NHL Thread

[MattA75]

Love the Canucks trade tonight, McCann was going to have a hard time cracking the lineup at center going forward and they needed a big young defenseman with some experience (and Gudbranson is still only 24)...plus they can replace McCann with either Dubois or Tkachuk with the #5 pick in the draft...not all of Benning's moves have made me happy but this one does in a big way

[Electromatic]

If the Cup Final is San Jose vs Tampa is the league happy with that? Is that something that they look to to say expansion is great?

Because I've got to be honest with you, neither one of those cities is a natural hockey city, like mine, there are very few locals in those areas actually interested in hockey, and even if everyone in those markets tune in along with Canada, just out of interest, I don't think there is going to be a lot of interest in that series.

It might be really good Hockey, I'm going to watch some of it, but I'm still kind of more in favor of retraction. I'm not entirely sure that "growing" the sport is giving us the best possible hockey.

The matchup on paper, just lacks appeal. San Jose vs Tampa seems like a resort fight, or a technology company relocation decision.

[E.H. Ruddock]

If Tampa wins the Cup does Stamkos stay?

[philpritchard]

Love the Canucks trade tonight, McCann was going to have a hard time cracking the lineup at center going forward and they needed a big young defenseman with some experience (and Gudbranson is still only 24)...plus they can replace McCann with either Dubois or Tkachuk with the #5 pick in the draft...not all of Benning's moves have made me happy but this one does in a big way

That surprises me because I think it looks pretty awful.

The Canucks are a bad hockey team, and they just traded one of the key pieces of their future for a bottom pairing defender.

Gudbranson just isn't very good. If this was just McCann for Gudbranson straight up, I would kind of dislike it. But they added a couple picks to it as well, including the 33rd overall. If they Leafs made a move like this, I would hate it so much.

[MattA75]

Love the Canucks trade tonight, McCann was going to have a hard time cracking the lineup at center going forward and they needed a big young defenseman with some experience (and Gudbranson is still only 24)...plus they can replace McCann with either Dubois or Tkachuk with the #5 pick in the draft...not all of Benning's moves have made me happy but this one does in a big way

That surprises me because I think it looks pretty awful.

The Canucks are a bad hockey team, and they just traded one of the key pieces of their future for a bottom pairing defender.

Gudbranson just isn't very good. If this was just McCann for Gudbranson straight up, I would kind of dislike it. But they added a couple picks to it as well, including the 33rd overall. If they Leafs made a move like this, I would hate it so much.

The problem is McCann was in a logjam of centers with the Canucks as it was...Sedin/Horvat/Sutter are not moving anytime soon, and as I said, the team is almost certainly looking at either Dubois or Tkachuk at #5..., plus they still have Gaunce in their system as well (whether he'll amount to anything is a totally different discussion), Boeser is a year away, and I know they remain high on Cassels (who is probably a really good 3rd line two way center at best but still)...they lack a lot in terms of defense prospects (look, I hope Jordan Subban becomes really good, but if he's your best hope in your system for a top 4 D...), Gudbranson is only 24, he's big, he's physical, and he can make the first outlet pass pretty well. I'm not thrilled about the 2nd round pick, that's the one part of the trade I dislike, but they needed to get bigger, younger, and more physical on the back end. The hope is that Gudbranson and Tryamkin can be a 1-2 physical punch that the team hasn't had in a long time (you can't play them together obviously). They still have Edler and Tanev who can skate...I'd like to see them try to move Sbisa to open up another spot for one of their younger prospects but that's probably going to be a tough thing to accomplish.

I'm surprised you say Gudbranson isn't very good...I know he's never going to live up to being the 3rd pick in his draft year, but I've always liked his game, the little I've actually been able to see anyway.

Assuming these younger kids pan out (the ones that need to anyway: Horvat, Virtanen, Boeser, whoever they take 5th next month, Demko), the team will have an opportunity for a complete overhaul after next season and 2 seasons from now...lots of cap room opening up, the guys above taking the necessary steps (hopefully), another good draft or two, and I think 3 years from now it's possible the team is in the middle of the Western Conference, especially as some of the other teams start getting older etc)

I dunno, I also look at it as there's a reason McCann fell from being a likely or supposed top 10 pick down to #24 two years ago...I liked McCann's game, but from what I've read, it does seem like he might have some of that "million dollar talent, 10 cent brain" thing going on

[Peeps]

is there anything more intense and nauseating than your team playing a game 7 and up one goal with 4 minutes left?

[E.H. Ruddock]

is there anything more intense and nauseating than your team playing a game 7 and up one goal with 4 minutes left?

That was a fun game. Congrats to Pittsburgh and Peeps. That game should have been a blowout by PIT, Vasilevskiy is the only reason it wasn't. The TB defense around him wasn't very good.

[Dev]

Can't wait to see the sharks slay these guys. It's gonna be a massacre.

[chuck taylor]

Really looking forward to this matchup. Rooting for the Sharks.

[Peeps]

wtf chuck....

[Peeps]

nice to see max in consol

[chuck taylor]

wtf chuck....

Don't worry, most teams I root for in championship games/series lose anyway!

[E.H. Ruddock]

wtf chuck....

Don't worry, most teams I root for in championship games/series lose anyway!

Same here. Go Penguins!

[Peeps]

[Peeps]

whew

thank god for wilkes-barre

[MattA75]

Congrats Peeps, looks like you'll be celebrating at home in game 5...

Despite my personal hatred for the Pens, you can only play who's put in front of you, and they've beaten everyone...

[Peeps]

its not over yet. the sharks can throw a hell of a lot at murray but i like his composure in there

[MattA75]

its not over yet. the sharks can throw a hell of a lot at murray but i like his composure in there

I'll be shocked if the Sharks don't fold like a cheap suit in game 5...if Pittsburgh gets the first goal, dare I say it's over at that point

[Peeps]

id almost agree but it seems pitt has the habit of playing not to lose rather than win.

they are saying all the right things, we have to keep our foot on the gas, we have to be able to close them out, get to our game etc...

i am actually shocked that SJ has never held a lead for a second in this series

[Mecca]

I get why, but I don't like the 2 days between games