2016-17 season expectations

[Amazing Kreiderman]

You don't really think Gerbe is playing center and taking faceoffs?

We did not sign a center, so I had to put Gerbe somewhere. Lindberg will replace Moore, and Gerbe will probably be a 4th line winger

 

[haveandare]

Nothing wrong making someone earn the spot. Miller got that same treatment.

Look, AV is not perfect but all coaches have their favorites (AV - Glass). AV is nowhere near as bad as some here are making it out to be.

McIlrath 100% earned that spot while G was out. He and Yandle were working magically together.

This years d will be atrocious. Lost the best offensive player, kept the worst and didn't add anyone of note. Losing Yandle was a horrible, horrible decision. He and mci should be the second pair this year

 

[NickyFotiu]

McIlrath 100% earned that spot while G was out. He and Yandle were working magically together.

This years d will be atrocious. Lost the best offensive player, kept the worst and didn't add anyone of note. Losing Yandle was a horrible, horrible decision. He and mci should be the second pair this year

I think Dylan played pretty darn well in around 14 of those 17 games. Yandle really liked playing with him.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

McIlrath 100% earned that spot while G was out. He and Yandle were working magically together.

This years d will be atrocious. Lost the best offensive player, kept the worst and didn't add anyone of note. Losing Yandle was a horrible, horrible decision. He and mci should be the second pair this year

I'd rather not commit 7 years to a 30 year old player with the current construct of this team. I don't expect us to contend legitimately for at least two years. Hopefully in that time we can build the defense and add a bit more diversity up front.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I think Dylan played pretty darn well in around 14 of those 17 games. Yandle really liked playing with him.

Trade him to Florida for Huberdeau then

 

[haveandare]

I'd rather not commit 7 years to a 30 year old player with the current construct of this team. I don't expect us to contend legitimately for at least two years. Hopefully in that time we can build the defense and add a bit more diversity up front.

I think we had someone who filled a huge need, wanted to be here, and has wonderful chemistry with one of our rookies. Good players get good deals, I'm okay with it if they earn it, which he did imo. Contending schedules sometimes become self fulfilling, I'd say keep the good players and make the good deals and let things fall into place on their own timelines.

 

[Bluenote13]

Somebody should put together a montage of this wonderful beautiful, magnificent, miraculous time shared between Yandle and MCI.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Somebody should put together a montage of this wonderful beautiful, magnificent, miraculous time shared between Yandle and MCI.

A good place to start:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kza6VP7DiVs

 

[Bluenote13]

Amazing indeed.

 

[True Blue]

I'd rather not commit 7 years to a 30 year old player with the current construct of this team. I don't expect us to contend legitimately for at least two years. Hopefully in that time we can build the defense and add a bit more diversity up front.

Agreed. The roster needs to be rest. Then one can figure out where the long term contracts belong.

 

[TheTakedown]

A good place to start:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kza6VP7DiVs

wouldn't it be awesome if McDonagh-McIlrath could become a 1st pairing?

one can dream. McIlrath has the potential I think.

 

[YoSoyLalo]

I think we had someone who filled a huge need, wanted to be here, and has wonderful chemistry with one of our rookies. Good players get good deals, I'm okay with it if they earn it, which he did imo. Contending schedules sometimes become self fulfilling, I'd say keep the good players and make the good deals and let things fall into place on their own timelines.

If we didn't already have Staal and Girardi locked up, Yandle would have ben a lot more feasible a signing...but we do, and it wasn't. We have to bite the bullet for our mistakes, and reset.

 

[True Blue]

I think we had someone who filled a huge need, wanted to be here, and has wonderful chemistry with one of our rookies. Good players get good deals, I'm okay with it if they earn it, which he did imo. Contending schedules sometimes become self fulfilling, I'd say keep the good players and make the good deals and let things fall into place on their own timelines.

Unfortunately, that was just not feasible. Not with some of the existing contracts that are on the books.

 

[NickyFotiu]

wouldn't it be awesome if McDonagh-McIlrath could become a 1st pairing?

one can dream. McIlrath has the potential I think.

As long as Dylan (and Graves eventually) play regularly I will be happy. I do not want a repeat of last seasons 34 games for either guy.

 

[TheTakedown]

If we didn't already have Staal and Girardi locked up, Yandle would have ben a lot more feasible a signing...but we do, and it wasn't. We have to bite the bullet for our mistakes, and reset.

and probably lose out on another ECF/SCF that could have been possible this year.

Seriously, Diaz probably could have played better than Staal did last year.

As long as Dylan (and Graves eventually) play regularly I will be happy. I do not want a repeat of last seasons 34 games for either guy.

This is the only silver lining to not signing Yandle. If Graves develops like he is projected, and assuming both Staal and Girardi are moved, our d corps would be 4 homegrown guys, and most likely supplemented by 2 UFA/trade candidates (forseeably):

McDonagh
Skjei
Graves
McIlrath

Imagine if you could supplement that with two of Shattenkirk, Fowler, Dumba, or Vatanen.

This doesn't even include the possibility of Skjei playing the right side

That's a very good d corps in about 2 years time. Not terrible, and enough to offset (and more) Hank's decline.

 

[NickyFotiu]

This is the only silver lining to not signing Yandle. If Graves develops like he is projected, and assuming both Staal and Girardi are moved, our d corps would be 4 homegrown guys, and most likely supplemented by 2 UFA/trade candidates (forseeably):

McDonagh
Skjei
Graves
McIlrath

Imagine if you could supplement that with two of Shattenkirk, Fowler, Dumba, or Vatanen.

This doesn't even include the possibility of Skjei playing the right side

That's a very good d corps in about 2 years time. Not terrible, and enough to offset (and more) Hank's decline.

Sounds good to me. I just want our younger home grown D to get a real chance to play. I'd prefer it in a more traditional zone defensive system so that the defensive game was not so complicated and prone to breakdowns.

 

[TheTakedown]

Sounds good to me. I just want our younger home grown D to get a real chance to play. I'd prefer it in a more traditional zone defensive system so that the defensive game was not so complicated and prone to breakdowns.

You never know, it's absolutely possible. Nevermind what could possibly happen if Clendenning or Paliotta develop better than expected... RHD depth can go from an atrocious to sufficient over the course of 2 seasons.

AV probably isn't coach for 2 more seasons--in fact I predict he is fired by the middle of this season. Who knows though