Official lead up to 2015-16 season thread

[bruins72]

I can't imagine why the Bruins would give up Hamilton, a stud defenseman that's already shown something and has begun developing, for a potential future stud defenseman... especially when their defense needs help now. Makes no sense.

I've heard talk of a packing involving Lucic being offered to Arizona for the #3 pick but not Hamilton.

[Peter_Doherty]

I just state what i read, TSN guys have said that Hamilton might be in play for #3 where they would pick Hanifin. I guess the contract negotiations with Hamilton isn't going great?

Lehner and Legwand for #21 is a done deal, great haul for Sens... I love Lehner and think he might still be a stud but he has regressed the last 2 years so it's a big gamble from Buffalo.

[philou21]

Good signing by the Avs. If he puts up 40-50 pts in those 5 years, it's well worth it in the current NHL. He might not replace ROR at 100% IF he's traded but he will still do a part of his job.

Ottawa also traded Lehner and Legwand to Buffalo for their 1st (21st) round pick. Seems high for those two. Hey Batdad, seems like Buffalo think that Lehner will be a stud.

[Peter_Doherty]

Söderbergs deal really reminds me of Brassards deal last summer, 3C who gets paid to elevate his play in a bigger role, i think Söderberg will pan out aswell and fill the new role he gets.

[batdad]

I just state what i read, TSN guys have said that Hamilton might be in play for #3 where they would pick Hanifin. I guess the contract negotiations with Hamilton isn't going great?

Lehner and Legwand for #21 is a done deal, great haul for Sens... I love Lehner and think he might still be a stud but he has regressed the last 2 years so it's a big gamble from Buffalo.

This makes me howl. The "great" Robin Lehner PLUS to get the 21st overall pick. You would think Lehner would net you McDavid, the way some people talk about him.
He has not regressed Peter--He is what I said he was. Not ....THAT...>Goood.

hamilton contract is being worked on. They will get that done, and he will not move I do not think.

Bieksa has waived NTC for San Jose now apparently.

[Peter_Doherty]

Ehm no, i disagree with that... Lehner is a good goalie with alot of upside, he's had 2 rough seasons though but the potential is still there, still #21 for Lehner and Legwand is madness right now. The timing of his concussion this season was really unfortunate.

I think Hamilton will stay aswell but it's interesting that there are legit rumors about him being involved in a trade for 3OA.

Latest on Talbot is that Rangers have an offer of 2 2nds on the table but Sather is holding out for a 1st, personally i think Sather is trying to get a solid young NHL-winger on a cheap contract instead of picks since we're talking about Sather. I would assume he's trying hard for Yakupov.

[batdad]

You can disagree all you want, but when he loses his job to Hammond/Anderson...well...that says alot. And the concussion is also extremely concerning for me. I really never felt he was what he was cracked up to be. People around here had him as a potential superstar-in the Lundqvist area...I could dig up the posts but will not. He was not then, is not now and never will be a superstar. It shows from all of the reports on him that the feelings about him have gone completely away from even being a star starting goalie, to where he belonged back 2 years ago....what i said, and what people really in the know said...he is at best a serviceable, decent starting goalie, in the area of a Jimmy Howard, Anti Niemi. Someone who may do something with the right team in front of him, but will NOT allow his team to win games all on his own ala Jonathan Quick, Lundquist, Price.

Problem for Talbot and Sather, as well as Lack and Benning....they are available after next season (new deals needed) whereas Lehner is under contract through 2019 season.

[Peter_Doherty]

He got traded because he has the most value of the 3, not because he lost his job to them. The concussion he got was very severe aswell, he even had his family move out because he was feeling so bad. I admit that i had him as a future superstar and i stand by what i thought then, he took a step back the season after and this season was destroyed by that concussion.

Apparently there is a 1st on the table for Talbot now according to Dreger, no other specifics are there though apart from the fact that it's not Flames or Oilers (guessing it's a 2016 1st or that it's #9/#11/#12 for Talbot +). Lehner is under contract through 2017 but he is still RFA when that deal is out.

[batdad]

Not completely true. He may have had decent value for sure. Not saying he did not. But.... had the others been bad goalies he would not have been dealt because Ottawa would have needed him. Or if he had been better than what he is...Ottawa would have needed him and moved out one of the others. Yes...and that severe concussion is part of the reason he will never be more than an average starting goalie. Which is not what some people were saying he was. Others, such as myself knew that he was at best an average starter who had some hype. And really...not that much hype, partly because he was not a Leaf, and partly because well...he was not worth hyping up.

Nope...you were incorrrect. Sorry....it was not the concussion that totally destroyed his chance at being a star. He never had one to begin with Peter.


Any first the Rangers get for Talbot will also involve another asset moving. It is not Talbot straight up for one of those picks. That from Rosen and that other Ranger goof ball reporter....that Torts hated...what is his name again? Fisher?

[Peter_Doherty]

"you were incorrect" Why do you always have to be so arrogant? Kid is 23 and can still fullfill his potential, which is that of a good goalie, maybe even great. Whatever, done with this discussion, time will tell how Lehner pans out.

Yeah, if it's 9/11/12 there is definitely more coming from Rangers, might be 2016 1st though and then there might not be more or maybe just a small add from Rangers... Still think Sather is looking for a cost controlled scoring winger..

[batdad]

"you were incorrect" Why do you always have to be so arrogant? Kid is 23 and can still fullfill his potential, which is that of a good goalie, maybe even great. Whatever, done with this discussion, time will tell how Lehner pans out.

Yeah, if it's 9/11/12 there is definitely more coming from Rangers, might be 2016 1st though and then there might not be more or maybe just a small add from Rangers... Still think Sather is looking for a cost controlled scoring winger..

Edit: Nevermind.

Edit 2: Nevermind again.


Where will Hanifin go? 5--6-7 slot. Just saying.

[Peter_Doherty]

I think Hanifin goes 3 or 4, depends if Arizona trades #3 or not, if they trade it i think it's for Hanifin so he goes 3rd, otherwise i think he goes 4th.

[Peter_Doherty]

WOW! Trade call between Boston and Calgary as we speak, Dougie heading to Calgary according to everyone... That D will be filthy, Dougie on the 2nd pair... Or will they entertain trading Gio now instead of resigning him for $7m+?

[bruins72]

What the Dickens? I am going to lose it. I can't even imagine what the return is. It better be huge or I'm calling for Sweeney and Neely to be run out of town!

[Peter_Doherty]

It's insane no matter what you get in return, Dougie was ALL your future on defence, Krug is what he is and i doubt he will improve much...Will you even have a defence in the next 3 years?

[bruins72]

As one of my friends just said to me on Facebook... the Bruins better be acquiring the #3 overall from Phoenix if they're dealing Hamilton.

[Prowl]

Holy rubbish!!!!! Looks like we gave up our 1st and 2 2nd rounders

[bruins72]

There had better be more to it than that.

[Peter_Doherty]

Sweeney just got robbed, Flames made a great move there... Not only did they get a future #1 D-man for cheap, they also put pressure on Gio in their contract talks with him at the same time...

A guy i have on twitter said it the best: *Don Sweeney rips off facemask, reveals MIKE MILBURY underneath*

[batdad]

On the surface looks like a horrible deal. When you dig a little deeper as Bob McKenzie did on twitter....you realize that what Boston got for Hamilton is MORE than what they would have received when someone (probably Calgary or Phoenix) would have had to compensate the Bruins with for their offer sheet, that Boston could not match.

1. It is not horrible just below the surface just because of that alone. Of course, for hockey it is horrible. BUT...should they get the #3 pick out of Phoenix, who may not have been able to sign Hamilton...because JP Barry would be asking for more.....from them than his buddies in Calgary....It makes a little sense. Boston may have needed that pick, those picks for other things.

2. Even if not for other things....still....with being screwed because of the offer sheet potential....it may make a little sense.

3. Chiarelli and Benning MUST be widdled. Sweeney goes to Calgary instead of his old cronies? Really?

[Peter_Doherty]

I think it's still horrible, if they get offer sheeted at $7.3m or lower they should have just matched, he is that good. If the offer sheet is bigger then that then they get 4x 1st rounders...

And even if he trades him instead i think Sweeney at the very least should have gotten into the top-10 in the 1st round this year so he could get Hanifin/Provorov/Werenski.. Now he will have to add extra assets to #15 to get into the top-10...

Even under the surface this is a horrible trade from Bruins from my perspective.

[batdad]

Peter--Point is they are between a rock and a hard place. They could not match, would put them over the 10%. It is why they were looking at moving Milan.

And yeah, he may have been able to get higher, and as I said it is not great...just not as horrible as one would believe when you look deeper and see where they are stuck with this.

[Prowl]

It's not that horrible if you're a Flames fan. I still can't believe it....

[batdad]

Yep. Flames definitely looking like the winners of the draft. That D.....wow. Brodie, Hamilton, Gio....Russell....

[Peter_Doherty]

Peter--Point is they are between a rock and a hard place. They could not match, would put them over the 10%. It is why they were looking at moving Milan.

And yeah, he may have been able to get higher, and as I said it is not great...just not as horrible as one would believe when you look deeper and see where they are stuck with this.

Now you are just making stuff up? They are at $64m cap hit RIGHT NOW according to generalfanager, far from the 10% summer thing. Offer sheets are later aswell, after Free Agenzy Frenzy so they had alot of time to trade Seidenberg/Kelly/Loui/Lucic/whoever. Rumor on twitter now saying his demands were $5.5m, if that's correct then it's mindboggling.

Prowl - Amazing trade by Flames, now you can afford to play hard ball with Gio on his new contract negotiations, just trade him if he wants the world and still have a great first pair.