Rich

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/kings-terminate-mike-richards-contract-cite-breach/ This is going to be a long drawn out court battle with the NHLPA. You wonder if it was lack of training or something more going on with Richards behind the scenes.

Wow. There is still $22M remaining on Richards contract. If they can actually get out of it, that is crazy. And if there is a valid breach, it is unlikely he will sign another NHL deal.

37 , 20 , 37 , 32 80 , 52, 82 , 64 Those are Kessel's goals and point totals over the last 4 years. The 52 point season was in the 48 game shortened lockout. He has also never missed a game in those 4 years. He is 27 years old, so just entering his prime, and signed for the next 7 years. Not exactly sure how cap hit works when someone eats $2M off the salary (cap hit is AAV), but his cap hit is $8M right now, would go down to like $6M for retained salary. Someone will easily pay that for him You just can't get players who are capable of putting up those numbers. Is a head case? Maybe. Be interesting to see him on a stronger team not in the Toronto media. Would I want the Jets to trade for him? Would I give up a Trouba, Ehlers, and 1st round pick? Probably not.

Well it does for religious people. And for those that arent religious, why should they be held to the standard of the religious? Is a marriage between two non-religious people any less of a commitment?Someone asked what the big deal was outside of the ceremonial nature of marriage. There are matters of benefits, death benefits, decision-making etc. Things of that nature. Franky I think those matters are the big deal. I also don't know why one religion would pretend to have a monopoly on the concept/term since it's been around forever under many different civilizations. Although never between two men or two women, to be fair. Thats not entirely true. Ancient Greece and Rome, Mesopotamia, some regions in China, and some older European areas allowed a same-sex marriages until Christianity came into more prominence.

Good call! I don't either. Spending the day off with TSN1290 on isn't bad either.

Even if the Jets don't sign anyone day 1, I still find it fascinating the deals other teams give to players on free agent day. I am also very curious who other teams in our division and conference sign. Don't think it is a waste of time at all. It is a fun way to pass the time at work, checking in and who was signed and for what.

I don't think Fehr is going to be coming back after the failure of his last stint here, and I think they would rather have some prospects take the spot he would fill on the roster.

I think with the change in management over the summer, and the trades they made at draft, Edmonton will very soon become a desirable location. Maybe it takes a year or two to prove the circus has left town, but I think they are going to be a very scary team very soon. Adding Reinhart and Gryba will help solidify their D core. Talbot still has to prove he can be a #1 goalie over the long haul, but the potential is there, Scrivens isn't a slouch either. One of them will step up to claim the #1 spot. D and goaltending were Edmonton's biggest needs, and they have moved to strengthen that. Throw in a legit coach and with the group of forwards they have, they aren't going to be a cake walk anymore.

Can't see the Jets being all that active in the top free agents this year. Money will go to Ladd and possibly Buff. They will likely look for a deal in the secondary wave of players like they got with Perreault last year,. I've always been a fan of Vermette with his face-off abilities, but with Little / Sheifele / Lowry as our top 3 centres, not sure he would be worth the money he is going to want. He will likely be in the Frolik range and would you rather have kept Frolik than Vermette? Sekera, Beauchemin, Oduya, Martin, Ehrhoff, and Jackman are all left handed D. I wonder if you could sign one of them to play in the top 4 D and trade Buff. Beauchemin and Martin are probably too old for what the Jets are looking for, then again maybe they can bridge a couple of years before Morrissey moves in. If we don't re-sign Stafford, than I think we definitely have to be in the market for at least one top 6 forward to step in for the loss of Frolik / Stafford. I wonder if there will be any interest in Mike Richards with his hometown being so close. Not sure he is much more than a 4th liner now, and is that centre spot reserved for Copp?

Very interesting. This might be where the pre-free agent day window to talk to teams plays into our advantage. Surely his agent made some calls and they have an idea that the Jets offer was in the ballpark of fair market. Otherwise there is no reason to work on a deal the day before (or two days before) Free Agency. It would seem to indicate Stafford enjoyed his time here also and wants to be here. Which is weird since no one wants to come to Winnipeg. Be nice if Jets announce signing of Stafford AND extension for Ladd this week. Burmi signing probably not far off either (or trade). For sure there will always the percentage of players that prefer to play in a bigger city, but I think it has been shown, even back to the Jets 1.0 days, that while Winnipeg isn't a top priority for many players, once they get here, there are many players whole like it and wish to stay.

It was there before. The Washington Capitals' seventh-round pick will go to the Winnipeg Jets as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014 that sent Eddie Pasquale and a sixth-round pick in 2014 to Washington in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2014, Nashville's seventh-round pick in 2014 and this pick.[51]

This is an interesting website that shows all of the Jets picks and their NHL stats. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/teams/dr00010675.html Since 2011, we've only had 4 players with an NHL game under their belt and one of those is Andrew Copp with the one game he got at the end of last season. I know it takes 3 - 4 years for a lot of these guys to make the NHL, and you see a lot of names there that should be in the NHL over the next couple of years, just an interesting look at how a team drafts and their NHL success. Other than Sheifele and Lowry, I don't think anyone else from the 2011 draft is even still in our system.

For everyone still in the city, don't forget to join us in chat today during the game!

I think after the first couple rounds you just pick best player available as they are longer shots to even play in the NHL. Just for comparison: 2011 - 3 Forwards, 3 Defensemen, 1 Goalie 2012 - 3 Forwards, 1 Defensemen, 2 Goalies 2013 - 3 Forwards, 5 Defensemen, 1 Goalie 2014 - 5 Forwards, 2 Defensemen, 0 Goalies 2015 - 7 Forwards, 1 Defensemen, 0 Galies

If it is 6 years in that dollar range, it would start paying him around $6M in the first year and around $7.5M in the last year. Not going to get him for much cheaper than that to have him forego free agency. I agree 7 years would be too much. 6 years is even pushing it, but you are going to have to give him term to sign him. I'd prefer 5.

So the draft looks like this: Round 1 (17th) - LW - Kyle Connor (USA) Round 1 (25th) - C - Jack Roslovic (USA) Round 2 (47th) - C - Jansen Harkins (USA) Round 3 (78th) - LW - Erik Foley (USA) Round 4 (108) - RW - Michael Spacek (CZECH) Round 6 (168) - C - Mason Appleton (USA) Round 7 (198) - D - Sami Niku (FIN) Round 7 (203) - C - Matteo Gennaro (CAN) I wonder if the Jets find the USA to be under scouted. Lots of scouts always looking at the Canadian juniors leagues. It came out this week that the Jets employ twice the number of scouts than Toronto does (surprising with the budget Toronto could have). Maybe they find more value in the USA systems that fall further in the draft than their talent would dictate. Edited: Apparently we had one more late pick in the 7th round, added it in. So we did draft a Canadian after all!

Round 7, finally pick a D. Sami Niku, Finland, 6'0" 176 lbs.

Round 6 Jets draft another centre. Mason Appleton (USA again) 6'2" 194 lbs. Can't find any scouting report on him but last season with the Tri-City Storm, in 54 games he had 12 goals, 28 Assists (40 points) and 84 penalty minutes. He also popped up in a site called hockeyfights.com, so I think he might be a bit of a goon.

Round 4, Jets draft another centre (Czech Republic) Michael Spacek, 5'11" 187 center http://www.tsn.ca/michael-spacek-right-wing-1.296783 Jets have no Round 5 pick, so next pick will be Round 6.

Jets take Erik Foley, LW, in Round 3. (Another American) 5'11' 185 lbs http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=212561

Jets take another centre in 2nd round. Jansen Harkins http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/prospect-of-interest-the-411-on-jansen-harkins/

What's your cell number? Don't worry, I won't text you play by play's or anything. Or the score. ...trust me. 867-5309 Jenny, is that you?

That was about as close as you can get to a 2nd upset in the Pick 'Ems this week.

They are going for volume this draft. Their upcoming prospects are thin and it is a deep draft so they are looking to trade down in some quality to stock up.