Official 13-14 NHL Regular Season Thread

[Primis]

I'm so utterly confused by both FLA and VAN with the Luongo trade. I really don't have a lot else to add, save for that VAN seems to either just be giving up, or imploding under Gillis. For Markstrom's part, I do think FLA continually jerked him around. He deserves more of a shot than they were going to give him. Maybe he can work in VAN.

I was happy to see PHI get MacDonald. I know there was talk about him with a lot of teams, but MacDonald's possession numbers are apparently awful for the minutes he logged. So, PHI can have fun making that work I guess. PHI's endless search for d-men just continues.

Robidas to ANA for a 4th took everyone by surprise, but then someone pointed out that Ruff was on the radio just this morning and noted Robidas won't be healthy and back before the end of the month. So ANA is making it almost purely as a playoff move then, and a 4th is reasonable given the risk.

NAS waived Devan Dubnyk today. So while I'm not entirely certain what EDM is doing lately , they don't seem to exactly be getting hosed in doing it at least.

[CJ]

I'm not entirely certain what EDM is doing lately

I don't think anyone knows what they're doing.

[jesterx7769]

Yeah the sheer inconsistency of some front offices is astounding.

[batdad]

This has been coming from the Canucks end for a bit. They know they are not challenging for the cup, so they are making some moves to get younger. Plus Roberto wanted out. Has continually wanted out. It totally makes sense that they make this deal. No choice really. It would be a pain in the butt. As for Florida--Thomas sucks, they were giving up on Markstrom, and ROberto is a fit under contract with the cap going up. Sure he is not young, and not going to be forever, but honestly in their minds they gave up a 4th liner and a prospect goalie who was in their opinion not going to make it.

Oliers...yeah they are weird, but gave Bryz a shot at the job, and in their opinion was not good enough. So a good one became available, and they went and got him. A young one too. They know Scrivens really is not a super #1 AND THEY want a super #1. So....Fasth is the guy, they hope. Dubnyk was not good enough either, and it shows in Nashville again. They are on the hunt for a #1 and a young one, to go with their young team. Today...they did a good job. Fasth is a good solid starting goalie, and with Scrivens he will not have to play 64 games. Today's move for them actually makes TOTAL sense. Now what they do with Hemsky, Gagner, and perhaps Smyth...will tell more of the story.

Possession numbers are for the birds. His possession #s sucked because he is not a puck carrying dman. And because his team sucked. It is like saying a guy like say Shea Weber sucks because he is -10 on say the worst team in the league (I know this is not the case, he is on a decent team, and a darn good player...just using an example to explain). if anyone is judging hockey players off possession numbers, or any stats whatsoever they are clueless. It is not like batting average, fielding percentage or anything. Hockey is not one on one battle like baseball is. You cannot solely uses #s to decide how good someone is. MacDonald is a hell of alot better than #s suggest. is he great? No...but a good decent 3-4 minute muncher dman who will provide protection for the 5-6 guys, and breaks for the 1-2 guys.

[Peter_Doherty]

This trade today by Canucks just make the Schneider trade look worse in my eyes, this trade in itself is OK, i see what they are doing. But then they should have just kept Schneider, I would assume Florida offered something similar to this last year for Lou? I obviously don't have all the facts, but it looks really bad.

Totally agree on the stats thing though, people just blindly trust stats. Here in Sweden alot of people is giving Lundqvist a hard time saying he's bad now and not one of the elite goalies in the NHL anymore, just because of stats. If you actually watch Rangers you know he had a tough monthish, just like the whole team but after that he's been excellent as per usual.

[batdad]

No. It is separate. I know some of the media are on about the Nucks trading both their starters in a few months of each other. But they decided they would challenge for a cup with no Cory, and made a move for future with him, as there was NO MARKET for ROberto that they felt was a good deal. That decision was TOTALLY separate from the Luongo move now.

ANd no Florida did not offer Markstrom or anything similar last year. EVen if they did Canucks would not have taken it as would have had Schneider And Lack already. And Matthias was not really on the table (Rumour). It was pick, and some guy who was not strong, plus eat the salary.
The offer today was similar, sure...but totally different circumstances....

The Canucks felt they would challenge coming into the season. And with their roster, why would they not? They did not expect the injuries, the sedin and Burrows drying up COMPLETELY, and not being able to score.

Many said need another top 6. But many said that in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2008.....

The Canucks mistake IS NOT the goalie deals, it is overestimating where they would be this season, and where they would be now. The Luongo deal becomes possible, as working to making team younger. And when Tallon calls you listen. And apparently Tallon did call...on friday. Gillis said that on radio just now.

[Peter_Doherty]

Fair enough, as i said i don't really know what happened just that it looks bad. I still think the Schneider deal in itself was horrible but enough about that. The trade today though i think was good, Canucks realise they need to rebuild somewhat and this is a good start.

[Peter_Doherty]

LOL, Phoenix GM just lost his mind?

Chris Johnston ‏@reporterchris 5 min

The #coyotes send Rostislav Klelsa, Chris Brown and a fourth-round pick to the #caps for Martin Erat and prospect Garrett Mitchell.

[batdad]

Klesla was waived earlier in the year. Brown sucks. 4th is what? A lottery? Erat is okay, and will do more in Phoenix than on 4th line in Washington. Can score, and Phoenix needs that. Garrett Mitchell is just a guy. Best player in the deal is Erat...

Really it is a nothing deal. No one there makes a big impact. 2-3 line winger for a 6-7 dman and a few toss ins.

[y2jericho]

Oliers...yeah they are weird, but gave Bryz a shot at the job, and in their opinion was not good enough. So a good one became available, and they went and got him. A young one too. They know Scrivens really is not a super #1 AND THEY want a super #1. So....Fasth is the guy, they hope. Dubnyk was not good enough either, and it shows in Nashville again. They are on the hunt for a #1 and a young one, to go with their young team. Today...they did a good job. Fasth is a good solid starting goalie, and with Scrivens he will not have to play 64 games. Today's move for them actually makes TOTAL sense. Now what they do with Hemsky, Gagner, and perhaps Smyth...will tell more of the story.

Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not, but Fasth isn't exactly young by any means, at 31 years old. I think Scrivens has had a terrific year, but unless he is a late bloomer like Tim Thomas, not really sure, he is a true number 1 goalie. Fasth seems pretty decent, but he is unproven, so not entirely sure how they really upgraded in net, with yesterday's trade.

[XenHL]

Luongo trade is an excellent one! Reminds me of another superb trade the Canucks made years ago, when they foisted that useless scrub Cam Neely onto Boston and got Barry Pederson back in exchange.

Though more seriously I understand it needed to be done. Even if Lu had been willing to stay before, after that Senators game... I think he went upstairs and made an ultimatum. But who knows.

Hoping Kesler goes to Detroit... then only Bieksa needs to be moved and I can go back to actively not liking this team.

With Gillis' trade record so far though, Kesler and Bieksa for Abdelkader sounds about right, hm?

[Primis]

Last night probably killed any interest DET had in making moves. Going into the game last night, DET's top two C's were Joakim Andersson and Darren Helm. Helm got hurt (he's the 9th guy now out, and no I'm not kidding) , DET lost a pivotal 2 pts (gave up GWG with like 35 seconds left in regulation, because that's the sort of thing they do regularly now because their defense is so awful) and fell 3 or 4 teams back out of wild card.

I would imagine DET stands pat today and does nothing now. The injuries have pretty much dictated that they can't do much to actually fix/improve the team, because the healthy guys just aren't good enough and by the time Datsyuk and some others come back it's probably too late. DET slowly slid from 3rd or 4th in the East in the first 1/4 of the season, on down now to 3 teams out. Unless they can swing a deal to remake literally half their blueline or something, I don't know if there's any fixing it.


Confirmations trickling in that St. Louis has been traded to NYR for Callahan.

[Peter_Doherty]

MSL deal done to NYR for Callahan, 1st rounder 2015 and 2nd rounder 2014, NYR get a pick back if Callahan signs with TBL.

[jesterx7769]

Do they get the first or second round pick back?

[philou21]

Either way it's way too much for a 38 years old guy. Even if Tampa doesn't sign Callahan they got the upper hand.

[Peter_Doherty]

I have no idea which pick NYR get back, but to make things worse the 2nd rounder is conditional and becomes a 1st if Rangers go to the conference finals. I was Okey with the trade before i heard about the conditional pick.

[jesterx7769]

Seems like another weird trade to me however.

For starters, am I the only sick of hearing about players asking to be traded? there's like a month left in the season, suck it up and deal with it in offseason.

Anyone know the real reason St. Louis wants out? It can't all be over the Olympics snub, otherwise that is just extremely selfish on the Luongo level. Tampa Bay is about to get its star player back and make a playoff push. Does St. Louis think NYR are in a better spot?

From NYR I have no clue what they are thinking, this move looks terrible for them if it works out the worst way with the picks clauses. The ESPN article detailed it, the 2014 2nd round pick becomes a 1st rounder if Rangers reach Conference finals, but they get the 2015 pick back if Callahan signs with TBL and TBL then gets a 7th rounder. Worst case scenario Callahan doesn't resign (TBL may purposefully not do it) and if Rangers get far in playoffs they are out the first rounder. Marty is also making close to what Callahan was asking for, just obviously not as long term.

For Tampa Bay this seems like a good move if Marty was being such a selfish brat. They get to ship out someone who's career is about over for two draft picks and a young possible hard working leader even if Callahan has been injured and lacks scoring this year.

[Primis]

McKenzie reporting Hemsky to OTT is done, for picks.

EDIT: EDM gets 3rd and a 5th back.

[batdad]

Rags gave up a ton. Sather move really ups the price for Kesler too. I am betting now that he does not move until the summer. Who would give up 2 first rounders, a young forward and a young dman for Kesler (those players all have to be top level)

Fasth--No, actually I did not realize he was 31. But in terms of mileage he is still not exactly old. And he still fits in with the Oil just fine.

Shannon Szabados practice with Oilers. Good move by Edmonton after there were 1000s of calls for her to be the back up in their game last night.

LOL-Philou, you just got Dubnyk. And you gave something up for him. LOL.

Big prospect move for LA-Buf. McNabb and Fasching switch teams. LA gets picks too (Some other guy to Buffalo as well). Good move for Kings.

Rumour is Tampa is now in kicking tires on Kesler, with the picks they just got from NYR why not.

Timmeh may end up in Dallas. LOL. Too bad, want him pumping Lou's tires.

And yeah...absolutely no mentions of Detroit involved in anything today. Not a comment about them...nothing...so surprises me.

Interesting...I kind of thought that in Canada Sportsnet coverage would be getting scoops ahead of TSN guys as the product is switching to Sportsnet next year, but it is not really panning out that way. And the clowns on Sportsnet are so annoying.

Hemsky to Ottawa for 3rd, 5th, Oil retain salary. Finally....Hemsky is the only guy who has been in trade rumours and conversations more than Luongo. 10 years in Edmonton, and every year he was on the market at some point. Cannot believe he made it that long. Oh and what a game from him last night. That is the Hemsky Ottawa wants, and they saw him last night. Too bad for them it was not for them.

[batdad]

And Xen..the Luongo deal is the complete and total opposite of the Neely deal. Got rid of an aging veteran whose best days are behind him (like Pederson) for a young prospect (Neely). Florida if anyone just made the Neely deal...and yeah I mean that Matthias will be as good as Wesley. LOL>

[batdad]

Kesler not going to Pitt. Pens get Vanek for Sutter and 1st/

Gaborik to LA

Goc to Pitt
Ruutu to NJ
Loktionov to Car


BORING

[batdad]

LOL. GOt burned as did an NHL site. Fake Pierre Lebrun account. Vanek not to Pitt. Vanek-Sutter trade done

Timmeh is gone to Dallas. So NO TIRE PUMPING> I so wanted that!!!!

[ForNever]

Who's messing with the Paint-edited pictures in eliteprospects.com? The traded players' pictures look so dumb.

[jesterx7769]

I am missing something huge in the Sabres/ Kings trade. Why did the team who is rebuilding in Buffalo send TWO second round picks and a good d prospect away? I am apparently missing something in Nicolas Deslauriers who I don't know.

Oilers getting some picks for Hemsky makes sense.

Kings grabbing Graborik could be huge.

Still waiting to see what Florida got for Thomas.

[jesterx7769]

Meszaros to Bruins could do quite good there. Canucks also sent Diaz to Rangers.