Frolunda’s season is over. Sucks the Griffins are so awful because we could have possibly seen Edvinsson and Soderblom in the playoffs.
Assuming Ottawa holds on tonight, they will only be one point behind us, leaving eight best lottery odds as a legitimate possibility. Crazy to think that despite our solid first half off the season, we will still finish worse off than Buffalo and Ottawa.
I anticipate Soderblom spending most of next season in the AHL, much like Berggren this season. Elmer is massive, but it’s going to be a huge transition for him as he adjusts to using his size playing a North American game. Imagining everyone is healthy and there aren’t any big trades, I think the following forwards are locks: Bertuzzi - Larkin - Raymond Vrana - ??? - Berggren Rasmussen - Suter - Sundqvist ??? - Veleno - Jury is still out Fabbri (injury related) Zadina Stephens Smith Erne I don’t see a scenario where Yzerman isn’t making at least one trade, and likely more than that, to clear out some of the forward logjam. Zadina is likely a goner, and it wouldn’t stun me if a guy like Suter is dealt as well. Not saying they will bring back a big fish, but bodies need to be shipped out.
Zadina will always be a bummer. I think Blash did him exactly no favors and hampered his development. But also, he's produced very little with the opportunities given to warrant further investment. Hard call. That draft doesn't look great on paper for alternatives. Hughes is the obvious choice that pops up, but he is a pretty polarizing player.
Not sure there is a difference between 7, 8 or 9 in this draft. You’ll be getting a decent prospect who will simmer for 3 years. Unless someone from the top 5 drops.
After getting Raymond 4 in what I thought was a 3 player at top draft, and Seider after not getting Hughes or Kaako, I trust this staff to draft well at the top of the round no matter where we fall. Seems Edvinsson is going to be joining that list soon
Ed already top 3 in most re-drafts. Yzerman is 3/3 in his first 3 picks so far. Soderblom, the unicorn that he is, would be a 1st rounder in a re-draft as well.
Currently we sit with the 8th best lottery odds. Buffalo is one point up on us with two games left. Buffalo getting one point in its final two games ensures we are no worse than 8th. Ottawa is one long behind us with two games left. If we are tied with them we have the 7th best odds due to having less regulation wins. New Jersey is trash so we will likely beat them but it would be sweet if we lost and let the chips fall where they may.
If we are going to weaponize our cap space this Summer, I’ve decided I want us to get a high pick from the Flames by bringing Lucic over. I hate him but I also hate how easily we were run over the second half off the season. Let him play six minutes a night on the fourth line next season so we have someone to protect the kids.
For sure. But there appears to be a top 5/6 and then a group of another 5/6 players in the second tier. Just depends on what grade you have on a player.
Reading up on Nazar. Sounds like a real riser. Would love one of the top two D but at 7-10 fat chance they will be there.
I like both those kids and Slafovsky, but the Wings need a center. I’ve become infatuated with Marco Kasper during the SHL Playoffs. I would probably put him, Nazar and Lambert as my top guys in that 7-9 range (I’m presuming Wright, Cooley and Savoie are gone before we pick)
Looks like we are going to end up 9. Oh well. This draft can go a bunch of different ways, so not the end of the world.
I think Blashill is awful and I'm excited he is gone, but more excited that I think it means they are going to try and compete starting next year. Him being the coach this year signaled they weren't really thinking they'd compete yet
Derek Lalonde - TB assistant Lane Lambert - Islanders assistant Paul Maurice - Former Jets coach Rikard Gronberg - ZSC in Austria My money is on Lambert.