but Benning has said they are going to build their team through the draft, so wouldnt that reason they arent picking BPA, but rather for need? I just think Chyrchun might be more valuable to us than the fins/tkachuk, even if we are picking at 3.... but man regardless we'll get some talent.

Honestly I dont see us drafting that high, we'll be 5-8 considering our luck, and our roster is a bit better than some (my mind goes to Arizona/Calgary who I think we'll end up with more points than) these last 3 months now that we are keeping Vrbata/hamhuis (sigh).

My bet for top 5 picks:
1=Toronto
2=Edmonton
3=Calgary (they sold a lot)
4=Buffalo
5=Arizona

then I think it's going to be your Vans/CBJs/Winnipeg who didnt really get any worse in that 6-10
- Crazybagoham

Until the lottery its tough to say who we should draft. But in know way do I pass on finns or mathews for chychrun. I think were going to win the lottery and get mathews so its all good anyway.

Why is it a mistake? I'm pretty sure that we won't know until 3-4 years from now whether or not these guys will be big or not. Before the season Chychrun was rated #2 to Matthews. While I agree drafting Laine is a good choice too, I think its justifiable to draft Chychrun over Tkachuk, not many 17 year old d's make team Canada WJC and that's what hurt Chychrun's stock most. IMO it's a mistake not to draft Chychrun at 4 or 5.
- neem55

^

might be the closest after the finns/mathews that is NHL ready, and he plays a premium position. This guy WILL go in the top 5, I'd put a lot of money on it

I'm predicting the lottery will change the top 3 order.

So who would you think is a better GM, Tallon who essentially built the Hawks or Benning? Tallon gave away Brandon Pirri, 22 goals last year for a 6th rounder today because its better to get something back for something you don't value much for anymore. Why wouldn't Jim take a flyer on Pirri for a 6th or 7th rounder since our picks higher than Anaheim?

Get something back for the UFA's we went through this last year and he still hasn't learned.
- allsports

Kind of a silly question really, Obviously the guy with a decade of Gm experience is the guy I would choose. I thought pirri for a 6th was questionable when you're going into the playoffs, personally I keep a 20 goal scorer even if he's a UFA cause it might be the difference between the first and the second round of the playoffs to have a few extra goals from secondary scorers. Do I think JB should have made a deal? Definitely. But he's working with NTC's that make it harder than people are giving him credit for.

Yeah, but at the time it was seen as a much better scenario then the 7th overall
- pker2theend

9th overall was what we got

With our luck this year, I dont have much faith in our lottery odds ;.; but maybe we're due!

I'm predicting the lottery will change the top 3 order.
- Nighthawk

No more predictions.

Id rather horvat to eberle
- mauryballstein

So what you're saying is you're as inept as Jim Benning.

With our luck this year, I dont have much faith in our lottery odds ;.; but maybe we're due!
- Crazybagoham

You have to remember, there is three lotteries which we have better odds in each. The odds they show you is for the first pick, but after that there are two more draws which your odds are improving in by both virtue of position and the fact that there is one less team in the draw.

Is it far fetched though? Rumours keep coming year after year... Too much smoke, too many things leaking out
- MaWLz

I refuse to give the media in this town much credit. This is more of a speculation site than a rumour site. and Vancouver media isn't much different. They are so quick to jump to conclusions and want a nice story more than reality.

So what you're saying is you're as inept as Jim Benning.
- ReveenV2

No what im saying I dont want a soft one dimensional player on my team

You have to remember, there is three lotteries which we have better odds in each. The odds they show you is for the first pick, but after that there are two more draws which your odds are improving in by both virtue of position and the fact that there is one less team in the draw.
- neem55

I actually didnt know that! makes me feel a bit better getting into that top 3.

But If we were to pick a forward in that top 5 and Mathews isnt available, I would want Puljujarvi, big guy, responsible, we have plenty of shooters coming up, less accident prone than Laine.

I know nothing about Tkachuk sorry to say ;.;

So what you're saying is you're as inept as Jim Benning.
- ReveenV2

Horvat has the ability to play what some hockey people refer to as DEFENCE. I know you probably don't know much about it or have seen it, but it is something most teams covet.

Horvat has the ability to play what some hockey people refer to as DEFENCE. I know you probably don't know much about it or have seen it, but it is something most teams covet.
- neem55

-30 are Nail Yakupov like numbers

I'm predicting the lottery will change the top 3 order.
- Nighthawk

Agreed.

Edmonton
Buffalo
Winnipeg
Toronto
Vancouver

What exactly is Horvat ? He sucks defensively and can't score.
- ReveenV2

his faceoff skill is starting to concern me as well. Maybe they need to hire a specialist coach for them

I actually didnt know that! makes me feel a bit better getting into that top 3.

But If we were to pick a forward in that top 5 and Mathews isnt available, I would want Puljujarvi, big guy, responsible, we have plenty of shooters coming up, less accident prone than Laine.

I know nothing about Tkachuk sorry to say ;.;
- Crazybagoham

from what I've seen/heard, he plays just like his dad. Physical, net-presence type winger. I like that and would take it all day long, I was more just saying taking Chychrun would be a good pick, might end up being the better pick. If there is one thing I trust JB to do it is draft.

Kind of a silly question really, Obviously the guy with a decade of Gm experience is the guy I would choose. I thought pirri for a 6th was questionable when you're going into the playoffs, personally I keep a 20 goal scorer even if he's a UFA cause it might be the difference between the first and the second round of the playoffs to have a few extra goals from secondary scorers. Do I think JB should have made a deal? Definitely. But he's working with NTC's that make it harder than people are giving him credit for.
- neem55

Without knowing the number of contracts Fla has, with the addition of Hudler, Purcell, and Kindl, maybe they were at the max of 50 and had to waive Pirri and would have lost him for nothing. That's asset management, Fla is going all in for the cup and know there are some sacrifices. Benning has had 2 trade deadlines to understand that and I don't think he does yet.

-30 are Nail Yakupov like numbers
- ReveenV2

What response from your posts would satisfy you enough to leave this thread?

his faceoff skill is starting to concern me as well. Maybe they need to hire a specialist coach for them
- Crazybagoham

Adam Oates did wonders for Jarrett Stoll back in the day

What response from your posts would satisfy you enough to leave this thread?
- hillbillydeluxe

lol... just repaying the nice Vancouver fans that visit our threads daily

So what you're saying is you're as inept as Jim Benning.
- ReveenV2

On the contrary cuz Eberle is not worth 6m.

Lots of people here disappointed today . Internet is frying ownership and mgmt. Radio station is going nuts. Everyone wants to know why nothing is being done. I think the biggest reason is we hung on too long and tried to sell crap. I am not going to give in to the excuse hindsight is 20/20 Vrbata Hamhuis Burrows Higgins Edler Hansen and the Twins. We try to sell too late.

You can look at teams like Leafs Buffalo Carolina and so on with multiple picks and be jealous, but the way to get that is by trading assets when they have value.

In two years we will be back here saying why didn't we do this.

We have 4 extremely valuable players that are 27 years or older that could get very nice returns and speed up the process. Seeing we can't even let go of Hamhuis I am not expecting much.

Leafs sold off some big contracts and now have a blank sheet to build with lots of money. IMO that is not a bad place to be with 12 plus picks this year

What exactly is Horvat ? He sucks defensively and can't score.
- ReveenV2

Hes good defensively just his line mates arent. Has more goals than yak and will probably have more than eberle playing against top lines and not playing away from them. 5 years younger too and already better

-30 are Nail Yakupov like numbers
- ReveenV2

The goal differential of the team is pretty awful, we don't score much and are pretty bad. His wingers were Vrbata and Burrows, and his assignment due to injury was to check the 1st line of every team we faced. While I understand you see plus/minus as a relevant stat, anyone with any real knowledge of stats does not. his corsi relative to competition is pretty good considering his age. His first half of the year was not very good though, no denying that. Been looking better since January with some new linemates.