Vanflyer

LOL, so for 1.25m more, I could get 4% points better in FO circle, 4 more points scored and reduce my plus/minus by 8 for the same length? Thrumping my fingers on the table pondering. I would take Ritchie back at VLC's contract. Lets trade.

For selfish reasons, I wanted to send VLC there as well. 10.5m is a bit rich for my blood for Nash. to take both. Ok, Richards to Columbus (oh the irony!!), and VLC to Nash!

Career wise?? Are you kidding me?? Its what are you doing now? Carter is going to be runner up for the Conne Smythe if he keeps going the way he is and LA wins. Kopitar will probably get it (again if LA wins). Do you hear Richards name anywhere around that discussion? Me either. I hear crickets. So, when you talk about an ass-kicker of an argument, put that one to point. Add to that a 5.75m contract for a 41 pt two way player and my argument is very solid.

Not at all. What I am doing is pointing out that Carter, who always has played 200 ft of the ice is doing it much better these days than in the past. Meanwhile, Richards has always excelled in the defensive play while putting up good offensive numbers. When you look at the big picture, particularly the Playoffs, Carter is doing everything that Richards does, but much better. During the regular season, sure, there is not allot of difference between 40 - 50 points. They both play nearly the same amount of minutes. Carters difference is that he gets about 2 minutes more a game on the PP. ES, same, PK, same. But at this point, 5-on-5, Carter is better. Its a fact. Don't get me wrong. I think Richards has value and produces. But I don't think he has 5.75m value for what he does. Maybe an off year, but I don't think so. Maybe injured, okay, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Just put the shoe on the other foot and imagine that both Carter and Richards were on the Flyers performing exactly as they are now for the same salary. There would be a zillion threads about Ritchie being overpaid (Hartnell Esque and perhaps even VLC-esque). I am not trying to bury him, I just don't think he fits there- at 5.75m per year for even next year, let alone the next 5 years.

But you can say that those teams v the Flyers were much more loaded than the Flyers (particularly the Detroit / Pitts teams).

Won't argue that, but Detroit and Pitts easily come to mind because they had so much talent outside goal.

LOL, so this is Eric Lindros' "beard"? : http://www.blushingbridestudio.com/kina-eric

Detroit did, as well as Pitts. Both of those teams were so loaded up front, they really did not need anything more than average.

Slice the bread any way you want to. I am not paying any player 5.75m a year as a forward to score 40 pts a year and be a two-way player (I don't care what your name is). I like Richards and he is a nice player. But it looks as if he is odd man out in LA and also on a decline. Perhaps its because they do not have a role for him there, who knows. As for Carter, you can not take a blind eye to look at his progression at 200 ft of the ice. 26 goals in 48 games last year. Led the team in GWG. Second on the team in GWG this year behind Kopitar. As a GM, I have no qualms paying 5.25 for that production and especially given his exceptional play this post-season in all areas of the ice.

I think they just don't know where to play him. The Suter stuff is a bunch of PR bs, just to keep the wolves at bay. The only time I recall hearing Richards name the last three games was when he was killing a penalty or tandem with Carter on 4-on-4 play (rarely). To your point about minutes, go look at Stolls minutes the last 5 games. That will tell you everything you need to know. While Ritchie still is effective in the circle, Stoll is BETTER and has taken all the important draws for LA this playoffs. and less of a liability defensively. Thus he was getting more minutes under Suter. You have Kopitar / Carter / Stoll and then you have 5.75m Richards. While richards produces more than Stoll, Stoll has equal to better speed, takes ALL the important faceoffs (almost 2-1 vs Richards in the playoffs), is bigger 6'1 213, plays pk, second on the team in hits behind Brown (almost 3-1 to richards). And makes 3.25m a year. I guess what I am saying, is that the Kings don't need another Stoll. Where does that leave Richards?? For me, looking for a new zip code.

I think Richards has allot to offer still. But not 5.75M a year to offer for another 5 years. Not sure he has the wheels still, but Nashville could use a player like him and he knows lavy's system. He would be a good leader for the forward group. I haven't looked at their centre situation, so don't know if its feasible. Columbus also comes to mind.

Pens don't have the cap room for his contract and certainly a two-way centremen is not their priority.

Carters game has evolved. He is playing 200ft now, playing in the dirty areas, etc and Producing. He is their second leading scorer in regular season and second leading scorer in the playoffs. Why would they not love him? You would love him if he played that way for the Flyers. Carter is playing two-ways these days (actually always has, but just much more effective now). Also playing on the PK. The reality is that with Kopitar, Carter, and Stoll (who is just as effective at two way play and plays the same minutes as Richards), Richards is kind of listing in the wind. His cap hit is probably what chaffs most people. You can't pay near 6M for a nice third line two way player (which is what Richards has become on the LA squad). If it was 3.5-4m, nobody would care, but 5.75 until 2019-2020 is a hard pill to swallow. Especially since it appears that Richards all out play has taken its toll on his effectiveness / body.

I think both teams match up well. I am going to take the Rangers because of their long rest. 21 games in 3 rounds has got to take its tool on LA. Rangers being on siesta for a whole weak able to prepare for either team is an advantage. Quick / Lundvist is a wash to me. Size and speed are a wash to me. Allot or people are writing that the Chi-LA series was the SCF, but I would beg to differ. While it was a tremendous series, I think the Rangers are just as apt to raise their level to the Kings as well. They have the size and speed, the superstars, the grinders / unsung heroes. Their gas tank is full, while LA needs recharging / fill up. Unfortunately (and I don't understand why), there is a two-day break after game one of the SCF (they play Wed and then not again until Saturday). You could site tv ratings and all that stuff, but why wouldn't you want a Friday night game and a Sunday game?? Then, next week game 5 is on Friday and game 6 is on MONDAY, you could site travel (though BOTH teams have to travel), yet the precedent is already set between games 2 and 3 where there is only a 1 day break. The NHL schedulers are complete buffoons. I site this not knowing what other commitments there are in the arenas, there are is are two monday games, tjree wednesday games a single Friday and a single Saturday game (different weekends). Way to promote the game fellas!!!

For sure there are two sides to the tale of the Yotes / Turris saga. Far be it from me to way who was right. I can see that Turris has the potential to be a much all around player than JVR (and particularly given he plays the center position, which is the hardest of the forward spots). If JVR ever puts it together (ala Jeff Carter), he could be a monster. I mentioned on other threads that Carter always made it look easy. I think he found the right coach to do whatever it is that he did (Suter) to get him going. It also does not hurt that bake-a-cake stevens is there for Carter to cry on his shoulder when Suter is being too mean. Seriously, the player I see today v. the one I saw a year ago, v. the one that dogged his way out of Columbus v. with the Flyers is like night and day. I will still take Jake and Couturier for him everyday of the week. One thing to note about Turris, we had Richards and Carter as our cornerstones at that stage (and perhaps Primeau was still playing). So we were log jammed up the middle and sorely lacking a sizeable winger with speed. People dog JVR's worth ethic, but I know for a fact his first summer, he worked out with Giroux (who's summer workouts are infamous). The second summer, he stayed at the hotel next to the Voorhees rink and trained there everyday with Mccrossin- only took the weekends off. It looks like he does not care or does not put in the work, but I think he does. Its just that he comes off with a laize'faire attitude ala Lindros for whatever reason. The biggest thing, is he is not a game changer. His 30-30 are great, but seldom does he take control of a game like a Toews / Giroux / Kane / Crosby etc. (I could put Subban in there too, but I think Subban is one dimensional).

Thats great and some funny stuff. The Falloon name is the best!! Good sportsmanship there.

Shocked to see him there as well. Dirty / Nasty player that you love to have on your team, but abhor on the other team. He is actually a good trivia questions: 1) Ken Linesman was a 1st round pick by the Flyers for the rights of Coach Fred Shero (NYR). 2) Ken Linesman was traded to the Hartford Whalers (with Greg Adams and Picks for).........Mark Howe.

I don't think the "we go screwed" crowd was saying the lottery was rigged. More in the sense that the Flyers had, by a mile, their worse season in history and worst in the league. It is more sour grapes of a "should have" gotten the #1 pick for sucking that bad v. a league put a fix in. (imho). People say we would have drafted Turris instead of JVR with the 2nd overall pick. I completely disagree. Trurris finally put it together last season. JVR has been showing flashes all along. Add to that the theatrics of Turris in Phoenix that were very Lindros-esque, I want no part of that player. I thought he was far to lanky coming out of the WHL would need significant seasoning. It seems as if he finally has matured into his body at age 24 (190 lbs now v. the 170 when he entered the league).

Great post. I think Toews is my favorite player in the game today. Datsyuk is second, but Toews does some stuff leadership wise that no other player does.

Thanks and sorry. I took you literally. The gimmick stuff, <sigh>.

Popcorn for all interested on me. You have Regis in Pitts and Trotz in Washington with ovarie. Can it get any better??

With all due respect, I call bull crap on that. In todays and even yesterdays economy, many can / could not afford to go to a game. A family of four, to sit in the nose bleeds cost $300 these days. So, many sit at home, watching on tv / streaming etc. This is the problem. There are many that are astute to the game, but their wallets are thin and / or priorities are elsewhere. At the end of the day, there are no simple answers. At the end of the day, I would open it up to a questionnaire of yes / no stuff, but makes you think. Do a sliding scale and be done with it.

I missed the season ticket holder part. I am okay with that point and it does add some control. The only thing I would want in that approach is to let the corporate boys nominate a worthy joe to take their vote. Most are not there for the game but to smooze, so they give a rats ass what the rules are. The other part about the season ticket approach, is there are allot of "haves" / hockey snobs (ie. look at me in my cardigan blah blah blah). Its not like the old days at the spectrum when the season tix holders were the true die hard fans that could / provide valuable input into shaping the game. There is not happy answer without some sort of censorship / moderating to the qualifications of the voter. Therein lies the problem. What may seem fair and appropriate to you and i, there will be 10 fold bitching about it and vice versa.

I think this has been a tremendous series, but Chi coming back after being down, not once, but twice in game 6 combined with playing in front of a raucous crowd, you have to give the nod to them. Also, the hit on crawford will not go uncalled in Chi (I could not resist that dig).