Derlique

Wow. Smith had 194 shots in the regular season, which is almost three shots a game.

https://canucksarmy.com/2018/06/14/canucksarmys-2018-nhl-draft-rankings-8-ty-smith/

Never thought in a million years he would be there at #17. For sure, I thought Shero would trade down, but I don't think he could pass him up. LD and RW is where NJ is very shallow. He won't make the team this year, but a year or two down the road....

I'M SO HAPPY!

I don't think most people realize Panarin might be a top ten forward in the league. He's as elite as they come and probably just as good as Hall. I don't think CBJ gets fair value for him in a trade and NJ would benefit in a very big way.

Have a bad feeling Mackinnon is gonna win this, but here's hoping!

Because he won't be drafted out of the OHL?

Kravstov? I think it's borderline, but more likely he'll be gone

I disagree with your first bit. Hall would make the 2nd PP better and his numbers would increase. For sure Kovalchuk leaving was best for the team long term. I maintain that 2013-2016 was pretty much rock bottom for me as a fan. 2013, they dominated every game and couldnt score or get a save. 13-14, they overplayed Brodeur and it cost the team a playoff spot. 14-15 and 15-16 had no talent, yet, overachieved due to Schneider. Schneider pretty much kept us in purgatory for a few years (that bastard). It wasn't until we got Hall and got some more lottery luck that things look like they're turning around. Thank god we're seemingly out of the woods.

No, I'm not making your point. I'm saying it's easier to accrue goals and points when you're on the ice more frequently. Do I think Hall could play an extra 2-3 minutes of PP time and a couple of more shifts with the 4th line? Yeah, I do. (Un)Fortunately, Hynes doesn't ride his top players like DeBoer did so we'll never know. What we do know is that Kovalchuk was not a very efficient player in New Jersey in terms of ES p/60 nor PP p/60. He was obviously really really good, but he benefitted a lot from bloated toi.

This is a little misleading. Hall also had a season where he had 50 points in 45 games. Kovalchuk's prime also coincided with the first few years after the 04-05 lockout, where there were a bazillion PPs every game. Scoring in those years were absurdly high. Not to mention that Kovalchuk probably averaged 2-3 more minutes of average toi vs. Hall. Kovalchuk would play the whole two minutes of the PP and get double shifted more than Hall.

I dunno. Hall can skate with Kovy, has the hands of Kovy, and like IK, plays with an edge when he wants to. Obviously Kovalchuk had the better shot, but Hall is the more surgical passer. I honestly think the difference is that Kovalchuk celebrated like a mad man every time he scored, whereas Hall is typically more reserved unless it's a big goal. Like, how could you not get pumped watching a Kovalchuk celly?

Hall is more dynamic than kovy

I am Greek as well and cheer for them over USA and everyone else. Of those guys you listed, Mitroglou is the only one who has actually been successful at bigger European clubs. Kone toiled around in the lower Serie A, Gekas and Amanatidis were ok. Samaras was good at Celtic for awhile, but I wouldn't consider that a big team. The last stud they produced in the midfield was Karagounis. That was my guy.

Greece hasn't been able to develop a midfielder or forward worth a damn since, well....? Their defense on the other hand is pretty damn good and Retsos & Mavropanos look good, but they can't compete with more talented teams.