Speculation: The Roster Building Thread - To the deadline and beyond!

[FreshSeabass]

Anyone else no longer able to see tweets on here? I have everything disabled on disconnect/NS/badget/ADP, still no luck. Probably something behind the scenes at work, since I don't have an issue at home.

In the meantime, what is the tweet you're all referring to?

MTL media suggested to peters that cam ward will be acquired by teams at the deadline. He said that thats a bad rumor and that he wants to be a buyer at the deadline.

 

[cptjeff]

MTL media suggested to peters that cam ward will be acquired by teams at the deadline. He said that thats a bad rumor and that he wants to be a buyer at the deadline.

I mean, even if we were selling, the idea that we would sell our only even vaguely passable goalie is nuts.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I mean, even if we were selling, the idea that we would sell our only even vaguely passable goalie is nuts.

Why? If we're selling, we don't have much intention of making the playoffs you'd think. Run Darling out there for every game and he either figures it out, or gets torched regularly and helps our draft position.

 

[bleedgreen]

I said before I dont think we’d overpay for a rental, and Dundon has supported RF in his concept of only acquiring things that make sense moving forward.

Having said that I think Dundon flat out wants the playoffs this year. I think he will push RF to make a move if it’s there. I still don’t think they’ll overpay for a rental but if we are in any type of contention I think we will work hard to make something happen.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Not that he's available, but what about a guy like Brassard? Still has one more year on his contract, would seem to fit with Peters coaching, and is on pace for 20G, ~50 points. Other centers that might fit Peter's comments of a "playmaking top 6 C" and might be available and aren't rentals are ROR (as we discussed), and maybe RNH? Who else?

 

[MinJaBen]

I wouldn't be shocked to see us trade for a goalie prior to the deadline. I know that sounds bat-shit crazy, but given how few starts Darling is getting, even a 'meh' goalie would be an improvement and allow Ward some rest. While I think it is most likely that we don't trade for any center and go with what we have this year plus Necas next year, I could see us doing something like this prior to the deadline with Buffalo:

Buffalo gets: Rask, 2018 1st, Fleury, McKeown
Canes get: ROR, Lehner​

This would get Peters his hard working, better offensive skills center plus solidify the goalie position. We'd likely have to hold three goalies and 23 players for the rest of the season, but at the end of it we can decide if we want to resign Lehner, resign Ward, or resign both and shed Darling's contract. I'd vote for the latter, but who knows how Lehner plays here. This would leave us with this lineup for the rest of the year:

Skinner - ROR - Williams
Aho - Staal - TT
Stemp - Ryan - Lindholm
Nordy - Kruger - McGinn​

One of the reasons I've thought of this trade is about the possibilities of JT making UFA. If he does and is evaluating where he wants to go, I doubt he would consider us if we have not fixed our goalie situation. He is living the nightmare right now of a decent team with terrible goaltending and is likely not to chose that again if he has other options. Lehner is a UFA after the season and has decent numbers despite playing on one of the worst teams in the league. He'd be much less of a crap shoot as another backup to starter option like Darling. I'd rather try a Lehner/Ward due next year, but I'd also be ok with a Lehner/Darling if the team decided they didn't want to pay someone to take him or just buy him out.

So, if that were to occur, then our roster for next year could be at worst:

Skinner - ROR - Williams
Aho - Staal - TT
Zykov - Necas - Lindholm
McGinn - Kruger - McLovin​

and at best:

Aho - JT - TT
Lindholm - Staal - Williams
Skinner- ROR - Necas
McGinn - Kruger - McLovin​

 

[RodTheBawd]

Not that he's available, but what about a guy like Brassard? Still has one more year on his contract, would seem to fit with Peters coaching, and is on pace for 20G, ~50 points. Other centers that might fit Peter's comments of a "playmaking top 6 C" and might be available and aren't rentals are ROR (as we discussed), and maybe RNH? Who else?

Are Patches or Chucky considered "playmakers"? Is Hoffman actually available (would we make his list)?

 

[Breakdowns]

I don't think that Buffalo is doing that deal though, they will ask for more. But if they did that, this team would be so much better. I know that they want defense, maybe we can give Faulk instead of Rask and add Kruger to the deal, play Rask as 4th line C. Or give them all up and call up Wallmark or McLovin

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Are Patches or Chucky considered "playmakers"? Is Hoffman actually available (would we make his list)?

None of them play center though, not even Galchenyuk right now. That aside, Patches and Hoffman are more scorers IMO, where-as Galchenyuk has some playmaking ability.

 

[RodTheBawd]

None of them play center though, not even Galchenyuk right now.

Whoops, missed the "C" in your post. If they're that specific, they have very limited options (as you pointed out). I'd be open to any top line talent that can drive offense.

 

[MinJaBen]

I don't think that Buffalo is doing that deal though, they will ask for more. But if they did that, this team would be so much better. I know that they want defense, maybe we can give Faulk instead of Rask and add Kruger to the deal, play Rask as 4th line C. Or give them all up and call up Wallmark or McLovin

The other trade option I had from us would have been Faulk + Rask + 1st + Gauthier. Less defensively oriented on the whole, but a more valuable piece coming back. Honestly, I could see them taking the first option (earlier) instead as it gives them two defensive options going forward with more control. In either case, we need to move Rask. He is too expensive to play 4th line and with ROR and then Necas next year (not to mention Aho as a possibility if you believe management) we'd have way too many centers. Rask is the one that I see least likely to be able to transition to the wing.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Unless we are very sure we will be in the playoffs, I am not in favor of trading an unprotected 1st round pick at this juncture, particularly with what I've heard about this draft. After the lottery, where we know where the pick is, or a protected pick I'd be more open to. I realize some are more willing to roll the dice in that regards than I am, which is fine.

 

[RodTheBawd]

No way I trade an unprotected first for a rental, if that is what anyone would be suggesting.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

No way I trade an unprotected first for a rental, if that is what anyone would be suggesting.

It wasn't a rental, I was referring to MJB's proposals. I'm not opposed to trading a 1st, even a high 1st, just not an unprotected 1st given where we stand today.

 

[MinJaBen]

It wasn't a rental, I was referring to MJB's proposals. I'm not opposed to trading a 1st, even a high 1st, just not an unprotected 1st given where we stand today.

Given what Dundon and Peters have said, I think these trades are predicated on us moving up in the standings via our favorable schedule in February. If that happens, I would be willing to trade a first in a proposal like I outlined that brings back a good piece that we keep for some time (ROR in this example). I think the idea of us being a buyer is laughable if we tread water or move farther back behind the WC cut line, so I wouldn't worry about the 1st.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Fair enough.

 

[RodTheBawd]

It wasn't a rental, I was referring to MJB's proposals. I'm not opposed to trading a 1st, even a high 1st, just not an unprotected 1st given where we stand today.

In this draft... maybe top 3 protected?

 

[Breakdowns]

I would trade our 1st round pick if it is top5 protected. We just need a good player to give that first rounder for.

 

[bleedgreen]

I think Hoffman is interesting, to me he’s a bit of a one dimensional player but we could use that one dimension. He can create offense and has a wicked shot.

Brassard would be interesting if we thought he has a few years left in him and confidence he would stay.

RoR makes a lot of sense to me. I don’t know about Rnh, he’s still so undefined as a player to me. They’ve messed him up I think.

I really dont want to trade our first. It would have to be for someone who’s here for years of course. Still would be against it. Very few players out there that will have that much impact on our core to make it worth missing the next Necas.

 

[Canes]

I don't think I would. Even a top 10ish pick could be very valuable to us moving forward. I still don't think we're close enough to being a legitimate contender to be trading 1sts like they're afterthoughts, even if we're in a playoff position at the deadline. The only way I'd consider it is if the player coming back is a bonafide #1 center.

 

[The Faulker 27]

For JT I'd trade a 1st so fast it would tear a hole in the space time continuum.

 

[bleedgreen]

We’re not getting JT. Kind of a moot point to include him in there.

 

[geehaad]

Someone explain to me why we don't have as good of a chance of landing Tavares as any other team (not NYI).

And if you believe NYI will re-sign him, given the current optics of this situation, I'm not so sure. Normally, yes...absolutely...it would be wishful thinking that he would leave the team that drafted him. But with what has been going on with him and the team's outlook, I'm just not at all sure that he's going to re-sign there.

 

[MinJaBen]

Someone explain to me why we don't have as good of a chance of landing Tavares as any other team (not NYI).

Goaltending.

 

[A Star is Burns]

To me it's because if he wants to leave the Islanders, he can find a team that has won recently, has just as good of an outlook to win in the future as we do, will likely go to a perceived better market. It's not like Dundon is the only owner willing to spend money and we're the only team with a decent outlook. I'll gladly eat crow if it happens, but I've maintained from the first BS rumor on here that there is a 0% chance he comes here.