The Continental

So, I'm intrigued by the new Continental Hockey League.

It is in my humble, semi-professional opinion that both the NHL and CHL (KHL in Russia) stand to gain a lot of fame and make a lot of money if they have NHL-CHL Super Series matches. Granted, I certainly wouldn't pit the CHL against the Canadiens for 7 games, but I might pit the Stanley Cup winner against their own Champion.

There'd be a lot of kinks to work out, such as where to play the series (maybe home advantage goes for the team who had the best playoff record -- the team who went 16 - 2 in the playoffs would have home advantage over the team with a 16 - 6 record, for example), how many teams would be involved initially (at the beginning of the playoffs -- maybe have a worldwide playoff with a mix of teams from the CHL and the NHL?), and would they be better to simply have two of our all-star teams versus two of theirs in a round robin? 

It's all very interesting to speculate about, but I know, as I'm sure everyone else does, that nothing so cool will ever work out: Bettman will do everything he can to discredit the CHL, and so far alienate them that there will never be good relations between the two leagues.

And this has the potential to be so, so fun, too. I would love to see the best team(s) in Europe/Asia take on the best team(s) in the NHL.

That'd be good hockey.

Hmm

I don't know how to feel about this draft.

Anton Gustafsson could probably have been taken later in the draft, John Carlsson is still 3 years (at least) away, and Eric Mesery (Mestery?) I know nothing about.

Mattias Tedenby was one of the top 3 Europeans in the draft, and was still on the board when Gustafsson was taken.

He was gone, however, when Carlsson was taken, but Aaron Ness, proclaimed to be a Rafalski-type, with speed and skill at the blue line, wasn't. 

I'm confused about the picks, and there isn't much information about them to sell themselves to me.

Not only that, but Gustafsson and Kurgryshev (spelling?) both have worrisome medical histories. I'm afraid we've set ourselves up for another Fehr in Gustafsson.

And is it me, or do Semin, Afinogenov, and our new Russian all look exactly the same?

Draught shot

Well, that was a long, mostly boring, but certainly interesting night.

Anton Gustafsson apparently doesn't think his Dad could shoot, and is probably going to follow the Ovechkin-Backstrom-Alzner mold and develop for one more year before attempting to play for Washington.

John Carlsson is probably at least 3 years away, which, given the sheer amount that we have waiting in the wings for D, is probably a good thing. Alzner is coming up this year, and Godfrey should be with Hershey along with Seabrook and Lepisto. 

I understand, and am okay with, why they took Anton, but I still think I would have preferred taking Tedenby, or trading up to take him after Anton, even, as he was still on the board for two more picks. 

Players yet to be drafted whom I hope GMGM trades up to take: Nicholas Deschamps and Aaron Ness. I think they'll be gone pretty quick today.

Quick thought

If Aaron Ness with his Rafalski/fast-Gonchar-esque playmaking is available at 23, I think I'd take him.

Unless Nikita Filatov, Zach Bogosian, Drew Doughty, etc. were available.

I'm also thinking more highly of Mattias Tedenby than I was yesterday, even.

I'm getting excited.

Can you tell?

And I also have to admit that I'm being swayed a little by the pure potential out of Beach for that 1st rounder.

Noontime shot

Check that.

I forget who I was reading, but someone suggested that Evgeni Grachev would be a good piece between the Alexes. I disagree. One Nicklas Backstrom is a good piece for Ovechkin. Considering that Grachev is a Center, I don't see that happening. 

It also makes me sad as to how out of the loop publications are as to the Caps' state of things. 

But whatever.

Per yesterday, I still wouldn't mind seeing Grachev in a Caps' sweater, but not as a replacement to Backstrom. That's just stupid.

But we all know the 1st round pick is going to be a D. Potentially 3 of their first 4. 

I don't think it'll go 4-for-4.

A double shot to start

Okay.

Huet, en francais, wants to stay, and I'm all for that. 

Green is playing hard to get, and I'm slightly annoyed, but I can understand his position.

Ovechkin is the man.

Boudreau is the man.

Backstrom is the man (even though).

Friday's the draft. Upon inspection of TSN.ca's research, I'm interested to see Nicholas Dechamps, Evgeni Grachev, Anton Gustaffson, Mattias Tedenby, and Jared Staal for forwards and Erik Karlsson, Aaron Ness, and David Carle for defensemen. 

And I'm interested to see if anything comes from the Zach Boychuk interview where he sang for GMGM.

Hmm. More later.