Impossible to say, the competition is just that crazy. We have mentioned the same names week after week after week after week after week, so you know is on the market.
Without knowing which players will be on the team? Like you say, way too early.
There is some value to the PP as far as building momentum and getting your top guys into the game offensively, but, yes, the penalty shot is usually preferable. Unless Garth Butcher is taking that shot.
The Caps vs. Blues edge: Great 8 better than 91, two great passing centers, one great PP QB and a goaltender that pulled it together. On the other hand, the talent drops off on that team and cap considerations will hit it again. The Blues have multiple All-Star candidates, a deep defense and some exciting forward prospects. That could close within two years.
Reaves is a nice guy to have on the team, but he is hardly insurance against teams delivering body checks against the Blues. The whole enforcer thing is gone. A guy takes a run a player today, gets ejected, then goes out for a steak dinner. Maybe he sits a game or two. On the odd chance Reaves tries to fight him down the road, the dude can just turtle and put his team on the power play.
So how many titles has Tavares led the Islanders to?
I like Ovie, Kuznetsov, then Tarasenko, then Backstrom, then Schwartz and Schenn if we were drafting.
Not really a high price for a strong two-way center. Lots of teams need one of those, including this one.
More hits this season, more shots on goals, a few more goals . . . no, I didn't see much regression. Remember the time he spent propping up the one-legged Jay Bouwmeester.
Some day there will be statues of Cliff Ronning, Sergio Momesso and Robert Dirk outside the Enterprise Center . . .
Dealing Brind'Amour was far more egregious. Dude spent 15 years making the deal look stupid.
A 2019 first-round pick too? Buffalo could take that.
That is not much to offer, but then again Skinner is only under contract for one more year. I see other teams making more aggressive plays, like the Kings.
The Capitals only had three forwards with more than 50 points this season. They have three elite forward and an elite PP defenseman. And offensive juggernaut that was not. All three played great and their mid-level guys stepped up.
Next seven to 10 days should bring some action. Vegas will be in the middle of it, too, with expiring contracts and cap space.
Oshie had a 47-point year to start an eight-year contract. I'd take him too, but warily. Burakovsky was a huge disappointment, as was Vrana. Wilson does his thing -- all teams want guys like that -- and Eller was playoff hero. As we noted week to week, the Blues did have a lot of placeholder forwards, especially after moving Stastny in the bailout trade.
Several of the trades actually kept them in business, so there was that.
Geoff took eternal shifts and was marginalized by Sutter late in that season.
OK, good week. Spirited fun! More trolls than usual, but it's summer. See you next time.
