LGR4GM

I'm not. That might be the best line defensively and good luck pushing it around physically. Might not be the biggest but Quinn and Benson have a lot of IQ mixed with their grit.

Benson is already one of the best defensive forwards we have. The AHL won't teach him things he can't handle at the NHL level. But I agree, he definitely won't be in Jr's. I've seen that pop up a little here and there and it's nuts. Benson was exceedingly good to end his rookie year. I think the Benson to Jr thing comes from recency bias and overhyped Kulich. It will end once Benson starts playing.

Poitras is a 2004 bday and already 20. Benson is a 2005 bday and won't be 20 until May. He's not eligible for the AHL and honestly, he's too good for AHL. Kulich was not a Canadian Jr player so he's been AHL eligible since he was drafted. The rule is in place to keep talented 18 and 19yr olds in the Canadian jrs.

Tbh, you're comparing a 20yr old Kulich with 3 pro seasons to a 19yr old Benson with 1. Yet Benson is still better and personally with the exception of goals, will continue to be better. That said Kulich has lots of top 6 potential.

Benson

They also aren't good?

Odd request but sure:

Well?

If this team isn't in a playoff position at Christmas, it was another failed offseason.

Yup. Rogers will have trouble moving the pocket and extending plays. We saw some of that with Brady at the end too. NE is just a bad team so didn't effect him enough.

Skinner was one of the best forwards in the NHL at drawing penalties throughout his career.

We have video of that conversation:

He's a good dude.

I found it interesting that Paul Hamilton was talking on the radio about the step up in practice intensity from Barf Kruger to Donny G to Ruff and each time it was a major improvement. He talked about how Ruff was calling plays dead that were offsides, calling penalties that would cut it in a game, and genuinely expecting the team to practice how it played. Specifically called out Granato for allowing plays to go offsides at practice and for lazy penalties to happen with no care at all. Just interesting to hear from someone who watches practices. Does it mean anything? Not unless they win.

Well, the good news is we have Power and Byram so maybe they can hold the fort while Dahlin rehabs whatever it is.

Here you go.

He was watching practice from the tunnel.

No you wouldn't. You would have been in here when they announced Dahlin on day 1 saying stuff like "Ruff should have waited until they went to Europe to see who is really the leader and get a feel etc..." Besides, the leaders on the team are already amplifying the message. A letter on your jersey doesn't make you a leader.

That's true, just was interesting to see their splits and what they could be.

For comparison to a team that we are competing against: Detroits Lines Peterka-Thompson-Tuch OR DeBrincat-Larkin-Raymond Benson/Kulich-Cozens-Quinn OR Rasmussen-Copp-Fischer Zucker-McLeod-Greenway OR Chiasson-Danielson-Ratcliffe Malenstyn-Lafferty-NAK (Krebs mixing in) OR Brandsegg-Nygård -Kasper-Hanas

Nope, looked it up. Benson subbed out for Kulich according to reports.

Probably Greenway spot.