NHL 2014-2015 Season

[elevated_u2_fan]

This seems like the year of the trade before the offer sheet.

 

[LemonMelon]

I'm excited about Dano, at any rate. He won't immediately replicate Saad's production, but over time I think he could grow to be a perennial 50 point player like Saad.

 

[PhilsFan]

Fuck Toronto.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Can't imagine that huge of a contract would've garnered much more of a return.

 

[PhilsFan]

They're eating salary, taking back a contract and sending a pick as well? And didn't get shit for him?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[LuckyNumber7]

The only questionable thing is flipping picks for 2nd and 3rd rounders next year. That's stupid.

Otherwise, what kind of return did you expect for a guy with an $8 million cap hit for the next 6 years? They got two top-5 organizational prospects and a conceivably mid-late 1st rounder. And one of the prospects is a defender, but already has the development years put in.

I can't imagine many teams want to be tied to huge contracts like this. It's not a question of his performance. It's a question of him making the most money on the team. His contract is hindering towards future development. It screams "cap trouble." Especially for a team like Pittsburgh, with so much money already tied up between two players. He wasn't going to get a big return. Pittsburgh is all in.

I mean, look at guys who have received such contracts in the past who were/are still good players. Hell, my team has two of them. Roberto Luongo and Brian Campbell. Look what they were acquired for? Next to nothing.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Granted, those guys were older than Kessel. But age is the difference as to why Campbell was had for free and Kessel was had for essentially a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

 

[PhilsFan]

The only questionable thing is flipping picks for 2nd and 3rd rounders next year. That's stupid.

Otherwise, what kind of return did you expect for a guy with an $8 million cap hit for the next 6 years? They got two top-5 organizational prospects and a conceivably mid-late 1st rounder. And one of the prospects is a defender, but already has the development years put in.

I can't imagine many teams want to be tied to huge contracts like this. It's not a question of his performance. It's a question of him making the most money on the team. His contract is hindering towards future development. It screams "cap trouble." Especially for a team like Pittsburgh, with so much money already tied up between two players. He wasn't going to get a big return. Pittsburgh is all in.

I mean, look at guys who have received such contracts in the past who were/are still good players. Hell, my team has two of them. Roberto Luongo and Brian Campbell. Look what they were acquired for? Next to nothing.

Of course Pittsburgh already has money tied up in other players. That's why it was probably not a good idea for Toronto to trade with them in the first place. And it's not an $8 million cap hit, because they're eating some of the contract.

While long term it might not be a good idea for Pittsburgh to tie so much money in to so few players, that was highway robbery for Kessel. They dropped down a round, got rid of $2 million on the cap, had Toronto eat nearly $2 million of Kessel's cap, and gave up one good prospect. That's it.

 

[DaveC]

$100 bucks says Phil Kessel wins the Art Ross next year after this.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Of course Pittsburgh already has money tied up in other players. That's why it was probably not a good idea for Toronto to trade with them in the first place. And it's not an $8 million cap hit, because they're eating some of the contract.

While long term it might not be a good idea for Pittsburgh to tie so much money in to so few players, that was highway robbery for Kessel. They dropped down a round, got rid of $2 million on the cap, had Toronto eat nearly $2 million of Kessel's cap, and gave up one good prospect. That's it.

Again, go and look at what trades like this normally pull. This isn't highway robbery.

And 15% of 8 million is just above 1 million.

And they gave up two prospects.

I'm really curious to see what you think a fair deal would be here...

 

[PhilsFan]

I guess I'm of the opinion that a good player whose contract is an issue is never as valuable a trade commodity as they are a valuable piece on your own roster, and that you shouldn't need to trade those players. But we're talking about Toronto here, so I guess that I expected too much.

I'm just pissed that Pittsburgh got Crosby a big time goal scorer for one decent prospect, one coin flip, and didn't even have to pay the full $8mil to do it.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Yeah but I think the underlying issue was that Toronto needs that space for a guy who will lead their team. That's not Phil Kessel.

And thank you Boston. I like Jimmy Hayes and all, but I'll take yer Reilly Smith any day over him.

 

[Hewson]

And thank you Boston. I like Jimmy Hayes and all, but I'll take yer Reilly Smith any day over him.

That's the price of taking Savard's contract. Smith will look great at times and will just disappear for long stretches, he'll probably frustrate you unless it just all finally clicks with him.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I'm not happy with the trade but I also understand it needed to be done.

Could we have got more value? Probably but his value is at an all time low thanks to his huge contract and worst season since joining the NHL. I also don't think it would have been smart to keep him for next season considering how shitty the team will be it would have further decreased his value.

So that's it, it's over. I'm pretty sure he'll score 40+ goals next season, something he could never do with the parade of lesser talent he's had to carry here and good for him if he does.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

That's the price of taking Savard's contract. Smith will look great at times and will just disappear for long stretches, he'll probably frustrate you unless it just all finally clicks with him.

Hayes is a big boy. 6'6" and he won't use any bit of that size.

He'll get super scrappy goals. Most of his production came because he was getting top ice time when the team was slumping. I'd say his numbers are sustainable but the ceiling is right there.

 

[Hewson]

I'm sure his size is part of the allure for Sweeney and Neely. I imagine they'll try to persuade him to play a more physical style, we'll see if it pans out.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

That's Dale Tallon's thing, too. Just take a look at our team, we were probably the biggest team in the NHL last season. That's why he got Hayes. And drafted Barkov, Bjugstad, Gudbranson, Ekblad, Matheson, and most recently... Crouse. We are the 6'4"+ club, with few exceptions.

 

[DaveC]

You guys all know far too much about every single player that gets mentioned in this thread. It frightens me.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Well, it's more just like we know every player for our team, plus players that have played for our team in the past. And maybe additional notables from other teams.

And then we all meet here and bring something to the table, if you will. So, we learn.

 

[LemonMelon]

Plus, there's always Google. Makes anyone seem like an expert for a couple of minutes.

 

[Hewson]

Plus, there's always Google. Makes anyone seem like an expert for a couple of minutes.

Did you know that:

Google is an American multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services and products. These include online advertising technologies, search, cloud computing, and software. Most of its profits are derived from AdWords, an online advertising service that places advertising near the list of search results.

Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University. Together they own about 14 percent of its shares but control 56 percent of the stockholder voting power through supervoting stock. They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. An initial public offering followed on August 19, 2004. Its mission statement from the outset was "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," and its unofficial slogan was "Don't be evil". In 2004, Google moved to its new headquarters in Mountain View, California, nicknamed the Googleplex.


etc. etc.

 

[bono_212]

Sharpie was my first favorite Hawk. I knew this was coming, but I'm still sad.

Today was the first day I had my Hossa jersey , though, so it's like I'm already starting the next chapter, right? Right?

Spoiler

why do I keep falling for the oldest guys on the team?

 

[PhilsFan]

Patrick Sharp, one of the ultimate "former Flyer who had great success elsewhere" stories.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[BoMac]

Boom!

[tweet]624220502626856961[/tweet]

 

[PhilsFan]

Not even three minutes after the Devils announced he's resigned as president.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

wait, what?

 

[BoMac]

That's pretty much the exact reaction everyone on hockey Twitter has had this morning.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Uncle Lou? Really?

this is going to take some time to sink in

 

[BoMac]

wait, what?

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

from what I understand this is a short-term thing and Shanahan will still have the final say. If this is the case then I am ok with this - they needed someone in the office with NHL experience and this certainly fits the bill.

it certainly out of left field though, this off season has been more entertaining than the actual season so far...