2014 NHL Offseason Thread - Free Agency Starts July 1st (1 Viewer)

[tom22406]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

Not really sleepers, but I'm intrigued by what will happen with Anthony DeAngelo and Josh Ho-Sang. Both extremely talented, but their attitude issues are turning off a lot of teams.

I was just reading an article on him and totally agree with what you're saying here.

Here's the link

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/24/the-curious-case-of-controversial-nhl-prospect-joshua-ho-sang

Good read if you've got a few minutes

 

[Billy Bats]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

Not really sleepers, but I'm intrigued by what will happen with Anthony DeAngelo and Josh Ho-Sang. Both extremely talented, but their attitude issues are turning off a lot of teams.

I was just reading an article on him and totally agree with what you're saying here.Here's the link

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/24/the-curious-case-of-controversial-nhl-prospect-joshua-ho-sang

Good read if you've got a few minutes

Read that article yesterday. The kid seems way too full of himself and sounds like another Zherdev or Radulov type. All the talent but no head or care for team concept.

 

[tom22406]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

Not really sleepers, but I'm intrigued by what will happen with Anthony DeAngelo and Josh Ho-Sang. Both extremely talented, but their attitude issues are turning off a lot of teams.

I was just reading an article on him and totally agree with what you're saying here.Here's the link

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/24/the-curious-case-of-controversial-nhl-prospect-joshua-ho-sang

Good read if you've got a few minutes

Read that article yesterday. The kid seems way too full of himself and sounds like another Zherdev or Radulov type. All the talent but no head or care for team concept.

Will be very interesting to see how he pans out in the coming years.Almost everywhere I go I hear he is a very talented prospect but has major attitude problems.If he falls into the 2nd round with that talent why not take him and hope you can get to him?

 

[Dickie Dunn]

Congrats to the 2014 HOF nominees:

Rob Blake

Dominic Hasek

Peter Forsberg

Mike Modano

Pat Burns

Bill McCreary

Terrific class - it's like a mid '90s All-Star team plus an all-time great ref.Hate to say it, but while Burns was a very good coach, he undoubtedly got the Kirby Puckett treatment of the highest honor after his tragic passing.

I agree, tremendous class. Only bummer is that I was out of college before any of them hit their primes, so things like this remind me of how old I really am.

We'll be reminded again this weekend when names like Lemieux, Kapanen, MacInnis and Nylander are called after watching their father's careers.

A couple of local kids I'll be tracking this weekend:

Ryan Donato

Bobo Carpenter

 

[Copeman]

I think it's quite obvious that the Pens are the best team right now.

 

[Northern Voice]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

Not really sleepers, but I'm intrigued by what will happen with Anthony DeAngelo and Josh Ho-Sang. Both extremely talented, but their attitude issues are turning off a lot of teams.

Nick Ritchie has a higher upside than any forward in the draft. He also has the highest bust potential. McKenzie has suggested over the past couple days he could find his way into the top 5 picks. His size/skill combination is legit. So is his penchant for 2 minute shifts and braindead penalties. He's played for mostly awful Peterborough teams the past 3 years, but they finally got him a centre halfway through this past season, and from that point on, his stock kept climbing, culminating with the Petes eliminating Sam Bennett's Frontenacs in round 1 (before subsequently losing to Del Zotto's Generals in round 2 - it was awesome to see so much of these prospects).

 

[tom22406]

Good stuff Northern Voice.If you get a chance you should type up your thoughts on some of the others you like as well.

 

[Billy Bats]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

Not really sleepers, but I'm intrigued by what will happen with Anthony DeAngelo and Josh Ho-Sang. Both extremely talented, but their attitude issues are turning off a lot of teams.

I was just reading an article on him and totally agree with what you're saying here.Here's the link

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/24/the-curious-case-of-controversial-nhl-prospect-joshua-ho-sang

Good read if you've got a few minutes

Read that article yesterday. The kid seems way too full of himself and sounds like another Zherdev or Radulov type. All the talent but no head or care for team concept.

Will be very interesting to see how he pans out in the coming years.Almost everywhere I go I hear he is a very talented prospect but has major attitude problems.If he falls into the 2nd round with that talent why not take him and hope you can get to him?

With that kind of talent someone will take a shot, not too often you can change selfish to team though.

 

[tom22406]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

Not really sleepers, but I'm intrigued by what will happen with Anthony DeAngelo and Josh Ho-Sang. Both extremely talented, but their attitude issues are turning off a lot of teams.

I was just reading an article on him and totally agree with what you're saying here.Here's the link

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/06/24/the-curious-case-of-controversial-nhl-prospect-joshua-ho-sang

Good read if you've got a few minutes

Read that article yesterday. The kid seems way too full of himself and sounds like another Zherdev or Radulov type. All the talent but no head or care for team concept.

Will be very interesting to see how he pans out in the coming years.Almost everywhere I go I hear he is a very talented prospect but has major attitude problems.If he falls into the 2nd round with that talent why not take him and hope you can get to him?

With that kind of talent someone will take a shot, not too often you can change selfish to team though.

At only 18 maybe he's just not mature enough yet or maybe he just needs the right coach to get into his head?Who knows but it will be a fun story to watch unfold.I hope he does well!

 

[Northern Voice]

Good stuff Northern Voice.If you get a chance you should type up your thoughts on some of the others you like as well.

On some OHL Guys:

Sam Bennett - Best all around forward from the OHL, which is why he'll be the first one taken. Very responsible in his own end and the Kingston offense really ran through him. He's a great playmaker who can easily carry the puck into the opposition end. He isn't afraid to be physical/dirty, but so far lacks the size to back it up (in comparison with Ritchie for example, who is probably the best body checker and possibly toughest fighter in the league). Very very smart player, in the OHL his game reminds me a lot of Corey Perry, because of the feistiness to his game, but he's not as skilled and won't have that type of offensive production in the NHL. Probably more of a Patrice Bergeron type career with his all around game.

Michael Dal Colle - I think he's a little more skilled than Bennett, but doesn't have the same level of defensive responsibility or physical edge. Great hockey sense, good playmaker and finisher. I think he puts up more points in the NHL than Bennett. I see an Eric Staal type career here - a few seasons where he flirts with top 10 scoring, legitimate #1 for a long time but not quite a face of the league type star.

Nick Ritchie - NHL caliber shot right now, easily the best shot of anyone here (probably in the draft), best body checker in the OHL, most physical of the forwards by far. Great speed at 6'3" 230 lbs. Not on the same level in terms of hockey intelligence or playmaking as Dal Colle or Bennett. Not responsible defensively. Takes long shifts, takes dumb penalties, loses his cool and does dumb things. The obvious NHL comparison is Jamie Benn, in terms of style and that's his upside. Worst case scenario, he shows flashes but can't put his head together. His talent is so strong though that he'll still be an NHL player.

Aaron Ekblad - Solid, solid, solid. He scored 23 goals in the OHL this year but he is not a flashy offensive player. He's a horse though who will play a ton of minutes and be a top pair defender, probably pretty soon in the NHL. I wonder what happens when he goes #1 overall and peaks as a 35 point/season guy. Will fans accept that from #1 overall? I've seen Brent Seabrook as a comparison and it fits very well. He is not Pietrangelo/Weber/Doughty.

Josh Ho-Sang - Incredible Speed, stickhandling, skill. Undersized. No defensive commitment. Stickhandling is so good he just wants to play all by himself and beat the whole team... and then not get back when he loses the puck. For now, he's a faster, less physical Nazem Kadri. Offensive upside if he puts it all together is Matt Duchene,

Robby Fabbri - Similar skill set to Ho-Sang but committed defensively, a better playmaker and a much better attitude. Of the two, he's the one you want.

Hunter Smith - Much more skilled than you would think looking at him - and not as tough. 6 foot 7, he's a load in front of the net, I would take a chance on him in the 2nd round and hope he develops. The jump he made this last season was huge, if he continues improving at that pace, look out.

Eric Cornel - Tall, fast forward who carries the puck well and has a good idea where he needs to be. Started the season as a centre, moved to the wing halfway through the year and was much better for it. He needs to fill out and get stronger to play along the boards, his size/speed combination are tough to deal with in open ice. He will go early in the 2nd round and could end up being a bit of a steal there.

Roland McKeown - I might be higher on him that a lot of people. I think he'll be a very good shutdown defenceman in the NHL. Maybe a top 4 guy rather than a top pairing, but in an NHL where Nikita Nikitin is worth 4.5 million dollars, there's a lot of value in that. He's mostly rated towards the end of the first round but I have a suspicion he ends up going in the middle.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Aaron Ekblad - Solid, solid, solid. He scored 23 goals in the OHL this year but he is not a flashy offensive player. He's a horse though who will play a ton of minutes and be a top pair defender, probably pretty soon in the NHL. I wonder what happens when he goes #1 overall and peaks as a 35 point/season guy. Will fans accept that from #1 overall? I've seen Brent Seabrook as a comparison and it fits very well. He is not Pietrangelo/Weber/Doughty.

seems like it would be really tough to compare any incoming players to what are arguably 3 of the top-6 defensemen in the league.

35 points/season seems like a unreasonably mild projection for his upside considering there were 30+ defensemen who put up more points than that this year and even Doughty only finished with 37. He can't outpoint Andrej Sekera?

I'm not sure he's thought of as a guy with huge offensive upside, but more along the lines of a Ryan Murray (or bigger Ryan Suter?) who can just eat up a ton of minutes and give you great all around play.

 

[Northern Voice]

Aaron Ekblad - Solid, solid, solid. He scored 23 goals in the OHL this year but he is not a flashy offensive player. He's a horse though who will play a ton of minutes and be a top pair defender, probably pretty soon in the NHL. I wonder what happens when he goes #1 overall and peaks as a 35 point/season guy. Will fans accept that from #1 overall? I've seen Brent Seabrook as a comparison and it fits very well. He is not Pietrangelo/Weber/Doughty.

seems like it would be really tough to compare any incoming players to what are arguably 3 of the top-6 defensemen in the league.

35 points/season seems like a unreasonably mild projection for his upside considering there were 30+ defensemen who put up more points than that this year and even Doughty only finished with 37. He can't outpoint Andrej Sekera?

I'm not sure he's thought of as a guy with huge offensive upside, but more along the lines of a Ryan Murray (or bigger Ryan Suter?) who can just eat up a ton of minutes and give you great all around play.

Less offensive than either of those IMO

 

[Northern Voice]

If you knew right now selecting 1st overall that Aaron Ekblad would have Ed Jovanoski's career, would you take him with there?

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2599

 

[northern exposure]

Nikitin gets 2/9m from Edmonton. Yikes that's Flyeresque.

I agree. I was shocked he got that much. He made 2.5m last season, so I expected something like 3.5 m per season because you were signing him for part of his UFA eligible years. Lots of confused Oilers fan reaction to the deal today.

 

[northern exposure]

Anybody got any sleepers in this draft you have your eye on?

Mine is Alexis Vanier from the QMJHL.6'5",225 D.Needs to work on his skating but the guys punishes in his own end and has a really nice shot.

I'll be watching a couple of guys that played their junior hockey for the Edmonton Oil Kings- Brett Pollock and Edgars Kulda who were both a big part of the Kings winning the Memorial Cup.

 

[Billy Bats]

Nikitin gets 2/9m from Edmonton. Yikes that's Flyeresque.

I agree. I was shocked he got that much. He made 2.5m last season, so I expected something like 3.5 m per season because you were signing him for part of his UFA eligible years. Lots of confused Oilers fan reaction to the deal today.

At least it's not long term, wasn't he 6/7 dman in Columbus? One of your guys said they consider him a top 4, hopefully it works out for yas.

Any more chatter about Coburn up there? Haven't heard much around here anymore, was wondering if there's still interest on your side.

 

[northern exposure]

Nikitin gets 2/9m from Edmonton. Yikes that's Flyeresque.

I agree. I was shocked he got that much. He made 2.5m last season, so I expected something like 3.5 m per season because you were signing him for part of his UFA eligible years. Lots of confused Oilers fan reaction to the deal today.

At least it's not long term, wasn't he 6/7 dman in Columbus? One of your guys said they consider him a top 4, hopefully it works out for yas.

Any more chatter about Coburn up there? Haven't heard much around here anymore, was wondering if there's still interest on your side.

The Oilers D is so horrible that 6/7 guys on other teams are immediately thought to be 4/5 guys here. There is chatter about every Dman here. Some people still cling to the crazy dream that somehow the Oilers get Subban or Weber.

I've heard buzz about Boychuk from Boston, Phaneuf, Tom Gilbert, Niskanen,Gardiner from the Leafs and others. Not much chatter about Coburn any more because Flyers asking price was too high at last year's draft.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Less offensive than either of those IMO

Tyler Myers?Adam Larsson?

Zach Bogosian?

 

[Northern Voice]

Less offensive than either of those IMO

Tyler Myers?Adam Larsson?

Zach Bogosian?

Good comps. I thought Larsson had more offensive upside coming out of the draft, but he hasn't shown it yet.

 

[JaxBill]

Ugh

Renaud Lavoie @renlavoietva

On Dan Boyle, around 10 teams showed interest. Rangers and Flyers are among those teams. #tvasports

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Boyle and Timonen going to have 76 years combined on the Flyers top pairing?

 

[Johnny Rock]

7 year deal for Gaborik??? oh come on

Only 34 million. Great for Kings.

at least the cap hit isn't bad. still a hard guy to give that long of a term to.

Pretty good price for the electricity if he stays healthy. Did he buy new hamstrings since he left MN?Yes, I'm still bitter.

 

[Billy Bats]

Ahh it's tweety bird and another snide comment. They're not signing Boyle and Kimmo won't be on the top pair. Try and be funnier will ya.

 

[zamboni]

Ryan Donato

Bobo Carpenter

Unbelievable number of sons of ex-NHLers about to hit the NHL. Seems like Ted Donato was just playing.

Back to that feeling old thing.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Congrats to the 2014 HOF nominees:

Rob Blake

Dominic Hasek

Peter Forsberg

Mike Modano

Pat Burns

Bill McCreary

Terrific class - it's like a mid '90s All-Star team plus an all-time great ref.Hate to say it, but while Burns was a very good coach, he undoubtedly got the Kirby Puckett treatment of the highest honor after his tragic passing.

I agree, tremendous class. Only bummer is that I was out of college before any of them hit their primes, so things like this remind me of how old I really am.

We'll be reminded again this weekend when names like Lemieux, Kapanen, MacInnis and Nylander are called after watching their father's careers.

A couple of local kids I'll be tracking this weekend:

Ryan Donato

Bobo Carpenter

Mark Recchi should have made the HOF. Next year I guess.

 

[Bill Brasky]

7 year deal for Gaborik??? oh come on

Only 34 million. Great for Kings.

at least the cap hit isn't bad. still a hard guy to give that long of a term to.

Pretty good price for the electricity if he stays healthy. Did he buy new hamstrings since he left MN?Yes, I'm still bitter.

groin. and they will pull again. and he isn't getting any faster.

 

[Bill Brasky]

what's wrong with Boyle? getting injured more frequently but can still play.

 

[RUSF18]

what's wrong with Boyle? getting injured more frequently but can still play.

The Rangers have kicked the tires on Boyle every year dating back to at least 2010. I haven't seen too much of him recently. He averaged about 21 mins a game last year but if his workload reduced a bit, could he be relied on in the PP QB role?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

what's wrong with Boyle? getting injured more frequently but can still play.

Nothing really. Just amazed how long these guys can play sometimes. Always have to worry about a quick dropoff though.Sorry I'm not funny enough for Billy.

 

[Bill Brasky]

Sorry I'm not funny enough for Billy.

try being more upset in your posts by not using proper punctuation;

 

[JaxBill]

what's wrong with Boyle? getting injured more frequently but can still play.

When I've seen him this past year, he has looked good but not a game changing player that you want to spend 5.5+ on.

And his play can only go one direction form here.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Bob McKenzie reporting that Kane and Toews are both asking for 12M/yr on an extension.

 

[tom22406]

Good stuff Northern Voice.If you get a chance you should type up your thoughts on some of the others you like as well.

On some OHL Guys:

Sam Bennett - Best all around forward from the OHL, which is why he'll be the first one taken. Very responsible in his own end and the Kingston offense really ran through him. He's a great playmaker who can easily carry the puck into the opposition end. He isn't afraid to be physical/dirty, but so far lacks the size to back it up (in comparison with Ritchie for example, who is probably the best body checker and possibly toughest fighter in the league). Very very smart player, in the OHL his game reminds me a lot of Corey Perry, because of the feistiness to his game, but he's not as skilled and won't have that type of offensive production in the NHL. Probably more of a Patrice Bergeron type career with his all around game.

Michael Dal Colle - I think he's a little more skilled than Bennett, but doesn't have the same level of defensive responsibility or physical edge. Great hockey sense, good playmaker and finisher. I think he puts up more points in the NHL than Bennett. I see an Eric Staal type career here - a few seasons where he flirts with top 10 scoring, legitimate #1 for a long time but not quite a face of the league type star.

Nick Ritchie - NHL caliber shot right now, easily the best shot of anyone here (probably in the draft), best body checker in the OHL, most physical of the forwards by far. Great speed at 6'3" 230 lbs. Not on the same level in terms of hockey intelligence or playmaking as Dal Colle or Bennett. Not responsible defensively. Takes long shifts, takes dumb penalties, loses his cool and does dumb things. The obvious NHL comparison is Jamie Benn, in terms of style and that's his upside. Worst case scenario, he shows flashes but can't put his head together. His talent is so strong though that he'll still be an NHL player.

Aaron Ekblad - Solid, solid, solid. He scored 23 goals in the OHL this year but he is not a flashy offensive player. He's a horse though who will play a ton of minutes and be a top pair defender, probably pretty soon in the NHL. I wonder what happens when he goes #1 overall and peaks as a 35 point/season guy. Will fans accept that from #1 overall? I've seen Brent Seabrook as a comparison and it fits very well. He is not Pietrangelo/Weber/Doughty.

Josh Ho-Sang - Incredible Speed, stickhandling, skill. Undersized. No defensive commitment. Stickhandling is so good he just wants to play all by himself and beat the whole team... and then not get back when he loses the puck. For now, he's a faster, less physical Nazem Kadri. Offensive upside if he puts it all together is Matt Duchene,

Robby Fabbri - Similar skill set to Ho-Sang but committed defensively, a better playmaker and a much better attitude. Of the two, he's the one you want.

Hunter Smith - Much more skilled than you would think looking at him - and not as tough. 6 foot 7, he's a load in front of the net, I would take a chance on him in the 2nd round and hope he develops. The jump he made this last season was huge, if he continues improving at that pace, look out.

Eric Cornel - Tall, fast forward who carries the puck well and has a good idea where he needs to be. Started the season as a centre, moved to the wing halfway through the year and was much better for it. He needs to fill out and get stronger to play along the boards, his size/speed combination are tough to deal with in open ice. He will go early in the 2nd round and could end up being a bit of a steal there.

Roland McKeown - I might be higher on him that a lot of people. I think he'll be a very good shutdown defenceman in the NHL. Maybe a top 4 guy rather than a top pairing, but in an NHL where Nikita Nikitin is worth 4.5 million dollars, there's a lot of value in that. He's mostly rated towards the end of the first round but I have a suspicion he ends up going in the middle.

Great posting!

Thanks for your input and I more than welcome others to follow your lead.

 

[RUSF18]

Bob McKenzie reporting that Kane and Toews are both asking for 12M/yr on an extension.

For a split second I thought this was about Evander.

 

[tom22406]

Top 30 Prospect Rankings from over 10 sources on one page

http://www.mynhldraft.com/2014-nhl-draft-prospect-rankings/

Same for some mock drafts

http://www.mynhldraft.com/2014-draft/collection-of-nhl-mock-drafts/

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Bob McKenzie reporting that Kane and Toews are both asking for 12M/yr on an extension.

he also speculated the average will probably wind up around $10MM/yr. cap rising so makes sense that they could set a new standard for star players.

 

[tom22406]

Another recent mock

People love mock drafts, we know that they do. And despite the fact the actual first round of the draft blows up said mock drafts time and again thanks to trades, reaches and hail Mary picks, it’s always fun to play armchair GM. So here’s my stab at a 2014 mock draft; the real picks go down Friday night in Philadelphia.

1. Florida – Aaron Ekblad, D: The Panthers already have two young big centers in Aleksander Barkov and Nick Bjugstad. Ekblad is a safe choice that can patrol the blueline for the next decade and a half and at worst, be a solid NHLer.

2. Buffalo – Sam Bennett, C: The accumulation of assets continue in Buffalo. Bennett can also play wing if need be, but either way he brings a different skill set than Zemgus Girgensons or Mikhail Grigorenko.

3. Edmonton – Leon Draisaitl, C: Because duh. Draisaitl is a big, strong, playmaking center that the Oilers’ top six desperately needs. They’ve got finesse but no size and the German helps rectify that.

4. Calgary – Sam Reinhart, C: Can you imagine playing the Flames in five years if Reinhart and Monahan reach their potentials as NHL pivots? Reinhart is whip-smart on the ice and would be a great building block.

5. NY Islanders – Michael Dal Colle, LW: The Isles have a history of liking Oshawa Generals (Tavares, Clutterbuck, de Haan) and Dal Colle would bring some primo scoring power to the wing in New York.

6. Vancouver – Willie Nylander, C: Nylander can also play wing and if his dynamic skill set didn’t mesh with the Sedins on a line, at least the Canucks would get a fantastic secondary threat.

7. Carolina – Nick Ritchie, LW: The Canes seriously need some beef and Ritchie is the answer. Not only will he contribute on the scoresheet, but he can drop the gloves, too.

8. Toronto – Nikolaj Ehlers, LW: The Leafs won’t find a big No. 1 center in this spot, so might as well grab some high-end skill. Ehlers will be lethal once he fills out a bit more, leaving teams to pick their poison between him and Phil Kessel.

9. Winnipeg – Jake Virtanen, LW: The Jets need to get more dangerous up front and Virtanen is a goal-scorer who also plays the game with an edge.

10. Anaheim – Haydn Fleury, D: This was originally Ottawa’s pick, so the Ducks are playing with house money. In Fleury they get a big, promising defenseman for the future who would look great in a future corps with Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen.

11. Nashville – Brendan Perlini, LW: Perlini is a big-time producer with size who is great at shielding the puck. The Preds haven’t drafted a lot of offensive talent like him very often and it’s past time to do so.

12. Arizona – Kasperi Kapanen, RW: On a well-run bench, Kapanen would fit right in as a responsible player who would also give the Coyotes some much-needed scoring pop once he comes over.

13. Washington – Dylan Larkin, C: The Caps could use Larkin’s combination of two-way play and skill. Nicklas Backstrom’s still the No. 1 center, but Larkin would work perfectly behind him.

14. Dallas – Robby Fabbri, C: Dallas already has his Guelph teammate Jason Dickinson in the fold and Fabbri would make an already dangerous core even more scary.

15. Detroit – Jakub Vrana, LW: Hits pretty much all the Red Wings checkmarks. Vrana has a high level of skill, he’s developing in Europe against older competition and he plans on staying in Sweden for a couple more years.

16. Columbus – Alex Tuch, RW: The Jackets are building a stable of big, edgy players and Tuch would fit right in once his time at Boston College is done. He’s a power forward with great hands.

17. Philadelphia – Thatcher Demko, G: I mean, we know the Flyers are going to do something bold, right? Demko is the best goalie in the draft and given the way Anthony Stolarz is trending, it won’t hurt to diversify on “goalie of the future” options.

18. Minnesota – Jared McCann, C: Just another toolsy asset for a Wild franchise that is really coming together right now. McCann has great vision and plays at both ends of the ice.

19. Tampa Bay – Roland McKeown, D: The Bolts are flush with talent up front, so now it’s time to focus on the back end. McKeown is a great skater who does a little bit of everything.

20. San Jose – David Pastrnak, RW: One of San Jose’s few recent lightning strikes was Tomas Hertl. Perhaps his fellow Czech can also bring luck? Pastrnak is offensively gifted and active on the forecheck.

21. St. Louis – Kevin Fiala, LW: The Blues have no immediate needs, but adding high-end skill to complement Vladimir Tarasenko is a worthy long-range goal. Fiala brings that type of package.

22. Pittsburgh – Ivan Barbashev, LW: Big, strong and more than happy to play a 200-foot game, Barbashev can also put up points and is repped by the same agency as Evgeni Malkin.

23. Colorado – Jack Dougherty, D: It’s clear the Avs need more ‘D’ prospects and Dougherty presents a low-risk gamble thanks to his two-way game with decent upside.

24. Anaheim – Sonny Milano, LW: Anaheim always, always takes somebody who played for the NTDP. Literally, since 2003. If it’s not Milano and his sick hands, it’ll be someone else later on.

25. Boston – Adrian Kempe, C: A fast Swede who doesn’t mind playing physical, Kempe will be yet another barrier for opponents to overcome when they face the Bruins in the future.

26. Montreal – Travis Sanheim, D: Sanheim took off in the second half and even though he’s more of a long-term pick, the Habs are good enough now that they can wait for the two-way puckmover to get heavier.

27. Chicago – Julius Honka, D: He’ll need some time to bulk up a bit, but the Hawks can wait. A pure offensive defenseman would be a great long-term weapon.

28. Tampa Bay – Conner Bleackley, C: With the Bolts taking a blueliner with their first selection, Bleackley adds variety with his hard-working approach to the pivot position.

29. Los Angeles – Nikita Scherbak, LW: The Russian Factor means nothing to GM Dean Lombardi, who has successfully navigated around it in the past. Scherbak is a potent producer and another great asset for the Kings.

30. New Jersey – Anthony DeAngelo, D: Call this a super-hunch. GM Lou Lamoriello has never shied away from players with red flags and as a player, the New Jersey-bred DeAngelo is an ultra-skilled offensive defenseman.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/ryan-kennedys-2014-mock-draft/

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

NO to Bennett. REINHART!

 

[Northern Voice]

A lot of mocks have the Devils taking DeAngelo or Ho-Sang at pick 30. The theory that they initially weren't going to have a first round pick at all, so why not swing for the fences.

 

[Northern Voice]

I used to look forward to this time of year so much. This year I'm just dreading the next disaster move the Leafs make. Be it a Kadri or Gardiner trade, an Orpik or Shawn Thornton signing, or a ridiculous Bolland extension, I have little hope of the Leafs not screwing things up further.

It's so bizarre that there is serious talk of not only giving Bolland 5 million, but also possibly trading Kadri to do so. Nevermind that they're going to let Kulemin who is no worse a player, and would cost less, walk.

 

[Northern Voice]

Good article by @mirtle on this year's (awful) free agent defenceman class.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/the-nhls-top-free-agents-defencemen/article19327126/?cmpid=rss1&click=dlvr.it

No Andrei Markov. No Kimmo Timonen.

Or Marek Zidlicky or Ron Hainsey or Matt Greene.

They’re hardly the biggest of names, but when you subtract them from the already thin free agent crop on defence there’s really not a whole lot left.

Those five blueliners were all re-signed in the last few days by their former teams to contracts of various sizes, forgoing the potential big money on July 1 for the certainty of a contract now.

That leaves NHL teams searching for help on the back end likely to be stuck in a bidding war for the few top-four options still out there, which means some of these contracts will be talked about for years to come.

And probably not in a good way.

Here’s a look at the best of the rest:

1. Matt Niskanen: It was a breakout year for the 27-year-old in Pittsburgh, as with Kris Letang out for long stretches, he logged 21 minutes a night and put up 46 points, both highs among available D this off-season. Colorado could be one fit here, but the reality is his asking price is going to skyrocket: If Nikita Nikitin is getting $4.5-million in this market, Niskanen’s looking at $6-million plus and plenty of term.

2. Dan Boyle: Part of the Sharks housecleaning, Boyle still has some game left, but teams are going to have to be wary of his age (he turns 38 shortly after free agency opens) and price tag (mainly on the term side). Boyle’s a right shot that can quarterback a power play so some contending team is going to be interested.

3. Tom Gilbert: Left on the free agent bargain heap last season before eventually signing in Florida for just $900,000, Gilbert is due a raise after helping anchor the Panthers top pairing all season. There aren’t many solid possession D available for what he’ll cost, and his work very well may be overlooked given how much Florida struggled to win games.

4. Anton Stralman: One of the playoffs big time beneficiaries when it comes to July 1. GMs around the league saw Stralman could play top four minutes on a contending team given that’s what he did with the Rangers, pairing with Marc Staal to shutdown Sidney Crosby and other top lines. Not much of a point producer, Stralman is a smooth skating puck mover and after all the uncertainty in his career, he’s looking for security. Could be a shocking number here.

5. Willie Mitchell: Battled injuries in the postseason but settled into a top four role on the Stanley Cup champs for the second time in three years, which has to get the attention of teams desperate for experience on the back end. Hugely popular around the league, Mitchell would be a great fit for a team looking for depth in the short term.

6. Kyle Quincey: Was forced into big minutes as the Wings suffered plenty of injuries all year and kept his head above water for the most part. Nothing too exciting here but it’s worth noting Ken Holland gave up a first-rounder for him just two years ago. Still only 28 so a bounce back is possible.

7. Mark Fayne: Here’s one name those in the analytics community are intrigued by. Yes, Fayne played with the Devils, a ridiculously good shot suppression team, but he’s basically a complete unknown with a 55 per cent possession rating who can log big minute killing penalties and in his own zone. On a day when there won’t be a lot of value buys, Fayne could be one.

8. Andre Benoit: One of the leaders on the Avs no-name defence core, the undrafted 30-year-old logged 20 minutes a night on a team that won a pile of one-goal games. Colorado also used him plenty on both special teams so he may well have some value, especially as a third-pairing option.

9. Stephane Robidas: Getting up there in years and battling plenty of devastating injuries, Robidas remains highly capable of playing on a second pair on a good team, provided his health holds up. A bonus-laden 35-plus contract may be the best way to go here.

10. Mike Weaver: He was a revelation when he landed in Montreal at the trade deadline but probably shouldn’t be: Weaver’s been quietly playing effective defensive minutes for years, albeit in obscurity in Florida. A good penalty killer and shot blocker, he doesn’t mind eating defensive zone starts and doing a lot of the little things that help a team keep the puck out of its end.

Honourable mentions: Chris Butler, Brooks Orpik, Derek Morris, Henrik Tallinder, Sami Salo, Andrej Meszaros, Scott Hannan, Francis Bouillon, Paul Ranger, Brett Bellemore

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

seems like it could be a good market for the Sabres to deal Ehrhoff or Myers, but they'd have to get a lot in return.

 

[Northern Voice]

seems like it could be a good market for the Sabres to deal Ehrhoff or Myers, but they'd have to get a lot in return.

If I'm looking at Ehrhoff's cap numbers right, seems like he'd be a guy lots of teams would want. The front loaded part of his deal has been paid, so from a $$ perspective and a cap hit perspective, it's far from a killer... aside from the fact that he'll be 38 at the end of it (meaning you may be buying out some of those years and paying a penalty before you reach that point)

 

[Billy Bats]

Bruins cap issues force Iginla to start taking other offers.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/bruins-cap-issues-force-iginla-to-explore-options/

 

[tom22406]

I would love the Caps to bring in Mike Weaver,he is exactly what they need to eat up some minutes and be good in his own end.

 

[Billy Bats]

Another recent mock

17. Philadelphia Thatcher Demko, G: I mean, we know the Flyers are going to do something bold, right? Demko is the best goalie in the draft and given the way Anthony Stolarz is trending, it wont hurt to diversify on goalie of the future options.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/ryan-kennedys-2014-mock-draft/

No chance they take him. If Tuch is there I'll guess they take him, second guess would be Milano if Tuch is gone. Looking forward to being there tomorrow night.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

good list here

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

bummer

The league, according to a Buffalo News source with knowledge of the situation, would like to:

1) Increase the number of selections determined by the lottery system.

2) Give all 14 non-playoff teams a more even chance of winning the first overall pick.

 

[Johnny Rock]

7 year deal for Gaborik??? oh come on

Only 34 million. Great for Kings.

at least the cap hit isn't bad. still a hard guy to give that long of a term to.

Pretty good price for the electricity if he stays healthy. Did he buy new hamstrings since he left MN?Yes, I'm still bitter.

groin. and they will pull again. and he isn't getting any faster.

That's right. Thanks. Shows how much I've forgotten about him since he left the Wild.

 

[Billy Bats]

@sportsnet: #Panthers GM Dale Tallon says he's received an offer for the No. 1 pick that goes "above and beyond" what is fair: bit.ly/1pnQFla

6:54pm - 26 Jun 14