AROUND THE LEAGUE - 25-26

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Podz has re-signed with the oil, 3 years with an AAV of 2.95 mil.

Wow, Podz did well for himself. Hoggy scored like 25G and got $3M; Podz scores 8G and gets $3M. Guess we got good value there.

[Chef Boi RD]

Pod is going to be a solid utility forward that can play up and down the line up, I hated the trade but Tocchet didn’t like him so one had to go.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Podkolzin is a great, hard working kid. He's soon to be 25. The hands don't seem to be there. He has the size, speed, strength and work ethic. I get a Jack Skille/Artem Chubarov vibe from him. I can't see him being a prolific scorer at this point.

Tocchet did him no favors with regards to icetime and deployment.

I really hope he can take that next step. I hate the Coilers but this is a quality young man.

He's no Matt Boldy, but he may find some chemistry tethered to the German.

[Tciso]

He's an Oiler now. can we get a Mod to move this to the Players you Hate thread?

[rats19]

Fair enough but it is in the around the league thread so it fits..

[Cousin Strawberry]

He's severely overpaid. They like how he dogs pucks and causes turnovers but @ 3/year? Sheesh that's bad.

[Lancer]

He's severely overpaid. They like how he dogs pucks and causes turnovers but @ 3/year? Sheesh that's bad.

They need all the young forwards they can get who can play. Reminds me of Gillis' obsession with the Sea-of-Granlunds - overpaying for wingers who do the grunt work in the corners and on the boards but little else. Maybe that's all Edmonton wants on Draisaitl's wing? Maybe that's all they can afford cap-wise with McJesus' extension being negotiated. Even so, I don't see much else Podz brings. We'll see if his shot improves even if he's skating with such talent at centre.

[Cornuck]

Looks like Podkolzin is gone for a while, as his father unexpectedly passed away.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Well that sucks. As a widower and an orphan I hope the young man finds peace. It's a motherfucker.

Hug your people if you got em.

[Chef Boi RD]

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light

[Hockey Widow]

So is anyone unhappy that Hirose signed in Germany? Remember when we nabbed both Hirose and McWard and suddenly we had D depth. We neither worked out and now we really have d depth.

[Picker of Cherries]

A player of Hirose’s size and lack of offence, didn’t have much of an NHL future. That being said, he was excellent in the Abbotsford Canucks championship run. Good on him for keeping his pro-career going in Germany. I think McWard still might have an NHL future with the Islanders. He was behind a bunch of better RHD prospects in Vancouver, but that position is rare in the NHL, so I think he has a chance to be a depth guy somewhere.

[Cornuck]

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov could miss the entire regular season because of a knee injury.

I guess this is where the Playoff Salary Cup comes into play this year.

[Megaterio Llamas]

A player of Hirose’s size and lack of offence, didn’t have much of an NHL future. That being said, he was excellent in the Abbotsford Canucks championship run. Good on him for keeping his pro-career going in Germany. I think McWard still might have an NHL future with the Islanders. He was behind a bunch of better RHD prospects in Vancouver, but that position is rare in the NHL, so I think he has a chance to be a depth guy somewhere.

McWard is on waivers today.