Rumor: 2019 Free Agent Tranquility Part III

[cgf]

I personally want Donskoi up top with Nate and Mikko. Donskoi is streaky as hell but the negatives would have no choice but to balance out playing with those two studs. He went nearly 40 games without a goal at one point last season. That’s pretty much impossible with 29 and 96. There was a stint on January where Donskoi scored 8 goals in 7 games.

The scoring ability is there. He just needs to find consistency. I’d like to give him a shot.

In addition, I hate the thought of Jost on the wing. He’s struggled there every single time he’s played there.

Here’s my preferred lineup before ever actually seeing how this group plays together.

Donskoi Mackinnon Rantanen
Landeskog Kadri Compher
Burakovsky Jost Wilson
Nieto Bellemare/Kam Calvert

I know we won’t see this. Sakic is going to request Bednar play Burakovsky high on the lineup for at least the first month. But this is the way I’d like to spread things around.

Whoever's hot to start the season would be my nom; be it Donskoi, Bura, Jimmothy, etc. There's a good chance that one of them opens the season on a hotstreak and that's the guy I'd let clean up the chances MacK n Landy create, while Mikko gels with Kadri on the 2nd line.

I'm no fundamentalist on this, but I'd split MacK n Mikko up before taking Landy away from Nate. MacK needs the help defensively more than offensively if the third wheel doesn't have BDK's finishing.

 

[cgf]

Jost is just a placeholder until Hall inevitably joins the fold in the next few months. Dont worry about us, you've got bigger issued with your own team to worry about

No need to be so defensive and I wouldn't be throwing all that shade if I was you. They've added a lot of talent this offseason & really did a lot to give Hall a real reason to stay. The left side of their blueline is still weak unless Smith makes me look like a fool, their bottom 6 doesn't blow you away & there goaltending is a questionmark...but with Gusev & Hughes joining Hall, Hischier, Wood, Bratt & Palmieri, they've got the makings of a very good top 6; and PK / Severson / Vatanen is a trio of right shooting blueliners that you can't scoff at.

With a little luck they could easily make the playoffs next season, convince Hall to stay and build from there...especially if they can use Zacha / McLeod as tradebait before they lose their value...and if things don't go their way this season they're in a good spot to pivot; selling Hall & eventually PK to bolster a young core that already features a 1-2 punch at Center that is second only to McDavid & Drae

It's been quiet but they've really added a lot of talent over the past 3 years, despite picking so many 1st round prospects that I was down on...

 

[Spleenless Wonder21]

 

[The Abusement Park]

Love it. 7x5 is the Josi deal including inflation.

 

[Metallo]

Surprizing deal for G, I was not expecting that.

 

[GoNordiquesGo]

You mean sauna?
No need for old Bob here. My info comes straight from the fountain.

Here is another piece of information for you slackers:
If Sakic stops lowballing Rants Bednar's plan is to go like this:

Landy-Mac-xxx
xxx-Kadri-Rants

You are welcome

We must have the same source because my source told me that Bednar plans to use Mac on the first line!!! But, wait, that means I'm no longer the only one hearing that voice in my head?!?

 

[JLo217]

Everytime I look at lineups of the forward core I love the depth. Sakic has done a good job of finding ways to fix the depth IMO. Even if you only get slight bumps from Bura and Donskoi I think this team is going to be quicker, more aggressive and tough to get the puck from. The possession stats are really strong.

Then you get to the back end and have a ton of speed mixed with skill.... If the Avs have the puck its gonna be a bad time for the other team.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I personally want Donskoi up top with Nate and Mikko. Donskoi is streaky as hell but the negatives would have no choice but to balance out playing with those two studs. He went nearly 40 games without a goal at one point last season. That’s pretty much impossible with 29 and 96. There was a stint on January where Donskoi scored 8 goals in 7 games.

The scoring ability is there. He just needs to find consistency. I’d like to give him a shot.

In addition, I hate the thought of Jost on the wing. He’s struggled there every single time he’s played there.

Here’s my preferred lineup before ever actually seeing how this group plays together.

Donskoi Mackinnon Rantanen
Landeskog Kadri Compher
Burakovsky Jost Wilson
Nieto Bellemare/Kam Calvert

I know we won’t see this. Sakic is going to request Bednar play Burakovsky high on the lineup for at least the first month. But this is the way I’d like to spread things around.

I agree, and Donskoi could replace some of the defensive ability lost by moving Landy down.

Whoever's hot to start the season would be my nom; be it Donskoi, Bura, Jimmothy, etc. There's a good chance that one of them opens the season on a hotstreak and that's the guy I'd let clean up the chances MacK n Landy create, while Mikko gels with Kadri on the 2nd line.

I'm no fundamentalist on this, but I'd split MacK n Mikko up before taking Landy away from Nate. MacK needs the help defensively more than offensively if the third wheel doesn't have BDK's finishing.

I tend to lean towards keeping them together, but the nice thing is that neither of the options really suck. Donskoi may actually be better with MacK than Landy due to bringing more speed and still being good defensively. I'd love to keep the top line together, but I am not sure Kadri's line will score at the rate we need them to with two of Jost, Bura, and Donskoi as his wings. Who knows though because by the end up camp Bednar may change his mind three different times.

Anyone trying to predict the lines based on comments from Sakic and Bednar is putting too much faith in those comments IMO.

 

[Balthazar]

I personally want Donskoi up top with Nate and Mikko. Donskoi is streaky as hell but the negatives would have no choice but to balance out playing with those two studs. He went nearly 40 games without a goal at one point last season. That’s pretty much impossible with 29 and 96..

Have you watched the playoffs?

 

[The Abusement Park]

Have you watched the playoffs?

But he was providing Selke level defense.

 

[Vaslof]

Please Wild, hire Chiarelli.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

But he was providing Selke level defense.

Hahaha. Toronto fans will be surprised.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Have you watched the playoffs?

Now I wish I didn't watch the playoffs.. Yikes.

I hated the Kadri trade at first, but now? Trading away Kerfoot was massive for us. We are not stuck with his contract for next 4 years. HUGE.

 

[ABasin]

Sometimes overpaying with draft picks is better than overpaying in AAV or term (especially for injury-prone players like Ferland)...

Ferland has played 4 full NHL seasons, and has averaged 74 games per season. Not perfect, but I’d hardly call that injury-prone.

I understand your point though. The difference, perhaps, is that teams routinely overpay for UFAs. Pseudo reclamation projects? Not nearly so much.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Shattenkirk has been bought out. Are we interested on a 1 year deal?

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Shattenkirk has been bought out. Are we interested on a 1 year deal?

I would say no

 

[Pokecheque]

Shattenkirk has been bought out. Are we interested on a 1 year deal?

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnope.

 

[Richard88]

Ferland has played 4 full NHL seasons, and has averaged 74 games per season. Not perfect, but I’d hardly call that injury-prone.

I understand your point though. The difference, perhaps, is that teams routinely overpay for UFAs. Pseudo reclamation projects? Not nearly so much.

He may have played 74 games on average, but if you ask Carolina fans they'll tell you that he left many games early and was only actually healthy for like 1/3 of games. Whatever the case, his physical style doesn't exactly lend itself to longevity, which is probably why he took way less AAV than most on here expected him to get.

 

[Pokecheque]

Shatty shouldn't have tried so hard to get outta St. Louis. He might actually be a Cup champ right now.

 

[Richard88]

Shattenkirk has been bought out. Are we interested on a 1 year deal?

With Makar, Girard, and maybe Byram we have no need for a 3rd pairing PP specialist.

 

[The Pwnerer]

Only interest in Shattenkirk is if Cole's injury is more serious then reported.

 

[CaleMakaw]

Gardiner > Shatty

 

[Papa Francouz]

Despite how much of his brain consists of rocks, I wouldn't mind trading for Kreider if he came relatively cheap. Not sure if NYR still need to shed some cap, but Kreider on a line with Kadri could be decent. Maybe he could teach Bura how to be at least marginally physical, as well.

 

[Mighty Makar]

Only interest in Shattenkirk is if Cole's injury is more serious then reported.

That’s exactly why I wouldn’t mind Shatty on a 1 year deal.

Girard Makar
Zadorov Johnson
Cole/Byram Shattenkirk

 

[The Abusement Park]

Shattenkirk has been bought out. Are we interested on a 1 year deal?

Nope, his best asset is his ability to QB a PP and we have no need for that. We need a more defensive stabilizing type for the 3rd pairing.