im still sick over the kimmo situation

really the one guy over anyone i'd want to see hoist the Cup...even if was with another team
- Crimsoninja

I thought last year was his final season.
I was so happy when he said he was coming back this year
And now blood clots.
Really sad.

I imagine White was signed to play the "Lappy" role... agitate, sacrifice the body, scrap a bit, kill penalties. His being RH also means they don't have to play a guy on his off-wing on that 4th-line.

As long as no kids push him out, I don't imagine that he's destined for the Phantoms.

Rinaldo's days seem to be numbered -- Homer felt like his biggest supporter, and that's gone.
- Tomahawk

I think Hextall going about this all wrong really. At least within the grit aspect of the game. With the removal of Hartnell, I'm only really seeing Simmonds with real grit within the top 6. Brayden Schenn has some but I'd say Schenn is a bit of a stretch. He hits, he fights but I'd say he's only OK along the boards and doing the dirty work down low. Sadly our grit is only on the forth line among the forwards with Rinaldo, Rosehill and now White. These aren't very talented players. We talk about how useless the enforcer role is weekly if not daily and team toughness is the way to go. Well, I'm not really seeing the "team toughness" throughout this retooled line up.

I don't think the Flyers are completely garbage right now but I do believe things have become complicated. I like the signing of Michael Del Zotto but I'm not so sure we want him on the PK anymore then we wanted Streit on the PK last season. So that leaves us crossing our fingers that Brayden Coburn, Nicolus Grossmann, Andrew MacDonald and Luke Schenn do not take a penalty all season long. The one acquisition of Hartnell for Umberger is suppose to cut down on penalties and I'm sure this deal will help defensively and with the speed factor (barely) but we lose goals. To me, because our defense is so uneven, I think we need to completely out score the other team to win games. We didn't make a Lupul plus for Pronger deal this summer. So I'm admittingly a little concerned and wondering where Hextall is going with this, not for three years from now but this upcoming season.

- Marc D

I think Hextall going about this all wrong really. At least within the grit aspect of the game.
- SuperSchennBros

On the scale of fundamental issues with this team, sufficient grit is near or at the bottom of the list.

IMO, they still match up pretty evenly with every other team in the league in that regard, including the big bad Bruins.

On the scale of fundamental issues with this team, sufficient grit is near or at the bottom of the list.

IMO, they still match up pretty evenly with every other team in the league in that regard, including the big bad Bruins.
- Tomahawk

Agreed.

"Grit" is such a hackneyed term

I think Hextall going about this all wrong really. At least within the grit aspect of the game. With the removal of Hartnell, I'm only really seeing Simmonds with real grit within the top 6. Brayden Schenn has some but I'd say Schenn is a bit of a stretch. He hits, he fights but I'd say he's only OK along the boards and doing the dirty work down low. Sadly our grit is only on the forth line among the forwards with Rinaldo, Rosehill and now White. These aren't very talented players. We talk about how useless the enforcer role is weekly if not daily and team toughness is the way to go. Well, I'm not really seeing the "team toughness" throughout this retooled line up.

I don't think the Flyers are completely garbage right now but I do believe things have become complicated. I like the signing of Michael Del Zotto but I'm not so sure we want him on the PK anymore then we wanted Streit on the PK last season. So that leaves us crossing our fingers that Brayden Coburn, Nicolus Grossmann, Andrew MacDonald and Luke Schenn do not take a penalty all season long. The one acquisition of Hartnell for Umberger is suppose to cut down on penalties and I'm sure this deal will help defensively and with the speed factor (barely) but we lose goals. To me, because our defense is so uneven, I think we need to completely out score the other team to win games. We didn't make a Lupul plus for Pronger deal this summer. So I'm admittingly a little concerned and wondering where Hextall is going with this, not for three years from now but this upcoming season.
- SuperSchennBros

i didn't know partially outscoring other teams was an option in order to win games?

So I'm admittingly a little concerned and wondering where Hextall is going with this, not for three years from now but this upcoming season.
- SuperSchennBros

I honestly don't get the feeling that Hexy gives a (frank) about the upcoming season.

If you were hoping for a bold reload, you're probably going to continue to be disappointed. Buckle yourself in for some systematic, methodical team-building -- supplemental UFA's on low-risk 1-year contracts, very few draft picks going out the door, and a lot of developing/drafting.

When the time is right, he'll make his big Richards/Carter type of deal to get the team over the top... until then, Splash City is a thing of the past.

Ryan White played 52 games in the NHL last season. I'm not seeing minor league stats anywhere. Sure he might play for the Phantoms at some point but this signing tells me (just me) that Scott Laughton could start the season in the AHL.
- SuperSchennBros

good scott laughton hasn't earned poop in the NHL yet

On the scale of fundamental issues with this team, sufficient grit is near or at the bottom of the list.

IMO, they still match up pretty evenly with every other team in the league in that regard, including big bad Bruins.
- Tomahawk

Even after giving up the goals Hartnell provided, they wanted to and still want to give up the goals Lecavalier provides. While I understand the reasons why, I'm not as confident that only Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Schenn and Read will do the offensive trick. Speaking for myself, I feel the Rangers and Penguins are locks for the playoffs. I feel the Capitals just got better. Columbus eitherare the same team or they just got better by adding Hartnell. I feel the Flyers took at least a couple steps back.

Even after giving up the goals Hartnell provided, they wanted to and still want to give up the goals Lecavalier provides. While I understand the reasons why, I'm not as confident that only Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Schenn and Read will do the offensive trick. Speaking for myself, I feel the Rangers and Penguins are locks for the playoffs. I feel the Capitals just got better. Columbus eitherare the same team or they just got better by adding Hartnell. I feel the Flyers took at least a couple steps back.
- SuperSchennBros

relying on read as a main source of scoring is a dangerous game

I honestly don't get the feeling that Hexy gives a (frank) about the upcoming season.

If you were hoping for a bold reload, you're probably going to continue to be disappointed. Buckle yourself in for some systematic, methodical team-building -- supplemental UFA's on low-risk 1-year contracts, very few draft picks going out the door, and a lot of developing/drafting.

When the time is right, he'll make his big Richards/Carter type of deal to get the team over the top... until then, Splash City is a thing of the past.
- Tomahawk

There are 30 teams in the league and one Cup to win at the end of each season. We have arguably a top 5 superstar in the league in our line up right now. If Hextall doesn't care about this upcoming season or the next number of seasons coming after this one as long as we have Giroux within his prime, I want him gone!

I'm not asking for a spash. I'm asking to not have as slow a process as you might suggest. If the team wishes to remove Lecavalier because they believe one of Schenn or Couturier can handle centering the second line, I can live with that. However if your going to remove a top line player and not replace him with another top line player, I have a bit of an issue with that.

Even after giving up the goals Hartnell provided, they wanted to and still want to give up the goals Lecavalier provides. While I understand the reasons why, I'm not as confident that only Giroux, Voracek, Simmonds, Schenn and Read will do the offensive trick. Speaking for myself, I feel the Rangers and Penguins are locks for the playoffs. I feel the Capitals just got better. Columbus eitherare the same team or they just got better by adding Hartnell. I feel the Flyers took at least a couple steps back.
- SuperSchennBros

The Flyers, however, have one of the best goalies in the Eastern Conference

The Flyers, however, have one of the best goalies in the Eastern Conference
- Giroux_Is_God

I'm not getting into another Mason is top 10 in the league conversation because I strongly disagree. Top 15, sure. Top 10, not yet.

The Flyers, however, have one of the best goalies in the Eastern Conference
- Giroux_Is_God

henrik lundqvist? Corey Schneider? Carey Price? Jaroslov Halak? Ben Bishop? Jimmy Howard? Bob?

I honestly don't get the feeling that Hexy gives a (frank) about the upcoming season.

If you were hoping for a bold reload, you're probably going to continue to be disappointed. Buckle yourself in for some systematic, methodical team-building -- supplemental UFA's on low-risk 1-year contracts, very few draft picks going out the door, and a lot of developing/drafting.

When the time is right, he'll make his big Richards/Carter type of deal to get the team over the top... until then, Splash City is a thing of the past.
- Tomahawk

There are 30 teams in the league and one Cup to win at the end of each season. We have arguably a top 5 superstar in the league in our line up right now. If Hextall doesn't care about this upcoming season or the next number of seasons coming after this one as long as we have Giroux within his prime, I want him gone!
- SuperSchennBros

?

Whether you play the long game, or go for it every year when you're not fundamentally sound as a team, you're wasting his 'prime' years no matter what... unless you get very very lucky, like they did in 2010.

I'd rather be in a strong position to win at the mid-to-end of G's most productive years, than keep living in the one-piece-away dream.

I honestly don't get the feeling that Hexy gives a (frank) about the upcoming season.

If you were hoping for a bold reload, you're probably going to continue to be disappointed. Buckle yourself in for some systematic, methodical team-building -- supplemental UFA's on low-risk 1-year contracts, very few draft picks going out the door, and a lot of developing/drafting.

When the time is right, he'll make his big Richards/Carter type of deal to get the team over the top... until then, Splash City is a thing of the past.
- Tomahawk

what about getting bobby ryan?

?

Whether you play the long game, or go for it every year when you're not fundamentally sound as a team, you're wasting his 'prime' years no matter what... unless you get very very lucky, like they did in 2010.

I'd rather be in a strong position to win at the mid-to-end of G's most productive years, than keep living in the one-piece-away dream.
- Tomahawk

Yeah well two of the three hart finalizes have a Cup. I'd say their teams went for it.

Yeah well two of the three hart finalizes have a Cup. I'd say their teams went for it.
- SuperSchennBros

Getzlaf was a 2nd-year complementary player for his... Sid's team had a lot of good players to go along with all those lottery picks.

The Flyers are more in a circa-2000s Maple Leafs situation... they went for it every year and wasted all of Sundin's prime and then some... because they never managed to build a solid team around him and traded away a lot of awesome young talent because they fooled themselves into thinking they were closer than they were, year after year.

Getzlaf was a 2nd-year complementary player for his... Sid's team had a lot of good players to go along with all those lottery picks.

The Flyers are more in a circa-2000 Maple Leafs situation... they went for it every year and wasted all of Sundin's prime and then some... because they never managed to build a solid team around him and traded away a lot of awesome young talent because they fooled themselves into thinking they were closer than they were, year after year.
- Tomahawk

That Cup winning Ducks team traded for Pronger and instantly became a contender to a Cup winner in one season. They'd already signed Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne a few years prior. The Ducks signed guys like Sergei Fedorov and Adam Oates to try and put them over the top. Ryan Getzlaf actually outplayed their number one center Andy McDonald during that playoff run. The Penguins also made major moves to compliment their drafted young prospects after years of tanking. Sergei Gonchar is a name that comes to mind. Both teams are still pretty good teams regardless of who they've lost or gained. Dany Heatley may help the Ducks, Christian Ehrhoff may help the Pens who remain on top of the standings each year.. With said, I don't want to tank on a whim that we might get better in three years from now.

henrik lundqvist? Corey Schneider? Carey Price? Jaroslov Halak? Ben Bishop? Jimmy Howard? Bob?
- 2Real

I'll take Mase over each EC goalie except Lungkwist and Rask. He ties with Price and Bishop

Edit: are we sanctioning that Russian girls
Family yet? JFC. That was her last penalty. She's like Rinaldo after they take that weird green thing out of his ear in the Beastmaster

- wilsonecho91

i'm watching '94 canucks playoffs clips.

i'm watching '94 canucks playoffs clips.
- hammarby31

I'm going to bed. Tomorrow already sucks

I'm going to bed. Tomorrow already sucks
- wilsonecho91