Line Combos: It's that time again ...

[GardinerExpressway]

I, like many of you, am underwhelmed at the moves made by our GM these past couple weeks ... I even rated Nonis's competence as less than that of a potato over at Pension Plan Puppets. But we are what we are now and I thought I'd get us started discussing what our lines might look like next year and get some board feedback on what the remaining RFA salaries end up as. My "regrettable ideal" scenario is below and I welcome feedback!

FORWARDS

JVR ($4.250m) / Bozak ($4.200m) / Kessel ($5.400m)
Lupul ($5.250m) / Kadri ($3.000m) / Clarkson ($5.250m)
McClement ($1.500m) / Bolland ($3.375m) / Kulemin ($2.800m)
McLaren ($0.700m) / Colborne ($0.925m) / Orr ($0.925m)

D'Amigo ($1.083m)

DEFENSEMEN

Phaneuf ($6.500m) / Gunnarsson ($2.750m)
Gardiner ($1.117m) / Liles ($3.875m)
Franson ($3.000m) / Fraser ($0.660m)

Holzer ($0.788m)

GOALTENDERS

Bernier ($2.900m)
Reimer ($1.800m)

OTHER

Buyout: Darcy Tucker ($1.000m)
Buyout: Colby Armstrong ($1.000m)

RETAINED SALARY TRANSACTIONS (0.778% of upper limit)

Matt Frattin ($0.437m—0.5%) Ben Scrivens ($0.062m—0.1%)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,546,667; BONUSES: $512,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $265,833

Click to read more...

 

[AuraSphere]

Colborne won't sign for anything under 1.5 mill lol, and gunnar will get more than franson

 

[GardinerExpressway]

Colborne won't sign for anything under 1.5 mill lol, and gunnar will get more than franson

What do you think Colborne has done to deserve as much as 1.5? I would probably agree that Gunnar is worth more than Franson, but I don't necessarily believe that's the way it will play out given the leverage of offensive numbers that Franson can lean on.

 

[Kbs]

Colborne won't sign for anything under 1.5 mill lol, and gunnar will get more than franson

What has Colborne done to get more than a million? He hasn't exactly lit up the AHL and he's still not proven he can consistently play in the NHL.

 

[sommervr]

Colborne won't sign for anything under 1.5 mill lol, and gunnar will get more than franson

And Franson wants Bozak money

 

[Kbs]

What do you think Colborne has done to deserve as much as 1.5? I would probably agree that Gunnar is worth more than Franson, but I don't necessarily believe that's the way it will play out given the leverage of offensive numbers that Franson can lean on.

Pretty much this. I agree that if it came down to arbitration, Franson will probably get more than Gunnarsson. I could see them getting similar contracts if they get deals outside of arbitration.

 

[GardinerExpressway]

What has Colborne done to get more than a million? He hasn't exactly lit up the AHL and he's still not proven he can consistently play in the NHL.

Glad I wasn't the only one thinking this ...

 

[GardinerExpressway]

And Franson wants Bozak money

That is just absurd. Given that Bozak was a UFA and Franson is an RFA, and further looking at the Rob Scuderi contract (and even Liles' for that matter).

 

[GardinerExpressway]

I think the highest that Franson/Gunnar get is $3,365,000 AAV each (given the compensation implications 1st+3rd) and $3mil seems closer to the bullseye looking at the market, and the cap situations of the league at large.

 

[holden57]

That defense is horrible wow.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

That defense is horrible wow.

Not like Nonis did much to change it.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Nonis will most likely find a trade to improve the back end. I don't see them going into the season with that six.

Rielly could earn a spot, too.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Lupul(5.25) Kadri(3.5) Kessel(5.4)
JVR(4.25) Bozak(4.2) Clarkson(5.25)
Kulemin(2.8) McClemment(1.5) Bolland(3.375)
McLaren(0.7) Colborne(0.9) Orr(0.925)
Ashton(1.04)

Gunnarsson(2.75) Phaneuf(6.5)
Gardiner(1.117) Franson(3.5)
Fraser(1) O'Byrne(1)
Ranger(1) Blacker(0.87)

Reimer(1.8)
Bernier(2.9)

Scrivens/Frattin(0.5)
Tucker(1)
Armstrong(1)

Team Payroll(64.027)
Salary Cap(64.3)
Cap Space(0.273)

Liles needs to go for picks.

 

[nuck]

I, like many of you, am underwhelmed at the moves made by our GM these past couple weeks ... I even rated Nonis's competence as less than that of a potato over at Pension Plan Puppets. But we are what we are now and I thought I'd get us started discussing what our lines might look like next year and get some board feedback on what the remaining RFA salaries end up as. My "regrettable ideal" scenario is below and I welcome feedback!

FORWARDS

JVR ($4.250m) / Bozak ($4.200m) / Kessel ($5.400m)
Lupul ($5.250m) / Kadri ($3.000m) / Clarkson ($5.250m)
McClement ($1.500m) / Bolland ($3.375m) / Kulemin ($2.800m)
McLaren ($0.700m) / Colborne ($0.925m) / Orr ($0.925m)

D'Amigo ($1.083m)

DEFENSEMEN

Phaneuf ($6.500m) / Gunnarsson ($2.750m)
Gardiner ($1.117m) / Liles ($3.875m)
Franson ($3.000m) / Fraser ($0.660m)

Holzer ($0.788m)

GOALTENDERS

Bernier ($2.900m)
Reimer ($1.800m)

OTHER

Buyout: Darcy Tucker ($1.000m)
Buyout: Colby Armstrong ($1.000m)

RETAINED SALARY TRANSACTIONS (0.778% of upper limit)

Matt Frattin ($0.437m—0.5%) Ben Scrivens ($0.062m—0.1%)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $64,546,667; BONUSES: $512,500
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $265,833

I think they will play Liles 3rd pairing. I actually hope they find a way to bring O'Byrne back. He was quite a bit better than either Kostka or Holzer.

 

[WestCoastLeafs]

I also don't like the moves - well, one of them anyway.

FORWARDS

Second and third line interchangeable, i.e. Bozak's could be 2nd and Bolland's 3rd

JVR - Kadri - Kessel
Colborne - Bolland - Clarkson
Lupul - Bozak - Kulemin
D'Amigo - McClement -Orr/McLaren
Orr/McLaren

DEFENSEMEN

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Gardiner - Franson
Liles - Fraser

Reasons:
1st line: Kadri and Kessel great chemistry and both of them can start of finish a play. JVR can do the dirty work while still has the scoring touch to bury it when set up by Kessel/Kadri (or rebounds.)

Bolland Line: Mix of scoring and shutdown. Gives Colborne a chance to have a bigger role, and Clarkson's offensive abilities suit a cycling line better than a skill line.

Bozak Line: Lupul is pretty good at getting offense out of people, hopefully he can do it with Bozak. Kulemin adds some balance so line can play in all three zones (kind of useful the way we lean on Bozak for faceoffs).

Fourth line: don't need two enforcers playing on this line with Clarkson in the lineup. Give a Marlie a shot at a spot. Orr/McLaren can alternate games.

Defensive Pairings: keep the top four pairings from the playoffs last year, and Liles/Fraser compliment each other well - Fraser good in his own zone, Liles good at moving the puck.

Overall: One high-end scoring line and two balanced off/def lines. Carry twenty-two men to stay under cap.

 

[ThreeHundred]

I rather have Kadri on line one.
Do we need Mclaren on the fourth line. Colborne is fine with me but we should give a shot to another prospect as well.
Prospect - Colborne - Orr

 

[glasses91]

JvR Bozak Kessel- $
Lupul Bolland Clarkson- Shutdown
Kulemin Kadri Ashton- Size and hands
McLaren McClement Orr- On the grind
D'Amigo, Colborne- McLaren will need to rest hands eventually.

Phany Gardiner- #1 and #2
Rielly Franson- The BC boys
Gunnarsson Granberg- Sweden's finest

 

[Sluck13]

Lupul(5.25) Kadri(3) Kessel(5.4)
JVR(4.25) Bozak(4.2) Clarkson(5.25)
Kulemin(2.8) McClemment(1.5) Bolland(3.375)
McLaren(0.7) Colborne(0.9) Orr(0.925)
Ashton(1.04)

Rielly(1.744) Phaneuf(6.5)
Gardiner(1.117) Franson(3)
Fraser(1) O'Byrne(1)
Ranger(1) Blacker(0.87)

Reimer(1.8)
Bernier(2.9)

Scrivens/Frattin(0.5)
Tucker(1)
Armstrong(1)

Team Payroll(62.021)
Salary Cap(64.3)
Cap Space(2.279)

Gunnarsson and Liles needs to go for picks.

did you forget how many shots Reims faced per game last year Gunnar was one of our best defersive guys I would rather him over franson, right now you have 3/4 of the top 4 dman as offensive defensmen

 

[dballislife2]

would love an upgrade at 3rd line wing with bolland and kulemin, also a R defender beside gardiner, liles franson fraser interchange for the 5 and 6 d spots and season can begin

 

[sommervr]

I think the highest that Franson/Gunnar get is $3,365,000 AAV each (given the compensation implications 1st+3rd) and $3mil seems closer to the bullseye looking at the market, and the cap situations of the league at large.

Yeah they are both in arbitration and they will both get 4 mill give or take a bit.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Im sorry our lineup looks terrible. Our defense needed the most attention and that position is status quo right now

 

[BayStBully]

I'd slot D'Amigo or Ashton in there (maybe both) as an everyday player because we can't play Orr AND McClaren together often in my opinion.

Also, we need to shore up that defense, I pray to God Nonis isn't serious when he says he's comfortable going into the season with that defense.

 

[egd27]

Is there something in the new CBA that prevents additional moves after July 7th?

 

[BayStBully]

I have good things about Petter Granberg though, and the possibilities of him coming over this year (probably AHL stint first). He sounds very promising.

 

[McMatthews]

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
D'Amigo - Bolland - Kulemin
McLaren - McClement - Orr

Phaneuf - Gunnarsson
Gardiner - Franson
Rielly - Fraser
Brennan

Bernier
Reimer

Trade: John-Michael Liles​