Prospect Info: 2020-21 Prospects Thread (CHL, NCAA, Europe)

[The Kingslayer]

For the record I want Bo on this team. You all know how I feel about Ian Cole. Bo still needs to earn it.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I wonder if the league doesn't look at potentially expanding NHL rosters to 25. Teams would still have to be cap compliant with said rosters, but with AHL and other junior league uncertainty, it could allow teams to carry a couple extra bodies and younger guys who don't have anywhere else to play at the moment.

It would also help limit the team movements of players, and with a condensed schedule it allows teams to more easily rotate players in the lineup and deal with injuries better.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I wonder if the league doesn't look at potentially expanding NHL rosters to 25. Teams would still have to be cap compliant with said rosters, but with AHL and other junior league uncertainty, it could allow teams to carry a couple extra bodies and younger guys who don't have anywhere else to play at the moment.

It would also help limit the team movements of players, and with a condensed schedule it allows teams to more easily rotate players in the lineup and deal with injuries better.

I’ve been wondering this too. Like a 3-5 man reserve list. These guys travel and practice with the team but are not allowed to enter a game unless somebody from their listed 23 man active roster is deemed unfit to play.

Either way I think we’re going to see a lot of NHL quality player on PTO’s and eventually signed to league minimum contracts to play 12th-15th forward roles and 6th-9th defenseman roles for insurance and cap flexibility.

 

[henchman21]

I wonder if the league doesn't look at potentially expanding NHL rosters to 25. Teams would still have to be cap compliant with said rosters, but with AHL and other junior league uncertainty, it could allow teams to carry a couple extra bodies and younger guys who don't have anywhere else to play at the moment.

It would also help limit the team movements of players, and with a condensed schedule it allows teams to more easily rotate players in the lineup and deal with injuries better.

I doubt the NHLPA would sign off on expanded rosters. Furthers the escrow debt for future seasons. Assuming a nice round 1m, that is 62m in salary and anther 124m in HRR that would need to be made up.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

With the NHL season likely starting in late January or possibly even later a guy like Byram should have a massive head start on an NHL roster anyway having just finished a WJC just prior to walking into NHL training camp when most of the guys will have only played informal team skates/captains skates as any type of organized hockey.

 

[Metallo]

Sam Girard’s first game as an Av he played 21:55 after coming over in a trade.
Hell, Makar got 15 minutes in his first game which was a playoff game just several days after playing in college.

Two of those guys were absolutely ready for the opportunities they were given but they never “earned” it. Neither even took part in a training camp with the Avs and were given big roles from the moment they first touched the ice.

So yeah no worries about opportunity if the player is ready. Byram just has to show he’s ready. Lucky for him he’s got a full camp to do it. Nothing to see here.

 

[The Kingslayer]

With the NHL season likely starting in late January or possibly even later a guy like Byram should have a massive head start on an NHL roster anyway having just finished a WJC just prior to walking into NHL training camp when most of the guys will have only played informal team skates/captains skates as any type of organized hockey.

That's great I hope he has a great WJC and walks into camp with that big dick energy and gets a roster spot.

 

[Metallo]

This is kind of a related question...
People always say that young players need playing time (as if practicing with the NHL team means jack shit to a player’s development). What if Byram is the 8th D and plays 20 games out of 60. Is that so much worse than being in Junior all year?

 

[Avs_19]

If Byram shows he's physically ready to handle the NHL then give him a spot. Yes, give. Just put him on the bottom pair and let him work through the rookie mistakes. If there are a bunch of back to backs then rotate players in and out. This is your 19 year old 4th overall pick, not some college FA or guy on a PTO.

Maybe they feel differently but I don't consider the WHL an option for him, even if they somehow find a way to play games. So that leaves Europe if he can get cleared? Send him to Sweden for a few months and let that team handle his minutes and development?

 

[TruePowerSlave]

They have to ditch Cole into a #7D role if Byram makes the team, having a recent top 4 pick healthy scrathed is not an option.

Not sure the Avs are really ready to sit Cole.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Kamenev has 2 and 2 in his first 5 KHL games. My expectations are obviously low but imagine that guy manages stay healthy all year and regain confidence playing against men. The talent is there.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

I wonder if the league doesn't look at potentially expanding NHL rosters to 25. Teams would still have to be cap compliant with said rosters, but with AHL and other junior league uncertainty, it could allow teams to carry a couple extra bodies and younger guys who don't have anywhere else to play at the moment.

It would also help limit the team movements of players, and with a condensed schedule it allows teams to more easily rotate players in the lineup and deal with injuries better.

Almost nobody will be able to have 25 guys on their roster and be under the cap. It's not going happen unless the cap goes up a few million.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Justin Barron is close and may play this weekend

 

[McMetal]

It was the Playoffs. Not every rookie is Cale Makar that can start his NHL career in the middle of a playoff series.

I agree, but the pressure on the Avs to be good won't disappear whenever the next season starts. Hench has pointed out that as one of the longest tenured coaches in the NHL, Bednar will be under a lot of pressure when the season starts not to falter early.

 

[McMetal]

If Byram shows he's physically ready to handle the NHL then give him a spot. Yes, give. Just put him on the bottom pair and let him work through the rookie mistakes. If there are a bunch of back to backs then rotate players in and out. This is your 19 year old 4th overall pick, not some college FA or guy on a PTO.

Maybe they feel differently but I don't consider the WHL an option for him, even if they somehow find a way to play games. So that leaves Europe if he can get cleared? Send him to Sweden for a few months and let that team handle his minutes and development?

Ditto this. He's going to have some rookie mistakes happen, it's part of the game he plays and he needs to learn what he can and cannot do with his talent level in the NHL. Either now or next season or the season after that, he has to do that, may as well do it now.

 

[PAZ]

I doubt the NHLPA would sign off on expanded rosters. Furthers the escrow debt for future seasons. Assuming a nice round 1m, that is 62m in salary and anther 124m in HRR that would need to be made up.

I think they may be willing if the AHL doesn't restart. I wouldn't be surprised if they allow a 3-5 player reserve roster where they are getting paid their AHL salary and a paper transaction would still be needed for them to play to bump them up to their NHL salary and vice-versa.

We saw how many injuries there were in the playoff bubble for all teams, it's safer to allow these reserve players to travel with the team rather than fly them in if they need a call-up.

 

[henchman21]

I think they may be willing if the AHL doesn't restart. I wouldn't be surprised if they allow a 3-5 player reserve roster where they are getting paid their AHL salary and a paper transaction would still be needed for them to play to bump them up to their NHL salary and vice-versa.

We saw how many injuries there were in the playoff bubble for all teams, it's safer to allow these reserve players to travel with the team rather than fly them in if they need a call-up.

That would make sense if they are on AHL salaries and hit those books instead. I can't see the NHLPA allowing them to hit the NHL salary pool that is going to be badly in the hole anyway. I think the AHL will play though. Probably a very limited, very regional schedule of say 45 games. Enough for the owners to hopefully break even and get some prospects games, but not too many or not enough games for them to lose a crap ton of cash. Now the ECHL has a legit chance of its season going away... two teams have already opted out (I might have missed if there were more). 11 more are in various stages of questions. 13 are pressing on until told otherwise.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Almost nobody will be able to have 25 guys on their roster and be under the cap. It's not going happen unless the cap goes up a few million.

That just isn't even close to being true.


There's over 20 teams in the league right now that could easily run a 25 man roster and be under the cap.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

That just isn't even close to being true.


There's over 20 teams in the league right now that could easily run a 25 man roster and be under the cap.

Over 20?

Once teams have signed their guys there won't be almost any space. The number of teams that can roll with 25 players is not even close to 20. You also have to take into account that some have a budget and won't spend to the cap no matter what.

 

[Foppa2118]

Over 20?

Once teams have signed their guys there won't be almost any space. The number of teams that can roll with 25 players is not even close to 20. You also have to take into account that some have a budget and won't spend to the cap no matter what.

Teams haven't signed all their RFA's yet. Looking at the cap space they have right now isn't accurate, because they're based on 18-20 man rosters.

Just looking at the Avs is a good example. CapFriendly says they have about $6M in cap space but that's with a 19 man roster, and we know they need to sign Toews and bring up someone like Timmins at the very least

Most teams won't be able to squeeze in 25 players under the cap, and still have a cushion for additional callups, and flexibility for trades.

If there were that many teams that could fit 25 players under the cap, then we would have seen a lot more trades this year, and guys wouldn't have been forced to sign for so cheap.

 

[MaKarter]

You also have to remember teams will be losing money with fans not in attendance. Some teams are going to be looking to cut heavily throughout their organization if things do not change for the better.

 

[AvsMakar08]

If Byram shows he's physically ready to handle the NHL then give him a spot. Yes, give. Just put him on the bottom pair and let him work through the rookie mistakes. If there are a bunch of back to backs then rotate players in and out. This is your 19 year old 4th overall pick, not some college FA or guy on a PTO.

Maybe they feel differently but I don't consider the WHL an option for him, even if they somehow find a way to play games. So that leaves Europe if he can get cleared? Send him to Sweden for a few months and let that team handle his minutes and development?

I would rather prefer us send Byram to Russia to play in KHL, preferably on one of the top KHL team instead of Sweden. Sign a one year contract in the KHL and then come back to play for the Avs as soon as KHL playoffs are over.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Over 20?

Once teams have signed their guys there won't be almost any space. The number of teams that can roll with 25 players is not even close to 20. You also have to take into account that some have a budget and won't spend to the cap no matter what.

Yes, well over 20.


Internal budgets are something else entirely and quite frankly don't matter at all. If they expanded to 25 player rosters teams wouldn't be required to have a 25 team roster it would just give them the option.

But fact is at least 20 teams could quite easily run a 25 team roster if they wanted too.

 

[PAZ]

Yes, well over 20.


Internal budgets are something else entirely and quite frankly don't matter at all. If they expanded to 25 player rosters teams wouldn't be required to have a 25 team roster it would just give them the option.

But fact is at least 20 teams could quite easily run a 25 team roster if they wanted too.

I think 20 is a bit of a stretch by the time the rest of the free agent and RFAs sign. I'd say 10-12 could quite easily run a 25 player roster. Just looking on Capfriendly, I don't see it but if you want to prove your point i'd love to see a list. Once the season gets going and injuries occur I could see because it opens up more space but starting roster? I don't see it.

 

[UncleRisto]

I would rather prefer us send Byram to Russia to play in KHL, preferably on one of the top KHL team instead of Sweden. Sign a one year contract in the KHL and then come back to play for the Avs as soon as KHL playoffs are over.

Nah, it's a shit show.