Prospects, and the future of the NHL

Strickland is a STL guy.
I have no idea if they (USA hockey folks) just had a good time or if this makes STL a frontrunner. I like Strickland, he usually doesn't go full-homer so I took note of it. I never really followed USA hockey politics to know how to read any stories about them.

 

There are several rookies approaching their 10th game, so teams have to make decisions. A couple are no-brainers, McDavid & Eichel, they're staying and EDM & BUF will not worry for a second about burning the year off their ELC's. (Actually, McD has already played 10.)

There is a report on NHL.com, but I'm on tablet and cannot copy & paste the link.

Samson Reinhart is one of him, and while he's only 19, he will tune 20 before the end of the year, so BUF could send him to Rochester. They could do that, but especially with Kane out, they won't. At least not now; he may see some time in ROC this year if he hits the rookie wall hard, but I think he'll burn the first year of his rookie contract this season regardless.

PIT says Sprong is staying; I believe it.

VAN has a couple that I think could be going back the their CHL clubs.

Perhaps the most interesting is Hanafin in CAR. Since he was NCAA he is AHL-eligible. He's getting a night off, i.e., he's a healthy scratch, so it looks like the Canes are mulling this over.

There a few other guys, but these are the ones I felt like talking about.

 

I don't think Hanifin is ready to play NHL defense, he's still a kid.

 

You may recall that I was extremely high on him pre-draft. He'll be remembered when, long in the future, we recount the Great Draft of '15. Still, I agree; especially since the Canes have the luxury of sending him to Charlotte. I think the AHL is the perfect spot for him the rest of the season.

Add the Canes' penurious style, and that looks even more likely.

Oh, I will add that I think it's almost certain that Larkin will stay with the Wings.

 

^^^ he said PENURIOUS!!!^^^

 

http://www.tsn.ca/the-kids-are-alright-1.384231

Some stuff on the underagers.

 

yeah, mckenzie is backtracking after last nights game van/mon. mccann with two goals and virtanen with 7 hits and an assist. their ice time is going up too. lennies flipping metal loonies on this pair. i think they at least get 39 games in.

 

I give them credit for at least trying to guess what Vancouver is doing this year. It usually sounds like they would rather just shut their mouths. I can't imagine the TSN folks have any better access than they did 2 seasons ago, must be tougher on them.

Good call on the ice time, I hadn't noticed that.

 

I don't/cannot follow the Nucks closely, so this is more of a question than an observation. Is McCann still very boy-like? I think he'll fill out well in a year or two, but is he ready for the wear n' tear of an NHL season?

Last year Samson Reinhart was sent down, and I hate to think what would happened to him if TM had kept him in BUF. Of course I had no question about this decision; Samson was a boy among men.

 

mccann's face off wins have progressed very well. he is working with prust and dorsett. he isn't that slight at 6 foot 180. his speed and skills are definitely there. i think being with the big club will help his confidence exponentially and the practice with the sedins can't hurt. he wasn't a top 10 pick, but he sure is playing like one.

 

O.K., red, I'll accept your take. The team is in odd spot. Do they want to try and wring one more run at with the twins? Or, do they look to the future? If McCann gets hurt it won't ruin his future, but it'll do nothing for his confidence either.
I've been wading through hip high 'S!' for the last couple of seasons, so maybe my mind is warped*, but if I were a Nucks fan I'd probably want to see him go down. You're right about how he looks, but that does not mean he needs to deliver now to prove it. I think he already has, but being told to focus on the weight room could be in his, and the team's, best interest.

(* We both know that my mind is warped, but I'm talking about hockey.)

 

good work WIll. Broonz gonna get one of those guys.

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...owners-optimistic-winning-20150916-story.html

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sp...Jets-tickets--theyre-available-365053741.html

Things to consider:

A few hundred tickets available right before a game is nothing to worry about
Revenue, not total ticket sales or attendance % is all that matters when gauging stability.
85% capacity in Sunrise (Panthers) is about 100% in WPG because of arena size
The Canadian dollar is extremely weak and players get paid in US
TRUENorth moved their affiliate to WPG, allowing families to go to games cheaper


While tickets available is a big red flag for a small franchise, the ownership might have taken the hit themselves by bringing the Moose back (moved ST. Johns). Still, this may be the first marker that the honeymoon is over in WPG. Unlike franchises in FLA, TB, Dal, etc. they are very dependent on actual attendance since there is little to be made outside of ticket sales compared to most US markets.

No conculsion about WPG's stability should be drawn from this little information but I thought it was interesting and worth keeping an eye on. You can bet Gary and the gang are going to watch what happens the last 2 months of the season in the Peg.