2020 Roster - Options

[Oddbob]

Honestly, people on these forums know absolutely nothing about draft quality. Don't go off of that. I'd much rather have an Owen Power/Kent Johnson and some late firsts or seconds than some meaningless points in a season where we're virtually guaranteed to miss the playoffs anyway. Those guys would be our best prospects by a mile.

Adding competitive players will push us out of that prime rebuild real estate at the top of the lottery--and we'll have no elite players to show for it. Yeah, that's the league's fault, but we can only work with what we're given. Which means we extend the rebuild, not that we abandon it and start building up.

This team is already going to be hard to watch this year. Might as well cash in.

I take future draft stuff with a grain of salt in most years. However most of the negative talk around the overall depth of certain drafts comes true, like it did in 2012 (lower hype year) and seems to be happening with a large amount of 2017 (lower hype) draftees. It also originally stems from hearing about stuff from the ones doing the scouting.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I take future draft stuff with a grain of salt in most years. However most of the negative talk around the overall depth of certain drafts comes true, like it did in 2012 (lower hype year) and seems to be happening with a large amount of 2017 (lower hype) draftees. It also originally stems from hearing about stuff from the ones doing the scouting.

Kind of as an aside, Owen Power is a helluva prospect. I've been checking out his stuff just recently. A 6'5 smooth skating all situations #1 in the mold of Hedman is nothing to shake a stick at. He tore up the USHL this year as a 17 year old, and by all indications he's going to do that in college in a couple of months here.

Like draft strength be as it may, there are still some really valuable pieces at the top of that draft.

I want to say Hockeyprospect has Power at #1 and Kent Johnson at #2, so in a way it could be a Michigan draft.

 

[Retire91]

Yes, but being as bad as we were last year on a consistent basis, is how you scare guys like Larkin and company from wanting to stay here. Players grow tired very quickly of losing no matter how loyal they initially are to the cause. Look at Buffalo, they keep sucking and guys are and have grown tired of the all the BS they have going on. If we are going to keep adding crappy UFAs like Frans Nielsen or Trevor Daley to our team or bringing in Loui Eriksson or James Neal types, we will indeed be crappy and being extra crappy provides no extra "luck" in drafting high. Bottoming out hoping for our Connor McDavid is not a great solution, which is why we need to bring in good to really good UFA's who are willing to come here in the interim, as there are good ones out there and not all of them will land on the absolute best teams, because the cap doesn't allow that.

I agree I don't want to be like Buff Edm or Pittsburg and intentionally blow a tire every season just to try to luck into a franchise player. But the problem is there is a fine line between intentionally sucking and just actually sucking. We just actually suck. So adding UFA's only covers up the fact that we actually suck. To turn the ship around we need to hit some home runs in the draft so we have 10-15 years of a solid core. Having more and better draft picks in the draft increases our odds of those home runs. If we don't hit home runs in the draft then it won't matter if Larkin or Mantha are around anyway they can't carry the team like Daytsuk Zetterberg Lisdstrom. With those 3 players alone you could have a 25 year playoff streak. I don't see the point in trying to be mediocre and professional players understand the difference between intentionally sucking and simply not having an option until our drafted core is in place. Being mediocre vs. bad is not going to be the make or break of people sticking around.

What parts of this fan base have not been allowing for is a player like Seider coming on the roster next season. And maybe even our #4 pick from this season. And players like Zadina hitting the roster and hopefully Hronick stabilizing and continuing to develop. The problem with the roster is its filled with Filpulla's and Neilsen's who's ceiling is suck and declining and we need those players to drop off. When you have young players they are developing and making mistakes but the potential is there it's different then haveing older UFA and you still suck. That is depressing AF because you are already at your ceiling.

Another thing this fan base is not accounting for is Yzerman has not unleashed Yzerman yet. He said from the beginning 2020 was a observation year and some of the few moves he did make worked out well. And he didn't make any moves that hurt us. Yzerman has a nack for winning deals more often than not and when Yzerman starts making calls I expect things to happen that will be 100's of times better than some filler UFA's.

I am not against 1-2 and even 3 year deals, and a stabilizing goalie would not be a bad thing. But outside of very conservative moves I don't want to baindaid the suck if it does nothing for the long term. Any player that is going to be 34-35 in 6 years is not long term thinking.

 

[MBH]

How I'd pencil the lines for next season ...
I'd make two UFA moves.
G: Cam Talbot/Aaron Dell. Nothing special. Something along the lines of Bernier
RD: Justin Braun or Radko Gudas. Veteran to play in various situations.
--
And that's it.
Next year's priority for me is Cholowski/Svechnikov. They should start with the team and get some rope.

We've got 2 veteran LD in Dekeyser and Nemeth and even though I've never been a big Cholowski fan, it's a sink or swim season for him.
On the right side, Hronek and potentially Seider will have bigger roles. I don't want 3 rookies on the right side - Hronek-Seider-Lindstrom.
At center, there's no one I want. At this point, I'm committed to riding out Filppula for another season or switching Fabbri back to his natural C position and hoping Veleno or Rasmussen can get a look later in the year.
On the Wings we've got so many freaking bodies. It would be my priority to cut through the bullshit and give Svechnikov a look. I don't muddy the waters with placeholder wingers and I don't invest in high-profile, high salary scorers like Hall.
---
Lines.
Zadina-Larkin-Mantha
Bertuzzi-Fabbri-Svechnikov
Timashov-Filppula-Nielsen
Erne-Glendening-Helm
(Abdelkader/Ehn)
Defense.
Nemeth-Hronek
Dekeyser-Seider
Cholowski-Gudas
Bowey (Lindstrom)
Goal.
Bernier/Dell
---
During the season, you call up Ras and Veleno and Givani Smith and give them good looks. Lindstrom will probably be up and down. Maybe Pearson or Turgeon get a look at C if Glendening is moved, but you've also go Ehn there.

Post season you'll have decisions to make on:
G: Bernier. If he's still decent, he probably stays.
LD: Nemeth. If Cholo hasn't earned a spot, you definitely keep him. If Cholo has earned a spot, a lot depends on the progress of McIsaac and Johnasson. But I doubt either will be ready. if the Wings draft Sanderson, he could be ready after his D+1 season. Maybe you sign him for a 1-2 year deal.

 

[ShippinItDaily]

How I'd pencil the lines for next season ...
I'd make two UFA moves.
G: Cam Talbot/Aaron Dell. Nothing special. Something along the lines of Bernier
RD: Justin Braun or Radko Gudas. Veteran to play in various situations.
--
And that's it.
Next year's priority for me is Cholowski/Svechnikov. They should start with the team and get some rope.

We've got 2 veteran LD in Dekeyser and Nemeth and even though I've never been a big Cholowski fan, it's a sink or swim season for him.
On the right side, Hronek and potentially Seider will have bigger roles. I don't want 3 rookies on the right side - Hronek-Seider-Lindstrom.
At center, there's no one I want. At this point, I'm committed to riding out Filppula for another season or switching Fabbri back to his natural C position and hoping Veleno or Rasmussen can get a look later in the year.
On the Wings we've got so many freaking bodies. It would be my priority to cut through the bullshit and give Svechnikov a look. I don't muddy the waters with placeholder wingers and I don't invest in high-profile, high salary scorers like Hall.
---
Lines.
Zadina-Larkin-Mantha
Bertuzzi-Fabbri-Svechnikov
Timashov-Filppula-Nielsen
Erne-Glendening-Helm
(Abdelkader/Ehn)
Defense.
Nemeth-Hronek
Dekeyser-Seider
Cholowski-Gudas
Bowey (Lindstrom)
Goal.
Bernier/Dell
---
During the season, you call up Ras and Veleno and Givani Smith and give them good looks. Lindstrom will probably be up and down. Maybe Pearson or Turgeon get a look at C if Glendening is moved, but you've also go Ehn there.

Post season you'll have decisions to make on:
G: Bernier. If he's still decent, he probably stays.
LD: Nemeth. If Cholo hasn't earned a spot, you definitely keep him. If Cholo has earned a spot, a lot depends on the progress of McIsaac and Johnasson. But I doubt either will be ready. if the Wings draft Sanderson, he could be ready after his D+1 season. Maybe you sign him for a 1-2 year deal.

I think this is a solid plan. I am fine with giving Svechnikov a good look, but I wouldn't hesitate to sign Granlund if he is available. Could be the perfect storm to sign a guy who had a really off year production-wise when you are dealing with a flat cap that many teams will are likely to struggle with. I wouldn't have a problem signing him for up to 5 years. I think the risk is very low that his contract would look like an albatross and I think that he can help in a lot of ways.

If you sign Granlund and start Svechnikov up, you can buy time with Rasmussen and Brome in the AHL before moving any combination of Helm, Glendening and Filppula.

 

[MBH]

I think this is a solid plan. I am fine with giving Svechnikov a good look, but I wouldn't hesitate to sign Granlund if he is available. Could be the perfect storm to sign a guy who had a really off year production-wise when you are dealing with a flat cap that many teams will are likely to struggle with. I wouldn't have a problem signing him for up to 5 years. I think the risk is very low that his contract would look like an albatross and I think that he can help in a lot of ways.

If you sign Granlund and start Svechnikov up, you can buy time with Rasmussen and Brome in the AHL before moving any combination of Helm, Glendening and Filppula.

Granlund might be good.
Seems like he's not playing a lot of center the last few years though, based on FO numbers.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

I was touting Granlund for over a year now, but in recent months & reading many threads/feedback, NSH fans, MINN fans, he's not C material anymore. & you "wouldn't want to try it".

Though his primary assists is Elite of the Elite, til he got to NSH.

 

[ShippinItDaily]

I was touting Grandlund for over a year now, but in recent months & reading many threads/feedback, NSH fans, MINN fans, he's not C material anymore. & you "wouldn't want to try it".

Though his primary assists is Elite of the Elite, til he got to NSH.

We wouldn't be looking for him to be a long-term solution up the middle. Just a placeholder for part of a season and maybe a little bit longer than that.

I'm inclined to believe that he just wasn't a fit in Nashville. And am willing to bet that the pricetag won't make it to hard to bet on that. 13 assists in 63 games last year?! That just screams regression to the mean and buying opportunity to me.

 

[Gniwder]

How I'd pencil the lines for next season ...
I'd make two UFA moves.
G: Cam Talbot/Aaron Dell. Nothing special. Something along the lines of Bernier
RD: Justin Braun or Radko Gudas. Veteran to play in various situations.
--
And that's it.
Next year's priority for me is Cholowski/Svechnikov. They should start with the team and get some rope.

We've got 2 veteran LD in Dekeyser and Nemeth and even though I've never been a big Cholowski fan, it's a sink or swim season for him.
On the right side, Hronek and potentially Seider will have bigger roles. I don't want 3 rookies on the right side - Hronek-Seider-Lindstrom.
At center, there's no one I want. At this point, I'm committed to riding out Filppula for another season or switching Fabbri back to his natural C position and hoping Veleno or Rasmussen can get a look later in the year.
On the Wings we've got so many freaking bodies. It would be my priority to cut through the bullshit and give Svechnikov a look. I don't muddy the waters with placeholder wingers and I don't invest in high-profile, high salary scorers like Hall.
---
Lines.
Zadina-Larkin-Mantha
Bertuzzi-Fabbri-Svechnikov
Timashov-Filppula-Nielsen
Erne-Glendening-Helm
(Abdelkader/Ehn)
Defense.
Nemeth-Hronek
Dekeyser-Seider
Cholowski-Gudas
Bowey (Lindstrom)
Goal.
Bernier/Dell
---
During the season, you call up Ras and Veleno and Givani Smith and give them good looks. Lindstrom will probably be up and down. Maybe Pearson or Turgeon get a look at C if Glendening is moved, but you've also go Ehn there.

Post season you'll have decisions to make on:
G: Bernier. If he's still decent, he probably stays.
LD: Nemeth. If Cholo hasn't earned a spot, you definitely keep him. If Cholo has earned a spot, a lot depends on the progress of McIsaac and Johnasson. But I doubt either will be ready. if the Wings draft Sanderson, he could be ready after his D+1 season. Maybe you sign him for a 1-2 year deal.

Gudas is about to be a healthy scratch for the Caps.... he's below Jensen on the depth chart. the last thing we need is another crappy borderline AHL Dman. Sticking Cholo with him will be a disaster.

This isn't the sink or swim season for Cholo, he's waivers exempt for one more season. He's shown time and again that he can't think fast enough for the NHL and his propensity to avoid any contact is also an issue. What he needs is an entire season in GR. The only reason to play him would be if the AHL season gets cancelled or after Nemeth gets traded at TDL.

I'd take a hard pass on Gudas, would rather have Brodie or Greene. Keep in mind Cholo can play either side and Nemeth is likely to get traded. Also, most of the AHL tweeners we have are right handed, Lindstrom, Bowey, Biega, Sieder.

 

[Frk It]

I’d be OK with going after Galchenyuk, Granlund, or Dadonov.

 

[Henkka]

Granlund's season was big mess. He got a child born at same he got traded or something like that. Million things happening at same time, have to move, wife giving birth.

Look how he does at playoffs after some adjusting time and you could see a totally different guy.

But he is a playmaking winger, has been for a long time. Always been that also in Finnish National team. Those best seasons at 2016-17 and 2017-18 he was RW.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

We wouldn't be looking for him to be a long-term solution up the middle. Just a placeholder for part of a season and maybe a little bit longer than that.

I'm inclined to believe that he just wasn't a fit in Nashville. And am willing to bet that the pricetag won't make it to hard to bet on that. 13 assists in 63 games last year?! That just screams regression to the mean and buying opportunity to me.

Yeah, believe me I was red hot to get Granlund from Minn, but some players just fit other systems/coaches/teams better. He wouldn't crack over 50 here is my guess, probably closer to ~40-45? seems a reasonable expectation.



that's why I want Boeser RHS/young/good caphit vs. production etc. for a very buy low cost w/LouiE. Too bad both Granlund & Boeser are W's, & not C's. I know it's a fantasy, but Cirelli fits the bill.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I’d be OK with going after Galchenyuk, Granlund, or Dadonov.

Depends on contract length, but not bad.

Oh. And cap hit.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

I’d be OK with going after Galchenyuk, Granlund, or Dadonov.

Ironically Galchenyuk is by far the youngest & also only player I'd loathe to sign. He's red flags w/lack of speed, 3 teams in short time frame etc. Dadonov for 2 yrs @ $4.5-4.9? same for Granlund

 

[Bench]

I’d be OK with going after Galchenyuk, Granlund, or Dadonov.

I always like Granlund a lot, but the guy is giving me some serious Frans Nielsen vibes right now. Some real, "I didn't expect him to decline this much" energy.

 

[Henkka]

Erik Haula is the best free agent forward there vs. the price you have to pay. By far. Guy has most tools and great wheels. Center, 52% long-term average at faceoffs. Speed, scoring, skating transition. What else do you need?

 

[Frk It]

I always like Granlund a lot, but the guy is giving me some serious Frans Nielsen vibes right now. Some real, "I didn't expect him to decline this much" energy.

Well, giving a 6 year deal to a 32 year old player was never a good idea. Plain and simple. For any of the guys I mentioned, I would try to go for a 3 year deal or less.

 

[Henkka]

Well, giving a 6 year deal to a 32 year old player was never a good idea. Plain and simple. For any of the guys I mentioned, I would try to go for a 3 year deal or less.

Depends of the player. You can't generalize all under the same sentence, "never a good idea".

Great skaters, like Selänne, aged well. Great skaters like Haula or Krug would age well. Poor skater like Granlund proably won't age well.

Also don't think it's 6-7 year deal automaticly now in the free agency. This cap drop made it very proablematic for all. TV money is gonna kick in after 3 years, so I can see reasonable 3-year deals now, and vets probably hunting bigger money with another deal later.

 

[Frk It]

Depends of the player. You can't generalize all under the same sentence, "never a good idea".

Great skaters, like Selänne, aged well. Great skaters like Haula or Krug would age well. Poor skater like Granlund proably won't age well.

I can, and it was.

Whether you're a good skater or bad skater, that amount of games played and miles on the body makes anyone more susceptible to start breaking down.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

UFA targets for me:

Craig Smith
Kyle Clifford
Tomas Nosek
Trade for RFA Jayce Hawryluk.

Ok, so one RFA.

 

[Bench]

Well, giving a 6 year deal to a 32 year old player was never a good idea. Plain and simple. For any of the guys I mentioned, I would try to go for a 3 year deal or less.

I guess I don't think I'd bother with Granlund, on any term, is what I'm saying. Not super interested in feeding him 20 minutes a night to put up 40 points. And I'm not sure how well he slots into the lower lines.

And again, I say this as someone who has always been a fan of his. But his performance on the Preds has been rough.

That said, there's not many other great options available. So ehhh?

 

[MBH]

Depends of the player. You can't generalize all under the same sentence, "never a good idea".

Great skaters, like Selänne, aged well. Great skaters like Haula or Krug would age well. Poor skater like Granlund proably won't age well.

Also don't think it's 6-7 year deal automaticly now in the free agency. This cap drop made it very proablematic for all. TV money is gonna kick in after 3 years, so I can see reasonable 3-year deals now, and vets probably hunting bigger money with another deal later.

Signing Haula or Krug to a six year deal is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Frk It]

Signing Haula or Krug to a six year deal is a disaster waiting to happen.

Krug is 29. I doubt a 6 year deal would be a disaster. He’s going to eat on the power play and put up points, at least.

 

[Bench]

Tomas Nosek

Going to have to be pretty damn quick on the phones to beat Holland.

 

[Bench]

Krug is 29. I doubt a 6 year deal would be a disaster. He’s going to eat on the power play and put up points, at least.

Yeah, I don't see any issues signing Krug other than maybe you have to trade him if your team gets really good? Sort of like a Brian Campbell in Chicago situation, I suppose.