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NHL Off-Season 2015 |OT| With the first pick the LA Kings are proud to select...

C

calder

Member
Curufinwe said:
I hope he brings back the podcast. I stopped reading most of his written stuff a while ago.
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God, I can't go a football season without him and Cousin Sal breaking down the lines. I barely watch the NFL at all but I love listening to those degenerate gamblers.
 
C

Curufinwe

Member
Haha, I'm the same. 20 years ago I was a big NFL fan; now I'm fine with just checking out highlights till it gets deep in the playoffs. But I enjoy listening to those guys obsess over it.
 
C

calder

Member
Anyone mention Craig Custance ranking the offseasons for the divisions yet? It's an Insider piece, but if anyone is interested....


The big draft trades are starting to fade into the summer. The first and second wave of free agency is done, with only a few notable names like Cody Franson, Alexander Semin and Christian Ehrhoff still searching for deals.

The prospect camps are winding down, and soon the last arbitration case will be settled. If last year is any indication, there won’t be another trade until training camp, if there are still teams trying to clear salary cap space.

The major offseason moves are all but done. So with that in mind, we’ll be grading the offseasons of all 30 teams on the blog, starting with the Atlantic Division:

Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has been quiet. He made his big move when he signed trade-deadline addition Jeff Petry to a six-year contract worth $33 million back in early June. At the time, the contract seemed perfectly reasonable and in line with what the expectations of what a free-agent defenseman would be worth.

Now, considering how the conservative free-agent market played out, that annual salary of $5.5 million is on the high side, especially for a guy who has never exceeded 25 points in a season. But if you’re going to overpay for a player in free agency, make it a 27-year-old right-handed shot defenseman, because even if he doesn’t quite earn his salary, he’ll have a useful place in the lineup.

The addition of Zack Kassian in a trade that sent Brandon Prust and a fifth-round draft pick to Vancouver was a low-risk move for Bergevin that could end up adding needed size to Montreal’s top six. Kassian is on his third team but is still just 24 years old.
Grade: C+


Tampa Bay Lightning

This is a roster that doesn’t need a lot of tweaking. There are young players coming to compete for the few open spots that could surface in training camp, and the quiet signing of Erik Condra was a nice little pickup for Steve Yzerman. Condra is a strong possession player who will fit right into the Tampa Bay bottom six at a reasonable price ($1.25 million through 2017-18).

Ultimately this offseason will be judged on the contract extension that Steven Stamkos signs. The Stanley Cup window is wide-open, and the pay raise Stamkos gets could help determine how long it stays open with this current group. Contract negotiations have been quiet on the Stamkos front, so until that contract is signed, Tampa Bay’s offseason can’t be evaluated.
Grade: To be determined


Detroit Red Wings

This has been a strong summer for GM Ken Holland. He addressed a major need in bringing in defenseman Mike Green. Green provides offense from the back end as well as the right-handed shot the Red Wings defense has needed for the past few seasons. He also did it with a reasonable term, signing Green for just three years.

Adding Brad Richards was vintage Holland, who likes to bring in veteran players desperate to win one more Stanley Cup. Richards has been to the Stanley Cup finals the past two seasons, winning with the Blackhawks and coming tantalizingly close with the New York Rangers. He also adds another veteran to a dressing room that seemingly gets younger every year.

The Gustav Nyquist extension was a reasonable deal (four years at $4.75 million annually) for a guy who is in the middle of his prime and capable of scoring 30 goals.

The loss of coach Mike Babcock can’t be glossed over, but the expectation in Detroit and elsewhere is that Jeff Blashill is a more than capable replacement even if there will be a learning curve.
Grade: A


Ottawa Senators

Bryan Murray did a fantastic job getting a first-round pick out of nephew Tim Murray in the Robin Lehner trade, though it’s fair to project that Lehner will be the best goalie of the three Ottawa finished the season with (including Craig Anderson and Andrew Hammond).

Murray gets extra points for dumping the salary of David Legwand in that deal too.

Other than that, it’s been quiet in Ottawa. They can still use another forward, and the budget-minded Senators are smart to wait to do bargain shopping.

One GM noted that Ottawa was susceptible to offer sheets with two restricted free agents in Mark Stone and Mike Hoffman, both of whom an aggressor could have targeted in a multisheet attack, so give Murray credit for locking up Stone to a three-year contract worth $3.5 million.
Grade: C+


Boston Bruins

There hasn’t been a more fascinating offseason than the one turned in by first-year GM Don Sweeney in Boston. He got crushed for the Dougie Hamilton trade then praised for the Milan Lucic deal. He was criticized for the players selected in the first round and then appreciated for the reasonable price paid for free-agent forward Matt Beleskey.

The Bruins are still interested in adding another piece on defense but only for the right price and term. They’re candidates to land Cody Franson, if Franson’s price has dropped significantly. If they do add another defenseman, the expectation is that it will be a short-term deal.

Time hasn’t erased any of the initial concerns over the Hamilton deal, but the Bruins have gotten younger -- they have more cap flexibility and are still a team that can contend in the East. They also lost a potential franchise defenseman, overpaid for Adam McQuaid and traded for Zac Rinaldo. The Bruins are all over the map but can end strong if they land Franson on the cheap.
Grade: C+


Florida Panthers

There is enough young talent in Florida that the Panthers are one or two strong moves away from being a playoff team. Those moves still haven’t happened.

Instead, the Panthers swapped young forwards in sending Jimmy Hayes to the Bruins for Reilly Smith, whose goal production dropped to 13 last season. They picked up the contract of Marc Savard in a move GM Dale Tallon said was necessary to acquire Smith but one that certainly looks like a budget team trying to get to the salary-cap floor.

The Panthers have a strong defense. They have a veteran goalie and good talent down the middle. But until they add the scoring punch they need on the wing, they remain outside the group of legitimate playoff contenders in the East.
Grade: C-


Toronto Maple Leafs

If Toronto did nothing else besides add Mike Babcock into the organization, it was a successful offseason, but Brendan Shanahan and his GM-less front office weren’t done there. The Maple Leafs got a decent return for Phil Kessel despite selling low on him. At the very least, it removes a big salary and distraction in Toronto while pumping needed young assets into the organization.

Another sign things have changed dramatically in Toronto was the value shopping the Leafs did in free agency. They signed low-risk depth forwards like Shawn Matthias, Daniel Winnik, P.A. Parenteau and Mark Arcobello in moves that give the team assets to move at the trade deadline.

There’s still a lot of work to be done, but it appears the front office is taking the correct approach, and there’s reason for cautious optimism in Toronto.
Grade: B+


Buffalo Sabres

We already knew that GM Tim Murray was absolutely fearless. The aggressive way he attacked this offseason further showed it.

First and foremost, the Sabres added a franchise center in Jack Eichel. That alone makes this a memorable offseason. The Sabres also added a potential franchise goalie in Robin Lehner. Yes, Murray paid a steep price to land him, but he knows what he’s getting, and of all the young goalies who changed teams, Lehner has the biggest upside.

The monster deal that landed Ryan O'Reilly (and subsequent contract extension) was a strong move that has since been tarnished by charges that O'Reilly was driving impaired and left the scene of a crime.

The Sabres still need serious help on defense, but they have the money to land a guy like Franson. Even if the help on defense comes later, the rebuild in Buffalo took a major step forward this offseason.
Grade: A
Click to expand...


Can't wait to see the Central piece and be outraged by the Jets
very accurate
D- score.


EDIT: oh, Insider also has a new analytics article about whether Crosby is still the best player in the world and, if not, who is. It's not terribly well done piece, but spoiler the answer is "no, he's started his decline right on scheduler at age 28" and "it's tough to say who's the best right now, but Tavares I guess? It'll be McDavid in a year or two anyway".
 
D

Dubbedinenglish

Banned
calder said:
Anyone mention Craig Custance ranking the offseasons for the divisions yet? It's an Insider piece, but if anyone is interested....





Can't wait to see the Central piece and be outraged by the Jets
very accurate
D- score.


.
Click to expand...


that certainly looks like a budget team trying to get to the salary-cap floor.
Click to expand...

Wot M8? Team was well above the cap floor before the trade. Conviently also left out Smith had more points than Hayes in his "down" year. Tallon got the better player with the difference was cap relief in the trade. Right now the Panthers are at 65.5 (includes bonuses and Savard) and Huberdeau is yet to be signed. Team is not a cup contender yet so there will be 5-6 milli in cap space flexibility.
 
S

Samyy

Member
OriginofHysteria said:
I had a random shower thought.

If the Leafs made the playoffs...is it a failed season?
Click to expand...

If Kadri/Rielly/Gardiner/Bernier play really big roles in helping them make the playoffs then no.

Ensuring Kadri, Rielly and Gardiner improve is just as important as developing Nylander/Marner + getting more really high picks.
 
K

Kave_Man

come in my shame circle
Merguson said:
If the follow-up by Leafs management is anything related to the Summer of 2013, it will be a disaster.
Click to expand...

ding ding ding.

Also I think I'm going the opposite way of some of you guys. I just started watching the NFL religiously about a decade ago and now can't get enough and watch every game I can.

I love it so much!
 
C

Coldnoodle

Member
Football is my passive sport.

Used to be really into baseball during the Vernon Wells-Roy Halladay days.

Now it's a healthy dose of soccer and hockey.

Hockey is starting to go by the wayside though for me D:
 
C

Chris R

Member
So if Vegas and QC are added and no realignment takes place, do the Atlantic and Pacific just add a single team? The Schedule makers would love that I bet...
 
R

RC

Banned
Chris R said:
I did, no more silly thing I came up with in high school 10+ years ago.

Instead, I'll just go by the silly thing my parents came up with 30 years ago.
Click to expand...

Same reason why I changed mine. Welcome to the artist formerly known as Prince club.
 
C

Coldnoodle

Member
CKh3hu4UMAAPAkU.jpg
 
Z

zroid

Banned
Coldnoodle said:
Football is my passive sport.

Used to be really into baseball during the Vernon Wells-Roy Halladay days.

Now it's a healthy dose of soccer and hockey.

Hockey is starting to go by the wayside though for me D:
Click to expand...

those were the days that passed me by sadly :(

I was a huge baseball & Jays fan from around 1995-2001... basically when I was in grade school (my dad had season tickets in the 90s). then I just completely stopped watching pro sports for almost a decade -- outside of tennis occasionally (Federer da bes).

then suddenly in 2010-11 I got really into sports again, except I kind of started watching everything all at once. not gonna lie, it's probably because after I finished school I had to drive a lot more and started listening to a ton of sports talk radio :lol. the irony is I detest most of those people but they're the primary reason I watch NHL/MLB/etc. now

I regret missing out on Halladay's prime. I remember watching him pitch live in the late 90s when he had just started with the Jays, never knowing how good he would ultimately become.
 
L

lamaroo

Unconfirmed Member
calder said:
Anyone mention Craig Custance ranking the offseasons for the divisions yet? It's an Insider piece, but if anyone is interested....





Can't wait to see the Central piece and be outraged by the Jets
very accurate
D- score.


EDIT: oh, Insider also has a new analytics article about whether Crosby is still the best player in the world and, if not, who is. It's not terribly well done piece, but spoiler the answer is "no, he's started his decline right on scheduler at age 28" and "it's tough to say who's the best right now, but Tavares I guess? It'll be McDavid in a year or two anyway".
Click to expand...

I know Montreal hasn't done anything, but that's easily better than whatever Sweeney is doing, how'd they get the same grade?
 
C

calder

Member
zroid said:
those were the days that passed me by sadly :(

I was a huge baseball & Jays fan from around 1995-2001...
Click to expand...

You didn't miss much really.

A great year from a few elite players... but on a team that inevitably underperformed in a division that demanded well over 100 wins to even think about playoffs. They were unbelievably mediocre for basically a decade.

This year they are somehow going to manage to get my nonexistent hopes up again, mainly because the ALE is hot garbage, and then shit the bed yet again with a brutally disappointing 6-14 run in late August/early September.
 
K

Kave_Man

come in my shame circle
calder said:
You didn't miss much really.

A great year from a few elite players... but on a team that inevitably underperformed in a division that demanded well over 100 wins to even think about playoffs. They were unbelievably mediocre for basically a decade.

This year they are somehow going to manage to get my nonexistent hopes up again, mainly because the ALE is hot garbage, and then shit the bed yet again with a brutally disappointing 6-14 run in late August/early September.
Click to expand...

My hopes have been so dashed from all these years that really all I'm looking for is to be within 4 games of the playoffs in September and that's a win for me. :(
 
Z

zroid

Banned
calder said:
You didn't miss much really.

A great year from a few elite players... but on a team that inevitably underperformed in a division that demanded well over 100 wins to even think about playoffs. They were unbelievably mediocre for basically a decade.

This year they are somehow going to manage to get my nonexistent hopes up again, mainly because the ALE is hot garbage, and then shit the bed yet again with a brutally disappointing 6-14 run in late August/early September.
Click to expand...

When I started watching baseball again a few years ago my memories of the Rays were still as a shitty expansion team, so upon discovering that they have basically owned us for years, it certainly piqued my ire. 😡

before the season started I thought the pitching would be a lot better, thinking Hutch would take a step forward, and Stroman would not explode his knee. I also didn't expect the offence to be as good as it is. win or lose (let's be honest... they'll lose), the 2015 Jays will have been a wild ride. no lead is ever safe -- by either team.
 
F

FUBAR McDangles

Member
Apparently this dude on Reddit went and looked through every team's draft record from 2000-2012. Today he did the Wild, and I am very surprised at what he found:

Despite having nine less picks than the league average the Wild managed to surpass the league in all but one category: points per game. As we noted in each round, a high number of Minnesota draftees have made the cut and played an extended period of time in the NHL but haven't gone on to produce offensively. Minnesota's top four point producers are responsible for 54 percent of the Wild's total points; Marian Gaborik alone accounts for more than 20 percent of the teams total points.

Overall, the Wild have been one of the most consistent teams in the league at drafting NHL caliber players. Their overall success rate of 26 percent ties them for first of all teams but their lack of offensive production compared to similar teams will likely have them placed between the top 5 and top 10 in my final rankings.
Click to expand...

To emphasize the point about Gaborik and franchise points, Gaborik hasn't played for the Wild for six years. He only played here for 8 of the 14 seasons. That's barely half.
 
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Smiley90

Stop shitting on my team. Start shitting on my finger.
FUBAR McDangles said:
Apparently this dude on Reddit went and looked through every team's draft record from 2000-2012. Today he did the Wild, and I am very surprised at what he found:
Click to expand...

When's he getting to Detroit? That's gonna make everyone else look bad

... I don't wanna see our draft record, especially since the Sedins were drafted before 2000... After that it's really just Kesler as a standout...
 
L

Lone_Prodigy

Member
Smiley90 said:
When's he getting to Detroit? That's gonna make everyone else look bad

... I don't wanna see our draft record, especially since the Sedins were drafted before 2000... After that it's really just Kesler as a standout...
Click to expand...

Edler, Bieksa, Hansen, Schneider, Bourdon (RIP), Grabner, Raymond. But yes, it's a veritable wasteland of drafting.
 
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