Highlights for 2017/18

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As today sorts itself out NHLP and NHL Playoff matchups will make more sense.  The NHL races are wide open today as who could meet who in the first round.  The NHLP matchups even more unclear as not one Division can say who is playing who.  NHLP matchups and home ice advantage are very much wide open today.  This will be a huge day that will sort out the NHLP playoff page.

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Game #53 - Chicago (Jr) versus Winnipeg (Scott)
For The Cup

It is a different Cup, but GM Jr will hope it goes the same way as far as the results.  The only time GM Scott and Jr played played for an NHLP Championship, Jr's last Cup, the 2009 NHLP Championship went to Dallas.  The NHLP Cup Holder will be awarding either with it's Championship on Saturday night and the massive 400 points that goes along with it.  The Cup Holder played a 52 game schedule leading into Saturday where it is winner take all.  Chicago on the season has played a pool low one time, losing to Brendan's Washington team who finished 7-2, just shy of the pools best season.  Nashville (Scottie) and Tampa Bay (Joel) at 8-2 tied for the pools best in wins.  In next years version of the rules, where every game will matter, those two would have split half the pot for the seasons most wins.  This year it is a winner take all.  It is possible it will be a meaningless game to the NHL standings, so it is also likely the Jets are sitting some stars.  Last night in a fierce contest that went into overtime versus Montreal (Marcel), the Jets sat Scheifele and Wheeler.  Their seems little doubt the back up is in and banged up guys like Trouba, Byfuglien and maybe Laine and Scheifele again won't play.  However, if for some reason Nashville does not win in regulation against Washington Thursday, the Saturday game will mean first overall in the NHL standings, possibly changing the way Winnipeg approaches their final game of the season.  One thing is for sure.  The game won't be a throw-away game for these Scott and Jr, with the largest amount of points, outside of an winning a NHLP Championship, riding on the outcome of this one game.

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 Blues Get Point - They Are In

While GM Chad in Colorado will either be in or out after the huge Colorado-St Louis game, other GM's are invested in the game as well.  The NY Islanders (Ryan) stand to keep or lose their top scoring player McKinnon and GM Charlie in New York and Phoenix will either have an extra Blue (Pietrangelo and Steen), or they won't.  If the Blues get a point, Chad is out on his NHLP Colorado team.  If Chad's Avs are out, Calgary (Jr) with Crosby or Edmonton (Scott) with his three Jets will be in.  Calgary has the tie-breaker at the moment and is a full point up on Edmonton, meaning with both teams having just 8 player games remaining, the Oil would have to gain a full two points.  With 8 player games that tells you these teams both have players in Sunday's Florida-Boston game where this battle could come down to Huberdeau versus Backes and Gionta.

Klinging to Hope

One player will play a huge part in the final day's games.  Yes, we know there is a straggler game tomorrow, but most every NHLP team is done today (well - 15 team do have something going on Sunday but 8 of those are just one man game).  GM Jr is winning by one in Calgary with Crosby, on a team that may win their battle with Edmonton and still not make the playoffs if they can't penalty in.  Jr is also in a huge battle with Cincinnati (Matt) for what is guaranteed a playoff spot.  On that team of Jr's has Hedman, Gourde and Point, one of the best teams in the league and surely a Cup favorite on a Tampa Bay run.  Dallas has the tie-breaker in both races, so two points up and two points down.  Both Dallas and Cincinnati are finished today.  It appears Klingberg may play a huge role in Jr's playoff hopes.  Cincinnati has Klingberg, who Jr is trying to catch so Jr hopes he doesn't score points today.  However, if he does not score points, this will make it easier for the Oil to catch the Flames, as ironically enough Calgary has the second Klingberg.  Making Klingberg stand out a little more is he plays the last game of today, starting at 10:30.  The Rage will have Klingberg and Doughty in that same game (Stars-Kings), so Jr will need the lead in Dallas prior to that game or he will likely be out.  By the start of that game, we will likely know if Klingberg needs to go scoreless, or needs a point or two to change either race.

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   ST Louis @ Chicago

A lot was decided last night as far as NHL positions, but one thing not going to be decided until the final buzzer of their final game is the St Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche race for the final playoff spot.  The Blues can help their cause against Chicago tonight, but that is all they can do.  A Blues win, prior to the shootout against the Blackhawks, means they will only need to get a point against Colorado, but a Blues tie or loss means they will have to beat the Avs outright, even if in a shootout.  Now if the Blues win in a shootout tonight versus Chicago, they will be out if they lost in overtime, before the shootout, on Saturday.  In that weird scenario, the teams would have the same amount of points to end the season (95-95), but the Blues and Avs would be tied in ROW at 40-40 heading into the game and the
Avs in this case would get the first tie Breaker 41-40, in the ROW column, for winning it before the shootout.  

Not gone unnoticed in the East is the Philadelphia Flyers.  They came back last night and won in the third.  If they had lost, Florida was in charge of their own destiny.  The Flyers have one game left, Saturday versus the Rangers at 3 PM.  If the Flyers get a point, they are in.  If they choke against the Rangers, Florida would only have to beat Buffalo and Boston and they would be in.  I sure hope that doesn't fucking happen.  Have to change all the penalties in every Division for 15 teams that would be affected on the Flyers out and Panthers in.  Fuck sakes.  "The NHLP Yearbook would take a blow for letting this major story go unnoticed" said Muddy Capone, "It was the case of the classic assumption making us look like asses."  A number of teams who think they are out, would be in, and some shocking teams that are in, well in, would be, well, well out.  Oh well.  Wow.

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Colorado @ San Jose
 
 No Penalty

Of all NHLP teams in playoff spots, only the Colorado Avalanche (Chad) is facing a penalty under the current standings.  The Ducks were able to secure a playoff spot because the Blues lost a huge game to Chicago.  No matter what the Avs do against San Jose tonight, the Blues must get at least one point versus the Blackhawks on Friday to make the Saturday game a win and in.

No Races

If the NHL Standings stay as is, there is only one true race for a playoff spot heading into the final days of the NHLP season.  With all teams in the league about between 14 to 16 player games remaining, tonight will take just about every team below 10.  In the South Division Miami (Charlie) is four points behind Cincinnati (Matt) and five behind Las Vegas (Vinnie).  GM Jr in Dallas is just 7 points back with Hedman, Point and Gourde, clearly the best Cup threat of the racing teams but clearly needing a miracle finish to get a playoff spot.  Jr is under the same pressure in Calgary with Crosby, two points up on Edmonton (Scott) for 5th, which if the NHL Avalanche are out, means fourth to one of these GMs.  There are a number of good races for position, who plays who in the first round.  Clearly getting a 6-player team or one with injuries is a better match-up then a full 7 players.

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Chicago @ St Louis
Minnesota @ Anaheim

The Colorado Avalanche can only watch tonight.  The Avs will be hoping one or both the Blues and Ducks lose tonight, keeping the door wide open for them to make the NHLP playoffs.  If the Ducks win they are officially in if St Louis doesn't get the full two points versus Chicago.  The Blues can move over Colorado by a point after even games 80 are played.  We don't know if Anaheim's Saturday game will matter, but it is almost a sure thing the Blues and Avalanche will play a win and win game Saturday for the final NHL playoff spot.

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Kings Get it Done

A number of NHLP GM's finally secured their playoff teams with the huge Kings win Monday.  Now, as mathematics would have it, they could still finish out, but that combination of events will not be occurring.  It would appear now the Ducks will also be in needing just 2 points in three games, if both Colorado and St Louis win out and split up some points in their head to head game.  That as well is not likely happening, so if the Ducks beat any of Minnesota, Dallas or Arizona, they too will be in. 

What is left is Colorado is screwed.  Assuming St Louis beats Chicago twice on Wednesday and Friday, the ONLY way Colorado can make the playoffs is win outright versus San Jose Thursday and beat St Louis in the head to head showdown Saturday, without overtime.  If the Blues don't go back to back wins versus Chicago, it will likely come down to a win and in on Saturday for either team.  If the two teams finish tied in points, the higher ROW makes it in, and then if still tied St Louis who has a 3-1 season lead head to head.  Everything is stacked seriously against Colorado making it at this point.

Only Colorado a Question Mark?

Well it does look like the Ducks are in, so it would appear only the Colorado Avalanche of GM Chad's can yet penalty out.  Any other NHLP team is already in 5th or 6th and would not be affected.  If somehow Anaheim can't pull it out, that would add to this list, but all indications are they are save. 

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Colorado @ Los Angles
Washington @ St Louis

Although mathematically the Eastern Conference is not officially over, we are calling it so, allowing us to focus on the NHLP races.  Florida could still get in, but it would take a miracle very unlikely to occur.  When you look at the NHLP standings, these penalties for Florida have now been shown as official in the standings and those teams dropped.  If the miracle occurs, we'll be making changes by Saturday games if they mean anything at all.

In the West, GM Jr saved a 1st overall draft pick and maybe his season in Dallas with a big day, now likely three points up on 6th, which is 5th, but yet could still be fourth if Colorado or Los Angeles still fail to make the NHL playoffs.  The Ducks, down 3-1 in the third, tied it and won in overtime moving them in front of the Kings and giving them some breathing room in the standings. 

If Los Angeles wins tonight in regulation, they should be in.  They would only need a single point against Minnesota and Dallas, or Colorado not beat both San Jose and St Louis.  If that happened and the Kings didn't get a single point in their last two games, St Louis would still need to lose to Colorado and get 4 points from Washington and Chicago twice.  So, if the Kings win, they will be in.

If Colorado wins tonight in regulation, the Kings could be out by the morning (if St Louis wins before the shootout) and the Kings would only have two games to play.  If the Avs win, the mind kind of gets blown, as you could have three teams at 95 and one at 94 or two at 95 and two at 94, depending on single points.  The Avs will be in real trouble if they don't win tonight.

St Louis can really makes things easy on themselves.  If they beat Chicago back to back, they would have 96 right there.  A win tonight keeps them looking solid and almost ensures that last game versus Colorado means something to them.  It is possible they could be in good enough shape they could lose it outright and still be in, but they have to win before then.  Six NHLP teams could still penalty out depending on which NHL team is out, plus all the 6 man teams that can be created all over the place which will knock teams out in first round scoring.  This is a HUGE race for many NHLP GM's.

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Cup On Line After Tonight

Ottawa (Tammy) just about pulled it out, but in the end Winnipeg (Scott) is now just two wins away from the Cup Holder Champion.  There are five potential winners left and tonight can narrow that down to just two.  If Winnipeg beats Montreal (Marcel) tonight, there will be one game - Scott versus Jr's Chicago for the Championship.  If Marcel can get it done, Montreal would play Detroit *Haley) where Haley could then win the Cup, or if Montreal pulled that out, the Toronto (Charlie) and Montreal (Marcel) final could occur.  Marcel's Montreal has not played one game all season, so tonight his one game is his only chance and it would take three straight wins to get it done.

Here are the possible outcomes the rest of the way:

Winnipeg (Scott) - Montreal, Chicago* (for the Cup)
Montreal (Marcel) - Detroit**, Toronto*** (for the Cup)
*Chicago (Jr) - (Would win Cup beating Winnipeg)
**Detroit (Haley) - (Would win Cup beating Montreal)
***Toronto (Charlie) - (Would win Cup beating Montreal)

So we can say for sure, the winner, and that whopping 400 points, will be one of the entries listed above, now down to just 5 potential winners.

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Boston @ Philadelphia
New Jersey @ Montreal
Colorado @ Anaheim

The East Conference appears set.  The Florida Panthers complete collapse of late has removed all their games at hand advantage and turned their season into begging others for help.  New Jersey and Philadelphia can move one step closer to a playoff spot and ensuring two NHLP teams penalty out of their current playoff spots, taking down at least four teams in total as well as creating some 6 player playoff teams.

In the Western Conference one of the many remaining head to head games are on tap.  With the Blues choke on Saturday, Colorado can move back ahead of them with a win Sunday.  With a huge head to head game to close out the season, a win today ensure they remain close enough for that game to matter.  For Anaheim, a win will likely give them a playoff spot.  The Ducks should then be up 3 points on both the Blues and Avs who must yet play head to head, where a team likely will get zero, making it ultra difficult for both teams to gain three points on the Ducks, basically in three or four games.  This race is so close the ROW and head to head tie-breakers should play a part as surely two teams tie in points somewhere.  Every team has the first tie-breaker versus the Ducks, because of the ROW, but the other teams could reach the head to head tie-breaker if tied in points and ROW.  The Blues have the head to head over the Kings (2-1) and Avs (3-1) while the Kings (2-0) already have the head to head, even if they lose Monday to Colorado.

From #32nd to 1st Overall

Can GM Chad cheer any harder for a game then tonight?  If the Avs lose tonight, Chad's Colorado team comes one step closer to having a penalty and dropping out in the Pacific Division.  Currently, he would lose that playoff spot to Calgary (Jr) who on the strength of the "Most Points from only playoff players of the teams tied", is ahead of Edmonton (Scott) for 5th (by a mere three points in that tie-breaker), which is 4th if the NHL Avs are out of the playoffs.  However, an Avs win tonight, leaves hope for Chad to make the NHLP playoffs and Anaheim to be out.  On February 26th Calgary traded Getzlaf and Trocheck to Colorado for Nylander and Reilly.  As part of that NHLP deal, if Anaheim misses the NHL playoffs, Colorado moves from drafting 32nd in the first round to 1st overall.  GM Jr is torn.  He wants the Ducks to tonight, but Getzlaf to not score.  A sub plot to this is GM Scott in Edmonton now has Getzlaf who is tied in points with Calgary.  Scott feels it was his doing that Chad has a full team of NHL Avalanche players and wants Anaheim to win tonight, allowing him to still have a shot at the playoffs and be the one to take Chad's playoff spot if the NHL Avs finish out.  Suddenly, with things so much clearer, there are a lot of good NHLP races and battles for position, but none can be much bigger then tonight for three GM's.

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 Jets First Win - Cup in Sight

Even though Winnipeg (Scott) took the Cup Holder spot from Toronto, Charlie still has a path to win it all.  The win was the Jets first of the season and puts them three wins away from ending with the Cup in the Cup Holder Pool.  Shockingly, there are just 5 teams remaining that have not won a game all season and 4 of them have a shot at winning it all.  Boston (Brooklyn), Chicago (Jr), Montreal (Marcel) and Ottawa (Tammy) have not won a game all season between them, yet are 4 of the 8 left with hopes of still winning.  Although the games are for the right to play in the Cup Championship, no one has had that game just yet, but it is coming any day now.  If Ottawa wins, they will play Pittsburgh (Matt) who would be playing for it all.  With the way the Jets have played, you would have to think winning three straight versus Ottawa, Montreal and Chicago, all NHL non-playoff teams, might not occur, but is very possible.

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Florida @ Boston
NY Islanders @ New Jersey
St Louis @ Arizona

Florida has to find a way to gain a single point after winning their game at hand if they are to catch New Jersey. This is looking slimmer and slimmer by the game, but that is their hope.  Today things would appear stacked well against any point gains and they may do well just by playing even. 

While the Ducks won the game last night, the point they left on the table could come back and haunt them, or the Blues or Avalanche.  If all the teams win their games at hand on Los Angeles, the Kings would be ahead of only the Avs, by having the head to head tie-breaker, if the ROW ends tied, which it appears like it would.  St Louis is easily in the driver seat of their own destiny, with two games at hand over the Kings.  The Blues just need to win tonight and they are one step closer to securing a spot in the playoffs.

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Win Away From Final Game

The Toronto Maple Leaf entry of GM Charlie has a huge match next Saturday versus Winnipeg (Scott), just a win away from the Stanley Cup Final game in the Cup Holder Pool.  If Charlie wins that, the winner will be decided in their game with Montreal (Marcel), who will get their first taste of playing for the Cup in the one game a winner is crowned.  Although Haley lost Saturday night, they can get another Chance to play for the cup if Winnipeg wins versus Toronto, beats Ottawa and loses to Montreal, allowing Detroit to beat Montreal and win it all.  If Winnipeg can pull things out, their next game after versus Ottawa would not be the Championship game. 

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Los Angeles @ Anaheim
St Louis @ Vegas
Chicago @ Colorado

It has been hard to talk about the NHLP Playoff races.  Lots of teams in last still had chances heading into last night.  Last night really helped sort through things a lot, making the NHLP races truly easier to see.  Each night will continue to do that.  That "P" beside your NHLP teams name is really starting to mean something, as those teams get closer to truly being a penalty.  Below we have taken out Minnesota and Columbus and called them in the NHL playoffs.  We are truly downt to now just 7 games battling for a true 5 spots.  Dallas (Jr) who had a big 11 points last night in the South Division, you can see it means something now.  After last night you can easily see 5th might mean something in the South if New Jersey is out.  Jr is only 4 back of Vinnie in Las Vegas for that spot.  If Los Angeles is out, 6th place would get in.  You can look at the NHLP standings now and that chart below and clearly see where the true races are, and the select few teams that can alter the penalties listed.

Tonight the four battling teams in the West can all get back within a single point of each other if Anaheim, St Louis and Colorado all win.  If the Kings win outright tonight, they will be four clear of Anaheim, who then would have to win their game at hand and then still gain a true three points in the final three games.  We don't see that happening, so Los Angeles can finally claim a playoff spot tonight.  That would mean Anaheim would only have 91 points with four to play.  The Blues could go to 93 points with 5 to play and already have the tie-breaker over the Ducks, so it would seem they would be in as well.  That would leave Colorado who could be a point up on the Ducks, at even games.  Even a Avs tie knots them up and put the Avs in (if the Ducks don't tie themselves).  The Avs and Ducks play Sunday.  Now all this chatter today is if the Kings win tonight and punch their ticket.  If the Kings cannot win and Anaheim wins one at home, they would be tied and have a game at hand, moving the Kings back out of 3rd in the NHL Division.  We truly think the Kings would still be ok, but if you are cheering for the Kings, that is a path you do not want to venture down.

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Columbus @ Calgary
Pittsburgh @ New Jersey
Florida @ Ottawa
Minnesota @ Dallas
Arizona @ Los Angeles

What a huge win by the Philadelphia Flyers to go into Colorado and get the job done.  Things seem to change daily, but it is very hard to not imagine the Flyers in at this point, up a full 7 on Florida.  The Panthers gave it their best shot but Toronto, the all-time most wins in FRANCHISE HISTORY (wow), did what they do.  Win.  Florida no longer has the games at hand advantages, for even winning what they do have won't put them past anyone.  Florida can be dealt a huge knockout blow tonight by not winning and having the Devils and Columbus put a little more separation between them.  The Panthers will penalty out four NHLP teams (maybe a fifth on the combos) and cost another three teams to lose a first round scorer.  It surely looks like the games in hand are going to fail these GM's who were willing to risk their entire seasons for what is looking like is going to come next, their just desserts. 

If a team in front of you in the NHLP standings has a "P" consider them out of the playoffs and just move the other teams up.  It can change daily, but things are getting closer to becoming official.  If two teams do tie in the NHLP standings in points, after penalties (shown further down this page), the first tie-breaker is most playoff players, so a 7 player playoff team is ahead of a six player one if either team has lost a player.  The full tie-breaking procedures are in all your rule books. ==>

The game did hurt.  Losing hurt for Colorado, but it just appears they have their own destiny in hand more so than anyone else.  There are four teams, all within just a single point of each other in the NHL Western Conference staandings.  For the Avalanche, they play all the teams they are chasing.  The Avs have 90 points the other three 91.  Going 2-1 or 1-2 will likely be the difference.  Of course, do any go to overtime?  That will make a huge difference as well.  They could lose them all and still get 3 points, so how can't these be the games that save or kill their season? 

The Kings can put the Ducks to rest in the next two nights with back to back wins over Phoenix then Anaheim.  We have been building towards the Friday night tilt for a while.  It is often said the best part of hunting is thinking about going and talking about it after you get back.  We've been thinking about this match all week and will be talking about it Saturday morning with either the Kings dethroned or the Ducks never knowing the Blind existed.  If the Kings cannot get the points tonight they will look in dire shape tomorrow night, that is just how close things are in the standings with only 5 games to go.

As for the Coyotes, you have to really feel for their fans.  The team has 14 wins in their last 20, each and every one painful to the teams truest fans.  All meaningless to any hope they had to make the playoffs, but yet those wins have surely cost them the first overall pick in the Draft.  Your chances of a franchise player have dropped from 20%, down to 11 or even 9%.  Instead of them having a 20% chance of the top pick and everyone else having a 80% chance, now they gave the teams just in front of them a 44% chance.  If they keep winning Detroit will be behind them tonight giving the teams in front over a 50% chance while there own will be 1 in 20 soon.  Of course Buffalo, Ottawa and Vancouver have the top three best odds to land what all along looked like it was going to the desert (of course we mean Vegas - hahaha).

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Florida @ Toronto - L
Philadelphia @ Colorado - Phil W

You can't get much worse then the Anaheim Ducks.  They are very big.  Very slow.  They can do nothing offensively.  Their entire game seems to be just play it in their end and "Keep it close".  You can't find a more undisciplined team.  They are the worst.  But man oh man, is their goalie good.  True to form they threw away a huge game, one this bad team, badly needed.  Now they are tied with Los Angeles with 5 games to play and the Kings have the tie-breaker.  They play head to head Friday night, with both teams then playing back to back nights versus Colorado.  If either team goes 0-2 right there, they are likely out of the NHL playoffs.  After that just a game or two left for both, so the head to head games will decide the West.  One more note.  If the Ducks truly stink this bad and they are racing with the Kings, Blues and Avalanche.  Hmmmmm....

Speaking of both head to head games, things that stink, and Colorado, what a huge game they play tonight.  Colorado is out, but all they need is a single point versus Philadelphia and the Avalanche will move back in front of the Ducks for the final playoff spot.  The Avs have Philly, Chicago, and San Jose mixed in games between Anaheim, Los Angeles & St Louis, playing the Blues on the very last night of the season.  GM Chad in Colorado is the only GM affected by the Avs dropping out last night.  GM Scott said he is going to laugh so hard if the Avalanche miss the playoffs.  Scott tells the story:  "GM Jr has left the NHLP Deadline.  The thing is over.  We are sitting around looking at all our teams.  Ya, there is 5 minutes on the clock, but the thing is over.  No one has used the Minors in over an hour.  I opened my mouth and likely cost my team their season.  I said to Chad.  I am shocked (in Colorado) you didn't go after the Florida guys (with your four Blues players).  Chad replied he could not afford to get into those point battles.  You know what he is talking about.  Like the battle where I dropped 16 points to get RID of Rantenan.  I think he was referring to that kind of battle.  The battles where GM's where unloading teams like Blues and Colorado players.  You know, to avoid that risk.  But it slipped out of me as it has too many times over the years.  Ya, but you are keeping the Blues, hell, even Colorado is ahead in points.  The light when on for Chad.  As Trump would say.  A dim light.  Very dim.  Not a bright light.  Dim, dim light.  A very dim light.  Well, within three minutes Chad had dropped his entire four Blues for four Avs.  He fucked me.  I fucked myself.  So I can't tell you how hard I am cheering for the Avs to be the team out.  The irony is the Blues are in and would be in.  They have scored so much, Chad would still be ahead of me.  If the Avs miss, one of Jr or I will penalty in.  That is going to feel awesome if it happens.  Maybe just maybe, I get in because I opened my mouth and fait has it that, that is what I was suppose to do.  The Jets go to the Finals and I win it all.  All because Chad swapped out his four Blues for four Avs in the dying minutes of the Deadline.  This league has been built on this type of story."

We know the Avs can't afford to be leaving points behind, but if you are a Flyers fan, you have to think they let one get away in Dallas.  Now you have to go into rested Colorado who is going to bring everything.  If the Flyers win tonight they move ahead of Columbus and tie Pittsburgh in points.  If they lose, and someone has to lose this huge game, the Flyers are now, best case, 5 up on Florida with the Panthers having three games at hand, or worst case just 3 up.  If the Flyers are only 3 points up and you are giving Florida the tie-breakers and three games at hand, it will be the Flyers who will appear the odd team out in the East.  Truly that will mean just 2 up.  If you give the Panthers 3 points in their 3 games, you aren't up, you are out.  With the Flyers, would so go Buffalo (Joel), Toronto (Chad) and Green Bay (Ryan), all current NHLP playoff teams. 

Before the Colorado and Philly game, Florida will have already won or lost.  The Panthers cannot afford to lose and playing in Toronto won't be easy.  Florida has to almost max out every point in the games at hand, and then they can just play even with the teams ahead, and they will be in.  The big thing on their schedule is Boston 3 times.  A seemingly huge game on the NHL schedule is Friday when Tampa Bay and Boston play head to head.  It matters to every team in the East.  If those teams are in a battle for first in their division to the final weekend, Boston will be playing their best roster.  If that race is over and Florida and Boston are playing 2 of the last 3, and even a head to head game after the season is technically over on the Sunday, why would Boston play Chara, Bergeron, Krug, Backes and Marchand?  I know I forget their best players, but they are healthy.  I know I wouldn't even ice a team, just forfeit, cause nothing good can come from meaningless games, but serious injuries.  The backup is in, and why risk him?  Play the guy who is on-call to play in case the first two goalies get hurt.  He deserves some game action.  You owe nothing to the other teams.  What does Boston owe to Philadelphia or New Jersey?  If they can't help themselves, why should you bail them out, risking your run for the Cup for them?  You do what is best for your Cup run.  I would never risk Bergeron, who has taken over 1000 more faceoff this season then the next closest Bruins player (sorry - that was Kopitar, but I am all about the fake news now so I will leave it in), getting hurt in a meaningless game to my team in the final game(s) of the season.  The final weekend, we see back up goalies and rested players.  It has always impacted the NHLP races.  Why would 2018 shape up any different?

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 Carolina @ New Jersey - W
Philadelphia @ Dallas - T
Columbus @ Edmonton - W
San Jose @ St Louis - W
Minnesota @ Nashville - T
Anaheim @ Vancouver - L

Columbus, Philadelphia and New Jersey can look at Florida and say, "We don't have to beat Florida, just one of the other two teams in our Division."  There are several ways to look at this race, but even if Florida won out, they can get no higher than the 1st Wild Card.  The other three teams are playing for a third seed in their Division and the two Wild Card spots.  The issue for those three is if Florida ties any of them at season end, Florida has every tie-breaker, the first and second, against all three (except the second tie-breaker against Columbus - head to head).  So if Florida wins their games at hand, they tie Columbus and Philadelphia in points and have the first tie-breaker on each, as well as they would outright be ahead of the Devils. 

Edmonton is playing very well at 6-2-2 but not as well as Columbus with only a loss in their last eleven games.  The Jackets can't let this slip away, or all the other three teams can pass them and put them into 9th and out at even games.  You would think New Jersey should get the points tonight, but the Hurricanes have won three straight.  A win by the Devils keeps the pressure on Florida, while a loss means the Panthers pass them with just a single point in two games at hand. 
 
Colorado just could not get it done and now leave themselves as the team out if St Louis can beat San Jose tonight.  The Blues, who have won 5 in a row, are in the driver seat if they keep winning.  They play the hottest team in the NHL, winners of 8 straight in the Sharks. 

A critical two points are at stake for the Ducks.  Winning means a true two points up on the Kings with each 5 to play and their head to head game on Friday.  A loss moves the idle Kings back ahead of the Ducks and will likely force a must win in regulation versus the Kings, something that won't be the case should they win tonight.  The Ducks winning tonight means just getting to OT versus the Kings on Friday will leave them ahead with 4 games to play, while the Kings will be playing catch-up over their final three games and very likely be playing for a Wild Card spot.

Minnesota must be feeling good about their game heading into Nashville tonight.   They are 6-2-2 and just beat Nashville 4-1 two games back and just took the Bruins to overtime.  A tough schedule for any team.  Another unexpected win tonight and we will give the Wild a deserved playoff spot.  The Wild would be up 5 with 6 to go, and teams behind playing a lot of head to head games to finish, where their will be a loser in each one.  If the Wild lose tonight they should still be ok, still needing all four teams behind them, each to all gain at least three or four points over just 6 games.  It would take a total collapse, maybe even losing out which seems improbable.  The Wild will likely be our next team we welcome to the 2018 NHL playoffs.

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Florida @ NY Islanders
Colorado @ Vegas
Calgary @ Los Angeles

We have officially declared there are now 9 NHL teams racing for 7 playoff spots, dropping Dallas now to officially 'Sayonara', or as the Spanish say in Dallas, "Sayonara".  They just choked and could not do anything down the stretch.  Now they can play spoilers, a role they may be better suited for.  Of the 6 NHLP players effected by Dallas, GM Marcel is hardest hit with Seguin and Radulov, while Benn is a hard blow to miss in his first round scoring for GM Chad in Toronto, if they don't penalty out if New Jersey misses.  GM's keeping Dallas players have no one to blame but themselves.  "The Stars were definitely never a sure thing" said Muddy Capone, adding, "Many GM's had lots of points but risk first round six man teams, even potential penalty by keeping them, so other GM's who worked harder to remove that risk won't be shedding a tear today."   

We have seen a number of underserved points handed out almost every night.  Last night those "Lucky Ducks" did it again, totally dominated by Edmonton, and goalie out when they tied it to go on and win it in OT.  The Kings have Calgary and Arizona while the Ducks play Vancouver leading up to the teams Friday night showdown.  If they take all those points, Friday each team will be at 93 points with the Ducks ending that game with 4 to play, one more then the Kings.  Seems surely this is all coming to that game. 

If Colorado can get a point tonight, they will end the night ahead of the Kings and with a game at hand.  Vegas is still 5-3-2 over their last ten, so still a tough draw.  Colorado still plays the Ducks, Kings and Blues, games that will ultimately decide their fait.

If the Panthers are going to come back, all the way back, they can ill-afford to lose too many more games.  Leaving points on the table, even just a single point versus the Islanders, those are the points you will look back on in two weeks and go "That game killed us."  Getting the Job done tonight means they are a single point behind the Devils with a game at hand.  Currently, the first tie-breaker, the ROW - Regulation/Overtime Wins, so anything not ending in a shootout win, has the Panthers one up, 35-34.  Now, if the Panthers ROW finishes tied with the Devils on the last day of the season, the next tie-breaker is head to head games, and this also goes to Florida on the strength of a 2-1 season series lead (no head to head left to play).  The Devils aren't going to get ahead in the ROW column versus Florida, not without just beating them in points anyway, so just consider that Florida only has to tie the Devils the rest of the way and they are in.  The age old NHLP question is perfect to ask right here.  Would you rather have the two games at hand (Florida) and in charge of things, needing 3 points to knock out your opponents, or be up the 3 points (Devils), and just sit back and watch the games unfold, with the team behind you able to knock you out without a possible response?  I don't think team either feels comfortable, but a Panthers win tonight. and Devils fans will be feeling hotter than the Devil's armpit.

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Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh
Boston @ Minnesota
Anaheim @ Edmonton
Vancouver @ Dallas

Who would have saw Saturday unfold like it did.  St Louis winning in Columbus and Minnesota soundly beating Nashville.  Then Los Angeles loses to Edmonton.  In the East Sunday, you can't help but look at the Standings and say Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are in.  Florida is so far back, like 7 behind the Pens.  But if the Pens lose today, the Flyers tie them in points and if somehow Florida then did win their games at hand on both teams, the Panthers are just a single point behind them for the final playoff spot with just 6 games to play.  With 14 days left in the season after today, Florida plays 9 games in the final 14 days, including three versus the banged up Bruins and finishes with 5 in the last 7 days.  The NHL season ends on Saturday, April 7th with 15 games, however, due to a canceled game this season, Florida and Boston play the lone game Sunday the 8th, in what could be must see TV.  If the Flyers can't get it done today, Florida can pass them by even games.  The pressure to MUST win every game is certainly on Florida, but I wouldn't want to be the team to tank in front of them, just in case. 

Heading into the third period of the Wild versus Preds game Saturday, 5 NHL teams in the West were all within ONE point for the final playoff spot, either having 89 or 90 points each.  That is insane.  For the first time in two weeks since the NHLP Trading Deadline, a team moved from Red to Green (below), changing the potential NHLP penalties.  If the Ducks don't get a point in Edmonton today, it changes back as the Kings move in and the Ducks out, again.  Those teams play a big head to head game Thursday.  The Ducks game today is a game at hand, so if they win, they would only need to take the Kings to overtime and still be ahead come Thursday, so it is a big game in the race for third in the Pacific and 9th in the West.  Dallas must win against Vancouver or we will stroke them off the list they likely aren't deserving to be on anymore.  The Stars end with a head to head game versus the Kings, but even if they do finish 5-2, giving them 94 points, they would have to have two teams in front finish 2-5, for those teams to finish behind.  The Stars are 1-6-3 in their last 10 and none of the teams they are chasing has less then 5 wins their last 10.  Dallas out really affects the NHLP North Division where a Dallas-New Jersey combo kills two teams (Chad & Marcel).  The room for error doesn't really exist anymore.  Teams who crash now are likely out and anyone playing 5-2 to finish definitely is in, at least in the West.

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Change Has Come

For the first time since the NHLP Trading Deadline, three additional teams have now been added to the Potential Penalties list.  There hadn't been one change since the Deadline when teams like Florida, St Louis and Dallas, were out and remained out.  Well, until last night.  The Los Angles Kings, with what was thought to be the easiest game of the day for the racing teams, could not beat Edmonton and now with just 6 games left are in 9th in the West.  As the NHLP Standings are now, three divisions would see two teams penalty out, showing NHLP GM's the importance of setting a team, even when in 6th place.  There are just two weeks remaining in the season.  The Kings still have chances, playing both Anaheim and Colorado, but if those teams win their games at hand, or get a point in the head-to-head matchup, the Kings could finish the season where they sit today.  The Kings are in a much better spot then Colorado or St Louis and those teams winning out, doesn't necessarily affect the Kings.  The Kings only need to get ahead of the Ducks, and vice versa, and are automatically in, no matter even if behind Colorado and St Louis in points.

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St Louis @ Columbus
Tampa Bay @ New Jersey
Arizona @ Florida
Nashville @ Minnesota
Los Angeles @ Edmonton
Vegas @ Colorado

What a crushing way to lose.  The Dallas Stars may have been dealt their death-blow after blowing a 2-0 lead in the third period versus Boston, allowing the 3-2 goal with 11 seconds to play.  With now only 7 to play and needing to gain at least 5 points, we can likely already place them as out.  The Ducks got a huge point in Winnipeg.  The Ducks could not do anything at all and were out-classed so badly it was borderline embarrassing.  The Jets looked like the Globetrotters, constantly making great passes, but just unable all night long to beat Gibson.  It was just so hard to believe the Ducks could have won it in overtime.  The Blues win, means winning their game at hand tonight versus Columbus, can move them in and the Ducks out.  Staying in the West for Saturday, St Louis, Los Angeles, Colorado and Minnesota, all separated by just three points are all in must win games.  The losing teams will be within a game of being caught potentially for 9th place.  The Kings look like they have the best draw of the night, with the Avs maybe the easier of who Minny and St Louis have on tap, playing two teams who have combined on a 18-1-1- record their last ten games.

In the East the Devils win was huge and they can go back to back with a win tonight against Tampa Bay.  With the Bruins one of the most banged up teams in the NHL, a Tampa win will put them closer to first.  First likely means New Jersey or Florida in round one.  Finishing second means Toronto.  I don't think anyone (well, Boston or Tampa Bay) wants the Leafs in Round One, so a lot to play for.  Florida has Arizona in their must win.  If the top teams in the standings win, the Devils will only be a point ahead of Florida who would then have two games at hand to catch the Devils.  These two seem the only true race in the East even though Philly isn't out of the woods just yet.

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Charlie Takes Cup - Just Three to Go

The way GM Charlie has rolled the past few weeks, is it any surprise he is now the Cup Holder?  The Nashville team of Scottie's held the Cup a record one month and tied Brendan's Washington team with 7 straight wins as the Cup Holder.  Now it is Charlie's Leafs who are just three wins away from the NHLP's First Cup Holder Pool winner and the 400 points that comes with it.  Now up for Toronto is Detroit (Haley) on Saturday.  For Toronto to win out they will have Winnipeg (Scott) and Montreal (Marcel) after Detroit.  Marcel is the only entry to not have played a game for the Cup this season.  For Haley a Detroit run seems unlikely, as after Detroit still have Montreal (Marcel), Pittsburgh (Matt), Ottawa (Tammy), Columbus (Shana) and ending with, yup, Montreal (Marcel) again.

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New Jersey @ Pittsburgh
Anaheim @ Winnipeg
Vancouver @ St Louis
Boston @ Dallas

The Kings and Blue Jackets won the big games Thursday.  Neither team has been ruled officially in, but the NHLP did move San Jose as safe, removing their teams from any potential penalties their NHLP owning GM's might face.  New Jersey must win tonight versus Pittsburgh to keep the heat on the Florida Panthers team who is just a point behind with a game at hand.  Losing tonight and giving the Panthers two games to gain a single point to move ahead is a dangerous move Devils fans would not want.  In the West both Dallas and Anaheim are in really tough games.  Dallas needs a win versus Boston while the Ducks must win in Winnipeg, something visiting teams just don't do. A Stars win keeps their slim hopes alive while a Ducks win moves them back in front of the Kings.  For the Blues, they must win against Vancouver to keep the pressure on everyone in front.  St Louis can tie LA and be a point behind the Avs at even games, and if the Ducks can't win tonight, the Blues can pass the Ducks outright by even games, if they win tonight.  Making a Blues win tonight bigger still is they must play Columbus tomorrow who hasn't lost since 2004.

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High Scoring NHLP Night

Dallas (Jr) went from 16 points out of 4th to only 10 out after an 11 point night.  The Dallas players had 11 with all 5 players having a third period, yet they could get no more.  In Buffalo, things were getting a little bit to close for GM Joel, who's 10 points moved the team from 5 up on 5th to 14.  Of course there is no hotter GM than Charlie who just can't stop scoring.  Since the NHLP Trading Deadline, while teams like Hartford (Andrew) has 12 points, and Calgary (Jr) and San Fran (Scott) have 17, GM Charlie in Phoenix has 42, NY Rangers 42 and Miami 37.  For Charlie the finish is real.  His three teams won't face any penalty if Columbus stays in and if the Kings can hold their spot.  The NHLP totally missed the HUGE week of GM Charlie last week in New York, where the Rangers had almost an all-time record 34 points.
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Rangers 3 Shy of Historic All-Time Mark

Totally lost on the NHLP was the New York Rangers week ending Sunday night.  GM Charlie's team had a totally insane 34 point week.  The NHLP record for points in a week was set by GM Shawn in Halifax 10 years ago.  Shawn's players had a week total of - 9-8-8-5-4-3.  Halifax had a 14 point week that same week and pulled off the feat in the next to last season the NHLP ran with 6 player rosters.  Charlie's 34 is the highest total in the past 10 NHLP seasons.  In the last 10 years prior to this week, only 7 NHLP teams have hit 30 in a week.  Vancouver (Joel) 33, Phoenix (Charlie) 32, Chicago (Andrew) 31 and 30's for San Fran (Scott), Pittsburgh (Chad) and Colorado (Chad) who did it two.  Charlie's week was led by NHL player of the week Pietrangelo who had 9, while Perron, Couture and Pavelski had 5 each.  C. Miller had 4 and three point weeks went to Bozak and Oshie (9-5-5-5-4-3-3).  "It is a really tough thing accomplish" said Muddy Capone, "Congrats to GM Charlie."

 
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Cup Holder Continues

A huge game tonight with Toronto (Charlie) versus Nashville (Scottie).  Scottie has 7 wins in a row and another tonight will put him against Minnesota (Sean) while Charlie's Leafs would get Detroit (Haley).  These games are huge as these are your last games.  You lose your game, or your chance to play for the Cup now, you simply won't get another chance.

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Florida @ Columbus
Los Angeles @ Colorado
NY Rangers @ Philadelphia
Vegas @ San Jose

Can you get any bigger game in the West?  The two Wild Card teams hook up in their first of two remaining battles, the other one in 11 days.  Los Angeles is in the worst spot heading into tonight's game.  The Kings just can afford to lose.  A loss will mean the St Louis Blues would only need a win with two games at hand and would be ahead of the Kings, tying in the ROW and beating the Kings two of three games this season, the last, the night of March 10th, the NHLP Trading Deadline.  The Kings, with a loss, will be playing catch up with only 7 games to play and will be flirting with being out in the West.  The Kings being out eliminates the NHLP's Islanders (Ryan), Coyotes (Charlie) and Strip (Vinnie), and more teams on the Los Angeles combos, like New Orleans (Shawn) and Cincinnati (Matt) on the Kings-Devils.  If the Kings win, they put the pressure right back on the Avs and Ducks as the teams in the Blues line of sight.  We have removed Calgary.  Clearly they are out with just 7 games to go and 7 points back.

In the East we think Columbus can punch their ticket tonight when they play Florida.  What a battle this should be.  Two teams who have played awesome hockey down the stretch.  Would Pittsburgh or Washington truly want to play a seven game series with Columbus right now?  Likely not. With just 8 games to go, it is hard to imagine the Blue Jackets just collapsing and New Jersey and Florida both almost winning out.  If the Jackets where to finish 4-4, that is 95 points, the Devils would have to go 7-2 to catch them.  The real race seems between Florida, New Jersey and Philadelphia.  Even Philly is now a real stretch to finish behind the Devils.  Even if the Devils win their game at hand, they would have to still gain 3 points in 8 games on the Flyers without a head to head game.  Now if Florida loses tonight, they would have to get a point in their game at hand to be ahead of the Devils.  That suddenly would be tough.  The NHLP Standings and races are close, but until this NHL Standings thing continues to sort itself out, only NHLP teams not facing any potential penalties are truly safe.

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Montreal @ Pittsburgh
Anaheim @ Calgary
St Louis @ Boston

Dallas and New Jersey suffered huge losses while Philadelphia and Los Angeles got huge single points.  We are almost where we think we can call Columbus, San Jose and Minnesota in, but there are just too many head to head games, and games at hand from teams behind, to make the call.  Columbus won their 9th straight and are actually tied with Pittsburgh, so you can't say Pittsburgh is truly safe now if you say the Jackets aren't.  The Pens still play New Jersey twice, as well as Columbus, Philadelphia and a tough game against Washington, 5 tough games in their final 9.  Only one team can miss from the East, so they would have to fall behind the Devils and Panthers (and Columbus and Philadelphia), a seemingly improbable task.  If the Devils and Flyers beat them in the next 5 days, we will take more notice.  The Pens should be able to beat the Habs tonight but with 16 NHLP players they would reek havoc everywhere claiming a ton of teams. 

In the West, Anaheim and Los Angeles keep playing leap frog, with now the Ducks a game at hand, and versus the Flames tonight with a win moving the Kings back to the 8th and final playoff spot.  The Kings and Avs play tomorrow and someone has to lose, leaving huge opportunities for the teams behind.  Dallas is really looking out in the West and at 2-5-3 their last ten, they are playing like a team going nowhere.  The team to watch from the back of the pack is St Louis, who plays Boston tonight.  If you are a fan of any team in, you want St Louis to lose tonight.  If you need the Ducks, Kings or Avs out, you are cheering for the Blues tonight.  At even games the Blues can be one behind the Ducks, tied with the Kings, and three behind the Avs, making the Avs-Kings head to head games huge, along with games like Kings-Ducks and Avs-Ducks.  Some teams have to lose points and St Louis can gain with any type of decent finish.  In the Blues final ten games they play Boston, Columbus, San Jose, Vegas, Washington and finish with Colorado.  That is a tough schedule, but it starts tonight in Boston if they truly can make a run.  If New Jersey, Dallas and St Louis just stay out, no single NHLP team penalties out and it takes a combination of the three to claim two North Division Teams, Toronto (Chad) and Florida (Marcel) and Cincinnati (Matt) in the South, would be the only three teams to penalty out.  Portland (Vinnie) is the only NHLP team that is officially out based on Penalty.

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Philadelphia @ Detroit
Columbus @ NY Rangers
Florida @ Ottawa
New Jersey @ San Jose
Los Angeles @ Winnipeg
Colorado @ Chicago
Dallas @ Washington

The Kings saved themselves with an insane comeback with the goalie pulled and won in overtime.  You take those two points away and put them versus Winnipeg tonight and things appear much different.  The same can be said for Columbus who are going after their 9th straight tonight in New York.  The Bruins had two breakaways where guys were hauled down in overtime, and the ref appeared to just freeze on both of them, determined not to call an OT penalty.  The Blue Jackets can win their 9th straight tonight - 9 IN A ROW, yet if they lose on Thursday versus Florida, both Florida and New Jersey will be able to pass them by even games played.  This is all so insane.  If Florida beats Ottawa and New Jersey can't win in San Jose, the Devils will only be a point up on Florida who will have two games at hand.  The Devils-Stars combination costs three NHLP GM's (Chad, Marcel and Matt) their seasons.  The Kings and Dallas have tough games tonight, but every game has proven tough for every team battling.  We are getting close to saying Minnesota is in, Calgary is out, one 6 up and one 6 out, but we will track them for a bit longer with all the head to head games still to play.

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Columbus @ Boston
Florida @ Montreal
Los Angeles @ Minnesota

The Bruins are four points back of Tampa Bay with two games at hand.  Winning first means avoiding the Leafs in the first round and likely getting New Jersey, Columbus or Florida.  The Bruins are coming to play tonight in a huge game for both teams, the other being the Blue Jackets.  If the Jackets can't win tonight and Florida does (which they should), the Panthers have 3 games at hand and will be just 4 back of Columbus.  The NHLP North's Division is all about Columbus, as if they miss, so does two teams in the standings (Chad & Shawn).  Before the teams play head to head on Thursday, the Jackets play the Rangers and the Panthers the Sens.  If the teams get to that head to head game separated by just 4 points with the Panthers having 3 games at hand, that could just be the game to put the Panthers in for good, as having 3 games in hand and only a true 2 points out, as they would have the ROW tiebreaker, the Blue Jackets would be in huge trouble.

In the West, the Kings can reclaim 3rd spot moving the Ducks to 8th in the Pacific, but would need a full two points.  If the Kings can't win tonight, they can then be passed outright for the final playoff spot by the St Louis Blues (with a tough next game versus Boston), with the Blues being a point back with a game at hand after tonight.  The West still appears to come down to these head to head games.  Each night that goes by with these standings so close, the next head to head game looms larger still.  The Kings have the Wild & Avs twice and the Flames, Ducks and Stars once each.  Teams cannot afford to not get points out of every game, but yet, with all these head to head games, someone is losing the game, opening the door for someone else chasing them.

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New Jersey @ Anaheim

The second half of a back to back against teams racing in the West is a huge game for the Devils.  With a win the Devils move ahead of Columbus and maybe Philadelphia who plays Washington.  The Devils can ensure that the Panthers three games at hand can't affect them, as a win puts them 7 ahead of Florida.  As far as the Ducks they are in a group of four teams all tied with 84 points.  The Ducks can move the Kings out of third in the Pacific, with the Kings potentially falling into 9th depending on the outcomes of Dallas and Colorado.  The Avs have Detroit and this is their game at hand on the group, so the Avs can look even more secure with a win.  Dallas has what appears the hardest game of the night, playing at Winnipeg.  If Dallas loses and the Ducks get a point, Dallas would fall out of the Western Conference Playoffs.  Dallas and a number of different combinations from the East cause a number of NHLP teams to penalty out, but not Florida so nothing would change tonight with Dallas out.  Tonight is another huge night with just 20 days left in the season.

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Head to Head
For Teams Racing For The Playoffs

It is just incredible to think only one head to head game will be played among the four teams racing in the Eastern Conference.  Florida is in Columbus on the 22nd, and that is it.  What could be of huge importance is the Cross-Over games, where presumable one team will lose.  New Jersey plays three straight in California.  The West is full of head to head matchups.  These are huge four point games and almost every night.  The Kings play 7 head to head games with the West teams they are battling with while St Louis only plays two, and Calgary three, not likely good when they are playing catch up.  Each of the other 5 teams - Minnesota, San Jose, Anaheim, Colorado and Dallas play at least 5 head to head games with the teams they are battling with.  I think it is a safe bet that these games will determine will thrives, and who implodes, down the stretch.  

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Flyers - Out After Even Games Played?

GM Shawn insisted at the meeting that the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers were no shoo-in to make the playoffs, while GM Scott just stood there and laughed at Shawn.  "Hell ya, I was mocking him, he fucked me all day long" said Scott, "But I had no idea the Flyers might actually truly miss the playoffs, as if."  Well, as-if has become very-possible, as when all the games at hand are played, the Flyers would be tied with Columbus, but in 8th based on a better ROW, the first tie-breaker in the NHL Standings.  If the Devils win their game at hand, they would be a point ahead of the Flyers with 11 to play and Florida, although still four points behind the Flyers have three games at hand.  If Florida won two of three in regulation, they would have a better ROW then the Flyers.  As far as the NHLP, the Flyers were now added below and would claim three teams.  The NHLP's top two teams in the North, Toronto (Chad) and Buffalo (Joel) could join Green Bay (Ryan) as Flyer Die-Hards.  With 22 days left in the season, Muddy Capone says he can't remember the league in such a wide-open state.  "You have a lot of good teams that have dropped out and a lot of good teams, high in the standings, that can be out" said Capone, "Each night, each game, is so intense."  While the East is quiet tonight, there are a number of big games in the West.

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 Charlie's 52 Point Week

GM Charlie continued his post Deadline tear, picking up another 10 points in Phoenix who have 20 points on the week and it is only Friday.  Charlie's 52 (20-17-15) is incredible with each of his three teams in the top 6 teams for scoring this week.  Although he isn't near any records, with GM Chad once having an 83 point (30-30-23), there is still the weekend to play.  Most teams around 20-30, with Jr's week at 20 between his three teams, two and a half times less then Charlie.  All three of GM Charlie's teams, which league consensus were going to be dead after failing to attend the most crucial meeting of the year, are all currently in and pulling away from 5th.  The biggest night went to the NY Islanders, a team who grabbed 31 points after the NHL Trading Deadline with a crazy trade-filled Waiver and catapulted into first place in the Atlantic Division, only to find themselves there again after an 11 point night.  This will be a very interesting finish in the NHLP as a record amount of teams are certainly going to penalty out.  The NHLP Standings in Office Pools does not show the penalty amount, but the "P" beside a teams name means based on the NHL Standings today, that team would suffer a penalty, which in almost every case means not make the NHLP Playoffs.

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Jarnkrok Gone For Season

While GM Ryan in Boston can deal with Jarnkrok's injury wihtout risk of missing the NHLP playoffs, the same can't be said for GM Jr in Memphis.  The Machine, after the NY Rangers (Charlie) come up with a nine point night, find themselves in 5th place, now 5 points out.  Memphis only will need Florida to miss the playoffs and they are in.  "I cut it too close" GM Jr told the NHLP Yearbook, "I went for it and many other teams are carrying non playoff guys, will likely finish ahead."  We see it each season, great NHLP teams missing the NHLP playoffs with lesser teams making it in.  The bottom line is the better teams win, and going for it, even when it costs you your playoff team is the right thing to do.  A ways to go yet, but for many NHLP GM's, these late season injuries, like Jarnkrok may wind up killing their hopes for a Cup.

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Cup Favorites In Philly Crash Hard

GM Scott said it is a tough blow.  The Philadelphia Flyer are the first post-deadline team to suffer a major injury, losing Spurgeon twice.  The Flyer are only three points up on 5th and likely cannot make the NHLP Playoffs unless Florida misses, causing Atlantic City (Vinnie) to penalty out.  With thee players now hurt, with Spurgeon gone minimum four weeks, the GM's best hope for success this year is surely lost.  A team  with Laine, Ehlers, Connor, Brassard and Palat, which had some promise on a Jets run, will likely fade quickly down the stretch.  "Five man teams don't win round one" said the disappointed GM.  "I have suffered these big injuries before, and we will have them again" said GM Scott, "Sometimes an injury helps you, if it is to someone else, and other times, it is the end of your season." 

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Striking Distance?

Another huge win for Scottie has pushed the next game for the Cup to March 22nd.  For Scottie to win out might be asking too much, as his Preds would still have to win 7 games for that to happen.  Next up on the 22nd is Toronto (Charlie).  If Nashville wins they would play Minnesota (Sean) and be down to just 6 straight for the Cup.  Losing it now means you likely won't get another shot.  If Charlie can win on the 22nd, he would only have three games remaining to win out, against Detroit (Haley), Winnipeg (Scott) and Montreal (Marcel) to win the Cup.  "The Montreal and Toronto final would be a sweet end" said Muddy Capone, "Montreal, Marcel, playing their only game all season, one game, and it is for the Cup, awesome story."

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    Sides

GM Jr pulls way out in front with over half the NHLP sides officially over.  There are some real point races yet to go, and of course some unknowns, like who will win the NHL Stanley Cup, with a huge 200 points by itself.  We added a link to both the Sides and the Cup Holder in the Menu.  GM Matt is really going to be ill when he see's how badly he is being crushed in the Sides, but he can get it all back, 200 points of the 290 he is down if he gets the Stanley Cup winner right.  "He first needs Edmonton to finish strong and get in and as he says, anything can happen" said Muddy Capone.

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 Cup Holder Scottie on Roll

Earlier in the season Brendan had the Cup for 25 days, the longest streak of the season.  Scottie, with 25 days left in the season has a streak of 21 days holding the Cup.  There seasons a game for the Cup every 3 to 4 days, so we might have 7 games remaining with the final winner winning 400 points, a huge jackpot.  Tonight Scottie and his Preds face GM Scott's Jets, who are only playing for their second time this season.  GM Charlie will play Scottie if Nashville wins and GM Jr will play Scott if the Jets win.  Any person going on a streak right now, like we have see from Brendan or Scottie, could run the table and win it all.  GM Marcel is the only player not having a game for the Cup this season, but he only has to play just one game and he could win it all.  The Cup Holder Pool will really be very different next season, with those rules under the current standings for this year.  Next season, a fourth loss will mean you surrender your team for good, while the GM who beats you will own your team moving forward, until that team is lost by losing four games within a round.  "It will make every game mean something all season long" said Muddy Capone, "So players will play elimination games and they will have to enter with Expansion teams, teams not chosen, and even possibly have to wait on a waiting list to get back in if all teams are taken".  Each time a person now with multiple teams beats himself, that team will become a new expansion team, so the best teams in the league will be recycled, so anyone can have any team in the years to come."  This year it is coming down to one game for all the marbles and we will follow it through the rest of the way here on the homepage of the site.

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West Division Clarification

It was brought up at the end of the NHLP Trading Deadline, that three NHLP teams could all penalty out in the West Division.  As the GM's tried to figure out what those penalties could be, another question was asked on the NHLP Rules.  GM Scott mis-spoke saying if three teams penalty out, which team has the most playoff players.  "That was just a brain fart" said GM Scott, "Once I thought about what was being asked and looked at it later, I realized I was misleading the guys."  So right now, here would be the penalties, based on the current NHL standings:

St Louis (Tyson) - Minus 111 (4 man playoff team)
Green Bay (Ryan) - Minus 72 (4 man playoff team)
Portland (Vinnie) - Minus 104 (3 man playoff team)

For the Penalty rule, only the penalty matters.  So it appears if the NHL standings stay at they are, Green Bay will easily be in on points.

The ONLY time the number of playoff players matter, is if the teams TIE in points, at which time the first tie-breaker on that rule as the person with the most playoff players.

This might be a rule the NHLP BOG's look into.  "If none of the teams can bring a six man team and face penalties, would we then want say Portland to be the playoff team, if they had 5 playoff players" wondered GM Scott about the current rules.  "I don't know if we do, but our focus is on better playoff teams" said the GM.

One thing we do know.  If the NHL Standings stay as is, not only could have Portland made it in if they had set a 6 man playoff team and avoided a penalty, but whoever does get the last spot will be a first round blowout with only four players at best.

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Matt's Health Scare Shakes GM's

For the first time in league history, a GM left the meeting for the hospital.  While other GM's were cracking jokes like "With his teams, I'd be sick too", GM's Scott and Ryan took it the hardest.  Both GM's spoke of cancelling the meeting.  "I was so distraught I don't think I made another move the rest of the day" said Scott who clearly took it the hardest.  With Matt having a deal to the Minors on the board at the time he left it was Ryan who insisted guys lay of the deal.  "He was very adamant" said Muddy Capone, "A guy like Matt should be appreciative there are stand-up, fellow GM's, like Ryan who had his back."  The NHLP was able to speak with Matt today who said he was fine which was of great news for everyone.  The GM's teams are in good shape, with only Indianapolis sitting in 5th, but easily within striking distance for fourth.  "Let's hope we don't experience that again" said one GM who asked not to be named, "But just in case, maybe Matt should pay upfront next year." 

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Montreal Improves Team Again

GM Marcel took his lowly CTR standing to heart and if he didn't, the CTR surely will be giving his team a lot more love next ranking.  Montreal added Backstrom and Sergachev in a deal with Hartford for Granlund and Palmieri.  Marcel recently added Point and E. Kane and the team is still up 23 points and is definitely starting to look like a potential winning team.  For Hartford the team has had to scramble since Matthews injury.  Finally the team has a few point cushion, but the Division will undoubtedly get closer tomorrow by days end. 

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 A More Elite GM

GM Andrew added his 5th Elite player and his second in Chicago in what can only be called a true dream team.  Scheifele was added with Wheelers, Bergeron and Subban, while the rest of the team of Krug, Turris and Rick Nash are as good of bottom three as you can get.  Andrew, the undisputed NHLP King, saw a weakness and pounced.  With Chicago easily running away with their Division in the South, the GM was able to hold onto Scheifele, no matter how long Winnipeg holds him out.  All he had to do was talk his "A" game with GM Scott and it was over.  Scott admitted there likely wasn't another name GM Andrew could have said that would have immediately got Scott out of his chair quicker.  "I love certain players, the way they play, the way they shoot the puck" said the GM, "Toews, Stamkos, Kopitar, Laine and yes, Ehlers is one of my favorite players in the entire league."  It seems like GM Scott has always had Ehlers who has only been in the NHL for three seasons.  Scott said Winnipeg would be dumb to bring Scheifele back, even at day to day, for at least two weeks.  "Why would Toronto rush Matthews or Winnipeg Scheifele, their games don't matter, there is nothing to gain and everything to lose" said the GM.  Knowing that, already in 5th place, knowing it was Ehlers who has 12 points and 40 shots in his last ten and who might be on one of the better lines in the game, with Laine and Stastny, Scheifele and his banged up body didn't seem quite as good anymore.  With the NHLP Trading Deadline tomorrow GM Scott said he wished other GM's weren't so attached to their players.  "You talk to guys and their top six guys are untouchable" the GM said, "I have twenty-one players and I'd part with any one tomorrow if I liked the deal.  You have to be willing to cut the cord.  I know I have traded away a few Cups.  I know those are my players names on other GM's Cups.  I also know it was just this type of deal that in the end, was the difference in me winning.  If Andrew goes up 7-5 on me because I gave him Scheifele, I am happy for him.  If I get him 6-6, no, he won't be happy for me, but he will respect what I did and why.  Most important to me is I will be happy with myself because I'm not afraid to trade my best player.  I have those balls and I'll do it again tomorrow."  Ehlers?  Will you trade Ehlers tomorrow Scott was asked.  "That fucking guys untouchable" laughed Scott

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 Buffalo Acquires Marner - Tightens North Division

Marner has been a bouncing ball, but he finally has a home he won't be moving from.  GM Joel's huge lead in the North Division is no longer, but he is very happy with his newest players Marner and Rielly.  Calgary (Jr) is now shopping Nylander after the deal to move Crosby's team back into a playoff spot in the Pacific Division.  In the nights other deal Los Angeles (Andrew) gave 8 points to Toronto (Chad), trading Monahan for Gostisbehere.  Monahan was either hurt before or after the deal, but he is heading to the NHLP Minors so really is of no concern to Chad.  GM Jr said Rust's career ended after his team made the deal by about 30 minutes.  "Just my luck" said Jr, "It is known as Jr Timing."  Rust who left the game is likely just day to day.  The NHLP has had a number of injuries this week, the most serious, yet reported, might be Scheifele in Edmonton (Scott) who likely won't be in the lineup for a while.  Other GM's are still looking what to do with McAvoy.  The NHLP standings are tightening by the day and with all the action tonight, we fully expect more deals.  GM Charlie who will not be attending, is looking to move several players on a couple teams.  It is unclear if the GM will be using the Minors, a decision Charlie has yet to make, costing 15 spots in the first round or a Waiver.

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NHLP Minors Frozenr
The Minors are officially frozen ahead of the meeting on Saturday at 10 AM.  The NHLP will have printable sheets out to everyone shortly.  There is one final Waiver on the season tomorrow night in Atlantic City.  GM Vinnie does not use the Frozen Numbers for his Waiver.  As per league rules the NHLP Pecking order for the Trading Deadline is also frozen as of today and here is that official Pecking Order.

NHLP Trading Deadline Picking Order

Joel 976
Marcel 951
Andrew 921
Matt 920
Ryan 913
Shawn 898
Tyson 884
Jr 872
Scott 868
Chad 858
Charlie 855
Vinnie 851

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Straight to the Point

GM Marcel had a very busy day in Montreal.  After giving 13 points the GM offered up E. Staal to GM Scott in San Fran, who took the deal for Point(s).  "The Canadiens added a huge piece, a scoring distance player" said Marcel who was ecstatic he could find a Bolt player for so cheap.  For GM Scott he said everything changed in San Fran at the NHL Trading Deadline and he swore he'd trade every Bolt and Bruin he had, and so far so good.  The GM said his four Tampa Bay players where better than the three Dallas (Jr) had, but when Namestnikov got traded, Tampa Bay was no longer an option with the teams (San Fran and Dallas) sharing Point.  "I am looking at Chicago or Dallas as the team representing the South Division, as we make our team" said Scott, "Hoping Andrew either wins with Tampa moving on or Jr wins with Boston moving on, and we are sitting with one of each if we can get a high enough scoring team to get through our Division" the GM said.  The GM said the North Division is going to be in really tough to go to the NHLP Finals with such powerful teams are in the South, "But they all have to get through one another and hopefully the way to beat them will be the second round winner wins the round but losses his players."

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Habs Move 13 West

GM Marcel wasted little time this morning starting to move out points in Montreal.  The GM traded Monahan and 13 points to the West Divisions Los Angeles Kings (Andrew) for Kane.  The Habs have a full 7 playoff players and are up 31 now on 5th, so we expect Montreal will do more.  The Habs were rumored all week to possibly in on Crosby, but that deal just got harder to make in Montreal.  The Kings who lost McAvoy for four weeks had to trade him or act and gain points.  Once McAvoy was traded it appeared a race to trade with Marcel would occur between GM's Jr and Andrew, but this wasn't the expected move.  We still feel McAvoy is being shopped to a team that can carry him, but suddenly GM Andrew has points to go to the Minors in Monahan with 58, so he might be setting up a dump.  With the entire NHL roster of Panther players in the NHLP Minors, GM's seem unafraid to take on non-playoff points.  The Kings went from 5th to 2nd with the deal, now leaving GM Ryan in 5th with Green Bay.  The Knights may now look to unload the injured Simmonds.  The Division keeps going up and up and up in points and suddenly Vancouver (Joel) is only up 22 points on 5th, that is after a much needed 10 point night last night in Vancouver otherwise first to fifth would be just 12 points.

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In The Storm's Cellar

GM Shawn admits he comes down to the cellar quite often, "The Storm's Cellar" as the team calls their little hideout.  Peace, quiet, time to think things through.  With 44 points up on 5th we might say the team is a long ways away from the cellar and the place won't be anything but a "Seller of points" in the next few days.  The CTR #22 ranked Storm, as of the last CTR, seem a lot better team now.  Loaded with talent and scoring the team is sitting with 6 players who's teams would start as the home team in the first round of the playoffs.  Shawn can do anything he wants in Seattle.  He has the points.  Team Reporter Terry Bull said this team feels different.  "I think this team is good enough to win it all" said Bull, "Shawn just has to make a few right choices over the next few days."  What is the right choice?  "The team that wins it all must have every single thing go right" said Muddy Capone, "You have to be able to envision your entire path, and that also means what players other teams will have left, your potential opponents, when you would face them."  It sounds crazy says Capone, but winning GM's such as Andrew are always talking about "Who do I want to play in the first round and in the second round or in round three, he'd have this or that guy left if this or that team won."  This week while trying to think it all through, down in the Storm's Cellar, there it was, the answer to the mystery.  "I could not believe it" said Shawn, "There in the corner was the lost NHLP Chips & Felt, I was shocked" said the GM.  Many other GM's were shocked as well for it solved a mystery that could not be figured out since the draft.  Many other GM's remain shocked that Shawn, as solid a GM as he is, just cannot win a Cup.  We think Bull is right.  This team.  This Division.  This season.  Seattle is good enough to win it all.  The GM just needs to take the time, find that quiet place in the Storm's Cellar and figure it all out.  He was finally able to solve one mystery in the Storm's Cellar, now it is time to figure out the mystery of winning an NHLP Championship in Seattle.

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One Of Three Teams With 40 To Give

Montreal Canadiens Team Reporter Jos Bleau said GM Marcel wakes up to an inbox of emails every day.  "I have been getting a lot of text and emails" admitted Marcel.  Seems other GM's in the league are looking for points.  Montreal happens to be one of three NHLP teams who are up over 40 points on 5th place in their Division.  The GM admits trades for points are coming.  Some R. Nash guy from Boston (the one that use to play for the Rangers) is the GM's only player who's NHL team will start the playoffs as a player playing for a home team.  The last CTR, which gives points for a teams position in the NHLP standings, had this team rated #32 in a 36 team league.  "When it comes to playoff teams, you really can't get much worst" said Muddy Capone, "Other than maybe not making it at all."  Where would this team rank in the CTR if it wasn't for potential?  Marcel might not want to put much weight into what the CTR thinks says Bleau, "The Habs are first overall in the league and have four players scoring over 0.88 PPG, why mess with such a deadly scoring team that is set to crush their first round opponent, a team that no one wants to face?"  That is why being an NHLP GM is so difficult.  Yes, the team can score.  Outside Monahan who has 58 points, the rest appear to be playoff players.  So who does the GM bring in players for distance, or does he believe he has a team good enough to win the NHLP Championship as is?  If all the home teams win, but when does that ever happen, only Nash would be left in the second round of the playoffs.  Last year in Florida, Marcel won the first round series and was left with one player in the second round and lost 13-5 to Cleveland (Tyson) who had 3 players and would go on to win the Cup.  So having a strong first round team doesn't win Cups if you have no distance players for later rounds.  GM Marcel notoriously has a ton of points.  In 23 seasons, he has a Cup.  A ton of points in 23 seasons.  A Cup.  Lots of points every year.  1 Cup.  23 seasons.  Who knows.  Maybe less points might equal more Cups.  For Marcel, he has to figure that out by Saturday. 

(Update:  Within minutes of this article going live, GM Marcel traded Monahan and 13 points to Los Angeles (Andrew) for Kane)

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Get Use To This

The Atlantic City Gamblers (Vinnie) used the final NHLP Waiver of the season, not surprisingly choosing two Florida Panthers, Barkov and Huberdeau.  The Gamblers also selected Fisher and easily were able to drop McDavid after the NHLP Yearbook mistakenly preached the NHLP Minors were drying up.  With an entire roster of Florida players in the Minors it would appear every GM with high scoring non playoff players can swap them out for Florida players.  GM Vinnie was able to get them for free, but the next GM will have to bid for them against other GM's.  With Florida's strong offensive game last night, it appears a lot of points could be had at the meeting as well for teams going to the Minors.  GM Vinnie also dropped J. Staal and Carter to the Minors to make the numbers work.  Carter who's Kings are currently in a playoff position today will be a hot commodity on Saturday if that stays the same by the meeting.

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The Difference TODAY Between 4 & 6

Big time injuries kill seasons.  When those injuries come before the NHLP Trading Deadline, least GM's can react.  Next week no one has that luxury anymore.  With the breaking news of the four weeks for McAvoy, two NHLP GM's were sent scrambling today.  GM's Andrew in Los Angeles and GM Jr in Memphis are at the helm of the teams suffering this critical blow to their teams.  "He is far to good of a player to be in the Minors after the Trading Deadline" said Muddy Capone.  So a four week injury, with 5 weeks in the season, means finding a team to carry him the rest of the way.  If it was a 6 week injury, he might miss the first round, a huge difference.  With Boston one of the Cup favorites in the Eastern Conference, GM's who can carry him have to open their eyes to this potential gift.  "You would not be getting him for a bargain price if it wasn't for this news" Capone added.  Not every team can carry an injured player, but many can.  As long as a player is back by the playoffs, top teams should never have any fear of grabbing a guy who can go many rounds.  This injury may help solidify Boston's second place standing in the Division, but they still are only 6 back of Tampa with 3 games at hand for first.  First gets a wild card team, second hosts Toronto first round.  The good news is this is 4 weeks and he will play again this season.  The bad news is likely neither NHLP team is in a position to carry him through this injury.

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Blackhawks Wheelers & Dehlers?

According to the Chicago Blackhawks (Andrew) Team Reporter Hy Marx, the team is in fact looking for a new home for their Jets players.  The Blackhawks have a ton of points to move and some very attractive pieces.  When the NHLP Yearbook asked if Chicago was set, the 6-time NHLP Champion GM Andrew said anything but.  "I am not sure on Wheelers and Ehlers at this time" the GM said, "I am looking to see if there is a way we can set our chances up better."  Of course, when you have more rings than fingers, even if it doesn't make sense to us, we aren't the leagues top GM.  This would be a massive move and every GM who needs points, or loves the Jets, had better make a click through Chicago.  It is hard to imagine any team having a pair of players Andrew will ultimately find more attractive than the duo at 124 points, but we never doubt the GM when he says he is going shopping for another Cup. 

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Leafs Galore

If you like the Toronto Maple Leafs then you better get to steppin' to Calgary (Jr).  B.A. Ware, the Flames Team Reporter said a trade is coming in Calgary, but the question is will Crosby be moved, or the teams Leafs, Marner, Nylander or Rielly.  Ware said the deal is coming this week, ahead of the Trading Deadline.  "The Flames can't go to the Minors until this deal is done" said Ware.  The Flames have three players who total 44 points, likely the lowest total in the league for three players.  The longer the team waits into the meeting, GM Jr knows the more players who will be pillaged from the Minors, meaning at the very least the Flames are beggars and not choosers of the teams bottom four.  Obviously trading Crosby would be a blockbuster, but reality is it might not be needed.  The Flames are only 14 points out and if both St Louis and Los Angeles miss the NHL playoffs, with the current teams in front, the Flames would be in.  Trading Crosby, a player proven to be playoff gold, may not be necessary, but an option every GM with points should surely be considering.

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 Vancouver Adds Two Preds

As teams who need points continue to trade playoff players, teams with points continue to set their playoff teams.  GM Joel changed direction, adding two Nashville players in Vancouver in two separate deals.  First a huge deal with Hartford (Andrew), trading Krejci and 13 points for the leagues most demanded player Ellis.  Immediately a second deal, this one with Pittsburgh (Chad) was announced, where the Canucks brought in the teams third Pred, Smith for Haula in a 6 point deal.  The deadly CTR #1 Canucks team still has 17 points to move but with three Preds and two Bruins and Golden Knights, what more can the team do to get any better?  The two deals put the Atlantic City Gamblers (Vinnie) now in 5th place, although only 5 points out of first place in the Atlantic Division.  One would think Atlantic City would use this final Waiver to secure the team a playoff spot, meaning anyone and everyone could go today.  The Gamblers could keep their Leafs, build a playoff team and race with the Division or blow into first place by acquiring points and see what the team they can select from the Minors.  This is the final NHLP Waiver prior to the Trading Deadline on Saturday at which time there will be one month left in the NHL season.

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NHLP Mourns Former GM Dave
 'One Foot' Remembered

GM Dave who was a member of the NHLP for 6 seasons passed away this morning.  Dave who was always full of life, laughing and carrying on, joined the NHLP in 1994-95, the NHLP's 6th season.  That rookie season Dave went to the NHLP Finals for his only appearance, in Pittsburgh, before losing 9-3 to GM Leo's Las Vegas Cup win.  Dave, commonly known as "One Foot" or "Uncle Dave" by those who loved him was in the league for the first year of fellow GM's Jr, Marcel, Andrew, Chad and Charlie, joining the same season GM's Jr and Marcel started.  Dave now joins his Brother-in-Law, GM Raymond as former GM's who are no longer with us.  "Those two were always a hoot when you got them together" said GM Scott, "Each had a way to make the other laugh." 

RIP Uncle Dave.  You will definitely be missed.

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Cincinnati Trades Elite

Most GM's may consider them both Elite players at this stage in the season.  Marner who had 18 points last month, definitely has been playing like an Elite NHLP player even though drafted twice in the second round of this years draft.  Marner was acquired by Cincinnati (Matt) in a trade for their Elite player Pastrnak.  The deal moved Toronto (Chad) five points closer to a playoff spot in the ultra-tight North Division, which now has just 10 points separating 2nd and two teams that will miss.  Both GM's were very excited to get the players they got, while one can only imagine GM Chad already has the valued Pastrnak on the block.  "You have GM's who have built teams around Tampa Bay, around Boston and around Toronto" said Muddy Capone, "Each is such a good team, yet it is a known fact, at least one of those three teams will only see one playoff round this season."  Although there is no chance Toronto catches Tampa Bay, nine back, Boston is only 6 back of Tampa Bay with three games at hand.  So, in the end, either Tampa Bay or Boston is going to play Toronto in the first round of the playoffs.  This is a big trade.  Matt had the option and took the Toronto player.  Chad really needed the points, so we don't know if he would have grabbed Pastrnak or kept Marner if he really had a choice.  Last year in the two weeks prior to the NHLP Trading Deadline there were 21 total deals.  This year with 6 days yet to go to the Deadline there have already been 20 deals for the 14 days prior to the meeting (so in the last 8 days).  The league is on pace for 190 deals (155 to date) this season, shy of the 222 made last season, but higher than the 165 deals a season based on the average 5 years prior to last season.

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Oil - Icemen Swap Four

Indianapolis Icemen GM Matt was excited to add the points and the right combination in anticipation for a Minors drop at the NHLP meeting.  The Icemen traded Getzlaf and Stastny to Edmonton for Smith from Vegas and Spooner.  Indy gained 8 points and now have a three player drop totaling a very manageable 88 points.  Edmonton GM Scott said the risk was all theirs.  The GM said dropping Spooner was not an issue at all, but now there is a huge risk-reward the Oil were willing to take.  "We improved our Jets team, but most importantly we maxed out our potential replacement for Spooner" the GM stated.  Scott had anticipated bringing in a three point first round player for Spooner, going to the Minors with 32 points at the Trading Deadline.  The GM said now, if the Ducks miss, all Edmonton was sacrificing was three first round points, but if Getzlaf is a first round participant, he strongly believes the Oil win the deal.  "You do have to take certain risks to win it all" said Scott, "Playing it safe, which is the only way guys who struggle to win know how, is not the best way to win."  The GM said sure when you go for it you often fail, but often that is when everything aligns and you win it all.  Clearly the Oil went for it.  After that, the rest remains unwritten. 

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Insane 20 Minutes

An absolutely insane 20 minutes led up to the Waiver being made.  In the final minutes 4 deals which included 12 players and 5 draft picks changed hands before a five player drop was made by the Islanders.  Although not technically a three way deal, three GM's got together and interchanged their rosters before the dust settled.  After a chaotic 31 point gain yesterday, GM Ryan was not done stockpiling this morning, adding a pick in each the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th rounds and not small picks at that.  All this for players he was dropping in his Waiver anyhow.  Today started with 40 minutes before the Waiver when GM's Charlie and Ryan could not agree on a Transaction.  GM Marcel in Florida stepped in and gave Ryan two picks including 18 spots in the 4th for Vatanen, gaining two points for Duclair.  Now with 20 minutes to go, GM Scott got involved and worked a deal with Charlie, between San Fran and Phoenix.  The deal hinged on GM Ryan making a trade with each San Fran and Phoenix, receiving further draft picks from both teams.  With Ryan's drop not affected in any way, he took the trade, triggering three more deals to be made.  Ryan had his completed Waiver into the league at 11:58 at which time Office Pools was immediately updated reflecting all the madness.  "It took us a while to update the site, almost a full hour with all the picks" said Muddy Capone who thinks the 4 deals and the Waiver pick plus all the picks are finally all correct.  In the final 20 minutes, Phoenix traded Toews to the Islanders for Steen, a one point deal that Charlie included a 3rd and 5th.  That was an upgrade for the Coyotes as Steen has a shot at the playoffs, whereas Toews does not.  Phoenix then traded Barzal and Gaborik, 83 points to San Fran who moved out Vanek and Turris 77 points.  This move allowed the Titan to trade Barzal and Gaborik, who was not an injury penalty as he only missed the Friday game, to the Islanders for Rananen and Duclair 81, but Scott gained Rananen's points he scored last night, for players Ryan was dropping anyhow.  Scott included 16 spots in the second round for the points San Fran could badly use.  "When the dust settled, everyone got what they wanted, Ryan picks, Charlie playoff players and me points" said GM Scott.  Ryan then dropped all players he just acquired and added MacKinnon, Doughty, Toffoli, Hartman and McDonagh to go along with Brassard and Hornqvist.  The Islanders are in second place and have 6 playoff players with MacKinnon's Avs a single point out of the playoffs with a game at hand.  "It might have been the best Waiver, start to finish, in the entire season" said Muddy Capone when the Islanders gained points and picks and have reset their season.
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  Four-Way Deal Turns to Two Trades

It was almost an insane four-way deal.  GM's Chad and Scott had the first part worked out and brought in GM Ryan.  Ryan was going to lose Brassard, Hornqvist and Green (who was a Waiver penalty) and gain Palat from Pittsburgh (Chad) and Namestnikov and Steen from Philadelphia (Scott).  Philly was to then receive Laine, Hischier and Green from Pittsburgh for Marchassault, Smith and Ellis.  In essence both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were giving 7 points each to the Islanders.  GM Ryan turned the deal down, saying he wanted to keep Hornqvist.  Philly then agreed to give Quebec 10 spots in the second round and Pittsburgh was giving Quebec 15 spots in the third if Quebec would trade Hornqvist to the Islanders for Palat, making a four way deal compete.  Quebec said they would not do it and the entire deal was quashed.  Philadelphia didn't want to let the deal go for they wanted Laine with Ehlers and Connor, while Pittsburgh was lining up three Preds and Marchassault and Karlsson.  "There was so much put into this blockbuster three-way interdivisional deal, we decided if both GM's would make the deal, we would take Palat instead of the Islanders Hornqvist" said GM Scott, "Thus it was no longer a three way deal, but two separate deals that hinged on both being made or we'd not be involved in either."   In the first deal Philadelphia gave the Islanders 17 points and Namestnikov and Steen for Brassard and Green.  The second deal Philly added 7 points and Laine, Hischier and Palat while Pittsburgh got Marchassault, Smith and Ellis.  The Islanders now got 31 points on the day and are now in first place.  GM Chad said he is now looking to trade Zajac with either Little or Smith.  GM Scott said the three-way deal was exciting.  "I haven't been involved in one this big in 20 years" said the GM, "It reminded me a lot of the deals we use to do all the time in this league."

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GM Scott - "I haven't been involved in one this big in 20 years"

HUGE Three Way Inter-Division Deal

Breaking news is a huge three way deal in the NHLP.  The teams involved, Pittsburgh (Chad), New York Islanders (Ryan) and Philadelphia (Scott) have called a 2 PM press conference.  Rumor is a fourth team backed out who was involved late, but the deal still went through.  GM Scott told Muddy Capone, "I haven't been involved in one this big in 20 years."

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Pens - "Laine Being Shopped"

GM Chad said he wanted to make it clear that he is going to do something big in Pittsburgh and is willing to give the team a new flavor, by trading his two Jets.  "I want to move my Devils, and if that means moving the Jets with them at the same time, I am open to this type of move" said Chad who confirmed he isn't looking at Blues players in Pittsburgh, "But I will take your blues elsewhere" he said with a chuckle.  If Laine is moved, this would be a remarkable find for any GM as the Jets just might make a long run this playoffs.  "You sometimes have to make a stance" said Chad, "You either like Nashville or the Jets, but hard to like them both when halfway through the playoffs one is out" he said.   
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Islanders Move Into 4th

GM Ryan said he still has his three Pittsburgh players to trade, but at what point does the GM decide he wants to start saving his assets?  As reported yesterday by team reporter Howier Feltersnatch the team had a deal in place that would propel the Islanders into a playoff spot.  It was believed that deal was for a Brassard, but the team still has both Brassard's and is already in fourth.  Ryan added 14 points and Rantanen in a deal with Quebec (Matt) for Johnson, moving the Nordiques from 2nd to 5th in the East Division.  With the Islanders now in 4th in the Atlantic, the GM can continue to put some serious distance between them and the rest of the pack, or built a playoff team from here.  Ryan said Green is back tonight and with the points freeze set for Sunday, a GM might want to gain a few in a deal.  Green is only worth 26 to the Minors.  "I am still looking at trading a Brassard" said Ryan.

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Avalanche Take On More Blues

As reported just yesterday by Willie B. Hardigan, team reporter for the Colorado Avalanche (Chad), the club has taken on another Blues player, giving GM Chad four Blues.  The Avs added Schwartz, just as Hardigan reported the team was looking to do, trading Getzlaf to Indianapolis (Matt) in the deal with a Conditional first round pick attached.  "It has been some genius work watching the veteran Chad at work" said Hardigan who states Colorado is assured a first round pick no matter now if the Ducks make or miss the NHL playoffs.  Colorado has the #32 overall pick in the 2020/21 draft and that turns into a 22nd pick if the Ducks make the playoffs and a #1 overall if the Ducks miss the playoffs.  "When you have made as many trades as a GM like Chad you start to appreciate how a GM's mind works, to maneuver himself into a better draft spot all the time taking on more Blues players that guys are throwing away" said Muddy Capone.  This is a great way to make the most of a bad situation.  The Avs win big if the Blues make the playoffs and if they don't, are stock piling picks from other GM's for taking on their Blues players, so either way Chad will come out ahead.  Chad said if you want to give him a pick, he has yet more room on his Roster for more Blues players.  One GM said, "I don't know why I didn't think of this strategy".
 
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Two NHLP Trades

Rumors are Getzlaf has been traded and NY Islanders team reporter Howie Feltersnatch is breaking a huge deal on the Island.  "There was no way the Islanders could not take these points" Feltersnatch told the NHLP Yearbook.  Stay tune for details.

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Getzlaf for Nylander Transaction Missed

Thanks to GM Joel flagging Player Tracking wasn't aligning with Office Pools, it was realized a Transaction that occurred on February 26th was not updated on the site.  "Rather a pretty big deal to be over looking" said Muddy Capone who also said GM's making these deals always need to double check their deals are appearing where they should, to help flag such mistakes.  The deal itself was huge, but even bigger was the conditional pick in the deal.  Getzlaf and Trocheck were traded by Calgary (Jr) along with the 2020/21 #1 overall pick which will be GM Chad's in Colorado shall the Anaheim Ducks miss the NHL playoffs this season.  The Avalanche traded Nylander and Reilly in the deal where the conditionals are for the teams to swap first and second round picks that season if the Ducks fail to see post season action, a huge haul for Chad if that was to happen. 

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Colorado - Taking on Blues?

GM Chad has admitted his 126 points for three Blues players may be impossible to come off this late in the season and said he might be willing to take on more Blues players.  "Might as well have the best Blues team" said Chad who's Avs are only 4 points out of the last playoff spot in the Pacific Division and if they Kings are out, they would be in based on a Phoenix (Charlie) penalty out.  Chad still has other issues with Trocheck's 57 points and Getzlaf's 42.  "They can't all miss" Chad said, "I need to bank on a few teams and take my chances."  The Minors freeze after games Sunday night so GM's will have a better idea what can be done with their points.
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Wolverines - All In With Kings?

With Kopitar and Pearson having 100 points between them, New Orleans appears to have no options but hope the Kings make the playoffs.  The team is 12 points up on 5th place but not only has Monahan and Gaborik, 74 points to worry about moving, the team has Bergeron who is injured for likely at least two more weeks.  Keeping the Kings players means if they fall out late, the teams season will end in a penalty out.  Trading two kings with 100 points this late in the season, might be impossible.   

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96 For Three Plus Blockbuster

The NY Islanders (Ryan) have the Waiver Friday and have been hinting of some potential big trades.  The team currently has two non-playoff players and Vatenan's low number, three players for 96 points for the Minors.  Currently the Islanders are about 17 out of a playoff spot and the GM says deals for that amount are already on the table.  Green is a minus three in a Waiver dump, a player the GM would like to move ahead of the Waiver if someone can get creative.  There is little doubt that the Islanders will be in the playoffs after the Waiver, but it remains to be seen how many playoff players the team will have.  If Ryan can pull this off with a full 7, the GM will be a genius. 

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Kucherov - Can It Even Work?

Holly Wood is reporting the Los Angeles Kings (Andrew) are interested in moving Kucherov.  This issue is, is it possible?  Kucherov leads the league in scoring with 82 points and with the next lowest player, McAvoy, that is 112 points.  Not many NHLP teams can get that done, but there are a few teams like Buffalo (Joel) who are well capable of making that kind of deal work.  "It is a sick feeling to have to trade a guy like that" said GM Andrew, "But I am not seriously thinking of it." 

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Carter in Play?

Noah Lott said the Phoenix Coyotes (Charlie) are open for business.  In a good place with a much needed low scoring player, something every team in the league is craving, GM Charlie is in tough in Phoenix.  The GM will not be at the Trading Deadline.  That means even if the Kings get into the NHL playoffs, the team still has Barzal and Toews as potential penalties.  The Coyotes know surely Barzal will have to be eaten, which means trading Toews.  The organization has the right to use the Minors at the meeting themselves, to avoid a penalty, at the cost of either a Waiver or 15 spots in the first round.  If Charlie can somehow get to 6 playoff players before the meeting, that asset can be saved.  Some NHLP teams could drop Toews and Carters low 5 points, but that would mean putting Carter in the Minors with the Kings now looking like a playoff team.  If Miami cannot get to 6 playoff players, they are likely out anyways due to penalty.

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20 Back But Loaded With Talent

GM Charlie turned down points as there was nothing in the Minors as far as playoff replacements.  The GM is now 20 points out of the playoffs and agrees he has all kinds of options.  "If we wanted to go one playoff player short, we could already be in the playoffs, but that is not our goal" said Charlie who will now work on trading playoffs for playoffs and moving up the standings.  TJ Miller, TJ Miller of Tampa Bay will get some action while the Surf also added Vanek and Riley Nash.  With the highest playoff player in the Minors less then 40 points many GM's are going to have to work miracles to avoid 6 player teams, something likely impossible at this stage of the season.

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Miami Trades Vanek for Picks

With Vanek in the NHLP Minors GM Charlie new he would be easy to swap out and then pick up again in the Minors.  San Fran (Scott) gave a 4th and 6th round pick plus 3 points to unload Namestnikov.  Charlie was surprised there was not a bigger market for Vanek but admitted once the deal is announced, players across the league would have given more.  "I have to make a Waiver pick in a hour" said the GM.  The Titan GM admitted the team lost big.  "We can't afford the three points, but went from a top line Tampa player who was a huge asset to a Columbus player, having to give points and picks to get him" said the GM who said the NHL Deadline was one of his worst ever.  "All teams face adversary" said Scott, "Just happens to be the Deadline that finally worked against us this year." 
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Indianapolis Hits Dozen

GM Matt has two of the five 12+ point weeks of the 2017/18 season, the most the number had been reached outside of the crazy 2019/10 season when 8 teams topped the number including the all time 17 hit by GM Jr in New Jersey that record scoring season.  For the Icemen, they hit the dozen for the first time in the NHLP history thanks to a 5 from Zucker.  Three players, two of them playing their first game for their newest teams, E. Kane and Stastny (Schwartz) had two point nights.  Pitrangelo had the 12th point and Burakovsky was held off the sheet.  Voracek, the teams leader in points, did not play on the night.  Both times Matt has had a 12+ have been this season, with Quebec hitting 13 January 4th.  GM Chad in in Pittsburgh had a 10 point night as well, making three different teams on the night reached double digits.

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First Time For Everything

The NHLP's Montreal Canadiens (Marcel) have been in the NHLP all 28 seasons, but not until last night did the team ever have 12+ points in a night.  In a very rare occurrence, two NHLP's teams hit 12+ in the same night, a possible first in the NHLP.  Although there are now still 9 current NHLP teams that have never had a 12 point night, only four of those were in the NHLP's first season.  Ironically they are all GM Andrew's current teams, Chicago, Los Angeles and Hartford along with Toronto (Chad).  That group of four teams has won 6 NHLP Cups, but none have had a 12+ point night.  Other Cup winners still on the list include two-time Cup winners in Las Vegas and Portland.  Montreal was on that list of teams to never have a dozen, but Marcel changed all that with a huge night Tuesday.  E. Staal and Granlund combined for 9 points in a night that clearly could have been much bigger with all 7 players playing.  Singles then went to Palmieri, Nash and Seguin while Hischier and Monahan did not point.  Marcel now has four career nights in the dozen plus range, only one more such night away from tying the all-time high in that category, done 5 times by both GM's Tyson and Scott. GM Marcel also had 24 points on the night, a 12-7-5, which is the 4th best night ever, only 4 away from the NHLP record 28 by GM Chad.

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Six Player Swap Between Seconds

Two NHLP second place teams  made a six player swap.  GM Chad's Pittsburgh team received W. Karlsson, Palat and Zajac from Quebec (Matt) for Suter, Hornqvist and Koivu.  With just 11 points separating the Nords from 5th place, they clearly didn't feel confident holding Palat who is out at least two more weeks.  Chad's Pens are confident, suggesting in a league-wide email he will move 20 points in a deal to unload his Devil's players, something surely many GM's will find attractive.  The league is within its final week before the Minors are frozen.  The NHL's Trading Deadline only made the issue of points in the Minors worse, creating more points to go to the Minors from the NHLP, than players traded from NHL non-playoff teams to playoff teams.  "It was a very unusual situation" said Muddy Capone.  Miami (Charlie) who has the Tuesday Waiver will certainly clean up any players who were moved, already stating he is taking Miller twice who is the newest Tampa Bay player.  By the time two more Waivers are used, it is very possible the highest point getter on an NHL playoff team in the Minors will be no higher then 35 points heading into the NHLP Trading Deadline.

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Islanders Swap Pen for Pens

GM Ryan said Brassard and Brassard, who has 10 points in his last ten games are now for sale on the Island.  The GM also took the plunged, adding Karlsson who Ryan said just might end up in Tampa Bay after all is said and done.  "I had to take this opportunity to try and salvage our season" said Ryan who traded Crosby and acquired the Waiver prior to this pickup.  If Karlsson does get traded, the GM will have one of the most sought after players at the NHLP Winter Meeting and if he does not go, he can still swap out Karlsson to the Minors at the Meeting.  "When you are in the Islanders situation, this is likely the best case scenario" said Muddy Capone, "Ryan getting this team in is unlikely, still over 20 back, but it was never gonna happen by doing nothing."  The GM just can't sit back and watch things unfold, it is only 13 days to the NHLP Trading Deadline.  Ryan must be active or this will all be for not and another long wasted season will be gone by.  Although Ryan is 24 back, the fourth place team has McDavid to move and with the current standings is facing a penalty out, meaning Ryan could be as little as two out of fourth until Vinnie does something in Atlantic City.

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Flames Land NHLP's Biggest Prize

In the end it didn't take a lot of points, only 13, but GM Jr landed Crosby in Calgary for a package that included the Waiver.  The Islanders (Ryan) agreed they could have got more, but can add Brassard twice with the Waiver, assets that they can eventually trade to hopefully make the playoffs yet this season.  Even after the deal the Islanders are still in last and still 23 points out.  The Flames still have lots of work to do, but two low numbers in the lineup will allow for them to go to the Minors.  The top three are a nice trio of Crosby, Marner and Getzlaf.  Crosby won the NHLP Championship last season in Cleveland (Tyson) and this is the first time in 6 NHLP seasons he has been traded. 

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Crosby Auction Now at 20

When you lead the league in playoff scoring and your team has won two straight Stanley Cups and are maybe now favorites again, 20 doesn't seem like a hell of a lot.  The New York Islanders (Ryan) have made it known that Crosby will likely be traded by next Friday or Saturday.  Why then?  Well the Islanders have a Waiver on March 2nd, the second one after the NHL's Trading Deadline.  Ryan will be able to gage on many non playoff points he can take and unload at that time, or if he must trade Sid for only playoff points.  The Islanders may also be able to go to the Minors and improve what they have, prior to a trade.  Another option Ryan said was someone could "Go all out, take Crosby and the Waiver".  They that team can set themselves up in the Minors, even trading back in.  There are a lot of names flying today.  One small deal saw Myers go to the Kings (Andrew) for one of his two Millers who went to GM Charlie's Rangers.  We fully expect more trades coming later today. 

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NHLP Trading Deadline - MARCH 10TH

With what is looking like 11 of 12 GM's to be in attendance the NHLP easily had their Trading Deadline date, Saturday March 10th.  GM Marcel is hosting as he and Jr swapped out meeting dates.  This is the earliest the NHLP Deadline has been in many years.  "The first option of dates never gets chosen" said Muddy Capone, "But shockingly this year it did."  With the tight NHL standings, anything can happen.  Most teams will still play around 13 to 15 games left on the schedule, meaning no NHL Matchups for the first round will officially be known either.  It does change a lot.  Injuries after the deadline affecting teams in the first round, going this early, we will see a few that can't be countered now.  "We have a meeting in 14 days and the NHL hasn't even had their Deadline, which feels unusual" Capone added.  The NHLP still has four Waivers, with the last being March 6th.  There are usually some big trades in the week prior to the meeting, so we expect things to get a little haywire now.  There are huge NHLP player names out of the playoffs, like last years Cup winner Crosby who is available.  Other players like Kessel and Stamkos are also sitting near or out of the playoffs.

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Storm Grab Three NHLP Newbies With Waiver

A pair of first round selections and an undrafted player were all scooped up by GM Shawn in Seattle, with all three believed to be first time NHLP players.  DeBrusk, Riley Nash and Zach Aston-Reese joined Eller as the newest members of the NHLP's Pacific Division first place Seattle Storm.  "We could have taken a risk, we get that" said Shawn, "But playing it safer, we have a great well balanced playoff team."  The temptation may have been to go after a Karlsson, taking the chance the guy goes to someone like Tampa Bay, but the risk is you have to move him again, when in a battle with everyone else, at the Deadline if that deal did not go through.  Only GM Jr is left in Calgary to pick prior to Monday's NHL Trading Deadline, while three NHLP teams will have the luxury of picking after the NHL teams have set themselves.  The NHLP is only waiting on GM's Shawn and Tyson and will be able to call an official meeting.

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Schedule Page is in Site
NHLP Trading Deadline Two Weeks Away?

The schedule page was in a wrong location but it is right now.  Please get your dates in.  With the first 6 GM's to respond the most popular date is March 10th, in just two weeks.  It is important that you get your schedules in as we will likely have to call a meeting next week if that is the case, as we'd need to freeze the Minors 5 days in advance.

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Oh The Temptation

Barrie has a 5 point night, MacKinnon a 4, and both are in the minors twice.  If Colorado wins their games at hand, they are tied with St Louis for the final playoff spot.  It had to be an almost impossible temptation to resist, but GM Marcel passed on them all.  What may make the Waiver in Alaska a little more of a head scratcher, is the one Colorado player Marcel had, Landeskog, he kept.  So he still believes in the Avs, just not enough to get their best player.  The GM dropped four players, including all three of his Columbus players.  After winning last night the Jackets are now in the playoffs today.  The Attack picked up Zucker, Konecny, Janmark and Palmieri in a 133-133.  "I think we have a good team there" said Marcel, "There was no really reason to go all in when we are securely in a good position in the Pacific."  The Carter effect has taken it stance on two different NHLP Divisions.  GM Charlie in the Pacific decided he would keep the injured Carter, thus allowing all the other teams in the Division to continuously trade and drop points all season long.  Although the Division has the second lowest first and 5th place teams, only to the Atlantic Division, where GM Vinnie also has Carter, the Pacific Division is the only Division with four teams averaging 0.74 PPG or better.  The veteran GM Charlie knew by keeping Carter he would never be far out when Carter returned as the other teams would drop to his teams place in the standings, a common trait in the NHLP.  "When you understand the ins and outs of the league as a guy like Charlie, you understand why moves like this are made" said Muddy Capone.  Here are two teams, both carrying an injured guy with three points all season long, and yet both are still in fourth place in their Divisions.  With Carter, who no longer uses the wheel chair lift and surely, almost certainly, very likely getting closer, and closer, and closer, and almost a guarantee to play again in his career, maybe even back now by the playoffs, it will be interesting to see how these two Divisions play it out down the stretch when one of the most deadly and prized possessions in the entire league returns.

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Huge Three Way Deal Rocks Quiet Night

In a deal that GM Andrew said was in works all month, the Hartford Whalers traded Stastny and Pietrangelo to Toronto (Chad) for Matthews and Ellis.  The Leafs then immediately traded those two again with Zucker to land Benn, Marleau and Spezza from Indianapolis (Matt).  In the first deal Andrew paid 18 points to get Matthews and the fiercely fought after Ellis who many GM's now believe just 18 points was a steal for Andrew.  For Ellis his stock has been through the roof since GM Chad paid 18 points and McAvoy in a straight up deal for the Nashville defenseman who has a whopping four points his last two games.   Woke a lot of GM's up to his value.  "Matthews was just a throw in on the deal to make the numbers work" said Capone who had inside information.  GM Chad only made that deal to get the Blues players for GM Matt, who apparently would only trade Benn for more Blues players.  "I think the Blues could be a wild card team and if they play Vegas in the first round, they could go right to the Conference Finals" said Matt who is always looking at the playoff matchups prior to making any deal.  It is a fascinating deal with lots of moving parts.  Matt believes highly in the Blues who are now just a single point up on being in the playoffs, but right where he wants them, with 21 games to go.  The Blues have played the most games of the teams around them.  It is believed they are set to make a splash with bringing in some offence as they are the NHL's 31st lowest scoring team since January 1st, even with a plus 17 on the season, better than all teams chasing them.  In the Western Conference there are 8 teams battling for 5 playoff spots and all 8 are within just four points of each other.

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Alaska  - Columbus Guys Are Going

GM Marcel is using his Waiver in Alaska and named at least three to five guys all in danger of being dropped.  The GM said his three Blue Jackets, Foligno, Anderson and Jones could join Landeskog and Eberle in a five player drop.  For Columbus, only a point out of the playoffs and with a game at hand, GM's with players much further back should be looking for an upgrade.  "Maybe of these teams are so close, you could win four in a row at this stage and no one catch you" said Muddy Capone. 

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NHLP Posts Trading Deadline Dates

The 28th NHLP Trading Deadline which is hosted by GM Jr, although no official location has not been confirmed, could be less then one month away.  The dates are posted and the NHLP does not see a meeting later then March 25th.  The NHL season ends on April 8th and most teams would only play about 5 games on March 31st, not a fair amount to create the down the stretch races for all teams.  Please get your availability in as the first option is just three weeks away.

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Suarez Repeats for GM Scott at Daytona

In a field packed with this many entries to the Daytona 500 Best Crash Pool you knew there was no way the race could run crash free.  A relatively clean race until lap 60 when all hell broke lose, thanks mainly to rookie participate GM Matt with the #42 car (which can be viewed here at 0:31 seconds).  There was the possibility of something, but it was Matt #42 that truly caused the wrecks of both GM Scott's #19 and GM Jr's #13 cars in the same crash.  By the end of the crash both Scott & Jr's car sat side by side on the infield (0:48 seconds), both clearly out of the race.   Right at 1:21 of the video you can see the potential but it is Matt's #42 (blue-white) that gives Scott's #19 (Orange) a perfect pit maneuver that would make any police officer proud.  At that point you could see it was game over for the #19.  Right at 1:21 you can also see Jr's 13 (white) car high against the wall and about to be in this wreck within 6 seconds.  Scott's #19 was turned a 45 degrees and hammers the wall head on, from 195 miles per hour to a complete stop moving forward and then backwards within a second.  The #19's damage was to the front, back and side while Jr's car could do nothing but crash into the car in front of it.  Jr's #13's front may have had more damage then the #19 but overall that was it for Jr.  He really needed someone behind him and he would have likely had the wreck of the day..  All in all Matt's #42 got through leaving Scott in first and only the #42 for Matt and Capone's #7 still racing.  On Lap 102 at 1:52 it was Capone's turn to end his day.  His #7 (Bright Green) slams full speed into the #9 car which is determined to ne the wreck of the day.  The #9 slams into the wall and then does four 360 turns before being t-boned by two cars, one the #7 of Capone.  The #7 suffers enough damage to the front to rival the other crashes earlier with enough side damage to make it close, but Capone really needed one more bump from somewhere to pull off the win.  As for Matt's #42, he felt like the maytag repair man the rest of the way.  With so few cars and Matt now being down four laps, his only hope was his driver fell asleep or their was a wreck when the leaders were lapping him.   There just was no one left to crash with and although Matt's car was not dent free, the #42 did finish the race.  All-in-all it was a very entertaining race.  "I certainly text Matt pretty quick, thanking him for taking me out" said Scott, "I so look forward to my #19, Suarez making it three in a row next February."

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Ross Marquand and Friends

Here is a great video of some imitations of some famous actors helping to explain the rule changes in NASCAR for this season.  Ross Marquand is top notch.

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Daytona 500 Best Crash Pool
Start Time 2:30 (Entry Deadline 2 PM)
Current Pool Pole Positions
17th - (Scott) #19 - Daniel Suarez (ARRIS, Toyota)

23rd - (Jr) - #13 - Ty Dillon (GEICO Twisted Tea, Chevrolet)

28th - (Muddy) #7 - Danica Patrick (GoDaddy, Chevrolet)

38th - (Matt) #42 - Kyle Larson, CreditOne Bank, Chevrolet)

 

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Record Field Makes GM Scott Emotional

Sunday morning, just hours before the 2:30 Daytona 500 Best Crash Pool begins, GM Scott reflected on an emotional week.  "To think that we've grown to a field of this magnitude, right here in Canada, where NASCAR isn't the top sport, it is quite emotional" said the GM.  Scott's Toyota is now up against two Chevy's with a 2 PM deadline for entries.  Scott said he hopes "Newbie" GM Jr understands the number one rule, "Always protect your car."  When asked what the rule refers to the GM said things are very competitive.  "I would hate to see the Twisted Tea #13 a little salty, you know, have engine trouble, it is a terrible way for your day to end today" said Scott.  Scott who is the defending Champion said if he gets the chance he'd like to be the one who takes out GM Jr's GEICO car.  "Maybe we get a little sideways early, he knows I owe him, he knows what I am talking about" said the GM referring to some previous bumper rubbing between the two GM's.  Scott said he isn't fearful of the #13 car, "I would be much more worried if Jr himself was behind the wheel."  The bragging rights for this event rival no other in the long line of sides in the NHLP.  The different strategies to the race are numerous.  Scott believes you want to be near the front of the pole.  "What happens at the back stays at the back" the GM says from his winning experience, "But if we get into it up front, good luck to everyone."  Muddy Capone likes the pole positions in the last two thirds, his #7 GoDaddy driven by Danica Patrick starts in the 28th spot of the 40 car field.  "Definitely much better changes of getting air-born in the back of the pack" then adding, "You put one of these puppies vertical, your day is gonna end well."  Capone said he is worried of being the one in a little T-bone action with Jr's car.  "He's right in front of me.  That #13 gets sideways I am right there behind him.  Say hello to my little grill" Capone stated, "I don't want to be that guy that is responsible for a Jr win in his rookie event."  No more sleeps.  Protect your car at all times and see you at 2:30.  And of course, HAPPY DAYTONA DAY EVERYONE!

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GM Matt Way Back

GM Matt said he has been looking forward to the Daytona 500 Best Crash Pool all year.  "I regretting missing the field last year, but I am excited for my #42 today" said the GM.  Matt admits he won't be intimidated and would love to get "Air-born" today he said.  His baby-blue #42 will start way back in the 38th of 40 positions, a strategy that he says will certainly get him into trouble today.  "There is no way you can be that far back and go unscathed, it just doesn't happen" the GM who is excited about taking down his first Championship.  "I will be shocked if I run a clean race" said Matt.

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Daytona 500 Worst Crashes Ever

You won't believe some of these....

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Daytona 500 Best Crash Pool
Start Time 2:30 (Entry Deadline 2 PM)
Current Pool Pole Positions
17th - (Scott) #19 - Daniel Suarez (ARRIS, Toyota)

23rd - (Jr) - #13 - Ty Dillon (GEICO Twisted Tea, Chevrolet)

28th - (Muddy) #7 - Danica Patrick (GoDaddy, Chevrolet)

38th - (Matt) #42 - Kyle Larson, CreditOne Bank, Chevrolet)

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Happy Daytona Day Everyone!!!

It is back!!!!!!!!  GM Scott said he has barely slept this week.  "I am like a kid counting the sleeps to Christmas" said the GM who defeated Muddy Capone in their annual Daytona 500 Crash Pool.  "I would put that win right beside my five NHLP Cups" the GM said after the race last year.  When GM Scott was asked if it is a tad "Morbid" cheering for a crash during a race, he laughs, "The happiest I have ever seen a GM in my life, GM Jr's player just lost a spleen.  It's that kind of excitement, ten fold."  Last year Scott won with Car #19, Daniel Suarez who had the worse crash between the Pools cars.  Finishing in first place last year allowed Scott the opportunity to pick first, again taking the bright orange ARRIS car which he called "The most beautiful car in NASCAR", then adding, "Well, we hope not by the end of the race."  The #19 starts mid field in the 17th pole position while Capone's pick this year, starting further back at 28th, the bright green #7 GoDaddy car driven by none other then Danica Patrick.  In what is known as the most dangerous event in all of sports, a race on a track claiming the lives of 23 drivers over the years, last year's race was major incident free, but filled with plenty of crashes but only 5 cars ended the day without being involved in some accident.  The race is set for Sunday and all the starting field cars are here.  This is a great shot of each car and anyone is welcome to take one if they want into what can only be describe as the most intense race of them all.  "This pool isn't for everyone" Capone says, then breaks into laughter with tears streaming down his face, "Ya, some GM's just watch the sport for its skilled racing."  This is the only pool where you actually hope for bad luck during the event, as the most banged up car of the day takes down the top prize, which this year is expected to set an all time record for the Pool.

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Sure Things for Avalanche

Although last place in the Pacific Division GM Chad did a very veteran move, not using the Waiver for a temporary point grab, but adding as many sure things as possible.  "If you have playoff guys you are always in the race" said Chad who added Parayko, Ekholm and Parise, three players who are currently in the playoffs.  The Pacific Division has teams in front who will be doing their work with the next three Waivers, as Alaska (Marcel), Seattle (Shawn) and Calgary (Jr).  Those three teams in the top three playoff spots in the Division, based on this mornings NHL standings have 378 non-playoff points amongst 10 players, 38 per player.  "A lot of players are right there" said Muddy Capone, "That's why it isn't easy making decisions as a GM, as the wrong one now may be costly later."  All three of the picks are prior to the NHL Trading Deadline, the only three teams to pick now prior.  Marcel is up next and we have not heard yet what Alaska's plans with the Waiver are.

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Palat Injury Leads to Trade

GM Shawn said he just could not hold onto the injured Palat, moving him for a Columbus player and 6 points.  New Orleans is in a battle for a playoff spot in the North Division and even though in second place after the deal, are still only 9 points up on 5th.  Quebec (Matt) wasn't worried about holding Palat for a month, even though in second place as well and only 7 points up from last place.  "This is my first Tampa Bay player, I could not let the opportunity go by" said Matt.  As far as the Wolverines, the roster has quite a few question marks.  Based on this mornings standings four players totaling 152 points (38 per player) are out of the NHL playoffs and Monahan who has 52, his Flames are a single point in front of Anaheim for 9th, and out of the playoffs.  "I have no idea how GM's are going to figure out their teams" said Muddy Capone, "One day GM's load up on Hurricanes because they are in and the next game they are out."  Capone said you can look to the Minors now and see your outs, but if you don't find them through the remaining Waivers, everyone else is going to want those same outs at the NHLP Trading Deadline to set their rosters.  It does seem some teams only way in will be to eat a high-scoring non-payoff player, but no NHLP team ever has won the Cup entering the playoffs without a full roster.  This is the situation many GM's have put themselves in by holding onto non playoff players or players on these teams that can go either way.  "Even when the playoff do sort themselves out" Capone added, "Certain NHL teams, like Columbus for example, would really hurt GM's who want to use the Minors, as if they make it in, their highest scoring guy in the Minors has 32 points, not 60 as if say Colorado gets in."  There have been lots of opportunities including trades, Waivers and a Meeting to set a team.  Many GM's seem at the mercy of the NHL standings.  There is a lot of hype around the NHL Trading Deadline that a lot of action could occur this year, creating many new valued players in the Minors.  That could be a good thing for some GM's, but there is still an issue of everyone else scooping up these players before your opportunity, which sometimes you must just create yourself.

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GM Chad Keeping Busy

After acquiring a Waiver pick in Toronto, GM Chad has his own coming Saturday in Colorado, while also making an injury pick in Pittsburgh.  With the Maple Leafs Waiver Chad added four players including McAvoy who was traded to Memphis (Jr).  Staying with Toronto is Gostisbehere, Zucker and Burakovsky.  Pittsburgh then dropped the injured Thornton and added Suter.  As for Chad he said he is looking to deal on a few teams and Toronto is going to trade Ellis any time now.  As far as this weekend, Chad's Avs have some key pieces in their top four which the GM is opening to trading pre-waiver.  The plan is to drop Toffoli, Wennberg and Kesler but Chad knows a huge deal is sitting there if he can find it for his last place Avalanche.  The team has to Blues and two Leafs which are very attractive pieces that can fetch a pretty number for the last place club with a Waiver. The question for Chad is he needs to move enough to get his team in and keep enough to still have a shot at winning, often the most tough thing a GM does.

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BOG Clarifies Trading Rule

A founding rule, that all trades must stand by themselves, had a little clerical work to clear up any potential loopholes or grey area within the rule.  Each Transaction must stand by itself.  Conditions and Players to be Named Later, which are allowed, are not one Transaction as a whole, but each is it's own uniquely numbered Transaction.  "We are not trying to discourage these deals in any way, but must prevent potential problems and issues that can arise if a trade is viewed as a whole" said the BOG.  So if you make a trade, that trade must stand alone.  If there is a condition, when the condition is met, that trade too must stand alone.  Below are many examples of different Transactions and each has its own unique Transaction number.  Moving forward, each of those different Transaction numbers must make sense, and be able to stand by itself.  If one does not, the Transaction can be vetoed and will not stand.  To prevent issues from occurring, when a player to be named later is involved, the players must be named at that time, so we can look ahead for potential issues and they be flagged immediately and dealt with if needed.  If you have any questions, please ask.

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Palat to 30

Palat is now an injury pick for GM's Joel and Shawn, although it is unlikely he will find himself being dropped, he is still not expected back to mid-March.  GM Chad could pick Friday for Thornton, who may not return this season, up to 36 points in Pittsburgh.  Then on Monday, Toronto (Chad) can make two more picks for MacKinnon and Johansson.  MacKinnon is now skating and can score no doubt, but the Avs have fallen a few out.  Dropping 61 point guys to the Minors isn't something likely possible without a Waiver.  On the 24th GM Ryan can pick for Trouba.  If you have an injured player not on the Calendar, just ask.

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He's Back For Back

GM Joel added Aho and Aho as part of a four player pickup, dropping four guys with 34 points each including Backlund and Backlund.  Aho has had a great season, just 4 points from reaching 50 and already in the top 50 NHL scorers.  For the NHLP team with the same name, adding two NHL Canes could really pay off for Joel if they continue to stay in a playoff spot.  "With Stamkos on this team, it isn't a team you would like to play in round one" said Muddy Capone.  The Canes did hook up for a deal, moving out Little and Koivu in a pre-drop move with Pittsburgh (Chad) who sent points and Backlund and Leddy.  The Hurricanes were in last place but thanks to 6 from the two Aho's, a 10 point night after the pick, Carolina has moved up to third in the ultra-tight East Division.  Memphis (Jr) now falls into last, just 12 out of 2nd and has the next Waiver on Thursday.  The Machine say it is available and this makes sense, with the Machine loaded with talent.  GM Jr did send out an email and he is open to making a huge deal if the numbers make sense. 

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Bruins Find Preds With Ease

GM Ryan laughed at all the nonsense about the Minors being bare, picking three Preds from the Minors in a five for five drop.  The Bruins were able to land Jarnkrok, Ekholm and Bonino.  The Bruins also added high scoring Gostisbehere and Tkachuk.  Sitting in second place in the NHLP's South Division the team can clearly score.  Boston hung onto Tavares and if the Islanders can get in, now the Bruins have some potential distance guys in his three Preds.  The GM pointed out that Philadelphia has been the hottest NHL team from the Metropolitan Division, out pointing all the teams in the Division over the last 30 games.  The only issue is for the Bruins to be at their strongest they will need all of the Devils, Flyers, Flames and Islanders in the playoffs, which certainly is a possibility.  "I left some outs in case I have to move any of them" said Ryan who took the low number of Bonino to make that happen.  The Bruins are also up 18 points on 5th so GM Ryan has room to maneuver if the time comes.

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2nd to 5th - Just 10 Points

Three NHLP Divisions are are as tight as ever with the difference between 2nd and 5th place in the three Divisions, just 10 points.  The East Division is even closer still as only 10 points separates last place and second place.  "We are in for one of the most intense finishes ever" said Muddy Capone about the closeness of the Divisions.  There are currently only 9 NHLP teams who could give 10+ points in a trade and still be comfortably in the playoffs, which we considered as 5 or more points.  That doesn't sound too comfortable.  Depending on the NHL teams in the playoffs, many teams are safe or in positions to face a penalty.  For example, Buffalo (Joel) is way up in the North Division by 36 points.  If Philly misses he would face a 61 point penalty and if Dallas missed a 29 point penalty.  Phoenix (Charlie) is in 4th but faces a 48 point penalty if the Kings miss the playoffs.  Almost every Division is in this exact same situation.  How crazy are the NHL standings.  The Kings have 17 players currently in the NHLP.  That is more than St Louis, Winnipeg, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Boston and get this...twice as many players as Washington, Dallas, New Jersey and Philadelphia, all teams currently in the playoffs.  Is your team in or out?  We are in for one hell of a wicked finish in the NHLP.

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Inter-Divisional Blockbuster - Two Playoff Elites Traded

Thanks to the great team reporting by long-time Hamilton Hitmen Reporter Kenya Kill Jr, the NHLP was able to break a deal before it was officially reported, and what a deal it is.  The Hartford Whalers (Andrew) traded three picks along with Tarasenko and Hoffman to Hamilton (Tyson) for Backstrom and Kadri.  Both GM's said they were happy with the deal which sent nine points to Hamilton and tightened up the Atlantic Division from top to bottom where both teams still sit.  "I no longer have the uncertainty of Hoffman" said GM Andrew, "We also were able to diversify."  The Whalers who had four Blues, traded their best one, but Backstrom is a nice fit for the Capitals who for once aren't expected to win it all.  Not having all that pressure, which is squarely on Pittsburgh this season, may be everything Washington needs to go all the way.  The Hitmen basically get 9 points for Kardi and assume the risk or uncertainty of Hoffman.  "If he gets traded, we do well in the deal" said GM Tyson who can then re-trade Hoffman for more points and build around Tarasenko.  If Hoffman does not go, Tarasenko is a huge asset that can bring in all the points the team will need to compete for a playoff spot.  "We have work to do there" said Tyson, "But we inched closer."  Hamilton is now only 11 out of a playoff spot in the Atlantic and have Connolly's low number to go with Hoffman, 52 for two players, if it comes to that.  We don't often see two Elite playoff players traded in one move, so it is definitely an NHLP blockbuster.
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Backstrom Out of Hamilton?

Kenya Kill Jr, long time reporter for the Hamilton Hitmen (Tyson) told the NHLP Yearbook of a deal involving the Hitmen and the Hartford Whalers (Andrew).  There is no official news as to the players, but Kill Jr said he feels Backstrom must be on the way out.  Hoffman would likely be one piece coming the other way.  The Hitmen are well back so moving Backstrom is likely an attempt to salvage their season.  This is a huge move.  Stay tune as the official deal unfolds.

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No Thursday or Saturday Waiver?

Your first thought might be, was that a screw up?  Nope.  At the start of the year the NHLP Waivers were set according to the rules and the first 6 dates with 9 games played had to be axed out with Feb 8th and 10th those last two dates.  This leaves GM Ryan with the Sunday Waiver instead of a Saturday Waiver even though there were 9 games played each night.  "It is something to tweak maybe" said Muddy Capone, "We could still eliminate the Waivers we have to, but leave the Saturday's alone and take away another day, like Sunday."  The value of this is a GM would not have to noon Monday to make a pick, but the luxury of picking by noon Sunday.  In other NHLP news the league's teams have dipped below the 200 man-games remaining mark.  Practically every second day from here on out teams are dropping 7 man-games the rest of the way.  Things go fast.  The Divisions are mostly ultra tight, mirroring the NHL.  It appears the home stretch is well under way.

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Montreal - Ugly First Place Team

GM Marcel is in first place and just used the Waiver to set a playoff team that now consists of two players at 91 points from Minnesota, 47 points from Calgary, 53 from New Jersey and 25 from the Rangers.  The Canadiens have 23 points to work with but will likely find it hard to move many of these players.  The Habs were the CTR #32 most powerless team and they didn't do a lot to climb the rankings.  This Waiver might have been the one that says there is nothing left in the Minors more so than any other.  Marcel dropped 4 players for 143 points and added E. Staal, Granlund, Hischier and Nash.  Seems likely Nash gets traded, but if the Wild fall out, Montreal will have a ton of work to do, that apparently isn't going to happen from the Minors.  How do you get two players from the Minors now who have an average 45 points each?  "This has to open some eyes" said Muddy Capone.  The NHL Trading Deadline is three weeks away and players moving can open up, creating more points in the Minors, but that is always a question mark.  Will it actually occur or will it not?  There are 7 more Waivers before the NHL Deadline but NHLP teams having a ton to do may be a little disappointed when it comes time to make a playoff team from the NHLP Minors.

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The Right Fit

A seemingly small deal today could have big implications on two teams playoff runs.  GM Andrew traded Steen out of Chicago and welcomed in Krug from Colorado (Chad).  Although their was no difference in points, the Blackhawks now have both Bergeron and Krug instead of Bergeron and Steen.  For the Avs Steen is a nice fit with Schenn.  "These are the kind of moves that win Cups" said Muddy Capone, "It goes almost unnoticed, but the complexions of the teams look entirely different." For Chicago they have one of those teams you just don't see changing a lot more down the stretch, meaning it is possible Andrew has 50 points he just doesn't move later on.  The team is scoring like crazy and outside of Doughty, all players are on top teams in the NHL with two Bruins, two Jets and to Preds, all teams that can go all the way.  It is clear Chicago can do whatever they want this season, but what would you want besides what you already have?  Krug was a small fit today, but at some point later on we might look back at how big today's deal was.

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NHLP Email Down

This will not affect the site in any way, but we have moved that email under the same hosting as this site, meaning it is going to be down all day.  Please text any deals.

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Shawn Captures Super Bowl Title

The final score of Super Bowl LII was Eagles 41, Patriots 33, for a combined 74 points.  Shawn, he got 73.  In a high scoring Super Bowl like no other, the two teams combined for 1152 Yards, the most of any NFL Playoff game ever, breaking the most yards in the Super Bowl before the 4th quarter even started.  Of the NHLP record 14 scores in the game, GM Shawn was in on 7 of them (#'s 3,5,6,9,11,12,14), finally ending GM Joel's reign of three straight Super Bowl Pool wins.  Last year there were only 10 scores in the game with Joel winning, only scoring in three of them and ending with 39 points.  For Joel this year wasn't a good one.  Joel was the only person to not score a point, while three other GM's who started with 8 in the first two scores of the game, never had another score the rest of the way (Marcel, Jr & Chad).  Shawn just could not stop scoring, but only beat the Everyone ticket by 5 points, which ended with 68 points.  No one after that was in the game at the end as third was GM Scott who ended with just 21 points.  The games first half was quite interesting as there were two missed extra points, both giving Shawn points on the 6 or 8 while Shawn also lost an Eagles 7 on score #4, when early in the game they surprisingly went for a two point convert.  The 6 or 8, usually not in play until late in the game, counted for 4 of the 14 scores.  There were also four Field Goals and 6 Touchdowns that were scored as 7 points.  It was the highest scoring Super Bowl Pool, not surprising as the entire game only had one punt.  Now Shawn will turn his focus on winning his first NHLP Championship, with the winner crowned in just 5 months.

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GM Joel - Three in a Row

Against improbable odds GM Joel has won the last three Super Bowl pools.  A prize that pays for his NHLP entry the GM admits he looks forward to it every season.  "I'd be happier to win the Cups at this rate, but it is fun cleaning up the sides" said Joel.  This season, for those who are out early, there is an Everyone line.  If that one wins outright, nobody suffers a loss.  The odds of Joel winning today are only 12 to 1, but winning four years in a row is over 20,000 to one to accomplish.  The NHLP site will be updated at half time (at the least) if you want to check back for the scores as the game is played.  Good luck to all.  Some GM is about to get the gift of a free season...and it is most likely gonna be Joel.

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Kings Busy - Gain 16 Points

GM Andrew was expecting, and hoping, to do exactly what he did.  The GM made four separate one player moves and a four for four Waiver, ending up 16 points and from 5th to second place.  "We did a lot of small moves, things are tight everywhere" said the GM who found it hard to move points with almost every NHLP Division as tight as they ever are this time of year.  The GM traded Marleau, Kesler, Andreson and Neal in one for ones for the four players he dropped, DeBincat, Dotchin, Drouin and Landeskog.  "It is getting really hard to find playoff guys with any value" the GM said after he added C. Miller twice from Vegas, Muzzin and McAvoy.  In other NHLP news, GM Marcel said he will use the Waiver on Tuesday in Montreal but would entertain moving back Waivers if someone wanted to pick sooner.  The GM has 15 points to give and has Draisaitl he is planning to move.

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 Kucherov - "Likely to Stay"

GM Andrew didn't mention Kane, Neal, Neal, or Marleau, likely all playoff players, as players who would end the day as Kings, only Kucherov.  After acquiring Saturday's Waiver in a trade with Hamilton (Tyson), GM Andrew sounded like he hoped the day would bring some trades.  Gone is Marleau, whom the team had twice with Anderson coming the other way.  "You don't give three draft picks if you don't have big plans" said Muddy Capone in anticipation for what Saturday may bring.  With the Minors getting more depleted by the day GM's have got to take these Waiver day opportunities to pick up playoff players and sometimes, for bargain prices.  The number of points players are traded on Waiver days are often less than any other day of the year.  Andrew knows what he wants and will be working it, but if he gets an offer he wasn't expecting, he might trade the roster. 

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Cincinnati Looking Good

GM Matt made a hell of a move in trading the fringe, injury, maybe gone for a month MacKinnon and getting back the sure thing, Bruins top player Pastrnak in return.  "It was points well spent" said Matt who added Pastrnak to a lineup stacking up nicely with Klingberg, Johansen, Josi and Landeskog.  Green Bay (Ryan) who stated he did second guess the move, added a entire Ducks team to go along with his Flyers.  Up came Rakell, Henrique and Silfverberg in the four player drop.  "I am all in now with the Ducks and Flyers" said GM Ryan who also moved up the standings into third in the Division.  With the deal, the Rage likely now ensure that three of the 8 strongest teams in the NHL are from the South Division, joining Chicago (Andrew) and Dallas (Jr).  "You don't want to play any of those teams in round one" said Muddy Capone, "But it is building towards two of them will meet in that round."  The NHLP is really heating up.  How so many GM's just let Pastrnak slide is baffling.  Boston has only lost once in regulation their last 18 games.  

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Pastrnak "In Play" Says GM Ryan

Likely set on using the Waiver to unload Shattenkirk, who is a minus 4 points to the Minors (19), GM Ryan shocked the NHLP Yearbook when he said he needed serious points and "If I get the right number for Pastrnak, he'll move tonight" said the Knights GM.  We might just see a bidding war as players this good, a point a game guy on a top team, aren't readily available and many GM's who don't have to trade these type of players will not.  Green Bay has many options and as the GM said, Pastrnak will only go for the right price, but this has to peak the attention of GM's sitting with points to give.  In other NHLP news, GM Tyson has stated the Hamilton Hitmen Waiver on Saturday is for sale, as are all player on the rsoter, including Backstrom.  The GM said he is very open, needs points and is willing to swap the Waiver if a deal can make sense.

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 Miami Gains 15 For Letang, Drops Four

GM Charlie said he wasn't expecting to add Radulov and Parise for Letang, Zajac and 15 points, but he sure did like the deal.  Miami said Quebec (Matt) made the offer, one Charlie simply could not turn down.  The Surf then dropped four players including Granlund and Keith, adding Vanek, Rielly, Rust and Bonino.  "If I am going to be out of the playoffs, better out with assets" said Charlie who feels he has at least six playoff players now in Miami and went from 27 to just 10 out of third with still the Waiver after the Trading Deadline.  Charlie said you can do so much with that Waiver.  "If Vanek doesn't get traded, I have options and if he does, we can trade him and still make a pick after seeing the NHL final teams" Charlie says of that late Waiver.  GM Matt said he was happy giving 15 for Letang.  "You can see Pittsburgh now making their move" the GM stated, "How can you not want their offensive defenseman when they are going for three straight Cups."  Matt said he is convinced the Penguins will be adding by the end of the Deadline.

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Trigger Pulled

The NHLP East Division just changed in a hurry.  The Halifax Destroyers have went from last to third place in a deal that might trigger a flurry of activity.  "Often we see the shockwaves of a deal, the ripple effect if you will, trigger something even bigger" said Muddy Capone.  The inter-divisional deal saw Quebec stay in first, giving 5 points to acquire Atkinson for Coyle.

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"They Did What....?"

The Miami Surf (Charlie) actually went out and got the Waiver tonight.  Whhhhhat?  The Netflix camera crew was in such disbelief the conversation when like "They did what?  Get the Fuck outta here."  It likely sounded like this.  The Surf GM paid next years Waiver and a second rounder, the first team to meet Halifax' (Shawn) asking price.  For the Destroyers, the only mistake they likely made was not taking a Waiver in the year following, as now they have 3 Waivers next season all within 6 spots.  "We are certain no NHLP team has ever had three Waivers in a season" said Muddy Capone.  Depending on the coin flip of the Waiver order next season, Halifax could have the 7th, 8th and 12th Waiver of the season, or Waivers at this exact point in the season which both just netted Waivers for next season to GM Shawn.  As for the Surf, after the shock sets in you realize the team likely has no other choice if they want to salvage another miserable season.  In a league wide email this morning the Surf have said everyone is available, including Letang.  With the Pens recent surge up the standings, 7-3 in their last ten and a seemingly wide-open Metropolitan Division, only 6 behind Washington for first place, one must assume after the Pens grab another piece at the NHL Trading Deadline, they will be going for a third straight Cup run.  Letang in the playoffs is like having Bitcoin stock, it can be awesome or the bottom can fall out.  Last season Letang never played a game in the playoffs and just the season before, when he was healthy like he is now, had 15 points in 23 games.  Parayko is an easy move for Miami, as he is the highest scoring Blues player in the Minors, so Charlie can include him in an all out drop and a GM can pick him up today for a few points.  Kane may be the most interesting of them all.  If the Hawks win tonight over the Preds, they can be two points out.  If a GM makes a pitch for the Pair, Kane and Keith, that is just 72 points.  If you are high in the NHLP standings, and carrying non-playoff guys further than two points out, how can't you go hard after this possibility if it is closer than your own current chances.  Miami must decide, making a tough decision.  If Charlie hangs onto Kane, he has already told the NHLP Yearbook this morning, "I still have the first Waiver after the NHL Trading Deadline" as an out.  Calgary (Jr) must pick by Noon Sunday (25th), so anything after that as far as NHL Trading Deadline day moves to Monday (26th) at 3 PM would benefit Miami as their pick doesn't have to be in until Noon Wednesday Feb 28th.  Miami is 27 points out of 4th.  Do you sell everything tonight and go all out, which appears what the GM is doing, or do you keep Kane and just grab as many points and playoff guys as possible, and hope either Kane becomes a playoff guy, with still a possible out at the NHL Trading Deadline?  It should be a great day for Netflix.  We just hope after paying next years Waiver the GM doesn't leave the entire day on the cutting room floor.

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Ovechkin - Crosby - Malkin & Barzal

That is right.  That is the company Barzal recently joined.  Only 4 players in the past 20 years have scored 50 points in their first 50 games as a rookie.  Them the four.  All those players were 3 point a game kids in Midget as well.  To start the season Barzal only had 3 points in his first 9 games but has had two 5-point games.  Kucherov who leads the NHL in scoring has not even had a four point game this season.  Barzal just had a stretch where he had 10 points in three games.  So, this Barzal looks like a good one moving forward.  If he finishes the season like he started his first 50 games, it is most likely he won't be playing twice in the NHLP next year.

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The Final 30 Games Have Arrived

The NY Islanders (Ryan) have lost Trouba for 6 to 8 weeks, letting all NHLP GM's know it is that time of season.  "Players going out eight weeks about now are starting to be in jeopardy of missing the rest of the NHL season" said Muddy Capone.  If Troubla is gone the full 8 weeks, he would miss all February and March, with April only having the first week before the end of the season.  As for the Islanders they have the second Waiver after the NHL Trading Deadline and Crosby has picked his game up, so much so he has become a huge NHLP asset.  Trouba was scoring about 4 points every 10 games, so this injury will only cost the Islanders in total 10 to 12 points, not crushing by any means.  For a team who is only 4 points up on 5th however, every point counts.  Now that the NHLP is in its official homestretch, the final 30 games, injuries here on out will be crippling to some teams.  Coming back in February the league sees Hedman, Forsberg, Scheifele and Carter.  GM's Vinnie and Charlie have held Carter all year and he is set to soon return with 3 points.  With the Kings recent fall in the standings it is hard to say if the move will have paid off.  If you just look at Phoenix, the same time Carter went out Barzal had the same 3 points, now he has 51, so you wonder what might have been had you swapped your guy out and hit the replacement correctly.  The NHL Trading Deadline is now 4 weeks away with the final NHLP Waiver in 5 weeks, only 14 left.  The NHLP's home stretch has begun.

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   Halifax - Waiver Is Up for Grabs

The Halifax Destroyers (Shawn) who have the 8th strongest team in the Eastern Conference are looking to move their coming Tuesday Waiver.  In a three way tie for the final playoff position in the East Division the GM doesn't have much to go to the Minors, sitting with Eberle and Kesler, players that are close enough to get in.  The GM is feeling good about Kessel now that the Pens seem poised at a third-straight Stanley Cup run.  With Schwartz back healthy Shawn said he thinks the teams real scoring will now start to shine in the coming weeks.

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60% of the NHL Season Complete
CTR Power Rankings Completed After Game 50

GM Scott didn't have the biggest moving team, but did move all three his teams into the top 6 strongest NHLP teams in the power rankings.  It was GM Joel with the biggest move, his Sabres moving up 24 spots into 4th overall, giving Joel two of the top four teams.  Joel's Vancouver Canucks have first place in the rankings.  The Canucks have it all, including 31 points that the GM may find tough moving, if there is such a thing in the NHLP.  Joel also has all three of his teams in the top dozen while GM's Andrew and Jr have have two teams each.  Other notable increases were Edmonton (Scott), moving up 15 spots after a huge Minors drop at the Winter Meeting and Alaska (Marcel) who moved up 10 spots.  The biggest drop Indianapolis (Matt), dropping 16 spots even after giving next years Waiver and having two of three recent Waivers.  The latent rankings are at the bottom of this page.

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Indy Add Voracek

GM Matt made two deals, adding 13 more points before a three for three Waiver.  The Icemen first traded Krug for Kane who the team kept, then Schmaltz was added for Toffoli.  The second place Icemen then added Voracek, DeBrincat and Burakovsky with a Waiver pick that cost their team next seasons Waiver.  Now 17 points up after some aggression, Matt has solid scoring atop the roster in Voracek, Schwartz and Benn.  Assuming Kane is heading to a playoff team the top four could be strong enough to compete with Division heavyweights in Vancouver (Joel).  The key here may be ensuring all those top four are on NHL playoff teams, something out of Matt's hands but a crucial part of any potential success the Icemen can have moving forward.
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Canucks Better Still

The Vancouver Canucks (Joel) traded 8 points to Indianapolis (Matt), adding Krug for Kane.  The Canucks are strong, now with three Bruins Marchand, Krug and Krejci to go along with their three Golden Knights Karlsson, Perron and Haula.  The team has a 7th player of Fiala and more points then GM Joel can trade if he wanted too.  Vancouver is as good as anyone and far ahead of the Divisions competition.  Although trades come around when you least expect them, GM Joel will be hard pressed to get better.  "There is always a way to improve" said Muddy Capone, "But you look at a team this good and it makes you wonder just how they are going to accomplish that feat."  We certainly expect Vancouver to be one of the very best when the NHLP playoffs roll around.

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Icemen Doing It Their Way

He might not of coined the phrase, but GM Raymond may have said GM Matt is a "Sucker for punishment."  Then again, GM Raymond would have done the exact same move.  Whether you like his style or not, Matt is his own man.  He is aggressive and makes a lot of moves, currently leading the NHLP in Transactions with 26, and starting to pull away.  "There are likely more similarities between GM's Raymond and Matt then any other GM ever" said Muddy Capone who has witnessed 28 years of the NHLP.  "Matt does all those things Raymond did, in very similar ways" Capone continues, "There is something to be said of a GM who does what he wants without giving a rats ass what other GM's think.  That was Raymond.  That is Matt."   If you talk to other GM's in the NHLP, they love Matt, and wish we had more guys like him.  Matt doesn't sit on his thumbs and isn't in over his head.  The GM went out and acquired tonight's Waiver, just 4 days after making a Waiver pick, of one they acquired from Boston (Ryan).  This time the GM sent a pair of picks including swapping the 7th overall for the 8th overall and shipping next years Waiver to Halifax (Shawn).  As for the Destroyers, they still also have the NHLP's next Waiver and now two, back to back, next year.  Matt has said everyone but Schwartz is on the table.  If that is true there is a lot of weight currently on the table, big names who are potential heavy hitters.  Benn's Stars are really flying and Krug is a monster for the Bruins.  If a GM can hold onto Jumbo Joe for a few weeks, Thornton is very much in play, with his Sharks alive and well.  The team also has Toffoli, Lindell and Spezza, all worthy of staying out of the Minors.  "It is a huge price to pay for a Waiver" said Capone, "So we doubt Matt just does a minor move."  So we expect something big.  It was GM Raymond, who while on the way to a Winter Meeting, surprisingly once told everyone he was dropping John LeClair to the Minors.  LeClair, playing on the Legend of Doom, one of the leagues leading scorers, on the leagues top team - ya, that guy, going to the Minors.  He wasn't shitting.  He had a plan and he did carry through with it.  No one could understand it.  It didn't make much sense to anyone else, but him.  He couldn't give a shit what you thought.  Matt, well he doesn't either.

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   Sabres Build "Best Flyers Team"

GM Joel said the offers he did receive were not the direction the organization wanted to go.  "We didn't want to move our points at the expense of not making the best pick possible" said the GM who wanted to build the "Best possible Flyers team".  The team added Giroux and Voracek and the team now has the most points in the NHLP with two Flyers, Stars and Golden Knights.  Haula and Theodore were added from the first place Knights while Janmark and Rust all joined Klingberg.  For this late in the season, GM Joel did quite well said Muddy Capone.  "You would not think swapping out 200 points for six players would be so easy to do at this point in the season, but it is" said Capone.  What is making this type of Waiver work, is the NHL standings.  Of course NHLP penalties for non-playoff players only exist after the final game of the NHL season is played, and before then, every single game is causing a team to go from a third seed, to a wild card position or even out of the playoffs completely.  So what no one is really seeing is the NHLP is built up with a huge number of top players on teams that might be in or out on that final day.  Having those players on your teams roster are decisions all GM's will have to make and it is going to work for some and not for others.  But as in every previous NHLP season, come the deadline, although it may appear we have more playoff guys available then other years, reality is after the final game of the NHL season, we will have 16 playoff teams, just like every other season.  Poor planning now will ultimately lead to a number of high scoring NHLP players not being able to be swapped out at the Deadline, meaning more teams then usual will likely have to eat a high-scoring non-playoff guy to get in, likely killing any real shot they have at a Cup.

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Garage Sale - GM Joel's - Tonight

There is nothing like going out on a Saturday morning (or sometimes a Tuesday evening) and hitting the garage sales.  You just never know what you are going to find.  In Buffalo tonight GM Joel has advertised, "No reasonable offer will be refused."  That is the way it should be.  You get out all your unwanted goods, put them on display and take what you can get.  Surely you don't want to have to pack things back up and store this crap for another day.  The Sabres do have something for everyone.  You have Eichel and Okposo, two high scoring players who can help a team gain some points down the stretch and use those points at the Trading Deadline to go to the Minors.  That will likely just cost at least one good player.  Remember, Buffalo has 27 points to work with.  If you want to spend your money on fringe players, there are some great ones available.  Tkachuk's Flames are right there, third seed, but a mere two points up from not even making the playoffs at all.  Suter is right there, tied for 8th overall and Rakell, a little further out still but not eliminated by any stretch, just 3 points behind Calgary for the 3rd seed.  Remember the NHL has Divisional games down the stretch, so any hot team can move up.  Then you have the prize of the day.  Karlsson.  He is the gem catching everyone's eye.  Man, can you imagine taking a chance on this guy and having him get traded?  He is like a painting.  You are thinking, is it an original or a print?  Big difference.  One way you score beyond belief and the other you just hope you can break even somewhere down the line.  Remember, in this day and age, how often is it truly an original?  His 31 points seem very obtainable with off the chart potential.  If he ever goes to a top playoff team, literally he can be 6+ first round points, hands down.  What will be Joel's asking price?  Well, inquire and find out.  Make an offer.  As he said, no reasonable offer refused.  There is nothing like a good Yard Sale.

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Indy Adds Krug and Points

GM Matt used the Icemen opportunity after acquiring the Waiver in a swap with Boston (Ryan) to get some points and add Krug.  Spezza and Lindell who combined for 6 points on the night caught the GM's eye, but he past on the Star player who had 5 points on the night.  "I am happy to add Krug" said Matt. The Icemen now have three Dallas Stars led by Benn.

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Bruins  - Decision Day

GM Ryan said he doesn't have a plan for the Waiver today and he will either trade it or use it to change the flavor of his team.  He is asking GM's to text him offers.  They may not have a plan, but the one thing Boston does have is potential.  They have the potential of two big named players who have been continuously rumored in the NHL to be potentially on the move.   The Islanders are three points out and not exactly lighting it up, with a 3-7 record their last 10 games.  Tavares continues to say the right things in the media, it is hockey 101.  Each Islanders loss could be a great thing for Ryan.  Will the Islanders hold on to Tavares past this deadline if they are not going to make the playoffs this season?  The difference is by keeping Tavares, maybe he does sign long term on the Island.  Keeping him means maybe he decides to sign elsewhere and the Islanders get absolutely nothing at all.  NOTHING.  If they are out and make a huge 10 million per season pitch for him and he says, "Let me think about it" or "I don't want to talk contract mid-season", that has to tell you, you have to trade him.  What would be the return?  Well, a hell of a lot bigger than any other player, Karlsson included.  Likely at least a first (and more picks), and a couple top prospects.  Those can help ease the pain of him walking for nothing.  Hey, if you trade him, get that package and he really does want to sign long term, you can still sign him and have your package too.  Hoffman, Ryan's other player is much more likely to be traded, and Ryan knows this, meaning he likely won't get dropped to the Minors.  As for Ryan, today, he could put Tavares in the Minors and get something for Tavares and not worry what happens.  If he decides to gamble, likely later Tavares and even Boston's two lowest numbers (81 now for three players) will be harder to go to the Minors with and get the return he can get today.  Today clearly is decision day in Boston.

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Green Bay Losses Shattenkirk

If there is one GM who thinks the hockey Gods are out for him the past few years it is GM Ryan.  Green Bay who is battling for the final playoff spot in the West Division, already without Arvidsson, have now lost Shattenkirk for what appears like a very long time.  He is set to have surgery.  This same injury caused Stamkos to miss four months.  The Knights have a February 1st Waiver and will likely be in the running for one sooner if one is available.  The GM cannot get the next Waiver in Green Bay, because he already has it in Boston.  Under league rules even if Boston does move the Waiver, Green Bay cannot move Shattenkirk to whomever gets the Waiver and drop Shattenkirk, meaning he will have to go another time, or February 1st at which time he will be a penalty.  "Things could be worse" said Muddy Capone, "We could be looking to expand by four GMs."

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MacKinnon and Landeskog Join Rage

The GM's options may not have been limited, depends who you ask, but GM Matt was almost giddy adding two high scoring Colorado Avalanche players.  "The Avs just can't lose and we have a high scoring team for sure" said Matt who also added UFA Nash and Devils defenseman Vatanen, in total a 10 point gain on the night.  There are so many teams vying for the final NHL wild card places, who knows what teams are going to be in and out.  This is going to leave many GM's either scrambling late or having to make a call to stick with their guys and hope their player's teams get in.  Adding MacKinnon and Landeskog could be a blessing or a curse.  The way the Avs are playing, they surely look like an unstoppable team, but reality is they are only tied for the final playoff spot with Los Angeles and Minnesota sitting 9th and 10th.  Anaheim and Chicago are within three points of 8th as well in the Western Conference race.  Each and every game is huge.  For Matt, he has plenty of scoring, no doubt.  He also now has 91 points for two key players on his team that if he has to replace, full value will very unlikely not come from the NHLP Minors.

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Johansen Stays - Heinen and Suter Gone

GM Matt laughed when he heard the rumor he had traded Johansen.  "I can get 30 points for him at the Deadline, all Nashville guys will be in high demand then" said the GM who just might be right.  How he ended up with Johansen and three Preds in general, and the fact he isn't giving him away cheap, speaks volumes of where this GM is headed.  What Matt did do in Cincinnati was get Aho and Aho, a 14 point gain for Heinen and Suter.  The GM can now at least use those two players in his Waiver drop, but it is possible he isn't done trading today.  As far as GM Marcel, he didn't want to move Aho and Aho, but the potential long term injury proved to difficult to keep him twice.  Aho has been all over the NHLP this season and was just added at the Winter Meeting, playing only a game for Marcel before his injury.  He is surely headed to the Minors again where if Carolina plays themselves into a playoff spot, he will surely be a catch for some GM when he is called back up later this season when healthy. 

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Rage Make Major Move

A report that has surfaced out of Cincinnati are the Rage have made a major move.  The source said Johansen has been dealt out of town and is likely headed to the North Division.  If the rumor is true Johansen has had a crazy couple weeks.  He was first dealt for over 20 points and picked up by GM Shawn who traded him at the Winter Meeting to the Rage.  If what we are hearing is true, this means Cincinnati will likely be using the NHLP Waiver.  This should be a decent point gain as well for the South Divisions 4th place team.  More details as them become known.

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Winter Meeting Transactions Completed

The NHLP Yearbook finally has updated all the Transactions from the Winter Meeting as well as Player Tracking.  If you notice anything missing or any mistakes, please advise.  In total the Winter Meeting had 9 trades, more than any of the past 5 years while moves to the Minors were 20, less than each of the past 5 years.  "There were a lot of huge names get traded" stated Muddy Capone, "We usually don't see so many big names get dealt at this meeting, but top players on top teams were flying all day." 

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 Lucky 13

GM Shawn is looking forward to hosting the NHLP Winter Meeting in Seattle.  The date is Saturday, January 13th at 11 AM.  The league has 8 GM's with a yes on that date, beating all other dates, with a possible 10.  GM's Charlie and Matt will currently not be attending this date with Charlie's schedule only having one official Yes anyhow.  The winter Meeting just sits in the midst of an 11 day hiatus between Waivers with GM Chad on the 7th and Shawn on the 18th.  There are a lot of points to give in the NHLP Standings and a lot of teams sitting with players who must be exchanged out to the Minors before the serious deals can occur.  The Winter Meeting allows for the setting of teams which often leads to the blockbuster deals.

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NHLP Freezes Minors & Pecking Order

The NHLP had frozen the Minors this morning and all GM's in time will receive a copy for the scheduled weekend meeting.  The Pecking Order for the meeting will be posted after Toronto makes their Waiver pick, which was scheduled for Sunday.

Andrew 639
Joel 625
Matt 611
Chad 587
Scott 585
Shawn 585
Marcel 578
Jr 554
Charlie 542
Ryan 540
Tyson 533
Vinnie 519

Note:  GM Shawn has more non-playoff guys, so falls behind Scott in the Pecking Order under the tie-breaking procedure.

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Netflix Was (Previously) There

The Miami Surf head office was buzzing last night after a 10 point night.  "The Camera Crew went home early, so we missed it" said a producer, "Go figure, first time in months that happened."  The Surf are in their 6th season of around the clock filming of what will eventually be turned into a Netflix Special.  "We are there every step of the way towards Miami building an eventual Cup" the producer of the series went on to say.  Set to release in 2050, originally the idea was for a 5 to 10 year series, multiple seasons.  Things are being scaled back, but there is belief, if the Surf can ever win it all, maybe a full hour 'action-packed' program could be produced.  The crew is there every moment.  For instance early in the season the crew was filming as GM Charlie opened an email offer.  "Imagine filming the very second the GM himself is reading the proposed deal, the behind the scenes to a die-hard is like nothing TV has ever seen" the producer went on, "In this particular email we have Charlie typing out his response without hesitation".  'I think I will keep Patrick', click - send.  "Keep in mind" Charlie tells the camera crew, "If someone offers you the deal, they must be trying to fuck you in some way."  Charlie then added, "And that guy has been trying to get rid of Aho all season."  This is the kind of insight we can expect in the eventual program.  Of course the Surf have not made a deal yet this season, still having their original team the GM Drafted.  "There is a reason I drafted those guys, the best of the best" said the Surf GM.  Rest assured though, when the time comes (unlike last night), surely the crew will be there to catch every live second of the heart-pounding action in Miami. 

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Cincinnati Adds Palmieri

The Cincinnati Rage (Matt) added Palmieri from Edmonton (Scott) in a move for Nash.  Palmieri played 20 less games and had three less points than Nash.

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Leafs Adding Mix

GM Chad said he wanted to add the right amount of playoff players and scoring in his three for three Waiver.  MacKinnon, Couturier and Ellis came up while the GM dropped Gaudreau, Galchenyuk and Leddy.  Chad said he had a late offer that he turned down for 25 points because he "Wanted to ensure we had Ellis" whom the GM said was the most valuable player in the Minors.  Not surprising the GM would turn down 25 points for Mathews and/or Marner, but the GM said those players were not involved in the offer.  The Minors are now frozen and the pecking order is below.  The Winter Meeting will be different this season, with 13 NHL teams not playing a single game by Saturday, due to the NHL's mandated five day break each team gets once a season.  Last year the NHL staggered the breaks but this season are having them all at once.  Only 18 games are during the freeze, while a normal NHL week is about 35 games.

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Quebec's Massive Week

It was quite the week for GM Matt.  After getting his first ever 12+ point night the GM hit a 31 point week, a mere six off the all-time NHLP record of 37 by Halifax (Shawn) ten years ago.  How big was Matt's week?  Well every NHLP GM except Joel had two of their three teams combine for equal of less than 31, including GM Vinnie who had all his three teams less than 31.  No NHLP team has had more than 31 in a week over the past 5 seasons, dating back to 2013 when GM Joel had a 33 in Vancouver.  Radulov, Hall and Giroux had 6 points each while Coyle, Niederreiter and W. Karlsson all had one less than the four points of Saad.  The Nords of an NHLP high of 227 points and are 39 points ahead of fifth in the NHLP East Division. 

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Marner Joins Matthews in T.O.

It came at a big price, but GM Chad said he was happy to add Marner with Matthews.  "I think I can now do something here" the GM said.  The Leafs GM turned down a 34 point offer to keep Matthews and Josi to "Build around them" but the very next day Josi was out the door once Marner was in the picture.  Now Toronto has something better they want to build around.  Out with Josi were Bergeron and Parayko, who found a new home in Southern Ohio with the Cincinnati Rage (Matt).  GM Matt was very happy to add Bergeron, who went out and scored 5 points on the night.  "I think Boston can beat out Tampa Bay the way they are playing" said Matt, "And it was good to unload one of my Calgary guys in the process".  The Rage also moved out Gaudreau and Johansson along with Marner.  As for Chad he is saying things could change again today.  The Leafs have the final Waiver prior to the Freeze on Monday.  "Johansson and Pearson are huge pieces to someone's puzzle, but they are caught up in the Waiver thing" said Chad who hopes to find his return puzzle-pieces today.  "I can gladly take out your garbage" the GM said, adding "Both those players are playing on top NHL teams".  Seems reasonable we should expect more movement today, ending what has already been, a very busy week in the NHLP.

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  CTR - Andrew Looking Strong

All three of GM Andrews teams are in the top 8 most powerful in the league including the third and fourth overall strongest teams.  The NHLP's most powerful team is the San Fran Titan (Scott) who are loaded with the top NHL team's players as well as Marchessault off the top Western ranked team in Vegas.  GM Joel's Vancouver Canucks are not far behind the Titan for the second strongest overall team.  The top 12 overall teams include three each from the South Division and Atlantic Division while the best team in the Pacific Division is 17th overall of the 36 ranked teams.  Calgary (Jr) currently has the 36th and final team at the halfway mark of the NHL's season, even though sitting with Subban and Josi on the roster.  This year the CTR is the most complex and accurate it has ever been, factoring in more factors then ever before, including for the first time the parity of the NHL teams.  While only 4 teams had no value at the quarter mark, those same four teams, plus four more were deemed as doomed, destine to miss the NHL playoffs and players off those teams, including McDavid, who was drafted first overall, have no value in the NHLP's CTR Power Ranking.  The overall ranking can be found on the bottom of this page.
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Couldn't Get a Deal - Wolverines Settle

GM Shawn said he did try to make a few moves, but nothing could get done by the noon deadline.  The New Orleans Wolverines made a productive two for two, dropping Galchenyuk and Ristolainen, two players with no value for two Los Angeles Kings, Person and Gaborik.  The Kings are one of the best Western Conference teams and seem set on playing likely Anaheim or San Jose in the first round based on the current NHL standings.  The move puts Shawn's New Orleans team as the 12th ranked CTR team.

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"It Only Took 10 Years" - GM Matt

GM Matt viewed his huge 13 point night a little different then the NHLP Yearbook.  The GM was elated to have finally achieved his first ever 12+ point night, the biggest night in the Quebec Nordiques history.  In Matt's first 10 years as a GM he only ever hit 11 points on a night, but his 13 is no small accomplishment.  The Nords had three point nights from Niederreiter, Radulov and Hall while Coyle and Giroux had two points each.  W. Karlsson played and did not point while Saad didn't dress Thursday.  In the past 8 NHLP seasons, no GM has had a better night and only GM's Tyson and Chad have had a 13 point night over those seasons.  In the 28 year history of the league only 7 teams ever had a better night including New Jersey, Washington and San Jose, all teams no longer even in the NHLP.  GM's Scott, Marcel, Jr, Andrew and Chad have 115 GM years of combined experience, yet only have a combined 4 nights better (Jr twice, Andrew and Scott) then Matt's night last night, about 1 every 30 GM-years.  So in fact Matt, the fact you were able to do it in 10 years is quite the achievement.  Congratulations.

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Toronto Prepares For Waiver in Six Player Swap

GM Chad sent out a league wide email to the NHLP GM's.  soon after he pulled off his first of what could be many deals prior to the final Waiver before the Winter Meeting.  Out were Carlson, Jarnkrok and Wennberg and from Memphis (Jr) came 9 points and Bergeron, Leddy and Galchenyuk.  The Maple Leafs decision maker said Matthews and Josi would only be considered for serious offers and the NHLP's 2016 Cup winners would rather build their 2018 Cup run around those players.  The offers will be serious for the entire roster.  Bergeron, Pearson and Parayko could all move in the two days.  Toronto has the final Waiver on Sunday, prior to the Minors freezing on Monday.  Under the new NHLP rules the pecking order is posted Monday.  In other NHLP news all is quiet from New Orleans (Shawn) who were expected to make some moves before their Waiver pick.  The NHLP Yearbook has heard nothing from the Wolverines.
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They Did It

GM Marcel said it was "A lot of work, effort and time" to take the Florida Panthers who were almost considered dead, back into the thick of the NHLP North Division race.  "They instantly are a Cinderella story now" said Muddy Capone, who's Yearbook featured a story last week about the major changes coming in the North Division.  The Panthers completed a 43 points turn around by dropping 6 players to the Minors and adding Radulov, R. Smith, Connor, C. Smith, Nash and Ellis.  As per an earlier deal, C. Smith and Ellis were immediately traded to Philadelphia (Scott) for Karlsson and M. Johnasson.  It was nothing less than remarkable what Marcel pulled off.  He took a team that had 147 points, the lowest number in the entire 36 team league and arguably only had one asset, Johansen, and totally turned the season around.  In that huge deal for Johansen, he added the NHL's second leading scorer, Bailey, as well as two more assets, Connor and Radulov.  He traded them both for points, "As they were both in the minors", gaining 28 more points.  After his Waiver pick he has the highest scoring team in the North Division and solid assets in R. Smith, Connor and M. Johansson, as well as potentially Bailey, Radulov and Nash.  Marcel stated Bailey had so many points he'd of had to give 11 to the Minors just to move him, after tying himself into having to select C. Smith and Ellis.  The GM admitted Radulov and Nash might get traded by their NHL teams and now has the high scoring Karlsson for his points, and even a long-shot trade from the mess in Ottawa.  The team went from 41 points out of the playoffs to in 3rd place and only 10 points out of first place and now 19 up on 5th after other Divisional trades.  The CTR had previously stated that the team needed work and doing nothing would ensure they are doomed.  Well, the GM stepped up and put in a remarkable amount of work.  Marcel proved it can be done.  There is still work to be done, but now there is a little something more than nothing.  While some NHLP teams are now "fine-tuning" their playoff teams, other teams, many of them actually, have yet to make a single move from their drafted teams.  GM Marcel showed that it is never too late, even if by all accounts some teams may have already left it too late, but tomorrow is another day.   

 

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 16 Players Moved on the First Day of the Year

  By all accounts the NHLP Yearbook was close.  Reporting the day before that as many as 14 players could move on the first day of January, the actual number ended with 16 players involved in Transactions.  "It was a busy day" said Muddy Capone, "Good thing Bonnie (Anne Clyde) wasn't running the show" laughed the NHLP's President of the Yearbook.  Of course the NHLP's Secretary, Bonnie Anne Clyde, has been known to fill in the leagues top position at the Yearbook on some Transaction filled weekends.  Florida (Marcel) is still hoping to move some scoring for any points, or even picks at this point.  "Moving even points but a closer player to the playoffs is never a bad idea" Marcel told the NHLP Yearbook.  Aho does have 29 points and Carolina is just a point behind the NY Islanders with a game at hand.  Florida has done a remarkable job, starting with one asset Johansen and now up 42 points in the NHLP standings in the North Division.

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Florida Continues to Climb in North Standings

The Florida Panthers (Marcel) have gained 42 points after a deal sending Connor and Johansson to Philadelphia (Scott).  Johansson was an injury pickup for Schultz.  Starting on January 1st the Panthers added the Tuesday Waiver and 16 points from New Orleans (Shawn) before adding 8 more points and Aho and Ryan from the Flyer.  The teams agree that Florida will also use the Waiver to select C. Smith and Ellis from the Minors, then trade those two players to Philadelphia in a separate deal involving Karlsson, gaining yet another 12 points.  Karlsson's offense will help Florida continue to climb the standings, coming from far in last to now 8 out of first, plus building a playoff team with their Waiver pick ahead of the Winter Meeting.  "I just could not turn down 20 points for a guy in the Minors already" said Marcel of trading Connor.  The GM said he is not done dealing and is hoping to unload Aho or anyone else on the roster ahead of his Waiver pick.  GM Scott said he was happy to add Connor, Smith and Eliis for three non playoff players and only costing the team 20 points.  In another Florida deal they added Boeser from Quebec (Matt) for Radulov.  In two injury picks today, GM's Marcel and Shawn both dropped Schulltz with Marcel adding Johanson and Shawn adding Kelser in Halifax.  

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Connor Traded

There is a confirmed deal in place but the GM's have asked the league to hold off announcing the official deal until after 6 PM tonight.  "What we do know is Florida gained another 20 points and Connor was traded" the source told the NHLP Yearbook who did confirm the deal is official.  Florida who hours earlier gained 16 points in a deal with New Orleans would now have about 183 points in the North Division, plus their Waiver pick.  Marcel said Trading Connor was easy as he is currently in the NHLP Minors so the 20 points will come in handy during the pick.  Stay tune for the details of this deal at 6 PM

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Johansen Fetches Remarkable Score

GM Marcel worked it all week.  The veteran GM had over half the GM's in the league submit offers for Johansen and in the end, we are not sure anyone could have done better.  The Panthers completed a three for three today, also acquiring the Waiver Tuesday from New Orleans (Shawn).  The general consensus across the league was Johansen was a prized possession that was not going to be cheap.  Nashville is after all a very potential Cup favorite.  Marcel traded him along with Voracek and Galchenyuk, two players who were likely going to the Minors with the Florida Waiver, and got in return, an earlier Waiver, 16 points and three currently playoff players including Bailey, Radulov and Connor.  The GM wasted no time advising the league those players are all available for points.  "It was just a spectacular move, literally saving the Panthers season" said Muddy Capone about the GM's hard work in getting the most out of maybe the lone asset the team had.  Florida is also dropping the injured Schultz today for another tradable asset at 6 PM.  As for New Orleans, they got the man everyone wanted.  Was the price too steep?  Not according to their GM.  "With Johansen's low number as it is, I can easily get 16 back anytime I want" the GM said, "Now we have the player to build our team around."  Shawn didn't offer the most points, so make no mistake, Johansen was a dog fight.  What Shawn did offer was the best package and Marcel realized this and made the right move.  With Florida now saying the auction is on for Connor, once again, let the bidding begin.    

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New Year Rings With Massive Deals

The NHLP Yearbook sources have been told January first could see as many as 14 players traded.  "It seems hard to believe, but this source is credible " said Muddy Capone.  Although the exact details are not known, it is believed that GM Shawn in New Orleans is set to make some huge moves tomorrow.  GM's Chad and Marcel are also to be involved while GM Matt is rumored to be making a separate deal.  This is a huge amount of action to bring in 2018.  In the first half of this season 54 Transactions were made, one more than the 53 in the same period last season and 11 more than the 43 made before New Years the year prior.  As for the players on the move, one deal does include Bailey who has 50 points, while Connor and Palat were also involved in deals.  Stay tune right here for more details as the deals are released, but sources say expect a very busy New Years Day to kick off 2018.

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Toronto Grabs Matthews For Scheifele

GM Chad wanted his man and GM Scott got what he wanted for his man, so it was done.  "We are extremely happy to get Matthews" said GM Chad who did not hesitate once negotiations started.  "I could see no reason why we would not make this deal, so we just made it" the Leafs GM stated.  Scheifele is gone 6 to 8 weeks, meaning the deal, one for one, likely would not have occurred had it not been for the injury.  Edmonton who sent out a press release, asking all interested GM's to get a hold of him, didn't wait long.  "He was traded by the time most guys got the email" he stated.  "We were not going to continue shopping Matthews once we got our price" the GM said.  Scott said he fully understands several GM's will be upset with him.  Edmonton negotiated late into the night Saturday with three GM's, all agreeing with putting things off for a new day.  "The press release went out because we knew today was his last game" added Scott, "But the minute Scheifele was available, their was no need for Matthews to play today as an Oil.  The discussions ended right there."  The Oil did say the offers they were receiving were not in the same ball park as what Chad offered, who also gave 9 points to Edmonton in the deal.  The Oil GM said he knows the three other GM's would not have put a player of Scheifele's caliber on the table as those types of names just were not being offered yesterday.  As for Chad he says he isn't done today.  "I want to make a few more deals yet today" said the GM who is looking hard today to get another "big one" done.

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Matthews Officially Traded

Many NHLP GM's are shaking their heads at the news today.  Mere minutes after a league wide press release by Edmonton stated Matthews would likely play his last game today, the NHLP Yearbook has been notified of an official deal.  Muddy Capone stated, "Matthews was traded already today and the Oil have asked for the Official Press Release on the deal before breaking the news, which we respect."  GM Scott stated the Oil aren't the type of team to lead other GM's on and when a player goes on the market, he quickly goes out the door.  In communications with the Yearbook this morning GM Scott did say, "We were shocked ourselves how quickly the deal came to be, but Matthews is just an elite player, so it makes sense his demand was even higher than the Oil anticipated."  The Oil have called a press conference for today at 2 PM to announce the deal.  The Yearbook can confirm he was traded to the Central Conference.
 
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  New Orleans Adds 10 Before Waiver

All seven players added at least a point in a 10 point Friday for GM Shawn, just days before the teams Tuesday Waiver.  For Shawn it was his second 10 point night of the season, with one previously in Halifax.  Connor, Ristolainen and Radulov each added two points on the night while each of the other four roster players had a point each.  It is rare to have all seven players score on the same night.  As for the Waiver GM Shawn is in discussions with one rumor that of a "Blockbuster deal".  The Wolverines have no shortage of points to give and the timing may be right for a move that sets this team up for a long run come April.

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Injuries Rock NHLP Teams

The holiday break was not good to a number of NHLP teams.  Key injuries to big name players Scheifele, Wennberg, Atkinson, and Kreider will have affects on NHLP teams in Toronto, Montreal, Dallas, Halifax, Portland and Indianapolis.  No team was hit harder then GM Chad's Toronto Maple Leafs who lost both Scheifele (6 to 8 weeks) and Wennberg (4 to 6 weeks).  The Leafs are currently tied for the final playoff spot in the North Division.  There has been no player as good as Scheifele hurt this long so far this season, but Toronto is one of the few teams that should be able to handle these injuries.  "Unlike some of the terrible teams in the North Division, Chad is loaded with talent" said Muddy Capone.  While a playoff player can barely be found in Buffalo (Joel) and Florida (Marcel) Chad has 7 assets.  The team can trade any player on the roster for points.  Wennberg with only 16 points will be a massive deal when Chad makes the move to trade him and Scheifele, could now be the blockbuster of the season if moved.  Scheifele's low point total come March, maybe in his 40's if gone the full 8 weeks will make him an easy deal.  GM Chad knows his player values, setting him apart.  Chad will have options.  Maybe the Division will help him out like most Divisions do when the points start to seriously fly and Toronto is the 5th place dropping point with a healthy Scheifele and Wennberg for the stretch run.  Not many teams could handle these two injuries, but we think Toronto will be just fine at seasons end. 

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  Big Changes Coming to the North

With 5 of the next 6 NHLP Waiver coming from the North Division, we can expect some big changes.  There is more than just an NHLP rumor flying around, that GM Marcel is set to trade Johansen from Florida, who has a January 4th Waiver and is 20 points out of fourth.  Johansen has a very tradable 23 points and his 0.70 PPG, maybe quite low for the player who had 13 points in 14 playoff games before he got hurt last season during Nashville's run to the Stanley Cup Final.  For the Panthers, who else has any true value?  There should be a frenzy for Johansen, no price too high.  Do you see another Nashville player this good for sale?  Marcel is about to get a pretty number, likely followed by a full 7 player dump to the Minors.  Buffalo (Joel) is in a different boat but not far up the same river as Florida.  A Waiver, but after the NHLP Winter Meeting, meaning a picked clean Minors when Joel selects.  The Sabres do have 24 points to give, but they clearly don't have a Johansen in their mix.  What is an asset in Buffalo?  Well if you think Klingberg or Rakell are playoff players, there is some value.  Those teams values might go up when they prove to the NHLP GM's they are definitely playoff teams, but the standings are working against Joel right now.  New Orleans (Shawn) has the next Waiver and must make a call to move forward with Klingberg and Radulov, who's scoring is really getting hard to replace in the Minors, or cut the ties now and move their points out with Ristolainen.  Toronto (Chad) has a Waiver before the Winter Meeting, always more valuable then one right after, but is loaded with both assets and injured players.  The North is very interesting and about to get even more so.  The Division has the lone three prior Waivers before the leagues huge meeting and some big named players either hurt, available or both?  Just how big is the Johansen deal going to be?  Enjoy! 

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Lucky 13

GM Shawn is looking forward to hosting the NHLP Winter Meeting in Seattle.  The date is Saturday, January 13th at 11 AM.  The league has 8 GM's with a yes on that date, beating all other dates, with a possible 10.  GM's Charlie and Matt will currently not be attending this date with Charlie's schedule only having one official Yes anyhow.  The winter Meeting just sits in the midst of an 11 day hiatus between Waivers with GM Chad on the 7th and Shawn on the 18th.  There are a lot of points to give in the NHLP Standings and a lot of teams sitting with players who must be exchanged out to the Minors before the serious deals can occur.  The Winter Meeting allows for the setting of teams which often leads to the blockbuster deals.

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85 NHLP Players Out of Playoffs

 As you can see in the chart bellow, there are 85 current NHLP players that are out of a playoff spot.  The highest scoring play player in the Minors has 29 points for Dallas.  The Winter Meeting, as well as the three Waivers prior will take most of these players out, adding them into the NHLP, where they often now get traded to playoff teams.  There are 9 NHL teams within 5 points of a playoff spot, making for very tough choices by NHLP GM's on who to drop and who to take the chance comes back in the second half of the NHL season.  Most teams will play their 41st game about the 10th of January, prior to the Winter Meeting.

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Sides - Updated at Christmas Break

GM Joel is running away with the sides, at +11 while GM Matt is not doing quite as well at minus 10.  Only one side is officially over, as Vegas has topped the 46 points for the season, although may others can likely be called.  There are some big sides that are very close and could go either way, or any way as many are multiple GM races.  Of course some sides are subjective, like Tampa Bay winning the Stanley Cup, but they are in first overall in the NHL standings, which is what we go with.  For all the under over's, what the player is currently on pace for is on the side under the notes section.  You will notice a plus or minus number beside your name and that is the running total of the sides you are currently winning and losing, as the page goes towards the bottom the final number is what you are at as of the Christmas Break.

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Just the Host

The NHLP would like to call a meeting and is only missing the schedule of the Host, GM Shawn.  We will call a meeting date on the 24th, allowing Shawn two more days to get his schedule into the league.

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Strip Trade Subban and Oshie

After a long day of shopping the league, GM Vinnie traded Subban and Oshie, gaining 12 points from Memphis (Jr).  "It was the best anyone offered for those guys" said Vinnie who then dropped the two players he received from the Machine, Radulov and Rantanen to the Minors for D. Brown and D. Brown.  The move essentially works as Subban and Oshie for Brown twice and up ten.  "We gained 10 in the standings, but most importantly have two high scoring Kings players that will be in ultra high demand later in the season" the GM added.  The Kings have the potential to come out of the Pacific and the Western conference in the NHL, as they are the first overall seed.  The Kings have more points then the next top teams Nashville, Winnipeg, St Louis and the Golden Knights.  Vegas may actually get weaker after the trading deadline, meaning the Kings route to the Western Conference Finals will still likely be Anaheim or San Jose, but Edmonton is coming on.  There is no script to follow when building a team, just a whole lot of skill.  Vin's approach can certainly pay off if the Kings run.   

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Rangers Add Three Playoff Players

GM Charlie thought serious about it, but in the end did not start unloading his playoff players.  Charlie said he was offered "Double-digit" points for some of his players, "So I know I can fall back on those if ever needed" said the Rangers GM who has Couture, Pavelski, Pietrangelo and Oshie and also added more playoff players with the Waiver.  The newest Big Apple additions are Perron, Myers and Bozak.  There is no reason to believe this team won't easily be able to trade in at any time, sitting only 23 out of first place in the East Division and with a Minors that continues to take it's annual pre-Christmas shit kicking. 

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Vegas Keeps Waiver

Chicago (Andrew) had the team option of using the December 21st Waiver but has declined, leaving GM Vinnie in Las Vegas with the Waiver on Thursday.  This is the final Waiver of 2017.  GM Vinnie has yet to make a Transaction this season.
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46

Well they did it.  The Vegas Golden Knights hit the 46 points mark on the NHL season, in just their 33rd game of the season.  In the sides at the Draft the over under on their first season was set at 46 with two GM's going under and two over.  The fact the number was so low, basically just winning about one in every four games, shows you how bad everyone thought Vegas would be.  On their win resume is wins over Tampa Bay, Nashville, Winnipeg, St Louis, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh and Chicago.  Can't say any other team has beat all those teams this season.  Gallant said prior to last nights game, "We are fast.  They are the fastest team in the league.  Let's see how we stack up."  After watching these two teams just freewheel all night, Vegas deserved to win the game.  They were faster, passed better and just out-worked Tampa Bay who came to play and gave Vegas everything they had.  It was a true mid-season playoff game and Vegas deserved to win it, flat out.  It is hard to take them serious because they are an expansion team, which means they aren't suppose to win.  But outside what we have created in our minds as to what they should be, they very much aren't that in any way.  They are good.

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Negotiations Heading to Deadline

GM Charlie is hard at it as the noon EST deadline for this Waiver approaches.  The GM uses every available minute manning the phones, sending and answering emails and talking live in texts.  "It is always crazy on the Waiver day" said Charlie who is driven to maximize what he can get, "And I love Facetime now".  Many times over the years he has traded the Waiver as late as 11:55 AM in the morning.  "if you don't put the time in, you only cheat yourself" Charlie once said.  Charlie is currently willing to give a draft pick for two points for Silfverberg, Gostisbehere or Nyquist.  He is always looking, trying to get the maximum he can for his players and the Waiver.  Charlie did say he had some 'serious offers' and was maximizing his time to ensure the best move is made.  As of this morning the GM said things can still go either way.  The Rangers may still be using the Waiver but just in case, the GM is refreshing his email or hoping someone Facetimes him.  "If someone adds a little more to their offer, it might tip it in their favor" said Charlie.  There may be no GM in history as cool under the gun as the deadline approaches.  Charlie should be in the NHL war rooms on Trading Deadline day because he is a rock.  Once the team says that is our final offer, Charlie will be like, "Give us a second and it is yours".  He just doesn't Waiver when the pressure is on and the minutes are counting.  The GM is always determined to make the other teams cave and it often works, where they throw more and more Charlie's way.  Today will be no different.  If you haven't upped your offer yet, you still have time, 11:55 is still a few hours away.   

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Three Teams - Five Cups - Zero 12+ Nights
   
GM Andrew had an incredible opportunity to have his first 12+ point night in 22 years from one of his current three teams.  "It is just such a feat, it is so hard" said the GM as he watch things unfold in Chicago.  The GM has done it all, including winning SIX NHLP Cups in his 22 years as an NHLP GM.  What he hasn't done is have a 12+ point night from any of his three current teams, Hartford, Chicago or Los Angeles.  Based on 180 hockey nights a year GM Andrew is about 3960 hockey nights into his NHLP career and still sits with just one 12+ point night.  The only NHLP Champion that is not in the league currently, the Washington Capitals, had a 14 point night on December 23, 2009 and remain the lone time Andrew has had 12+.  Everything seemed to align yesterday for the feat to finally occur again, after Marner started the night with a 4 point afternoon.   Staal then had 3 quick ones and later Ehlers 2 and Wheeler 1 and another with 0.7 seconds left into an empty net for the 11th.  Palat was still playing but failed to register a point leaving the total at 11 on the night.  Turris never got a point and Steen did not play.  The feat still has only been accomplished 37 times in 28 years, so less then 1.5 times a season.  "It is fun to hit the double digits" said Andrew who's Blackhawks are first overall in the league with a 44 point bulge over 5th in the South Division, "But last night could have been a memorable night".  If last night wasn't, GM Andrew seems destine to have a memorable season as he treads towards an unprecedented 7th NHLP Cup.

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Rangers - "Make Us Better Now"

GM Charlie is working the phones hard today, trying to find a deal to improve the Rangers this season.  The Rangers have a nice start, a great Sharks built team of Couture and Pavelski with Pietrangelo and Oshie off top teams in St Louis and Washington.  The team's moveable parts are Gostisbehere, Nyguist and Silfverberg, although the GM is listening to offers for everyone.  "I would trade a Shark, but the deal has to help us this season, not looking for 2025" the GM stated in a league wide press release.  With this group of players, some big offers might be coming Charlie's way and he knows it. "My roster can win it all with the right additions, or someone here can help you win it all" the GM told Muddy Capone, "But I am not giving guys like Pavelski away.  Step up and make an offer and you can also have the Waiver" said Charlie.

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Kings Looking For Deals

It was a busy 12 hours for GM Andrew after acquiring the Waiver and making three deals before his 4 for 4 Waiver.  "I love having guys who might get traded at the NHL Trading Deadline" said Andrew, "I think I just picked up three of them."  The GM also noted he was nervous not to screw this Waiver up as it was his first Waiver since the previous incident which lead to a recent fine.  No issues were to be found and after trading Ryan, Marner and Saad, the Kings added E. Kane, Neal, Neal and Kesler who is due back soon.  Andrew hopes Kane gets traded out of Buffalo and although Vegas can over-take the NHL's Kings, two points back with three games at hand, the GM feels some players are going to get traded.  The question is how the Vegas Golden Knights play the Trading Deadline.  The team has played so well but is sitting with half a dozen UFA.  Neal is one of those free agents, and although he became the instant face of the franchise (with Fleury) there is more long term value in moving him for future assets.  Other Knights in the same boat are Perron, Marchessault, Sbisa, Stoner and Engelland.  How many will go?  The Knights run a fine line as they must not sell their future for this year but surely can't move everyone, as the team would be easy pickins.  It makes sense to sign a couple of those guys, if they will sign, and trade who is going to test the market.  bottom line, GM Andrew has three players who will make for another interesting NHL Trading Dealdine.

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Alaska Swaps With Los Angeles

GM Andrew traded straight up and has the Waiver tonight.  "All options are on the table" said Andrew, "We will be making some deals tonight".  The Kings have points to give and most certainly some decent players can be had.  It's a Waiver night.
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GM Scouting in Juneau

The Alaska Attack GM said he would not be arriving until 5 PM tonight and to text all offers for the Waiver.  "We are doing our annual Juneau pre-Christmas trip" the GM said.  When asked if they have cell phone reception the GM laughed, "Yes we do.  We even have motor vehicles here now as well."  Marcel said he was spending the night in Sitka, just south of Juneau, an area owned by the Russians as late as 1867, the year Canada was born.  So, if you want the Waiver, text him by 5 PM and he will respond from..."You are staying in a motel correct?"   Marcel texted us a picture of where he is staying.

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Who Wants to Swap?

GM Marcel said he is looking at swapping Waivers in Alaska.  The GM used the phrase swap, but GM's without a Waiver might be able to make an attractive enough package where to convince GM Marcel he can use that package to acquire a pick if he needs one this year.  "There are so many teams that can still do what GM Joel just did" Marcel added, "There are good players going fast."  The Winter Meeting is likely looking to be almost a month away and many NHLP teams have yet to do anything on the season.  The sooner a GM can scoop up tonight's Waiver, the more they can do in advance of the drop. 

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NHLP First on Historical Night in Buffalo

We have never seen this before.  GM Joel had the first ever 12+ point night in Buffalo and accomplished the feat in a most bizarre way.  The Sabres got 4 from Eichel, 3 from both D. Sedin and Boyle and the final two from Williams for 12 on the night.  Klingberg played and never got a point while Rakell and team point leader Barkov never played.  What makes the night so bizarre?  Buffalo got 12 points on a night when only 24 points were scored amongst the other 35 teams.  The closest team in points on the night was 3 points.  "I never recall a team getting  twelve with the next team at three points, surely that did not happen" stated Muddy Capone who's memory of the NHLP's first 28 years is mostly spot on.  Almost always a 12 is hit when there is a full slate of games, but only 5 NHL games were on the schedule.  This is Joel's second straight 12+, his first two coming this year.  His first 12 was even more bizarre as he had 11 and a point change the next day to Stamkos was the 12th.  This was the first time in league history Buffalo hit the 12+ mark.  The NHLP started six teams reaching 10+ in the first 30 days of the season, but in the six weeks since this was the first team to score over 10 in a night.  Joel now has 2 all-time career 12+ nights, tying 20 year GM Chad and GM Glen who was an original member of the NHLP's inaugural season and 10 year veteran of the league.

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Golden Knights Find Home in Vancouver

GM Joel really likes what he did.  The Canucks GM made three deals prior to a 5 for 5, keeping both Marchand and Eberle while adding two high scoring Vegas players W. Karlsson and Perron.  "They are either playoff players or going to be traded to a playoff team" stated Joel who is now on the Vegas roulette wheel.  The Canucks also added Kane, Fiala and Krejci, overall some serious scoring for the West Division first place team.  The team started yesterday with Hall and Marner but threw the hand away and drew 5 fresh cards.  There are serious rumors Buffalo will be moving Kane while Perron is as good as gone in Vegas where the team won't let some early success change what the owner said was a "Six year plan".  Vegas is well ahead of that mark and has 13 first three round picks in the next three years and surely, after players like Perron, Neal, Sbisa, and others, get traded this Deadline, will have a huge amount of young talent to go along with their three first round selections, all in the top 14, of the draft that just went by.  Can you imagine how good (and young) this team could be by the time that six year projection arrives?  For Joel he is hoping the right NHL moves occur and this Waiver gives him some top players on top seeded playoff teams.  We think he did amazing, but time will make the definitive call on this Waiver.

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   Deals Galore - Canucks Tear it All Down

It isn't often what you started with as much as what you now have.  GM Joel took that approach, cleaning house with at least three reported deals ahead of the unknown Waiver.  "You can get some deals on the Waiver nights that you would not normally get" said Muddy Capone, "This isn't new, or a surprise, but how the league works."  Some GM's, like GM Andrew builds his Cup winning teams piece by piece on Waiver nights.  The list of players he already acquired this year is so long, we won't list them, but we can add Marner to that list.  Chicago (Andrew) added Marner for Stone in a 6 point deal.  The deal may not have been done on another night, but those 6 points to the Minors made it attractive for Vancouver.  Joel did state he was moving out Hall, true to his word he did.  Quebec (Matt) got a great value player for MacKinnon and a 4th rounder for Hall, another deal only made during the Waiver nights.  GM Scott got in the action in another Waiver night strategy many GM's overlook.  Werenski was in the NHLP Minors, so Scott offered even points and a pick and sure enough, why wouldn't Joel take a free pick and Nash.  Seeing as the players have the same points, the Canucks, if they really wanted Werenski, can just drop Nash and add the Werenski in the Minors.  Three GM's upgraded tonight with smart Waiver night only deals.  What GM Joel is about to do, is likely a full 6 player drop keeping Marchand.  Will he better his team?  "I think I will have a full group of playoff players that I can use all my points to trade playoff for playoff players" said the GM but not giving away who is coming up to the parent club.  As advertised right here, a number of trades preceded the Waiver.

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Hall Of a Player in Play?

Rumors swirled around the league today that GM Joel is onto a big move.  The GM denies he has anything on the table other than now is looking to trade Hall prior to the use of the Waiver.  "I am still waiting on something that I can't refuse" said Joel.  Hall has a point a game and a little leg bruise that should not keep him out of the lineup long.  With such a quality guy in play there seems little doubt the league will seem some serious action during the Vancouver Waiver tonight.

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Namestnikov Assist Added?

GM Scott said he is still bitter with the NHL for the New Jersey goal that ultimately he could have nothing done about, on the surface.  What the GM is much better at is getting assists added.  "I have watched three to five occasions this season where obvious assists should have been added" said the GM, "But they did not involved my player, until last night."  The GM said Kucherov's goal which can be viewed here, in the third period of last nights game was "Clearly" assisted by both Sergachev and Namestnikov.  The GM said it is two points and will get it added.  "I don't let my own slide" said the GM.  Although this replay provided by the NHL does not show the entire play Namestnikov batted a pass out of the air in the neutral zone that was picked up by Kucherov, who passed it to Sergachev and it came back to Kucherov.  "I see these all the time and I waited overnight to see if the changes would be made" the GM said about the goal, "So I contacted Steve this morning, now two weeks in a row, but I am confident upon review another change will be forthcoming."  The GM's NHL contact Steve said he was unable to help last week as his department can review, change and alter goals and assist, but cannot add a goal which can only be done by the on-ice officials.  Although GM Scott understood this, he insists the game officials errored in not allowing the final shot of the game to count.  (Update:  Still no email back yet but I have found a view that clearly shows it here. The nice thing with SportsNet is you can pause it and place your mouse on the timer line and move it back and forth.  The puck is batted down out of the air by Namestnikov and bounces on the ice and is picked up by Kucherov giving the impression he knocked it down.  I don't know why they can't get these right during the game, but it isn't a home goal so St Louis, Boston, Detroit...don't care) 

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Vancouver Willing to Move Waiver

GM Joel has been relatively quiet on the season, something not unusual for the GM who seems to be quite active the second half of the NHLP season.  By Thursday he will make his second Transaction of the season, either using the Waiver or trading it in a deal with either or both Mantha and Giordano.  The Canucks GM said that everyone was available and he is awaiting offers.  Joel has been a very active GM over the years, usually finishing in the middle of the pack as far as Transactions, last season his standard 23.  The GM is one of three GM's (Ryan 4, Shawn 1) to have had teams in the NHLP Finals the past ten years, but to have never won.  Joel has had 4 teams in the Finals, three in his first two season and again with Vancouver in 2015.  That is a great feat for the GM entering year 11, but still without a Cup.  The four NHLP Final trips ties Tyson, Chad, Marcel, Ryan and Scott over that span, with all those GM's except Ryan winning at least a Cup.  GM Andrew leads the NHLP with 5 Cup appearances over the past 10 years while Jr and Shawn have appeared once and Matt, Charlie and Vinnie being no shows.  So GM Joel has been close, but his teams haven't been strong even in the end to win it all.  With the NHL teams now playing game 30 of an 82 game schedule and two of GM Joel's teams still sitting as drafted, you have to wonder if that second half strategy is working?  "The issue is the top teams in the standings now, Tampa Bay, St Louis, Winnipeg", their players are being picked now from the Minors, not in the second half" said Muddy Capone, "So those who wait to participate, are they going to be second best with the next tier of players?"  You may not believe players off top teams in the NHL standings equate to more NHLP Cup wins, but maybe that is why you don't win often - or ever.  Fact is, since 1998, the last 19 NHL Champions, only 3 of them had under 100 points in the standings at the end of the season (Chicago '13, Los Angeles '12 and Pittsburgh '09 - who ended with 99 points).  Of course Chicago in 2013 had 77 points and finished first in NHL, beating Boston who finished 2nd overall cause of the strike shortened season.  The Kings beat the Devils who had 102 points and the Pens beat the Wings with 112 in 2009.  Tops seeded teams have been in the NHL Stanley Cup Finals each of those last 19 seasons.  There are many ways to win.  Having points in the second half rules, but teams moving early usually don't have those, but have the players off the top teams.  GM Matt is usually a leader in the Transaction department but he has not had a Cup appearance, while GM's Scott and Andrew have 4 Cups the past decade.  GM Tyson has 3 Cups over that span and is always behind Joel in transactions.  "It appears it comes down to the quality of the Transaction, and Joel seems a player away, off a good team, every time" added Capone.  So, Joel is about to start making the Canucks team by Thursday and a quality move could really help the first place Canucks as we near the seasons half-way point.

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Four Kings

GM Charlie said he can't see anyone stopping the Kings in their Division.  "They might walk to the Conference Finals" said Charlie who added Toffoli and Gaborik to a roster with Kopitar and Carter.  The GM also added high scoring Barzal in a three for three dropping Zetterberg, Larkin and Maroon.  The Coyotes now have a nice scoring team with four Kings, including Toews, similar to the NHLP Champions in 2014 with Four Kings and Toews.  "I think we even have a stronger team than that one" the GM added about what he has put together in Phoenix.  Charlie said he likely has one too many, but will easily be able to put together workable packages with the Kings unstoppable right now, just winning their 8th straight last night.  The Coyotes have weathered the Carter injury, well in a playoff position heading into the New Year where they hope to have Carter back for February 1st. 

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Together Again

"It was one hell of a team" said GM Scott about the 2014 NHLP Cup winning San Fran Titan.  The team was led by NHL stars Kopitar and Toews.  That same duo, were drafted on the same team this season by GM Charlie in Phoenix, who also has the Waiver Saturday night.  Both players had their NHLP stalk drop, Toews after a slow playoffs and Kopy after a slow season.  Back in 2014, these two on the same team was remarkable.  Kopitar had 70 points and 26 (in 26) more in the playoffs while Toews had 68 and 17 in 19 in the Titan second Cup run.  Kopitar is back in 2017/18, on pace for 100 points after 36 in his first 30 games while Toews, going for his third NHLP Cup, is on pace for 60.  Charlie has stated he will be using the Waiver, unless someone can "get creative".  The GM has visions of adding to his top three, which includes Carter, who the Coyotes have carried since his injury and now are within 50 days of getting him back.  Larkin and Zetterberg, if you like Detroit, are quite the package while Bozak's low number means, although Toronto is securely in a playoff spot, he must be sacrificed to the Minors.  Maroon is the fourth player available, the GM stated in a league wide press-release.  With Carter at 3 points and the Kings looking like the team they once were, it seems at any time in the New Year Phoenix can easily gain 15 points at will.  That means this team, with these two top notch players, will easily compete for a playoff spot in the Pacific where they are a mere 8 out of first place.  The Coyotes maybe even keeping both stars for another Cup run together, something Charlie dreams often about.  "The supporting cast in '14 wasn't too shabby" added GM Scott who also had Keith, Doughty, Doughty, Voynov and Coyle.  For Charlie his bottom four might not be far off if the GM can pull off a huge Waiver and an even bigger trade later in the season.  We will sit back Saturday and see what he does, but it shouldn't take too much to make this team a threat in this Division this season.

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Ex-Chief Makes NHLP

Not that the cat was really in the bag, but the cat is definitely out of the bag now.  Barzal is finally in the NHLP!!!  "I have enjoyed watching him play" said GM Tyson who just added Barzal in the Waiver.  "Always fun to be the one (to) give a kid his first break into our prestige's league" added Tyson.  The 20 year old Coquitlam kid can score.  A number of GM's have been watching him close since the Islanders drafted him 16th overall in 2015.  After scoring 3 points a game (51 GP - 153 Points) for Burnaby he did it again, at a higher level for the Vancouver North East Chiefs where he scored an amazing 103 points in 34 games.  How good was that all-time for the Chiefs?  We all remember Adam Rockwood (another Coquitlam boy - thumbs up from VP of NHLP Affairs, Reginal Cherry, no relation to Donald S. Cherry), the Chiefs all-time career scoring leader in the BCMML, who had 121 points in his Chiefs career, playing 80 games.  Barzal scored 18 less points, but played 46 less games.  Had Barzal played the two full seasons he would have scored 240 points.  Oh ya, Doughty, C. Smith and Sobotka were also added for Huberdeau, Brassard, Brassard and Zetterberg, some serious scoring going down.  The Blues went from fifth to first in the West.  Maybe the only thing the Blues did wrong on the night was not grab Barzal twice.  Three points a game in the BCMML, unheard of.  When you own three NHLP Cups, you just find these gems, a sure fire NHLP household name for years to come.  Makes you wonder who else the Chiefs have in their Coquitlam pipeline (or who the hell is doing their scouting there)?

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How Winners Built Teams

While some GM's are enjoying the Christmas lights, others are going about their work in building winning teams, and no one has done it better than GM Andrew.  Chicago has made a few moves this season, but here is tracking just one player tree.  The Black Hawks moved Lindholm and E. Kane early on for Aho and Huberdeau, updated points is 45-38, a 7 point gain in that deal.  In separate deals Aho turned into Ehlers and Huberdeau last night into Palat, who have an updated total of 38.  So Andrew turned Lindholm and Kane 38 into Ehlers and Palat, 38, but both playing on top seeded teams in the NHL, huge assets he can again later trade sideways for what he wants.

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Blues Trade Two Bolts

GM Tyson did what he said he would do, trading his valued Bolts for more scoring.  A flurry of trades prior to the Waiver included adding 8 points and Huberdeau in a deal with Chicago (Andrew) for Palat.  "I really didn't want to move my Tampa players, but the scoring had to improve" stated Tyson.  Indianapolis (Matt) gave one Brassard for Schmaltz and San Fran (Scott) gave the other Brassard for KIllorn, adding the fourth bolt to the titan roster.  The Blues added double digit points in the moves going from 5th to likely first after the drop which should be a big one.

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 Blues Looking To Deal

The St Louis Blues (Tyson) are working the phones, hoping to get a deal done prior to using the Waiver.  The GM said Schmaltz, Killorn and Zetterberg likely will get traded today.  "If I do get something incredible, I would trade the Waiver, but I am most likely going to use it" said Tyson.  With a Tampa Bay player officially on the table tonight, there is reason to believe Tyson should get some serious offers.  The NHLP Minors are bare of all Bolts, meaning when one is available, their should be some demand.

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No Winners in Transaction 909A

Two weeks after GM's Shawn and Andrew came together on a Transaction that is no more, there are no winners in the final outcome.  What had occurred:  A late pre-waiver deal sent Weber to GM Andrew for Zetterberg.  Andrew had asked Shawn if Weber had 13 points to the Minors and Shawn did state yes he did.   After Andrew sent in his Waiver he was notified by the league that the numbers did not add up, as Weber only had 12 to the Minors.  That deal was nixed and Andrew went ahead and made another deal with Chad.  Andrew was told he would be fined for wrong numbers in his Waiver.  Andrew wanted to see the penalty of 15 spots in the third round waved because of the very usual circumstances.  "This is something that had never occurred before" stated Muddy Capone.  It was also Andrew's stance that Shawn played a part in the penalty occurring.
 We cannot say all what  was said in this situation as there was a lot said.  In the end, after a lot of time and effort by the BOG, an official ruling was made.  Andrew's full penalty does stand and Shawn (who agreed to some responsibility) has been recognized for also sharing in what had occurred.  Shawn has agreed to compensate Andrew a future pick that the two GM's will agree on.  What needs to be reminded to all GM's is the onus to get a Waiver in on time, with the correct numbers and the correct players is 100% the GM with the Waiver.  It is his responsibility every time, NO MATTER WHAT.  Moving forward, no matter what you are told, it is up to you to ensure your own Waiver is correct, or you will be fined 15 spots in the third round as per the rule and you will not be compensated for another's mistake.  The longer you leave your Waiver the more likely an innocent mistake can be made and that is 100% on the GM with the Waiver.

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St. Patrick's Day

For the diehard Montreal fan, last night must have brought back some memories.  December 2nd, 2017, 22 years to the day of December 2nd, 1995, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal hooked up in a lopsided hockey game.  Last night was 10-1 Montreal and to our knowledge no Detroit goalie asked to be traded.  However, within four days of the 11-1 trouncing in 1995, Patrick Roy would be a Colorado Avalanche player.  Often lost is Montreal also traded their Captain, Mike Keane, in the deal.  So their best goal and their team leader in the same package for Andrei Kovalenko, Martin Rucinski, and Jocelyn Thibault.  So every year on December 2nd Montreal Canadiens fans gather around the TV and tell their kids about the "St Patrick's Day Curse", one of the greatest remaining of all sports curses.  In recent years the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs won World Series titles, removing "The Curse of the Bambino" and the "Curse of the Billy Goat".  Sports historians now generally agree the "St Patrick's Day Curse", seeing that the Montreal Canadiens fans who have won more Cups then any other in league history are forever cursed and will never in any of our lifetimes ever win another.  Seems fair.  They were in fact the reason Patrick Roy asked for a trade, by mocking him on that fateful day.  It got us thinking about famous curses in the NHLP.  There are some great ones, but that is a story for another day.

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Attempt to Change Outcome - FRUITLESS

GM Scott himself admitted it is impossible to do.  "The NHL will not change the score of a hockey game after the on ice officials sign the official score sheet on the game, but it doesn't make it right."  Of course the NHL can never put themselves in a position to start changing the score of games, for then where do you draw the line?  What about a goal that should have counted in the first period, why not add it then?  So although the GM knows he cannot get a goal added, one that should of counted, maybe he can get the NHL to admit the goal should of counted.  At issue is a final second shot from center ice in the New Jersey Devils versus Colorado Avalanche game.  "The play was not offside and the puck did go into the goal within the final tenth (or even hundredth) of a second before time expired" stated Scott, "The goal was meaningless, a 2-1 or 3-1 final, but the outcome is not altered."  The on ice officials just skated off the ice and the game was over.  They did not review the call.  They did not wave off the goal nor call it a goal.  Like the play never even occurred.  So although the NHL will not change the score of the game, to it's rightful final score of 3-1, quite possibly Scott said he can at the very least push it far enough that they remind themselves of the importance of meaningless points.  "Hundreds of thousands of dollars are won and lost each night based on one goal in an NHL hockey game and the NHL themselves support, sponsor and profit from fantasy sports, such as FanDuel and Draft Kings to name just a few.  Subscription packages are sold because of the marketing put in by these companies to sell their services, creating millions of dollars in revenue.  A goal simply cannot be overlooked because it was inconsequential and meaningless, because there is no such thing."  So although the final score of the game will forever be 2-1 the GM said he plans to create enough "shit" to at the very least have this goal brought up in an office meeting he'll never hear about.  If they state the error publically, better still. 

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Six Waivers to New Year

The month of December is upon us.  The NHLP has 6 Waivers in December, before the Holiday break, leaving 21 in the new year.  GM Charlie has two in the month and GM Andrew has the option to take GM Vinnie's Waiver, meaning GM Vinnie may not make a transaction in December, heading into 2018.  GM's are force to participate with the Waivers.  Charlie has not made a transaction on the season, but will by the 9th with a Waiver and again on the 19th.  "There are numerous different strategies" said Muddy Capone, "Some GM's go very hard after the early Waivers, while some GM's wait to things unfold in the NHL standings before starting to move."  GM Scott who loves the early Waivers said he is always trading away his draft picks, something he may not have to do next year.  "I automatically get the first Waiver next season" said GM Scott who has the 1st overall and 36th overall draft picks, "Well, unless I trade the next years Waiver."  The value of the NHLP Waivers cannot be under-estimated.  Already Tampa Bay and St Louis players have been almost completely drained from the Minors.  Now if those teams crash and burn, the advantage of waiting pays off.  Heading into December usually starts to see some of the numbers moving off the top teams in the NHLP Standings.  The NHLP Winter Meeting, hosted by GM Shawn is about just over a month away with a Schedule of potential dates now in the Schedules page.  This years Trading Deadline is Hosted by GM Jr.

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Stars Get Much Stronger

GM Jr said he likes Montreal's chances, "They have no where to go but up now with a healthy Price."  Pacioretty was the current, least valued, of his new four, also adding Zuccarello, Kreider and Gourde, again, taking all four players out of the Minors completely.  "The Rangers are playing great hockey and are better than a few teams ahead of them" Jr added, "So we will see."  All in all it was a potentially strong pick.  Not lost is the third Bolt added to the already strong Tampa Bay presence on Jr's Stars Roster.  Gourde fits in nicely with Point and Hedman.  Everything about this team is coming together.  If the Rangers are a playoff team, the assets added in this deal can make this team much stronger down the road, going any direction the GM feels he wants to go.  As for Tampa Bay players in the Minors they may have officially completely dried up.  Ten different bolts are all gone twice (or Elite status), meaning the teams top 10 scorers are all in the NHLP.  This leaves Chris Kunitz as the next highest player available on the roster, who has 6 points in 24 games.  "We are sure the next top team will go just as quick" said Muddy Capone, "Get what is left while you can." 

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Dallas Gains Five in Deal

GM Jr made his first move of the NHLP season, leaving only GM's Vinnie and Charlie without making a Transaction.  The Stars added 5 points with Keller and Barrie who came from Indianapolis (Matt) for Brassard and Thornton.  This is a certain sign the Stars will be using the Waiver, likely making a four for four, trying to add to a solid top three if Pittsburgh (Letang) is a playoff team. 

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Unstoppable Force Led By Star Defensemen

It was almost 10 years ago that GM Jr won his last NHLP Championship.  That team was mostly unstoppable, with Four Detroit players who all went to the Cup Finals.  Lidstrom, Franzen, Cleary and Kronwall dominated the NHLP playoffs.  Dallas won the first round 27-11 over the Minnesota Gull (Scott), Round #2 21-14 over Miami(Charlie), the Semi-Finals over Hartford (Andrew) 13-3 and a closer then expected Finals 10-6-4-4 over Philadelphia (Scott), Edmonton (Scott) and Las Vegas (Joel).  All told the Stars outscored their opponents 71-42 in route to the Stars second Cup.  The GM hasn't been close since, but the 2017/18 Stars have the makings of the 2009 Champs.  The team has the 'top team in the leagues star defensemen', a formulae for success in the NHLP.  Hedman and Point are the two-man Tampa Bay team while support looks like it could come from Letang, another top D-man when healthy.  Jr is saying the Waiver can be had and is hoping to trade players off the roster that are not named Hedman, Point or Letang.  "When you have a nucleolus like this to start" said Muddy Capone, "You aren't far away from completing a potential winner team."  Completing the potential winners isn't something coming easy anymore for Jr, seemingly not doing enough early in the season to make the unstoppable teams, something that made him a once-feared GM.  "From 2000 to 2009 there was no more feared GM in the NHLP, Jr was that guy" said Capone, "But GM's go through cycles, and the current cycle for Jr isn't what it once was."  For the rest of the NHLP GM's, that is likely a great thing.  "No one wanted to compete against Jr then" added Capone.  They might not like to see the old GM Jr back, as he made it hard on everyone to win.  This season just has the feeling of something good in Dallas.  The first part of the team is already there.  The GM seems to be investing more time into team building, like he use to do one a annual basis.  Will it happen this year?  It has almost been a decade but the Star's do seem aligned for something special, like the domination of 2009 to occur again, for a GM Jr built team.     

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  Pens Put Minors on Ropes

GM Chad isn't scared.  The GM hit the Minors hard, with a Bieksa style jaw-breaker.  The 6 for 6 called up some huge playoff-potential players into the NHLP, all for a second time, eliminating all 6 from Minors.  Lee, Leddy, Hischier, Marleau, Backlund and Hornqvist join Laine on the new team in Pittsburgh.  "The minors are taking some hard hits" said Muddy Capone, "GM's have shown they are aggressive this year in gut-punching the Minors each opportunity they get."  Like many others this team can score, already 17 points up on 5th in the Atlantic Division.  Pittsburgh has easily moved well up the CTR with some other Divisional heavyweights in Harford (Andrew) and Philadelphia (Scott).  Many GM's are very frightened to part with any high scoring player before March, but Chad did not hesitate dropping Teravainen who had 15 points in November.  "You have to grab them when you can" said Chad who seemed a little giddy with this Waiver pick knockout.  Clearly Pittsburgh got a lot stronger and certainly are in play when we now mention the potential belt-holders in the NHLP this season.

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Pittsburgh Goes Big - Gets Waiver

GM Chad didn't like the make-up of his Pittsburgh Penguins and instead of waiting for his December 5th Waiver, he made things happen now.  The Pens traded Zetterberg and Schmaltz, along with the December 5th Waiver and a first, third and six round pick to fellow 3-time NHLP Champion GM Tyson, for Teravainen, Fowler and Saturday's Waiver which as of 8 AM Sunday morning had not been used yet.  It is expect Chad will use this opportunity to devour the Minors or at least 5 players, likely 6.  "I had a number of offers" said GM Tyson, "But none were as competitive as Chad's."  

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Gourde Gets First Shot in NHLP

GM Tyson admitted that Tampa Bay players will be hot commodities as the NHLP season unfolds, "You can keep them or trade them for anything you want" the GM stated after adding former NHLP Cup Winner Killorn (2015 - Hartford) and NHLP-newbie Gourde.  The 25 year old Gourde had 8 points in 20 games last season and 14 in 22 so far this season for the Lightning.  Gourde once scored 124 in a QMJHL season with Victoriaville.  Cleveland also added Carlson, Fiala and Coyle.  The GM now has Saturday's second half of the back to back Waivers, this time in St Louis.  "I am open to deal in St Louis" said GM Tyson, "Teravainen is lighting it up, and his number may move with Fowler if someone doesn't step up and offer a mind-changer."   The Blues are another NHLP team with two Bolts players, Palat and Killorn.  Teravainen is fresh off player of the week and may be the hottest NHL player with 15 points this month.  His 21 points will work with Fowler, but it seems if Fowler can find a home, the GM could keep things as is and move the Waiver.

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Cleveland Acquires the Waiver in Early Deal

"Sometimes all you have to do is inquire first" said Muddy Capone about the early move by New Orleans (Shawn), basically giving the Waiver to inter-divisional rivals Cleveland (Tyson) for what appears to be nothing at all.  The teams swapped Waivers and the Fury through in 6 spots in the 3rd and 9 more in the 5th to secure the Waiver.  The CTR rated the defending NHLP Champs the worst team in the entire NHLP at the quarter mark and GM Tyson has decided he is ready to tackle that issue.  Who will go?  There is Arvidsson, Zuccarello and Burns, all potential high scoring players on their teams while a couple Oilers may end up on the move after a shocking slow start in Edmonton.  The Fury are only 11 points out of a playoff spot in the North so all indications are a team can be set to easily be able to compete for a spot.  

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  From 19 Out to 13 Up on 5th

GM Matt used Quebec's Waiver to added a number of points, ending with a 5 for 5 Waiver and 32 point swing on the night.  "We you are down and out, a Waiver can become a huge turning point for any team" said Muddy Capone.  there is no doubt this new Nordiques team can score and the GM said he kept a low number for making future trade options work.  "This was about gaining points" said Matt, "Some guys just keep low scoring teams until they are dead, I don't get that."  Matt said he can now go out at any time and pick up another Waiver and set a team, "But now we have points to work with."  New Orleans (Shawn) has a Friday Waiver while GM Tyson in St Louis has a Saturday Waiver.  The GM's have not indicated if the Waivers will be used or if they are available at this time.

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Quebec Active - Biggest Deal of the Season to Date - Gain of 23

Three official deals have been made so far tonight.  Quebec (Matt) traded Palat and Guentzel to New Orleans (Shawn) for Giroux and Pacioretty in a move that saw double digit points move for the first time thins season.  "Clearly GM's are awaking to the fact the season has started" said Muddy Capone.  A second deal just in saw Matt trade almost 120 years worth of players, Thornton, Saad and Marleau to GM Andrew for O'Reilly, Vanek and Marchessault.  The Nords then sent Marchessault to Philadelphia (Scott) for Horvat, gaining another 4.  All told Quebec has gained 23 and the night is still young.  "I have some guys having hot nights, so contact me" said Matt who expects more deals soon.  Quebec has now overcame their 18 point deficit from last and is now in 3rd place after the three deals.

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Palat - "Imagine His Demand"

Quebec GM Matt made it very clear that he just won't give away his players ahead of tonight's Waiver.  "Imagine the demand at our Trading Deadline for a guy like Palat" the GM said in a text to Muddy Capone, "I will trade these guys, but won't just give them away."  Other very hot commodities include first line Chicago Blackhawk forward Saad and Guentzel who although off to a slow start, was almost the playoffs scoring leader during the Pens back to back Stanley Cup last playoffs.  "All the Pens are doing bad" said Matt, "Look at Crosby, Minus 15.  That will change and they will get over their Cup Hanger is all, then watch them fly."  How can you argue with what Matt is saying?  It is only the quarter mark and the Pens, by all accounts, have been horrible yet they are a single point from being the first place team in the Metropolitan.  Once they heat up, they should be the first seed.  Unlike the Oilers slow start, the Penguins have actually won most of their games, while Edmonton has fallen almost 10 points out.  These are guys you can steal on a Waiver night and any other night wouldn't be available.  There should be some action tonight.

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Who Has the NHLP Power at the Quarter Season Mark?

Sometimes we lay dreaming in the middle of the night and wonder, "Who has the best team in the NHLP this year?"  Then we do the CTR and tell you exactly who is for real who sucks ass.  We thought this year that maybe in the last few years we have been a little harsh on some GM's and maybe it was a time to be somewhat nicer.  Then really quickly we rethought that idea about being nice.  Hey, we are the CTR.  This is the NHLP!!!  Can't take the heat?  Build a better fucking team!

Here is the unedited version of the CTR.  This thing takes so long to write, who has time to edit this shit.

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Time to Reload

GM Matt said it is time to make some changes in Quebec.  The Nords have all kinds of desirables and having fallen 16 points out with the Waiver in hand, it is definitely time to make a change.  The question for the Nordiques is who all will survive.  Connor, Marleau, Palat, Saad and Guentzel are all worthy opportunities for GM's to make a small change while adding a potential big time asset. 

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Rumors Circulating About Motives

No sooner had all hell broke loose today the NHLP Yearbook is hearing rumors throughout the league.  One GM with knowledge of the situation said "GM Shawn is pissed Andrew has four Blues in Hartford, five in total" said the GM who asked not to be named, "I wouldn't put it by him to intentionally try and sabotage Andrews Waiver or seek some kind of revenge."  With Hartford's fine of 15 spots in the third round, from #93 and #108, ironically enough GM Shawn moves up on two teams due to this mishap. You have to wonder how innocent all this was and if it was outright planned?  "Wow, you intentionally screw a guy over and benefit from it" said another GM from his hunting camp in Wisconsin.  An investigation is underway and the league has already received texts provided by GM Andrew.  The veteran GM said the fine should not be his but that of the Halifax Destroyers hockey club.  Shawn is quite quiet on the entire ordeal but did send one text to the head office reading in it's entirety, "LOL".  Another GM stated this was better than "Rocket Man and Trump".  As of now the site and office pools is updated, however, we are still waiting on an update to the Transaction GM Andrew made with GM Chad.  "Apparently Hartford traded their same 7th round pick to both Green Bay and Pittsburgh" said Muddy Capone, "We haven't seen discombobulation like this from Hartford ever."  We are not sure if Andrew was so excited to just be getting 4 Blues on one team or what the hell is going on inside the Whalers organization.  You can rest assured this is a long ways from over and we will be hearing about this fiasco at meetings for years to come.   

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Hartford Fined For Wrong Numbers?

The league is sorting out what is happening at this moment, but it appears a fine will be in order for Hartford (Andrew).  We know GM Andrew had a deal in place with GM Chad, for the one single point Andrew was searching for, however, draft picks were heading Chad's way.  Instead a deal with Halifax (Shawn), Weber for Zetterberg was sent into the league.  This gave Hartford their point, saving the draft picks to Chad.  However, Weber got a point last night.  After updating the transactions, we are aware now the numbers to do jive.  "We will be fining Hartford the standard wrong number penalty" said Muddy Capone.  This likely means the deal will Shawn will be rescinded, and Hartford will now not only have to pay Chad the picks, but a fine on top of all this.  We are now waiting for GM Andrew to get his shit together and sort out this mess and repick. 

Updates:

GM Andrew is saying he wants GM Shawn to come good for the fine of 15 spots in the third round.  "I am pissed" said Andrew, "I take great pride in getting these right.  Shawn told me he (Weber) had 13 to the Minors."  GM Andrew has taken back the deal and GM Chad has agreed to move forward with their first deal for Zetterberg.  Hartford gave a ton of picks for the Waiver, more to move Zetterberg and now the fine of 15 spots in the third round.  "I would fire someone for this" said Andrew.  While a third party has never paid the fine before, there is nothing saying it can't be done that way.  "The fine is in place so guys pay attention and get things in on time" said Muddy Capone, "We wasted time updating this that we have to go back and carefully change to now ensure things are correct, so it sucks to pay, but 15 spots in the third round is the first penalty.  Lets hope for Andrew's sake the deal with Chad makes the numbers work, or it doubles again."  Updates to the site and office pools are not in progress. 

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Green Bay Gets Haul - Hartford Goes Big

After a fierce bidding war GM Andrew paid a Waiver and three late picks to Green Bay (Ryan) for the Waiver Thursday.  The Knights were also able to move out Ritchie, adding Yandle in an upgrade.  Shipachyov will likely see his last days in the NHLP forever come next Monday when he is dropped for a 5 point player.  "I hate having early Waivers during Hunting season" said GM Ryan on a serious note, "I wish the league could, but I don't see how, but do something about the situation."  GM Ryan may be onto something that league can look at, and at the very least minimize the Waivers during this spell, if it is possible to do.  As for Hartford (Andrew) they did not want to give what they did, "But you have to compete" the GM said.  Andrew is still trying as of this morning to acquire a point for any of four players including Zetterberg who seems attractive enough with Detroit's hot play of late.  The GM does have a conditional offer on the table if he can't get a point, for a trade of Zetterberg, but is hoping a better deal can be found.  Andrew also has the next NHLP Waiver and is expected to take 9 players from the Minors between the two Waivers.  "I can't sit by and let GM Scott do whatever he wants" said Andrew.  GM Scott said they offered a Waiver next year, 28 spots in the 2nd and conditionally 28 more in the 7th and it just wasn't enough.  "It is painful to lose out" said Scott, "But I got bested by the best.  After Andrew does what I know he will do, I will certainly regret not going harder still, but I have to live with the fact we can't buy the bakeshop for a piece of one pie."     
  

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Krejci & Carter Could Make Busy Day

With the breaking NHLP news that Carter will not be back to February, GM Charlie is "Willing to listen to offers" from those GM's who can take this potential playoff player.  The Kings play 32 games before February 1st and even a 0.5 PPG player should get 16 over that stretch, making trading Carter now very difficult.  He could have the most value today in an injury pick if some GM likes something in the Minors better.  GM Vinnie is in the same boat with Carter, having decided last week to hold onto him and now in a worse spot then before.  GM Jr starts the days potential 5 injury picks with a 6 point player for Krejci, who has 6 points in just 6 games and is likely to return any day as he was close enough last night to be a game time decision.  GM Andrew will also be making the decision today on Krejci.  After all these injury picks, a Waiver that can very much be had according to GM Ryan will be in play "After supper sometime".  Ryan is hunting so the menu is likely can beans as one GM called him "The worst hunter of the leagues hunter-crazed GM's".  It appears only the gentle, kind hearted, loving, caring GM's Andrew and Scott are the lone non-killers of the group.  After supper we will see who has the Waiver and how the night plays out.  

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Bidding War Erupts For Waiver

These are just rumors now.  Apparently GM Ryan has been told by a few GM's how badly they want Thursday's Waiver.  What will GM Ryan do, we have no idea.  "It is uncertain what he really wants to do, we are in limbo" stated Muddy Capone.  Chicago (Andrew) was just as vague with his Saturday waiver stating he is "Open to anything" followed by he may use it or he may keep his team cause they are scoring so much.  That part is true, but the vagueness of GM's saying they are open to anything, leaves us with no idea what they want to do.  "Every GM with a Waiver the last 10 years was open to anything" stated Capone, "Without specific players, it is just a waste of time writing about it when the GM himself has no idea what he wants to do."  We are assuming that both Waivers may be had, but they may be used and the GM's may move a player, or they might hold onto their rosters.  Ryan himself did say three players had to go, but we are unsure if he plans to keep Shipachyov for four more days and turn his one into a five, or if he is looking to move him.  We can likely assume Ryan wants to definitely move Ritchie in any deal, as holding him must be painful.  We do expect Ryan to trade the Waiver and players, but Chicago's on Saturday, "Open to anything" isn't letting much info out other then he has no idea what he is doing with the Waiver just yet.  Las Vegas (Vinnie) can drop Perreault today before 6 PM for a player up to 5 points.

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Matt - Andrew - Shawn

The top six scoring NHLP teams belong to just three GM's.  Each of GM's Matt, Andrew and Shawn have two teams in the top six while GM Andrew's third team is 8th, with all his teams having 92 or more points.  Six NHLP GM's don't have a team with at least 92.  Andrew's three teams are 85 more points then defending NHLP Champion GM Tyson.  Not only are these three GM's scoring, their first place teams have whopping amounts of points to give.  Cincinnati (Matt) is already 37 points clear of 5th while Matt's Indianapolis Icemen are 29 points ahead.  "We are not at the quarter point yet" said Muddy Capone.  Five NHLP teams have not reached 70 points while the NY Islanders (Ryan) have a stomach-turning 55 points on the season.  How bad are things on the Island?  The team is already 28 points back of 4th place in the Atlantic.  "Can you imagine the blockbuster deal coming there" said Muddy Capone, "Here is a team with Crosby, Keith, Johnson and Hornqvist."  With so many NHLP teams sitting so high in the standings, the writing may be on the wall for one of the bigger trades the NHLP has seen in years.  "Here is a GM who once got 58 points in a deal, so Ryan knows how to maximize his return" Capone added. 

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Ship-it-off

GM Ryan said Thursday's Waiver can be had.  The GM who is off in the Wisconsin wilderness hunting (shooting dead) anything that moves said he has full services and will respond to any offers for his Green Bay Waiver.  Shipachyov has one point and is a minus one, or a zero if dropped during the Waiver.  Green Bay thinks they may be best served to trade or even move back Waivers and turn Shipachyov into a 5 point player on the 20th.  "If someone wants to acquire him as well, even holding him on their roster for the few extra days, that can work" said Ryan.  The Knights GM did not specifically name players who he is looking to move or unload, only saying "There are three there who have to go".  We can assume the other is Ritchie, but after that the roster is pretty respectable.  If Ryan does move the Waiver, the price should not be cheap.  "There is a lot of talent in the Minors for guys wanting to set their teams early" Ryan said, "Shipachyov just is a bad situation."  A creative GM would be able to take Shipachyov and move him elsewhere for points and make a successful dump, but you have to think outside the box sometimes.  Certainly Ryan should receive some offers for the Knights Thursday Waiver.

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"Much Improved"

GM Marcel loved what he did in Florida after a huge deal to acquire Voracek from Philadelphia.  "We could not gain the three points we need to acquire Namestkinov, who was one of our targets" said Marcel, "But yet we are extremely happy to add the sixth overall scoring player in the league."  The Panthers basically ended with Voracek, Duchene and Galchenyuk for Lee, MacKinnon and Bennett, what appears to be a huge upgrade to the team who is now better scoring and only 4 points out of a playoff spot.  GM's Marcel and Scott got down to business after no one offered Marcel any points.  "This is the next best thing" Marcel had said before the deal.  A sticker to the deal to acquire Voracek for basically Namestkinov was Marcel keep Schultz.  GM Scott had to accept less, and take Ho-Sang, not the way he said he "Drew it up" but how bad did he want Namestkinov was the question.  The deal came together nicely in the end and both GM's were extremely happy.

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 "If I Had the Waiver, I'd Drop Voracek For Namestkinov"

GM Scott can never be said to be "Uncreative".  Scott posed a simple question to himself.  "If I had tonight's Waiver, who would I go after.  I would drop Voarcek and add Namestkinov, so I knew what I wanted to do" said the GM, "So we went and did it."  While GM Scott is likely the only GM in the league to make such an aggressive move this early, the GM said he doesn't live in game 17.  "I don't care how early it is in the season" the Flyer GM said, " We identify and we go after.  Most other GM's would keep Voracek for his scoring, but I scratch my head as to why.  He is a fringe player, who might make the playoffs, might not, certainly someone good teams can't carry with them into battle as such.  We are at the quarter season mark and he has 3 more points then Namestkinov.  What will he end up, 15, 20 more?  I'd trade him at the deadline for those 15 to 20 more, but what if then I can't trade him cause Philly is non-playoffs?  So grab the assets when you can.  Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.  We just see things differently then most GM's.  We aren't done.  Not by a long shot.  But you can only get so many guys each Waiver.  Tomorrow is another day, but today we added a huge asset.  I will say now he is the type of asset that come June that one guy who we picked up for a player we really didn't want, but were grateful for his scoring, but that one guy who can then truly make the difference.  Trust me.  I will have him in June.  He ain't going no-where.  That is how much I value him.  I just have to work harder to ensure his team is still playing along his side.  That is the goal, to work harder to make our team better." 

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GM Charlie - "Carter is To Valuable"
GM Vinnie - " "

GM's Charlie and Vinnie both agreed, well kind of, that Carter was too valuable to be dropped to the Minors.  Carter can now be dropped any day by 6 PM for up to 5 points.  Carter will likely be back after Christmas, so should miss about 20 more games prior to his return.  Both NHLP teams, Phoenix and Atlantic City are doing quite well and are well in playoffs spots and have not been hurt by Carter's injury so far.  "He'd be gone in a second in a Waiver" said GM Charlie, "Carter is to Valuable playing on the first place Kings."  Both GM's will get maximum bang for their player if they decide to move him later, with his second half low number.  GM Vinnie clearly echoed everything Charlie said and went on to add " ".  When you have McDavid on your teams roster, really what else is there to say!

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Panthers - Add Shultz - Look to Deal

Right after Toronto (Chad) added Parayko, Florida (Marcel) added Shultz for the injured Coyle who is now in the Minors twice.  "I hope I can make some moves" said GM Marcel, "I need three points and Schultz had almost 60 points last year, he might be the steal and a huge deal for points for someone later."  The GM said he has his Waiver targets in sight and is hoping GM's are interested in high scorers Lee or MacKinnon, but admits the slower starting players may be the most attractive in the Lineup.  Jenner is another great pick up as he is playing well, tons of minutes per game, and Columbus might actually be taking that next step this year.  Friday sees two injury picks, first by GM Vinnie in Atlantic City and then Charlie in Phoenix, where both GM's may replace Carter up to 5 point.

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Will Pacioretty Get Claimed Today?

Today is the day our first test subject would have to clear Waivers.  The NHLP is just evaluating the interest and possibly procedures involved in a Waiver Wire type rule.   This rule could alleviate over a dozen drops at the meetings which could give us more time for trade talk during the meetings, instead of deal after deal on the board, as it is now.  Back on October 24th New Orleans (Shawn) put Pacioretty on Waivers (but really Shawn didn't, but lets pretend he did).  He had two points at the time and has since picked it up in a big way, as have his Habs.  Today Pacioretty would have to Clear Waivers.  He has 10 points.  This means any GM could submit a player they would like to use to claim Pacioretty off the Waiver Wire, who has 10 points or more.  It could even be an injured player.  The GM who submitted the most points, like a meetings deal to the Minors, could Claim Pacioretty off the Waiver Wire for the player they offered, with the Pecking Order today breaking any ties.  Now on Sunday, Shawn would drop that player and his point total and select from the Minors a replacement player.  If Pacioretty goes unclaimed, he would be the player dropped.  Pacioretty is on fire and although it is believed most players would just clear Waivers, Pacioretty is likely one who would get claimed today.  If you are interested in claiming him today for a 10 point or more player, send it in and lets see what happens.  Of course, you won't really get Pacioretty (hope people have that part down by now) as we are still evaluating how this could actually work.  After this little experiment we are going to put another player on the Waiver Wire, but using the recently suggested method by GM Andrew, where that play can be selected any day, by any GM (by 6 PM), and when that occurs, that player would have to pass immediately through the Claiming Period on the next day, when all GM's would have one final a crack at him.  More on that later, but would anyone take Pacioretty today?

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Panthers Set to Use Waiver

The Florida Panthers (Marcel) are in their 10th anniversary of their only NHLP Cup.  That team was already the second of back to back Cups for Getzlaf (see next article) but one of the best NHLP teams in our leagues history.  It is safe to say, the 2017/18 Florida team ain't that good at all.  GM Marcel knows his team needs help.  "It just keeps getting worse" said Marcel after the Drouin injury last night.  Coyle is a needed five point injury pick on Thursday who will be used to help the team restock.  The GM said he will be taking Duchene and Galchenyuk which will be at least 16 points, dropping Lee, Coyle's 5 point replacement and 0 Point Per Game producing Bennett who is without a cheap second assist in 15 games.  "Least if they healthy scratch him things can't get any worst" commented Marcel about his situation.  The GM said someone might want Lee with how good the Islanders have been playing, or a two for two with Coyle's replacement, letting them select who they want from the Minors for up to 5 points.  "I can pick a guy and trade him" Marcel stated, "But we have to get a deal done by 6 PM tomorrow, if I make a pick tomorrow."  One thing seems certain, the Waiver is not for sale as the team needs to replace Bennett.  The Panthers are open for business ahead of Saturday's second Waiver of the season.

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Getzlaf Huge Loss For Flames

Getzlaf has been an unstoppable force recently in the NHLP, with a point a game this year, last playoffs with 19 in 17 games and last season in 74 games.  He just keeps putting up the numbers.  GM Jr jumped on him 18th overall this past draft, the pick before GM Chad took Scheifele.  Getzlaf proved he was every bit worth the pick when he played, but struggled with his lower body injury out of the gate until a fluke injury now has him gone two months.  On October 29th he was hit in the face by the puck which required surgery on his cheek bone.  For Calgary, this is a devastating injury to their season.  It wasn't like Getzlaf had 20 points out of the gate where a replacement would be a solid NHL player.  With just 7 points GM Jr must now make a tough call that will impact his season.  The Flames may replace Getzlaf, a two-time NHLP Champion, on November 21, after he misses 9 games.  Odds are that won't happen, as Getzlaf is expected back in January, projected to miss 30 games.  How many points will a 7 point replacement get in 21 games, likely 10, meaning when Getzlaf is set to return he would only be 10 points behind any replacement, with 40 games to play.  It also means Calgary sat 30 games without a point from Getzlaf, who should be their leading scorer, so how far back will they be then?  With his second half low point total, as long as Anaheim is in the playoff picture, he could potentially big one of the biggest second half trades, points wise, where a team 50+ points up would think nothing of dropping 25+ on Getzlaf by himself.  The issue is that without Getzlaf playing, and keeping him, the Flames are going to fall way back, already 6 points out and in last place in the Pacific.  If Anaheim is not a playoff team, even his second half scoring won't be enough to score the team in, and Getzlaf won't be worth 25 in a trade if the Ducks quack isn't echoing, and that's where the Flames season might burn out.  Of course, if Getzlaf is in the Minors, you know a top team will make him their 7th player on the first possible Waiver.  Another GM who has an injured player, joining other GM's who collectively have 14 players waiting for pickup on the Injury Calendar, although none may be this big in terms of huge NHLP injuries.

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Four Injury Picks

The NHLP Injury Calendar has four injury picks this week, two Thursday and two Friday.  As of today Marcel is 9 points ahead of Chad in the Pecking Order, meaning Chad would have the first pick and Marcel would have to have a backup, if his choice is only in the Minors once.  The following day Charlie is currently 16 points ahead of Vinnie so Charlie would have to have two picks in by 6 PM if he wants to ensure he gets a pick that night, if his option is only in the Minors once.  Of course, the Pecking Order is as of the day of the picks, and the next few days could change the Pecking Order.  Krejci was added for Jr and Andrew on the 16th.  Niederreiter came off for Tyson.  If you have a player who should be up there but isn't, let me know.
 

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Transaction Page Faster

The Transaction page was getting a little slow, with over 900 Transactions on there.  So I created a page, at the top of the Transaction page to view those and just this seasons is on the Transaction page, to speed up the loading time.

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 Titan GM Aggressive With Waiver

Right after another GM stated their was "Nothing in the Minors he liked" GM Scott saw things a little different.  "This is just the first seven of 21 I want to pull out of there, but I need two more Waivers first" said Scott after his first 7 for 7.  Scott stated that when you have players like Huberdeau and O'Reilly, there scoring is fun but rather useless.  "You can hold on to these guys until they have 30, 40, 50, 75 points, but when you try and trade them, you don't always get what you hope in return.  I just ensured that I got what I'd want later, now, for free."  Not lost on the GM is that Tampa Bay hasn't played game 17 yet this year.  "Last season I had Stamkos, he lead the league in scoring and in game 17 is gone for the season, Tampa falls apart and misses the playoffs, so there is that risk, that they might not be who I think they are, but I'd still take that risk over a Florida or Buffalo player.  If they are who I think they are, I have the start, just the start of a potential dream season."  If there was nothing to like in the Minors, there is a little less to like for GM Marcel who has the next Waiver, next Saturday in Florida, one he must certainly use and another 7 for 7 from him might be his best move after falling 28 points clear of the Titan in the North Division.

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 Saturday Night's Alright For Scoring

Officially three NHLP teams reached double digit points Saturday night and GM Andrew's Chicago team did it after acquiring two players in a trade.  Philadelphia (Scott) hit 11 points on the night and the GM watched hoping Hartnell could add one more for what could have been.  "It is hard to believe after 28 years in this league I still only have hit 12 points 5 times" the GM said who was denied his sixth which would have put him in the all-time lead with the most ever, currently tied with the legend in the making, GM Tyson who has 5 in just 8 short NHLP seasons.  Although several NHLP GM's had 20 points on the night, GM Tyson only had 4 between his three teams.  Halifax (Shawn) and Cincinnati (Matt) both reached 10 point nights, having three teams flirting with a dozen.  "Not often do you see that many teams score like that" said Muddy Capone, "Clearly it was one of the bigger scoring nights the league has seen."  Six NHL games ended 5-4 and another 6-4.

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Quebec Grabs Assets - Elite Player Traded

GM Matt said he was a little disappointed more GM's weren't involved but others said there was "Nothing attractive in the Minors."  Matt said it came down to GM's Chad and Scott and San Fran ended with the Waiver in a player trade, Waiver swap and picks deal.  Connor, picked up yesterday by the Titan was moved to Quebec, along with the November 22nd Waiver, two seconds, a third and fourth round pick.  For Quebec they now have a Waiver 4 Waivers from now to add even more assets.  "I think I did well" said Matt.  For GM Scott it is no surprise is scoops up the first Waiver, but he seldom trades an Elite player so quickly.  The Titan moved Nylander to Colorado (Chad) for Zibanajad in a deal that had more than one Gm shaking their head.  One GM stated they were upset that the Scott didn't shop Nylander and said he could have gotten so much more.  Scott said he agreed but, "Things move quickly and sometimes all you really have to do is ask" said the GM.  "I had no interest in Toronto players, or Florida or Buffalo, but Waiver three Bolts and a couple Sens in my face, now that excited me."  Clearly, the games have begun.

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  Connor Gone

Connor is no longer in the Minors as he was GM Shawn's injury pick for Kesler in New Orleans.  "I think he has a lot of upside if he stays with Scheifele" the GM said. 

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Quebec Takes Dvorak

GM Matt stated, "Dvorak is going to get 50 this year", very excited to pluck the high-scoring player from Edmonton's (Scott) roster.  The Oil now have Parise who is an injury pick up to 5 points tomorrow.  Quebec can now also move Dvorak with the Waiver.  The Nordiques GM said there is "Great interest" in tonight's Waiver and is taking offers as we type this.

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IT'S WAIVER SEASON!!!

The official kick off to the NHLP trading season is here.  The Waivers, allowing GM's to unload their dead-weight and build Championship teams at the same time.  The Waivers are very impactful.  A GM with the Waiver has an uncontested pick of the entire minors.  The hardest thing, as always is the case, is making the numbers work.  Strategy can be for scoring, or grabbing top players available on top teams, knowing those players will eventually be in high demand.  Quebec has an 8 PM deadline tonight and today has the pick of either Reinhart, Dvorak or Konecny in a deal for Parise.  Any of those players may be involved in an offer said the Quebec GM.  Prior to the Waiver, the NHLP expects GM Shawn will make an injury pick for Kesler, who was drafted injured in hopes of grabbing a skilled player from the pick better than maybe Shawn would have gotten otherwise.  The five point players in the NHL are current 240 players deep.  Start us off Matt!

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 Mistake or Meant To Be?

GM Scott said it was painful watching the Winnipeg Jets game Thursday night, knowing his targeted injury replacement player only needed a single point and he would no longer be an option.  "The Kid misses a breakaway, gets a penalty shot and losses control of the puck, misses a wide open empty net with the goalie pulled and then has a two on one with the goalie pulled, empty net with Scheifele, and of course, this time Scheifele doesn't pass him the puck, but takes the shot for his Hat Trick goal" said the Titan GM, "I knew right then, this is either a huge mistake or is meant to be."  San Fran said they left much better NHL players in the Minors for Strome's replacement but Scott admitted he will always take the higher upside over the sure thing.  "We don't play things safe" said the veteran GM, "We always go for it, go big, that chance to hit a game-winning extra base hit over the bunt him to second with no out out approach."  Scott said he is aware of what comes next, when Perreault returns to the Jets lineup mid month, either Ehlers, Connor or Perreault will have to go to the third line.  "I am willing to bet it becomes Perreault's new home" the GM said, then adding, "But it would be far from the first time I have struck out, if Connor goes back to the AHL."  The NHLP weekend ahead sees two injury picks, Kesler and Parise, a player moved to complete the Parise deal as well as a Quebec (Matt) Waiver that has an 8 PM deadline Saturday for offers.

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  Who Else Is Under Contract?

Imagine being a professional sports team and you don't have any players left under contract to fill a position.  It happens.  But imagine that position is likely the most valuable in sports, an NHL goalie.  The Vegas Golden Knights lost, to injury, their first three signed goalies.  The team, like most NHL teams, only have four goalies under contract in total.  With Legace their fourth goalie, they needed a fifth that they simply did not have.  What do you do?  A goalie signed to an entry level contract playing for Kamloops Blazers, Dylan Ferguson gets called up on an emergency basis from the WHL.  His stats in Kamloops:  4-9, 4.05 GAA, .879 SP.  Within the teams first ten games they are playing a fourth goalie in Legace and potentially a WHL goalie who had to realize a month ago their was no way in this world he would ever play in the NHL this season.  Well, never say never.  Let's just not hope Legace gets injured.  The next option is currently playing pick up hockey in Vladivostok, Russia.

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Waiver Available in Quebec

It isn't GM Matt's style to pass on an early Waiver.  He is usually one of the GM's who drive the price to acquire one, very high.  The GM said if he gets a decent package, likely a Waiver and Picks, although certain players are very much available, he will move it indeed.  The GM's logic is he likes making a splash with the Waiver and he is only 8 out of 4th, with playoff players he refuses to send to the minors so soon, or give up on completely by trading them away.  "I have all my slow starters on one team" the GM said, "These are guys who I believe will score me in, so the Waiver is just on my wrong team is all."  Parise is officially gone, likely for Konecny, but the Nords have a three player option on Saturday.  Early Waivers can set up a team for the season, but not every GM is willing to pay the steep prices to play.  The aggressive GM's, Scott, Andrew, Shawn and Matt are constantly going hard while a second group of GM's including Chad, Marcel and Joel, often bid on the Waivers.  In the past three seasons GM's Charlie, Jr, Ryan, Tyson and Vinnie have only sold Waivers.  "There are a variety of team building methods" states Muddy Capone, "Some GM's place more weight on acquiring Waivers, especially early Waivers while others like to acquire assets that help them in other ways."  The first Waiver of the season available can only mean the Nords should receive a nice package on Saturday.

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 Sides - After 10 Games

NHL teams have now played 10 games.  Is that a lot?  Well it is 12 percent of the season and in another 10 games, a full quarter of the season, so it is an OK sample sizes.  On the Sides page, highlighted in GREEN background is the current leader of the side based on the current statistics. 

Ottawa is looking like a playoff team while Carolina is right there, but technically not in.  Kucherov is on pace for 89 goals and to just reach 50 he will need 38 more in his last 71 games.  Let's not say what Vegas is on pace for, that is silly, but what they have to play the rest of the way to win this side.  Vegas needs to reach 46 or more and has 16, 30 points away with 73 games to go.  Vegas would have to go 2-8 every 10 game segment the rest of the way to reach 46 or more.  Tavares is on pace for 82 points.  Benn & Seguin can't get 180 points can they?  They are currently on pace for 179.  I said they are currently on pace for 179 points!  Matt knows this fucking shit boys!  Matthews is 7 points behind Stamkos with a game at hand.  It isn't looking good, but with 5 to 1 odds, I don't think it is looking horrible either.  Matthews is up on Draisaitl 14-6 and Eichel is up on McDavid 26-10.  Montreal is only behind Toronto by 9 points.  Matthews is on pace to get more than the 76, currently on pace for 114.  Cup Winner?  Well,. highlighted is the top team in each Conference.  Wow.  Erin has Las Vegas.  *gulping*  Toronto to win a round?  Well currently they would start the playoffs on the road, so you have to say no.  Will Stammer get more than 66 points?  He is 45 away with 71 to play and is on pace for 157.  Dvorak is on pace for 33, not 50.  Jumob Joe is on pace for 64, 13 more than 51.  Nylander is on pace for 74. 

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Chicago Adds Steen

GM Andrew admitted he was surprised that Steen stayed available, especially after his 4 point game a few games back.  The Chicago GM had to reach 210+ plus players back on the NHL Stats page to find a 5 point player for the Drafted-injured Fabbri.  "I think you can say it worked out well for us" said Andrew, "But the five point players are few and far between."  On the injury page the NHLP is tracking this seasons first injury picks so it can see if the current five point rule is fair.  By making the choice to draft an injured player Andrew admitted he threw away hope of picking a "Gostisbehere", one of a half dozen 7th round picks with 10 to 15 points.  Those players can be massive drops in an early Waiver, off-setting the GM's strategy of assuring a 5 point decent pick early, which he achieved.  "There are many schools of thought" the GM said who admits the strategy might not be the best play.  "I would hate to have to pick all three 7th rounder's from the 5 or less options right now and compete with another GM doing the same" stated Andrew, "There simply is not the quality of player, this year anyhow."  Two more injury picks are slated by the time of Quebec's (Matt) first Waiver of the season which occurs on Saturday.

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Injury Ravaged League

There are now 16 long term injuries on the Injury Chart and all but one is an up to 5 point player.  In fact in the next three weeks their are 15 injury picks and 4 Waivers.  "It would be almost impossible for all these guys to have to pick a five or less point player of any quality, and some don't pick until after four Waivers" said Muddy Capone, "But if they drop their player, that is what they will be up against doing."  GM Andrew has the first Injury Pick of the season on Tuesday for Fabbri, a player Andrew drafted with the intentions of doing this exact thing.  The eyes of the league are watching to see just how well GM's benefit from drafting injured players.  A recent look at the list leaves a lot of doubt more than a few GM's could benefit from the strategy, but all indications are the first several GM's to pick will find a suitable player with under five who is available.  GM's who have used this strategy are assured a five point player, but they also gave up all hope of having a 10+ point 7th rounder (and if you look there are many) which could be even more deadly in a Waiver pick, points which some of the 7th round picks now have. 

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BOG To Close Loophole?

A trend in the NHLP is for GM's to draft long term injured players, knowing under the current collective bargaining agreement they can replace a 7th rounder 13 games into the NHLP season for a player with 5 points.  The Board of Governors has agreed this was never the intention of the Draft and this is a bit of a loophole that needs closing.  GM Jr does not want to over-regulate, which could hurt teams all season while GM Scott does not want teams to benefit, creating even more teams who want to draft retired players.  Both GM's agree it is a loophole of sorts that needs the Boards attention.  GM Andrew, who drafted Fabbri is set to replace him with a 5 point player in four days, and before any Waiver takes place.  GM Shawn will do the same for Kesler before the first NHLP Waiver.  "Here you have a team like Florida, who drafted healthy players and is sitting with two players without a single point, Jenner and Bennett said GM Scott, "But GM Marcel can't do a damn thing."  In total 31 of the NHLP's 36 teams have at least 2 players under 5 points with the majority of teams having 3 players in that range.  Of all players drafted, 94 still have not gotten their 6th point, some 37% of all drafted players. With only 14% of all drafted players in the 7th round, it is clear that players from all rounds still don't have 6 points.  An issue is the BOG agrees 5 points isn't a lot and you can't get a 5 point player come January, so the 5 points is a fair number later, but this early, is it too much to soon?  Drafted players aside, we have players like Strome, drafted by GM Scott in San Fran.  He played two games and went to the AHL.  If he is not called up, in one week, and before the first Waiver, his 0 will be a 5 for San Fran.  GM Scott himself agrees he will bonus, an injury that seemingly not only did not hurt the team, but helped the team, totally not the intention of the NHLP rules.  "We don't want to kill a teams season with an injury" said the GM, "But you should be hurt, not benefit when your guy misses games."  The BOG has solutions in place, just still some tweaking and agreement as a whole yet to occur, but it is clear next year, there will be some changes made in these areas. 

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Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario - All The Scoring

If you love hockey, surely you have heard of the city.  The home of the Soo Greyhounds, the 1993 Memorial Cup Champions.  We are reminded, "AGAIN" of the Soo with Jumbo Joe Thornton, a former Greyhound, scoring into the top 20 all-time NHL scorers.  Way to go Joe!  We love ya.  What isn't lost on us is Sault Ste. Marie.  There is NO city in the entire world, Toronto, New York, Tokyo.  Not a city, anywhere, with as many ties to the top 20 all-time NHL scorers as the Soo has.  Number one on the all time list, Wayne Gretzky of course played for the Hounds and his 99 hangs in the rafters, as it should in every arena in the NHL for that matter.  Fifth in all-time scoring is a Sault Ste. Marie boy, Ron Francis and still another Soo born kid is 10th all-time, Phil Esposito.  At 13th on the list is former Greyhound Paul Coffey.  Although Coffey was born in Edmonton and Gretzky and Messier played there, with Thornton replacing the 4th tie on the list to Edmonton, Kurri who was 20th, now the Soo has 5 ties (Gretzky-Francis-Esposito-Coffey and Thornton) to the top 20 all-time scoring players in history of the game, and the Oilers only now have 3.  The city of Sault Ste. Marie needs to update the sign coming into town or change the cities motto to "The Home of the Scoring".  It is.  Well, did I mention Soo-born Tony Esposito is 8th in all-time wins.  "The Home of the Scoring, and Tony".

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That's The Spirit

heather who has been following the Cup Holder says "Joel hasn't lost yet...TILL NOW."  Saturday night she will get her first crack at the Cup Holder.  If you look at NEXT YEARS rules, further down the Cup Holder page, I have laid them out.  This will make every game critical all season, as four losses will eliminate your team and the person who beat you now would own your team while a fourth win, moves you to the next round and starts your record over.  Check it out.

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Something Has To Give

The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a very decent start with 13 point in 10 games, only 5 teams in the NHL have more points.  The issue is they are 6-3-1 and have allowed 8 more goals then they have scored.  In fact, Pittsburgh's 40 goals allowed is the leagues worst.  Yes, behind Arizona, who is 0-8-1.  What does allowing 8 more goals mean?  Well, there are only 5 teams worst in the NHL and their combined record is 9-30-7.  Now Pittsburgh has lost Schultz (Halifax, Shawn) to a concussion.  There is no way Pittsburgh can continue to win at that rate, without correcting this issue.  It is impossible and NEVER happens where a team allows the most goals in the league and wins twice the games they lose.  So, either the Pens are going to start allowing a few less goals, or they are going to start losing a lot more hockey games.  I mean their scoring isn't that good.  After even games, over 10 NHL teams will have scored more, including Vegas.  Now, we are talking about the team that hasn't stop playing hockey for two straight years, winning back to back Cups.  Their NHLP owners don't care where they finish, and as long as they are in the playoffs, you won't want to face them as a first round opponent.  Lots of teams start slow and get it going.  They have started fast, and they aren't going.  So, if they start going, correcting the back end, maybe we all better watch out for the Pens as then they would never lose.  Right now, there is a serious problem and something has to give.  Lets see which it is.

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Seasons First Players Traded

The Quebec Nordiques (Matt) and the Edmonton Oil (Scott) got a little creative with their first player move of the NHLP season.  The GM's had previously been talking and GM Scott wanted to acquire Parise and with the news of the day that he is gone long term after having Surgery, the deal came together much quicker.  Edmonton now has the rights to Parise, while GM Matt has his option of either Reinhart, Konecny or Dvorak, and has until November the 4th to decide which player he wants.  The Nordiques have the Waiver, the first of the season, on the 4th, and now will have at least a 3 point player in place of Parise's zero, and if all goes well, maybe 5 or 6 points.  For Edmonton, they will have their choice of the Minors, selecting any player in the Minors up to 5 points the day after the Nordiques have the Waiver.  Matt was happy to have the additional points and Scott was happy to be able to pick any player in the Minors under 5 points on that day, with several targets already in mind.  This is the first deal of the young season with the first Waiver now 10 days away.

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An Open Mind 

The NHLP has one of the longer rule books, with built in case book examples of how it all works.  Many rules over the years come and go and have been changed and altered as the league grows.  "I have always been a big believer in change" said GM Scott who along with GM Jr, and now the Board of Governors, also consisting of GM's Andrew and Shawn, handle the Rules Department of the NHLP.  "There is a lot of experience in that group" said Muddy Capone, "And they deliver on the fly when needed, something the league depends on at key moments."  The league's rule book does state that rules are voted on, and they are, but when the four BOG members come together in agreement and make a rule for the league, having 7 of the remaining 8 GM's get together and vote it down has never happened.  It is Scott who claims that just because we do something one way, is that the best way to do it?  "You can never be so content that you avoid something new" said Scott, "New things scare people until the day they admit they can't recall how they got by without them."  Often the NHLP new rules will sometimes take years before they enter the league as the BOG thinks them over, test implementing exactly how they work under all scenarios, and working out those kinks.  The what about this and that, is something they have been doing for 30 years.  Weighing how something can affect other things in the "Butterfly Effect" is important to this group.  When the time is right, we will often give something a try, realizing it may fail, but you only ever fail trying in the first place.  Some of the very best ever rules the leagues has today, they were willing to fail by trying it for real, only to find they can't recall how they got by without them in the first place.

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Wouldn't It Be Nice

Firstly, let's get the elephant in the room out of the way.  It is still one of my favorite Beach Boy tunes of all time.  It is good enough to be the Beatles.   Now, as far as an NHLP GM goes, wouldn't it be nice to not have drafted some of these guys?  Can't go back now.  Every GM has guys they are looking to unload.  Hoping sooner than later to unload them.  It isn't fair to pick on one player, for every single team has a 'couple point' player right now.  We could name 30 players right now that are off to terrible starts and will eventually go the way of Waivers or at the meetings, the Winter Meeting and the Trading Deadline.  So we have these guys we don't want.  Wouldn't it be nice if there was another easy way to replace them?  Furthermore, the meetings are still non-stop.  They are still too busy.  I am convinced the big blockbuster deals still don't occur as much as they could because we just cannot get away from the board.  Update this and update that.  The clock never stocks.  Over 20 transactions just to the Minors at 10 minutes per.  It seems all you do is update the next move from the Minors, with no time to truly look at everyone else's teams.  Going and talking about a trade is so much fun.  Thank God for the Waivers.  They have worked to alleviate many hours of time that no longer need to go through the meetings.  Wouldn't it be nice to have more time at the meetings to work the league?

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The Waiver Wire

What you are about to read is nothing.  Don't be scared.  It is not a new rule.  It isn't being implemented in two weeks.  What it is though is something that is now on the table.  It is being talked about, worked over, kink tested, scenario proofed.  After that, now we can really talk about it.  We are calling it "The Waiver Wire".  It is BIG!  It has the ability to be another game changer.  Maybe something we should have always been doing.  Maybe something that we agree we can't recall how we got by without them.  The following is just laying out a rough sketch.  Remember the details, those would come later.  Although you will read it with details, all those may change, or maybe none of this ever occurs anyways.  But here goes....

Starting a week before the first Waiver of the Season (or at some point), the Waiver Wire could open.  It will be combined with the Injury Calendar (seems to make sense - or will have its own page and calendar) where players placed on the Waiver Wire will appear.  A GM can now place any player they want, at any time, on the Waiver Wire.

For example (and as I said, there are many) let say that GM's Andrew and Shawn don't want Pacioretty anymore.  The guy has just one point in eight games, Montreal is hopeless, and Pacioretty already called himself the "Worst player on the ice."  No arguments here so far!  Makes sense they don't want him and anyone else in his place would do just fine.  However, Andrew has 6 Cups and knows Pacioretty is going to either turn it on (maybe if he thinks and hopes and prays, it might come true), or get traded, and Andrew himself can always just trade him to Marcel, easy thing to do.  But Shawn, see, he don't have any Cups.  He likes to rush to judgment on players and puts Pacioretty on the Waiver Wire.  The league gets an email before 6 PM (some set time) on a given day from Shawn saying "Put Pacioretty on the Waiver Wire."  The league administrators put up Pacioretty on the Waiver Wire Calendar for that date.  Plain and simple - Pacioretty is officially gone.  Shawn can't go back now and the process is now in place.

 A Player Goes on the Waiver Wire (Calendar)

In Player Tracking  - Pacioretty is a "10" under the Injury Games column.  We would use this number and look at Montreal's schedule and Pacioretty would, if put on the Waiver Wire today, miss his 10th game and be ready for pick up on November 12th and would be on the Calendar as such. 

So now Shawn must wait, but will get to unload Pacioretty on November 12th.  Unlike an injured player, where Pacioretty will miss the next ten games, have one point and be able to be replaced for up to 5 points, Pacioretty is still playing.  So he had one point when put on the Waiver Wire and his points count now if he gets any over those 10 games.  Lets say he "Lights it up" and gets 3 more points, so now Shawn would have a four point player on November 12th in Pacioretty.  He drops Pacioretty by 6 PM, just like an injury pick and picks any player with up to 4 points.  With a Waiver Wire you can't get up to 5 if your player has less then 5 - you only replace with a player equal points or less.

Now that is simple.  But...

Can Another GM Pluck a Player Off The Waiver Wire?

This is a very interesting thought.  What I am thinking is after he plays his "Second to last game" before he can be picked up he is now open to be plucked off Waivers.  So in this case Pacioretty had to miss 10 games.  After his 8th Game, lets say he has 4 points.  He is placed front and center on the NHLP homepage with a time line cutoff of the start of his game 9 as the cutoff.  Any GM can give (just like the minors) one player for Pacioretty and Shawn must take who gives him the most points (if anyone) with the pecking order in play.  Those can be sent to Admin and admin makes the move after the deadline passes.  Now that replacement player must be dropped by Shawn - But Shawn could get more than 4 points to use now...maybe, maybe not.  If no one plucks Pacioretty off the Waiver Wire - Shawn must drop Pacioretty after his 10th game and gets a replacement on November 12th.
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Can a Player be Traded if on the Waiver Wire?

If you get the option to move him earlier to a guy with the Waiver, go for it.  However, that must occur before he plays his second to last game and goes on the NHLP homepage.  At that point he needs to Clear Waivers and is essentially in a bidding war for points.  After that, he is either going to the team that plucks him off the Waiver Wire or to the Minors.  Shawn's replacement will have to be made by 6 PM on November 12th (picking after any Injury pickup that day) or Pacioretty's points will freeze at 4 and Shawn will keep getting pushed back day after day until he replaces him - with the frozen number of 4.  So a GM will immediately pick a replacement.

The entire process is actually quick simple.  It is like an injured player and replacement, only you decide who you want to drop and get a replacement for.

More Thoughts?

-Maybe you only have one Waiver Wire per season, per team, like a Waiver
-Maybe you can trade it, like a Waiver, and get a pick back for your Waiver Wire
-Maybe they are unlimited, but each team can only ever have one guy on the Waiver Wire at a time, or even a GM can only have one player from any of his teams on the Waiver Wire at a time.
-There is a natural cut off of course, come the Trade Deadline, no players can be moved after that date.
-If a player is on the Waiver Wire and a meeting arrives, he can be moved freely during the meeting, but if he is not, after the meeting he would still be on the Waiver Wire
-Can you trade a player on the Waiver Wire to another GM who then Drops that player with the Waiver Wire?  I don't see why not, but this needs more thought.  Or if a player is traded, his Waiver Wire status is no more?  There may be added value in trading a player on the Waiver Wire for the GM getting him might have his sights set on a player in the Minors with equal or less points.
-You could not drop a good player through the Waiver Wire with hopes you are going to pick him up with a Waiver on another team - firstly, he would never "Clear Waivers" if he was any good and secondly, we have rules in place where another team must pick a Waiver before you pick a player you dumped.  I don't see this an issue.

Take a look at your own players right now.  I think you have someone you would place on the Waiver Wire today.  I know I do.  If we have another way to unload guys, it might make the Minors less time consuming at the meetings.  The Waiver Wire will never be as huge as a Waiver - for a Waiver is many players and all kinds of point combinations.  This is just always one for one.  The Minors at the meetings are still like that Waiver, but in the meantime simple one player drops can be done with the Waiver Wire, maybe shaving off an hour of time at the meetings.  More time to sit back and look for that big trade.  If it serves that purpose, and I know it will, maybe we should give the Waiver Wire some serious thought.

"You know it seems the more we talk about it, it only makes it worse to live without it"

Wouldn't It Be Nice...

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Random Thoughts

- Ovechkin had 7 goals in his first two games and has already been caught by Kucherov, who also has 10 goals in 9 games, but has 16 less shots then Ovie. 
- I think after last nights game, I don't view Vegas as an expansion team anymore.  They have already now beat some good teams.  Beating St Louis was a real eye opener.  Ya, they can't really score with only 23 goals in 7 games (although that ain't bad) but they have only allowed 17 goals.  Pittsburgh has allowed 39.  Tampa has the most points in the league with 15, but Vegas has 12 with two less games played.
- Montreal and Arizona have a combined 4 points in 16 games, a goal differential of minus 36.  I could have included the Oilers in here as well.  Pathetic!
- Joel's Carolina team has two of the leagues only three players averaging two points per game, Stamkos and Bergeron.  Who is the other?  In three games Karlsson has 6 points. 
-Ovechkin takes a lot of shots on goal, already 50 in 9 games.  Evander Kane has taken 47 in 9 games
- Zuccarello is off to a great start, 7 points in 9 games.  Considering he has 4 power play points, he has been on the ice 5 on 5 for 16 goals, three his team scored and 13 they allowed.  Minus 10.  Ouch!

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Week Of 27 Helps Reach 50 First

GM Joel had a massive 27 point week in Carolina ending Saturday tie for the first team this season to have 50 points.  GM charlie in Phoenix also has 50 and with two players playing today should be the first over 50.  There are 18 NHLP teams over 40 points while only 4 teams have yet to hit 30, including the lowly Florida Panthers (Marcel) who have a miniscule 23.  For Florida they have Coyle out long term and neither Jenner or Bennet have a point on the season in nine combined games.  For Carolina this team is just a 'Little-Scheary'  Two players have 2 points per game, with Stamkos now having 18 points in 9 games while Bergeron has 4 in just 2 games.  The rest of the team has a total between 4 and 7 points, although the team did lose Ryan last night who is gone for a month with a broken finger.  Carolina is in first place in the East Division and gained 19 points this week on the last place Nordiques (Matt).  For Phoenix they have it equally as good with a 21 point bulge over last place in the Pacific.  The team has Carter gone to mid December, but the way they are scoring they can easily hold him if they wish, a great position for GM Charlie.

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MAKE IT 12!!!!

It isn't exactly the usual way it is done, but it does count.  GM Joel had a point added to Stamkos, turning what was thought to be an 11 point night, into a career best and first ever 12 point night.  It took Joel into his 11th season to become the 36th team to reach the 12+ point mark on a night.  GM Andrew who has won 6 NHLP Championships and been a GM 22 years, double Joel's 11, has only ever had one 12+ himself.  It remains a hard feat to accomplish but time is changing.  The NHLP Yearbook plans on moving the 12 point night to 13+ once it reaches hit by 50 teams (24 more times).  Currently in our 28th season only 13 teams have ever reached 13+ with the all-time record set by a playoff team no less, the 2009-10 New Jersey Devils who was GM'ed by Jr back then and no longer in the NHLP are the Devils.  GM's Vinnie and Matt are now the lone GMs to not have a 12 + on their resumes.  The additional point moved Joel to 23 points on the night, making it the 5th best total for a GM with his 12-8-3, only 5 points shy of Chad's record setting 28.

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GM Joel Ties Career High

Now with over 2000 hockey nights in his NHLP career as a GM, Joel still has not reached the ever elusive 12 point night.  He did tie his career high, 11, the highest point night of the early season and now third team in October his reach double digits in what is clearly looking like a high scoring season ahead.  Bergeron in his first game this season had 4 points, not a bad start for Joel in Carolina.  Hischier scored his first two NHL goals and is well on his way to an Elite NHLP player in a few years.  Skinner added two more while singles went to Stamkos and Ryan.  Stamkos has 13 points and is only one point off the NHL leader.  Neither Sheary or Little played or this would have been a record night for Joel.  The GM also had a 22 point night, between his 3 teams, just 6 points off the all-time NHLP record of 28 held by GM Chad.  This is a crazy looking team and with Bergeron back and already in first place in the East Division.  Carolina is set to have a fun season for GM Joel and maybe next time we hear from these guys it will be a 12 point night.

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Carter's Injury Preventable?

If you saw if, the minute you did you said, "Long term".  When a player skates off and the camera focusing in on the back of his skate leg area, above the boot and you see skin under the sock, why?  There is protective equipment for that area and players continue to think they won't suffer severe cuts in that area with skates the sharpest they have ever been.  Seems like the players who decide to protect themselves in that area don't and won't get cut, while those who don't, risk a career ending injury at any moment,of any game, and for seemingly no reason at all.  Special equipment is designed to protect special areas, but if you don't wear it, it can't protect you.  Carter is a big name, a second rounder, gone now for up to two months off the Phoenix (Charlie) and Atlantic City (Vinnie) rosters.  The GM's will get a replacement quick enough, already on the injury calendar for November 10th.  Carter had 3 points in 6 games.  A 32 year old who has had 66, 62 and 62 each of the last three years.  Outstanding numbers.  If Charlie and Vinnie replace him they will get a 5 point player in return, plus 10 or 20 games from that player (5 to 10 points?), depending on if Carter is December 1st or 20th in a rough 6 to 8 weeks time frame.  So a replacement player can easily have 10 to 15 points, or maybe more with an early selection of replacements, by the time Carter returns.  If they keep him, and he is gone the 6 to 8 weeks, Carter will have two points when he returns at some point in December.  As long as the Kings, the last team without an NHL regular time loss, keep playing well, Carter will have huge trade power.  If Carter is in the Minors, those three points he has will be a Waiver steal for whoever jumps the quickest.  These are NHLP decisions that make and break seasons, either for Phoenix or Atlantic City and potentially for a Waiver team adding such a huge name to the roster as their 7th, and not where he sits on Charlie's and Vinnie's rosters, as a second round pick, meaning second team scoring is required from that position.  A bad injury yes.  Preventable, in all likelihood yes again!  How the GM's play it from here, that is the unknown.