Lateralous

St Louis vs La is can't miss TV.  I'm dragging today because I staid up to watch the end of that one last night.  Much like the Philly vs Pitt series was an awesome 1st round matchup to watch last year as someone who isn't a fan of either team, this is the one I'm working my schedule around to make sure i can watch.  

 

Regardless of the Game 1 gaffee, Jon Quick is unbelievable.  With his athleticism, he's one of the few goalies I don't think would miss a beat if they ever got the height of the goalie pads back to where they were in the 90's.  Hopefully we can ride him to a gold next winter.   (Side note:) Canada has to be worried that they're going to be lining up whoever their flavor of the week goalie is against the three best goalies in the world who could all single handedly knock them out of the tournament in Quick (USA), Lundqvist (Sweden) and Rinne (Finland).  

         

Green - Larsson
Tallinder - Fayne
Harrold - Zids
(Gelinas-Merril-Urbom, Nurse? who knows)
 
and the goon thing, why even sign 2 and waste a contract ? we have 3 goons in the organization what the fvck is the point

In theory, I like that lineup a lot because I think Tallider is a better overall player than either Salvador or Volch but that lineup would get tossed around, especially if we limit the goons up front and don't overpay for Clarkson. We're going to need some muscle somewhere until we develop a better overall defenseman that also has a mean streak (Merrill?)

I hope this isn't Lou's replacement for Elias. 

I'm probably in the minority, but I'd be OK if Sal, VOl, Tal & Zid were all gone next year...  fresh young legs on defense!!!

Wow, that would be a lot of growing pains with the young guys all at once.  It would also be tough to give guys sheltered minutes that way. I might feel differently if Lou hadn't already pissed away next years 1st, but now every loss is going to grate that much more.     

 

I would like to see Urbom on the 3rd pairing.  From what I've read, Gelinas could use an extra year in Albany to work on his D and I wouldn't mind Merrill getting a year down there as well. 

 

I still think you have to keep Zidlicky around for the offensive element in his game and one of Vol/Sal for some muscle in the back.  

What im scared that happen is that the avs select jones... Then that the next 7 teams pickmall forwards not picking ristolainen or nurse ... So mackinon, drouin, barkov, nichushkin, monahan, shinkaruk, and lindholm are all gone by the time we pick... Seems like theres a drop there... We'd look at gauthier.. Mantha etc etc...

 

Every single year we see someone in the top 10 reach for a guy none of us ever expected.  I just hope it's not Lou deciding now is finally the time to use a high pick to try and replace Marty.  Also, I can't see the Oilers passing on a D-man.   

 

In the end, I think Nichuskin has a real chance to fall a little.  If he's there at 7 and the Oilers really are looking at D, it shouldn't cost us too much to jump up and get him.