Budaj > Desjardins > Irving IMHO. But not important.
I think we've kind of got our grinder guys sorted out now, so those like Kostopoulos or Winchester, if they can't stick with other teams, well, maybe we aren't so desperate anymore!
If we are going to start the season with PK on the sidelines, I'd think about claiming Brian Strait, however. Keep going with 8D. He's more along the lines of Gorges in terms of having an understated approach to D, but he's a free asset we might actually have a roster spot for if Subban is out. I'd rather keep 8D. I'd rather not have one of them be Tinordi (needs to play bigger mins in Hamilton) or Commodore. Strait might be a stay-at-home type to complement a Diaz, Kaberle, or Weber in some fashion. Bouillon is gone next year, and likely one of the PMD too (Kaberle or Weber). Having an NHL-ready keep-it-simple, ultra-cheap young D like Strait might be a fit.
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
Multiple teams considering options on both. LA, STL, TOR, FLA among those kicking tires on Redden, ANA and CAR among those considering Gomez
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
No guarantees but Wade Redden may agree to terms with an NHL team as early as tonight. Gomez not likely tonight but in next day or so.
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
Multiple teams considering options on both. LA, STL, TOR, FLA among those kicking tires on Redden, ANA and CAR among those considering Gomez
Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
No guarantees but Wade Redden may agree to terms with an NHL team as early as tonight. Gomez not likely tonight but in next day or so.
John Lu @JohnLuTSNMtl
Now that former #Habs C Gomez is a UFA, @TSNBobMcKenzie cites Canes, Ducks or Sharks as teams potentially interested in his services
I thought Budaj filled in admirably, having one or two really great games. I'm quite happy with him as backup.
I liked Budaj a lot last year...he looked to me like a league average goalie, despite limited time and a weak defense in front of him..the type of guy who won't win you games, but won't lose them for you either. He's the perfect backup IMO.
Just so that people take everything that happens at the WJC with a grain of salt....Dumba was cut as he was clearly not good enough for the tournament. And he will start the year with the Wild.
Just so that people take everything that happens at the WJC with a grain of salt....Dumba was cut as he was clearly not good enough for the tournament. And he will start the year with the Wild.
Just so that people take everything that happens at the WJC with a grain of salt....Dumba was cut as he was clearly not good enough for the tournament. And he will start the year with the Wild.
I would say it's also a good idea to take another grain of salt when you see a team of rusty locked out NHLers keep their junior top-10 pick who played all year around for at least a 5-game confidence-building cameo.
Dumba always looks good in stretches, and was actually my favourite D at the time of the draft last year, but I think the Wild are bonkers if they plan on giving him more than a token cup of coffee right now. He could definitely use a little confidence booster, though, with his poor WHL season and the failure to make Team Canada, it's a smart gesture. They've got a lot invested in the pick. So it's a reasonable move for them all the same.
Lacking quality depth on D on a NHL team has to still be tougher to beat than on a WJC of Team Canada.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blind Gardien
I would say it's also a good idea to take another grain of salt when you see a team of rusty locked out NHLers keep their junior top-10 pick who played all year around for at least a 5-game confidence-building cameo.
Dumba always looks good in stretches, and was actually my favourite D at the time of the draft last year, but I think the Wild are bonkers if they plan on giving him more than a token cup of coffee right now. He could definitely use a little confidence booster, though, with his poor WHL season and the failure to make Team Canada, it's a smart gesture. They've got a lot invested in the pick. So it's a reasonable move for them all the same.
True. Yet, d-men that don't do the job, I mean, as much as it was reported by people watching Team Canada's evaluation camp, would not have gotten this far, no matter the depth, no matter the length of the try-out. Dumba was a liability during camp. He wasn't just an unfortunately great player with not enough spots for him...he was plain bad. Or so they said.
The Toronto Maple Leafs no longer seem like a probable trading partner for Roberto Luongo.
The Canucks and Maple Leafs were reportedly working on a proposal that involved Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, and a second round pick at one point. However, Toronto went out of its way to make room on the roster for Kadri by trading Matthew Lombardi and waiving Tim Connolly. New Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis might also recently stated "I’m not going to give up youth for older players." It seems like Toronto is committed to a youth movement that doesn't mesh well with the concept of training some of their young talent for a 33-year-old goaltender.
The Toronto Maple Leafs no longer seem like a probable trading partner for Roberto Luongo.
The Canucks and Maple Leafs were reportedly working on a proposal that involved Nazem Kadri, Tyler Bozak, and a second round pick at one point. However, Toronto went out of its way to make room on the roster for Kadri by trading Matthew Lombardi and waiving Tim Connolly. New Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis might also recently stated "I’m not going to give up youth for older players." It seems like Toronto is committed to a youth movement that doesn't mesh well with the concept of training some of their young talent for a 33-year-old goaltender.
I would do Kadri, Bozak and a 2nd for Luongo in a heartbeat if I were Toronto. Luongo isn't perfect but he's still getting ridiculously undervalued because his large (but not, evidently, unmoveable) contract.
As for Toronto, who cares about a youth movement if you can't stop pucks? Didn't they go with a "youth movement" last year with Reimer/Scrivens/Rynnas? How did that work out?
