The Ditch part deux

Jets add steve mason and dimitri kulikov.

 

Yes, they have gone from mediocre in net to mediocre in net and I'm not sure Kulikov is much help over the depth and experience they had last year.

Look great on paper, but without a red hot start, I think this WPG implodes again. The lockerroom doesn't know how to act when they win, so they have to be pretty much brain-dead to expectations if they start hot.

The more I think about it, the more likely I am to project them outside of the playoffs.

 

Good dude right there.

 

$4.3M a year, drugs are good in the peg.

 

I'm enjoying the predictions on the Central this year.
I'm also enjoying NOT betting money on anything to do with that division this year.
MIN, CHI, and STL are all in a position to implode with a key injury. Ultimately, Chicago is top heavy enough to stay in the postseason imo. Crawford has done well with really poor defense in front of him for extended periods, Kane has carried garbage to high scoring totals, and they actually have more players playing in a sensical position than most years. NAS will be solid with that blueline and good mix up front but they've never had to play to high expectations and succeeded so far. I think Dallas and COL could be toast, but that could inflate the pts for a couple other teams in the division which will only make the standings more confusing.

The voices are pumped for the hot mess in the Central. Pacific could be a big joke too, EDM poised to run away and hide in the standings, but ANA is solid too. The rest of that division is a crap shoot mixed in with lots of snakeeyes.

 

We should do are own predictions this year for each Division. Store them in a separate thread and enjoy seeing them and how people did at the end of the season.

 

Pacific could be a big joke too, EDM poised to run away and hide in the standings, but ANA is solid too. The rest of that division is a crap shoot mixed in with lots of snakeiiis. Fixt. I really like the Nucks chances to avalanche into a top 3 pick.

 

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1...-since-june-had-substance-relapse-last-winter

 

Who is this Panarin that the Blackhawks lost?

 

I feel sorry for the kids, he's had issues and i'll look for him on the freeway onramp.

 

Wtf, Derek Sanderson 2017.

 

Don't look at me... I haven't seen him.

 

Ron Hextall wants you to know this isn’t a rebuilding season for the Flyers

Coming off of their third non-playoff season in the past five years the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to have some young, inexperienced players take on some big roles this season.

You can call this upcoming season a lot of things for the Flyers, but one thing general manager Ron Hextall doesn’t want you to call it as a rebuild. Or a rebuilding season. Or anything have to do with the word “rebuild.”

He made that very clear when speaking to Sam Carchidi this past week.

An excerpt from Philly.com:

“You’re not rebuilding when you’re competitive,” Hextall said in a firm tone. “A rebuild, to me, is when you go to the bottom and you pick high, high, high – and essentially, you’re not trying that hard to win. That’s not in our DNA. We want to win. We want to win as many games as possible. We’re not going to go to the bottom of the league and pick first overall for four or five years. That’s no way to build culture. Our vision was to stay competitive, and build, and get younger — and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

He also later added, “How would you like to be a player going into an 82-game season knowing the team is rebuilding so basically has no expectations to win. Think about that. That’s not in our DNA.”

So don’t call it a rebuild, okay?
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Makes sense too me. Rebuilds suck! lol

 

Philadelphia Flyers... rebuilding since 1975.

 

The only thing that sucks worse than rebuilding is when a team in need of rebuilding is in denial over that state of reality.

Bobby Clarke was in denial. The owner of Vancouver is in denial - largely because they once drafted twins #2 & #3 way back when, and those twins "deserve better". Benning has the look of a GM in denial. So does Ken Holland.

Rob Hextall, on the other hand, is not in denial. The hockey team from Philadelphia does not need to rebuilt. They may or may not make the playoffs this season, but he has already torn down and rebuilt the mess that Bobby created. He is right to recoil from his team being categorized as being in rebuilding mode.

 

Guess I don't know the difference to what these GM's are calling a rebuild and what exactly is a rebuild.

Ken Holland can make the same claim and basically has that they don't intend on losing or tanking, but are starting a lot of youth and mending on the fly.

Detroit isn't going to say they are rebuilding, or tanking or any such thing and of course the GM is going to say they are out to win as many games as possible... I'm sure they meant that in Edmonton and Arizona as well.

Maybe its just word play or something, but I'm finding it difficult to believe anything a GM says regarding rebuilds.

I might add that I think Hexy is headed in the right direction and has a real competitive club based on a mix of sound vets and youth, which I think is the ultimate combination to success.

 

You catch the best fish when you're right at the bottom.

 

Pens tanking since 1984.

 

Clarke was at fault for the 1990's and early 2000's teams because he kept trying to trade for old washed up players at the trade deadline to win the Cup and failed miserably. Joel Otto, Tony Amonte, Paul Coffey, Dale Hawerchuk, Adam Oates, John Vanbiesbrouck, and a few others were dreadful in Philly. His second biggest mistake was had no experience dealing with a salary cap. He was way over his head. his days of free spending was over and he was outmatched. the latest mess was all on Paul Holmgren. His hiring was a mistake thanks to Clarke. being made GM was a mistake, probably also on Clarke or Snider. And allowing him to ruin the team year after year was a mistake. Thankfully this era is over.

Ron Hextall, Rob must be his red headed cousin, has done a solid job so far, but it's time to see some momentum in the win column. Holmgren's mistakes are over. It's Hextall's team, now and his draft picks. Time to see what they can do - good or bad. Flyers fans are dying for not just a playoff spot, to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but a push to the top of the standings in 2018-2020 and beyond. The current team, even with 6-7 rookies, potentially playing this year, still isn't enough to win and contend. A big trade or two is STILL NEEDED to seriously help this team contend with the giants of Washington, Pittsburgh etc in the East. Like Dan K said months ago "trade a defensive prospect or two for some offensive help on wing." I agree.