Speculation: Armchair GM Thread: I can't believe it's not butter, I can't believe we didn't get Ryan Hartman.

[Flames Fanatic]

Nah the best from a month ago was Kapanen and a 2nd, which is a step up.

Sadly I'm pretty sure I remember a pre-deadline thread where a Leafs fan said he wouldn't move a 2nd and Lepisic for Hamilton. One Leafs fan I know, but that one is relatively fresh in my mind.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

If depth is the problem than I can't for the life of me understand why they haven't tried separating Monahan and Gaudreau, especially considering how good Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland has looked every time they get a chance together.

You could then have very balanced lines, each capable of producing some offense.

Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland
Tkachuk - Monahan - Hathaway
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Versteeg - Jankowski - Lazar

 

[Janks]

If depth is the problem than I can't for the life of me understand why they haven't tried separating Monahan and Gaudreau, especially considering how good Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland has looked every time they get a chance together.

You could then have very balanced lines, each capable of producing some offense.

Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland
Tkachuk - Monahan - Hathaway
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Versteeg - Jankowski - Lazar

Puke. I’d rather have literally anyone on the RW beside Money than Hathaway. No thank you.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Puke. I’d rather have literally anyone on the RW beside Money than Hathaway. No thank you.

I had Versteeg there but opted to move him down. But really I was just putting together an example of what you could do. Hathaway wouldn't be out there to create offense as much play with speed and create space.

 

[Lunatik]

Ideally next year, I would like to have one of Neal, Perron or JVR added as a RW option and then add a 4th line LW that is a PK specialist.

13 - 23 - 79
19 - 11 - FA
93 - 77 - 67
FA - 25 - 36
extra: 20/21

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

If we were gonna move Dougie for a RW, I’d rather just try him on the RW first just in case he blows up there. A line of Dougie, Monahan and Johnny would be so dynamic if they clicked.

I’m pretty against trading Hamilton, he’s such a rare and talented player, we would lose any deal we move him in.

I’d trade Ferland for an upgrade all day. I love Ferly, but he would be much easier to replace than a guy who is a legit topliner. You can always trade for or sign a Maroon type player and it shouldn’t cost to much. Ferland is much better Maroon, but if you get a guy like Stone or Miller, it bumps Ferland down and a guy like Maroon would be fine in that role.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

If depth is the problem than I can't for the life of me understand why they haven't tried separating Monahan and Gaudreau, especially considering how good Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland has looked every time they get a chance together.

You could then have very balanced lines, each capable of producing some offense.

Gaudreau - Bennett - Ferland
Tkachuk - Monahan - Hathaway
Frolik - Backlund - Brouwer
Versteeg - Jankowski - Lazar

Good, but I would do something like:

Gaudreau-Bennett-Ferland (Obvious Line)
Tkachuk-Backlund-Lazar(Tough matchups line)
Monahan-Jankowski-Versteeg (Secondary scoring line)
Frolik-Shore/Stajan-Brouwer

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Ferland weirdly takes a long time to recover from injury, may be a confidence issue?

 

[DFF]

Good, but I would do something like:

Gaudreau-Bennett-Ferland (Obvious Line)
Tkachuk-Backlund-Lazar(Tough matchups line)
Monahan-Jankowski-Versteeg (Secondary scoring line)
Frolik-Shore/Stajan-Brouwer

This is how you f*** up a team
Congrats you managed to create a team of 3rd lines

 

[herashak]

Domi + merkley + next years 1st(top 10 protected) for Hamilton + 3rd

Ok this is better.

Domi + Fischer + 2nd for Hamilton + Mangiapane

I'd do this 9/10 times

 

[Dack]

Ok this is better.

Domi + Fischer + 2nd for Hamilton + Mangiapane

I'd do this 9/10 times

That might be worse than the original.​

 

[herashak]

That might be worse than the original.​

We have 2 potential top 4 rhd on the way... this is a perfect trade.

 

[Fig]

I'm thinking... What about as a Versteeg replacement next season... Nail Yakupov as the 13th man to be used like Chiasson was last season. First line to fourth line.

We could even create a line of chaos with Bennett and Yak on the wings. Totally unpredictable.

 

[Mr Snrub]

I'm thinking... What about as a Versteeg replacement next season... Nail Yakupov as the 13th man to be used like Chiasson was last season. First line to fourth line.

We could even create a line of chaos with Bennett and Yak on the wings. Totally unpredictable.

Surely you're joking

 

[Calculon]

I'd be okay with Yakupov as a reclamation project.

Also the only acceptable Hamilton deal with the Coyotes that doesn't involve Keller is around Fischer and Chychrun. Not that Hamilton's going to be traded.

 

[Baxterman]

Ok this is better.

Domi + Fischer + 2nd for Hamilton + Mangiapane

I'd do this 9/10 times

Still not even close to anything I would want to do.

I wouldn't trade Hamilton but if I did it certainly isn't for a mediocre package of quantity over quality.

 

[Baxterman]

We have 2 potential top 4 rhd on the way... this is a perfect trade.

How is it perfect?

It leaves a giant hole on defense and doesn't address our issues up front?

Domi is a LHS LW and Fischer is a meh RWer.

We don't need more mediocre players we need quality top 6 forward/s preferably guys who are natural goal scorers and neither of those guys fit that need.

 

[Turning Mangiapanese]

No thanks to Yakupov, he doesn't have NHL level hockey IQ. He's failed to impress in three different organizations now, this is what he is. If Hitchcock couldn't fix him then Gulutzan sure as hell can't.

 

[Sparky93]

I’d really like to pick up Leivo over the summer. The price should be reasonable. I think he has the ability to be a great replacement for Frolik

 

[The Gnome]

It would be hilarious if Hamilton was the solution to our top line RW woes. One can only pray for a Brent Burns scenario

 

[Fig]

Surely you're joking

Don't call me Shirley.

TL;DR - No I am not joking. But not disagreeing with those who say no to Yakupov. I honestly think Yakupov is still being seriously being miscast and I think Bennett is miscast in the same way. Sorry for the Novel to come.



I am literally trying to moneyball the bargain bin and thinking about decent options that are free due to our futures levels being a little low. I honestly think the main way to reclaim Yakupov literally is to tell him to stop playing like a fox and simplify his game. I understand the hesitation for taking on Yak though and I don't disagree with those that say nay to acquiring him.

In Aesop's fables, a fox and a cat chat about how they avoid the hounds. The fox claims he has a dozen ways to avoid the hounds. The cat is impressed and laments he only has one, which is to run into the trees but the cat knows it works every time. At that moment the fox and the cat hear the hounds. The cat scampers up the tree while the fox decides to run into a burrow. But the fox can't decide if this is the best way to avoid the hounds. So the fox uses other methods in his bag of tricks and the more tricks he uses, the closer the hounds get until they capture him and he dies.

IMO, this is Yakupov and to a certain extent, Bennett. He tries to do half a dozen things on his own. Opposing teams can exploit this easily with numbers and team mates have issues figuring out how to work with him in a unit. But he can and has in the past been integrated into a unit.

Yakupov wasn't bad when Roy told him to play in the dirty areas and park his butt in front of the net. He did alright with CMD who could anticipate his movements, but I do believe CMD said, "I need a winger to do this. Do this, I'll send you the puck." and it worked. We could use another guy like that. I honestly think we could turn him into a Ferland lite if someone sat down with him. He has skill. He has speed. He has drive. He in my opinion merely lacks a "raison d'etre" on an NHL roster. If it wasn't for his success with Derek Roy, an non-NHL calibre scrub at the time, I wouldn't even bother with Yak. But I honestly truly believe he's always miscast. It would also be sweet if we somehow fixed him. The chagrin from up north would be fantastic.

In some senses, I honestly sometimes think he suffers from the same issue as Bennett. Both guys need a coach and line mates to tell him exactly what to do, not to guide them and not allow them to be creative. Some players need the opportunity to play their game, others need an iron Mike or a line mate to take a hard approach and forcefully chisel that diamond out of them and/or tell them specifically how to control their chaos. I sometimes think that's why Bennett looked better under Hartley in that first season. He follows marching orders from Hartley and Backlund in that first season and looked promising. But IIRC in that first season, he wasn't as creative as he attempts to be now. He struggled greatly later on when he was told to give marching orders to his wingers and run a line.

Both Yakupov and Bennett could be those guys that are told to seal their other skills and focus solely on recovering pucks in the corner and be a net front presence. Ferland is the example I am using. If Gully is still around, I agree that Yak might not be a good option. But if we get a Tippet or Sutter to force their will on these two guys and tell them to simplify their game to play like Ferland (but hopefully more consistent), I think we will see them both blossom. Both are guys with a skill set that IMO can probably play all over the roster and be superior to Ferland IMO if they focus solely on emulating Ferland's game for now.

For the 13th man, who would accept the role and be a good option to integrate with the team while also accepting being "wasted" in the pressbox? That was my approach. I honestly have a short list of Stajan at a 1.5 x 1 (as a winger, not C. But can play 3 positions, good faceoffs, good mentor etc.), F Hamilton at around league minimum (Two positions, good drive) and Yakupov (One position, great drive) at around league minimum. Sitting kids in the press box is stupid. They need the time on the ice to develop. The aforementioned 3 guys are guys I am ok with talent wise and guys I think we would be ok accepting the press box as part of their role and being buried in the minors if the young guys finally step up.

It's a crazy idea, I know. I just wanted to put it out there. I'm not offended if no one agrees, but I am stubbornly trying to prove that there is a method to the madness even though no one cares whether there is or not.

 

[Fig]

It would be hilarious if Hamilton was the solution to our top line RW woes. One can only pray for a Brent Burns scenario

This... This insane idea I really like.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

No Keller no Dougie.

 

[herashak]

Still not even close to anything I would want to do.

I wouldn't trade Hamilton but if I did it certainly isn't for a mediocre package of quantity over quality.

We don’t have enough quantity of quality, only at RD, and we gotta make sure to sign fox. Adding the forwards makes Calgary a team with a bottom 6 that won’t disappear half as much. The coach could actually move guys around too.

Domi - Monahan - Dube
JG - Bennett - Ferland
Tkachuk - backlund - Fischer
Frolik - Shore - lazar

Andersson is an NHLer next year and sign a decent 4/5 dman. Losing Hamilton is worth that offence. I also forgot about Jankowski.

 

[Dack]

My Off-season Plan

1. Trade Stone to make room for Andersson which I think will make us a better team. It will also allow us to recoup some of the picks that we no longer have. Realistically a couple thirds or something because I imagine that any team that wants him would be a playoff team and late 2nds don't have success rates much higher than 3rds and 4ths but are valued disproportionately. This also has the added benefit of clearing cap space and signaling to Adam Fox that when the time comes and he's ready room will be made for him on our blue line.

2. At the draft we need to really target value regardless of position due to our lack of picks. I don't care if all we get are D men if every last one of them is the BPA, they or the NHL D can always be moved later for forwards or future picks. In the late rounds I think the most value you can get is from overagers with good numbers (Mangiapane not Austin Carrol), small players (Gaudreau or Phillips) and relatively underscouted players (Playing somewhere out of the way usually europe). If we end up with a 2nd or early 3rd I wouldn't be surprised if the Flames picked Sean Durzi. He's a smallish overage D man that Craig Button was really high on last I checked.

3. If we decide to trade a top 4 D man it should be for a top 6 winger + (picks and/or good cheap bottom 6ers). Should we trade a D man I think it will likely be Brodie (horribly inconsistent the past 2 years) or Hamilton (One of the best young D Men in the game but it just doesn't seem like he's trusted by the coaching staff. I'd really rather keep him he's provided us with elite play the past 2 years.) I doubt Gio or Hamonic are traded because one was just acquired and the other is the captain. Well see how the season end but right now I think it's likely one of the top 4 guys are traded.

Anyways should the trade happen we should target De Haan in FA. He has chemistry with Hamonic which would allow us to have them as a second pairing and play whoever wasn't traded with Gio.

4. Sign a RW in FA. This will be less of a priority if a D is traded for one but a cheap guy could still fill out depth. Probably Perron or Neal hopefully they aren't too expensive after having great seasons with the Golden Knights because having either of them would massively improve the team and the RW depth. Worst case scenario and they are both out of our price range sign Vanek to a 1 year deal. Dude may have 0 value around the league but he still puts up points.

5. Leave some bottom 6 spots open for young guys and fill the rest with fast and useful bottom 6 guys (guys in the Cogliano or Byron mold of there is any). Nick Shore is a step in the right direction and they need to continue to find guys like him. Maybe one shit disturber in Rousell.

6. I actually doubt that the coaching staff will be fired even though I'm mostly for it.