Should we be looking for a longterm 2c/3c instead of splitting up Matthews/Nylander?

[Not My Tempo]

Nylander to 2C

 

[TML Dynasty]

Sam Reinhart? Ol Elliotte Friedman is saying he may become available later in year. no idea on the fit or cost (prob way too high). Thoughts?

 

[pheasant]

Sam Reinhart? Ol Elliotte Friedman is saying he may become available later in year. no idea on the fit or cost (prob way too high). Thoughts?

BUF would be a bit silly to give up on him already. Even sillier to trade him to a rival team. You're right, the cost would be way too high.

People who are hoping for a C better than Bozak to put as the #3 are crazy, in my opinion. If we can't or won't keep Bozak, then we need a competent replacement for cheap. Not Duchene or RNH. More like Eller or Jarnkrok.

 

[IPS]

Matthews Nylander Kadri will be our C depth going forward. Pretty sure you'll see
Matthews-Marner Nylander-Kapanen and Kadri-brown as our staples on the top 9. Fill in the left side with vets on short term deals chasing cups and rookies on ELC's. Aaltonen-Hyman makes for a legit skilled 4th line which Babcock loves to have.

Hyman is NEVER leaving Matthews' line.

 

[Not My Tempo]

The way Nylander is playing I’d say move him to 2C. Yea him and Matthews look good, but Willy looks dominant even on his own. These two are gonna be our Sakic and Forsberg

 

[A1LeafNation]

Why can't Marner/Marleau do what Bozak is doing on the third line?

Hyman Matthews Nylander
Komarov Kadri Brown
Marleau Marner _______
Martin Aaltonen _______

Grundstrom/Johnson/Soshnikov Marleau Marner
Or
Marleau Marner Leivo/Kapanen

 

[Duke16]

Sign Mikael Backlund if he hits FA

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Marleau - Kadri - Marner
Johnsson - Backlund - Brown
Martin - Aaltonen - Kapanen

 

[BlueForever75]

Sign Mikael Backlund if he hits FA

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Marleau - Kadri - Marner
Johnsson - Backlund - Brown
Martin - Aaltonen - Kapanen

If your signing Backlund I would rather keep Bozak. Same player for the same cost.

 

[Field of Dreams]

We cannot afford to resign either bozak or JVR when considering already 27m being allocated to big three.

For the same reason, we will not be able to fill the 3c position with a Ufa. Best bet is to use Marleau or nylander in the 3c position if we have not developed a player who can fill that role.

Before posting with an opinion please check out capfriendly's airchair gm tool - it's a gas. See for yourself the cap armeggedon coming our way in the 2019-2020 season.

 

[DarkKnight]

I'm still not so sure Willie ever ends up a full time center, and I don't think Babs is either.

 

[Walshy7]

Sam Reinhart? Ol Elliotte Friedman is saying he may become available later in year. no idea on the fit or cost (prob way too high). Thoughts?

not sure about this year but reinhart has played as much C as nylander has up until this season. He has mostly been a winger for buff I believe, I did read new coach wanted him at C I don't watch buffalo though cant confirm. For free we have Nylander who has pro experience playing C, including his first 22 games in the NHL dragging around colin greening and Zach hyman while putting up 13 points in those games

 

[BlueForever75]

We will not be paying the top 27 million. At most will be around 22.5 million. Which leaves you the 4.5 million to sign a 3rd line center.

Not to mention the cap has continuously gone up year after year and will continue to. And dead contract money falls off our cap next year for Gleason and Cowan for about 2 million. Not to mention Moore, Fehr, Polak, and Marincin all come off the books for about 4.25 million combined.

In total with all the UFA's we have next season we will have about 27 million to spend at the 75 million cap. Lets say it goes up 2-3 million. We have about 30 million.

That is plenty to resign what we need to and the big 3. Personally I can see Komarov, JVR and Bozak all coming back at discounted deals to keep the team together.

No reason for Bozak to make or expect to make more and less then Kadri (4.5) amd Komarov no more and less then Brown (2.1). I can see Lamoriello getting them both signed for 6 million. The wildcard is JVR and if we can get him to buy in at a lower cost.

Time will tell but we have enough cap space to maneuver with. Remember Hainsey and Marleau come off the books in 2-3 years which we can backload young guns contracts for. We will be fine.

 

[Legion34]

We will not be paying the top 27 million. At most will be around 22.5 million. Which leaves you the 4.5 million to sign a 3rd line center.

Not to mention the cap has continuously gone up year after year and will continue to. And dead contract money falls off our cap next year for Gleason and Cowan for about 2 million. Not to mention Moore, Fehr, Polak, and Marincin all come off the books for about 4.25 million combined.

In total with all the UFA's we have next season we will have about 27 million to spend at the 75 million cap. Lets say it goes up 2-3 million. We have about 30 million.

That is plenty to resign what we need to and the big 3. Personally I can see Komarov, JVR and Bozak all coming back at discounted deals to keep the team together.

No reason for Bozak to make or expect to make more and less then Kadri (4.5) amd Komarov no more and less then Brown (2.1). I can see Lamoriello getting them both signed for 6 million. The wildcard is JVR and if we can get him to buy in at a lower cost.

Time will tell but we have enough cap space to maneuver with. Remember Hainsey and Marleau come off the books in 2-3 years which we can backload young guns contracts for. We will be fine.

At most 22.5????

Are you guessing 10, 6.5, 6?

That’s pretty low for at most. I would say under 25 and we are laughing

10.5, 7, 6.5 if Mitch gets 60 pts is hopeful

That’s 24 auston could get 11

 

[BlueForever75]

I honestly do not think that Marner will get any more then what Kadri got on his first deal. What has Marner done that Kadri hasn't? I can see Matthews getting 10.5, Nylander getting 6.25, and Marner getting somewhere between 4.5-5.5.

I really do not get why people are thinking Nylander and Marner are at par. Two very different players. Marner is fantastic don't get me wrong. But these players are all going to sign their first contracts after entry level ones. I do not put Marner at par with players like Monnahan, Gaudreau, Mackinnon, etc...

How can anyone at this point. He plays PP great, but is a defensive liability and has lots to grow. I do not see him on this next contract making over 6 million. I don't, sorry.

 

[Not My Tempo]

I honestly do not think that Marner will get any more then what Kadri got on his first deal. What has Marner done that Kadri hasn't? I can see Matthews getting 10.5, Nylander getting 6.25, and Marner getting somewhere between 4.5-5.5.

I really do not get why people are thinking Nylander and Marner are at par. Two very different players. Marner is fantastic don't get me wrong. But these players are all going to sign their first contracts after entry level ones. I do not put Marner at par with players like Monnahan, Gaudreau, Mackinnon, etc...

How can anyone at this point. He plays PP great, but is a defensive liability and has lots to grow. I do not see him on this next contract making over 6 million. I don't, sorry.

We're all just talking based off potential. Fact is that Marner still has 155 regular season games (minus injuries) to play before he needs an extension. A LOT can happen to a really young player in that time frame. If he hits his expected ceiling, he's absolutely on par with Nylander

 

[leafsfan1234]

Isn't Kadri better than any 2C the Hawks had during their cup runs? Why would we be looking for anyone?

 

[TorontoTrades]

Centers aren't cheap, Would be difficult to afford all our guys and then add another Center contract on top of that.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Brown - Nylander - Kapanen
Marleau - Kadri - Komarov
Martin - Aaltonen - Sosh/Leivo

 

[PromisedLand]

Can a poll be included in this thread?

 

[Stephen]

Out comes Bozak, JVR and maybe Komarov, in go Kapanen, Leivo, Johnsson, Korshkov, Soshnikov, Grundstrom, Gauthier, Aaltonen, Timashov, Bracco, Dzierkals, Rychel etc.

 

[REALTALK81]

I think that Matthews, Nylander and Marner can drive their own lines. If we split them up, we should have lines that can play responsibly while still scoring. Also we still have guys like Leivo, Bracco and Johnsson waiting so we could still trade some of the wingers for D help.

Hyman Matthews Brown
Marleau Nylander Kapanen
Komorov Kadri Marner
Sosh/Martin Aaltonen Grundstrom

 

[HockeyThoughts]

If your signing Backlund I would rather keep Bozak. Same player for the same cost.

Yeah... Except for the fact that Mikael Backlund played Selke level D last year (4th in voting) - whereas Tyler Bozak is barely passable defensively.

 

[Tak7]

People sound convinced that Nylander can transition to C.

I'm not convinced.

I think he will stay a winger.

 

[REALTALK81]

People sound convinced that Nylander can transition to C.

I'm not convinced.

I think he will stay a winger.

It's because that was his position before and He has the skill to drive a line. He is already taking strong side faceoffs with the Matthews line and just needs to get stronger on the dot as well as defensively. He is not there just yet but he is daily getting closer and closer.

 

[rent free]

If your signing Backlund I would rather keep Bozak. Same player for the same cost.

backlund is better than bozak.

 

[saffronleaf]

People sound convinced that Nylander can transition to C.

I'm not convinced.

I think he will stay a winger.

Psht, Nylander will be an awesome center. The next Backstrom. He can do it all.