sicknfla

Yeah that is why football players start training camp with pads on. In baseball the pitchers start throwing to live hitters the first day. Usually keep their pitch count at less than 100.

Maybe a third to a half of the foundation will be on this team. The rest of the foundation will be in the CHL, or AHL. Many pieces have yet to be drafted.

I know these guys train and skate all summer but it just doesn't seem having a game after two days of camp makes sense. You would think they would want a full week of conditioning to get these guys in game shape.

Could be??? No it will be. Look at that lineup and then project how many goals for each. That lineup has 150 goals or less written all over it - just like last year. We will give up 250+. Tank is safe.

This guy looks more apt to have his mugshot taken for kiddy porn than he does as a NHL GM. Kind of a strange cat. Pretty sure he wasn't Mr. Popularity in High School. I don't think his expression would change even if one of those woman on his side reached over and grabbed his crotch.

Lol. I am just busting balls. Trying to get the preseason juices flowing. Figure if i can get some of you worked up we might get a little more in the hockey mood. Anyone who has read my posts for the last year knows i have fully supported the tank. I also know that 2015 could very well be the most important year in our history. I do believe though that it is imperative that we walk away next summer with at least two natural goal scorers. How GMTM goes about that we will see but the current pipeline is lacking that.

I am not racing to judgement. No more than if he scored 6 goals and 3 assists at the tourney. I GUARANTEE you though, with emphasis, that if he did you all would be anointing him as the next Crosby. My point in all this is I hate throwing seasons away on draft picks that are going to be our savor. Like we see with Reinhart- these are kids that will take years to develop into men. For some of you that think after this season we are going to wave a magic wand and all will be great are nuts. The tank might be over after this year but the growing and developing into a Cup contender are years away.

Yep. Second overall pick and a key ingredient to the tank should manage a point in four games against other prospects. Second overall picks should dominate his peers - not just "play well".

Yes it kept my interest because of the annual pipe dream that we will trade our good players for players/picks that will make us Cup contenders.

Please feel free to list that talent. You really think our farm system is Cup material? Find me a 30 goal scorer in that group. For that matter find me 20. Grigs and Armia have more of a chance to be busts than solid players. Zadarov is know being questioned about weight, skating, and work ethic. Reinhart has done nothing (i understand he has limited time here) in prospect camp or Traverse City.

At least last year we had Miller/Vanek deals to discuss and keep our interest. This year the only important date is in June when we watch some envelopes again. Oh i forgot the trade deadline when we can get all excited about a few more draft picks for Stewart/Stafford. The anticipation is killing me!!!

I just have this horrible feeling we go through all this TANK crap and we walk away with the 5th or 6th pick in the draft. We have been into this tank for close to two years now. Jury is still out as to what we have to show for it. Can we honestly say our talent pool is that great? Deep yes - highly skilled I don't think so. I just look forward to the day that when training camp starts our goal is to be the best team possible. Whatever the results end up being is fine by me as long as we are trying. Trying to suck is really getting old. Last year we all spent the entire season debating and dreaming of Reinhart, Eckblad, etc. Well Reinhart is here and we are already questioning his skill level. Now we can dream of McEichel. I am tired of dreaming. Let's play some damn competitive hockey for a change.

Exactly. Only a handful of guys from each team will see the NHL, however, when your top picks don't produce you have to take notice.

Any word from tonights game?

I am happy either way. If we end up at the bottom we may get that star player we are all hoping for. If we are a playoff team (or borderline) then i have confidence in GMTM to use the assets we have accumulated and do what is needed to make us a top team. There is a plan B that doesn't include McDavid or Eichel. Either way I think we are a very happy fan base within 2-3 years.

I would rather have the millions he left on the table. I don't think, ultimately, his desire to leave was based on money. He wants to win and probably is aware the money will not be what it could have been in Buffalo. Can't fault him on that. Wherever he signs it will be with a team that is expecting nothing less than the Cup. IMO, he does not have the mental makeup to thrive in that environment. He will put up the solid regular season numbers. That is a given. I just don't see him being a Cup winning goalie.

The body of work speaks for itself. Mid 30's on the decline and nothing spectacular in his prime. Overrated forever. Any GM that gives him more than 3 years at 12-15 million shouldn't be a GM. Miller let his gigantic ego be his own worst enemy. Now if winning is more important to him than money then he made the right decision. However, if he never wins a Cup he will have millions of reasons the rest of his life to doubt his decision making.

What an atmosphere in Montreal. This is what hockey is all about.

Asleep and passed out are not the same thing.

Going to be a long, boring time from now until the draft. Circle jerks might help pass the time.

Fair enough. Still think you missed my original point and if you didn't then you are wrong. :-)

How do you know that? How do you know that a team that nobody had thought about comes out of nowhere and makes a great offer? your assuming it won't and i am assuming it could. Either way, like i originally stated, you can't tell me that GMTM would not have liked to be in the #1 position. Odds are we get our guy anyhow but trying to tell me that he (or you) don't care if it is #1 or 2 is kind of BS in my opinion.

Who the hell implied they couldn't have trade talks? I simply stated that being #1 is a much better position than #2. When Ekblad is off the board at 1 do you really think our phones will be ringing like the Panthers did. I doubt it. Ekblad is going 1. All it takes is one other team too want him and my point is proven.

Because the offers are going to be for Ekblad. I don't think we would have taken him at 1. I do think someone in the top 4 would have approached us. We end up getting assets for #1 and then drop down a few spots and still get one of the 4 forwards that the most scouts feel are pretty even. This is the part Tank is missing. I am not saying move down to 6-10. I am saying with no clear cut #1 forward you could have used Ekblad as an asset. That option is gone at #2.

Really??? Florida controls who and what team picks #1. When they make a draft day deal and drop to 3-5 and still get one of the top 4 forwards maybe you will get the point. You don't think we could have leveraged the #1 pick into another draft pick or prospect and dropped down to 2,3,or 4 and still picked up one of Bennett, Reinhart, or Draisityl. Florida is going to get offers. All i am saying is GMTM would have liked to have been the guy listening. Maybe he would have ended up doing nothing but sitting at #2 we will never know. So, its not as cut and dry as "if we get our guy its 100% irrelevant".