2013 - 2014 Season Roster Part 3

[PhoPhan]

Among goalies currently signed, Mike Smith has the tenth highest cap hit. By the time the deal is over, he'll definitely drop below 15 and probably out of the top 20. I don't love the deal, but it's not out of line with what quality starting goalies get paid. It's just a matter of whether he's a quality starting goalie.

 

[jdfitz12]

I agree indeed. They will get a guy or two for sure. I would guess maybe one of the rookies will get a long look in camp...

I'm afraid of Boyes being like another Sullivan.

 

[Kaibur]

I wonder how cheaply the likes of Prospal, Boyes, Morrow, and Gagne could be had considering that all remain unsigned as September approaches. I do recall Maloney saying he wasn't interested in the UFA market, but maybe he meant he wasn't interested in July prices. September prices may be a whole different thing.

How cheap is cheap enough? And would we have to unload a contract first to make it fit under internal budget?

I think Prospal at $1.5M for a year is a safe deal, but he's probably had multiple low-ball offers.

I imagine Boyes and Brunner want two year deals at least. I don't think I'd want to give them that when we've got young wingers getting close, but if the average was cheap enough...

I don't want Gagne at all.

I bet that Morrow has multiple suitors. I'm not sure that we can draw him here.

When the deal is cheap enough, even the teams with limited cap room can make an offer, even if it's September. It seems like with the cap coming down, trades this summer have been harder to pull off as well.

 

[BAdvocate]

whatever happened with Hejduk? I'd prefer GGMDM go after someone with some playoff success.... in part after seeing what Whitney did for the Coyotes vs Sullivan.... seemingly identical players, but much different team success. Hejduk fits that description as well.

I'd be interested in Morrow too since he played for Tippett and reminds me of a smaller version of Doan... would like to see them on a line together.

 

[PhoPhan]

whatever happened with Hejduk? I'd prefer GGMDM go after someone with some playoff success.... in part after seeing what Whitney did for the Coyotes vs Sullivan.... seemingly identical players, but much different team success. Hejduk fits that description as well.

I'd be interested in Morrow to since he played for Tippett and reminds me of a smaller version of Doan... would like to see them on a line together.

Sullivan and Whitney are different players in almost every way, especially at this point in their careers. I had relatively low expectations for Sullivan last year but he didn't even meet those.

I do think Hejduk could be effective on the Czech line, but I'm not sure I'd want him out there 5 on 5 against the opponent's top line, and I don't want to take Hanzal off that assignment. So I'd probably pass on Hejduk except as a last resort powerplay specialist.

Morrow played well last year when he got top six minutes but at this point in his career, he's most likely a third liner. Signing him would likely mean putting Korpikoski or Moss on the Czech line (assuming a first line of Doan-Ribeiro-Boedker). Again, manageable, but not the best option.

I'd love to see what Gagne could do on this team, and I think Brunner could be a good fit if he's not asking for giant money. My sense is that Maloney wants to lock things down with Boedker before making his next move though, and even then I don't think he does anything until training camp.

 

[BAdvocate]

Among goalies currently signed, Mike Smith has the tenth highest cap hit. By the time the deal is over, he'll definitely drop below 15 and probably out of the top 20. I don't love the deal, but it's not out of line with what quality starting goalies get paid. It's just a matter of whether he's a quality starting goalie.

excellent info and good last point.

I certainly think he's a quality starting goalie, as well as a fantastic teammate, and easily in the top 3 at playing the puck.

I really disagree about these comments about Bryz being a bad teammate. It's also a disservice to Smith as some just insist on discrediting bryz instead of praising Smith.

bryz may have been eccentric, and a bit of a loner, but I didn't think he created any problems here ( see roenick v2). the team was successful, and the media sucks in phx, so that probably made it easier to live with his wacky interviews.... as opposed to Philly when they were losing, and had 20 mics shoved in his face every night.

 

[PhoPhan]

excellent info and good last point.

I certainly think he's a quality starting goalie, as well as a fantastic teammate, and easily in the top 3 at playing the puck.

I really disagree about these comments about Bryz being a bad teammate. It's also a disservice to Smith as some just insist on discrediting bryz instead of praising Smith.

bryz may have been eccentric, and a bit of a loner, but I didn't think he created any problems here ( see roenick v2). the team was successful, and the media sucks in phx, so that probably made it easier to live with his wacky interviews.... as opposed to Philly when they were losing, and had 20 mics shoved in his face every night.

Morris and company were pretty candid when Bryzgalov left, more so than I've seen about any other departing player. And Maloney reportedly had the option to bring back a humbled Bryzgalov for $1.5 million but instead opted for a long term deal with someone with one good year as a starter. A lot of negative reports came out of Philly, too (many of them from before he even left). That he's still unsigned should tell you a lot, too. I actually like Bryzgalov a lot as a person and as a player, but as a teammate, he seems to be a pretty big negative. If it factors into the calculus with Smith (and it seems to, and it should), it needs to factor in with Bryzgalov too.

With Smith, I agree fully about the intangibles beyond his numbers, especially the puckhandling (which I'm sure is quantifiable but I haven't seen anything reliable yet). I find it to be the single most underrated aspect of goaltending, and Smith's skills in this area are truly elite (not to mention invaluable on a team so starved for puckmovers).

But even with all that, if Smith is only turning in a .910 save percentage and a 2.58 GAA for the duration of this contract, he's overpaid. Those were his numbers last year, and they're not far off from his career numbers (.913/2.57).

Ultimately, my complaint about the deal isn't about potential results. Smith could earn this deal and even prove to be a bargain. It's about process. Offering a six-year deal to a 31-year old goalie with such a small body of work (and an inconsistent one at that) is a sizable risk.

 

[CC96]

excellent info and good last point.

I certainly think he's a quality starting goalie, as well as a fantastic teammate, and easily in the top 3 at playing the puck.

I really disagree about these comments about Bryz being a bad teammate. It's also a disservice to Smith as some just insist on discrediting bryz instead of praising Smith.

bryz may have been eccentric, and a bit of a loner, but I didn't think he created any problems here ( see roenick v2). the team was successful, and the media sucks in phx, so that probably made it easier to live with his wacky interviews.... as opposed to Philly when they were losing, and had 20 mics shoved in his face every night.

Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin, both had some caustic comments about Bryz after he left.

 

[Vip]

Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin, both had some caustic comments about Bryz after he left.

Both of which are respected veterans in the league. That says something.

 

[SR]

Gents. Anyone know when rookie camp starts? Also when actual training camp starts?

 

[BAdvocate]

Derek Morris and Adrian Aucoin, both had some caustic comments about Bryz after he left.

yes, they both did when prompted by Todd Walsh who apparently had a personal issue with bryz based on the amount of times he attacked bryz.

the dude's weird, some people can't handle it I guess....I stick to my statement that nothing negative came of it since they were a playoff team while he was here.

and I really don't think any of this bryz hate would exist if he had been traded instead of leaving for a silly contract he was offered.... humorously resulting in two key players departing the flyers and winning a cup with the hated kings.

 

[KG]

My only real problem with Bryz is how he melted under pressure in both of our playoff runs.

 

[CC96]

My only real problem with Bryz is how he melted under pressure in both of our playoff runs.

Quoted for truth.

 

[Petes2424]

Gents. Anyone know when rookie camp starts? Also when actual training camp starts?

It starts early. Like in the next couple of weeks. With the olympics, camps will be sooner and we'll probably get more time to see younger guys in the preseason games. I'm looking forward to seeing how guys like Lessio, Brown and Werek look. I've watched all play a bit over the years.

On another note, not sure how many of you caught the Maloney deal on NHL radio's preview or summer report last week... He seems to think Domi has a shot because of his frame. Going into the draft I thought two or three guys really had a chance to play next year in the NHL, but didnt think Domi was one. If he could, that would say something.

 

[Petes2424]

My only real problem with Bryz is how he melted under pressure in both of our playoff runs.

He's a nutbag galore.

 

[KG]

He's a nutbag galore.

God forbid some NHL players aren't cut from the the good old Canadian boy cloth.

 

[Petes2424]

God forbid some NHL players aren't cut from the the good old Canadian boy cloth.

He's honestly not cut from the human cloth. Talented as it gets but he makes other goaltenders look sane. Yep, there's no debating his talent and I applauded him for ripping the Philly media. That said, when you make Eddie Belfour look like a choir boy, there's something wrong upstairs.

The whole goalie's are nuts thing is cute and all... Until you take that and try and out due everyone else.

 

[mouser]

Looks like Lombardi's off to Switzerland. Sad he hasn't been the same since that concussion.

 

[Kaibur]

Looks like Lombardi's off to Switzerland. Sad he hasn't been the same since that concussion.

Yeah, I thought maybe they'd give him an AHL contract or camp tryout. He knows the system and he's probably got as good a chance of contributing as Brule or Kennedy.

Maybe he'll get a little further away from the concussion and reboot. Best of luck to him.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

LOL at the inconsistancy with regards to the remarks about Mike Smith. Before he signed the contract most of you said "bye and don't let the door hit you on the way out" with his demand for big money despite a poor showing last season. Now I'm hearing how reasonable his contract is in terms of dollars and how he is a top goalie in the league solely based off of one playoff year.

Of course there is this talk of "intangables" despite many others teams being able to solve him and his antics on the ice that even many of you were complaining that you were getting tired of seeing.

 

[rt]

I like Smith. I like his antics. I just don't think he's a 5.67m goaltender. I think he's a 3.67m goaltender. That's all.

 

[cobra427]

LOL at the inconsistancy with regards to the remarks about Mike Smith. Before he signed the contract most of you said "bye and don't let the door hit you on the way out" with his demand for big money despite a poor showing last season. Now I'm hearing how reasonable his contract is in terms of dollars and how he is a top goalie in the league solely based off of one playoff year.

Of course there is this talk of "intangables" despite many others teams being able to solve him and his antics on the ice that even many of you were complaining that you were getting tired of seeing.

Maybe none of us saw the entire picture. He is slated as 10th best paid now but likely 15th-20th best for the duration of his contract, sort of middle of the road money. DM pulled a rabbit out of the hat with what we got out of Bryz, Smith, and Ray W, for the money we paid them. It didn't work recently with Sullivan or Lombardi.

We don't know the extent of his injuries last year and how that affected him or that maybe the coaches felt he was way over worked because we had LOL behind him. The lack of preperation maybe left him hanging more so last year.Smith was tied for the lead in shutouts last year with 5 and lets face it, he carried us to the WCF, how many goalies have done that?

I think the money surprised us all, me included. I have to believe DM has a good handle on value and did not over pay to sign him. I suspect Smith would have received as good or better money on the market. Smith has to know the system with Tip, and his one great year here, Bryz not playing well elsewhere, are all factors, as to why he would stay here, and maybe take slightly less money. Anyway, i hope it works out...

 

[DesertDawg]

...been thinking about the idea of moving Hanzal to wing or at least getting someone else taking the face offs. Bringing in someone like Stastny (during the season, where most of his salary is paid, & seeing that the Avs aren't likely to trade him before Mac plays some and seeing how the negotiations are with re-signing RO'R). A Hanzal - Stastny - Vrbata line would be awesome, but it's probably of those dream scenerios I have.

 

[BAdvocate]

Of course there is this talk of "intangables" despite many others teams being able to solve him and his antics on the ice that even many of you were complaining that you were getting tired of seeing.

I'm pretty sure most of us are talking about the intangibles he brings to the ice and locker room for his Coyote teammates and coaches.

I'm not sure how other teams can solve his intangibles, or why it mat ters what a few hyper-critical hockey fans think about his antics.

 

[SniperHF]

...been thinking about the idea of moving Hanzal to wing or at least getting someone else taking the face offs.have.

I'm just hoping he'll get back to around 50% this year. He's always been a little weak in the offensive zone faceoffs which is incredibly annoying though.

Losing Gordon is going to hurt our draws no matter what Hanzal and Ribeiro do. Ribs was flat out bad last season, which I think is the norm for him.

Chip isn't all that great either. We should bring in a faceoff grand master for instruction. If Chip can manage to get to 50% I think that would be a big help.