Speculation: 2017 Offseason Thread - Part II: Drafts Galore

[Benneguin]

I like how Mehot is now considered a 1st pairing D man. Is it really that hard to stay back and let Karlsson dominate for 28 minutes a game? Is that what makes a 1st pairing D man these days? Heck, Lindell, played a lot of 1st pairing minutes too, is he a 1st pairing D man now?

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

You gotta figure the OTT coach had 6-7 options and Meth was the best of them. Or are you one of those guys who figure everyone who actually coaches an NHL team is a dummy by definition....(might be, I always said that about anyone who ran for president)

So, yes, a guy who has traditionally played first pair minutes is considered a first pair, probably No.2 D man. Statistically, he should be in the top 60 D in the league, but a few teams have zero top pair guys, and others (NSH) might have 4.

But, approximately top 60 is pretty good. Doesn't mean he will mesh any better with Klinger than Hammer did, and for that, time will tell. They look good on paper, but might not look so good on ice.

 

[eartotheground]

i think there's an underrated skill of being able to play well with another player who is much more talented/able than you. you have to be willing to alter your game to allow theirs to flourish, and many players struggle that at the professional level... they've been near the apex of their sport already for the majority of their lives. Now, it could just be dumb luck that methot blended so well with karlsson, but i'm betting it's more that he's one of those players that's adept at playing a supporting role. i'm thinking like stu barnes style here.. i believe razor used to call him 'spackle.' you could put him on any line and he fit right in. same could be said for guys like loui e, jere l, or ulf d. (sure, those guys are pretty damn good in their own right, but i'm referring to their ability to play with different styles of players that were better than them)

 

[________]

Nill radio interview Tuesday recap
Nill talks about the acquired players, etc.

Nill on Honka

“It’s definitely time for Julius,†confirmed Nill. “He went over to the world championships and played very well for Finland. He’s put in his time down in the minors. We brought him up two or three times last year. He played very well. When he was in the lineup our puck possession time really went up. So we’re looking forward to him making that next step.â€

Nill on Radulov and the five year term.

“Not a lot of debate,†said Nill. “First of all, we know who he is as a player. He’s a high-end, high-skill player. There’s a physical element to his game down low. He can hold onto pucks. He drives the net. He’s just turning 31, and when you look at a player’s skill level, how they look after themselves nowadays, we weren’t too worried about the five-year deal.

“So in the end – there’s always risk with any contract – but in the end the five years wasn’t a big concern for us. It’s hard to find those type of guys on the market, and when he wanted to cometo us it kind of made it more realistic for us.â€

 

[LT]

I like how Mehot is now considered a 1st pairing D man. Is it really that hard to stay back and let Karlsson dominate for 28 minutes a game? Is that what makes a 1st pairing D man these days? Heck, Lindell, played a lot of 1st pairing minutes too, is he a 1st pairing D man now?

What about his game doesn't make him a first pairing defender? Lack of offense? Because most everything else about his game seems solid and definitely first pairing worthy.

If he could score 30-40 points a year, you'd probably be looking at a Vlasic clone (A.K.A. a player we couldn't have acquired).

 

[Troy McClure]

I like how Mehot is now considered a 1st pairing D man. Is it really that hard to stay back and let Karlsson dominate for 28 minutes a game? Is that what makes a 1st pairing D man these days? Heck, Lindell, played a lot of 1st pairing minutes too, is he a 1st pairing D man now?

If he's better than all of the team's other LD options, what's wrong with calling him the 1st pair guy?

 

[WhatWhat]

I like how Mehot is now considered a 1st pairing D man. Is it really that hard to stay back and let Karlsson dominate for 28 minutes a game? Is that what makes a 1st pairing D man these days? Heck, Lindell, played a lot of 1st pairing minutes too, is he a 1st pairing D man now?

He is our top pair LD but I wouldn't call him a top pairing guy. To me he us a top 4 LD who just happens to be better than our other 2 LD

 

[Benneguin]

What about his game doesn't make him a first pairing defender? Lack of offense? Because most everything else about his game seems solid and definitely first pairing worthy.

If he could score 30-40 points a year, you'd probably be looking at a Vlasic clone (A.K.A. a player we couldn't have acquired).

Vlasic is definitely top pairing worthy. He's a complete defensemen. I have a hard time putting Mehot in that same group. To me he's a solid top four guy, similar to what Oduya was before coming here. We'll play Mehot on the top pair for the same reason Ottawa did, he's the best option at LD on the team, not because he produces/drives possession like a top two. Now you say he's definitely a top two guy minus the offense. Is there actually any evidence of that, beside the hype he's gotten recently?

 

[Ajacied]

Methot is more Norstrom than he is Oduya, who was never more than a veteran 3rd pairing defenseman.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

With the salary cap, I think we have to give up the notion that the Stars can somehow get a top D, much less 2 true top D (like Seabrook and Keith for many years in CHI) without drafting them.

But, just as most teams survive and often prosper without a generational forward (like Crosby) they can do the same without generational D. Its just a bit harder to hit the very top.

We certainly haven't drafted D as well as CAR and NSH, or even LAK, but we seem to have a young core that should mature in to an upper half D core, no? Granted, all would have to develop to their max potential, which doesn't often happen, so yeah, we won't ever be near the top. But JK, JH, MH and even Johns have top 4 potential.

 

[________]

Stars mailbag

Honka is going to be exciting to watch this season. Ideally he’s going to be in a spot where he can learn from his mistakes early in the season, and he’ll have a nice safety net with a veteran defenseman in Dan Hamhuis.

Honka has long-term potential to be better than Klingberg. They are both offensively gifted, but Honka plays with more defensive edge and can actually dominate the game in all three zones, I’m still not confident Klingberg can reach that level as a 200-foot player.

The Stars are a better team with Julius Honka in the lineup, his roster spot shouldn’t be dependent on Nemeth or Oleksiak.

 

[Mr Misty]

What a time to be alive

 

[Satan]

What a time to be alive

Lmao

 

[Magic Mittens]

Makes sense.....

 

[JohnnyHockey]

What a time to be alive

This just in: Nill decides he hates Elie, Smith, Dickinson, and Guryanov and never wants to see them outside of CP.

 

[JohnnyHockey]

What about his game doesn't make him a first pairing defender? Lack of offense? Because most everything else about his game seems solid and definitely first pairing worthy.

If he could score 30-40 points a year, you'd probably be looking at a Vlasic clone (A.K.A. a player we couldn't have acquired).

Karlsson had better defensive and possession stats without Methot than with him, so there's that. His Possession stats relative to the other dmen are negative. 0 goals and only 11 takeaways.

But other than that I mean sounds like a 1st pair to me. Has all the buzzwords you want too. "gritty, never quit attitude, first man in, last man out, knows how to play with a Offensive dman, better player than athlete, his stats don't tell the whole story, mentor for the young players"

I don't hate Methot, but I'd like him a hell of a lot more if he was 3 years younger or had a 3mil cap hit on the 2nd pair.

 

[Morry83]

Highly, highly, highly doubt he gets a contract. Most likely he's just here to create more competition.

 

[Troy McClure]

Tells you what Nill and/or Hitch think of the 4th line depth.

 

[eartotheground]

Maybe just want to have a body that knows the Hitch system and can help spread the faith for a bit.

 

[Benneguin]

This just in: Nill decides he hates Elie, Smith, Dickinson, and Guryanov and never wants to see them outside of CP.

Maybe we should sign Jagr and then trade him at the trade deadline for Dickinson's replacement?

 

[Troy McClure]

Maybe we should sign Jagr and then trade him at the trade deadline for Dickinson's replacement?

What if Jagr goes to some bad team, then at the deadline Nill trades Dickinson for Jagr.

 

[________]

With Radulov signed long-term, assuming he's a good fit, the expectation is he will evolve into a role model and mentor to talented prospects Denis Gurianov, 20, and the erstwhile Val Nichushkin, 22, who is back in Russia.

"I will say that I've seldom, if ever, had a better off-season from a management perspective of improving the team both through the change in the coaching staff and the acquisition of veteran players at literally no expense in youth," Lites said.

Some quotes from scouts on the Stars off-season

 

[OttMorrow]

Some quotes from scouts on the Stars off-season

Great article.

"The Golden Knights initially wanted Dallas's third overall pick at the draft in Chicago in exchange for the sixth pick and Methot."

"But Jim Nill said no way," said Dallas president Jim Lites.

...very interesting. That shows just how highly Nill thinks of Heiksanen. Hope he's right.

 

[LastWordArmy]

At this point in the NHL off-season, it would be remiss to not acknowledge what the Dallas Stars are putting together. Coming off maybe the franchises best regular season in history in 2015-16, the Stars fell flat on their face this year; finishing 15 points clear of a playoff spot and seventh last in league standings. Dallas looked nothing like the team that finished first in the Western Conference and first in league scoring the season before.

Jim Nill set about to make sure 2017-18 wouldn't be a repeat, and the result was a huge off-season of change in Dallas.

http://lwosports.com/2017/07/21/2017-18-dallas-stars-planning-massive-rebound/

 

[Mr Misty]

At this point in the NHL off-season, it would be remiss to not acknowledge what the Dallas Stars are putting together. Coming off maybe the franchises best regular season in history in 2015-16, the Stars fell flat on their face this year; finishing 15 points clear of a playoff spot and seventh last in league standings. Dallas looked nothing like the team that finished first in the Western Conference and first in league scoring the season before.

Jim Nill set about to make sure 2017-18 wouldn't be a repeat, and the result was a huge off-season of change in Dallas.

http://lwosports.com/2017/07/21/2017-18-dallas-stars-planning-massive-rebound/