Ryan Strome, Where Does He Fit In?

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

You underrate the hell out of him. His production this season has been well above what you'd expect out of an average third line center. Considering he's been taking on more responsibility down the stretch and has been helping improve the PK, I'm at a loss where you think a cheap FA signing comes in and hits the ground running.

Strome is 24 and is entering the years where his production should be at its highest. Letting him walk over a discrepancy of a couple hundred grand would be incomprehensible. Considering how rare quality right shot centers are compounds that.

A third line of Lucic - Strome - Puljujarvi next season is an exciting prospect.

How is stapling Puljujarvi, who is already struggling, to the two worst skaters on our team an exciting idea?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Obviously scoring five goals in five games was a hot streak.

It's pretty silly to suggest he hasn't settled into a role and isn't a decent enough player when not scoring at a goal-per-game pace though.

He has a single solitary goal in the past month.

 

[McDNicks17]

He has a single solitary goal in the past month.

How many goals are you expecting from your 3rd line center?

 

[CupofOil]

I don't think he's an effective special teams player, really. I barely think he's a legitimate center. Even if 3M were the going rate for Strome-like players (and I think that's high), top-heavy cap teams can't afford to be paying market value to depth role players.

I don't have room for him next year. I would walk on him before I would qualify him. There are literally a hundred of him and many of these players are going to sign for half of what Strome is in-line for.

There are "literally" (interesting use of that word) a hundred players in their prime you can sign that will get you roughly 15 goals, 35 points and PK for $1.5M/yr? I'd like to know just a few that you have in mind that you can sign for that cheap.

 

[Spawn]

Obviously scoring five goals in five games was a hot streak.

It's pretty silly to suggest he hasn't settled into a role and isn't a decent enough player when not scoring at a goal-per-game pace though.

Decent enough for what though?

He's decent enough in the sense that he's not going to lose games for you. But he's not so decent that he's ever going to make any meaningful impact in helping you win.

Not good enough defensively to want to have out there protecting a lead. Not good enough offensively where he can reliably take advantage of soft match ups. He's a tweener. Now the Oilers are going to need tweeners because of some of the contracts we have. But a tweener shouldn't be making $3M in my opinion.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

How many goals are you expecting from your 3rd line center?

Considering that RNH pushed past 20 and wasn't next to McDavid a good majority of the year I don't think 15 goals from your third line center is too much to ask. He might still reach that but there were way too many dry spells with this player this year.

Before that little hot spurt of his he went 21 games without a goal. That's a bit much for any center.

Also despite getting a fair shake on the PP he hasn't scored a PP goal in 4 months.

 

[Jet Walters]

He has looked a lot better since being given PK responsibility and some PP time but the guy is snake bitten offensively. He's ok as a 3C next year, but I also wouldn't mind Khaira filling that spot and using the 2-2.5 million saved to upgrade on the wings. Just a very vanilla player who does nothing that stands out.

 

[McDNicks17]

Considering that RNH pushed past 20 and wasn't next to McDavid a good majority of the year I don't think 15 goals from your third line center is too much to ask. He might still reach that but there were way too many dry spells with this player this year.

Before that little hot spurt of his he went 21 games without a goal. That's a bit much for any center.

Also despite getting a fair shake on the PP he hasn't scored a PP goal in 4 months.

What does RNH have to do with a #3C?

He's cracked 20 because he has six with McDavid and has been a #2C for all but a few games.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Considering that RNH pushed past 20 and wasn't next to McDavid a good majority of the year I don't think 15 goals from your third line center is too much to ask. He might still reach that but there were way too many dry spells with this player this year.

Before that little hot spurt of his he went 21 games without a goal. That's a bit much for any center.

Also despite getting a fair shake on the PP he hasn't scored a PP goal in 4 months.

The team's wingers have struggled badly this season and could/should be retooled this offseason a bit. He's our 5th leading scorer, only 1 point behind Lucic who had a hot start and then a massive dry spell.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

What does RNH have to do with a #3C?

He was the 3C for a good portion of this and last year. Granted he's better than the average 3C but still.

Strome doesn't really contribute on the power play, a bit more at even strength and he's a decent PKer.

But why 3 milllion for this guy?

 

[CupofOil]

Considering that RNH pushed past 20 and wasn't next to McDavid a good majority of the year I don't think 15 goals from your third line center is too much to ask. He might still reach that but there were way too many dry spells with this player this year.

Before that little hot spurt of his he went 21 games without a goal. That's a bit much for any center.

Also despite getting a fair shake on the PP he hasn't scored a PP goal in 4 months.

RNH is a top 6 player. I feel like we've had this conversation before and you're unrelenting with your idea that RNH is the 3rd line center. He has never been a 3rd line center in his career outside of the Anaheim series and a short stint this season.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He has looked a lot better since being given PK responsibility and some PP time but the guy is snake bitten offensively. He's ok as a 3C next year, but I also wouldn't mind Khaira filling that spot and using the 2-2.5 million saved to upgrade on the wings. Just a very vanilla player who does nothing that stands out.

Is Jujhar ready for that role? If so then who do you target as our 4C?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The team's wingers have struggled badly this season and could/should be retooled this offseason a bit. He's our 5th leading scorer, only 1 point behind Lucic who had a hot start and then a massive dry spell.

That really says more about the lack of depth this team has than it does Strome's ability. Maroon would be ahead of him in scoring if he was still here.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

RNH is a top 6 player. I feel like we've had this conversation before and you're unrelenting with your idea that RNH is the 3rd line center.

He's not a 3rd line center, that's just where he was played.

Of course he's probably going to get traded this offseason so I'm not getting too attached to him.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

He was the 3C for a good portion of this and last year. Granted he's better than the average 3C but still.

Strome doesn't really contribute on the power play, a bit more at even strength and he's a decent PKer.

But why 3 milllion for this guy?

Because that's his qualifying offer. Ideally he'd be a $2 million - $2.5 million signing.

 

[Jet Walters]

Is Jujhar ready for that role? If so then who do you target as our 4C?

Maybe Derek Ryan. Between JJ and Ryan, one should emerge as a legit 3C. I think Khaira is ready for an expanded role next year.

 

[CupofOil]

He's not a 3rd line center, that's just where he was played.

Of course he's probably going to get traded this offseason so I'm not getting too attached to him.

As I added to my previous post, he was only played as 3rd line center for short stretches in the Anaheim series and for several games earlier this season. I don't know where you got this idea that he played 3rd line center most of last season and most of this season.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

That really says more about the lack of depth this team has than it does Strome's ability. Maroon would be ahead of him in scoring if he was still here.

Maroon also got to play more with McDavid and RNH than Strome did at ES.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Maybe Derek Ryan. Between JJ and Ryan, one should emerge as a legit 3C. I think Khaira is ready for an expanded role next year.

What do you think Ryan would cost? If we could get him for $2 million AAV and move Strome out for a quality winger at a reasonable price tag I'd be down with that.

 

[McDNicks17]

He was the 3C for a good portion of this and last year. Granted he's better than the average 3C but still.

Strome doesn't really contribute on the power play, a bit more at even strength and he's a decent PKer.

But why 3 milllion for this guy?

Huh? McLellan's love for McDavid+Drai has had RNH at #2C far more time than at #3C over the last two seasons.


No one contributes on this team's PP and I don't think Strome should be anywhere near your #1 unit.

He's a 30 point center with positive possession numbers and solid PKing who can maybe do some spot duty on your #2PP unit.

You're not going to find a single other option to do that for $3M without giving up good assets for a young player.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

You're not going to find a single other option to do that for $3M without giving up good assets for a young player.

That's just it, he's nothing special but he's gar from as bad as many in this thread are saying. He is a serviceable NHLer and young enough to grow with this core. Ideally Chia can get him to agree to $2.5 X 3 although I doubt that he accepts that deal.

 

[Jet Walters]

What do you think Ryan would cost? If we could get him for $2 million AAV and move Strome out for a quality winger at a reasonable price tag I'd be down with that.

2M is a good estimate. I don't know if we want to do that with Kassian already making good coin on the 4th line, but when you look at it as a package of JJ and Ryan for around 2.5-3M its still very good value for your bottom 6 centers. I'd look to extend JJ to a reasonable cap hit this summer before he gets that role higher in the lineup next year though.

I wonder if we could package Strome and our 1st for Simmonds and one of the Flyers 1sts (theirs or STL's) at the draft. I know Simmonds only has a year left on his deal, but damn an RNH/McDavid/Simmonds line looks so good on paper. Assuming we drop from 9-10 to around 18-20.

 

[belair]

How is stapling Puljujarvi, who is already struggling, to the two worst skaters on our team an exciting idea?

Probably because JP is the least effective ES player between the three of them currently. And together so far this season they've looked good as a third line capable of pinning the opposing team in their own zone. Jesse needs to continue learning how to use his frame effectively before he's capable of taking on more responsibility. The idea that he should be playing with faster players is kind of laughable considering he's still a bit of a klutz in terms of puck handling.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

2M is a good estimate. I don't know if we want to do that with Kassian already making good coin on the 4th line, but when you look at it as a package of JJ and Ryan for around 2.5-3M its still very good value for your bottom 6 centers. I'd look to extend JJ to a reasonable cap hit this summer before he gets that role higher in the lineup next year though.

I wonder if we could package Strome and our 1st for Simmonds and one of the Flyers 1sts (theirs or STL's) at the draft. I know Simmonds only has a year left on his deal, but damn an RNH/McDavid/Simmonds line looks so good on paper. Assuming we drop from 9-10 to around 18-20.

I completely agree about locking up Jujhar early. 3 years at $1.25 million AAV or so would be my offer but I'd be willing to go up to $1.5 million AAV.

Supposedly Philly is deep down the middle so I don't see that as being a trade that they'd make and we need that pick for a defenseman anyway

 

[belair]

Maybe Derek Ryan. Between JJ and Ryan, one should emerge as a legit 3C. I think Khaira is ready for an expanded role next year.

Jujhar's game has looked really ineffective at center. I wouldn't put a ton of hope into him exceeding expectations in that role.