Point and Buff are injured btw
- Feds91Stammer

I read it's likely Buff is coming back. Any word on Point's injury being longer?

Not being able to skate means you get burnt constantly against fast teams and you can't play aggressive and hold the blue line. You also get beat to the puck in the corners constantly.

Johnson is not a good skater. Once upon a Time he was but every game I have seen him play this year he has had very heavy feet.
- MacPatty

Maatta is definitely a second pairing defenseman. The problem is, when Schultz is out they have no other second pairing defenseman to pair him with. Every other partner is going to drag Maatta down and he’s already a supporting cast second outing guy ala a lesser Dumoulin in terms of production.

I read it's likely Buff is coming back. Any word on Point's injury being longer?
- Rinosaur

Point is day to day from what I saw but iirc Buff had a bad ankle sprain so I wouldn't expect him to light it up when he gets back.

Point is day to day from what I saw but iirc Buff had a bad ankle sprain so I wouldn't expect him to light it up when he gets back.
- Feds91Stammer

I swapped in Hedman.

Yes, but that does not mean the Pens need to lock into long term deals with players with limited upside who are easily replaceable.

Maata, Johnson & Pearson are all guys you could find equivalents to in free agency every year for similar or less annual cost. When healthy Bjugstad doesn't fit into this category but "when healthy" will be a concern for the next 3 years.
- MacPatty

Easier said than done. Having the ability to walk away from a contract is much easier than predicting who to give a medium length contract and who not to. I consider 3-4 years to be medium length.

Easier said than done. Having the ability to walk away from a contract is much easier than predicting who to give a medium length contract and who not to. I consider 3-4 years to be medium length.
- Thunderbolt

It isn't that hard though.

Evaluate age curve and likely future production.

Compare that production to value of what player is asking for $$$ wise.

Compare that price to performance evaluation to alternatives on the market or in your system.

Maatta is a top 4.

I really dont see GMJR acquiring any more LD's this year.
- MattStrat

I will be surprised if Rutherford makes any moves other than a depth move. More than likely an AHL depth move. He makes enough mistakes but the one thing he does well is be patient. And that really helps when trade deadline comes around.

At best Maatta is a number 4. I just don't see him stepping up his game when called upon. I am not just talking about situations like now when a player is hurt, but also in tight games when you need someone unexpected to make a big play. I guess though, when the defensemen is not noticed it is good enough.

It isn't that hard though.

Evaluate age curve and likely future production.

Compare that production to value of what player is asking for $$$ wise.

Compare that price to performance evaluation to alternatives on the market or in your system.
- Feds91Stammer

Steps two and three are the easy part. It is step one, specifically likely future that is the difficult part. If I could predict the future do you think I would be wintering in Wampum?

Football does not have guaranteed contracts.
- Thunderbolt

Yeah that, and every draft gives you an influx of young, cheap talent to replace over the hill vets that you can just cut for negligiable cap penalties because the cap is so huge. You’re drafting 22/23 year old grown ass men that are ready to go in the NFL draft where as in hockey you’re drafting 18 year old kids that still need time to develop before they can hang in the league. The talent pool for football is also much deeper in football because more people play the sport, so there’s a much higher chance you’re hitting on quality in the 6th round of the NFL draft than there is in the same round of the NHL draft.

Yeah that, and every draft gives you an influx of young, cheap talent to replace over the hill vets that you can just cut for negligiable cap penalties because the cap is so huge. You’re drafting 22/23 year old grown ass men that are ready to go in the NFL draft where as in hockey you’re drafting 18 year old kids that still need time to develop before they can hang in the league. The talent pool for football is also much deeper in football because more people play the sport, so there’s a much higher chance you’re hitting on quality in the 6th round of the NFL draft than there is in the same round of the NHL draft.
- Victoro311

Is that the case though?

Don't see many Finnish or Swedish kids in the NFL.

Is that the case though?

Don't see many Finnish or Swedish kids in the NFL.
- Feds91Stammer

That’s actually a good point. I was only thinking about North American athletes and totally forgot about Euros. I’d have to look it up but now I’m leaning towards my statement being wrong.

But then again these countries have the population sizes of a US State. Russia would be the big swing here, not the Scandinavian countries.

That’s actually a good point. I was only thinking about North American athletes and totally forgot about Euros. I’d have to look it up but now I’m leaning towards my statement being wrong.
- Victoro311

The major difference would only be draft age imo

The major difference would only be draft age imo
- Feds91Stammer

So actually according to the IIHF, only over 1.7 million people world wide play hockey as of 2016 while 5.22 million play tackle football in the United States according to a site called statista. ESPN says that there’s 1.23 million kids between the age 6-12 participating in tackle football alone. Gotta remember how prohibitive the cost of ice time is to getting into hockey while any inner city kid or country bumpkin can get on the grid iron for practically free

Yeah that, and every draft gives you an influx of young, cheap talent to replace over the hill vets that you can just cut for negligiable cap penalties because the cap is so huge. You’re drafting 22/23 year old grown ass men that are ready to go in the NFL draft where as in hockey you’re drafting 18 year old kids that still need time to develop before they can hang in the league. The talent pool for football is also much deeper in football because more people play the sport, so there’s a much higher chance you’re hitting on quality in the 6th round of the NFL draft than there is in the same round of the NHL draft.
- Victoro311

While the timeline from draft to NHL is greater, it's still the same concept. You need to plan out a pipeline of developing talent who can step in and replace higher priced players. Just means you need better development and more patience.

That was my problem with the Sprong trade. Even if he wasn't ready this year (he was), it was wasteful to trade him for another bottom pairing D when they already had several of them.

Good thing is that Blueger looks like he will be a solid contributor.

So actually according to the IIHF, only over 1.7 million people world wide play hockey as of 2016 while 5.22 million play tackle football in the United States according to a site called statista. ESPN says that there’s 1.23 million kids between the age 6-12 participating in tackle football alone. Gotta remember how prohibitive the cost of ice time is to getting into hockey while any inner city kid or country bumpkin can get on the grid iron for practically free
- Victoro311

31 teams * 23 roster spots = 713

2,384 players per roster spot (using 1.7m)

32 teams * 53 roster spots = 1696

3,077 players per roster spot (using 5.22m)

So not too far apart really.

Johnson is a very good skater. That’s the only good quality he has. He just doesn’t have the hockey IQ to go with it.
- j.boyd919

If only we could give Maatta JJ's legs lol

31 teams * 23 roster spots = 713

2,384 players per roster spot (using 1.7m)

32 teams * 53 roster spots = 1696

3,077 players per roster spot (using 5.22m)

So not too far apart really.
- Feds91Stammer

Damn, both those numbers seem so small! Like everyone says its "1in1Million chance", odds are really alot greater lol

Fights in hockey are more and more meaningless every year.

TD celebrations in football arent great. Theyre obnoxious and self congratulatory. Its one of the selfish things about the NFL i hate nowadays with their "me me me " players.

Id really like to not see hockey go down that path.

Fights in hockey are more and more meaningless every year.

TD celebrations in football arent great. Theyre obnoxious and self congratulatory. Its one of the selfish things about the NFL i hate nowadays with their "me me me " players.

Id really like to not see hockey go down that path.
- thickman1178

I never cared for the designated fighter position and the 2 dudes having staged fights.

I do agree with with fights when some dude just needs punched in the face.

Fights in hockey are more and more meaningless every year.

TD celebrations in football arent great. Theyre obnoxious and self congratulatory. Its one of the selfish things about the NFL i hate nowadays with their "me me me " players.

Id really like to not see hockey go down that path.
- thickman1178

Im good with a guy being fired up and celebrating a big goal. Ovie doing his stick on fire, Theo Fleurry fist pumping on his knees and Selanne shooting his glove were fun celebrations.

It's just so stupid that the Hurricanes, who aren't even in a playoff spot, are doing dumb contrived post game celebrations. You are right. It's just like all of the dumb NFL celebrations.

Im good with a guy being fired up and celebrating a big goal. Ovie doing his stick on fire, Theo Fleurry fist pumping on his knees and Selanne shooting his glove were fun celebrations.

It's just so stupid that the Hurricanes, who aren't even in a playoff spot, are doing dumb contrived post game celebrations. You are right. It's just like all of the dumb NFL celebrations.
- MacPatty

Why? They play a game for a living.

Its called fun.

Im good with a guy being fired up and celebrating a big goal. Ovie doing his stick on fire, Theo Fleurry fist pumping on his knees and Selanne shooting his glove were fun celebrations.

It's just so stupid that the Hurricanes, who aren't even in a playoff spot, are doing dumb contrived post game celebrations. You are right. It's just like all of the dumb NFL celebrations.
- MacPatty

Like the dude on team thats down by 3 TD's late in the 4th acts like he won the Super Bowl for sacking the backup QB.

Why? They play a game for a living.

Its called fun.
- Feds91Stammer

Yeah I mean it really shouldn't matter to anyone. They are doing their thing, you do your own thing. So many people get caught up in other people's lives just live your own and not worry what they are doing. Amirite?

Yeah I mean it really shouldn't matter to anyone. They are doing their thing, you do your own thing. So many people get caught up in other people's lives just live your own and not worry what they are doing. Amirite?
- 668710

I could care less about the Hurricanes unless they are trading us one of their D. Making a comment on a message board doesn't mean you are caught up in other's lives.

I could care less about the Hurricanes unless they are trading us one of their D. Making a comment on a message board doesn't mean you are caught up in other's lives.
- MacPatty

Well you have quite a terrible opinion on the matter.