Hopped on the same brain wave as me I see
- mochoson

It makes sense right? Not sure why it's a big deal to think that. I don't think it will cause every junior league to collapse.

Nope.
How does that make the Flyers better?
- opeth_pa

It gets you a future superstar who will be as good, if not better than Giroux, and frees up around 13 million in cap space.

I don't have an answer for you. I just think it's stupid that a player can be way too good for the league they are in and because of money, they aren't allowed to move up. Maybe the AHL should be allowed to have X amount of players under 20 on their teams.
- funmaster18

Well, whether or not you care about those teams, they do, as do the NHL and AHL as well as NHL scouts. These teams have entry drafts just like the NHL, and they draft these kids assuming they're going to get (with rare exception) 3-4 years out of them. It would severely hurt them if they lost these players they are building around just because they chose good players.

Yes, there are certain players (i.e. Sam Morin) who could/should be playing in the AHL right now. But he's not. And for it, he was able to play for Team Canada at the WJC, he gets to refine his game a bit more, and the Flyers save a year on his ELC. I'd much prefer that than playing for a non-playoff AHL team.

Well, whether or not you care about those teams, they do, as do the NHL and AHL as well as NHL scouts. These teams have entry drafts just like the NHL, and they draft these kids assuming they're going to get (with rare exception) 3-4 years out of them. It would severely hurt them if they lost these players they are building around just because they chose good players.

Yes, there are certain players (i.e. Sam Morin) who could/should be playing in the AHL right now. But he's not. And for it, he was able to play for Team Canada at the WJC, he gets to refine his game a bit more, and the Flyers save a year on his ELC. I'd much prefer that than playing for a non-playoff AHL team.
- jmatchett383

You have a right to your opinion, as do I. You have you no idea if Morin playing in the AHL would have been better or worse for him this year. There is no way to know unless he did it.

You have a right to your opinion, as do I. You have you no idea if Morin playing in the AHL would have been better or worse for him this year. There is no way to know unless he did it.
- funmaster18

It's not an opinion. It's about protecting the assets of a corporation.

Yes, several CHL players do play at an AHL level. That doesn't mean that the AHL should be able to poach them at will.

I understand the reason. I just think it's dumb to hold a player back, because the league he is in just wants to make money.
- funmaster18

Those teams act as a developmental league for the NHL, and provide an environment for young players to get better. If they can't survive financially, they will cease to exist. It is in the NHL's best interest to have those agreements with Junior leagues.

It's not an opinion. It's about protecting the assets of a corporation.

Yes, several CHL players do play at an AHL level. That doesn't mean that the AHL should be able to poach them at will.
- jmatchett383

I didn't say at will. I said each team could have 1-2 players under 20.

I didn't say at will. I said each team could have 1-2 players under 20.
- funmaster18

So the Calgary Hitmen should be allowed to lose Travis Sanheim and Jake Virtanen, because they did a good job at drafting them, and be expected to stay as competitive as they are this year? Because those two would DEFINITELY be taken into the AHL given the seasons they're having.

Those teams act as a developmental league for the NHL, and provide an environment for young players to get better. If they can't survive financially, they will cease to exist. It is in the NHL's best interest to have those agreements with Junior leagues.
- MJL

I get why they are there. I Just think there is some middle ground somewhere.

I get why they are there. I Just think there is some middle ground somewhere.
- funmaster18

The middle ground is that the AHL can wait until those players are 20.

So the Calgary Hitmen should be allowed to lose Travis Sanheim and Jake Virtanen, because they did a good job at drafting them, and be expected to stay as competitive as they are this year? Because those two would DEFINITELY be taken into the AHL given the seasons they're having.
- jmatchett383

The NHL team that drafted them would have to decide prior to the start of the season which league they would go to, based on their development to that date. How do you know the Flyers would want Sanheim in the AHL right now? Maybe they feel it would best serve him to keep him in a league where he can dominate. The point is, they should have the choice. Just because teams are allowed to assign a player under 20 to their AHL team, doesn't mean it would happen 100% of the time.

The middle ground is that the AHL can wait until those players are 20.
- MJL

I think the middle ground would be each team gets 1-2 exceptions.

The NHL team that drafted them would have to decide prior to the start of the season which league they would go to, based on their development to that date. How do you know the Flyers would want Sanheim in the AHL right now? Maybe they feel it would best serve him to keep him in a league where he can dominate. The point is, they should have the choice. Just because teams are allowed to assign a player under 20 to their AHL team, doesn't mean it would happen 100% of the time.
- funmaster18

Would the 9 game slide rule be put in effect as well?

I think the middle ground would be each team gets 1-2 exceptions.
- funmaster18

Think about how many top talents that would take out of the junior leagues, and how much it would dilute the product of those teams. Tha's a significant amount of top players. Take 30-60 top NHL players out of the NHL. How much of a difference would that make?

Would the 9 game slide rule be put in effect as well?
- jmatchett383

That's a good question. I am making this up as I go so I'm not sure yet

That's a good question. I am making this up as I go so I'm not sure yet
- funmaster18

Because if it did, then the AHL team would have to take those 1-2 roster spots into account, as would the NHL teams.

Once the draft lottery is done I can release my total prospect list that I have in no specific order. I've left off obvious names because we don't know 100% what pick they'll have.
- ob18

I haven't watched these kids like you and Jasq this year, just the WJC and a few games here and there so my list is basically made up from limited viewing and lots of reading and not knowing where teams will be drafting yet.

1 Connor McDavid
2 Jack Eichel
3 Noah Hanifin
4 Dylan Strome
5 Mitch Marner
6 Ivan Provorov
7 Zack Werenski
8 Mikko Rantanen
9 Mathew Barzal
10 Lawson Crouse
11 Pavel Zacha
12 Kyle Connor
13 Nick Merkley
14 Timo Meier
15 Oliver Kylington
16 Thomas Chabot
17 Travis Konecny
18 Jakub Zboril
19 Jansen Harkins
20 Evgeny Svechnikov
21 Jérémy Roy
22 Paul Bittner
23 Brandon Carlo
24 Colin White
25 Brock Boeser
26 Jake DeBrusk
27 Jordan Greenway
28 Daniel Sprong
29 Jacob Larsson
30 Nicolas Meloche

http://sports.yahoo.com/b...erfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Kinda further goes to show that the penguins are a team that consists primarily of Crosby and Malkin. What a joke

I haven't watched these kids like you and Jasq this year, just the WJC and a few games here and there so my list is basically made up from limited viewing and lots of reading and not knowing where teams will be drafting yet.

1 Connor McDavid
2 Jack Eichel
3 Noah Hanifin
4 Dylan Strome
5 Mitch Marner
6 Ivan Provorov
7 Zack Werenski
8 Mikko Rantanen
9 Mathew Barzal
10 Lawson Crouse
11 Pavel Zacha
12 Kyle Connor
13 Nick Merkley
14 Timo Meier
15 Oliver Kylington
16 Thomas Chabot
17 Travis Konecny
18 Jakub Zboril
19 Jansen Harkins
20 Evgeny Svechnikov
21 Jérémy Roy
22 Paul Bittner
23 Brandon Carlo
24 Colin White
25 Brock Boeser
26 Jake DeBrusk
27 Jordan Greenway
28 Daniel Sprong
29 Jacob Larsson
30 Nicolas Meloche
- nastyflyergirl

I want crouse.

I think the middle ground would be each team gets 1-2 exceptions.
- funmaster18

It is also about emotional maturity...while there are the RARE exceptions, a lot of damage could be done tossing adolescents in with adult age players. Some of them just arent equipped for that....not just on ice, but moreso off ice. Drinking and going out late are enough to derail a kid...as would be the potential isolation if they dont do that, at least in junior they have kids their own age to work through their issues with.

and yes, you could always do what Mario did for Crosby and shelter him in a surrogate home but now you would be doing it on a much wider scale and there is certainly a bigegr chance for breakage along that continuim.

when was the last time a team had a vezina,art ross, and masterton canidate and never made the playoffs

I think the middle ground would be each team gets 1-2 exceptions.
- funmaster18

That would make sense, as long as the affected CHL teams got $$$ compensation.

Would really suck for fans of CHL teams, tho.

That would make sense, as long as the affected CHL teams got $$$ compensation.

Would really suck for fans of CHL teams, tho.
- Tomahawk

Yeah, I could see that. I mean, honestly, it was a gut reaction in thinking it was a stupid rule without much thinking in place. After that, I've been trying to defend it blindly

A Blues fan proposed the following trade, I'm curious what you all think:

To St. Louis: Giroux and Chicago's 2nd in this years draft
To Philly: Pietrangelo and Backes
- BiggE

I would do that. That's the kind of crazy return it'd take to get Giroux. David Backes is an awesome player, and people shouldn't forget that he's a first line center on a St Louis team with pretty good center depth and was first line center for USA in Sochi. I would definitely do this trade.

Yeah, I could see that. I mean, honestly, it was a gut reaction in thinking it was a stupid rule without much thinking in place. After that, I've been trying to defend it blindly
- funmaster18

The Hockeybuzz way!