NHL Playoffs Pool 2018

[von Rantala]

Was disappointent that we didnt take Brodziak, we had spot open to third line center, which role he get in Oilers, also was disappointent to lose Cullen, but Bruce is not good coach for veterans he favoring young guns. Hartnell is still in the markets, but we already added Fehr, Hendricks and Brown so we will not add him. I am sad that we didnt take any of players which i hoped (Komarov, Brodziak or Hartnell) also i was super disapointent tha we didnt add better back up for Dubnyk, we could have got Mrazek, Lehtonen, Mason or Khudobin but decided to choose Hammond. I have to say that our new gm start in team get big minus from me. Yes Fletcher made mistakes, but he also bring players which i liked a lot in team, so will come to miss him for some of the time. He was good GM for Wild. I am sure that Fletcher will get new shot in GM role in the future. Now i am waiting that we will trade Coyle to make room for Zucker and Dumba. Also i am hoping we make trade which both owner Leopold and New GM Fenton has indicated. Maybe Pacioretty or Skinner is available. Ofc Karlsson would be dream come true, but our d-group is already good and most we need help with scoring and any of our current free signins havent been call to that problem so only choise is to make trade which we get good scorer back. Maybe Panarin from CLB could be available too. We can use Dumba or Coyle in trade. I hope they will not use Brodin in trade. I hope we try to get good scorer before season starting, its too risky to wait big step from Greenway, Kunin or Eriksson Ek in they second seasons which are always know to be hardest season in players NHL career. Only move what i liked was to bring Pateryn to team. He is fysical good defensive defender what we have missed after we gave Scandella to BUF. I still missing Scandy, but i am happy that he got top 2 minutes in Buffalo last year and in coming season will be team third defender behind Ristolanen and Dahlin, in Wild he would be behind Spurgeon, Suter, Brodin and Dumba.

 

Will update my fantasy team in coming weekends, latest at my summer vacation in the August. I have demptation to go with Saros and Raanta (in goal) for next season, but Raanta is playing behind so bad team that he would drag my numbers down too much. I am also suprised that Raanta didnt get any bigger hype on his very good numbers behind so bad team. He was in my mind top 3 goalie in last year and if he would played in NSH, TBL or WPG he would won that Vezina. Also its possible that i add Patery to my d-man group and Vanek back to team. Probably have to let Dumba walk depent on his new contract. Look like Jokinen is retiring from NHL so it will open one spot and Hartnell is also without contract. I hope both will get new-contracts.

[von Rantala]

Planning to start do next year NHL news. I have summer vacation in August and i am in small hiatus from clan duties and gaming so probably have time to do some NHL stuff in weekends and in summer break. Will keep you update on that. I dont know how many read my NHL news, but i enjoy to do those and i can that way keep myself updated on other teams roster and stats from last season.

 

What you guys think on possible Karlsson trade? Which team you predict will get him? Also our Toronto fans, i am surprised that i didnt get any feedback/opinions/cheers from you when you got Tavares. I think Tavares and Matthews contracts ties your hands a lot. Your defence group is too thin. Your center squad (Mathews, Tavares, Kadri) is NHL best now. Its better than Crosby, Malkin, Sheahan from Pitts. But if you look your GA% from last season it was too high for deep playoff team. Your d-group is young and promising, but there is not star defenders as other big conterder like Tampa or NSH have. But otherhand PIT didnt have top defender group either when they won two cup, and they was playing without Letang in last stanley won. Also Andersen in goal is still minor question mark for me. Also there was too many game where Toronto allowed +40 shots on goal. They also need great two-way forward which all teams in my mind need. They made mistake on letting Komarov walk because he is great two-way player. Anyway thats my opinion. What you Toronto fans or hockey fans think on biggest move of summer?

[von Rantala]

I am so so super happy that we was able to keep Jason Zucker. He has came big idol to me, i am also very happy that we was able to keep Dumba. Dumba still have little bit to proof for me, but i am happy that we was able to keep him too. Zucker news was best hockey news of summer for sure. I needed little bit happy news and luckly finally got those. Dumba 6 milj hit in salary cap is 1-2 milj too much in my mind, but are in line with Trouba contract. Now days D-top 4 pair defenders just get that 5-6 milj contracts and top 2 defenders 8-11 milj. Defenders get little bit more money than centers or wingers or goalies. On Zucker contract (5,5milj) i am happy. It was line with contracts which we gave to Granlund (5,75milj) and Niederreiter (5,25 milj) in last year. Now we should re-sign Staal in good contact also. His current contract of 3,5 milj is one of best in NHL. I hope we can keep him in 5,0-5,5 range too. We have 1,7 milj left in the salary cap. I did hope we could see some trade which Fenton hinted, but probably there wasn't any good available to us. Its better to not make trade than just make useless trade and that way show new boss is in the house.

 

If we make trade i hope we use Coyle in the trade. I would like to get Pacioretty from MTL and give him shot. We already have a couple ex-captain in team. Staal (CAR), Parise (NJ). Also we had couple other too in these couple seasons (Pomminville and Vanek) i dont know if its good idea to add too many captains in one team. Ofc Karlsson would be deram come true, but we dont have cap to keep him after next season. Skinner is not so known to me as Pacioretty.

[von Rantala]

How to heck Tom Wilson from WSH got 5 milj salary for 6 year. Maybe most overpayed contract of NHL history. Yes he is good player but not 5 milj player, his point record is 35 from last season and he played with Ovechkin and Kuzentsov. Remind me on David Clarkson contract which Toronto made with him when he played one great season. This contract can tie WSH hands in future to get key players from freemarkets or re-sign young players. Ofc points dont show all, but i would give him 3 milj salary and two year, five milj is just too much.