gotta say it's amusing how many posters, some of whom are in here for hourrrrs a day, didn't watch the game

set your dvrs, people
- -davies-

I record all the games on CSN, but I don't bother when they're on TCN because it's only shown in SD on FIOS and it looks horrible.

They last beat them in 2000, last in SJ was 1999...I believe.

What are people's thought on extending:

Downie (UFA)
B. Schenn (RFA)
Raffl (RFA)
Hall (UFA)
Kimmo (UFA)
Mez (UFA)
Gus (RFA)
Gill (UFA)
Emery (UFA)

Which would you keep, and what would your offer be?
- jmatchett383

Downie (UFA) Letting him walk
B. Schenn (RFA) Bridge deal, 3.5 million for 3 years.
Raffl (RFA) 2 year 1 million
Hall (UFA) I want a faster defensive 4th line... Most likely Laughtons spot next year.
Kimmo (UFA) If he wants to come back, I'm not giving him more then 3 million so i can fill other needs.
Mez (UFA) Depends on if he keeps getting better the rest of the season. If he signs for 1 million for 1 year he would be a good 7th d-man again.
Gus (RFA) I would really like to move on from Gus while he still has value. I would include him in a trade. He needs to show more at his age, and I feel like he is made of glass.
Gill (UFA) BYE
Emery (UFA) I would resign him, but I think he wants a chance to compete for a starter spot, so he will move on. But thats fine, get that AHL goalie a shot. There will always be cheap goalies to be had out there.

How about Kulemin?
- Feanor

Probably too expensive. Adding Laughton a lone should be like adding a top-9 forward next year.

Hopefully. Can't bank on that, just saying if there going to spend money at forward, it can't be anything crazy unless you trade a guy like Hartnell.

Downie (UFA) Letting him walk
B. Schenn (RFA) Bridge deal, 3.5 million for 3 years.
Raffl (RFA) 2 year 1 million
Hall (UFA) I want a faster defensive 4th line... Most likely Laughtons spot next year.
Kimmo (UFA) If he wants to come back, I'm not giving him more then 3 million so i can fill other needs.
Mez (UFA) Depends on if he keeps getting better the rest of the season. If he signs for 1 million for 1 year he would be a good 7th d-man again.
Gus (RFA) I would really like to move on from Gus while he still has value. I would include him in a trade. He needs to show more at his age, and I feel like he is made of glass.
Gill (UFA) BYE
Emery (UFA) I would resign him, but I think he wants a chance to compete for a starter spot, so he will move on. But thats fine, get that AHL goalie a shot. There will always be cheap goalies to be had out there.
- youarewrong

Have wins against LA and SJ as well as a solid effort against Anaheim sold you on this team yet?

Yup. They definitely seem to flatten out at home after a good road trip against tough opponents. Isn't their PP% quite a bit lower at home than on the road?

Maybe it's because, as G said last night, they are traveling and staying together as a team and that makes them closer and better? Whatever it is, they need to bring it home with them.
- wolfhounds

I think you guys should buy me 2 tickets to the next game. I'm thier lucky charm. I'm the one that started off the run in the Edmonton game...

Many players feel more comfortable on the road because it simplifies their lives. It becomes eat, sleep, hockey.
- PhillySportsGuy

Didn't Lavi have the players stay in a hotel before a home playoff game during the SC run? Or am I just making that up?

Downie (UFA): depends on the $$$, almost definitely no
B. Schenn (RFA): yes
Raffl (RFA): yes
Hall (UFA): yes
Kimmo (UFA): hell no
Mez (UFA): depends on the $$$, but probably no
Gus (RFA): yes
Gill (UFA): no
Emery (UFA): depends on the $$$

@ youarewrong

Gus has looked very good in the last two games, not sure if you got to watch them, but he definitely warrants another year deal for 1M, imo

hope your wife is doing well

Didn't Lavi have the players stay in a hotel before a home playoff game during the SC run? Or am I just making that up?
- wolfhounds

Maybe. It's not uncommon.

I remember the 49ers having to play two straight games on the east coast and Harbaugh kept the team their for the entire week.

Have wins against LA and SJ as well as a solid effort against Anaheim sold you on this team yet?
- jmatchett383

Sold me on this team? They are an average team, that is in trouble in the future. I dont think they are the worst team ever, but I still think they need to think about fixing thier wholes. Really happy about the recent wins, but I take them for what they are... a mid pack team.

Gus (RFA) I would really like to move on from Gus while he still has value. I would include him in a trade. He needs to show more at his age, and I feel like he is made of glass.
- youarewrong

More than leading the team in +/- by a large margin and being 3rd in PPG scoring amongst defensemen despite getting very little PP time?

I think you guys should buy me 2 tickets to the next game. I'm thier lucky charm. I'm the one that started off the run in the Edmonton game...
- youarewrong

Here we go...

I record all the games on CSN, but I don't bother when they're on TCN because it's only shown in SD on FIOS and it looks horrible.
- Feanor

ru serious?

@ youarewrong

Gus has looked very good in the last two games, not sure if you got to watch them, but he definitely warrants another year deal for 1M, imo

hope your wife is doing well
- Marc D

I haven't been watching, but that is good news. I would really like to see him play more games he rest of the season. The guy has had a lot of in season up and downs, and a lot of very untimely injuries. If he can continue to play well then I can see him earning a contract. But if its still a rollcoaster season, and given the fact he is not waiver exempt, I would think about moving him.

Edit: Thanks she is feeling fine, but stressed about all the Dr. Appts.

I didn't see the game but I like what I'm hearing as far as how they played. We've seen it all Season. When the Flyers are up on their skates and moving their feet, they are not a slow team, and they can compete with anybody. But they often don't move their feet and play slow far too often. If anyone can figure out why that is, let me know. But it is team wide when it happens, so it's not because they have players that are too slow. You can play fast, or play slow.
- MJL

The San Jose announcers kept making a great point about speed. They kept saying that knowing where the puck will be increases your team speed and the speed at which you play the game. It allows you to skate where you need to go without worrying about whether you have to hold up or change direction, you trust your system and team mates to put the pucks where you expect them to be quickly.

RE: Downie next year

Does anyone think that McGinn could replace Downie or play 4th line if Raffl goes to 3rd line?

McGinn-Coots-Read

Raffl - Laughton - Rinaldo/Hall

Sold me on this team? They are an average team, that is in trouble in the future. I dont think they are the worst team ever, but I still think they need to think about fixing thier wholes. Really happy about the recent wins, but I take them for what they are... a mid pack team.
- youarewrong

You were talking some sort of crazy along the lines of, "Well, they beat a crippled Detroit team. It's gonna take a few more wins against better teams to make me believe they're a playoff team," or something. Just wondering what the criteria is for that, and if it's been met.

Probably too expensive. Adding Laughton a lone should be like adding a top-9 forward next year.

Hopefully. Can't bank on that, just saying if there going to spend money at forward, it can't be anything crazy unless you trade a guy like Hartnell.
- mochoson

I think next year I would like a Cousins-Laughton-Rinaldo line. Energy, with scoring pop, and much faster then Hall.

ru serious?
- -davies-

it does look horrible on standard def

(I watch it anyway, but they should all be broadcast in HD)

RE: Downie next year

Does anyone think that McGinn could replace Downie or play 4th line if Raffl goes to 3rd line?

McGinn-Coots-Read

Raffl - Laughton - Rinaldo/Hall
- bgratch

For some reason, it seems they're reluctant to give McGinn a full-time spot.

Which is weird, because he's played really well for me on NHL14.

I would give Akeson a go instead of McGinn.

ru serious?
- -davies-

Yeah, I'm OK with just watching the highlights on NHLN.

I may be the only one here, but has anyone else preferred the defense WITHOUT Timonen the past two games? I have big time. I like this group of 6 playing together a lot, actually. There just seems to be more cohesion defensively.

Only so much to take away from that observation, as it's only been two games. But they've been two pretty good games. Could be masked by just a better overall effort from the entire team in general; forwards getting back, playoff like work ethic shift in and shift out, etc.

Just a thought: do we entertain trading Timonen to a contender, even if we are still in the hunt? Sounds silly, I know. But the return wouldn't likely be half bad.

ru serious?
- -davies-

It does look quite bad and is difficult to watch, but then I like to think back to the Legion of Doom days watching the game in SD on a 26" tube TV and all of a sudden it's not nearly as horrible.

RE: Downie next year

Does anyone think that McGinn could replace Downie or play 4th line if Raffl goes to 3rd line?

McGinn-Coots-Read

Raffl - Laughton - Rinaldo/Hall
- bgratch

right now I prefer Downie over McGinn

At the moment one is a legit NHLer and the other looks like a fringe call up.

Obviously this could all change in time.

I would give Akeson a go instead of McGinn.



Yeah, I'm OK with just watching the highlights on NHLN.
- Feanor

Depends on what the spot is. Most agree that Akeson's lone spot is a top-6 scoring line because he lacks...well, he's basically Briere lite. McGinn's more of a traditional bottom-6 guy who can play sporadically on the top-6.