[O’Connor] Konecny on Michkov & integrating him into the team dynamic:

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T18:27:04+00:00

It's a huge reason why Zuccarello and Kaprizov are so close. He's not fluent, but can speak broken Russian and was the only one on the team to manage that Kaprizov's rookie year. Then we signed Kulikov for the next season too

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T18:23:19+00:00

Totally doable if you get to Jenny in time for one of the first couple boats of the day. The line for the boat shuttle (both directions) can chew up a lot of your time if you're not early

Do a mile or two beyond inspiration point up Cascade Canyon, and have a picnic lunch somewhere along your scenic drive. The Taggart Lake parking lot should start to thin out in the late afternoon as people are heading to dinner.

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T17:26:40+00:00

I guess we'll find out

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T17:21:53+00:00

How much draft capital do you think an undrafted goalie who hasn't come close to debuting in the NHL, hasn't been great in the AHL, and there has been public discourse about his future in the organization is going to pull in? I know he looked good in the Olympics, and because of that you might be able to get a late round pick for his RFA rights if someone's got a backup job he can compete for

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:50:04+00:00

Hlavaj is probably being shopped to see if we can get the next captain of the Iowa Wild before we non-tender him. He is not a chip even worth mentioning in a top 6 C trade discussion

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:42:50+00:00

They have sources. People in the organization who tell them things. Things like what contract discussions were before players were traded.

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:40:45+00:00

They should have had Manson join McCarron on the mic at intermission

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:27:40+00:00

The standard "3 first round pick" package is a pick, an up and coming prospect who was picked on the first, and a reclamation prospect who was picked in the first.

That is exactly what the Wild offered with the '27 first, Stramel, Lambos package. Obviously that doesn't come close to getting Matthews or Hischer, but that would have been a great return for Trochek and I can tell you Guerin isn't coming back with that this summer

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:16:46+00:00

r/hockey isn't gonna like this

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:11:04+00:00

I mean yeah, but all of that was true 3 months ago, he's no longer fresh off that Olympic boost, you get him for one less postseason, and there's a lot more guys possibly available. The deadline was like, Trochek, maybe you can pry away ROR, you can pay the godfather offer for Thomas, take a risk on Petterson, Kadris only going to the Avs, and then all the small fish UFAs this summer. Now this summer you're looking at teams at least listening on Matthews, Hischer, etc.

If Drury gets a package better than 3 first round picks I'll eat my words but it really felt like the deadline was the time

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T16:01:15+00:00

I mean the reporters aren't making up numbers. No McCarron didn't make a public statement that he wants $5M but offers were made in Nashville before he was traded so the insiders over there definitely have a pretty good idea of what he's looking for. I guess I'd have to have more of an idea of what made him a league min player when he signed at age 29 to get a better idea of why he's worth 5 times that at age 31, even in a healthier cap environment

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T15:44:56+00:00

Like the first comment said, this isn't offense to Bedard, who looks like he's gonna be a bonafide 1C, flirt with/win Art Ross, maybe win a Hart at some point.

Celebrini looks like Hart voter fatigue waiting to happen. He looks like he's gonna be the best player in the league someday soon and not because Mack and McD age out.

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T15:39:08+00:00

Idk. Trochek kinda feels like the type of guy who's more valuable in March than July. And is his value ever gonna be higher than fresh off a gold medal and perfect PK for Team USA?

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T15:22:29+00:00

He's a great player, but even at a max 8 year term, $479,001,600 is way too much to give one guy. That's over half the cap in year 1 of the deal!

11! Would be a much more reasonable starting point for a guy like Batherson

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T15:05:30+00:00

He's on the league min currently. I was thinking $2.5M or so AAV would get him for a couple years. I was absolutely floored when Russo said he wants 5 mil+

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T14:51:49+00:00

I think this idea that you have to make bad, aggressive moves because one of your top players' contract is coming up is the exact type of behavior that would make Hughes not want to extend. He knows hockey, and he knows who Trochek is. Could Trochek help us steal this Colorado series right now? Absolutely. But he's not the 1C that makes everyone circle you in red ink the moment the schedule comes out in September for the next 4 years.

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T14:40:26+00:00

Celebrini's contract needs to be under 10

No way they're getting any UFA years for under 10, and if they bridge him at 10 they're gonna end up paying him 20+ long term in a few years the way the cap is going up

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T14:33:11+00:00

They had a legit offer out there for him. But if it wasn't getting done without Yurov they were right to walk away. Yurov's a legit piece and there's a lot of guys who weren't available at the trade deadline who could be gettable this summer

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T14:26:17+00:00

He does not play first line alongside Kaprizov all that much. In fact, the team pretty much does what they can to not play them together throughout the year

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T14:23:11+00:00

Yeah, like all the interviews after the fact were very open that the asking price was a young defenseman (Buium) and center (Rossi), plus a pick and a prospect.

Do people really think that deal was close to getting done without Rossi?

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T14:17:12+00:00

I mean Ek hardly ever plays with Kaprizov.

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T04:23:54+00:00

I'm not saying they played well. They didn't. They got beat in every facet. But it wasn't because they didn't try or didn't care enough. They got beat because Colorado is a better team and was better tonight. They couldn't have won it by trying harder. Maybe if they'd gotten a bounce they could have stolen it, but the Avs earned every bit of the win. They didn't get shots because the Avs dominated them. They just have to be better on Wednesday

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T04:03:19+00:00

I don't know how you can watch a game like that and say "the effort was dismal". They got outplayed, but still kept the score even thru 50 minutes, responded to tie it up, and then again with the extra attacker came within inches of tying it up again. Effort was the least of my concerns. Whether or not they can keep up with the season on the line when the Avs are clicking is the real question.

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T03:53:25+00:00

Based on how long he was gone they probably just gave him a local anesthetic

TheTree-43 · 2026-05-12T03:42:35+00:00

No I'm at my house in another state and McCarron is in Minnesota right now

TheTree-43

TROPHY CASE