NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[Smitty-48]

Hey PuckHead Snaggle-Toothed Cousins: What's the 411 on the expansion draft reveal? Is there a time the whole Vegas draft is revealed tonight, or is drug out over hours for some TV gibs?

I really like learning some hockey from you guys, especially as it relates to my hometown team. Did the Preds fuck up their list in any big way? Who is the most likely to get nabbed by Vegas? Man I don't want to lose James Neal, but I think I rather see him go than McLeod or Sissons.

The draft exposed list is just a facade, the real deals come from making deals with George McPhee in Vegas, if Poile wants to keep Neal, he'll have worked something out, really, VGK is building for the long term, so they'll take picks and prospects in order to lay off any players that you are really looking to keep, and most of the deals have been in place for months, the GM's are an old boys club, they already worked most of this out with McPhee long before hand, if Neal goes, it's because Poile decided he'd rather just keep the picks and prospects, let Vegas have him, and then spend that money on someone else, which, considering Neal's age and contract, wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

The fact that Neal was exposed means only one of two things, Poile already has a deal worked out for McPhee to lay off of him, or Poile has decided to move on from Neal anyways.

[Smitty-48]

Whoa, did I just see Sidney flinch when they announced McDavid for the Lindsay? Voted down by his peers couldn't hide the sting? Looked like he was ready to just walk up there and get his award, but had to abort the lift off. lol

[Smitty-48]

Calvin Pickard to VGK, surprise, surprise, #Joesakicdoesn'tknowwhathe'sdoing

[Smitty-48]

Auston Matthews, baby. Booyah.

[Smitty-48]

See, giving up Neal was the right thing to do there, Fife, because it's really only giving up one year of Neal, because after next year he's UFA, whereas to keep him it would have cost your dearly for the long term, your 1st and 2nd round picks this year at the very least, which, that alone is not worth it, don't trade the future away for a 30 year old winger with only one year left on the contract, that's a no brainer.

[Fife]

That makes perfect sense to me.

[Smitty-48]

Poile wasn't going to re-sign him anyways, he'll be too expensive for his age as a UFA, let someone else overpay for him, so basically just accelerating next summer's dumping of Neal to this summer, and Poile now has the $5 million to spend on someone younger.

[StCapps]

Calvin Pickard to VGK, surprise, surprise, #Joesakicdoesn'tknowwhathe'sdoing

Told you he would protect Varlamov. Fucking Sakic.

Babcock was robbed.

[Smitty-48]

Calvin Pickard to VGK, surprise, surprise, #Joesakicdoesn'tknowwhathe'sdoing

Told you he would protect Varlamov. Fucking Sakic.

Needs to rebuild, yet keeps the aging expensive goalie while letting the younger cheaper one who starred for Team Canada go, he's in denial.

Babcock was robbed.

Obviously Babs is a better coach than Torts, but I like Torts, so I'm not too bitter about it, Babs will just have to dry his tears with million dollah bills, y'all. /shrugs

Important thing was; Calder. Leafs fans got what they came for. #AM34. Booyah.

[Smitty-48]

Now I'm wondering which one of these players VGK picked just to trade, it's gonna be a double kick in the balls for Ottawa if they turn around and flip Methot to Dallas or whoever, and Colin Miller played for Sheldon Keefe, so I wonder if that is who Lou was in Vegas for, because the Leafs didn't have to trade to keep anybody, whatever trade Lou was talking to McPhee about would have to be for one of these players. With three goalies, Pickard may also be on the move too.