4 points sitting on the table this weekend. Wierd stat: Panthers with a 30-23-14 record (74 pts.) and yet have a sizable -23 goals for/against margin (167 GF; 190 GA). Rangers +46 leads the league over the +45 Lightning (with 3 games in hand over TB) and +43 St. Louis (with a game in hand over St.L.).
Joe, 30-23-14 is really 30-37...+46 and leading the league is very impressive considering we played 1/4 of the season w/o our best player
91 points 16 games left, even if we go .500 we still have at least 107 points....39 ROW 2nd in league to Bolts with 3 games in hand
The Hockey News@TheHockeyNews When you can land a free agent such as Kevin Hayes, it doesn't matter how badly you draft, says @THNKenCampbell
I still don't get how Hayes was able to pick and choose a team. Doesn't the drafting team (Chicago) have rights to sign the guy? Why wouldn't they have been able to get trade value for him like the Nordiques and Eric Lindros
If a team doesn't sign a college player during his 4 years at school, they lose his rights and he becomes a UFA.
I don't get that either, what is there to negotiate - every team would give him the same max ELC. If there's this risk that a college player will just bolt to whatever team he wants, then what NHL team is going to want to risk burning a draft pick on an NCAA player?
Most players of his caliber don't want to stay in college for four years. The ones that do are usually mid-late round picks, and if the team really likes the prospect, the risk/reward is worth it. In Hayes' case, Chicago had a logjam of forward prospects and there was also a bad history between them and his brother Jimmy.
Point taken. I was noting the games in hand as representing additional opportunities to increase their lead given the winning groove they're in.
