NHL trades, rumors, banter, free agency etc

[Jim]

Ian Cole to the Wild for Greg Pateryn. Colorado also retained $800K.

[Jim]

Dubois, 3rd for Laine ($1.75M ret), Roslovic (signing rights)

While Columbus might win this "on the ice" I see it as an overall win for Winnipeg. They get a 22 year old potential 1C and get rid of two problems.

[Sigwolf]

I pointed this out earlier, but it's funny to note that Philadelphia was touted as being "for real" and a "strong team" after beating a disorganized and largely disinterested Pens team in the first two games of a no preseason outing. That same supposed contender has exactly one win since, splitting the series against a previously winless Sabres team. Buffalo's 6-1 thrashing of the Flyers is still their only win this season. Since then, the Flyers have been swept by the Bruins, again losing 6-1 tonight. The Pens are *1* point behind the Flyers with a game in hand, and their -3 goal differential is only one worse than the Flyers -2. Philadelphia's star goalie Cater Hart... 4.18 GAA and .880 save percentage.

Point being, there is no sure thing with this schedule, and no unbeatable team in this division. Through five games, there is not a single team in the division without at least two losses. No one has been dominant in the East so far.

The Pens start has been ugly, yet despite that, they are in the position that could possibly leave them tied for first in the division tomorrow night. Every team in the East this year has serious flaws. It will come down to who makes the most of what they have.

[Skatingpen]

Anyone else surprised by how dominant the Caps look? They lost 4 regulars, including their goalie, and didn’t miss a beat. Is there a better team right now in the East, let alone the whole NHL?

[Jim]

Anyone else surprised by how dominant the Caps look? They lost 4 regulars, including their goalie, and didn’t miss a beat. Is there a better team right now in the East, let alone the whole NHL?

That is what happens when a coach uses his players correctly and plays up their individual abilities as opposed to trying to force then into other roles.

[Skatingpen]

Anyone else surprised by how dominant the Caps look? They lost 4 regulars, including their goalie, and didn’t miss a beat. Is there a better team right now in the East, let alone the whole NHL?

That is what happens when a coach uses his players correctly and plays up their individual abilities as opposed to trying to force then into other roles.

Yep. I didn’t think the stars would buy into his strict system, but they seem to.

[Sigwolf]

Anyone else surprised by how dominant the Caps look? They lost 4 regulars, including their goalie, and didn’t miss a beat. Is there a better team right now in the East, let alone the whole NHL?

That is what happens when a coach uses his players correctly and plays up their individual abilities as opposed to trying to force then into other roles.

Not to mention losing four regulars for 2 games each against the Sabres and the Isles. I suspect a beat would have been missed if those four games were against, say, the Bruins and Flyers. As a matter if fact, almost 45% of their games to date have been against Buffalo. It's kind of early to declare dominance when they haven't even faced 3 of their 7 opponents this season. Their play on the ice has actually been pretty sloppy, but to their credit they have maximized their point potential. I certainly wouldn't put them anywhere near best in the whole NHL at this point, but they are good at dominating Buffalo.

[Jim]

Dzingel from Carolina to Ottawa for Paquette and Galchenyuk

A 3rd liner for two 4th liners. All UFAs at the end of the season.

I don't really understand this deal from the Carolina side.

[Jim]

Galchenyuk put on waivers

[pens_CT]

Galchenyuk subsequently traded to Toronto for David Warsofsky and Egor Korshkov.

[Jim]

Weird move by Toronto in my opinion.

Also, Warsofsky has been traded twice since he last played a game (Kapanen trade and now). You could say that technically Galchenyuk has been traded twice since he last played a game too, but it is a little different.

[pens_CT]

The Canadiens fire Claude Julien and Kirk Muller. Dominique Ducharme is the interim HC.

[Jim]

The Canadiens fire Claude Julien and Kirk Muller. Dominique Ducharme is the interim HC.

Speaking of top-5 worst contracts in the league... Price being massively outplayed by Allen.

[brwi]

The Canadiens fire Claude Julien and Kirk Muller. Dominique Ducharme is the interim HC.

Did not see that coming. I know MTL is basically a .500 club right now sitting in the 4th spot and has lost 3 straight, but it seems Bergevin thinks the roster is capable of much better than what Julien is getting from them. We'll see.

[BigMcK]

Watching the NHL Network Marc Bergvin interview on the firing of Julien and Muller. The first question that comes to mind? Is Fantastic Sam"s not open in Montreal???

[Pruezy11881]

Pretty well written article about the NHL's treatment of Tom Wilson.

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/why-does ... Vz8eGetrlI

[pens_CT]

The Athletic is reporting that ESPN and the NHL have agreed to a seven year contract for broadcasting rights of games starting next season.

https://theathletic.com/news/espn-nhl-a ... kVcY1Ks6nH

[Pruezy11881]

So, what was the reason T. Wilson went ape **** last night and tried to fight a bunch of the Blue Shirts??

[Southern Fan]

I imagine Ottawa would have been happy when they traded for Matt Murray if he played as well as Carter Hart. Well he has.

[brwi]

I imagine Ottawa would have been happy when they traded for Matt Murray if he played as well as Carter Hart. Well he has.

Too true. Ottawa's blueline is a lot worse than the Flyers-OK, it's the worst in the NHL- but the other goalies the Sens are throwing out to the wolves are doing a bit better than Murray.

[Southern Fan]

Of course Flyers and Bruins go to overtime. Just love these three point games

[Jim]

Watching an old interview with Burke, "Anything under 10 stitches is a shaving cut. You don't get a suspension fir a shaving cut."

[Jim]

New Jersey trades: Palmieri (50% ret), Zajac (50% ret)
To the Islanders for: Greer, Jobst, 2021 1st, 2022 4th (becomes 22/23 3rd if NYI reach the final, NYI pick year)

[Jim]

Chicago trades: Wallmark, Carlsson
To Florida for: Connolly, Borgstrom, Stillman, 2021 7th

[BigMcK]

Has anything been mentioned regarding travel protocol if (big if) a team from Canada advances to the Cup Finals and faces a team from the USA?