New blog, courtesy of Harm at the Athletic. Just taking his little bit about Lafferty for y'all:
- NewYorkNuck

Yeah but a 5th

I mean, I don’t really care what your team does or doesn’t do, just that another team thought better of a coveted 5th round pick and the extra $300k than to keep him. A team, who has been desperately seeking that tough to play against type of player.

Maybe he’ll be better than whatever other 4th liner you sent down, but has the 4th line really been THE problem over the past several seasons?
- 1970vintage

So cumulative improvements don’t add to anything?

I mean, I don’t really care what your team does or doesn’t do, just that another team thought better of a coveted 5th round pick and the extra $300k than to keep him. A team, who has been desperately seeking that tough to play against type of player.

Maybe he’ll be better than whatever other 4th liner you sent down, but has the 4th line really been THE problem over the past several seasons?
- 1970vintage

They moved him to be cap compliant. They would have rather rostered him than acquire a 5th.

They moved him to be cap compliant. They would have rather rostered him than acquire a 5th.
- golfingsince

I am surprised by the amount of whining over trading for him. But then again maybe those that do just want to collect draft picks and tank.

Yes the 4th line HAS really been a problem. Of course not THE problem. Poorly phrased question.
- Nighthawk

Listen, when you start majoring in English you can start criticizing peoples sentence structure. Until then, you should stick to lineups.

They moved him to be cap compliant. They would have rather rostered him than acquire a 5th.
- golfingsince

If they really wanted him, I’m sure they would have found a way. They liked a kid on an ELC better.

So cumulative improvements don’t add to anything?
- Quinn's Quest

What’s cumulative about changing the same thing over and over?

I am surprised by the amount of whining over trading for him. But then again maybe those that do just want to collect draft picks and tank.
- Quinn's Quest

Shut.
Up.

No, he is 2nd on the list of 4.
- Reubenkincade

ahh, poop, yeah, sorry.

Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
·
8m
Sources say #CBJ have been engaged in trade dialogue with teams in recent days in an effort to move a defenseman from their #NHL roster. They've told teams they'd like more flexibility at the position.

I mean, I don’t really care what your team does or doesn’t do, just that another team thought better of a coveted 5th round pick and the extra $300k than to keep him. A team, who has been desperately seeking that tough to play against type of player.

Maybe he’ll be better than whatever other 4th liner you sent down, but has the 4th line really been THE problem over the past several seasons?
- 1970vintage

Well there have been a few problems over the years but I would definitely put Van's 4th or even bottom 6 at the low end of the league for many years. Their contributions to the team have been not enough.

Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
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9m
Replying to @frank_seravalli
Since everyone is asking for a name, the truth is #CBJ are open to different possibilities as they weigh value. Likely centered around Boqvist, Bean, and to a lesser extent - based on minutes - Peeke. They’ll likely move whomever they find gets them most back.

I am surprised by the amount of whining over trading for him. But then again maybe those that do just want to collect draft picks and tank.
- Quinn's Quest

Most us that are 'whining' about the trade, and I don't think anyone on this board actually is, is that this is literally changing the deck chairs on the Titanic. Lafferty isn't going to hurt us, but he's not going to massively improve us either, so the move literally is just trading another draft pick for a 4th liner/13th forward that we probably don't hold on to after this season (whether we trade him, let him walk in FA or waive him like Toronto would have had to). As someone stated, the 4th line is not the problem, and if you're relying on Lafferty to be the player that somehow gets you over the hump then you're already screwed.

What a mistake it was letting him play through injury for a month plus before pulling him out of the line up. Now he's behind and not ready... just (frank)ing dumb.

- boonerbuck

"every player heals differently" That's what his agent said. He could have still not been ready.

Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
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9m
Replying to @frank_seravalli
Since everyone is asking for a name, the truth is #CBJ are open to different possibilities as they weigh value. Likely centered around Boqvist, Bean, and to a lesser extent - based on minutes - Peeke. They’ll likely move whomever they find gets them most back.
- VanHockeyGuy

Price will be high. 1st rounder for Boqvist or Peeke.

Travis Yost
@travisyost
·
2h
Anyone interested in one of Columbus’ fourth-pairing talents, inquire accordingly

If they really wanted him, I’m sure they would have found a way. They liked a kid on an ELC better.
- 1970vintage

They have a 21 many roster, their cap situation is beyond screwed up.

They have 12 players that have M-NTC or NTC in their opening day line up

Most us that are 'whining' about the trade, and I don't think anyone on this board actually is, is that this is literally changing the deck chairs on the Titanic. Lafferty isn't going to hurt us, but he's not going to massively improve us either, so the move literally is just trading another draft pick for a 4th liner/13th forward that we probably don't hold on to after this season (whether we trade him, let him walk in FA or waive him like Toronto would have had to). As someone stated, the 4th line is not the problem, and if you're relying on Lafferty to be the player that somehow gets you over the hump then you're already screwed.
- DariusKnight

Could it not be a knock-on effect? Sure adding a single fourth liner in a vacuum doesn't really change much... but adding a right-handed fourth liner who can win draws and is good on the PK can have ripple effects. As Harm wrote, it probably means JTM doesn't have to be on the PK (which he is bad at) for draws, and instead you get a better PKer on there (which will improve the PK, theoretically) and frees up time for JTM so he's not as overworked in games.

I don't think anyone thinks Lafferty alone is going to get them over the hump, but if all these small upgrades add 3% improvement each time, then over the course of the roster turnover it adds up.

Could it not be a knock-on effect? Sure adding a single fourth liner in a vacuum doesn't really change much... but adding a right-handed fourth liner who can win draws and is good on the PK can have ripple effects. As Harm wrote, it probably means JTM doesn't have to be on the PK (which he is bad at) for draws, and instead you get a better PKer on there (which will improve the PK, theoretically) and frees up time for JTM so he's not as overworked in games.

I don't think anyone thinks Lafferty alone is going to get them over the hump, but if all these small upgrades add 3% improvement each time, then over the course of the roster turnover it adds up.
- NewYorkNuck

Sure, I never said he wouldn't help, but he's another example of not being forward thinking. He's 28, makes 1.15 mil and is a UFA after this season and unless he massively overachieves is not likely to be resigned. That 5th rounder could have been used to find/develop our own Lafferty in a couple of years (and yes, I'm well aware that 5th rounders have a less than 10% chance of playing significant games in the NHL and our development system hasn't shown the ability to produce quality NHL players) on an ELC.

Our PK isn't going to live or die based on Lafferty, I will say that not having Miller on it is the only upside to the deal, because as you said he's horrible on it.

Sure, I never said he wouldn't help, but he's another example of not being forward thinking. He's 28, makes 1.15 mil and is a UFA after this season and unless he massively overachieves is not likely to be resigned. That 5th rounder could have been used to find/develop our own Lafferty in a couple of years (and yes, I'm well aware that 5th rounders have a less than 10% chance of playing significant games in the NHL and our development system hasn't shown the ability to produce quality NHL players) on an ELC.

Our PK isn't going to live or die based on Lafferty, I will say that not having Miller on it is the only upside to the deal, because as you said he's horrible on it.
- DariusKnight

The flip side to that is, does the team need a Lafferty in 5 years (that's how long it took him/around a 5th rounder to make it)? Or is it more forward thinking to support this group as much as possible with Petey's decision being based off the team's competitiveness? The long-term benefit to keeping Petey around outweighs having a 10% chance of your own Lafferty in 5 years. And no, not saying that trading for Laff is gonna make Petey stay, just saying putting themselves in the most competitive position right now is probably the smartest position to take for the franchise (and the franchise player), especially considering the minimal cost.

And no, Lafferty isn't going to make or break the PK. But there are only really 4 main forwards for a PK, so if he can win that 25% job and make a positive impact over JTM... that's pretty good, especially for our trash PK.

Jeff Paterson
@patersonjeff
·
50m
according to #NHL and based on season-opening rosters, #Canucks are 12th youngest team in the league. So pretty much middle of the pack.
Buffalo, Columbus & Montreal are the three youngest teams. Pittsburgh and Washington are the two oldest teams

What’s cumulative about changing the same thing over and over?
- 1970vintage

Same thing? Are you sure you have followed all the changes the last year?

Allan Walsh🏒
@walsha

Due to Gary’s triple hard cap salary cap crunch, several NHL teams cannot carry a full 23 man roster. 1 team is at 20 and several at 21. Overall, 28 NHL jobs lost, 28 players squeezed out of the league.

Mistaking poor cap management with there is an issue with having a salary cap.

Claire Hanna

Zack MacEwen is day to day and if he can't play against Carolina, the #Sens will go with 11 forwards and 6 defensemen.

DJ Smith "In saying that, there’s guys that love minutes and guys that can play lots."

Locked On Senators
@SensCentral

Ottawa being unable to ice a complete NHL line-up on opening night WITHOUT having their 22-year old RFA C signed is absolutely absurd.

Cap going up next year and most teams will still be in the same spots they are now.

Shut.
Up.
- Marwood

F@ck off… a$$hole. Thanks 👍🏽

https://twitter.com/AnnaN...tatus/1711743909792014632

Why the hell can't Canada have hockey reporters like this.

Where’s Michael?