That'd be embarassing. Host city not picking until the end of day two
- Jsaquella

That's partly why I question them including round 1 picks, they'd have to have a good idea or not if they have been selected to host for 2013. Not just to begin planning but to reserve those days so nothing else can be scheduled in it's place.

Dale the Wombat ‏@wombathockey
Everyone loves Weber, but @NHLFlyers also apparently like Ellis and Blum. @PredsNHL likes Brayden Schenn. Paying close attention to this.
- njhockey27

Both for schenn?

Both for schenn?
- nails

Not likely it's probably one or the other.

Not likely it's probably one or the other.
- ob18

I would have a hard time wth that

I would have a hard time wth that
- nails

If they could get both great if not I'd start with Jonathon Blum and have them add to the package. Maybe include Colin Wilson as well.

If they could get both great if not I'd start with Jonathon Blum and have them add to the package. Maybe include Colin Wilson as well.
- ob18

F they can't get both d men, I doubt the get Wilson added.
If Suter is gone, I can't see them trading away d men also.

If they could get both great if not I'd start with Jonathon Blum and have them add to the package. Maybe include Colin Wilson as well.
- ob18

i would do blum and a 2nd for schenn

the 2nd has to be this year. or their 1st next year

is there any chance in the world that chicago would consider duncan keith for JvR+?

is there any chance in the world that chicago would consider duncan keith for JvR+?
- flyerscup2011

Probably not, unless JvR was a goalie

is there any chance in the world that chicago would consider duncan keith for JvR?
- flyerscup2011

Only if the Flyers include Ellison in addition to JVR.

Blum and a 2nd for Schenn?

No way. For Weber, I'd include him for sure though.

F they can't get both d men, I doubt the get Wilson added.
If Suter is gone, I can't see them trading away d men also.
- nails

That's the issue Blum & Ellis are their top 2 in the system, wouldn't make sense to move either or both.

This conversation of whether or not to trade for Weber, reminds of that scene in Animal House. An Angel on one shoulder, and a Devil on the other. Saying do it!, don't do it! I really understand both sides of the argument. I get, and also agree with being patient, drafting and developing players. Charting a course and staying with it. Makes sense to me.
I also understand those saying to make the deal for Weber. You'd be getting one of the hardest types of players to obtain. But the price will be high, as it should. Because of how good Weber is.
And I agree that Weber isn't a miracle cure, and doesn't guarantee a Cup. No one player can do that.
But in the end, in my opinion, adding a player like Weber, puts you closer to the Cup. So if it's there, I think you have to make the move.
- MJL

Superb Post.

i would do blum and a 2nd for schenn

the 2nd has to be this year. or their 1st next year
- flyerscup2011

It doesn't seem like a possibiliy especially if they feel they won't keep Suter or Weber.

Probably not, unless JvR was a goalie
- Jsaquella

I don't have J-Bo as a back-up plan. The cap hit is tough, but only for 2 years and with Kimmo coming off the books after this year. Once Pronger goes on LTIR, J-Bo will only be adding like $1.6 million on the cap. I think a change of scenery could do him good, plus he plays 25 minutes/game.

What's his trade value? Similiar to the Neal/Goglogoski trade from a few years ago?

I don't have J-Bo as a back-up plan. The cap hit is tough, but only for 2 years and with Kimmo coming off the books after this year. Once Pronger goes on LTIR, J-Bo will only be adding like $1.6 million on the cap. I think a change of scenery could do him good, plus he plays 25 minutes/game.

What's his trade value? Similiar to the Neal/Goglogoski trade from a few years ago?
- ravishingone

In my opinion. Bouwmeester doesn't bring enough to the table to take on that Cap hit.

This conversation of whether or not to trade for Weber, reminds of that scene in Animal House. An Angel on one shoulder, and a Devil on the other. Saying do it!, don't do it! I really understand both sides of the argument. I get, and also agree with being patient, drafting and developing players. Charting a course and staying with it. Makes sense to me.
I also understand those saying to make the deal for Weber. You'd be getting one of the hardest types of players to obtain. But the price will be high, as it should. Because of how good Weber is.
And I agree that Weber isn't a miracle cure, and doesn't guarantee a Cup. No one player can do that.
But in the end, in my opinion, adding a player like Weber, puts you closer to the Cup. So if it's there, I think you have to make the move.
- MJL

homer should be so measured

In my opinion. Bouwmeester doesn't bring enough to the table to take on that Cap hit.
- MJL

I'm with you on JayBo.

Sigh...I figured "someone" might quibble with the semantics. For me, if you are going to call a player elite, he's in the top two or three at his position. Crosby, Giroux, Malkin, and probably Stamkos are elite. Weber & Chara are elite. Rinne, Lundqvist, & Quick are elite. Everyone else is something less.

So guys like Doughty are in a tier below elite. At least in my opinion. He's a great player (as I said). I just don't think he's elite yet. He may be one day, but he's not now, at least not the way I think of elite.

Also, if you use the criteria Bill mentioned the other day:



I don't think he (yet) embodies six of those traits.
goal scoring - yes
passing - yes
outstanding positional defense - no (solid, but not outstanding)
size & physicality - no
high end mobility - yes
hockey sense - yes
shot blocking - no
durability - yes
locker room leadership - no

By my count he has 5. So he's close. He could get there, but like I said I don't think he's there now.

And I'll admit that since I'm not in the Kings room, I really don't know that he isn't a locker room leader. He could be. But I'm basing the "no" on a few things. One is the way he held out of training camp. Another is his behavior during the playoffs, where had to be physically restrained two different times by teammates before he cost his team a misconduct. Lastly, I don't think the Kings need him to be a big locker room leader with the other vets/leaders they already have. That's a lot of conjecture I know, but that's how I see it. I'm sure you'll have a different view, and that's fine. He's a great player - never said otherwise. I just don't think he's on the same level as Chara or Weber (or even the corpse of Lidstrom).
- BringBack25

But doughty never did a single thing wrong. I swear throughout the playoffs. He is elite. He was pure bliss.

In my opinion. Bouwmeester doesn't bring enough to the table to take on that Cap hit.
- MJL

Certainly J-Bo's cap hit is that of a #1 d-man. So what happened? Was he really never a #1 d-man? Has he physically run out of gas similiar to Wayne Redden? Was it really the best idea to sign in his home province of Alberta? Did he just simply lose confidence?

I don't have the answers to any of these questions. If a team thinks he can return to what he was in Florida, the term of two years makes the cap hit manageable. In the end, I feel it is Weber or bust for the Flyers and a really hard push for Parise.

Lidstrom didn't block a lot of shots either. And while I won't anoint Doughty as the next Lidstrom, he's certainly heading in that direction. And guess what, at 22 years old ,Lidstrom wasn't Lidstrom either, if you get what I mean. I saw a player who at 22 years of age, totally control the game from the back end. Make play after play. And while you may not place him in the caliber of Chara, Weber, or Lidstrom. Those guys aren't 22. They're 27 or older. I saw an Elite player in the playoffs. No doubt about it.

And I think your making way too much of a player showing his heart and competitiveness on the ice. Nothing to do with immaturity or a lack of leadership. And everything to do with a desire to win.

Remember the game when Claude Giroux though they didn't get a call, turned and gestured at the ref, then went up the ice and laid a hit that got him suspended? Was that immaturity and a lack of leadership also?
- MJL

A few points here. One, he's either elite or not elite. The question wasn't "Is he elite for a 22 year old?". So, if he's "elite for a 22 year old", then he isn't elite.

Two, sorry but I disagree on the temper tantrums. Smashing your stick like that isn't "competitive fire", it's a selfish, hot headed move that more mature/smarter players rarely make. He should have received penalties on each, as are called 99% of the time.

And Giroux's play on the sequence you mention was immature, no doubt about it. Hopefully he's learned from it and will not make the same mistake again.

OK, that's all. I'm done with this topic. If you still want to call him elite, or elite for a 22 year old, good luck and godspeed sir.

A few points here. One, he's either elite or not elite. The question wasn't "Is he elite for a 22 year old?". So, if he's "elite for a 22 year old", then he isn't elite.

Two, sorry but I disagree on the temper tantrums. Smashing your stick like that isn't "competitive fire", it's a selfish, hot headed move that more mature/smarter players rarely make. He should have received penalties on each, as are called 99% of the time.

And Giroux's play on the sequence you mention was immature, no doubt about it. Hopefully he's learned from it and will not make the same mistake again.

OK, that's all. I'm done with this topic. If you still want to call him elite, or elite for a 22 year old, good luck and godspeed sir.
- BringBack25

I'll be clear then. Doughty is elite. There's no doubt about it. He showed that this year. And I think it's the competitive nature in both players that makes them do things like that. And older more mature players don't do things like that? Of course they do. Nothing to do with maturity.

Good luck and God speed to you also!

I personally would be in the camp to add Weber.

Not only because of what he brings.

However more so because if a player like that is available, you make the deal. To be more specific, the Flyers will be looking for another top d-man once Kimmo retires.

If you can get that guy now, and have it be a guy like Weber, you make the deal.

I think gambling on Kimmo being the #1 again this season is too big of a risk. If he goes down the team is in trouble.

I'd also like to add that adding Weber to the mix should hopefully help Bryzgalov get back into form. Not really conclusive, but if Kimmo goes down long-term I worry for Bryz.

For what its worth though, I was one of the biggest skeptics of Voracek this season.

I thought he would be another Zherdev. The kid impressed me most of all with his work ethic, and how good of a team-guy he is.

If they could somehow keep him.

Superb Post.
- LordStanley88

Superb is a strong word