Doughty
- neem55

So if van's draft's Makar or Liljegren, good to go to finals?

None of those 3 teams surprised me.
I guess Dragon's expertise is actually starting to have an effect on me.
- Marwood

So it was the wielder's of the sword?

Maybe Toronto a little bit the other 2 not really.
- manvanfan

I can't remember what we are arguing about.

So if van's draft's Makar or Liljegren, good to go to finals?
- manvanfan

You build a team around the picks, I'm not going to hold your hand. Your a big boy, look at what Lombardi did after he had drafted his core (all first rounders, top 15 picks I might add). The guys signed some awful contracts, but sure knows how to draft/build.

That's very true. Anyone thinking one season carries over to the next in perpetuity is simply guessing & nothing more. Doomsday predictions r for the hysteric crowd & being blind to growth that each season has. A New season a new beginning a new growth curve.
- Nighthawk

Who is giving doomsday predictions?

WE have finished bottom 5 three of four years. There will be no significant changes to the roster expect subtraction of a couple of vets.

Pointing the obvious is not a sky is falling post.

I know I like the new kids coming up but you still have one third of your cap space being spent on 4 players over 30 who are struggling to produce.

That's very true. Anyone thinking one season carries over to the next in perpetuity is simply guessing & nothing more. Doomsday predictions r for the hysteric crowd & being blind to growth that each season has. A New season a new beginning a new growth curve.
- Nighthawk

Except that it's been 3 out of the last 4 seasons, did you forget your meds?

Pretty sure Pittsburgh/Chicago fans will say "ya we tanked, who gives a poop. See those banners?"
- neem55

They didn't really tank though ...they were just really bad at the right time ...back then GMs still had other ways to get high end skill besides drafting it so tanking wasn't as evident as it is today

You build a team around the picks, I'm not going to hold your hand. Your a big boy, look at what Lombardi did after he had drafted his core (all first rounders, top 15 picks I might add). The guys signed some awful contracts, but sure knows how to draft/build.
- neem55

You don't need 500 picks as everyone keeps talking about though.

Who is giving doomsday predictions?

WE have finished bottom 5 three of four years. There will be no significant changes to the roster expect subtraction of a couple of vets.

Pointing the obvious is not a sky is falling post.

I know I like the new kids coming up but you still have one third of your cap space being spent on 4 players over 30 who are struggling to produce.
- VANTEL

If the d corps could ever be healthy then we r much more solid.
Scoring is the huge challenge. The PP can only get better but idk when lol
Pointing out the obvious was history. Open mind for the future.

I can't remember what we are arguing about.
- Marwood

we aren't arguing just talking about teams that did better then predicted and whether or not we thought the same as USA today.

Young players get ruined if given too much too soon. Willie, despite what I think about some of his choices, understood this simple but important fact. Kids develop in the AHL, unless you're a poop team. That's where 90% of them should be. Willie handled the icetime of the kids well, by the end of the season, Bo was burned out even though people comlained about him not getting enough ice. Tree was burned out, same thing—people complained. Hutton shouldn't be in the NHL, Willie (frank)ed that up. But for the most part, he didn't put them in over their head unless he thought they could handle it.
- neem55

Fair enough. We just aren't going to agree on this. I think Willie was an awful coach and I'm excited for change. The organization appears ready to embrace a full rebuild and I think we need a fresh start behind the bench

They didn't really tank though ...they were just really bad at the right time ...back then GMs still had other ways to get high end skill besides drafting it so tanking wasn't as evident as it is today
- Redmile247

Dude, pittsburgh tanked hard for Crosby. Come on now. Chicago was bad for about 6 years, but it was the top-end picks that dug them out. It wasn't until they traeded Roenick/Chelios and anyone else worth anything that they truly bottomed out. You can call moving out your best players whatever you want, I call it tanking.

Dude, pittsburgh tanked hard for Crosby. Come on now. Chicago was bad for about 6 years, but it was the top-end picks that dug them out. It wasn't until they traeded Roenick/Chelios and anyone else worth anything that they truly bottomed out. You can call moving out your best players whatever you want, I call it tanking.
- neem55

Yeah Pitt kinda did I guess ....but the hawks were just a train wreck

You don't need 500 picks as everyone keeps talking about though.
- manvanfan

I agree, 3-4 and you should be good. Edmonton was mismanaged for years, should have never taken that long. It took Chicago 6. They made some donkey picks before Toews/Kane came along. Cam Barker/Skille

So if van's draft's Makar or Liljegren, good to go to finals?
- manvanfan

Wow...makar is an exciting prospect. Kid is insane

Yeah Pitt kinda did I guess ....but the hawks were just a train wreck
- Redmile247

Then a dinosaur(Wirtz) died & the Hawks could join the 21st century.

They didn't really tank though ...they were just really bad at the right time ...back then GMs still had other ways to get high end skill besides drafting it so tanking wasn't as evident as it is today
- Redmile247

We tanked for Mario. Unquestionably. The team was certainly awful, but Eddie Johnston made sure we went "Titanic" in the latter stages of that season.

Getting Crosby and Malkin was absolutely being bad at the right time.

In salary cap leagues, it's hard to build a perennial winner with out tanking/rebuilding.

Yeah Pitt kinda did I guess ....but the hawks were just a train wreck
- Redmile247

This is true, but they didn't start building back up until they had a couple of studs in the stable. IMO they did tank, because they were hanging on (kind of like us) and then finally dealt Roenick and hit rock bottom... came out of rock bottom wit hthe two best players in their franchise's history IMO (Bobby Hull Rabble rabble, it's my opinion)

If the d corps could ever be healthy then we r much more solid.
Scoring is the huge challenge. The PP can only get better but idk when lol
Pointing out the obvious was history. Open mind for the future.
- Nighthawk

I think the kids are coming along fine . I like the progress


The PP has sucked since 2011

Our D has been horrible at point production for years . I see Stecher and Hutton making it a little better . We are an easy team to play against and we do give u a lot of shots. Tryamkin will add a little toughness and I like his game a lot.

Over all we are a very weak team and high draft picks will help that.

Then a dinosaur(Wirtz) died & the Hawks could join the 21st century.
- Nighthawk

I still can't believe they didn't have any tv deal for a few years

I think the kids are coming along fine . I like the progress


The PP has sucked since 2011

Our D has been horrible at point production for years . I see Stecher and Hutton making it a little better . We are an easy team to play against and we do give u a lot of shots. Tryamkin will add a little toughness and I like his game a lot.

Over all we are a very weak team and high draft picks will help that.
- VANTEL

This is a very key draft for us, the Toews draft was supposed to be weak too. But, as usual, it produced some amazing players despite this commonly held belief at the time. There isn't a standout elite player, but I'm willing to bet there's a A LOT of centers and I'm willing to bet a few of them are going to be excellent.

we aren't arguing just talking about teams that did better then predicted and whether or not we thought the same as USA today.
- manvanfan

I think the kids are coming along fine . I like the progress


The PP has sucked since 2011

Our D has been horrible at point production for years . I see Stecher and Hutton making it a little better . We are an easy team to play against and we do give u a lot of shots. Tryamkin will add a little toughness and I like his game a lot.

Over all we are a very weak team and high draft picks will help that.
- VANTEL

We need high draft picks to help the rest of the team to be better. Same as anyone who plays with Bo is better.

What I like about Boeser and Goldy is that they have finishing qualities that this team has lacked for years and years.

This is a very key draft for us, the Toews draft was supposed to be weak too. But, as usual, it produced some amazing players despite this commonly held belief at the time. There isn't a standout elite player, but I'm willing to bet there's a A LOT of centers and I'm willing to bet a few of them are going to be excellent.
- neem55

I think it is part of our building. I will be hay to add another key player and I hope we can trade for another first round pick

We tanked for Mario. Unquestionably. The team was certainly awful, but Eddie Johnston made sure we went "Titanic" in the latter stages of that season.

Getting Crosby and Malkin was absolutely being bad at the right time.

In salary cap leagues, it's hard to build a perennial winner with out tanking/rebuilding.
- madmike71

Trading your best defenseman... some don't call that tanking, but I'm not one of them https://hockey-graphs.com...zona-pittsburgh-penguins/