#And it's fitting that the first nhl jersey I get is a Raffl one

[puckingdisaster]

Might have done a financially stupid thing about bought a signed and game worn Michael Raffl flyers jersey for over 300 bucks. But you know what? This is my gift to surviving 8 years of Wrg/Org der Franziskanerinnen. Like, I'm still getting slightly angry every time I drive past my old school and it's been a year.

[csykora]

I'm so sorry, I feel like an idiot, but apparently I missed Brett Connolly? Or I can't recall who he is off the top of my head, which is shameful. Um, he won the cup with us, right? and I think maybe was friends with Beags? Something about Beags? idk im so sorry, I feel embarrassed about this but no embarrassment for being on 4th can of mt rush, hands shaky and thoughts are going so fast

Please take a gentle breath and look at these photos.

Brett Connolly played with the Capitals for three seasons and helped them win a Cup. He also one of my personal favorite humans in the NHL.

Brett Connolly was born 28 years ago in northern British Columbia, and almost immediately got injured.

When he was five, he tried to climb over one of those big metal vehicle gates to get to the lake to swim, and it crashed shut on his right hand.

“I remember that day,” Brett said. “I obviously squished my hand. It was pretty sore.”

“I’m glad there were good surgeons on Vancouver Island*, and they could repair my hand. It was a freak accident. Thankfully, I have a hand today….I was so young I didn’t really realize the seriousness of the whole thing. Looking back, obviously it could have hampered my career if I didn’t have my hand.”

He describes the surgery as “pretty long.” x

Those quotes might give you the impression that Brett Connolly doesn’t give a fuck about anything. That is not true. 

Brett Connolly loves 1) his wife 2) popped collars 3) Devante Smith-Pelly.

Conno played very well through most of juniors and played for Team Canada in World Juniors, where he won silver and also took a bad hit and injured his hip. He played just 16 games with his junior team in his draft year. He managed 10 goals and 19 points in those games, though, convincing Steve Yzerman to draft him 6th overall for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Conno debuted with the Lightning, before Yzerman decided to send him down to get more minutes. He scored 31 goals in 71 games for the Syracuse Crunch his first year, and then got loaned back to Team Canada. The only other NHLer on that Junior team was fellow 19 year-old Devante Smith-Pelly, on loan from the Ducks.

Devante broke his foot their first game, so then he just had to hang out. Bonding happened.

Back on the Lightning, Conno got traded to the Bruins, and broke his hand.

BOSTON (CBS) — The newest Bruins winger just became the latest Bruins winger to suffer an injury.

Brett Connolly, acquired early Monday morning in a trade with Tampa Bay, was hit by a puck during Wednesday’s practice. The Bruins announced shortly after practice that Connolly will be out for six weeks with a displaced fracture of his right index finger.

Connolly had just skated in his second official practice with the Bruins, who sent two second-round picks to the Lightning to acquire him on Monday.

That six-week timetable could have Connolly ready to rejoin the lineup just before the regular season ends. 

x

Brett left the Bruins, and signed with the Washington Capitals. He hit 15 goals for the first time in the NHL. He liked it so much that the next summer, when Devante was facing free agency, Brett called and told him he would love it in Washington, too.

“I thought it was a good fit for him, and I think with the team and how everything is run here, it’s a good spot for guys to just be themselves, show their personalities in whatever way and just play and not really put too much pressure on anything,” Connolly told Japer’s Rink later. “It’s a good environment to get better and just play and have fun.”

“It’s funny how things work, I mean, that was a long time ago and now here we are,” Devante said. “Moved from Toronto together, started working out together and became good friends, great friends... it ends up being a small world but we’ve come very close.”

Partly through their wives’ friendship, Brett had gotten close with John Carlson, who would end up being a friend of Devante’s as well. Devante was already friends with Tom Wilson:

“I remember [he] used to watch my games, I think it’s funny to think of now; he’s a grown man, he’s a big boy now,” Devante said.

“[Wilson and Connolly] are two guys, if I need anything, to get anything off my chest and vice versa, we can go to each other. We can all be very honest with each other, always go to each other since we’re such good friends.”

That was the start of the 2017-18 season. Conno scored 15 goals again in the regular season and bumped up the assists. Devante scored a chill seven goals in 24 playoff games.

Twice in the first round, twice in the Eastern Conference final, then in the Game 3 3-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights and in the Game 4’s 6-2 blowout, then when the Caps were down a goal halfway through the third period of Game 5, he scored the tying goal on an assist from Brooks Orpik of all people**.

(Brett, the slacker, only scored 6 playoff goals.)

"He’s probably the reason why I have a ring,” Conno said last summer.  “There’s no question, with that goal he scored in Game 5, and all the goals he scored all the way through. That’s something that’ll never be taken away from him."

Another thing we will all always have is this photo of Brett Connolly eating pizza and getting a bicep tattoo (which Devante then paid for a Caps fan to have tattooed on his bicep.

When Devante announced he would not visit the White House because of the president’s “racist and sexist” statements, Conno said he would support him, adding, “It’s not about ‘politics’. It’s about right and wrong.” After discussing with the rest of the team, the two of them both stayed home.

On his Cup day, Conno took it to the retirement home where his mother works, then to meet youth players and then a photo session with thousands of fans in BC, where he raffled jerseys and other Caps items to raise money for the Brock Hirsche Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of Lethbridge. Hirsche was a friend and teammate who had recently passed away from cancer.

Conno went on to score 22 goals the next season, and doubled his assists for almost 50 points. When Tom Wilson got suspended, Conno got his first line spot. Which is why the Florida Panthers now pay him way more money than we did (he was already sitting at 19 goals in 69 games for them when the season ended). Devante has left us for the KHL, but Conno believes he’ll be back.

"Whoever does end up signing him, they’re going to get the best Devante Smith-Pelly that Washington got a couple years back….There’s a team that’s going to get a really good player."

In conclusion, love and decency are good for your skin. So is sleep. 

*Vancouver is about 9 hours drive away: presumably he was sent by air. I.e., it was a pretty bad squish.

**if anyone has forgotten Brooks Orpik, please @ me

[flauntpage]

This Roster is Broken: Thoughts after Flames 6, Flyers 5

Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher is only in his second week on the job and one thing has likely become abundantly clear to him – he needs to break up the way his team is constructed.

Quite simply, the Flyers are broken.

Repeated and excessive inconsistency is a fundamental flaw that likely has more to do with the makeup of the roster and how those pieces fit together than the systems they are playing.

That’s not to absolve the coaching staff for the sins of their players, or their former general manager. No, they need to own the fact that they can’t find a way to maximize what potential there is on the roster.

But these players need to take ownership for themselves. They can’t be fragile. They can’t “play scared” as Jake Voracek said after a recent game. They can’t crack under pressure. They can’t lose track of their fundamentals and have it blow up on them game after game after game.

There was no reason the Flyers should have lost to Calgary Wednesday, and yet they did, 6-5 in overtime, allowing two goals in the final 1:08 of regulation and the game-winner in the first minute of the extra session.

The frustration for fans is understandable. The Flyers are a team who is equally adept at overcoming a two-goal deficit as it is blowing a two-goal lead.

There is skill and talent on this team; it just doesn’t mesh. Maybe it’s because despite that skill, this team is not collectively smart.

How so?

I’ll explain after the jump:

The third period

Here’s where the microcosm of the Flyers construct for 2018-19 was on display. The Flyers entered the period up a goal at 4-3. They had played pretty well over the first two periods. The first period they got off to a quick start, but then got a little sluggish in the second half of it. Still, they were able to enter the first intermission trailing only 1-0.

However, in the second period, the Flyers took off. They were able to really open the game up and use their skill to their advantage. They got behind 2-1 after giving up a shorthanded goal, but then scored on the power play for the first time in almost a month and added two more quick scores to go up 4-2.

Calgary got one back, but the Flyers are a good team – usually – when taking a lead into the third period. They were 9-1-1 in such instances heading into last night.

But that’s when the dumbness cloud started hanging over them. The Flyers took four minor penalties in the third period that led to shorthanded situations. When you have the worst penalty kill in the league, that’s not ideal, but when three of those four penalties are flat out stupid and unnecessary, then that has a negative impact on your team.

Wayne Simmonds took a post-whistle punch at a Flame and ended up in the box. Scott Laughtin clearly grabbed James Neal’s jersey to try and do a roller derby-esque whip around. Not good. Shayne Gostisbehere slashed a stick out of an opponent’s hands in frustration.

And there were more that could have been called that weren’t.

The abundance of bad plays where these players are thinking as individuals in the moment and not for the greater good of the team is indicative of a team that is fractured.

To their credit though, the Flyers did a nice job of killing off all four penalties. The much-maligned penalty kill was good. It was aggressive. It actually finished plus-one as Sean Couturier, back in the lineup after missing the last two games, scored his second goal of the night shorthanded:

Welcome back, Coots!

#PHIvsCGY | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/alOCcMlzJR

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) December 13, 2018

The PK really didn’t allow Calgary a lot of room to operate, and when the Flames did get chances, goalie Anthony Stolarz was there to make a big stop.

But those little victories were Pyrrhic because it allowed Calgary to get a lot of offensive momentum and it also tired out the Flyers’ best players while rooting many others to the bench for an extended period of time in the third period.

So, in the final minutes of the game, tired players are being used and Hakstol is forced to go to other players probably not expected to play in these situations.

And not to mention, Calgary pulls their goalie, going into a six-on-five situation. But, rather than play like they did when they were killing penalties earlier in the period – aggressive, pressuring the puck, forcing Calgary to make decisions earlier that it would like – the Flyers sat back and let the Flames take the game to them.

No Bueno.

First, there was the fourth goal:

What a massive slap shot by Rasmus Andersson for his first NHL goal!! pic.twitter.com/VjUrFvjATf

— Ryan McArthur (@ryanpmcarthur) December 13, 2018

The Flyers couldn’t get a clear here, but it’s notable that Voracek, who had fresh legs in the third because he doesn’t kill penalties, is on the ice and doesn’t get the clear or the blocked shot. Not that the goal is his fault, but you probably want a more defensive minded forward on the ice at this point.

Couturier is out there, almost because he has to be – he played 26 minutes in the game. And take note that Raffl is out there as well – actually he puts a big hit on Rasmus Andersson seconds before Andersson scores the goal.

Raffl too has to be a bit spent considering all of his ice time in on the PK.

But notice too how there is no challenging the puck. The Flyers are just trying to take away passing and shooting lanes. That’s too conservative in this instance – especially up by two goals. You can afford to force the action more there, and they didn’t.

Then comes the tying goal:

(video courtesy Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic)

In this goal, the playrs on the ice for the Flyers are Claude Giroux, Dale Weise, Couturier, Ivan Provorov and Andrew MacDonald.

Remember, Raffl had just come off and Couturier stays on. Weise may seem like an odd choice here, but considering the options, there aren’t many guys who are left to use on the bench who you would want in this defensive role.

Wayne Simmonds is maybe the only other choice, but you aren’t going to go to Travis Konecny here, nor Nolan Patrick, nor James van Riemsdyk. None are defensive-minded.

The only other options are Phil Varone and Oskar Lindblom, and they had barely played at all. A lot of fans would have screamed for Lindblom, but the reality is Lindblom is barely hanging on to his spot in the lineup. He struggled mightily in a larger role this season. Used in limited action against the opposition’s depth forwards he’s proving serviceable, but dragging him on the ice cold in a key defensive spot is not fair to Lindblom nor is it a good decision coaching-wise.

So the only choice here is between Wiese and Simmonds. Hakstol chose Weise, and likely because his all around game – from a pressure and defensive mindset has been better than Simmonds lately.

Now, everyone on Twitter is all over Weise and MacDonald for this goal. But really, is it their fault?

Go back and watch it again but look for these things:

Weise pressures the puck up ice initially. That’s his job and then he gets back to get into defensive position. He is the high man taking away the shot from the point and does that well.

MacDonald is the right defenseman and he’s in his position until he realizes that Provorov has drifted a little too high in the left circle. Once he does this, MacDonald immediately goes to the net to mark Johnny Gaudreau who has now gotten behind Provorov.

Seeing an opening because of this, Sean Monahan heads to the net, creating a 2-on-1 down low for the Flames.

When it comes to coverage, this is Giroux’s man now, not MacDonald’s because MacDonald went to Gaudreau to cover for Provorov. He makes a flailing attempt to block the pass to Monahan, but he’s gliding a little too much and not quite where he needs to be.

So, the question is, should Provy be playing a zone here, or should he be closer to his net to mark Gaudreau? Should MacDonald stay with Monahan and leave Gaudreau open, or is the right move to rotate to the open man at the side of the net? Should Giroux take away the slot? Or is that perhaps Couturier’s responsibility since he is kind of floating out higher in the slot as well?

In short, there are multiple breakdowns and a lack of communication here. You can’t pin this goal on MacDonald and Weise. Sorry. I know they are Twitter targets, but it’s not their fault this goal went in.

I’m not defending MacDonald. I have in the past, but this season he’s not been good when he’s been in the lineup. He really has regressed, and i’m not sure if this was related to trying to come back too quickly from an injury or what, but he’s been below his level – which is that usually of a 5-6 defenseman.

But in this instance, you can’t blame him. You can’t blame Weise – who has played very well this season and isn’t deserving of criticism. And you can’t blame the coach for having them on the ice. There were other breakdowns on this goal that are far more important than the constant false narrative that Hakstol only trusts bad veteran players.

The Overtime

This was a kick in the teeth, too.

Hakstol is getting criticized for starting OT with Couturier, Konecny and Provorov rather than Giroux, Voracek and Gostisbehere, but can you blame him?

Calgary is a one-line team. And if they’re going to put Gaudreau and Monahan on the ice for the first shift in OT, who do you want out there against them? The answer is Couturier every time. It’s not even a question. And which defenseman do you want out there against them? It’s Provorov. Even with his struggles he’s your best guy.

The strategy is sound. Get through the first shift with your best two-way forward and best two-way defenseman against their most dangerous guys and you’ve now created a serious mismatch for yourself to get your best players on the ice.

This doesn’t happen often on the road, so when Hakstol sees that, he has to like his odds.

The problem is, Provorov doesn’t score on his chance and after a lost board battle on the wall is left chasing the play.

Konecny does cover and gets back as the lone “defender” but after a failed poke check, he takes himself out of the play and starts to think about breaking out the other way. Watch the replay and see what Konecny does:

Tonight's @EASPORTSNHL OT winner from Johnny is straight

#PHIvsCGY | #Flames pic.twitter.com/cCLCEzgfSF

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 13, 2018

TK has to stay with a man. Couturier does his job in taking Monahan out of the play and continues to box him out. I’m not sure what Provorov is thinking either. OT is a man-to-man defense in the NHL and with Provy skating to the same guy Couturier is covering and TK starting to skate away from the play in hopes of getting a breakaway, it basically leaves Gaudreau and Mark Giordano in a 2-on-none. Stolarz stops the first two shots, but if you don’t defend players, eventually they’re going to score.

In Closing

The problem with the Flyers right now, aside from their crappy special teams, is not measurable statistically. The Flyers play good stretches of games. Dominant in fact. They were the better team for half the game against Winnipeg Sunday and still lost 7-1.

The problem is, these players don’t stick with their gameplan. They don’t stick with their system. They try to freelance too much and get too cute. They don’t handle pressure well. They don’t respond to adversity well. They are fragile. They are broken.

Chuck Fletcher will make changes – and soon.

From what I’m hearing, I believe one trade could happen in the next week – and it could be a big one.

The Flyers want to add a goalie. They want to add a defenseman. They want to add a forward. They want to change the culture of this locker room right now.

I think the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs are prime trade partners for the Flyers right now. Don’t be surprised if something happens in a deal with one of those two teams before the Flyers return to the Wells Fargo Center next week.

The post This Roster is Broken: Thoughts after Flames 6, Flyers 5 appeared first on Crossing Broad.

This Roster is Broken: Thoughts after Flames 6, Flyers 5 published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Draft Lottery; Lineup News; Looking Ahead – April 10

  It was quite the eventful draft lottery as Colorado did not end up with the first overall pick, sliding to fourth. The Rangers, Devils, and Blackhawks all jumped into the top-3. New Jersey ended up grabbing the top pick with New York ending up in the second slot.

Should everything go to plan, the Devils will be adding an elite talent immediately to the lineup. This team desperately needed another elite talent up front and they got it. The Rangers get a great prospect in their own right. Not a bad night for those franchises, and sincerest sympathies to Avalanche fans.��

*

Just want to say that I really hope Jake Bean can get into some postseason games for the Hurricanes. He had a marvelous AHL season and is a guy I’ve been waiting to see in the NHL for a couple years now. I assume there would have to be at least one more injury for him to get a spot in the lineup, but all the same, I have high hopes for the kid.

*

Slava Voynov has been suspended by the NHL for next season plus the 2020 playoffs for his domestic abuse plea deal. There had been murmurs that teams were interested in signing him, and this suspension will likely dissuade these suitors (not that they shouldn’t have been dissuaded before the suspension).

*

Minnesota general manager Paul Fenton expects both Mikko Koivu and Matt Dumba to be ready for the start of training camp in September. That’s great news for Wild fans and fantasy hockey enthusiasts.

*

Yesterday I was editing an article for Cameron Metz and in one paragraph he proclaimed that it marked the one-year anniversary for him at Dobber Hockey (congrats, Cam!). That got me thinking: this time of year would mark my own anniversary here at Dobber Hockey. Four years, to be exact. Next Tuesday will mark four years I’ve been with Dobber Hockey (man, time flies).

This link brings you to the first Ramblings I ever posted. Included are such topics as:

Peter Chiarelli being fired by the Bruins

Craig Berube’s future being up in the air with the Flyers

Boston’s cap crunch due to players like Carl Soderberg and Dougie Hamilton needing new contracts

The difference between Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek playing with Brayden Schenn and playing with Michael Raffl

Ryan Strome’s excellent 50-point season with the Islanders

Looking back at what’s happened since that Ramblings post nearly four years ago is kind of hilarious. Chiarelli has since been hired and fired by the Oilers, Berube is a coach of the year candidate in St. Louis, neither Soderberg nor Hamilton are still in Boston, Schenn is thriving in St. Louis, and Strome never recaptured that level of success. Time not only flies, but it makes fools of us all.

Seeing as this is the last day before playoffs start, it might be the last chance to do something like this, so I wanted to take a stab at what the NHL might look like in four years. Ready to be made a fool of again? I am.

  Unbelievable Free Agent Class

A lot of stars have signed huge contracts in recent seasons with lengths of anywhere from six to eight years. A lot of those contracts will be running out in the same three-year span, and that will lead to a lot of talent in unrestricted free agency, even if they’re older. Per Cap Friendly, here are some of the names that could theoretically be available after the 2022-23 season: Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jonathan Toews, David Pastrnak, Sean Monahan, Nathan MacKinnon, Dylan Larkin, Ryan O’Reilly, Max Pacioretty, James van Riemsdyk, Jonathan Huberdeau, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Bo Horvat. That kind of talent in a single free agent class is almost surreal.

Of course, as alluded to, a lot of players will be in their 30s by that point. There are a handful of guys who will be in their mid-to-late 20s like MacKinnon, Pastrnak, Monahan, and Larkin. With the likelihood of a lockout looming, will some of the older players not named who will also be UFA like Milan Lucic, Kyle Okposo, and Duncan Keith be bought out?

The younger guys, I’m sure, will be extended by their current teams. What about everyone else? Wouldn’t it be cool for Toews and Kane to do what Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne did and take cheap contracts to sign somewhere together? Regardless, in a few years’ time, there will be a lot of high-profile free agents that will start hitting the market.

  Colorado Powerhouse

It seems pretty likely that Colorado is one of the top teams in the league in four years, isn’t it? They’ll have MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen on the roster, Samuel Girard will be a top-tier puck-mover, Cale Makar has the look of a future Norris Trophy contender, and then there’s Ottawa’s top pick from this year. There will be a great core to build around and if management can manage to not pull an Edmonton or Buffalo, it will hopefully be a championship core.

Of course, there is a lot else the team will have to deal with. Their captain, Gabriel Landeskog, is a free agent after the 2020-21 season. Will he still be around? Will Tyson Barrie? Will any of the young guys currently on the roster like J.T. Compher, Alex Kerfoot, and Tyson Jost be making an impact on the 2022-23 roster? This is certainly a team on the rise, but the toughest leap to make is from a good team to a championship-calibre team. Can the Avs be that team?

I say yes. There were some early bumps in the road but the Avalanche management group has made solid deals over the last year or so. As long as they can keep making positive deals for the franchise, there’s no reason to believe they’ll flounder. I believe in April 2023, we’ll be talking about the Avalanche as one of the top franchises in the league, returning to the glory they enjoyed early in the franchise’s existence.

  Tkachuk Brothers

In the fantasy game, guys I have a soft spot for are the across-the-board performers. They’re guys who may not excel in any individual category, but the sum of their parts makes for a great fantasy campaign. In years gone by, this included names like David Backes, Wayne Simmonds, and Andrew Ladd. When looking around the league currently, names like Kyle Palmieri, Gabriel Landeskog, and Brendan Gallagher fit this bill. We’re always looking to the future, and it appears the future in this category belongs to the Brothers Tkachuk.

In many ways, they’ve already sort of arrived in this position. The elder Tkachuk, Matthew, was a top-30 fantasy player in standard Yahoo! leagues this year, one year after being a top-130 player. He’s a young star on the rise and he’s proved himself as such.

Brady Tkachuk has also arrived but not to the same degree just yet. He had a marvelous rookie season, becoming sixth 19-year old rookie since the 2012 lockout to post a season with at least 20 goals, 20 assists, and 200 shots, joining Dylan Larkin, Jack Eichel, Sebastian Aho, Auston Matthews, and Clayton Keller. To put the cherry on top in multi-category leagues, Tkachuk had 75 penalty minutes and 174 hits. That is just outstanding.

It very much appears that Matthew and Brady will follow in the footsteps of past multi-cat stars like Backes and Simmonds, and current multi-cat stars like Gallagher and Landeskog. In four years, it’s very likely that both of those players are easily top-50 picks in roto leagues, if not higher.

  Alex Ovechkin

It’s hard to imagine, but in four years, Ovechkin could be with a different franchise (he’s UFA after the 2020-21 season). I don’t actually think he’ll finish his career anywhere else but Washington, I’m just saying it’s possible. Regardless, if Ovechkin can average 40 goals a year for the next four years, he’ll have passed Gordie Howe on the all-time goal scoring list and will be about 80 goals behind Wayne Gretzky for the all-time record.

Of course, the major wrench that could be thrown in all this is the potential of a lockout after the 2019-20 season. Ovechkin already lost a season and a half to lockouts, which have cost him, what, about 60 goals by now? If we lose another season, that’ll make Ovechkin’s task even more difficult.

It could be very likely that in four years, we’re lamenting what could have been with Alex Ovechkin. His pursuit of Gretzky’s record could be one of the great record chases of this generation. Will Ovechkin have maintained his elite goal scoring prowess while not losing a season to the lockout? I’m hopeful, but the NHL’s history with labour negotiations is cause for concern.

  Seattle

With Seattle getting an NHL franchise, the league will be at 32 teams. This new franchise is going to have the same rebuild rules as Vegas, so will the enjoy the same early success as Vegas?

I think to expect any expansion franchise to replicate the accomplishments of the Golden Knights through their first two seasons is expecting far too much. I think teams will have learned from this mistake. You won’t have teams ship out 30-goal scorers on bargain contracts (Florida), letting go of multiple young prospects to save one player (Minnesota), or over-paying to get rid of a bad contract (Columbus). Well, you probably won’t… shouldn’t? Regardless, I do think teams will learn from their mistakes and Seattle will be in for a rough early couple seasons.

This isn’t to say there won’t be hope. The end of the 2022-23 season will bring Seattle to the end of their second season. It’ll will probably be another year of missing playoffs, but they’ll have an absolutely loaded cupboard of prospects. There will be a lot of promise for the years that follow.

Seattle’s new franchise is going to go through growing pains that Vegas did not have to endure due unimaginably bad decisions across the league. But in four years, there will be promise of much better days ahead.

  Those are a few things I’ll be looking for in four years. How about you? What stands out as something we accept now that’ll change in four years? What will be the same? Hit up the comments. 

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-draft-lottery-lineup-news-looking-ahead-april-10/

[junker-town]

2017 NHL mock draft: Stars, Lightning get top-5 talent in our 1st simulation

Everything is backward.

The 2017 NHL Entry Draft is 151 days away, but it’s already time to start thinking about how special it’ll be.

After all, there’s a twist this year: the Vegas Golden Knights will draft their first player in franchise history, throwing a monkey wrench into the works. Vegas will receive the same draft lottery odds as the team with the third-best odds, meaning they’re pretty much guaranteed a top-three pick.

Plus, the pecking order is all backward. Stanley Cup hopefuls like Dallas and Tampa Bay will likely pick in the top 10, while Edmonton and Toronto are playoff-bound.

So here’s our first monthly NHL mock draft. Note that the order isn’t lined up with the standings because I ran the standings through the Tankathon simulator based on current standings and odds. The following draft order is based on the first (and only) time I simulated it. And since most teams are still fighting for playoff chances, the order will look totally different next month.

Let the fun begin.

1. Colorado Avalanche - Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon (WHL)

When you have the luxury of the first overall pick, you never pass the chance at taking the best player available. And Patrick is simply the best player in the 2017 draft. The 6’3 center is molded in the vein of Auston Matthews: a big forward with skill and vision to spare. A center with size is something the Avalanche have lacked with Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, and Patrick’s equally strong playmaking abilities should provide a nice complementary element.

2. Vegas Golden Knights - Nico Hischier, C, Halifax Mooseheads

There is no consensus second-best player in the draft, but Hischier is approaching that status. The 6’1 center from Switzerland rose in scouts’ minds even before the World Juniors, but his strong performance there only magnified his abilities in everyone’s minds. Few players in the draft blend speed and scoring senses like Hischier, and he’ll be a good first block for the Golden Knights to build around.

3. Arizona Coyotes - Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle

I’ve seen a few mock drafts predicting the Coyotes will go with a forward here. I don’t really see it; so few NHL teams are blessed with a forward pipeline as strong as Arizona’s. They can afford to take a defenseman here, even if it ends up as a bit of a reach.

And I don’t think Liljegren qualifies as a reach yet. A lengthy bout of mono kept him out of the lineup in Sweden for a few months, and thus he’s fallen in scouts’ eyes. That’s unfair. Liljegren is still a smart, puck-moving defenseman with plenty of high upside, and the kind of player I think GM John Chayka adores.

4. Dallas Stars - Gabriel Vilardi, C/RW, Windsor Spitfires

Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images

The Stars simply can’t afford to swing and miss on another project first-round pick. Too many (Scott Glennie, Jack Campbell, Jamie Oleksiak) have stagnated their progress as a franchise.

Luckily, Vilardi is both a strong prospect and the kind of forward the Stars look for. He’s big (6’3), but he’s a possession hound, defensively responsible, and has a true knack for scoring and finding the open man. As good a Jason Spezza replacement as any other prospect in the draft.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning - Juuso Valimaki, D, Tri-City (WHL)

Another team with Stanley Cup aspirations likely heading up the draft instead, the Lightning might consider trading down to pick up a defenseman later in the round. But Valimaki might not be a reach here. Tampa Bay lacks a true offensive-minded defenseman in their stacked system, and Valimaki is the best one of those in the draft. The 6’2 defenseman is enjoying a strong year in the WHL with 40 points in 40 games.

6. Winnipeg Jets - Elias Pettersson, C, Timra (SWE-2)

Winnipeg’s future on the wings is bright with Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers already emerging as stars and Kyle Connor, Nic Petan, and Jack Roslovic on the way. But what their system lacks is a pass-first center who can distribute the puck at exceptional levels. Pettersson fits that mold with some of the best playmaking vision in the draft. If Pettersson becomes the Sam Reinhart to Laine’s Jack Eichel, then the Jets would be quite pleased.

7. Florida Panthers - Eeli Tolvanen, RW, Sioux City (USHL)

Considering the front office turmoil in Sunrise this year, it’s hard to gauge what the Panthers will look for at the draft. It’s easier to look at what their system lacks and work from there, so we’ll go with a winger for now. And Tolvanen is a nice prize: he’s quick, plays with excellent vision, and has shown strong possession play in his own end. He’ll play at Boston College next season.

8. New Jersey Devils - Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (WHL)

Rasmussen is a pure power forward with a strong nose for the net and scoring ability. His huge 6’6 frame belies his mobility — Rasmussen’s skating could improve, but he’s agile enough to create plays around the net and talented enough to know how to finish the many puck battles he’ll win. Rasmussen has 30 goals and 52 points in 48 games.

9. Detroit Red Wings - Nicolas Hague, D, Mississauga (OHL)

If the Wings are finally ready to rebuild, then a strong defenseman with offensive ability is a nice place to start. Hague is huge (6’6, 208 lbs), and he already displays awareness of how to use that size and reach to his defensive advantage. But he’s a two-way defender, with 32 points and 14 goals this season.

10. Buffalo Sabres - Klim Kostin, W, Balashikha (KHL)

Kostin’s draft stock has risen considerably, and it’s not hard to see why. The 6’3 winger reminds one of Denis Gurianov, the Dallas Stars prospect who dominated the World Juniors with Russia in December. He skates well, is strong on the puck, and would provide a nice scoring, power winger presence to Buffalo’s system. He’s out for the next three months with a shoulder injury, however.

11. Boston Bruins - Casey Mittelstadt, C, Eden Prairie (High School)

It’s time for the Bruins to start preparing for life without Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci, who are approaching the last third of their NHL careers. Mittelstadt, a University of Minnesota recruit, could be that center of the future for the Bruins: a hard-working, high-energy attacking center with vision and skill for days. He could be the steal of the first round.

12. Calgary Flames - Cale Makar, D, Brooks (AJHL)

Bound for U-Mass Amherst next season, Makar could run the Flames’ power play for a long time. Makar has gone from draft unknown to first-round dark horse after a strong performance at the 2016 World Junior A Challenge.

The 5’11 defenseman is what you want out of an offensive-minded, puck-moving blue liner these days: playmaking ability and vision in the offensive zone with speed and responsibility to cover in his own end. Makar could be a strong pickup for the Flames, who would love to see him and Johnny Gaudreau play together on the power play.

13. Vancouver Canucks - Lias Andersson, C, HV 71 (SWE)

Bo Horvat is becoming a player to build around for the Canucks, and Andersson would complement him nicely down the middle for years to come. The Swedish center possesses playmaking ability and a two-way mindset that would make him useful in all situations, kind of like Aleksander Barkov does in Florida.

14. New York Islanders - Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga (OHL)

Hey, remember when John Tavares had a winger who could finish plays for him named Kyle Okposo? That was fun.

Tippett is in the same mold: a 6’2 right-winger with a knack for finishing plays fueled by an elite skating ability and one of the best shots in the draft. New York must start giving Tavares players to thrive with. Tippett is a good start.

15. Carolina Hurricanes - Cody Glass, C, Portland (WHL)

Carolina is healthy on the wings and on defense throughout their system, but they lack some speed and skill down the middle. Glass would fill that hole. A relative unknown before this season, Glass has skyrocketed up draft rankings with 38 assists and 59 points in 45 games with Portland. Still growing into his 6’2 frame, Glass’ exceptional playmaking abilities would make him hard for the Hurricanes to pass up.

16. Los Angeles Kings - Ryan Poehling, C, St. Cloud State (NCAA)

Few teams covet strength and two-way games more than Los Angeles. Poehling is loved by scouts for those qualities, making him a player trusted in all situations for his college team. If he’s NHL-ready soon, Poehling could easily slot well into L.A.’s third line. And, if asked, he could play a top-six role on either Jeff Carter’s wing or as his center.

17. Philadelphia Flyers - Nikita Popugaev, LW, Prince George (WHL)

Philly has done quite well in recent drafts filling system needs with high-upside players with bright futures. But an over-reliance on depth scorers like Matt Read and Michael Raffl can only go so far. Size and skill are in order as Jakub Voracek ages, and Nikita Popugaev fits that mold. The 6’6 power winger put up 51 points in 40 games with Moose Jaw before a deadline trade to Prince George.

18. St. Louis Blues - Callan Foote, D, Kelowna (WHL)

We know what the Blues want out of their defensemen: size, mobility, and smarts. Offensive upside is an added bonus. Foote meets all of those criteria with a 6’3 frame, accurate, well-reasoned zone exits, and oozing with hockey IQ. And wouldn’t it be perfect if Adam Foote’s kid haunted the Avalanche for years?

19. Nashville Predators - Martin Necas, C, Brno (CZE)

Nashville went heavy on defensemen last draft, as if they were preparing to trade Shea Weber or something. Hm.

So they can afford to go after a forward in the first round in 2017. And with Mike Ribeiro on his way out, the Predators could use a similar pass-first player like Necas. Few players in the 2017 draft possess his combination of speed and puck-handling, which lets him create space for teammates and find them with accurate passes.

20. Toronto Maple Leafs - Urho Vaakanainen, D, JYP (FIN)

It’s true that Toronto’s glut of incredible forwards needs a puck-mover to get the puck to them, but they also need someone equally capable of keeping the puck out of their own end. Vaakanainen is the best of both worlds this late in the first round, with intelligence with exit decisions and a defensive game sound enough to offset risks taken by Morgan Rielly or Nikita Zaitsev. A safe pick.

21. Ottawa Senators - Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G, HPK Jr. (FIN)

With Thomas Chabot and Colin White on the way, the Senators’ future with skaters is bright. But they need something to look forward to in net, and it’s not Matt O’Connor. Luukkonen is the best goalie in the draft, with the size (6’4) and agility scouts love. He was the lone bright spot on a disappointing Finland World Juniors roster, and as safe a bet as goalie draftees get.

22. Edmonton Oilers - Henri Jokiharju, D, Portland (WHL)

Alright, I’ll just say it: it’s super weird to be talking about Oilers and Leafs draft prospects this late in the first round. I don’t like it.

Edmonton should look for a power play quarterback of the future here, and Jokiharju is the best one available at the moment. Makar’s rise has led to Jokiharju’s fall, but that’s no fault of his own. Like Makar, he uses his small, 6’0 frame to elude defenders and make smart passes out of his zone or within the offensive zone. More of a project than Makar, but that’s kind of what you get later in the first round.

23. Anaheim Ducks - Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo (USHL)

Ryan Getzlaf is already starting to slow down, and Ryan Kesler might join him soon. Bowers is a good step toward the future of the Ducks’ center depth, with qualities they value: size (at 6’1, he’s still growing), playmaking ability, and a two-way mindset. He’ll join Boston University next year, where he’ll continue to grow into an effective top-six player.

24. San Jose Sharks - Kailer Yamamoto, W, Spokane (WHL)

If you’re a small winger then you’re usually doomed to at least the second round, because scouts haven’t figured out that those players can succeed in today’s NHL more easily than ever. But I hope Yamamoto gets taken in the first round because he’s a joy to watch. The 5’7 winger mixes the game-breaking of a Johnny Gaudreau with the feisty edge of a Brendan Gallagher. He’s ninth in WHL scoring with 30 goals and 62 points in 41 games.

25. New York Rangers - Filip Westerlund, D, Frolunda (SWE)

If the Rangers are smart, they’ll draft heavy on defense this season. Marc Staal and Ryan McDonagh aren’t getting any younger and Dan Girardi isn’t getting any better. Westerlund is admired for how his intelligence with the puck offsets his stout 6’0 frame. He’s already trusted in most situations with Frolunda as a teenager, so he’s more NHL-ready than most European defensemen.

26. Montreal Canadiens - Maxime Comtois, LW, Victoriaville (QMJHL)

Photo by Mathieu Belanger/Getty Images

Once regarded as a top-five pick, Comtois’ stock has fallen as other players have simply exceeded their initial expectations. So he’s still a good player, and exactly the kind of winger the Canadiens would love to have. He’s tough on the puck, but will walk right up to the edge without crossing over it. Add in elite speed and a sneaky wrist shot, and Comtois could become a terrific player in Montreal.

27. Chicago Blackhawks - Nick Suzuki, C, Owen Sound (OHL)

Suzuki is the kind of Swiss Army knife center that teams are falling more in love with. As a teenager, he already kills penalties better than most prospects and constantly makes great decisions whenever the puck is on his stick, no matter what zone he’s in. Again, his height (5’11) might make him drop this far, and the Blackhawks would love to let him marinate in their system.

28. Pittsburgh Penguins - Miro Heiskanen, D, HIFK (FIN)

Heiskanen’s stock fell after a quiet World Juniors, but he’s still a defenseman with intriguing upside, even if he ends up as a bit of a long-term investment. The good news is he’s leaned on heavily by HIFK even as one of the youngest prospects available, meaning there’s already a lot to like.

29. Minnesota Wild - Matthew Strome, LW, Hamilton (OHL)

Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images

If there’s one thing Eric Staal taught the Wild, it’s that a skilled winger with size can thrive in their system. Strome fits perfectly in that case. The younger brother of Ryan and Dylan, Matthew put up 23 goals and 38 points in the first half of the season with Hamilton.

30. Washington Capitals - Isaac Ratcliffe, LW, Guelph (OHL)

If there’s one place where Washington’s system is lacking, it’s depth and size on the left wing. Ratcliffe projects as a power forward with finishing ability, enjoying a breakout year with 22 goals and 40 points in 46 games.

31. Columbus Blue Jackets - Stelio Mattheos, RW, Brandon (WHL)

Overshadowed by Nolan Patrick, Mattheos stepped in admirably in the center’s absence this season. He’s shown strong offensive ability but will more likely end up as a complementary winger who performs well in whatever situation Columbus asks him to play.

[thrashermaxey]

Ramblings: Hart Wins His Debut, Ghost Wakes Up, Morrissey, Skinner, Kadri, & Kase (Dec. 19)

  The Maple Leafs and Devils met on Tuesday evening in Jersey. Toronto came into the contest on a mini-slide, picking up just four points in their last five contests. That slipped them to third in the Atlantic and they were looking to right the ship. Meanwhile, Taylor Hall returned from injury for a floundering Devils squad who needs to get the momentum running in the right direction if they have any aspirations of a wild card spot this spring. 

  It was all Toronto early in this one. The Maple Leafs scored three goals on their first eight shots, with Auston Matthews getting in on two of them (1+1). The porous play of Keith Kinkaid only further exacerbates the issues in net for the Devils. Cory Schneider is now mercifully on the IR, but his days of stopping pucks at a respectable level appear over. Kinkaid has had stretches of success, but shouldn't be considered a long-term solution.

  That leaves Mackenzie Blackwood. 

  The 22-year-old is up with the big club after posting a .911 save percentage in 15 AHL games this season. Blackwood has the pedigree of a potential NHL starter but still has more than a few warts to clear up. If you're looking for a prospect goalie with a clear path though, there aren't too many better spots than in New Jersey.

  Blackwood would see some action after Kinkaid let in his fifth of the night. It wasn't overly promising for the youngster either as he stopped 8/10 and the Leafs cruised to a 7-2 victory.

  Nazem Kadri produced three even-strength primary assists on the night. The line of him, Marleau and Nylander seem to be forming some chemistry. Kadri still sees strong deployment on that vaunted top power-play unit. He's likely good for a better pace than the 45-point clip he was at coming into this game. 

  Watch for an opportunity to buy low. 

**

  With Dave Hakstol finally and mercifully, let go. The Flyers hosted the Red Wings on Tuesday evening. Fill-in coach, Scott Gordon shook up the lines ahead of this one. It was JVR being elevated to the top line next to Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny. A great spot for the two youngsters. 

  Jakub Voracek, who has been waking from his early-season slumber and just saw a seven-game, eight-point streak snapped in Vancouver last Saturday, was skating next to Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds. That left Nolan Patrick to skate beside Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl. 

  What really needs to be fixed for the fantasy folk is the power play. 

  The Flyers have historically been a dangerous team on the man-advantage. They clicked at 20.7 percent a season ago, but have slipped all the way the 30th overall this season with a putrid 12.7 percent conversion rate. This has been felt in no bigger a spot than to Shayne Gostisbehere owners.

  Ghost led all defenders in power-play points last season with 33. He has seven in 31 contests this year to be on pace for 19. Bravo to all you who have remained patient, waiting for your All-Star blueliner to return to form. 

  Ghost continued to skate on the top unit with Voracek next to him on the point. Simmonds was given the first crack at the net front job on the top unit – a place that he occupied (and thrived in) for years in Philly. 

  Lo and behold, Gostisbehere managed to get in on the action tonight. He assisted on a van Riemsdyk first period even-strength tally and converted an even-strength goal as well. That brings the Gostisbehere up to 15 points in 33 games. We'll take this a positive indication that more good times will follow.

  **

Allow me to bury the lede here and slip in that 20-year-old, Carter Hart started his first NHL game. He's the sixth goaltender to start a game for Philadelphia this season.

    The Flyers' top prospect wasn't exactly lighting the AHL on fire as a first-year pro, with just a 0.901 save percentage in 17 games. He had been warming up though, with a 0.922 mark across his last seven starts. 

And what'd ya know, the kid earned himself a victory. Hart stopped 20 of 22 shots as the Flyers took down Detroit 3-2. Not a bad opening act. 

**

Obligatory Elias Pettersson chat. Coming into Tuesday's matchup against the Lightning, here is how the 20-year-old rookie compares to his first-year brethren over the past 25 years

  {source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most points through their first 30 NHL games (last 25 years):<br><br>Alexei Yashin 36<br>Elias Pettersson 35<br>Alex Ovechkin 34<br>Connor McDavid 34<br>Evgeni Malkin 33<br>Sidney Crosby 31<br>Patrick Kane 30 <a href="https://t.co/DgtIhvtQrS">pic.twitter.com/DgtIhvtQrS</a></p>— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1074537548616163329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

  The 20-year-old saw his seven-game, 13 point streak come to an end on Tuesday as the Canucks fell to the Lightning 5-2. It was a feisty and shot-filled affair. Not bad for a couple of teams on opposite ends of the continent.

  The Lightning are now 26-7-2 on the season. Vasilevskiy is back and looking like the franchise netminder he is. This team is jacked up. 

  **

The Ducks took on the Rangers on the road. They've been riding hot of late and I think I know the reason. 

  {source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ducks are 12-3-2 since Ondrej Kase recovered from concussion and joined the lineup. Nine goals in his 17 games, with six in his last six.</p>— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) <a href="https://twitter.com/icemancometh/status/1074894735196733440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

  I've been a big proponent of Kase's for a while. Maybe not as big as our boy, Slim Cliffy, but a proponent nonetheless. His spot in the top six was facilitated by injuries, but he's held it due to his production. He looks like a perfect fit next to Ryan Getzlaf on L1. Now all that's left is to get him onto the top power-play unit and watch him produce at a consistent 60-point-pace. 

  Kase managed to snag a secondary assist in this one to give him eight points in his last five games. That's a heater. But it's not as good as what Kevin Hayes is up to. The Rangers' pivot scored the shorthanded game-winner on Tuesday to extend his point streak to five games and 10 points. 

  Hayes has been excellent in the second quarter and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. He's clicking below his career shooting percentage and has been feasting on opponents at five-on-five. Those are great signs for prolonged success.

  If he's still on the wire, it's time to snatch him up. 

  **

Vladdy Namestnikov had a goal and two helpers in this one. But he's seeing virtually no power-play deployment and has been living in the bottom six. 

  Leave him be for now. 

  **

John Klingberg skated at Stars' practice for the second consecutive day. He's getting closer to a return and could suit up on Thursday against Chicago. Needless to say, this is a big-time Christmas present for the Stars and for fantasy owners. I know it's been a long five weeks without him on my roster. 

  **

Dallas and Calgary hooked up for a battle in the Big D. The Flames came into this one having won eight of their last nine games. Meanwhile, the Stars reunited Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alex Radulov on the top line to spark some offence. The Dallas trio hooked up on the first goal of the game as the Stars beat the Flames 2-0

  It wasn't an overly exciting contest, but Ben Bishop did leave this one after taking a knock to the head. He returned to lock up the shutout, but we've seen players come back into games after potential concussions only to feel the effects a day later. Keep an eye on his status. 

  **

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chicago just announced that they will loan Henri Jokiharju to Finland for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WJC2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WJC2019</a>. That's HUGE for the Suomi. They've got their top defender now and will hope to get Vaakanainen to complete the top pair.</p>— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1075069051234222080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

  **

The Panthers earned a much-needed victory on Tuesday evening. They overcame two first period deficits to beat the Sabres 5-2. Evgeni Dadonov led the way with two goals and an assist. One of the tallies came via a penalty shot that narrowly squeaked in. And I do mean narrowly. 

  https://dobberhockey.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/12/Daddy.mp4

  Dadonov continues his terrific season. The 29-year-old now sits with 33 points in 32 contests. 

  **

Jeff Skinner tallied his 25th goal of the season and added an assist in this one. He's all alone in second for the race for the Rocket. But at some point, his 24 percent conversion rate is going to crater. I love him next to Eichel in all-situations as captain Jack is establishing himself as a premier talent in this league. However, I smell a serious sell-high opportunity here with Skinner. 

  If you can pull an established 75-80 point player for Skinner, please do. 

  **

Martin Jones and the Sharks shutout the Wild 4-0. Logan Couture provided two goals, while Tomas Hertl chipped in with a couple of assists. 

  This was a big outing for Jones and his owners. He had just a 0.893 save percentage over the last six weeks coming into this game. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a sustained run of quality starts. Erik Karlsson is looking more and more like himself. That shouldn't hurt things. 

  **

Josh Morrissey kept his hot play alive despite Winnipeg losing 4-1 to LA in one of the late games. The 23-year-old grabbed a first period assist to give him 10 points in his last seven games. He's up to 21 points in 32 games all while seeing just 1:43 on the man-advantage each night. Granted, that Jets' second power-play unit boasts some big skill, but it's difficult to maintain a 50-plus point pace from the backend with top unit deployment. 

  I expect a cold streak is coming.

  **

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @Hockey_Robinson

    from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-hart-makes-his-debut-ghost-wakes-up-morrissey-skinner-kadri-kase-dec-19/