EHM The Blue Line

1. Yeah, he's sick, but so is Hanifin.

2. Agree, average is just about right.

3. Kid has INSANE hockey IQ though, didn't know he had that many injuries though.

4. Agree completely, will be a middle-6 winger that can PK, wouldn't touch him in the top-10 of this draft where everyone ranked around him has a higher ceiling.

5. The price WILL go down, they have to trade him and everyone knows that, buyers market on Sharp.

6. Yup, both Läck and Talbot will be dealt before or during the draft, looks like everyone is waiting for Sather to ship Talbot before they act on anyone else, if that is good or bad for Rangers i have no idea.

Barzal hockey IQ is not as high as people like to say it is. He is not a playmaking visionary. He is a cross breed between sniper and playmaker. Just pretty good at both. Creates space for himself by being smart. But the hockey IQ is not the same as those like Sam Reinhart and Ryan Nugent Hopkins. Not the same type of brain is what i mean. He just is not a world class playmaker like those two are. And he is way way way more fragile.

I have seen a few reports about scouts being nervous about Barzal and his health. It could make him drop in draft a bit, unless someone is absolutely in need of a guy as a C and takes the gamble. My bet...#2 centre at best. Could also be Cody Hodgson.

Price on Sharp may NOT go WAY down at draft. Hawks can afford to wait it out and see who gets desparate after not able to get the winger they wanted in FA. I really do not think it is as much a buyer market as you think. Sure he will be available for a reasonable price but the teams that match up salary wise do not necessarily want the not so speedy, not so goal scorey winger SHarp has become. They already have plenty of those.

When i say it's a buyers market i don't mean he will go for a 2nd rounder Just that Chicagos valuation of him is quite far from what they will get. I think they will get a decent pick (2nd rounder most likely, maybe a late 1st) and a good young NHL player on ELC. If they get more then that i think Bowman did a great job. Chicago is just under so much cap pressure that Bowman lose alot of leverage to make a great deal here.

Edit: Chicago can however wait for a few weeks and try to remove some other players to get some room under the cap and give themselves some leverage again, if they can get rid of Bickells contract before they trade Sharp that would clearly be very good for their negotiations.

Price is winning everything at the NHL Awards ceremony. Glad Hartley won the Jack Adams as well.

PD: How do you see chances of Swedish defencemen apart from Kylington in the draft (R. Andersson, J. Larsson, Lindgren, Carlssons, Aho..)? And how about Kovacs?

Batdad: Can you elaborate just little about Czechs from WHL (Soustal, Smejkal..) and their chances in this draft?

Larsson and Carlsson will probably go 25-45, i like Andersson and hope he drops to Rangers 2nd, Aho should be a solid pickup but it's hard to say when teams will pick him since he's overage, i like his game though. Lindgren is the wildcard, great skater, good vision but he has alot of flaws to his game aswell, high risk high reward, probably a mid rounder. Kovacs scores, that alone should get him picked in the mid rounds.

Chicago is under the summer cap I believe. Allowed to be 10% over til play first game.

Actually their cap hit is over 64 m and they have signed 3 goalies, 3 defenders and 8 forwards.
RFA are Saad, Krueger, Rundblad, Nordstrom.

According to Farhan Lalji on twitter Bieksa has agreed to waive his NTC for the right trade, whatever that means.

Lalji is wrong. As he was writing that Linden was on radio telling everyone not asked at this time, but might be if right things come along. Agent-not asked, GM not asked, Pres not asked. It will happen, jsut had not at that point.


So yeah 64Million right now. RFAs do not have to be signed yet. They have no cap $ against them,...they have up to the cap, plus 10% over the cap that they can have on their roster during the summer. So.....they do not HAVE to do anything. They do not HAVE to hurry and move Sharp. They still have time. Lots of it.

But if they get what they want...they will move Sharp. All I am saying, which seems to be an issue is that they are NOT DESPERATE to move Sharp, and that it is not really at this time a buyers market. It will be come training camp, but they can hold out and see who gets scared after UFA times.

I have no idea how good Laljis sources on Canucks are but he seemed pretty sure about what he wrote

Yeah, Chicago have time, but if they want draft picks in this draft they don't have time and since this is such a strong deep draft i would assume they would like to have draft picks in this draft. Agree that they are not desperate, they do however lack leverage to get the kings ransom they was asking for. I think they will be fine cap wise, Oduya will leave, maybe Krüger aswell and then some cap floor team will take Bickell.

He is actually not bad, but mainly a Canadian Football League guy. Works for TSN so has some credibility but not as much as the big guys.

-They can get picks for next year if that is what they want. Draft is okay deep, but it does not really matter that much. The picks they would get for Sharp and Bickell for example are picks that they could get for next season as well. At least the type of player they would get would be similar from year to year. It is nowhere near a rush/crush that the media is making it out to be. even in the previous years they made no rushed attempt to deal and did well in the deals they made.

Avs just got Söderbergs rights for a 6th, should mean that a ROR trade is getting closer i would assume.

Soderberg won't replace ROR in any way. They got it for cheap and it adds some depth in their offense. Avs are not ready to give up about ROR last I've heard.

I think he will be the replacement for ROR, ROR wants $60M for his next contract, can't see Avs paying him that tbh, not with Johnson, Barrie and MacKinnon getting new deals soon. If they get a good deal for him they will take it, that's my guess atleast. Söderberg is the same type of player, clearly he isn't as good but he does the same things.

He already makes 6M so 60M isn't a big surprise but yeah, it's ALOT.

I really think this move is because they are trading ROR soon, smart move if that's the case, they won't find a better replacement then Söderberg on the market right now so.

I'll miss ROR if they trade him, good two-way foward. Wished he would've put more pts on the scoreboard last season though.

Every time Colorado does anything....people assume it is to help in an ROR move. It may very well be that is the case. They will not be able to afford the 7 mill at least he is going to want.


However, and this is a big however....PATRICK ROY LOVES HIM. So he will want to keep him for sure.

It just makes so much sense to bring in Söderberg if they are moving ROR.

One giant downgrade though.

Both in skills and salary! But the Avs have alot of C. Even though Ryan is the most 2-way of them all, with his salary he is the "best" choice to let go.

I don't think that Devils will draft Barzal at #6 overall, its either Crouse or Zacha will choicen by GM Shero. But if Marner is available at #6pick, Shero definitly draft him, but I don't thing Marner will available at all after #5 pick.

GM Shero did state that he will get the best possible talent available at the time of #6 pick, even if Hanifin is available he will get that guy. But sure not to trading up the pick unless the returns is great assets for Devils and a NHL ready.

Some blog says the draft drama will start when Devils start their pick, just it happened when Mr. Lou trade #9 pick for Schneider of Canuck couple of year before. It will deciding factor since #1 & #2 already decided, while #3 to #5 is between Hanifin, Strome and Marner.

So just hope the #6 pick tomorrow will be a great asset for Devils for years to come, hopefully became the Franchise player like Elias. Hope GM Shero choose the best.

The Avs gave Soderberg 5 years $23.75M.

Rumors that Bruins are in for 3OA and that Hamilton is the main piece going to Arizona. Lehner and Legwand to Buffalo for #21 looks close aswell since Bob reported it on twitter, should drive Talbots price up. Today will be fun Söderberg is overpaid but if he elevates his game a bit it's a fine contract, kind of the same as Brassards contract last summer, he wasn't really worth it at the time but now a season after he is well worth it.