and i doubt he will ever be a top-3 guy, most likely a bottom pair shut down guy... With that said, Oilers clearly need defence so it's not horrible even if that's all he becomes, if he is a good 3rd pairing shut down guy then he will be important for them.

[bruins72]

So Don Sweeney pushed the self-destruct button on the Bruins. He was trying for that #3 overall and whiffed. What a cluster-Lindros (I did that, not trying to bypass the swear filter). And then he picked guys way above where they were ranked. BIG FAIL!

So can anyone make me a new avatar of a Bruins logo with red circle and line through it? Or maybe the face of Don Sweeney with devil horns and such? Seriously, I'm fuming mad right now. I've been in a bad mood since I heard about the Hamilton deal and it's just gotten worse and worse.

So it's looking like we could do a Bruins challenge in the fall without having to do much to the team.

[Peter_Doherty]

I understand that you are fuming b72, i feel for you. With that said it's hilarious to watch Sweeney destroy a decent Bruins team in one day

[bruins72]

And I thought Chiarelli was bad...

[philou21]

Well Sweeney did clear the Bruins of their cap space problems.

[Prowl]

I still can't believe B's wouldn't free up cap space by trading other guys to get Hamilton locked up. Unless Dougie didn't want to play there anymore you keep him. Even if you trade him you get more back. Having said that I am grateful for him in a Flames jersey

[Peter_Doherty]

How is Merkley still not picked?

[Vadim10]

So I was staying up all night too watching the draft. Most things went as expected, but what I still think about are the picks of the Bruins. Can anybody tell me what strategy they went after? Their picks were rather surprising ... Do they have information about the better rated prospects we all miss or do they hope to have gotten some hidden talents?

Seems to me they wasted at least one of their three picks for less than they could get on first look.

[Peter_Doherty]

Sweeney probably just ate some magic mushrooms yesterday, don't think he had a plan with anything he did.

[Alessandro]

4 Russian players in the first round, interesting...

[CJ]

Peter you're probably happy that Hagelin got shipped off to Ducks for Etem?

Niemi to Dallas. Means Lehtonen will be traded.

Cam Talbot to Edmonton for 2nd, 3rd, 7th round.

[philou21]

Couple of trades this morning! Been a while the draft had so much movement. Especially with a couple of big names!

[batdad]

Yeah, i still think we will get a good deal for Talbot, it's just that i made the mistake to jump on that hype train so here i sit at 3:30 am swearing at my computer screen I can only blame myself... and Dreger...

Actually think Oilers overpaid by quite a bit for Reinhart, he's looking like a semi-bust and i doubt he will ever be a top-3 guy, most likely a bottom pair shut down guy... With that said, Oilers clearly need defence so it's not horrible even if that's all he becomes, if he is a good 3rd pairing shut down guy then he will be important for them.

Bunch to respond to....this is first.

How is a kid one year removed a bust? This deal was absolutely awesome for Edmonton. Griffin Reinhart is going to be a very good #3 or 4 and perhaps a #2 dman. His mould is not super star offensive, he is two way smart with a physical edge to him. Exactly what Edmonton needed. What is he 21? Yeah. Great deal for the Oilers, and no injury history. Accelerated the development of the draft pick they had by moving it for someone 2 years older.

I can see why people would wonder...but look at the dman depth in NYI. They have quite a few of Griffin type of dman. The Oilers do not. This guy is going to be a very solid player for a long long time. Good deal for the Oilers.

[batdad]

So Don Sweeney pushed the self-destruct button on the Bruins. He was trying for that #3 overall and whiffed. What a cluster-Lindros (I did that, not trying to bypass the swear filter). And then he picked guys way above where they were ranked. BIG FAIL!

So can anyone make me a new avatar of a Bruins logo with red circle and line through it? Or maybe the face of Don Sweeney with devil horns and such? Seriously, I'm fuming mad right now. I've been in a bad mood since I heard about the Hamilton deal and it's just gotten worse and worse.

So it's looking like we could do a Bruins challenge in the fall without having to do much to the team.

Sure did whiff on that. But they got three players in a row in the draft, all represented by the same player agency. LOL.

Some Bruin reporter name Joe is on the radio in Van right now....just talked about maybe Boston moving Chara and Krecji, and that they do not like Malcolm Subban as a goalie now. Reporter is ripping into Subban actually.

What is funny? They are now talking about how Peter Chiarelli may be closer to winning a Stanley Cup than the Bruins. Ripping how would not talk to Chiarelli or Benning on HAmilton because they were widdled at them. Spite not calling. Oilers had a good package and would not deal with Chiarelli. Package had a better 2nd round pick.

[batdad]

How is Merkley still not picked?

HE is small. Went 30th which is where he belongs. Kid is going to be a very good player, but I cannot say for sure anyone who went above him will be better.

I am more thinking about Kylington going 60th. To Calgary. Man that d is going to be mobile. Good pick at that point.

[batdad]

Alessandro--Yeah the Russian selections are VERY interesting considering the dearth of them over the last few seasons. The NHL GMs must feel that there is a transfer agreement coming along, although I had just heard talks broke off about that this past week. they are certainly more interested. What do you think about this guy the CAnucks picked out of Russian Junior? Z...something or other. Did not catch the full name. Hearing some offensive upside but not on alot of scout's radar. ESPN guy says that the Russians have been underscouted the last couple of years (likely transfer agreement/KHL concerns for NHL teams) but what do you know of this guy?



EDDIE LACK TO CAROLINA> Ugh, Van what a bad deal. 3rd and 7th. Hockey wise it is about right. Fan wise it is TERRIBLE! Had Eddie Lack on radio here, and he says

1. He is going to really miss Vancouver.
2. He was surprised it was Carolina
3. He banned his mother from twitter for the weekend because she is crazy...
4. He is happy they will have tacos in Carolina.
5. He is happy that Roberto Luongo will be closer and able to take him out to dinner more often.

6. He will see us in January (already looked at schedule to see when he gets to take it out on Vancouver)


Ferraro on Lehner--I think he is okay, pretty good, Buffalo overpaid. He is not what people thought he was.


JANSEN HARKINS to Winnipeg. Where he went he is a good solid pick there. The Jets have SO MANY prospects. This team is going to be so good in 4 years. Right there with the Oilers.


Gryba to Oilers. They get better again. Talbot, Reinhart, Gryba, McDavid,....yep this team is better. Much better!!!!

[batdad]

MONTREAL FANS--Matt Bradley, not even sure where you took him. But this guy,... is something else. He is a ridiculously smart hockey player. You may have a big steal on your hands. He is a total sleeper in this draft. Did not go to Junior unitl last season really, but this kid (med Hat tiger) from Surrey is going to be a good player. He may or may not make it, but noone has the desire to do so more than Matt. Great pick. Very please someone took him

[Alessandro]

Zhukenov is e goad offensive player, you will be able to read about him in one of the post draft articles I'll write on Hockey's Future or The Hockey Writers. And l don't think an agreement is coming soon.

[batdad]

Yeah, there was a sense last week that they were closer than before, and then there were reports that the deal was off. Maybe just maybe ... the NHL teams have said screw it and draft BPA no matter the country they are from. Or maybe, they feel the Russians will come over again more often. I dunno. But sure has been an uptick in the numbers.

[Peter_Doherty]

Peter you're probably happy that Hagelin got shipped off to Ducks for Etem?

Niemi to Dallas. Means Lehtonen will be traded.

Cam Talbot to Edmonton for 2nd, 3rd, 7th round.

I love Hags but rumors are that he wanted $4m and in our cap situation we just can't pay that for a 3rd liner, no matter how good of a 3rd liner he is. I don't know much about Etem other then the fact that he's fast and has a decent shot and is cheap, will be on a contract under $1m.

batdad - I still think Oilers overpaird for Reinhart by quite a bit, i'm not impressed, a worse version of Klefbom. He might be good for them but i think they overpaid. Even if Merkley i small i think he's clearly a top-20 player here so i was very surprised he dropped. Kylington at 60 is a massive steal, that D will be insane for a very long time.

Van got 2x 3rds for Läck, one of them are 2016 3rd.

Overall i'm pretty happy with Rangers drafting today, a bit of a reach on Gropp but he looks like a pretty good prospect, i love Kovacs and Bernhardt, the big russian D-man looks pretty good and i LOVE Morrisson where we got him and Saarela is boom or bust with massive upside. Only thing i don't understand is taking a goalie in the 7th round but hey, we took Hank in the 7th round once, worked out