French Collection

Bennett is a guy I want. Just a solid player than can play middle six C and doesn’t back down from any challenge.

It would be a good place to start. We all know the culture needs a shake up and it doesn’t happen by running it back with the youngest team, an incompetent GM and a below average coaching staff. Adding vets that are beyond their best before dates like Staal and EJ to a bunch of kids doesn’t work when their bodies can’t back up their words. If their hearts aren’t into it (Staal) there is no way the kids will buy what these guys are selling. It’s not like dropping a still great Messier into a Rangers lineup. Even he had a bunch of older winners to back him up. The Zucker signing was a step in the right direction and they need a few more like that. Dudley would bring a winning pedigree and tons of management experience. If brought in, he should be given the reins to get rid of dead weight and bring in some competent people. These people’s standards would be to bring in players who hate to lose, which is such a higher bar than “want to be here”. There are some good pieces in Buffalo, there just needs to be a team builder at the top. Players will come if there are positive changes and the team starts winning. If a guy like Dudley is given the keys to the franchise smart hockey people will want to learn from and work with him. The tide will raise all boats, attracting quality talent to every part of the organization. These guys would not have a soft spot for existing players like Bryson and others, and would just make better roster decisions. The coaching staff would also be changed. I am not saying that Dudley is the messiah, but he would bring way more to the table than the present option. This is my longest post in a long time, not sure why I bothered, because the idiot at the top of the food chain isn’t doing anything.

Bath and the Cotswolds are nice. You are close to Wales once there, Stonehenge as well. Do you drive once there? I didn’t attempt it, looks too “wrong” to my eye and I thought I might crack under the pressure of traffic. Thank goodness the train and bus routes are good and on time. I want to see more of Ireland.

Climbing over Bryson is an Everest sized block of granite, just ask KA.

We just got home today from a few weeks in the UK, mostly Scotland. I had been there a few times but it was my wife’s first visit. I love Scotland, we stayed in a tiny town between St Andrews and Edinburgh. We are not “city” people so London is not our cup of tea. So much history makes the UK an interesting place. We really loved the coast of Northern Ireland as well. Wales was just a cup of coffee, so I can’t comment

RIP Norm. “I’m only here for 1, maybe 1:30.”

I think JJP compares to Nik Ehlers. I don’t know if there is another level to his game, maybe, but defensive ability has room to grow for sure. I didn’t watch all of Winnipeg’s games but Ehlers game seemed to translate OK.

I remember reading that Matt Duchene’s parents saved every receipt and the total was over $300K, for them. That was over 20 years ago. Martin could have a chip on his shoulder instead of a silver spoon. I am also partial to the 3 Northern OHL teams. Sign me up.

Fredric would add versatility and grit to the bottom six. Pietrangelo is a perfect target for experience and style. Probably would have to shed Byram and Mule for cap space. He is from southern Ontario and may want to move closer to finish out his career. He already has 2 cups so he could tolerate the new role. I would gamble on Demko. Will someone pull a double offer sheet on the Rangers? Schneider and Cuylle. Take that Drury! Tavares would have to publicly burn his Leafs pyjamas, but his uncle could give him a new pair.

Wow, KA is playing 3D chess, getting Hughes’ buddy in order to put a package together for EP. Norris is made of glass, but EP is damaged goods too.

Very few hockey players want to be there.

I believe it was Matt Irwin that KA was excited about.

We got him, we got Brian Galivan!

I don’t give two s***s about Power’s feelings, I meant to say KA would be upset that his prize pick becomes #3. Power has a looooong way to go to get into my good books.

Power would get his nose out of joint at getting passed by. I wouldn’t be upset to see that as an option, Byram can shoot decently too. I think that ship has sailed.

Werenski and McAvoy would be ahead of him for PP1 on two of those teams. Montour and Dunn could be bumped in Seattle.

If Rasmus Andersson had more than 1 year until UFA status, I would like to see him as a RHD coming back. He would fit the bill as a top 4.

That’s what he deserves, call it an internship.

Crosby and MacKinnon are going for Canada, that is a big boost.

I also thought Larkin as 3C was fantastic for the USA.

Their leadership is strong enough to have Dubois tow the line, for now. Strome was an unwanted 2-3C who has replaced Backstrom. Chychrun was hurt as often as Mule. Thompson was a throwaway goalie after Vegas commited to Hill. They upgraded Malenstyn with Mangiapane, that was a no brainer. They gambled and won.

Might be a few more cuss words coming out than GMTM let loose.

Looking is easy, doing is hard.

Did a perfect Lehner impression on Mariner’s breakaway.

He had a few years as Leafs AGM under Lou but left when Dumbass got the job. A friend who lives near London said that Hunter didn’t like the city and commuted to Toronto almost every day. I think he was their draft guru at the time. Can’t deny his success in the OHL.