Puckmarks

The Pens desperately need to find a way to cut Letang’s minutes. He’s getting absolutely killed. Maybe their other d-men would get killed just as badly in the same minutes, but it can’t get too much worse than this. #LetsGoPens

Michael Carcone has been absolutely ridiculous this season and arguably the best third-liner in the league. $1.75m x 2 yrs should age incredibly well if he can come anywhere close to replicating his dominance next season. Such a slept on player. #TusksUp

Ryan Johansen retires. Columbus was the peak of his career and after that, he was so overpaid that nobody really cared for him anymore. Was always at least useful with a couple exception years. #CBJ #Smashville

If Matias Maccelli really is going unqualified by the Leafs, a smart team should really buy low on him for their middle-six. About as good of a complimentary distributor as you could ask for at only 26 years old next season. #LeafsForever

Surprised Anaheim had the balls to scratch Mason McTavish but it’s completely deserved. Awful defensively, can’t finish and is a PIM machine. A lot of work to do to catch up to his $7m AAV price point. #FlyTogether

Welp, we actually did end up in this timeline. Connor Ingram is now Edmonton’s starter. Bowman really screwed this whole thing up. #LetsGoOilers

@SirSexyRexy Played only 16 games and probably never really got in a groove.

@puckmarks So… what happened that one year?

1000 games for IMO the most underrated defenceman of the analytics era, Jared Spurgeon. All with Minnesota too. Never truly got the praise he deserved in his prime. #mnwild

Brendan Gallagher gets healthy scratched, a first for his career. A really hard thing to do no doubt, but definitely the right thing for the team. Need every win possible right now. #GoHabsGo

Pretty risky extension by Utah. This is the only season Schmaltz has been worth $8 million, he’s already 30, and over the last few years he’s more of a 2C. Yet at the end of the day C options are really limited and he’s probably the best they can do right now. #TusksUp

Or not, I guess. Trocheck was literally the perfect trade bait but I guess Drury would rather him walk back into that locker room and provide meaningless standings points. Brutal. #NYR

@JhanHky Yeah again I agree we’re not close to a great one, but it’s gotta be one of the most obvious things that players will develop. Batters were switch-hitting in the late 1800s. The edge you get on unpredictability will eventually undo the lack of skill as guys get better.

@puckmarks "switch hitters" would only be useful insofar that their weaker side is still good enough to be NHL caliber. I've never seen anything close to this but maybe one day. that being said it's more lucrative to improve 5% on your natural side than to improve 100% on your weaker one

One of the most basic & important part of hockey IQ is knowing what handedness players are. Out of every player I've played with/played/against/coached/scouted, if I remember their name or face, then I still remember which way they shoot.

The Leafs are the best case study in the consequences of ignoring analytics. Trading two firsts+ for these players is atrocious, and that mindset will eventually sink you. This was obvious the entire time if you paid attention. Look how bad/mid these guys were. #LeafsForever

Yeah Colorado now has the craziest C core in the league. Kadri as your 3C is insane. The central division will be the best hockey in the playoffs this season. #GoAvsGo

@lawrence3030 Dunno if you mean Pageau or not but here

@puckmarks Update please

That Brayden Schenn trade honestly stinks for NYI. Schenn is barely hanging in there in the middle-six and the Isles gave up a ton for him. They should have remained patient but Darche got trigger-happy. You already have Pageau as the 3C. This is so unnecessary. #Isles

$4.85 mil x 3 years for JG Pageau is definitely too much and the Isles would have been better off just trading him for at minimum a 2nd round pick+ Not a good day for the Isles IMO, but I guess at least he didn’t just walk to Free Agency. #Isles

Brad Treliving’s destruction of the Leafs is advancing; trading a 1st rounder for Scott Laughton just to miss the playoffs and acquire a 3rd later is excellent asset management. #LeafsForever

Justin Faulk isn’t amazing or anything but is a legitimate Top 4 defenceman. Very weird analytical profile but his defensive prowess should help alleviate the load that Seider is bearing. Good deal for both sides. #LGRW #stlblues

Considering the prices, I think Bobby McMann for a 2nd and 4th is decent for Seattle. Pure sniper and pure rental but better than trading for a grinder/7th D. Leafs could have done better here with some of these other crazy deals. #SEAKraken #LeafsForever