Ottawa has been very impressive the last few weeks, as has Buffalo and even Montreal. Yes, we will improve this off season, but the Atlantic is the best division in hockey right now and it shows no signs of weakening in the near future. Yet another reason I am not ready to say we are a playoff contender headed into next season.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/13297/magnus-hellberg Sounds like we might have signed this guy for next season. Seems like an AHL signing based on his age but he could see NHL time. Ned and ??? In the NHL and Cossa/Hellberg innGR.
I remember him from 2/3 NHL games. Solid swing vet. Like what we’ve seen from Brattstrom though so not sure how the depth will work out if we bring in a true backup for Ned. Cossa main starter in ECHL?
I think Cossa gets every chance to get a solid workload in GR. I wonder if he gets loaned overseas even. Might make sense to send him to Sweden.
He’s been about the same all year. I think he needs a good WHL playoff and ideally a trip to the Memorial Cup to springboard him into training camp. Goalies are weird with their development curves though. I usually don’t judge them until they play some in the AHL because it’s just two different experiences for a goalie.
It's one thing to get outplayed and squeak out a win, but I don't remember the last time I've seen a team get completely outplayed like this and be up 3-0. Nedeljkovic standing on his head, probably has some motivation playing his old team.
Terrible list and typical NA bias. There’s no way that there’s only 8 euros in the top 50. Lack of Soderblom (top 5 goal scorer in the SHL), Berggren (near PPG in AHL), and Johansson and Wallinder (top pairing in the SHL at 21 and 19 respectively) is baffling.
Wallinder played 23 min in Rogle’s game 7 win the other day. His play has gone to another level in the Playoffs, which is awesome to see. He needs another season in Sweden, but he’s taken a much needed leap forward this year. On the flip side, Sebrango has really struggled the second half of the season, but it’s not unexpected for a kid that could be in the O playing in the AHL. I was hoping he could be fast tracked into our lineup as a steady third pairing guy but he’s probably a year off from making his NHL debut. My guess is right now our D for next season is: ??? - Seider Edvinsson - Hronek Walman - ??? Lindstrom/Osterle I think we should trade Hronek but I’m not holding my breath that happens. I also don’t think that Johansson/McIssac/Sebrango make the team out of Camp, so we definitely have a minimum of two slots to fill. Even if we keep Hronek, I think my number one FA target is Josh Manson. I wouldn’t give him a lot of term but 4x5 would be fine at this point. We need some grit on the backend and Manson would be a perfect partner with Edvinsson. Even though he’s on the older side, Alex Edler would be a nice partner for Mo for 1-2 years. Plus he could be a mentor for Edvinsson as well. The D is in good shape for the future (Buium and Wallinder look like they could be legit and we have plenty of other lotto tickets in the system) but we are still in a transitional phase on the back end for the next year or two. Hopefully we bring in some competent guys this Summer and then really take off when Wallinder and Buium enter the system.
Still think Edvinsson should be paired with Seider. Their styles mesh so well, especially compared to Ed/Hronek. 18 mins a night on the first pairing with a top 10 D in the league is perfect. Especially given Moritz more defensive nature. Give him some PP2 mins opposite of Hronek.
Berggren with 9 in his last 5 games. Will be a shame if he doesn't earn a call up if the Griifs are eliminated, he's earned it.
This season needs to end ASAP. It looks like nearly everyone has thrown in the towel at this point, and it’s very obvious big changes are needed this Summer. 1. Blash has to go, this is obvious. 2. Hronek needs to go. He’s just absolutely abysmal defensively these days, and the idea he’s ever going to be more than he is today seems unrealistic. Yeah you could shelter him on the third pairing but not at his cap hit. 3. Bertuzzi has fallen off a cliff the last 25-30 games. He’s still had a remarkable season, but nothing has changed with him. Are you going to give the guy from the first half of the year a big contract, or is the guy from the second half of the season getting paid? For me it seems clear he’s of more use to a team ready to contend than he is to Detroit but if we sign him to a reasonable deal (term is more important than dollars with him) I’m not going to be upset. If we can get a first plus a prospect, or make him part of a bigger hockey trade to find a top 4 D or a 2C, that is going to help us more going forward, imo.
MG2 had asked about Cossa the other day, so I figured I would see how other goalie prospects are doing. Askarov had a sub .900 save % in his last ten games playing in the KHL’s farm league and Wallstedt isn’t even the starting goalie for his SHL team in the playoffs. I’m not saying either guy sucks, it’s more to point out the uncertainty with the position. All three of those kids should be in the AHL next season, so that should help kickstart each ones development.
If I recall, Wallstedt got hurt and his counterpart got hot and his team rode the hot hand into the playoffs. Still had a phenomenal season posting a 1.98 GAA and .918 SV% at 18/19.
Team needs to try and compete next year, which they have the cap flexibility to make a run at it. They clearly won't be cup contenders, but I think a good chunk of these players you risk ruining with another awful year. They are defeated and quit this season, not something you want your young players to make a habit of. You either need to commit to being a competitive team this year or seriously think about trading the Larkins, Bertuzzi and Vranek types and set the rebuild back a few more years. I think they will replace Blash and sign / trade for a few more pieces and compete for 8th seed
Two games into the SHL semis. Frolunda (Edvinsson, Soderblom, Niederbach) is tied 1-1 with Lulea. Soderblom: 1+1=2 (13 mins) Niederbach: 1+0=1 (10 mins) Edvinsson: 0+0=0 (hasn’t played) Farjestad (Johansson) is up 2-0 on Rogle (Wallinder) Johansson: 1+0=1 (GWG) (18 mins) Wallinder: 0+0=0 (20 mins)
I don’t see it for next season at least. Our group of young players ( currently with the team ) have a higher ceiling and have progressed as the season has gone on. Prospect wise Sens outside of Sanderson/Greig aren’t as deep as Detroit… but Sens are at a different stage of their rebuild. We should be in the 80 point range next season.
Wallinder is super raw still but he could definitely be a top 6 on our current roster. Edvinsson probably needs time to develop but Seider has set insane expectations. Simon will probably be our second best D at the end of next year, unless we trade for a top 4.
I meant that comment in throwing shade at our current D probably more so than expecting Wallinder to be the 3rd best D on an NHL roster right now. Ideally we use this offseasons cap to sign 2 top 4 DMen or trade for them from a team needing cap relief. I hope those 2 aren't our 2nd and 3rd best D on our roster to start next season (unless they are seider level ready to play)
Big question is bring Wallinder and Johansson over next year or let them have a full season as top pairing all situation guys in Sweden.
AHL is better but SHL is more fun to watch. The difference between the two isn’t huge but AHL gets the nod from me. The AHL is kind of like the Wild West though, it’s a smaller ice surface than the SHL and just a more rugged style of play. I think Johansson should come over while Wallinder sticks in the SHL. Wallinder needs more time as the top guy in the SHL. Johansson is ready for North America.
AHL has the added bonus of being able to pull them up to Detroit if circumstances warrant. I agree Wallinder would be best served in Sweden for another year.
I could definitely see it being a questionable decision if some kids or a woman turned the corner and got a face full of his dong peeing. But, if what he says is truly the case and an adult male is what turned him in....come on.
Yeah it all sounds like bullshit. The other guy probably had an axe to grind, and the JLA had a convenient pretext for a move they probably wanted to make. His suit is bullshit too. I've been a prostate patient for 20 years, and never not been able to make a 60-70 ft trip. He's probably peed into that drain 100 times because it's convenient.
Yeah unless a kid or a female was around that’s some bullshit. I’ve pissed not in a toilet or a urinal at work hundreds of times including within feet of the CEO of the company.
"You may have been able to do that type of behavior at Joe Louis Arena, but that doesn't fly here at Little Caesars Arena".