Bouli’s Guide To What Not To Do When Trading Players

Time and time again, trades are made with no remorse in this pool. Sometimes beneficial, sometimes regretful and sometimes made out of sheer boredom, almost every single one of us have made numerous deals over the past few years. Drunk trading in this pool is the equivalent to date rape. Someone can get drunk, whip out his smart-phone and then chaos ensues. At certain times, these trades offers can get a little over the top. The difference is when you date-rape someone there’s a process to follow; you cant just walk up to that ass and take it because that’s actual rape. That makes you a rapist, not a date-rape pickup artist. Also, some of us can come off as annoying and before the offer is even on the table, it’s more insulting than comical. Here are the necessary steps to follow so that you don’t come off as a total jackass.

*Please note: all examples and player examples are made up and none of these were ever offered or counter-offered to me or anyone else. So don’t get your balls in a bunch if you have a player that is mentioned and get upset because you never proposed that.

Bouli’s Guide to What Not to Do When Trading

1) The Trade Block E-mail

This one is hilarious. I actually love it, because there’s nothing better than waking up one morning and checking your e-mails only to find this:

TRADE BLOCK – THE FOLLOWING PLAYERS ARE AVAILABLE:

-Tom Kostopoulos $17

-Martin Gelinas $3

- Andrei Kostitsyn $82

-Paul Mara $32

-Patrick Poulin $0

-Jarome Iginla $118

-Sean Avery $17

-Gordon Bombay $1

Thanks guys, but I sort of know who is overpaid/sucks/not wanted on your roster anymore. I don’t really need an e-mail to help me understand that or to confirm it.

2) Is Everyone Really Available?

Sometimes you get a poolster who throws his year away and says that besides one or two guys, everyone on his team is available. Really? He even says he will give them away for cheap. Ok, sounds good, right? So you propose something fair, like a top-notch D-man for two third line forwards that may help you. Only to get a ‘‘are you kidding me? I’d never trade him; he’s white, $2 and plays with Jim Papagal and Marty Le Mort’’. Well, then thanks for letting me know that everyone was available but your girlfriend you schmuck-fuck. It gets better: you tell him I need a sixty-point forward and I will give you some of my farm guys. Poolster B says no problem, who were you thinking of? So you say something like, I don’t know, a Patrice Bergeron or Teddy Purcell type of guy. Only to get a message back saying ‘‘well if you want him you need to give me Datsyuk’’. You know what, shove your ‘‘available’’ roster (aka Devious Plan to Get Studs) in the free agency and run head first into a brick building.

3) Nice Try…but Do Me a Favour: Hang Yourself

The next time I get a casual text that says ‘‘McCabe for Vanek?’’, I will camp outside your house and when you get home, I will beat you repeatedly with a shovel to the head.

4) The Value of His Points

This one is my personal favorite. When making a blockbuster trade, lets say you approach someone who is out of contention and you offer him you’re first year, cheap superstar. Kind of like a Stamkos at $53 but he is injured so you need at least 3-4 guys to fill that void. So you give so-and-so Stamkos and he names you four third and fourth-liners who don’t see the light of day on the ice. But when you laugh in his face he responds ‘‘Are you serious bro? He has 15 points in 17 games’’. Now, lets break this down: where did those points exactly come from? If he was a third-liner who needed to fill the void at the beginning of the season because his team had injuries and he amassed a whooping 10 points in 6 games he must be worth it, right? No, shut your mouth and listen to me: the next 2 games, he gets 4 points. That leaves 9 games. All of a sudden, ‘‘Mr. Instant Clutch Player’’ has 6:07 minutes of ice time a game and he is a -12. The past 9 games he snored louder than your Uncle who came from out-of-town and wakes you up on a Saturday morning at 8:45am with his blow-horn nostrils. By the end of the year, the player gets 21 points. What a stud; made half of his points in the first 10 games and those won’t even count for me. Then there’s the 25 points in 20 games guys that usually pull 5 groins and their descriptions fit under ‘‘Justin Williams, Ray Whitney and Bill Guerin’’ and to be honest, at the end of the year these guys are in the ER  more often than George Clooney in 1995. Funny story: you guys remember at the beginning of the 2006-2007 season when Aaron Voros got like, 7 points in 5 games? Where is Aaron Voros now you ask? Your best bet is to go to IGA

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If Hollywood made 14 biopics, we would each be a star of our own movie. Here it is, boys: every single one of us as an NHL coach and why we are that person.

Ringer = Barry Trotz

I have nothing to say except for if I ever pissed off Barry Trotz, I could expect the same grief from the massive Scotty Stallone (and no, I`m not talking about his early porn career either). These two guys would make me shit my pants if I ever got on their bad side.  It’s safe to say Ringer and Trotz seem like genuinely nice guys, but what happens when you let in 4 goals on 8 shots? First Blood.

Delaney = Dale Hunter

Dale Hunter was always a tough son of a bitch. Delaney saves the world and his arms are massive. Hunter and Delaney both have Ovechkin and inherited nice teams. How can these guys not be the same guy? You know what; I’d like to see an arm wrestling match between Delaney and Braganza at the start of next draft. Winner gets Scottie Upshall from me and all of his combined 68 games over the past 5 seasons.

Tim = Kirk Muller

Tim is relatively new and so is Kirk Muller. Both are great guys as well. Although did Chuck Maurice fuck it up before Tim Muller even took the job? You bet your ass he did.

Joey = Alain Vigneault

Vigneault isn’t the flashiest guy, but he gets the job done. Sort of like Joey. Joey doesn’t have the most glamorous team in front of him but last year he knew what to get out of every player. Exactly like Vigneault did with The Canucks last year only he came up short. But Joey took it all home. His quiet and reserved pool tactics are reminiscent of Vigneault`s success where he stays under the radar for the most part. Now let’s hope Joey doesn’t ruin his franchise like Vigneault nearly did to ours.

Canella = John Tortorella

You can always count on Joe Canella to throw up his hands in the air and say ‘‘Fuuuck this’’ after 3 games into the season on opening night. They also make us believe we should feel bad for them when they give up or trash an analyst at the post-game presser. Canella and Tortorella are not alike because they are Italian or because their names rhyme; it`s because they have zero tolerance for patience. Every time Torterella smiles after blowing a two goal lead and is now trailing by a score of 4-2, I think of Canella automatically and the stuff he puts himself through. A word of advice to Joe Tortorella: don’t give up in the first quarter of the season; it`s the last half that counts.

Ricky = Tom Renney

Let’s face it: Tom Renney`s teams have sucked for years and so have Ricky’s. Now Ricky has some superstars just like Tommy Boy and could very well contend in the near future. But Renney could be unlucky too and luck follows Ricky like a healthy love life follows Kim Kardashian. (I don’t expect Ricky to make a sex tape any time soon either…Kevin, you see that one yet? It’s not as good as the ScarJo pictures). Hopefully with a new team and a fresh start, both can end their lacklustre careers. Why can’t anyone else but Ricky be this unlucky?! Ricky is the nicest t guy ever. Why don`t we all just toss him a player at the end of the season, no? (You can have Gilbert Brule).

Housey = Lindy Ruff

One of the most successful and storied coaches in the NHL today, Lindy Ruff has always been one of my favourites. Housey always has a good team and makes sure he gets stellar players every year. His trades this month proved he will only get better much like Buffalo in the off-season. Ruff does come up a little short sometimes when making playoffs but these days it`s a little different. Housey is ever improving and he will guarantee makes our version of the playoffs (Top 5) in the near future.

Eddy = Dan Bylsma

Who doesn’t like Eddy? Who doesn’t like Danny B? Every year Eddie has a stellar team and Ballsma does too. We all say Eddy is lucky when it comes to everything in life much like Bylsma when he inherited the Pens…or did he actually unearth the demons to win a cup? Probably unearthed the demons, the guy deserves it. But he’s kind of lucky to have a top 3 goalie and the two best players in hockey isn’t he? Much like Eddy, who is so lucky he can shit his pants and I could barf on his face and girls would still fantasize about him when they get home that night.

Matt = Ron Wilson

I can’t think of a better fit for Matt than this waste of life. Ron Wilson is obnoxious as Christ and so is Matt to many of you. I won`t lie, I love Matt. I find he is the most entertaining and lively guy in this pool. Their managerial skills are so similar: do great things with shit teams. We can’t stand Ron Wilson and he plays the heel well. I think I couldn’t come up with a better compliment for Best Pool’s favourite father.  (Honestly, Matt = Ron Wilson is the best thing I’ve thought of. Well, the best thing since my invention: Saran-wrap condoms: you just wrap it around your fahjool and then just peel off when you’re done.  )

Kevin = Paul Maurice

Definitely everyone’s favourite poolster, K.W. can do no wrong. But because he fucking drafts the most hated players in our lives gives his team the can’t-stand factor. I can’t stand Paul Maurice. All the respect for him in the world, but good Christ almighty do I want to put a bullet through his temples. Why Kevin? Your team does not need the entire Leafs roster and the Brett Lindros’ of today’s NHL. You’re supposed to be Doug Boutabi and your brother is Steve Boutabi. Just keep it that way.

Alex = Guy Boucher

Why not glorify myself as a young, better-looking-than-most coach’s kind of guy? As you all know, I came in here and took Best Pool to new heights. Boucher comes to Tampa and makes a team out of nothing and almost ends up in the Stanley Cup Finals. Does this remind you of anyone? Correct me if I’m wrong, but Boucher could have been the youngest coach to win the Cup? Could I be the youngest to win Best Pool? Love me or hate me (quite the latter isn’t it?!) I came in here and made an impact. Now could I crumble like Boucher did last year?

John Simpson = Peter Laviolette

Johnny is a hell of a lot prettier than Laviolette. I actually want to take Laviolette`s face and put it through a meat grinder but I would never do that to John. Last year, John almost made history by winning this pool in his second or third year if I am not mistaken. Laviolette is also that good. They remind me of each other because even if they have a new challenge in front of them, they deliver.

Devin = Mike Babcock

Mike Babcock has this face that I don’t necessarily hate but I don’t like either. No, that’s not the same case for Devin. Our beloved administrator has quite a nice, charming look that would make most Irish girls drop their Sam Adams’ and fornicate on the spot. In coaching terms, Babcock always has a team in front of him. If you know anything about hockey, you must know that every year Detroit must be included as a favourite because of their rich history. Every year, Devin has a stellar team. Even last year when he basically threw away his year, he had players that we would take in an instant. Devin is always a threat.

Rylan = Scotty Bowman

Not because Scotty Bowman is ancient and Rylan is the oldest guy in our pool, clocking in at 38 years old. It’s because they have the same mind. Bowman always had a good team in front of him. Every year, he wasn’t only a contender but a favourite. This reminds me of Rylan so much. The guy could draft five fourth-liners and they will lead the NHL in scoring in December. Bowman was a hockey genius and I’m starting to think the same when it comes to Rylan. He’s an absolute machine. Helps when you got Yzerman/Federov in front of you doesn’t it? Helps when you got Doughty/Karlsson for a combined total of $20? But seriously, if I compare Rylan to anyone, it’s the legend Scotty Bowman. Only time will tell if Rylan becomes a Best Pool legend as well.

THE BOULI BRIGADE: NOVEMBER EDITION POWER RANKINGS

10) Nick Leddy

Mr. Zero Dollars himself would even be surprised. Nick Leddy has become a comfortable puck-moving defenseman on Chicago and looks more impressive after each game. His confidence and ability to finish is always improving. It’s safe to say Leddy has taken over the offensive input of Brent Seabrook and fits nicely being paired up with Duncan’s ‘‘Toy Chest’’ Keith (It’s from Home Alone, you idiots).

9) Jason Garrison

Not many people know who this guy is but when someone starts talking about ‘‘the guy on Florida with the slap shot’’, you automatically know who they are talking about. The Panthers did need Brian Campbell to step up as a top ten defenseman but nobody knew Garrison was the second coming of Al McInnis. He is not exactly the sole reason Florida is at the top of the Eastern Conference but his input definitely counts as a reason.

8) Sidney Crosby

I’m just going to leave this one blank.

7) Jason Pominville

Honestly, I thought this guy was 43 years old and that he was going to retire. If you are impressed with Buffalo so far, look no further than Pominville. Yes, Vanek is tearing it up like prime Federov but Pominville has embraced his role as a captain and is having a great start in terms of statistics. After a few streaky years, hopefully he can continue the pace.

6) Jonathan Quick

Two years ago, this guy was the next Sean Burke. As Los Angeles mercilessly switched from Quick and Bernier, you got a sense that this team was fucked and had no goalie to begin with. After a few shutouts and Osgood-esque performances, Quick has been standing on his head to revive a team that has not seen any brightness since Wayne left. It’s very premature to assume, but he’s the forerunner in the Vezina race as of now.

5) Mike Richards

Another guy on Los Angeles who is tearing it up is Mike Richards. I don`t quite understand those who thought his numbers would fluctuate when he left Philly. With that being said I’m wouldn’t be surprised if he could post career high points in Los Angeles. He looks more natural when scoring goals and is the perfect two-way player the Kings have desperately needed. If you think Jared Stoll was going to get it done, please kill yourself.

4) Claude Giroux

Am I wrong to think he is the sole reason Philadelphia is doing well? Briere hasn’t exactly excited me and I’m quite glad I cracked to Kevin at the draft table. Giroux is not only looking like a point-per-game guy but you can guarantee a goal and an assist whenever he plays. If Corey Perry did it last year, Le Roux Giroux could very well be the guy this year. His porn stache also makes Parros look like an over-developed 12 year old.

3) Phil Kessel

Matt, Kevin and I`m not quite sure who Delaney supports but if you like the Leafs I’ve got to include you…Blow me, he’s the Alexander Mogilny of 2011.

2) Kris Versteeg/Erik Karlsson (TIE)

Bold prediction: Versteeg gets the Florida captaincy next year.

Bold predicition: Erik Karlsson will be the only remaining Senator on the payroll after this season

1) Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Chicken Nugget-Hopkins is going absolutely ballistic. So is Ryan Smyth, J-Ebz and Taylor Hall & Oates but Nugent-Hopkins came out of nowhere and is making a strong case for the Rocket Richard trophy if he keeps it up. Edmonton’s success is surprising just about everyone but Hopkins has become the number one fantasy pick thus far in most probably every Yahoo! Pool you can find. Can someone tell me exactly where Pajaarvi is, and if he is still employed or alive? Hopkins will be the 2009-2010 Stamkos of this year.

Top 10 Reasons Sidney Crosby Owns Us All

10) He makes us forget Evgeni Malkin plays in the Eastern Conference

9) We never pulled all-nighters with Mario Lemieux listening to Roch Voisine and making fun of Jaromir Jagr

8) We will never get as much ass living in a basement for six years

7) He makes Flyers fans hate that they have Claude Giroux

6) We couldn`t have cared less if Erik Cole had 5 points (I’m talking to you RDS)

5) We could never give Tim a Peter North-sized boner like the one he has now

4) The Eagles would ask him to be their QB (yahtzee!)

3) He makes Pascal Dupuis become Pavel Datsyuk

2) Even if we were homosexual, it wouldn`t be a big deal

1) We could never come back after being inactive for over a year and skullfuck the ice we are skating on.

Thanks Sid

P.S. Imagine I sent this to him?!

Operation dRYLANd: The Official Call-Out

(Please note this is my evil alter ego and that I do not intend to personally attack anyone. This is for fun and I simply want to spice up our mediocre lives. Rylan is actually nicer than half of you guys and the truth is out of everyone I would trust him the most if he had to babysit my child. I mean no harm to him or anyone else if my alter ego intends on coming after you, brother.)

Rylan…you absolutely suck. I couldn’t find any other word with Rylan in it so I opted for dryland, which defines what your players will be playing on come February. You’re lucky my fat ass didn’t invest in a webcam because you would have seen me crying drunk and shirtless, telling you that I’m coming for you. It’s been weeks that I’ve been calling you out and all you do is hide at the top of Mount BestPool. Well, Rylan….I must be Sir Gawain and you’re the fucking Green Knight. I must be Winona Ryder’s boyfriend and you’re Edward Scissorhands. Only this time, you won’t stab me in the chest with your decrepit knife fingers. (Let’s pause for a second: honestly, how hot was Winona Ryder in Edward Scissorhands…Good Lord. If I could go back in time, I would caress her face and make her a sandwich. Ok, I’m back).

You piece of mouldy fantasy pie. I’m calling you out Ryland but we’re upping the stakes. I know you won’t accept my offer. Why? I’m not going to say you’re a coward. That word is a heavy and misused, kind of like the word hate. I’d say that you’re scared. Why? The truth is I don’t lose bets in this pool. Last year, I called out Joe Canella. I blew him out of the water. You see, you can be in the money every year. You can win multiple years. But when you go one-on-one with the Boulium, you stand no chance in hell. 1-0. That means I’m undefeated. You’ve been here too long. It’s a passing of the torch. You’re Tracy McGready, I’m Derek Fuckin’ Rose.

Here’s the deal you’ve been waiting for:

If I beat you this year Rylan, you give me Nail Yakopov. Since you can’t give him to me for free,

you give him to me for the dirtiest kind of cheap. You give him to me for nothing, and by nothing I mean Jiri Hudler / Scottie Upshall one-for-one nothing.  

If you beat me this year Rylan, I will leave Best Pool forever.

This isn’t called Alex vs. Rylan, this is called:

NAIL IN THE COFFIN

MAH GAWD

Alex Giardini

BestPool Correspondent/Coffin Constructor/Each one of your sisters think I’m prime Shawn Michaels

POST-DRAFT ANALYSIS

The draft has come and gone, and like all things that have great expectations there are very different ways of looking at it. It wasn’t boring whatsoever, but it was odd. We finished in approximately five hours. There were outsiders. There were sixty-point producers going for thirty bucks. There was a lot of booze (thanks for the Bitburger commissioner); there was a drunken Matt who passed out, only to reappear to bid on guys when he finished his roster. Let us look at some of the memorable moments and what the near future could hold:

Ricky Vallis: First One to Ruin Tim’s Apartment

(By the way, Tim: sweet vinyl collection. I stole the valuable ones.)

So, here we are at about 6:30pm waiting for Ricky and The McKinley’s. Ricky waltzed in like a real stud, flowing hair and all. He walks up to everyone and gives the old handshake. He walks by the table and knocks a beer bottle to the floor. Now the beer bottle was empty and it didn’t break. But seriously, we should have bet on this. Not even forty-five minutes in the man’s house and disaster strikes. Good Lord.

The Martinez Curse

I’ve been in this pool for three years now and every time I look at the rosters the next day, Eddy Kutcher’s roster sticks out like herpes on your nuts. When looking at his roster, I don’t quite get a throbbing boner but I get half-hard, which is more than alright when you’re drunk as shit. Not only does he have top-line forwards, but his depth and his youth are both very promising. The problem is he has guys that go down more often than anyone would in Vietnam. If Eddy’s players are healthy, this guy could take it all the way to the bank. Although his injuries are too costly; and it is a shame since he can’t do anything about that. He does have farm depth, although he can’t afford for his big guns to go down like they did last year. Is he the Montreal Canadiens of our pool?

Arrested Development: The Legion of Delaney

Jesus Harold Christ. Let me just say one thing: When he already had Ovechkin and then started bidding for Crosby (and actually had enough cash to do so and more), I sort of thought Tom Cruise was going to walk in and be like “Hey, assholes…it’s War of The Fucking Worlds in here”. I nearly stabbed myself in the temple with a broken beer bottle. Unlike Ringer who sat there nonchalant eating Roids-4-U protein bars, this guy comes in and drafts like a champ. It may be his first year but he has forwards to contend, some good depth and a solid vision of the game. Maybe his defense could use a little tweaking but that’s nothing he can’t fix during the season. Bro, Ontario cops are so much cooler than these anal rejects we have who didn’t make the cut in junior hockey.

The Definition of Joseph Viviani

Vivani, Joseph (def.): drunk drafting usually makes you have no idea who you picked and makes you fall asleep face down, ass up on a chair.

The Quiet McKinley

Yeah, I’m talking about Rylan. I mean, obviously the guy wasn’t going to bust out a stripper pole and start auditioning for an R. Kelly video (well, he isn’t sixteen either. I actually love R. Kelly though, no joke I have his whole discography). Anyway, my point is last year, he takes a nap. This year, he sits there silently and bids every twenty-five minutes. At least Devin came in and out of bidding often. Rylan is like a silent poison; he sits, watches, drinks a beer, goes for a player and stays quiet. Then you look at his roster and it is amazing. He would make a great robber in Europe.

Joe Canella and Alex Giardini’s Pre-Draft Conversation

AG: You going for Johansson?

JC: I am! You?

AG: Yeah…

JC: (looking at me like I just pissed on his kitchen floor) You Prick…

Then, this is the best: Not only do I get Johansson for twenty-one dollars, but Joe needs to get going and he’s only got one guy left to draft. So he says, “Brendon Morrisson”…and yeah, I got him for thirteen dollars. Now get this: the next day, I instantly regret my life and don’t want either of them.

Alex Giardini

BestPool Correspondent

THE DRAFT

Gentlemen, it is upon us.  Although this website has taken a hiatus these past few months, there will be no more excuses; this blog is here to stay and will be relevant just like this pool. Not everyone will agree with my views and opinions but I admire a man like Michael Landsberg and you do too. This pool, thanks to Devin McKinley, has been taking over our lives and making our relationships harder than they actually are. The truth is we couldn’t be happier about that.

This upcoming draft is so special that the anticipation is higher than Scarlett Johansson’s leaked nude photos. Let’s take a look at these jugulars for a moment:

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN THE 2011-2012 DRAFT

-Who spills beer/food/other shit on Tim’s floor/carpet/valuable piece of furniture

I could have a little side-pot going on, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and say everything should be fine. No surprises, no messes. But BestPool draft day is like having 700$ cash in a strip club; you know you might be missing a piece of your soul at the end of the night and by gosh you don’t give a fuck because it feels extravagant. Let us all respect his place like it is ours and show our appreciation with the utmost respect…but I tell you, those Withers brothers always have something up their sleeve.

-The evolution of Ricky Vallis

The ongoing joke in this league is that the bottom spot is reserved for Ricky Vallis but I don’t buy it anymore. Not only is Ricky’s hockey knowledge growing, but so is his place in the pool. Vallis doesn’t fuck around anymore; he isn’t in this for 60, 70 or 80 bucks. He wants to win. Even if we think half of his roster won’t get him anywhere, he knows who to protect and he knows who will fit best into his line-up. I predict Ricky to do well this year. Will he finish Top 3? Ok, let’s be a little reasonable here. Although the further he stays away from Chuck Kobasew, the better his chances will be.

-The revenge of Matt Withers

Matt takes a lot of shit in this pool. It could be because of the way he walks and talks but you’ve got to feel for the elder Withers brother. I mean, being top spot for nine months and losing it all in the last few weeks is worse than walking in on your girlfriend being pounded doggy-style by your Dad. Seriously, think about that…envision her ass thrusting the piece that got you here every time you think about your girlfriend…yeah, that’s how Matt felt. Who knows how Matt will draft and who knows how his roster will look. The thing is he knows his team fucked up last year but he will still walk around with that swagger he has prior to the draft. The biggest mountain Matt must climb is Mount Confidence, because he cannot let that shit drop. If he walks in thinking he is better than all of us and chirps the shit out of us after three beers, he’s back in it. Plus, you got to give it to him: putting your kid in a Maple Leafs jersey and the little guy is still the cutest thing Ontario has to offer…man, that’s really impressive.  

-The debut of Scott ‘‘Pipeszannegger’’ Braganza

The almighty Ringer himself has joined last minute and he’s already had a successful off-season. Even though you look at Ringer’s team and you might not have gone for those players you have to admit he’s doing it right. He’s building quite a decent squad from scratch and will make his mark quickly. To say he will break into the Top 5 à la ‘‘Sophomore Simpson’’ might be pushing it although from what we are seeing, he isn’t to be taken lightly.

-The McKinleys

There’s one thing about the McKinleys that everyone can agree on: they always make their presence felt as contenders. Whether its Rylan’s sneaky game plans (like taking a nap mid-draft to come out with a better team than all of us) or Devin’s long-term plan (to draft the stars of Pierrefonds Minor Hockey so that in a few years he is humbling all of us), it simply works for them. Not only does it work, but it haunts our dreams like that bitch in Snow White. Their impressive knowledge of the game and their relentless effort to better their rosters is something we all must watch out for. If only Joey’s potluck idea could work, because God Almighty I would have dumped have a pack of laxatives all over their chicken wing sauce (yet through the midst of painful diarrhea, they would have still drafted better players than all of us).

-Joey Vivani’s approach

It’s going to be interesting to see what Sexy Jojo decides to do this year. In all honesty, his roster is decimated but there’s one thing Joey does well and that’s getting the best out of his players. He is not shy to go for some grinders we would never touch and when he has his eyes set on a certain man, it works out perfectly for him. When he goes for it, he goes for it. That monumental Carter-Krejci deal last year really was the last cumshot in our mouths that we would be tasting for years.  Could Joey do it twice in a row? It is highly unlikely, but it isn’t impossible either.

-The Red Guys

Before I go any further with this one, it is obvious the top red defensemen are coming from Rylan’s team. Don’t worry my friend Rylan, you should take it as a compliment. Rylan getting a cheap, stellar defence is nothing short of immaculate considering the names and value of those players. There are a handful of forwards as well, even some franchise players who will be thrown back into the pot. The worst part is the price you will be paying for most of them. Don’t think for one minute a guy like Drew Doughty will go for the same price. Everyone is eager to get their hands on a free agent, and the bottom line is every single one of us is going to get a top player to better our squad. Just be prepared to pay a hefty price for some of them because of competition and roster greed.   

Alex Giardini

BestPool Correspondent