shrader

I don't think three point wins will change anything for the vast majority of the season. 2 or 1 point are better than nothing. They will still play things tight so that they at least get something by making it to OT. It's only at the end of the season when they need to make up ground that some teams will start to push.

I'd be very happy with that rule change, John.

Pure stupidity right there. That's the stuff that gets him benched.

I've been preaching it for years now. Even back with the 4-on-4, the OT needed to be longer. Honestly, I would leave in the loser point and go to a true sudden death OT like in the playoffs (probably 3-on-3 though). I know their concern would a never ending game where someone has to play the following day. But that right there is all the incentive you need to push a little harder for a goal to end the game. You would have the fluke marathon game every so often, but it would be very rare. Honestly, I'd also rather have ties instead of the shoot out. edit: And speaking of 3-on-3, it is amazing to see it in person. On tv you really don't get a good feel for just how much space is suddenly out there, especially from up in the nose bleeds. I do wish they'd use the red line for offside call during those 5 minutes though. That would really open things up. I bet they'd be scare of teams sitting back and burning out the clock though.

I'm the one who coined it over there, so maybe I said it here too. It's nice having one contribution to mankind.

There was one play in particular with Eichel that stuck out to me. He crossed center ice with the puck then dumped it in. The defender's stick came up and hit him in the visor. We could hear the contact all the way up in the nose bleed seats (amazing what you can hear when the building is empty). No call. I have no idea how refs can miss that. I know it's not really related to the interference stuff, but it's just as frustrating. In a game like that snorefest, a powerplay or two can make all the difference. And I hate shootout almost as much as I hate Boston fans, but something came to mind today. Wasn't Okposo the one who took every shootout attempt in the world juniors or olympics? If that's the case, why isn't he shooting first? You need to get that immediate edge in the fake hockey session.

You can't sedate a crowd that doesn't exist. I was shocked at how few people were there on a Saturday night near Christmas. I think even last years Tuesday night game had more people

That joke has carried over to here?

That was probably the most boring game I've ever been to

Good, I'm not the only one who thought the face was too small for her head. And am I missing something or does that story never mention how old the kid was?

Dude, slow down. I'm still waiting to find out who Vader is. Maybe Buffalo Joe can tell me.

I'm going on Saturday. At the start of the year I was very worried that Eichel wouldn't be back yet. Without him, it's pretty much just the Ristolainen show

Finally something that everyone can get behind

It's amazing how much changes when you get that franchise player. Perreault was before my time, so I have no idea what it's like to watch that player from day one of his career (even before that since I'm a BU guy).

I hope it doesn't come across as a quibbling exchange. That's not my intention. I think you nailed it with Gorges though as a 3rd pair guy. Unfortunately he's being asked to be more than that right now. That right there is a perfect example of what is lacking on this blue line right now. I truly believe this will be Murray's priority moving forward. But then again, I would hope even The Garth Snows of the world would realize that too.

I'd say McNabb is, but then again there's a hell of a lot more value to a bottom pairing d-man than there is for a bottom line forward.

At least he gets a nice snack on his way there.

Obviously this year's run of injured defensemen has been an extreme fluke, but it has illustrated what I think is Murray's major flaw right now. This team in its current form does not have an NHL caliber 7th defenseman. As a whole, it is a group being forced to play a level that is above them. So far each year, Murray has bargain basement shopped among a list of journeyman minor leaguers. It may have made sense during the tank phase, but he needs to move beyond it at some point. There's always the question of who was actually available, but it doesn't feel like a stretch to say that he could have done better. Yes, Guhle is coming along, but that's only one guy. Kulikov and Franson are both UFAs after this season and Gorges next season. There's a major overhaul coming to that position as at least two of those three are all but guaranteed to be gone. That's the spot where Murray is going to show whether or not he has what it takes to build a contender.

Honestly, Compher is the only one I've wanted to keep an eye on. I think I'm mostly soured by the Lehner deal. That one was a completely unnecessary overpayment. I realize that you have to give something to get something and they needed to add some players. He may have done a little too much of that though and you see it with the current lack of depth. The biggest concern to me is that he doesn't seem all that interested in building up the blue line. There haven't been many (if any) moves where he has added to the depth chart there. Every trade has either been a body for a body on the blue line or has shipped one away. It's no surprise that they're facing the numbers game they are now at that position with these trends. It really is a make or break year this summer for that position.

It's amazing what a couple garbage goals can do

I have a hard time picturing them not only convincing that group to help, but then also distributing those guns out among each of the groups unnoticed. I get the feeling the Kingdom winds up being key since they have an agreement where the Saviors never actually set foot there. They've almost gone too far in establishing the strength of the Saviors. It's going to take a damn near universal uprising within that group. Tom, it seems way too early for that.

And then there's the lack of guns edit: And who was the creepy lurking feet guy? If it was the one who put up all the warning signs, I have a hard time picturing him actually letting Rick and Aaron do as much as they did.

I do like the way that guy tried to weasel out of getting killed by Daryl. With the way these people are, especially Negan, you can't really tell if that was an act or not. A good number of them are definitely dicks, but there have to be just as many who are doing exactly what Joey said there.

It also ignores the pure volume of prospects/picks that Murray has traded away. Yes you have to give something to get something, but he has moved out a ton of bodies that could be filling the ranks right now. And I've always hated the hindsight game of "we should have drafted this guy instead". Saying that they could have instead taken someone who went 10-15 picks later in the first round completely ignores how these players were viewed on that specific day. I'm not sure I'd look much beyond a 5 pick window to really see who they might have been considering at that point. Sure, we could have instead drafted TJ Oshie (24th) insetad of Zagrapan (13th), but we may very well have instead drafted Sasha Pokulok (14th) or Ryan O'Marra (15th). There's something to be said about not getting much return on their picks, but when they add in the "who they could have had" section, it tends to come off as a lazy cherry picking column to me. Hell, at one point he suggests that they could have taken Jake Muzzin (141st overall) instead of either TJ Brennan (31st) or Drew Schiestel (59th). A guy taken over 100 picks later! How can you type that with a straight face?

Did they actually show Daryl finding Rick's gun at the Sanctuary?