I'm sure Lombardi is kicking himself right now. He got swindled by the Jackets.
- PLindbergh31

The comment made was that Frattin and a 2nd round pick was considered nothing. That's obviously not true. Whether it was a good deal, or who got the better of the trade, is another duscussion.

i'm not a conspiracy theorist or believer, BUT, you'd be a fool to think that any professional organization(s) is above corruption, sports in particular. i just posted an article the other day about the FIFA ref/game fixing scandal. it's absurd. we STILL don't know who killed JFK...i'm sure if the NHL wanted to keep some poop quiet...especially poop from awhile back...it wouldn't be that difficult.
- hammarby31

FIFA officials make big time boxing moguls seem ethical and trustworthy.

i'm not a conspiracy theorist or believer, BUT, you'd be a fool to think that any professional organization(s) is above corruption, sports in particular. i just posted an article the other day about the FIFA ref/game fixing scandal. it's absurd. we STILL don't know who killed JFK...i'm sure if the NHL wanted to keep some poop quiet...especially poop from awhile back...it wouldn't be that difficult.
- hammarby31

I don't believe the NHL has tampered with things like the draft lottery. I don't see how giving Edmonton 14 first overall picks helps the league.

It was before the deadline, but it's hard to argue with the way Homer handled that whole situation with Leino.
- PhillySportsGuy

Wish they'd take more chances on skill -- doesn't mean you drop everything you're trying to build, but Leino wasn't soft, either

I don't believe the NHL has tampered with things like the draft lottery. I don't see how giving Edmonton 14 first overall picks helps the league.
- PhillySportsGuy

i'm not suggesting they have either. but it's possible.

Wish they'd take more chances on skill -- doesn't mean you drop everything you're trying to build, but Leino wasn't soft, either
- AllInForFlyers

I know you're not saying this, but I think it's easy for us to ask our GMs to come up with those great trades like Leino and Coburn. Those types of deals aren't easy to find.

They're getting harder and harder in the cap world where teams are reluctant to part with any player under 25 unless they get a good return.

i'm not suggesting they have either. but it's possible.
- hammarby31

People only suggest tampering when a certain team wins the lottery. The league isn't tampering when Florida, Colorado or Edmonton win, but they are tampering when Pitt or Chicago wins.

The comment made was that Frattin and a 2nd round pick was considered nothing. That's obviously not true. Whether it was a good deal, or who got the better of the trade, is another duscussion.
- MJL

He went back to the well where he plucked Carter on the cheap, and gouged the Jackets eyes out of their sockets.

I'm guessing the first article from a clueless national sports columnist detailing that hockey is now "back" in popularity is being written at this very moment now that LA is facing NY in the Stanley Cup Finals

The comment made was that Frattin and a 2nd round pick was considered nothing. That's obviously not true. Whether it was a good deal, or who got the better of the trade, is another duscussion.
- MJL

I think it was more hyperbole

Rangers have gotten to the finals by clutching and grabbing the hell out of players.... <---- Example vs Flyers


Bettman is exploding all over his pants right now! <- Not sarcastic
- PhillaBully

With the 2 largest media markets on both coasts in the finals he has his dream finals and nothing we say or do will diminish his immeasurable joy.

I think it was more hyperbole
- PhillySportsGuy

That would never ever happen here, you're the dumbest person in the history of the universe for even thinking that.

Why would there be? The Flyers were hoping an NCAA program would be interested in recruiting Larsson but there were no offers. He has torn the meniscus in his knee a couple times and is without a team for next season. His development has not been fast enough to justify an entry-level contract at this point.

Super nice guy, by the way.
- bmeltzer

just was wondering whether anyone had any info on the reason. you gave it. thanks.

I don't believe the NHL has tampered with things like the draft lottery. I don't see how giving Edmonton 14 first overall picks helps the league.
- PhillySportsGuy

They can definitely end up (purposely/inadvertently) introducing some wicked biases into the lottery results.

Like the ad hoc rules for 2005... teams that didn't make the PO's or picked 1st-overall the previous three seasons were given extra balls in the lotto machine. If the Pens hadn't lost the OV lottery the previous summer, and/or the criteria had been expanded beyond the last 3 seasons, they could have conceivably ended up with just 1 ball vs 3. I'm sure they examined multiple scenarios and their resulting odds before settling on one -- I'm sure they weren't strangers to the fact that the Pens and Rangers were going to end up in the small group with the biggest odds under their scenario of choice.

The graph is mis-leading as it doesn't depict QoC, QoT or zone starts.

Amac's numbers were alright up until last season when the Islanders began using him as a Chris Pronger.
- PhillySportsGuy

Exactly

Isles fans ripped the guy because he wasn't a #1 dman, even though they kept trying to use him as one. Flyers fans give Coburn the same crap. Expecting him to be a dominant #1 guy is just foolish. OTOH he is a mobile, solid top pair guy with a bit of skill and he will get physical now and then as well. You may not like him, but there is not a team in the NHL that wouldn't be thrilled to have him in their top 4 and most would have him on their top pair.

That's why I laugh when I hear people whine "but what if Morin turns out to be just a bigger, meaner version of Coburn?" Good lord folks, if Morin can be a bigger meaner version of Coburn, you just found your #1 shutdown/PK guy for the next decade and change!

I know you're not saying this, but I think it's easy for us to ask our GMs to come up with those great trades like Leino and Coburn. Those types of deals aren't easy to find.

They're getting harder and harder in the cap world where teams are reluctant to part with any player under 25 unless they get a good return.
- PhillySportsGuy

Oh, absolutely -- i keep saying it because it's true. It's a different league now.

You couldn't do Zhitnik for Coburn today. That wouldn't happen at all

I don't believe the NHL has tampered with things like the draft lottery. I don't see how giving Edmonton 14 first overall picks helps the league.
- PhillySportsGuy

I think it was more hyperbole
- PhillySportsGuy

Just like the Flyers got Leino for "nothing." It wasn't truly nothing, but OKT + a 5th is almost nothing. Sorry if this is what sparked the Ville talk.

There's other examples, the most outrageous being the Hawks getting Patrick Sharp for nothing.

I don't believe the NHL has tampered with things like the draft lottery. I don't see how giving Edmonton 14 first overall picks helps the league.
- PhillySportsGuy

Let's see if McDavid ends up in Buffalo or Edmonton.

Exactly

Isles fans ripped the guy because he wasn't a #1 dman, even though they kept trying to use him as one. Flyers fans give Coburn the same crap. Expecting him to be a dominant #1 guy is just foolish. OTOH he is a mobile, solid top pair guy with a bit of skill and he will get physical now and then as well. You may not like him, but there is not a team in the NHL that wouldn't be thrilled to have him in their top 4 and most would have him on their top pair.

That's why I laugh when I hear people whine "but what if Morin turns out to be just a bigger, meaner version of Coburn?" Good lord folks, if Morin can be a bigger meaner version of Coburn, you just found your #1 shutdown/PK guy for the next decade and change!
- BiggE

I don't know if most would have him on a top pair, but he is solid if unspectacular #3 and can anchor a 2nd pair. He's more of a complimentary guy on a top pair, but he may be thrust into that spot by necessity.

Let's see if McDavid ends up in Buffalo of Edmonton.
- mayorofangrytown

Pittsburgh. $10K in Vegas, 1.1 : 1 odds.

For those interested, there's some very VERY important visual data to be had about 2/3 down of the comments of Yost' post today.

I don't know if most would have him on a top pair, but he is solid if unspectacular #3 and can anchor a 2nd pair. He's more of a complimentary guy on a top pair, but he may be thrust into that spot by necessity.
- jmatchett383

Either way, he's the kind of guy you need on a winning team.

Let's see if McDavid ends up in Buffalo or Edmonton.
- mayorofangrytown

But see, if NYI spits the bit this year, it's gonna be hard for him to miss Buffalo. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but man, the math is definitely in their favor.

Edmonton looks like they could be ugly, too

Either way, he's the kind of guy you need on a winning team.
- BiggE

Absolutely. Definitely can be part of the solution.