Speculation: 2018 Off-season Thread

[Mosby]

So based on Chayka's comments that he sees Galchenyuk as a C, where do we stand?

Panik - Stepan - Keller
????? - Galchenyuk - Strome
Perlini - Dvorak - Fischer
Crouse - Kruger - Cousins

I think the LW can be Tkachuk, Zadina, or a UFA like JVR maybe?

 

[_Del_]

Think about that for a second. A team desperate for centers had a guy who dropped a 30 at C and yet they STILL thought he needed to play Wing. Why do you think that is? Probably because he’s not a good center.

Think about that for a second. A team desperate for centers had a guy who scored 5 goals with a goalie in the net at C and yet they STILL traded him for a center who once dropped 30 goals, but has struggled immensely in other aspects.

 

[Neighborhood Coyote]

Think about that for a second. A team desperate for centers had a guy who dropped a 30 at C and yet they STILL thought he needed to play Wing. Why do you think that is? Probably because he’s not a good center.

Well, this is also the team that traded Subban for Weber and Sergachev for Drouin... so you can't say that they have done a fantastic job at asset management.

If this is a lateral move for the Yotes... that's not bad given the circumstances in my opinion. I don't see it as highly likely as a step back.

 

[IPreferPi]

So based on Chayka's comments that he sees Galchenyuk as a C, where do we stand?

Panik - Stepan - Keller
????? - Galchenyuk - Strome
Perlini - Dvorak - Fischer
Crouse - Kruger - Cousins

I think the LW can be Tkachuk, Zadina, or a UFA like JVR maybe?

Strome at wing is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Well guys.

It’s happening. It’s weird.



I don’t mind drafting Tkachuk now

 

[_Del_]

Panik - Stepan - Keller
Dvo - Galchenyuk - Fischer
Crouse - Kruger - Cousins
Perlini - Strome - Rinaldo


Need a veteran guy with warts to bump Fischer to Strome's line until he puts it all together. Let Strome, Pearls, and Fish all feast on easy minutes against other fourth lines. Cause matchup issues for the opposition for a change.

When we're done with the Galchenyuk at C experiment, Dvo slides back over to C and Chucky resumes his scoring winger role. If we get a better, legit top-six winger, I can see running Dvo in Krueger's place and having all of Stepan, Chuck, Dvo, and Strome at C. We're also unlikely to be healthy for extended periods, so it will be easy to slide people back to C if needed.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

We need an upgrade on Panic. Ok, maybe he can play on the second line, better that he play on the 3rd line. As a 1st line forward, yuck. He'd just be a placeholder. Hopefully he wouldn't drag the whole line down too far.

Rather than being more comfortable with Tkachuk now, I am more comfortable with drafting a D.

 

[rt]

Think about that for a second. A team desperate for centers had a guy who scored 5 goals with a goalie in the net at C and yet they STILL traded him for a center who once dropped 30 goals, but has struggled immensely in other aspects.

You’re not having an argument with me. I’m not sure who you’re arguing with but it’s not me. I didn’t say Domi was a better center than Galchenyuk. I didn’t say Domi was a better or more productive player than Galchenyuk. My point was there isn’t much to suggest Galchenyuk is a better center than winger in the NHL. If he were actually more effective at center, Montreal would have played him there. And they wouldn’t have traded Sergachev for Drouin. And they wouldn’t be considering Kotkaniemi at 3rd overall. They certainly wouldn’t have just traded him for Max Domi.

 

[rt]

Well, this is also the team that traded Subban for Weber and Sergachev for Drouin... so you can't say that they have done a fantastic job at asset management.

If this is a lateral move for the Yotes... that's not bad given the circumstances in my opinion. I don't see it as highly likely as a step back.

They were so desperate to find a non-Galchenyuk solution to their center problem that they traded Sergachev for Drouin and tried to force Drouin into the role.

 

[Neighborhood Coyote]

They were so desperate to find a non-Galchenyuk solution to their center problem that they traded Sergachev for Drouin and tried to force Drouin into the role.

They've been desperate for a while now haha! But I think once they put themselves into that mindset of needing to find that non-Galchenyuk solution they really made this all happen badly for themselves!

Personally, I don't care whether Galchenyuk plays C or W. Sounds like him at W might be nice if Strome is legit. I can imagine them playing an interesting line. I like the options, though... this trade does give the team some available options.

 

[rt]

It’s not the Strome insurance I wanted, but the value is fine and if Strome does work out, Galchenyuk is a good fit as a winger.

 

[Grimes]

It’s not the Strome insurance I wanted, but the value is fine and if Strome does work out, Galchenyuk is a good fit as a winger.

Agreed, but it is still some sort of insurance. Better than Dominat C. Seeing that Pittsburgh rumor makes it clear Domi was leaving. We are not worse off today by moving him like we would have been dealing with a saavier GM.

Theres a small chance that Chucky ends up being a top 6 center for us. A slightly larger chance that he is a consistent 20+ goal / 60pt winger for us, and a 100% chance 15-20g / 50pt winger for us for two more seasons.

 

[_Del_]

You’re not having an argument with me. I’m not sure who you’re arguing with but it’s not me. I didn’t say Domi was a better center than Galchenyuk. I didn’t say Domi was a better or more productive player than Galchenyuk. My point was there isn’t much to suggest Galchenyuk is a better center than winger in the NHL. If he were actually more effective at center, Montreal would have played him there. And they wouldn’t have traded Sergachev for Drouin. And they wouldn’t be considering Kotkaniemi at 3rd overall. They certainly wouldn’t have just traded him for Max Domi.

I think he is destined to be a winger. But our coach thought so much of our center position last year that he plugged Domi there for an extended stretch. Gal@C>Domi@C. He's obviously going to start there, but even if he never played a shift as pivot, we're stronger down the middle than we were yesterday because of that option.

That's my only point. We all thought Domi was ill -suited down the middle, but he still played there. The same is going to happen here, but there's at least the slight chance that Galchenyuk can adapt to what Tocchett wants from his centers. Certainly to a better extent than the last guy he felt the need to play there.

None of that makes him a great option at center. It only makes him better than we had before. I also wouldn't bet against him playing a lot of time there based on Tocchett's willingness to leave Domi there for a stretch.

 

[rt]

Agreed, but it is still some sort of insurance. Better than Dominat C. Seeing that Pittsburgh rumor makes it clear Domi was leaving. We are not worse off today by moving him like we would have been dealing with a saavier GM.

Theres a small chance that Chucky ends up being a top 6 center for us. A slightly larger chance that he is a consistent 20+ goal / 60pt winger for us, and a 100% chance 15-20g / 50pt winger for us for two more seasons.

Totally agree. Seeing the Pittsburgh rumor makes me much more comfortable with Galchenyuk as the return. Also Bergy’s comments about not being sure why Domi was so available but there must be some reason. He was winking at the fact that max was just done here. We won’t ever know why but it is what it is. Best out of a bad situation.

 

[Grimes]

Not only best of a bad situation, but there is that slight chance this becomes a huge upgrade and fills a huge need (PP goal scorer or top 6 center). At worst case a lateral movement for two years. The UFA situation really makes me nervous though.

 

[RABBIT]

Not only best of a bad situation, but there is that slight chance this becomes a huge upgrade and fills a huge need (PP goal scorer or top 6 center). At worst case a lateral movement for two years. The UFA situation really makes me nervous though.

I don't see him as the type to test free agency. Coming from a highly-scrutinizing, high-pressure environment (not a shot at Montreal, just the facts of pretty much any Canadian market) and being able to enjoy the AZ weather will probably be a welcomed change IMO. Also seems like a genuine person.

 

[hbk]

I think he is destined to be a winger. But our coach thought so much of our center position last year that he plugged Domi there for an extended stretch. Gal@C>Domi@C. He's obviously going to start there, but even if he never played a shift as pivot, we're stronger down the middle than we were yesterday because of that option.

That's my only point. We all thought Domi was ill -suited down the middle, but he still played there. The same is going to happen here, but there's at least the slight chance that Galchenyuk can adapt to what Tocchett wants from his centers. Certainly to a better extent than the last guy he felt the need to play there.

None of that makes him a great option at center. It only makes him better than we had before. I also wouldn't bet against him playing a lot of time there based on Tocchett's willingness to leave Domi there for a stretch.

We were desperate for C depth last year with Dvorak’s development hitting a pause and Strome needing more time to figure out the pro game (it being his first year as a pro and all).

The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. We needed depth at C and we’ve been talking for about 5 years now about prioritizing this position even if it meant down the road you have to play C’s as wingers. We finally pulled the trigger on giving this organization some desperately needed depth at C. It comes at a high price but I wasn’t married to Domi as a top line player. To me he was a very good second line player who I’m going to miss because I loved his passion and energy when he was engaged. He will be loved in Montreal.

 

[_Del_]

You've got a guy who scored 30 from the center. Say what you will about his faceoffs or positioning, top tier C's are so rare that I think you'd be an idiot not to give that an extended look and see what he can do with the chance.

I think history says he ends up back on wing if we're healthy, but we'd be stupid not to try it first.

I also don't see any problem with shifting a guy like Dvo to wing when everyone is healthy. And again, everyone is rarely healthy. Being able to shift a guy like Galchenyuk to C in an injury situation is hugely preferable to our other options.

I get being disappointed by trading the very likeable Max, but it's impossible for me not to look at this trade as a positive.

 

[IPreferPi]

I’m skeptical of Galchenyuk’s long term viability at center. But given the circumstances, this return was pretty much best case scenario for Domi. So I’m not viewing it as a loss at all.

 

[rt]

You've got a guy who scored 30 from the center. Say what you will about his faceoffs or positioning, top tier C's are so rare that I think you'd be an idiot not to give that an extended look and see what he can do with the chance.

I think history says he ends up back on wing if we're healthy, but we'd be stupid not to try it first.

I also don't see any problem with shifting a guy like Dvo to wing when everyone is healthy. And again, everyone is rarely healthy. Being able to shift a guy like Galchenyuk to C in an injury situation is hugely preferable to our other options.

I get being disappointed by trading the very likeable Max, but it's impossible for me not to look at this trade as a positive.

This post helps. Thanks.

 

[Kevin27NYI]

I think I've come here before to ask but is there interest in Brock Nelson? Would add 20 goals to the lineup for certain.

 

[_Del_]

Yes, but mostly if you don't qualify him. Or dirt cheap. Just to add scoring to the bottom six and an emergency center option.

 

[rt]

I think I've come here before to ask but is there interest in Brock Nelson? Would add 20 goals to the lineup for certain.

There isn’t a 20g I like less.

 

[Grimes]

I think I've come here before to ask but is there interest in Brock Nelson? Would add 20 goals to the lineup for certain.

Before this trade I would have had more interest in him. However, the cost to acquire him would be too expensive, especially since Domi most likely would have been a key piece in a trade for him. He just added a 20 goal scorer, who plays a softer game. I think we need to add a non-stop motor puck hound that can finish. Nelson is not that.

 

[Grimes]

I think I've come here before to ask but is there interest in Brock Nelson? Would add 20 goals to the lineup for certain.

What about Clutterbuck?