2015-2016 NHL Discussion Thread

If Oil win the draft by some sick stroke of luck, I've heard a lot of chatter about trading it (plus??) for OEL in Arizona. Auston Matthews is projected to go first, and he's from Scottsdale. It'd be beneficial for hockey in Arizona, a young home town kid going first overall and playing for his home team, but you don't really trade a guy like OEL so who knows, but god damn would he ever be a good fit on the Oil. Hamonic would be most ideal since he shoots right and it's damn impossible to set up a PP if you have all lefties...

 

It depends on who needs a center, edmonton definitely got their centers. Austin matthews is the projected first pick as you said, I actually saw him play a game in December, he had a hat trick.

However as the 2nd pick is going to be a winger we'll see how things turns out as Laine has been doing quite well, Right now he is 16+16 in the finnish elite league, while he also had 17 points in 7 games in the WJHC.

Matthews didn't step up when he was needed in that tournament, but they all got good and bad days.

Matthews is not having a bad season in the NLA league either, 24+18.
Apparently he has a dual citizenship as well, USA and Mexico.

 

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see Laine and Puljujarvi go 2-3, although Tkachuk will be in the mix as well. On top of stellar WJHCs, they're all lighting it up in their leagues too. With Toronto having a lot of center depth (Nylander, Marner, Smith) will be interesting to see what we do if we get the top pick since Matthews isn't somebody you just pass up

 

Proud Bruins fan here. Really wish they didn't blow a couple of their recent games.

 

Laine is going 2nd overall pretty much no matter what. If the team who gets the first pick is particularly stacked at center in the organization it wouldn't be crazy to see him go first over. He's got that kind of skill and potential.

 

mfw draft talk and I know nothing about the prospects...

So, what do y'all think about the Ladd trade to the blackhawks? Like they really needed another solid top 6 forward to bolster their roster >_>

 

No doubt that will come back to bite them in the ass if they don't end up making the playoffs + get a lower first-round pick too...

I wouldn't be super surprised to see Tkachuk go 2nd, he'd go over Laine and Puljujarvi if they really need a lefty shot for some reason (which has happened before). Barring some weird circumstance like that though, one of the Finns are definitely poised to go 2nd, with the team drafting 3rd having their choice between the other Finn and Tkachuk

Lol they just picked up Weise and Fleischmann from the Habs too, they're really going all-in for these playoffs. According to this tweet (https://twitter.com/ChrisKuc/status/703340955257184258), I guess we'll see them play along Teravainen, they'll be a scary line for sure.

 

Teravainen needs to step up in case he wants another contract with the hawks, I can see him not getting another contract with the hawks at this moment, he hasn't played a great season and they expect a lot more from a player like that.

 

I think they'll likely trade him as they did with Dano. They've made a few trades, so they're likely to clear their roster with prospects that they feel are expandable

 

I disagree on this one because Teuvo isn't as expendable as Dano who was in/out of the lineup (and the NHL for that matter) all the time this season.

Teuvo gives them fantastic top 9 depth. He'll likely play with Weise (who was really killing it with Montreal this year) which will make up a line of Shaw-Teuvo-Weise which is a really dangerous third line, especially considering how stacked the top 6 is.

 

Hawks basically already won the Stanley. it just aint fair

 

Eric Staal traded for 2 second round picks and a prospect WITH the hurricanes retaining half his salary. Wow, lucky rangers haha

 

Eh, your average rental trade. 8.25m player who will barely score 40 pts this year and is a UFA after this season. For all we know the Rangers don't even resign him and the Canes repick him up next year lol

 

The potential really is there though. I mean look at what he used to be and who he was playing with. Now look at who he will be playing with

 

I'm giddy about the Staal trade. As someone who absolutely despises the Rangers and who's seen probably 30-40 canes games this year, this hardly strengthens them going forward. In a few years they're going to be a bottom feeder.

Anyways, Staal has really slowed down this year and it's not due to who he's playing with. Don't know where staal is going to play either. Are one of Brassard/Stepan going to get bumped down a line?

 

Probably experiment with the lines and see what works. Will be interesting to see but it sure as shit makes the Rangers a lot deeper going into the playoffs, regardless of whether Staal is becoming more washed up. He was a huge player in dragging Carolina to a Stanley Cup 10 years ago, had something like 28 pts in 23 games. Again, that was 10 years ago though lol

 

Once Rick Nash comes back they will have a really solid line up. I'll be watching to see how they all play with one another and who plays where.

Hoping my bolts move Drouin on deadline day today

 

That would be a no sir >_<

I'm really curious how the Staal trade will pan out. I feel he'll center the first line and Brassard and Stepan will both move down a line accordingly. I hope the Ranger's scouts did a good job before they made this trade haha.

 

Florida trades Pirri for a 6th to Anaheim. Lmao wtf. I know he's no superstar but the guy does have 24 pts in 52 games and all they got was a 6th???

 

Kovalchuk is returning to the NHL. He was the most expensive KHL player at around 15 million bucks a season.