Official 13-14 NHL Regular Season Thread

[philou21]

Miller and Ott to St.Louis for Halak, Stewart, William Carrier, frsit round pick and third round pick!

[Peter_Doherty]

Big deal, looks pretty fair from my point of view. Worth noticing is that the 1st rounder is in 2015 and the 3rd rounder is in 2016.

[CJ]

Wow!

[batdad]

Huge deal. Big price for a couple of rentals too. Well I guess not really, Carrier?? is he gonna be a good one? Stewart has not yet reached what people think he is capable of and the 1st rounder will be a late one. Halak just to balance deal...would not be overly surprised to see Buffalo move him on right away, although where? (Stewart could be moved too, talk of Ottawa)

[jesterx7769]

Seems pretty fair

-Halak was a FA Blues probably weren't going to re-resign (prob just choose Halak or Elliot). Leaving Sabres the option to resign him or go with Enroth going forward who is suitable for now
-Miller obv a FA, I would expect him to stay with Blues as they can give him Halak & Elliots combined money and they are a contender
-Getting a solid first rounder is good in Buffalo. They wanted a 1st rounder but lots of things doubted they would get one
-From the Blues point of view the player for player part is a steal swapping a rented goalie for a rented goalie. If Miller signs it makes the 1st rounder totally worth it I feel
-Ott probably bumped it up to a first rounder. Alone he isn't really that valuable. Sure he's a nice addition and hard worker but I'm not sure how much teams would give up for him alone
-Carrier and Steward are just extra-ish pieces for now. They get someone to fill out the roster now in Stewart and Carrier a young guy to help the rebuilding process

[Peter_Doherty]

Gotta say, really good job from STL GM to keep all the big prospects while getting Miller. Would never have thought they could get Miller without sacrificing one of Allen, Jaskin, Rattie etc.

[jesterx7769]

Might have had a choice between picks and prospects, I could have seen Allen going but def no first round pick and prob not third going with that. Blues prob also want to develop Allen for a few years spot starting before Miller retires

[philou21]

Carrier?? is he gonna be a good one?

I don't know much about him either. His a second rounder but that doesn't mean anything. He's doing pretty good in the Q though.

the 1st rounder will be a late one.

The pick is for 2015. Depends where the Blues would end-up if they don't sign Miller.

Overall is still a "good" trade for St. Louis. I wasn't expecting less for getting Miller. They're aiming at the Cup big time and they got one hell of a goalie. Miller's job will be easier there and the opposite for Halak.

[batdad]

With Allen in net they will finish quite high next year as well. He is going to be real good.

Blues did a great job on this deal. Buffalo too, as the later 1st in 2015 will be a better pick than a late 1st rounder this season, at least by the accounts i have seen and heard, the 2015 draft is deeper.

[philou21]

Yeah I've seen people talking about the 2015 draft as a good one as well. Allen will be good indeed but I wasn't sure if he was ready to be #1 next season. Especially since he's more often in the AHL this year than anything else.

[Peter_Doherty]

Yeah I've seen people talking about the 2015 draft as a good one as well. Allen will be good indeed but I wasn't sure if he was ready to be #1 next season. Especially since he's more often in the AHL this year than anything else.

Well, i'm guessing STL will resign either Miller or Elliott for ~2 years or so and let Allen slowly work his way to becoming #1. Just guess work though.

[philou21]

I don't know if they have the $$$ to keep Miller though. Keeping Elliot would probably be a better decision and let Allen goal a little bit more than Elliot.

[Primis]

BUF is in full-on "blow up" mode. They've stockpiled draft picks, and now they're going to now try and bring in young, ready players from what's been said. They're not going to really try to win this year, or next. If the Isles defer the pick from the Vanek trade, I think it's in 2015 the Sabres would have three 1st rounders and two or three 2nd rounders.

I think Bob MacKenzie said he thinks BUF might yet flip Stewart, and/or deal Moulson. And Ehrhoff is on the table for teams as well still. So they're likely not done.


Miller is a good get for STL. I think he's always been a bit underrated, playing on mostly-awful BUF teams. Glad he finally got out of Buffalo.

Not sorry to see Ott go back West in the least. Have fun with that.

[batdad]

MIller underrated? Not that I can see...just about every hockey person (McKenzie, etc) and every fan up here will have him in his or her top 5-10 goalie list. Not sure how that is underrated. Unless people think that he should be rated higher than Brodeur in his prime?

He has always been talked about as a top tier goalie, on a naff team. And upthread here you can go back and read about how amazing he has been this year, on one of the worst performing teams in hockey in the last 20 years.

I hear his name mentioned in the same breath as Rinne, Lundquist, Luongo, Brodeur, Quick,Price, etc etc. Not sure where the under rated part comes in.

Anyway...yeah Buffalo is in fire sale mode. Good thing too. They need a fresh start.

[philou21]

Seems like Ottawa is really interested in Stewart. They had talk with the Blues but the price was too high. Maybe Buffalo can arrange something else. I personally think that Buffalo should keep him though, good power foward.

Most suck for a player to be trade two times in 1 week or 2.

[philou21]

Jagr scored his 700th NHL goal.

[CJ]

That's an awesome achievement! He's the 7th player that has done that.

And he hasn't that "many" PPG goals compared to the other guys around him.

[Primis]

MIller underrated? Not that I can see...just about every hockey person (McKenzie, etc) and every fan up here will have him in his or her top 5-10 goalie list. Not sure how that is underrated. Unless people think that he should be rated higher than Brodeur in his prime?

He's taken a lot of flak there in BUF, and blamed for some of their underachieving, and he's been called "mentally fragile", "over-sensitive", and lots of other stuff too. Screw that, you play goal in the trainwreck that is BUF for your entire NHL career and see if it wears you down. That's why I say it. "Under-rated" in the sense that he's taken an unfair share of the blame and criticism.


RE: Jagr... if he hadn't gone overseas he'd possibly be eyeing 800, right?

[batdad]

Yep for Jagr.

And ok on Miller, but that is not really what you were saying, be clear about the fact that Sabre fans underrate him. But even then...not sure they are that dumb. They know who is the key to their team having ANY success. When I look at Sabres fan pages they seem to be commenting with things like "We will miss you, and sorry your back hurts from carrying us" "Losing Miller is like losing a member of your family from Cancer, you will miss them sooooooo much but in the end, know they are in a better place" "Miller Carries the team, losing him is brutal" "Better get a TONNE in a deal for Miller:

I really do not see them blaming or criticizing Miller for their lack of success AT ALL. Nowhere. What thread did you find? The Negative Sabre fan web site?

Again, back up what you are saying. I have checked Sabre fan forum (I have a membership there), Aud forum, NHL.com, HF Boards....and media reports about Miller from Buffalo. NOT ONE OF THEM BLAMES MILLER FOR LACK OF SUCCESS or RATES HIM AS A POOR GOALIE. In fact...in spite of his KNOWN AROUND THE NHL Arrogance,and cocky attitude...they are all VERY SAD TO LOSE HIM...and in fact, many are claiming they did not get enough in the trade because they

1. Have no idea who Carrier is
2. KNow the Blues pick is next year, and will not be a high 1st.
3. Part of what they got in the deal is because of Ott.
4. Know Stewart is a spare part in St Louis, and will possibly be moved on.

So....again, where are the things pointing this "Sabres/Sabres fans/Sabres media or whoever you are claiming to be blaming or criticizing Miller stuff coming from?

Quite honestly, you are again arguing something that does not seem to exist in the top level Sabre fan forums, media and organization...who all agree Miller is their best player and a stud. Just an arrogant one who will not negotiate a new deal, and brings more value in a trade.



ETA: Lalongo not happy Lack starting the Heritage Classic game tomorrow. Comment to media after Lack gets third straight start;" I really do not want to go through this again, I have always wanted to play an outdoor game"

Sparking rumours that Lalongo is on the market, along with Kes,and that one goes at deadline and other at draft or summer. Only reason media saying not both now, is that would be too hard to get done.

[ForNever]

Nice own goal by Brent Seabrook last night. Looked a bit like the one Japanese player in WC a couple of years ago. Also Sami Salo decided to finally score his first of the season.

[CJ]

Perhaps Paul Stastny is traded away!? We'll see...

[philou21]

Why are you saying this? He's not playing tonight?

[YZG]

FWIW:

http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_ ... ays-if-new

[CJ]

Why are you saying this? He's not playing tonight?

What's him not playing gotta do with him being traded or not?

[philou21]

If a player's been pulled out of the line-up before a game there's a chance. Look at Miller.