Draft talk

[batdad]

Timmy will have a bad season next year. His style leads to good day, bad day...which leads to good year - bad year. Rask will be Boston #1 by half way through next season, just like he was 2009-2010.

[Danny]

I expect Timmeh to have the slightly longer leash of the two next year, but not by much. In that bad year after his Vezina he had tremendous health problems, which is why he had something done in the offseason on his groin, it was really limiting his ability to move quickly, which as we know is poison for a guy with that type of style. Rask needs to prove he's more than a talent. Great first year, bad second year. Fully deserved to lose his starting job to TImmeh. Chia won't be able to move Timmeh even if he wanted, and he'd be stupid to move Rask due to the awful goalie prospect pool within the organization.

[racicot]

Don't worry, Anton Khudobin is the man. He would be able to step in and take over #1 duties if Thomas fell and Rask were dealt.

He's already proven himself in Minnesota. He is literally the best Kazakh goaltending prospect ever (Perhaps 2nd, I think Nabokov was born there).

[batdad]

Hmm..best Khazakh goalie prospect ever. Now there is high praise. Dude is better than Nabokov AND what is that guys name? the movie...oh yeah, BORAT.

[Danny]

Hahaha
yeah Khudobin, not seen the guy play too much really, from what I hear he's like Thomas in style, but he will not be over one of Thomas/Rask with the NHL team next season and methinks he might prefer KHL money over AHL bus trips
And yeah spot on about Carter, dude is a goal scorer, and a pretty one dimensional player, a better Michael Ryder sort of, good player, luxury to have him around when your team is full of skilled go to guys, I'm not sure he's the right man for a team like Columbus with their low budget. I mean, he does come with a pretty solid contract and I don't trust him to be a player you can build an offence around.

[bestrafer7]

Carter--I hate to tell you this, but I am sure you know anyway. Jeff Carter is not a true number one type centre. There is no playmaker in him at all. None. He is a scorer. Which is why when the Flyers have 25 centres, Carter is the one they always settle on moving to the wing. He is virtually the same type of player as Rick Nash. Those two are bookends for a good C. Carter not the guy to play as a C with Nash.

Well with Scottie Upshall probably not returning, Columbus was looking to replace him with another top six forward, preferably a top line centerman, that was why they are in talks with Philly trying to pry away Carter for that 8th overall pick. The problem is I don't see Philly parting ways with Carter without Columbus overpaying in prospects and I don't see that happening. Rick Nash has gotten better taking a playmaking role and dishing the puck around a little more the last season and it would really compliment him to have a center who can also put the puck in the net. I would like to see them get a left handed center however with Nash being a right handed shot on the right wing.

Columbus--If they make a deal for Carter, you really think they are going to deal their young up and coming star playmaking centre? I don't think Ryan Johanson is going anywhere. This is the guy they see with Nash down the middle in 2 years time.

I didn't say that they would deal up one of their top prospects, just stating that they would have to pay a high price to get a player of Carter's caliber. Columbus was very high on Johansen after making him the 4th overall pick last year and I agree that he won't be going anywhere. I cannot say the same thing for Filatov.

Carter is the way out to get Bryz done. Easy way out. High paid, but we have lots in that spot to fill in. Any other move is one where there is a combination moving which is more difficult to pull off in a short time frame. It is possible they make another move with two or three guys going out, but Carter solves the problem immediately on his own.

I think you are underestimating how much the Flyer's value Jeff Carter (They wouldn't have offered him a 11 year deal worth 5.2 millions per season if they didn't). This is from a philly newspaper site:

Holmgren and Howson are reportedly still in talks regarding the Blue Jackets first round pick (8th overall), but the Flyers don’t appear willing to move Carter, but instead are considering a series of moves to free up the necessary cap space for Bryzgalov’s new contract. Panaccio wondered if the Blue Jackets might have interest in Matt Carle, but was told Howson would want more than Carle to give up his draft pick, probably a proven first line center.

Hearing this, it is more likely that Carle (3.4 million) and Versteeg (3 million) will get traded and Ville Leino will not get resigned. I think Versteeg could be the easiest to move because he will be an RFA at the end of the 11-12 season, with Dave Tallon in Florida possibly being a strong trade candidate. It looks like Philly is looking to acquire draft picks in return as Holmgren is pushing to get another 1st round pick in this year's draft (and for good reason with the depth of this year's draft)

[philou21]

Well with Scottie Upshall probably not returning, Columbus was looking to replace him with another top six forward

I hope it's me who doesn't understand well the sentence but are you calling Upshall a Top 6 foward? Upshall wouldn't make the fourth line on my team.

[batdad]

Well not in Montreal for sure. He is way too tall.

[bestrafer7]

Well with Scottie Upshall probably not returning, Columbus was looking to replace him with another top six forward

I hope it's me who doesn't understand well the sentence but are you calling Upshall a Top 6 foward? Upshall wouldn't make the fourth line on my team.

He's not, an article from the Columbus Dispatch quoted Howsen, stating that they weren't talking with Upshall until after July 1st and that they were looking to add scoring depth if they lost him. Didn't mean to portray Upshall as a top 6 forward, just that he was considered a "goal scorer" and they would like to replace him with more scoring depth in a top 6 forward role.

[philou21]

Well not in Montreal for sure. He is way too tall.

Obviously not, he is 5 foot 11 and his weight is 187 lbs, wayyy to fatty.

[timmy_t]

Yea! The draft has started! Come on Avs!

[timmy_t]

Landeskog!!!!

[B. Stinson]

That Gary Bettman is getting crafty. "Hey, maybe the fans will be afraid to boo me this time if I go out with E.J. Maguire's family. They're gonna clap and cheer and stand-up, and I'll be up there soaking it all in and looking totally awesome."

Sorry, ar-tard. We'll boo you, then cheer for the wife and kids.

[philou21]

Huberdeau goes to Florida. I would've hoped a better place for him. Couturier goes to Philly, wasn't expecting this. NJ were interested in drafting him but maybe because Larsson was still there the decided to go with the BPA.


The Oilers got a nice pool of young attackers now. In a couples of year I can smell cap problem for Edmonton.

[bruins72]

Hamilton fell into the Bruins' lap at 9th. I was hoping for Murphy to fall there but they they actually had a choice between the two and from what I've read, Hamilton is better.

[Manimal]

Funny tweet from Paul Bissonnette, tough guy for Phoenix

Congrats Connor Murphy.Yotes first round pick. Your already under my wing. Fake ID is being made as we speak. #McLovin or #muhammed?

[racicot]

So pumped the Habs got Beaulieu. I taught at his High School when I was doing my teaching internship. I taught some of his teammates (gagne and MacAuley, great kids) but on the last day of my internship my two students and Beaulieu came out to our ball hockey night. Beaulieu was amazing, think he scored 9 goals on me in one hour.

Plus I can say that I played ball hockey with the Habs 1st round pick!

[philou21]

That's a cool story! I like teacher like you....you let him won don't you?

[Círyatan]

So pumped the Habs got Beaulieu. I taught at his High School when I was doing my teaching internship. I taught some of his teammates (gagne and MacAuley, great kids) but on the last day of my internship my two students and Beaulieu came out to our ball hockey night. Beaulieu was amazing, think he scored 9 goals on me in one hour.

Plus I can say that I played ball hockey with the Habs 1st round pick!

That's awesome, Tim! What do you teach, if I may ask?

Me, I'm really surprised that Couturier fell to the 8th. and Boston gets Hamilton... what a trade that was.

[philou21]

I'm not surprised at all that Couturier was picked late. As I said, I think he was overated in the ranking, no as a player though. He would be good but not a big impact player lik alot of persons are thinking.

[McQwak]

So pumped the Habs got Beaulieu. I taught at his High School when I was doing my teaching internship. I taught some of his teammates (gagne and MacAuley, great kids) but on the last day of my internship my two students and Beaulieu came out to our ball hockey night. Beaulieu was amazing, think he scored 9 goals on me in one hour.

Plus I can say that I played ball hockey with the Habs 1st round pick!

That's awesome, Tim! What do you teach, if I may ask?

Help! Two teachers here?

[racicot]

That's awesome, Tim! What do you teach, if I may ask?

Me, I'm really surprised that Couturier fell to the 8th. and Boston gets Hamilton... what a trade that was.

I don't teach anymore. That was my teaching internship for my education degree; where I taught Grades 11 and 12 Math. Never taught Beaulieu, but he was at the school, and he was always hanging around after class because the other two Sea Dogs at the school were in my class just before lunch.

Right now, I analyze cancer statistics for the government.

Also, Couturier really fits into Philly's system. I love that pick for them. I know he fell, but I'm still sold on this kid. I watched him play many times for the Voltigeurs in 09-10 and saw him in the Subway Super Series against Russia this year in Saint John. The Couturier Huberdeau line was simply amazing.

[bruins72]

and Boston gets Hamilton... what a trade that was.

Boston got Seguin, Jared Knight (I like what I've read about him), and Hamilton for Kessel. Not bad at all!