GDT: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins l February 28, 2013 l PNC Arena

[bleedgreen]

I think the bigger issue now is getting Dwyer back on the second. He worked better with those two than larose does. Truth is, Dwyer is better with the puck than larose and IMO has become the better puck hound on the forecheck. He's just a better player, and showed chemistry on that line. Obviously it's better chemistry with skinner in, but who cares what the reason is? No one expects Dwyer or larose to be scorers, just to be the glue guy doing the dirty work. Dwyer wins on the second. As for helping out Nash on the third, I don't see the point of sacrificing the second to help the third.

Nash has been very solid, btw. Strong on the puck and positionally sound. He should stay up.

 

[What the Faulk]

I see no difference between Nash and Jokinen at this point, and Nash comes at a fraction of the cost.

 

[StormCast]

I think the bigger issue now is getting Dwyer back on the second. He worked better with those two than larose does. Truth is, Dwyer is better with the puck than larose and IMO has become the better puck hound on the forecheck. He's just a better player, and showed chemistry on that line. Obviously it's better chemistry with skinner in, but who cares what the reason is? No one expects Dwyer or larose to be scorers, just to be the glue guy doing the dirty work. Dwyer wins on the second. As for helping out Nash on the third, I don't see the point of sacrificing the second to help the third.

Nash has been very solid, btw. Strong on the puck and positionally sound. He should stay up.

Agreed for the most part. On Tlusty's "demotion" he's not the type of forward who creates for himself though he's a very good opportunist. In other words, his style of play isn't going to jump-start the second line and he's more effective as a complementary player. Cam was really struggling during that time so you can see why Muller decided to play it safe and rely on a better mix of solid D play from the forwards. Plus Tlusty started the year there so it's a role he's already been in, not to mention much of last year too.

 

[Beardy*]

I see no difference between Nash and Jokinen at this point, and Nash comes at a fraction of the cost.

Yeeeaaaah... I mean honestly... We are set to let some guys go after this season, and hopefully through trade.

Jussi is completely worthless here. Honestly, the following lines, to me, would be completely acceptable going forward:

Tlusty - EStaal - Semin
Skinner - JStaal - Dwyer
Bowman - Nash - Dalpe/Other
Westgarth/Other - Brent - Wallace

Honestly, LaRose and Jussi are completely expendable on this roster, and together, they eat up $4.7M. If we can package them in a deal, or find someone willing to give them a chance, and than somehow get Ruutu's contract off our books, that would open up $9.5M in cap room this coming year alone. I don't really see the value any of them bring anymore, unfortunately, so the possibilities are enticing.

 

[Sasha Cares]

Tlusty has become what we hoped Ruutu would be

 

[GoCanes2013]

I'm not sold on Bowman yet - maybe Chris Terry slides in there next year?

 

[Beardy*]

I'm not sold on Bowman yet - maybe Chris Terry slides in there next year?

I'm willing to give Bowman a long tryout on the 3rd line. His game seems to be coming together quite nicely, and last night he played a pretty good game.

Let put it this way, I have a hell of a lot more faith that the 3rd line will be potent with Bowman on the wing than Jokinen. Plus, I would hope Bowman will only get better with more experience in the NHL. Its becoming obvious that Jussi is past that point, at least on this team.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Honestly, LaRose and Jussi are completely expendable on this roster, and together, they eat up $4.7M.

That's an eye-opening number.

 

[Beardy*]

That's an eye-opening number.

The good thing is, unless JR goes stupid and re-signs both (and with their recent play and age, I don't see how either is possible) they will both be leaving the team via free agency over the next 2 seasons anyway.

Right now, we have $50.5M in salaries locked up for next year with the players on the NHL roster right now, and this includes Jussi's $3M cap hit. If we can possibly move him this year, and we DON'T get anything in return other than a pick, we'll have $47.5M in salary tied up next year, meaning we'll be $16.5M under the cap needing to sign Semin, 2 forwards, a d-man, a backup goalie, and 2 healthy scratches. If we buy out Ruutu, that'll be $21.25M in cap room for an additional forward over what I previously said.

If you assume Murphy plays on the team next year (and how can you not after his recent tryout), we'll have $15.2M to sign Semin, 2 forwards, a backup goalie, and 2 healthy scratches. We're in pretty good Cap shape right now as it is in order to sign Semin and fill out the roster, but if we can get someone to take Jussi off our hands, man... we'll be in even better shape... And this doesn't even address Ruutu's monster deal.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I'll be shocked if the Canes buy out anyone on this roster, even Ruutu.

 

[bleedgreen]

Yeah we aren't buying anyone out. I could see us trading ruutu's salary for an equal contract on a dman. Skinner and staals numbers go up next year too.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'll be shocked if the Canes buy out anyone on this roster, even Ruutu.

I could see JR buying out Ruutu before I could see him letting LaRose walk.

Moving Jussi would be a good start, let's leave it at that. We could really put $3m to good use filling out our defense and bottom-6 center situation.

 

[Beardy*]

Yeah we aren't buying anyone out. I could see us trading ruutu's salary for an equal contract on a dman. Skinner and staals numbers go up next year too.

Skinner and Staal's increases are accounted for in the cap number...


And I could see us letting LaRose go.... Now, if he wants to come back for less than he's making now, I'm all for it. He can be a scrappy 3rd or 4th line player, but we've got guys in the AHL that could fill in for him for much cheaper and do the same kind of job he does nightly.

 

[Zombie Mike Murphy]

Yeeeaaaah... I mean honestly... We are set to let some guys go after this season, and hopefully through trade.

Jussi is completely worthless here. Honestly, the following lines, to me, would be completely acceptable going forward:

Tlusty - EStaal - Semin
Skinner - JStaal - Dwyer
Bowman - Nash - Dalpe/Other
Westgarth/Other - Brent - Wallace

I'd bump Wallace up to the 3rd. He's more effective when actually getting minutes so he bang bodies. Thinking about it last night - I think Wallace is what we hoped Anthony Stewart would be....a solid guy who hits, isn't terrible defensively.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

To me, I kind of think that you shouldn't trade a player when the value's at it's lowest, just horrible asset management. To me, I think it's better we let Jussi work out his problems this season, don't panic too much, because he's shown a lot more in the past. Chad's a different story, though, because I genuinely think a change of scenery would be good for him, and he's easy to trade as well (expiring contract).

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Tlusty has become what we hoped Ruutu would be

I don't know about that. A big part of Ruutu's game is his physicality and while Tlusty will throw a hit, he's far from being the most physical forward on the team and certainly not on par with Ruutu's 2.1 hits/game from last season. Here's our forwards thus far this season:

Wallace - 25 hits/12 games (2.08 hits/game)
Nash - 11 hits/6 games (1.83 hits/game)
J. Staal - 34 hits/19 games (1.7 hits/game)
LaRose - 30 hits/18 games (1.67 hits/game)
Nodl - 13 hits/8 games (1.63 hits/game)
Welsh - 6 hits/4 games (1.50 hits/game)
Dwyer - 25 hits/18 games (1.32 hits/game)
Bowman - 19 hits/18 games (1.06 hits/game)
Westgarth - 11 hits/12 games (0.92 hits/game)
Brent - 12 hits/14 games (0.86 hits/game)
Dalpe - 6 hits/7 games (0.86 hits/game)
Tlusty - 16 hits/19 games (0.84 hits/game)
Skinner - 11 hits/14 games (0.79 hits/game)
E. Staal - 10 hits/19 games (0.53 hits/game)
Jokinen - 9 hits/19 games (0.47 hits/game)
Semin - 5 hits/19 games (0.26 hits/game)

 

[Chrispy]

Ruutu could be dealt in the off-season, but I doubt he's bought out this summer. They will at least wait and see if his surgery brings back the play we saw before 2011-12 before buying him out in the summer of 2014.

Jokinen could go during this deadline. The idea of Klesla for Jokinen that came up on the trade board seems reasonable: equivalent salaries and term of contract and Klesla is only a year older than Jokinen. Looking at Beardy's lines, I could also see letting Brent walk and bringing in a different player at 3C (Welsh, Rask, UFA) and then letting Nash have the 4C slot in place of Brent. ___-Nash-Wallace on the 4th line could be more effective on the 4th line than we've seen in a while.

LaRose could be a rental for rental deal, especially since there is cap space available to take on a larger salary or even pick up some of LaRose's salary for the balance of the season to sweeten the pot a little.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Moving Jussi would be a good start, let's leave it at that. We could really put $3m to good use filling out our defense and bottom-6 center situation.

True, and I'm not saying "don't trade" Jussi, but there are a lot of options. For instance, the team could just as easily use the $2M from Corvo and the $1.7 from LaRose to achieve the same thing and it wouldn't be bad. Or trade McBain, etc.. Ruutu being healthy would make a big difference.

Tlusty-Staal-Semin
Skinner-Staal-Dalpe/Ruutu (or Dwyer)
Jokinen-Nash-Ruutu/Dalpe (or Dwyer)
Bowman, Brent, Wallace, Dwyer, Westgarth to fill out the bottom


Gleason-Faulk
Pitkanen-NEW D
Harrison-McBain (or Murphy or Sanguinetti)

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Hey tarheel...when did your username turn blue?

 

[DaleCooper]

Whoa.

This is a power play against me I see through your conspiracies DaveG!!!!111!11

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

True, and I'm not saying "don't trade" Jussi, but there are a lot of options. For instance, the team could just as easily use the $2M from Corvo and the $1.7 from LaRose to achieve the same thing and it wouldn't be bad. Or trade McBain, etc.. Ruutu being healthy would make a big difference.

The best case scenario this season, IMO, is that Nash plays well enough in the #3 center role so that Jussi can be used more effectively. Part of the reason why he's had so many issues is that he's basically been used in the wrong role the whole season due to necessity. An effective Nash would change the team a lot IMO. If not, then trading Jussi in a package for a needed asset (like a top-4 DMan or #3 center) could be a good idea. It's just that selling low isn't ever a good idea unless there's an asset you need.

 

[Beardy*]

True, and I'm not saying "don't trade" Jussi, but there are a lot of options. For instance, the team could just as easily use the $2M from Corvo and the $1.7 from LaRose to achieve the same thing and it wouldn't be bad. Or trade McBain, etc.. Ruutu being healthy would make a big difference.

Tlusty-Staal-Semin
Skinner-Staal-Dalpe/Ruutu (or Dwyer)
Jokinen-Nash-Ruutu/Dalpe (or Dwyer)
Bowman, Brent, Wallace, Dwyer, Westgarth to fill out the bottom


Gleason-Faulk
Pitkanen-NEW D
Harrison-McBain (or Murphy or Sanguinetti)

I'm thinking Corvo is gone this offseason, and Murphy takes his spot.

Gleason-Faulk
Pitkanen-McBain
Harrison-Murphy

Gives you a more solid core while also costing $650K less than what we have now...

 

[Beardy*]

The best case scenario this season, IMO, is that Nash plays well enough in the #3 center role so that Jussi can be used more effectively. Part of the reason why he's had so many issues is that he's basically been used in the wrong role the whole season due to necessity. An effective Nash would change the team a lot IMO. If not, then trading Jussi in a package for a needed asset (like a top-4 DMan or #3 center) could be a good idea. It's just that selling low isn't ever a good idea unless there's an asset you need.

The problem is that he's become expendable, and he's taking up a roster spot that one of our AHL guys can and probably should be using, for about 1/4th the cost. I can see us trading Jussi and a pick to a team in need of a veteran forward for one of their younger, underrated d-men.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I'm thinking Corvo is gone this offseason, and Murphy takes his spot.

Gleason-Faulk
Pitkanen-McBain
Harrison-Murphy

Gives you a more solid core while also costing $650K less than what we have now...

Are we not actively trying to improve our D? I bet we've got at least one guy on our D next year that's not associated with this franchise today.

Giordano is what I'm hoping for.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Skinner and Staal's increases are accounted for in the cap number...

True, but the a couple of million in REAL Salary increases to E.Staal, Ruutu, Tlusty, Dwyer, Gleason, McBain, Ward (with no cap change) has to be taken into account as well for a budget team like Carolina.