Realistic trade options to fix our glaring weakness at the center position

[Viqsi]

Where would you rank Wennberg's shooting ability among our forwards? Top 10 is questionable.

That, also, would have to be worked on as part of it. The issue is that he gets shut down because folks know what to expect of him. The answer is to change expectations. He can shoot; he's not a killer badass at it, but he can. He needs to do so more to keep defenses honest. That's going to be true whether at C or W.

 

[mikeyp24]

Just a few opinions to toss out.

#1 During our best years for the most part our team scores as as a team. We have never been this multiple 70+ point player team. We play as a team and score as a team and our top lines score 50+ but the bottom pulls a little more weight. That's a huge reason I think our players are always so underrated while on a front loaded team guys like Cam and Panarin will score 70+ and 30+ goals but for us they just need 20+ and play responsible D. That's why we can go stretches like now where we are scoring 1 or 2 a game and still be playing great. The numbers don't show it in the points column but watch our games and for the first half of most games we dominate possession. How many times has Bob faced like 15 or less shots going into the late parts of games? That's not something that most teams pull off. Meanwhile we take 25-30 chances a game and we get VERY food looks we just happen to get a lot of goalies on their best nights.

#2 We can't blame Wennberg for the PP obviously. People are saying once they figured out Wennberg our PP went down hill... how does that explain this year because they pulled him from the top PP pretty early in the year if I remember right and he hasn't been here the past few. We just need to take an honest look at Larson coaching that part of the team. I don' want to fire the guy he's been here a long time and I think the guys like him but someone else needs to take that over.

#3 Yes we need a C that is a little more consistant than Wennberg point wise BUT there's nothing out there quite what we need. So why make a trade just to do it. Bozak isn't a major upgrade but will cost something in futures or people say JJ but that's not a good move imo. Trade a locker room guy who' been good this year and hasn't done anything to be forced to move. Was just named an A and if we have an injury goodbye 8 deep. RNH is signed long term and at a big cost... is a guy comparable to Dubi numbers but not as good on D or faceoffs as Dubi worth what it costs? He's also worse then Wennberg on offense except goals and with Wennberg out and maybe hurt longer then we know his current year has obviously suffered. I was all for Duchene but it's pretty obvious now we made the right move there. So we could rent Tavares or try and go nuts for something in FLA or a DAL center if their year falls apart but at what cost to the current depth that has allowed us to not have to worry about having legit NHL guys rotate in and out based on whose playing well. If GMJK can do it good if not right now we are doing well win wise if it ain' broke don't fix it.


Basically our players points aren't impressive but their team play has been and the wins are coming. Right now I think its just hard being in a good spot we need anything to worry about.

 

[pled]

does anyone wish karlsson was protected ?

 

[We Want Ten]

does anyone wish karlsson was protected ?

I liked Wild Bill, but using his current stats to look back is a mistake IMO. His shooting % is sky high, and wenny is slumping. Those things combined look bad right now. But with the Clarkson deal being included, things are what they are.

Hopefully Wenny gets healthy, learns to shoot more, and not fall down when a player skates by him. We will be alright.

I don't think mortgaging our future for RNH, a career sub 45% FO guy, and I don't think he has ever scored more than 60 pts. in a year is gonna help.

I guess i'm in the wait and see camp.

Personally, I have more of an issue with our PP than our C situation at this point. Again this is all based off Wenny coming back and playing like we hope he can.

 

[mikeyp24]

does anyone wish karlsson was protected ?

No. He was left free to protect Anderson and a defensman and Korpi. All are more important to us the. Wild Bills actual past production was. You can't judge his numbers and say that would happen here. Different systems, linemates/chemistry, and a hell of a lot more TOI then he'd get here.

Not to mention him leaving is a major reason PLD, Milano, and Motte are on the team. So the ? Is more along the lines would you rather have Karlson then PLD and no I wouldn't. The points aren't there yet but everything else is above and beyond what I expected year 1.

 

[Maylo]

Personally, I have more of an issue with our PP than our C situation at this point. Again this is all based off Wenny coming back and playing like we hope he can.

Yeah, when STL has more PP goals in one game than we have in 20... And Larsen is still there no matther what.

 

[Zarathustra]

Just a few opinions to toss out.


#2 We can't blame Wennberg for the PP obviously. People are saying once they figured out Wennberg our PP went down hill... how does that explain this year because they pulled him from the top PP pretty early in the year if I remember right and he hasn't been here the past few. We just need to take an honest look at Larson coaching that part of the team. I don' want to fire the guy he's been here a long time and I think the guys like him but someone else needs to take that over.

I think part of the PP suffering has been trying to put Panarin in the same spot as he was with Kane. I think in the last few games Panarin has been on the right side instead of the left and the PP has improved somewhat. I think his most recent goals have all come from the right side of the ice instead of his normal 1-timer where teams were playing close to him. It makes me wonder if he'd be better off playing as a RW instead of a LW.

 

[We Want Ten]

Our PP has been trash since December of last year.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Pittsburg is +25 on the PP. 25 scored and no shorthanded against. The Jackets are +4. 6 for 2 SH against.

At least we're better than Buffalo. They're +3.

2017-18 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Special Teams - National Hockey League - ESPN

 

[TaketheCannoli]

Ok, how do you see him adjusting his game? Given, I do not see how it is possible. Explain to me how he can do it and I will consider it. But so far not one person has accepted my challenge to explain how Wennie is going to successfully adjust to the way teams are now playing him. I am all ears. Someone tell me how he will do it. Something, anything. TEll me. I see a one dimensional offensive player.

It's coaching. The coaches have to continuously push him to shoot first. In practices, in scrimmages, in games over and over until it becomes second nature for him. Coaches have been doing something similar with most of the young players, whether its forechecking, backchecking, crashing the net etc.etc. It's no different that any other skill or any other sport. Repetition

 

[Maylo]

Pittsburg is +25 on the PP. 25 scored and no shorthanded against. The Jackets are +4. 6 for 2 SH against.

At least we're better than Buffalo. They're +3.

2017-18 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Special Teams - National Hockey League - ESPN

Pens is #1 in given attempts, we are dead last. And when we got 5x3 penalties 3 times in one game?

Still, i would let Larsen go, there no exuses for him.

 

[blahblah]

No. He was left free to protect Anderson and a defensman and Korpi. All are more important to us the. Wild Bills actual past production was. You can't judge his numbers and say that would happen here. Different systems, linemates/chemistry, and a hell of a lot more TOI then he'd get here.

Not to mention him leaving is a major reason PLD, Milano, and Motte are on the team. So the ? Is more along the lines would you rather have Karlson then PLD and no I wouldn't. The points aren't there yet but everything else is above and beyond what I expected year 1.

We were morons, but whatever. We didn't have to protect Korp. There were a few other players we didn't have to protect either. Yes, his numbers are inflated from a high shot percentage, but he's playing top line minutes in the West and doing well. No use worrying about it now, I said my peace at the time and we'll see what it looks like a few years down the line.

Karlsson could have be given a large role here and Torts elected not to. That's on him. There are players that deserve larger roles now, but he'll keep on keeping on. He's much better than Richards, but he has some quirks that are annoying. One of them being what he did in the playoffs last season with roster decisions. Just downright silly.

 

[Daytonian]

A look at RNH and what he could bring.

The Columbus Blue Jackets Should Acquire Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

I like it. But it just ain't happening.

 

[Old Guy]

Please, no to RNH. What GM is going to throw a life preserver to Edmonton GM Peter Chirelli? While McDavid is fast, the rest of that team is slow, plodding, and next year will be very expensive. Keep the CBJ powder dry until the John Tavares questions get answered.

 

[EDM]

Well Wennie is back either tonite or tomorrow. Let's see how he does. I assume he will need at least a couple of games to get back up to speed.

 

[MoeBartoli]

Our PP has been trash since December of last year.

It has been. And how big a deal is it? Huge! If we were even at the league average on the PP after 23 games, our Goals Per Game total would be up nearly a half a goal per game, thus placing our GPG average near the top of the league. At the moment, solving the Powerless Play problem is a more immediate and less costly way to resolve our offensive shortfall.

 

[EDM]

Good point.

 

[EDM]

It seems to me we were really hot last year at the start of the season when we were using that 1-3-1 formation which was constantly leaving Cam open for the shot on goal. Then, I think it was Trotz with the Caps figured out how to adjust to it and we were done. We never adjusted to the adjustment other teams made to us. We just kept doing the same 1-3-1 over and over with no success for the rest of the year.

Now I look at our first unit, with three strong shooters, Panarin, Cam and Bjork plus Jones at the point and I wonder: how is it possible to NOT succeed with that much talent on the ice? I am beginning to agree with other posters that it is probably time to point the finger at Larson.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

It has been. And how big a deal is it? Huge! If we were even at the league average on the PP after 23 games, our Goals Per Game total would be up nearly a half a goal per game, thus placing our GPG average near the top of the league. At the moment, solving the Powerless Play problem is a more immediate and less costly way to resolve our offensive shortfall.

Great point.

If a team can score 5 on 5, it can score 5 on 4. The CBJ will figure it out at some point. With Z, Paranarin, Cam and Bjorkstrand in the mix, there's not a way it won't be. Foligno was also a crazy good PP guy a few years ago. No reason he can't be part of the solution.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I wonder if the CBJ ever had discussions with New Jersey for Henrique. Granted, we might have had to give up Murray or something, and I wouldn't do that, but he's an interesting player.

Vatanen for Henrique was a good deal for Jersey.

 

[Byrral]

I wonder if the CBJ ever had discussions with New Jersey for Henrique.

It is possible. My guess would be that NJ was reluctant to trade him within the division.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Seems like NJ fans viewed Henrique as a LW who can fill-in at C. Not worth the price IMO.

 

[EspenK]

https://thehockeywriters.com/nhl-players-need-trade-bennett-kapanen/

Food for thought...

 

[Crede777]

I think Bennett is an interesting player, but I don't think he'd be an upgrade on Wennberg within the next 2 years. That might have to do with his ongoing struggles, but recently Bennett seems like a guy who is a pass first player and one who struggles to adapt to the center position at the NHL level.

Also, I don't think the price Calgary would accept matches the value CBJ would get.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Also, I don't think the price Calgary would accept matches the value CBJ would get.

That'd be the case for all of those players.