Rumor: 2023-2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Off-season is in full swing

[TruePowerSlave]

Too bad the cap ruins top teams. The cup winning team had tremendous depth, skill and two-way ability. They also were fast as hell and you could clearly see teams couldn't keep up with the pace. What a blast to watch.

 

[jfc64]

Too bad the cap ruins top teams. The cup winning team had tremendous depth, skill and two-way ability. They also were fast as hell and you could clearly see teams couldn't keep up with the pace. What a blast to watch.

And we almost didn't need Burra and Girard.

 

[Avaholic29]

You forgot the "brilliant" hockey analyst going under the name of jfc64. Here's his take:

• Vegas (no. 1)
• New Jersey
• Colorado
• Los Angeles
• Boston
• Carolina
• Edmonton
• Toronto
• Columbus
• Pittsburgh
• NY Rangers
• Florida
• Tampa Bay
• Washington
• Seattle
• Montreal
• Dallas
• Buffalo
• Winnipeg
• Ottawa
• NY Islanders
• St. Louis
• Calgary
• Detroit
• Chicago
• Nashville
• Philadelphia
• Anaheim
• Vancouver
• Minnesota
• Arizona
• San Jose (no. 32)

Vegas, the team with howden in their top 6 and cotter and Amadio on their third line while some in here complain about our acquisitions lol

 

[Balthazar]

Too bad the cap ruins top teams. The cup winning team had tremendous depth, skill and two-way ability.

The reason why we were able to build that team is because of the cap.

 

[nammerus]

Vegas, the team with howden in their top 6 and cotter and Amadio on their third line while some in here complain about our acquisitions lol

You’re right. It’s better to have a #2C that hasn’t played like a functional #2C for most of the last 4 years, and #3C that has never played that position full time. That’s much more preferable then having one of the best 1-2-3 Center combinations in the league.

We all know how important wingers are compared to centres. Vegas got super lucky that their decision to focus on depth down the middle didn’t back fire on them.

 

[LOFIN]

Centers are f***ing overrated, and have always been. We didn't lose last year because we didn't have a #2C. We lost because we didn't have enough top-6 players.

Ask yourself, what does a center do? I bet most of you say he's the defensive minded guy of the forward line and takes the draws. Does MacKinnon do that? Exactly.

 

[nammerus]

Centers are f***ing overrated, and have always been. We didn't lose last year because we didn't have a #2C. We lost because we didn't have enough top-6 players.

Ask yourself, what does a center do? I bet most of you say he's the defensive minded guy of the forward line and takes the draws. Does MacKinnon do that? Exactly.

Pretty impressive thoughts on Center depth. Completely wrong, but done so with irrational confidence so it sounds reasonable.

Also, funny enough. We have terrible Center depth and still don’t have enough top-6 players. Guess it’s good to have the worst of both worlds.

 

[NorthernAvsFan]

Let’s see what Ryan Johansen’s underlying numbers look like when he gets to play in front of this defence, behind Nathan MacKinnon as a 2C, and has Mikko Rantanen as his winger.

 

[LOFIN]

Pretty impressive thoughts on Center depth. Completely wrong, but done so with irrational confidence so it sounds reasonable.

Also, funny enough. We have terrible Center depth and still don’t have enough top-6 players. Guess it’s good to have the worst of both worlds.

Tell me, what to you separates a center from a winger?

 

[AvsFan2123]

Let’s see what Ryan Johansen’s underlying numbers look like when he gets to play in front of this defence, behind Nathan MacKinnon as a 2C, and has Mikko Rantanen as his winger.

Exactly. I know it’s going to sound super homer-ish of me, but I actually have some faith in guys rebounding. Not Sea Eagles faith. But a decent amount with some realism also there. If we start the year with Nichushkin-RyJo-Rantanen, I think that’s the best chance for him to rebound. Forechecking demon in Nuke. Rantanen’s shot/playmaking. Could be hopeful for a nice little high 40, low 50 point year? Which is average 2C production. Where I’m hoping he becomes more than JT is playoff time. He seems to be more of a gamer than JT (when he wants).

I also have some faith in Drouin rebounding, but only if he starts with MacKinnon on a line. Which would give Lehkonen that other top 6 spot in my projections. Which is similar to that other line above. He’ll be the grinder/puck badger. Shit MacKinnon has carried a lot worse players on his line than Drouin lol. Off the top of my head I can remember some stretches of Calvert, Nieto, Comeau. I’m not expecting the world but I also think if he’s given a prolonged run on that line he can/should get 40+ points. Which obviously is not what you want from a first liner but him being there can allow us to spread out depth (assuming we add more F’s as the year goes on).

Leaves us a bottom 6 in some form of Wood, Colton, Kovalenko, Cogliano, LOC. Then pick someone random as the 12th. This is all without additions. Which I would like to think CMac will add more of

 

[CobraAcesS]

All of this discussion around a member of the 4th line playing one line up?

I certainly wouldn't mind the addition of another offensively-capable forward to the top 9. But I still feel that the 4th line isn't really anywhere near the top of my list of roster concerns for 23-24.

The play of Johansen at 2C is waaaayyyyy >>>>>>>>>>>> more important than the the 3rd member of the 4th line.

The play of Colton at 3C is also more important.
The play of Drouin is also more important.
The health of the 2nd pairing is also more important.
Nichushkin sticking to beer is also more important.
Heck, the health of the backup goaltender is probably more important.

It's August. We're all bored.


New discussion topic: I'd like to start a petition to eliminate all shitty hazy/juicy IPAs sold at the arena on game nights. Who's with me?

Pinecone beer, yeah I don't get it either.

Give me a barrel aged Porter or Stout, or even a Saison, or Farmhouse ale. Anything but a damn IPA that finishes about as well as a mouth full of pine needles.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

The reason why we were able to build that team is because of the cap.

Bura and Toews were added because of the cap. The rest not so much.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Tell me, what to you separates a center from a winger?

- Center touches the puck at 2x the rate of a winger.

- Centers are the first forward responsible for helping the Dmen down low defensively.

- Centers are responsible for transitioning the puck from Defense to offense in the defensive zone.

- Centers are responsible for faceoffs


It isn't even close really. Centers have significantly more responsibility on the ice then a Winger, and impact the game at a far higher rate then Wingers. Its the most important position in the league by far.

 

[LOFIN]

- Center touches the puck at 2x the rate of a winger.

That would depend on the center. For an example, in the line of Matthews and Marner, it's Marner who has the puck more. By a lot.

- Centers are the first forward responsible for helping the Dmen down low defensively.

Some are, some are not. Bergeron? Sure. McDavid, Draisaitl and MacKinnon? Lol.

- Centers are responsible for transitioning the puck from Defense to offense in the defensive zone.

That's the job of the defensman. He passes the puck. If your center has to fetch the puck from your D-corps, you are a shitty team with shitty D and you will not make the playoffs because your transition game sucks ass.

- Centers are responsible for faceoffs

Some are, some are not. Case in point, MacKinnon.

So yeah, centers are f***ing overrated. A winger can do the defensive work in a line, do the puck carrying, and even take the draws.

It's about the top-6 in general, not centers in particular.

 

[Balthazar]

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

That would depend on the center. For an example, in the line of Matthews and Marner, it's Marner who has the puck more. By a lot.

Some are, some are not. Bergeron? Sure. McDavid, Draisaitl and MacKinnon? Lol.

That's the job of the defensman. He passes the puck. If your center has to fetch the puck from your D-corps, you are a shitty team with shitty D and you will not make the playoffs because your transition game sucks ass.

Some are, some are not. Case in point, MacKinnon.

So yeah, centers are f***ing overrated. A winger can do the defensive work in a line, do the puck carrying, and even take the draws.

It's about the top-6 in general, not centers in particular.

Wow...


This place continues to amaze me lately.

 

[LOFIN]

Wow...


This place continues to amaze me lately.

This is what you get in the dark days of the offseason.

 

[JH21]

I still say we trade Girard for futures and sign buddies Patty Kane and Jonathan Toews for one more kick of the can. Drouin can eat nachos in the press box.

 

[Mighty Makar]

I still say we trade Girard for futures and sign buddies Patty Kane and Jonathan Toews for one more kick of the can. Drouin can eat nachos in the press box.

We would need to grab a dman for the 3rd pairing. Unless, you want JMFJ paired with Malinski? We know Frail Cale will miss time. Do we really want JMFJ and Manson on the 2nd pair? Lol

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I highly doubt we trade Girard at this point in the summer, maybe at the trade deadline depending on just how much surgery the roster needs to be competitive in the playoffs...


If we trade Girard, I think the idea I most like at the moment would be to send him to Columbus for Peeke + Kuraly.


Kuraly would be a legit 3rd liner to bump LOC to the 4th line, and he could be the 3C moving Colton to the Wing where IMO he's likely going to be more useful for us anyway. Peeke would be a solid #3RD and can move up into Manson's spot if/when he plays like shit and gets hurt again.



Drouin - Mack - Nuke
Lehky - RyJo - Mikko
Colton - Kuraly - Wood
Cogs - Meyers - LOC
Olofsson

Toews - Makar
Byram - Manson
Johnson - Peeke
MacDermid - Malinski

 

[Balthazar]

MacDermid played 44 games at defense last year and he's probably still the #7D this year. Which means that as soon as someone gets hurt he's in.

 

[UnkleKraker]

Tell me, what to you separates a center from a winger?

Ideally face off ability and defensive responsibility (i.e. needing to play higher in the zone so they can help the D if the play runs the other direction.)

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Ideally face off ability and defensive responsibility (i.e. needing to play higher in the zone so they can help the D if the play runs the other direction.)

And they play lower in the defensive zone to help win board battles to regain puck possession, and then are the ones that typically move the puck out of the zone.

And they're usually the dominant puck carrier on a line.


But hey he found 1 or 2 examples of where that isn't 100% the case so thus Centers are overrated!!

 

[UnkleKraker]

And they play lower in the defensive zone to help win board battles to regain puck possession, and then are the ones that typically move the puck out of the zone.

And they're usually the dominant puck carrier on a line.


But hey he found 1 or 2 examples of where that isn't 100% the case so thus Centers are overrated!!

Maybe their importance can get exaggerated at times but you still build your team on great centers and dman. Wingers are still important but 3rd on the list IMO.

 

[nammerus]

That would depend on the center. For an example, in the line of Matthews and Marner, it's Marner who has the puck more. By a lot.

Some are, some are not. Bergeron? Sure. McDavid, Draisaitl and MacKinnon? Lol.

That's the job of the defensman. He passes the puck. If your center has to fetch the puck from your D-corps, you are a shitty team with shitty D and you will not make the playoffs because your transition game sucks ass.

Some are, some are not. Case in point, MacKinnon.

So yeah, centers are f***ing overrated. A winger can do the defensive work in a line, do the puck carrying, and even take the draws.

It's about the top-6 in general, not centers in particular.

So you took the one of the best defensive centres of all time, and compared him to 2-3 of the worst defensive centres in the league, as some sort of gotcha for centres not having more defensive responsibility?

You got me. That sample size is irrefutable.