If we are bottom five next year I'll be kicking and screaming, but no one goes from zero to hero that fast.

You gotta believe OPEC has something up their sleeve. Maybe they're trying to freeze out Canada and the US seeing as neither are in OPEC, so they can take the hit on lower prices for a few years and wait for the more expensive extraction methods of the US and Canada to become unfeasible forcing them to cut production further so that OPEC can get its share of the market back that it lost to the US and Canada over the past 5ish years. The US became the number one producer of oil what was it? 2, 3 years ago? And Canada surged up too due to the oil sands of Alberta and it finally becoming economically feasible to get that oil out of the ground, but now that the price has plummeted you have ghost towns in Canada and empty airports that just last year were operating at capacity ferrying workers to and from the oil fields.

Well, way to go Canada, pegging your currency to a (frank)ing commodity! That's like the US basing the dollar off of the price of corn.

The Canadian dollar was already in free fall at the time of the meetings, so until I see something else from the league I'm not going to be all doom and gloom about a contraction of the cap. I don't see the upside of Bettman lying about the cap going up. There's nothing to gain, I know Canadians love hockey, but I highly doubt the NHL has any effect whatsoever on the Canadian dollar in terms of what the salary cap might or might not be. It's not like they're manipulating interest rates to control inflation.
- Wetbandit1

The problem is oil . The Canadian government under the Conservatives bet heavily on oil . The Athabaska Tar sands are now virtually shut down it cost way more to refine the oil out of there than they can sell it for. Alberta where there has never been unemployment is now running at 25% unemployment. The Liberals who are now in power are trying to clean up the mess and diversify but it is not going to happen overnight . Now Calgary might not get the new arena they have been begging for.

The problem is oil . The Canadian government under the Conservatives bet heavily on oil . The Athabaska Tar sands are now virtually shut down it cost way more to refine the oil out of there than they can sell it for. Alberta where there has never been unemployment is now running at 25% unemployment. The Liberals who are now in power are trying to clean up the mess and diversify but it is not going to happen overnight . Now Calgary might not get the new arena they have been begging for.
- Maximum Signal

lol, we were typing the same thing at the same time. See my post just before yours about OPEC.

lol, we were typing the same thing at the same time. See my post just before yours about OPEC.
- Wetbandit1

Great minds think alike

If we are bottom five next year I'll be kicking and screaming, but no one goes from zero to hero that fast.
- RhinoFan

This is the part I don't get. This "no expectations" approach.

So it's expected next year that we go from 29th to playoffs? Aren't those lofty ?

This is the part I don't get. This "no expectations" approach.

So it's expected next year that we go from 29th to playoffs? Aren't those lofty ?
- sbroads24

Yes... I still don't expect to make the playoffs next year either.

Yes... I still don't expect to make the playoffs next year either.
- jochfr

Ditto, but I expect them to be close (7-10 range)

Ditto, but I expect them to be close (7-10 range)
- stashu

wouldn't close be in the 9-10 range?

they really need to fix this 14 teams in the west and 16 teams in the east crap

I actually had no problem with that. The logic of "not wanting to mess with a winning lineup" has always baffled me. Bylsma apparently did the same with Despres in pittsburgh.

It seems pretty clear to me that Bylsma was never Murray's guy.
- Sabresfan-365

didn't murray hire him to be the head coach?

didn't murray hire him to be the head coach?
- Michael Pachla

After the babcock fiasco do you really believe that?

Plus if you gave up McNabb, Parker and 2 2nd round picks, you'd have to be hoping he could be the exception. Stripes77 said his skating improved a lot and he is a big guy, but stripes agreed with you that it was only wishful thinking and most likely bogus. IMO if it's bottom 6 wing though it is easier than say a top line or center position to adjust to.
- RhinoFan

don't forget, those two second rounders were originally the kings' which were acquired in the regehr trade to la

If we are bottom five next year I'll be kicking and screaming, but no one goes from zero to hero that fast.
- RhinoFan

2012-13 colorado was second to last in the nhl

next season they were 3rd overall

After the babcock fiasco do you really believe that?
- Sabresfan-365

you don't think they went into the babcock thing without a back up, do you?

It's just discussion and criticism. It's midway through the season, people have the right to criticize a 29th place team after finishing last the previous two years. Especially after we were promised "that chapter is over."

Are most enjoying watching Eichel, Reinhart, Risto, ROR, etc.? Yes. But knowing Moulson's, Gorges', Bogosian's, etc. cap hits are going to hurt this team's chances at acquiring great players in the near future is worthy of discussion.
- CaptainRivet

the near future, imo really starts next season...and i'm really not worried about cap implications until the 2017 trade deadline

This is the part I don't get. This "no expectations" approach.

So it's expected next year that we go from 29th to playoffs? Aren't those lofty ?
- sbroads24

First, I don't think that we will end up in 29th. I see us being better in the 2nd half of the year than the first half. I think we will be in 24th. From there to 16th isn't as far of a climb. I may be wrong on this so the point becomes superfluous. However, I don't think it's a no expectations thing, but more of a limited expectations thing. Did I think they would make the playoffs this year or be in 29th...both are no's. There are positives and negatives on both sides this year though: Reinhart looks good, Jack looks fantastic, RoR is a revelation and Risto seems to be a great defenseman/Kane isn't a 40g guy, Bogo isn't as good as Myers and Lehner needs some work. However, Kane could snap out of it, Bogo isn't lost by any means and Lehner hasn't played and rust counts.

Long post, but I guess my point is that I see a directly upward trajectory out of more players than I see a downwards one. A top 5 pick really wouldn't look bad in the stable right about now. I'm not trying to argue or call your opinion dumb cause it isn't at all and as a fan you have a right to be upset your team isn't succeeding I'd rather see them win then lose as well. However, Rome wasn't built in a day and any other outcome other than what we are seeing (or close to it) was unlikely in my eyes.

they really need to fix this 14 teams in the west and 16 teams in the east crap


- homiedclown

Yes they do. They should go back to 6 divisions too. The rivalry is dead. Playing divisional opponents 4 times unless we play them 5 times? Come on. It should be at least 6. I really don't give a poop if we play the Sharks or Canucks twice a year.

First, I don't think that we will end up in 29th. I see us being better in the 2nd half of the year than the first half. I think we will be in 24th. From there to 16th isn't as far of a climb. I may be wrong on this so the point becomes superfluous. However, I don't think it's a no expectations thing, but more of a limited expectations thing. Did I think they would make the playoffs this year or be in 29th...both are no's. There are positives and negatives on both sides this year though: Reinhart looks good, Jack looks fantastic, RoR is a revelation and Risto seems to be a great defenseman/Kane isn't a 40g guy, Bogo isn't as good as Myers and Lehner needs some work. However, Kane could snap out of it, Bogo isn't lost by any means and Lehner hasn't played and rust counts.

Long post, but I guess my point is that I see a directly upward trajectory out of more players than I see a downwards one. A top 5 pick really wouldn't look bad in the stable right about now. I'm not trying to argue or call your opinion dumb cause it isn't at all and as a fan you have a right to be upset your team isn't succeeding I'd rather see them win then lose as well. However, Rome wasn't built in a day and any other outcome other than what we are seeing (or close to it) was unlikely in my eyes.
- RhinoFan

Very good post!

Be very careful about using three letter words to describe fancy beer.

If we are bottom five next year I'll be kicking and screaming, but no one goes from zero to hero that fast.
- RhinoFan

If I remember correctly just a few years ago the Canadiens finished last and were top 5 the next year.

Be very careful about using three letter words to describe fancy beer.
- SomeoneGerman

Go home Kaiser, you're drunk.

Go home Kaiser, you're drunk.
- Wetbandit1

I hang out with him, and he was hammered last night.

wouldn't close be in the 9-10 range?
- homiedclown

I just mean they wouldn't be a total surprise to eke in, so I showed the whole range. If they don't make it, I'm still not going to flip out, but I think 7 would be their ceiling.

If I remember correctly just a few years ago the Canadiens finished last and were top 5 the next year.
- Sabre_Tooth

Yep they went to the conference finals as the 8th seed. Should also be noted that they sucked in the first half of the season.

Edit: That was 6 years ago already. It was the Hawks first cup in their run here. Time flies!