Jdog99

I think players avoiding media is a sign that theyre not down with the coaching. If they felt it was on them, hockey players usually say so...game in game out. But throwing coaches under the buss is taboo, so they gotta stay silent.

Why's that? I thinks pretty clear to anyone hes underperformed this year based on the talent he has. If they dont go at least as far as last season, and play better hockey, he should be gone.

I really hope were not gonna ride or die with the panarin-kane connection...gallants tried every other single possible line combo pre kane, dont tell ne hes suddenly lost his balls to break that one up. Give it another few games if ude like, but if shit doesnt significantly improve, swap tarasenko and kane.

Last nights game definitely shouldn't be too much of an indicator whether our high skill orientation will fail...imagine when kane clicks in like tarasenko has...and watching his post game i have alot of confidence he will.

just looking at millers eyes, posture, facial expression etc....seems obvious to me it wasn't intentional. surprised so many others dont see it that way.

well, its all about how the team gels, and the mindset/energy they play with now. should be more than enough talent to make a serious run at the cup.

So wheres kane gonna end up next season? U have to think hed play here if the numbers could work.

I know the panarin-kane connection is all the hype, but i think the kreid-zib pairing could use him more. And tarasenko looks like hes more comfortable with panarin-tro

Yes, a coaching change would be a top consideration. But even now, well need picks and prospects as a way to creatively fill holes left by cap casualties.

would be exciting and all, but here's the biggest issue going "all in" with kane: if we run into teams in the playoffs who play faster, stronger, and hem us in our own end for whole periods at a time (like we saw at least half if not most of last playoffs), it won't make a whole lot of difference how much talent we have... we'll get knocked out, eventually, and be saying that we need to drastically change the makeup of this team going forward...except we'll have given up a bunch of pieces (draft picks, prospects etc.) that we would need to try and make some kind of meaningful change. the focus ought to be on getting the current team to play more cohesively, confidently, and with the style needed to succeed at playoff hockey

Certainly Chytil and/or Miller are the priorities here. Whether you can afford to let one of them go depends on whether there will be any prospects (via trade, draft, free agent...) we can gamble on. Laf is expendable, especially with Othman on the horizon. Gotta consider using his dollars elsewhere (unless its possible to trade kreider). Goodrow is expendable. Would be tough to move on from lindgren, but perhaps its time for schneider to elevate and figure out replacements that can help make the rd-ld pairings work.

would be fun to see how throwing a helmet at mcdavid plays out...

how does this always get out to the press, without fail, and thus take away our leverage to get better value?

It seems really bizarre to me that we still 'need' a 4th line C, after going out and signing one in the offseason, then releasing him and picking someone up on waivers, not to mention having an extra C in Goodrow that GG just doesn't happen to like at C? Seems like this can't be as much a 'hole' in our resources as much as piss poor ability at utilizing the resources you already have.

Well the solution here looks like it could be that panarin needs to pivot towards being a goal scorer. If he changed his style and mindset a bit, im sure he has the skills to be a 40+ goal scorer. His pass first, second and last style has become gimiky. Hes like just playing a role of this uber playmaker but not actually being as effective as he could. I remember the one game in the playoffs vs tb where he finally looked to be breaking out of his funk by skating hard and being aggressive. He looked like a force (for a single game at least). Thats the panarin thatll win us a cup.

Your gonna need all the cheap options you can get over the next handful of seasons...and krav at least still has a high ceiling. Something to consider.

That was a 7mill+ typa goal right there...

Hasn't there also been a unique trend in the last few years to get ahead on young guys and offer long term contracts with impressive aav based on the little they've shown but project to become? Fox, Hughes, Suzuki for instance...probably some others... I would think that kind of thinking factors into this negotiation.

Not sure why past performance weighs too heavily in this case...cause the point is it looks like he's just broken out. It'd be like saying to Tage Thomson - hey its looking like your the real deal but you were a scrub for your first few years so don't expect a whole lot (granted he'd earn 9-10m if he was a free agent right now...)

exactly - this teams window is now...as in this season...chytil is then gone, or we have some other big casualty + repercussions down the line, so might as well consider risking a possible one hit retool with the best 10A since Mcdavid

can him...

Is there a trade to be made with Chytil, laf and miller for the 1OA? Hey...drurys gonna need to get creative at this point...

Maybe i havent been paying attention, but last night seemed like a step up - he was out for blood.

I had some doubts about whether key or chytil were the bigger priority for the future, but after last night...chytil is clearly the priority. At this point, u have to pull out all stops to lock him up, unless u bring back a haul at the deadline/postseason.

He should just look for the big hits all game long...head hunting or otherwise...its gonna throw teams off big time when they start looking for it