So....maybe not crumbling all that much......

Well the Atlantic is going wild still. Like I'm not saying we're gonna miss the playoffs or anything, but I hope Boston gets a lot worse just because I could see 2 of Detroit, Ottawa, and (probably not, but maybe) Buffalo getting a lot better. Hopefully the Tkachuk trade makes Florida worse

Florida has essentially traded our two biggest nuisances within the past year. Vatrano and Huberdeau. They're probably still a competitive regular season team, but I don't fear them come playoffs.

ross colton can you please scram

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 23, 2022

Matthew Tkachuk: "I hate Edmonton. I hate Tampa more now."@FlaPanthers @TBLightning #NHL

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) July 25, 2022

Lol

We're going to need our own goon. Maroon trying to wrestle on Tkachuk will probably result in his teeth being knocked in.

We have signed goaltender Jack LaFontaine to an AHL contract.https://t.co/Ia6jyAUFV4

— Syracuse Crunch (@SyracuseCrunch) July 25, 2022

Don't feel like making a Syracuse thread yet, but I find this very interesting.

He left U of Minnesota middle of the season to join the Canes when they had goaltending issues. Played a few NHL games and around 20 AHL games. I'm guessing he ends up in Orlando, but could become good org goalie depth.

Jonas Siegenthaler, signed to a 5x$3.4M extension by NJ, is a strong top four defensive defenceman. He put up excellent chance-suppression results in his first two seasons in a small role and then proved himself in a tough top four spot this year. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/lItin7vsIO

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 26, 2022

New Jersey discount. Players in Tampa taking full price deals.

Ah, beautiful. Amazing how many of these came on the one-timer. What a season for Stammer.

Went back and tracked the 89 playoff games this postseason. Then wrote all about it @EPRinksideHere's Part 1 on defending the blue line. Why rush defense is so important in today's game, who was the best at it, and how they did ithttps://t.co/IpNYtHSvi4 pic.twitter.com/ozbMcXfnXN

— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) July 27, 2022

Oof... Cal Foote

Good to see our new $3M man in the trash quadrant

4 x $2.95 million for Joseph from the Sens. Good for him.

Hope he finds success in Ottawa (just not as much success as Paul )

Hear me out.

I'd rather have Joseph over Cole or Namestnikov this year, as well as over Colton long-term (assuming Colton comes in $4m+).

He's does have a bright future with Ottawa. They'll probably be finishing ahead of his in the regular season by the time his new contract is up.

Freaking amazing. Just incredible.

Just popping in because of something interesting I read on the Athletic about contract efficiency (i.e. how well players perform, and are expected to perform, with their contracts).

We're 12th best in the league and our top 3 contracts (with grades) are:
Kucherov - A
Hedman - A
Stamkos - B+

Notably, our recent 3 signings aren't looking so good:
Cernak - C+
Sergachev - C-
Cirelli - D

And even Pointer isn't projected to fully live up to his deal as he's at a C and is projected to be paid $7.4M more than his statistical worth over the course of his contract.

It seems like we're heading in the wrong direction...

For reference, our playoff opponents came in at:
1) kitty cats
2) Avs
3) Leaves
24) Rangers

To me, it was a flawed article for multiple reasons:
1) It didn't take goalies into account for some reason, and if it did, the Panthers would obviously be significantly lower due to the Bobrovsky deal (the Leafs probably would be a bit lower too due to Murray), while the Rangers would definitely be higher due to Shesterkin's bargain contract (heck, even the Lightning would be higher due to having Vasi locked up at $9.5 million a year).

2) You can't possibly convince me that the Pointer deal is a C. Being snakebitten by injuries this year shouldn't erase the fact that he was a PPG player for 2 straight years prior to 2021, and it doesn't seem to take his defensive skill into account either. I legitimately think Pointer-like Matthews-would be in the Selke conversation if Cooper would let him PK (though given his injury history, I can understand why he wouldn't). By the time that contract is done, he'll have proven its worth IMO.

3) I find the idea of "projected statistical worth" to be on shaky ground-you can never take into account all external factors that have a bearing on a player's performance. Essentially, the main thing you can base projections on is past performance, which is far from a perfect area to analyze a player by due to said external factors. Hence, I find the whole premise of the article to be a little misleading.

A lot can change in two weeks, eh?

Mangiapane is going to cash the f### in this year. The could legit replace their top line with another 40-40-40 top line.

Bruins were busy little bees today...shaping up to be a heck of an Atlantic this season.

Even with it I don't think Bruins make playoffs this year. But you never know with them.

I think the Bruins make it as one of the WC's, they have a more than enough talent once everybody gets back to make a run. The question is with Marchand/McAvoy/Grzlecyk all missing the first 2-3 months, will it be too late? I think not, but we'll see.

Klavs Veinbergs (F, Latvia), the 2nd-last pick of this past draft (7th round, 31st pick) selected 224th overall by the Lightning, has Latvia's first goal of the WJC.

Finally turned on World Juniors, and even though Thompson isn't receiving a lot of playing time, I am getting really excited to see how quickly he'll progress through Syracuse to Tampa.

Jack Thompson ties it up for Canada! #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/ozEYrejIxz

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 13, 2022

They don't ask how they ask how many? Elite playmaking ability.

Playmaker, shot blocker, a wrist shot and slap shot to top it all off. Too bad he and Isaac won't be in Syracuse at the same time as each other (assuming Thompson doesn't see a third season there), they'd be electric.

Guess we'll just have to wait until they're both in Tampa. 😉