The Ditch part deux

This is freekin' cool...

 

Yep, the fks too.
I've checked up three times on the blues this year. The first time they were at the top next to tampa, the next time they were out of the playoffs, now barely in

This could be their year

 

Here is my Bobby Orr picture I mentioned 2 weeks ago. I finally dug it out to show you guys.

 

That dude really has quite the side hair part.

Anyways Ill sell you a Kristopher Letang card that's worth more than this obscure player.

 

too bad the autograph at the bottom is worth more than Kris Letang's card, hair part and everything else.

 

1-0 Panthers
1-0 Wings
2-0 Caps
1-0 Canes
1-0 Sabres

 

Panthers have 3 games in hand over the Flyers. They could play spoiler...

 

Vegas is impressive and they owe it to Gerrard Gallant in my opinion.

Sharks look different for the better with Kane...

Caps still need to prove to me they are a playoff team... you can have your Presidents Trophies and Division Titles, but the Cup is what really counts.

 

<cues up next “Caps in a bar” joke>

 

2 Caps walked into a bar... which is kinda stupid. You'd have thought after the first Cap walked into it the 2nd would have seen it.

 

Derek Dorsett is the Vancouver Canucks nominee for the Masterton Trophy, given for "perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
Sad state when you have to look at retired players.

 

I don't think the Flyers are in trouble, unless they lose more games than they win, in which case it doesn't matter who's chasing them.

Florida and New Jersey are the two teams racing, right now. Columbus has undoubtedly done their part. Philly just has to hang on. But Florida and NJ are going to race to the death, as the season winds down. Problem for Florida is, they do have several games in hand - that they play in the same time frame. It's an exhausting schedule to finish the season.

 

I think they play the Devils twice too down the end.

 

The Flyers might, but the Panthers don't. They see the Bruins 3 times (fucking 3!), the Preds, and the Leafs, with a sprinkling of Buffalo, Carolina, and Ottowa. I will be in attendance for a Bruins game and the Carolina game. I will also be buying playoff tickets if they make it in.

Let's go, boys. Strong finish.

 

Now, I need some help with this, because I've always been a little fuzzy on it:

The Panthers just signed Borgstrom to his ELC, for the 3 years. Because they signed him prior to this calendar season being over, does that mean that this season (all few weeks left of it) counts against that three years?

In other words, are they signing him for 3 years, or 2 years and a few weeks?

 

This will count against his Entry level deal. So to answer your question he’ll essentially have the 2 years and a few weeks. This is leverage NCAA kids use to get to unrestricted free agency sooner. If the team decides not to sign the college kid he could go back to school and in some cases could become an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with anyone in a year.

 

Yeah, that's what I thought. It's a serious bummer. I get that he held all the cards, here, but from a team perspective, you really hate to waste that income-capped year, for purposes of keeping everyone else paid, too. With the roster as-is, and the time of year we're in, as long as everyone stays healthy I can't see him being called up to the NHL squad at all, despite his skills. I just think it's too risky to throw him in there for the first time when you're fighting for your life with two weeks left.

But, as you said, the risk of him never being a Panther in the first place is now averted, which I was admittedly sweating for a portion of the season. It'll be interesting to see what the roster looks like next year, with him and Vatrano having spots coming into the season.

 

I think Borgstrom will contribute immediately.

 

First, see Matty's answer. I am only trying to add a little detail to his accurate response. The Panthers are in the same boat as the Sabres are with Casey Mittlestadt. The first year of their 3-yr. ELC's were burned as soon as they signed their ELC's. This also means that neither are eligible to playoff games in the AHL. (Perhaps moot for the playoff-bound Cats, but a big deal for Rochester and the hapless Sabres.) They both signed ELC's because they had the leverage to force their teams to give them that concession. However, it's really not as bad as that seems. The 2017-18 games will not count toward the number of year's of experience they have, so when Seattle holds their expansion draft neither will have to be protected. Also, the players will not have full RFA rights after their second full season. It really was not that much to give up in order to get guys that clearly belong in the NHL* to give up their college eligibility.

(* Borgstrom is a guy I've seen a fair bit of at Denver; he's ready physically & talent-wise for the NHL. Casey probably would have benefitted from another year of development physically, but he has elite talent.)

The alternative would be to sign college prospects to an ATO (Amateur Try Out) contracts. That makes such players eligible for this year's Calder Cup playoffs. Will Borgen and Judd Peterson both left St. Cloud State on ATO's and are off to Rochester. While Will projects to be a good NHL player, he almost certainly will need another full season in the AHL. I doubt Judd gets more than just a cup of coffee, if that, in the NHL. These guys did not have the leverage of a Borgstrom or Mittlestadt.

 

1 min to go, 4-3 devils.