re: Official NHL regular season thread

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Does the East look bad w/ the Pens loss to the BHawks?

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The Pens and the Bruins are lapping the field, but I don't like the Pens in the playoffs. their defense has been destroyed by injuries, and their style of play is pretty much the Firewagon Caps of 09-10. I have no faith in Fleury in the playoffs, and the offense-first teams have not done well come playoff time. The Pens would be bucking history.

The Bruins are a legit great team, but we're one upset away from the East being a coin flip tourney. After the Bruins, all the teams are essentially even (the Pens are ahead of the Bruins, and while they are certainly better than the field, I just think they are hugely vulnerable to upset)

The West, by contrast, is just loaded with contenders. The conference goes about 6 deep on legit Cup contenders. Which is also why the West has dominated the East this year head to head. The Hawks are the team to beat, but man... do I like the Blues. And the Hawks may not even win their division.

Anything can happen in a short series, but unless the Bruins make the Finals, I think the West champ makes short work of the East champ.

I want Kesler so bad. May be unhealthy.

Wouldn't mind a winger for Sid with Dupuis being out for the year though.

Would not be okay with trading Harrington, or Pouliot for a rental. Would probably break shite and I don't think Shero would ever even consider that.

Dumoulin I could probably live with.

Luongo dealt to the Panthers

With Hillen out on LTIR, this fits under the cap. Erat has publicly and repeatedly demanded a trade, so I think this frees up GMGM to trade Erat for literally anything. I'd like a 4D in return, but honestly, just having him gone is fine. It gets rid of the cap hit, and you have Penner instead. Also, Kuznetsov's KHL team, Traktor, played its last game today and missed the playoffs. His coach has given him his blessing to leave the team, and Kuz bought the juniors affiliate a new Zamboni as a "parting gift". He still needs management approval to leave before April 30, but all signs point to him being gone. He would dress right away for the Caps.

So, add Kuz and Penner, get rid of Erat in a salary dump. The return is almost irrelevant. You want a blueliner, but if it doesn't happen, don't just hang on to him. It's more important to dump the cap hit than anything. I think that's happening.

It sounds like Gaborik will definitely be shipped before the deadline. It will make me sad, but in Jarmo I trust.

Gaborik

Erat and parts traded for Rostislav Klelsa and parts. Classic challenge trade. Both have bad contracts ($4.5m to Erat thru next season and $3m owed to Klesla expiring this year). Klesla's been buried in the minors just to avid the cap hit.

I'm satisfied with the trade as it saves $1.5m this year and $4.5 next year, gets us a 4D, and clears enough cap space for Kuznetsov.

Welcome back Pekka Rinne, straight robs James Neal of a goal.

One of the best goalies in hockey, doesn't get talked about enough it seems. Love Rinne.

It's a good trade. Klesla wasn't on the roster, and you used him to acquire a top-6 winger. Oates is obsessed with handedness, and forced Erat to play LW as a lefty, when he's been a RW his whole career. He'll return the RW and be fine. He's a positive possession player and even though he couldn't score a goal, he was still piling up assists. He didn't fit in the Caps system, but he's a good player.

Whiny, though.

watching this hockey and keep in mind i dont know much at all about hockey but does anything change when its 4 on 4?

besides being a man down on each team, does anything really change at all or no