Line Combos: 2023-24 too early line combos

[Burrowsaurus]

Can Luch still play? Maybe Maroon?

I think lucic can play in the right role. Definitely not a top 6 guy anymore. But bottom line? For sure.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Joseph deserves another shot to prove he isn't one of the worst cost per point players in the league.

List of Active Contracts UFAs making under 2.75m per .

2022-23 Active NHL Players - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

2022-23 NHL players who are currently active in the league

www.capfriendly.com

How long does it take you to find 3 or 4 players you'd replace Joseph with.

 

[DJB]

 

[Micklebot]

I mean, where else would he upgrade....

Top 6 is loaded unless we lose Debrincat, with Tkachuk, Norris, Stützle, Giroux and Batherson

D finally looks strong with Chabot, Zub, Chychrun, Sanderson, and Brannstrom, we could maybe use a bottom pair guy but Dorion may already have pencilled in re-signing Hamonic for that role.



Goalie is the obvious need, we'll see what comes of that.

 

[bashbros32]

I have compiled a list of upcoming 20 goal scoring free agents (R/UFA) in the unfortunate possible world where DBC doesn't want to stay and we don't replace his production in a trade.

Timo Meier - Just scored 40 goals, makes 6 currently, has a 10M qualifying offer.
Jesper Bratt - scored 32. makes 5.45, and will be 25 going into next year.
Patrice Bergeron - Lol
Jason Zucker - too old imo
Pierre-Luc Dubois - too MTL bound
Cole Caufield - no way MTL gives him up
Michael Bunting - too many bricks for brains
Troy Terry - scored 37 last year, but only 23 this time around... RFA
Gabriel Vilardi - in my opinion he is too injury prone, he hasn't even hit 65 games in a season
Patrick Kane - Probably not leaving New York, would be hilarious to try and pry him away to play with DBC again lol (also too old imo)
Daniel Sprong - is he actually decent or just a product of the Seattle system?
Max Domi - I like Domi, but he is very inconsistent.
Andreas Athanasiou - product of playing on one of the worst teams...
Tomas Tatar - idk, I called Jason Zucker too old, so I should probably stick to my guns lol.

then the other 2 are DeBrincat and Pinto lol.

So the only people on this list that I would actually want to bring in would be Bratt, Terry and Domi...

Also on the other hand, why hasn't anyone suggested filling our depth problem by spreading out the lines? We played Joseph in the top 6 in 21-22 when we acquired him and it worked well... why not try it again? At least briefly, if it doesn't work we can obviously change it.

Tkachuk - Norris - Joseph
DeBrincat/Bratt/Terry/Domi - Stutzle - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Giroux (I really like the idea of Giroux mentoring these 2 young potential centers)
Gauthier - Kastelic - Brassard? Kelly? Sokolov?

Sanderson - Chychrun
Chabot - Zub
Brannstrom - JBD
Vet 7th (I don't see Hamonic being a 7... and there ain't no way we use JBD as a 7)

Is there a chance we run 8 D and split time between Kleven - Hamonic and Brannstrom - JBD? Idk the way Branny played this year in my opinion he solidified a spot on this team... and JBD was just sorta... there? and we already have a quiet, "steady, just there" defenseman on the right side in Zub...

and then in net... I like the idea of using a Forsberg - Sogaard tandem next year, but it doesn't seem to be the prevailing thought around here. I think Sogaard is serviceable to downright phenomenal in the backup role, and Forsberg (as long as he's healthy) was a top 20 goalie in GSVA for the past 2 years. I also don't think we brought Merilainen over from Finland to play ECHL games...

 

[bashbros32]

Joseph deserves another shot to prove he isn't one of the worst cost per point players in the league.

List of Active Contracts UFAs making under 2.75m per .

2022-23 Active NHL Players - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

2022-23 NHL players who are currently active in the league

www.capfriendly.com

How long does it take you to find 3 or 4 players you'd replace Joseph with.

I know this is a major bump but I thought capfriendly's filtering was better than that... 4 of the top 15 on that "active contract UFA" search are... not UFA's. (I have changed the GP to 44)

Sonny Milano - Re-signed until 2026 @ 1.9
Frederick Gaudreau - re-signed until 2028 @ 2.1 with m-NTC
Andrei Kuzmenko - re-signed until 2025 @ 5.5 with m-NTC
Trevor Moore - re-signed until 2028 @ 4.2 with m-NTC next year only

and the other 11

Bunting - is a moron
Rodrigues - is playing on a stanley cup contending team... and after back to back 40+ point seasons (39 this year but missed 19 games) he will most likely be making more than Joseph
Barbashev - after 60 and then 45 point seasons, wont be making less than Joseph
Conor Sheary - is interesting, but at 30 is likely looking to cash in one of his last big contracts
Oscar Sundqvist - 29, had 28 points in 67 games... He and Joseph have identical career p/gp numbers.
Pierre Engvall - same age as Joseph, slightly higher p/gp... but is that a result of getting top 6 time in toronto with Matthews and Tavares?
Hudson Fasching - scored 1 more point than joseph... and has only ever been a tweener.
Ryan Donato - I would be interested
Mattias Janmark - quite possibly one of the most consistent 25 point players ever... since 18-19 he has scored: 25-21-24-25-25. misses roughly 15-20 games a year.
Nick Bjugstad - Stayed healthy this year, but hasn't throughout his career. his last three seasons before this one he played 57, 44 and 13 games.
Jesper Fast - I think is the ideal 3rd line winger. However I think by the time Joseph is 31 we will be saying the same thing about him.

 

[bicboi64]

Of that list, I'd love to have Donato and Janmark, great top 9 guys that can play multiple roles. Wouldn't break the bank either

 

[Cosmix]

Realistically:
Captain - Stu - Giroux
DBC - Norris - Bath
Grieg - Pinto - Joseph
Kelly - Kastelic - Sokolov

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Hamonic
Chych - Brann

Forsberg - Sogaard

Ideally, if DBC doesn't sign we use the money to bring in player X for 5-6M (2nd line winger with 60 point potential) and sign player Y for 2-3M (veteran bottom-6 center who can put up 40 points and play well defensively).
Goaltending is still a big question mark, but with the defense getting better - they should allow less grade a opportunities.

Examples for player X - Bertuzzi, Terry (RFA), Killorn, Bunting
Examples for player Y - Nosek, Haula, Bjugstad, Toews?

Bunting could be a good addition to add some physicality on the 4th line replacing Watson; however, I would prefer a policeman type like Reaves.
I would prefer Gauthier over Sokolov, Brassard, Gambrell & Brown.
I would sign Formenton and leave Greig in the AHL to develop and mature.
Hamonic for another year or two would be OK if we cannot sign someone better.
Brannstrom is improving so we should retain him.
Forsberg & Sogaard is not optimal but might be all we can afford due to the Dorion legacy of buyouts and retentions for 2023-24.

Watching the playoffs has confirmed to me that we need to add more physical players to the team if we want to contend for the SC, not just make the playoffs.

 

[Cosmix]

What does the Athletic think it takes to win the Stanley Cup? What do we have now?

• An elite first-line center (Stutzle)
• An elite first-line winger (Tkachuk)
• Two more top-line-caliber wingers in the top six (Debrincat, Giroux)
• One more top-line-caliber center for the second line (Norris)
• Two more top-six-caliber forwards in the middle six (Batherson, Pinto?)
• An elite No. 1 defenseman to play in the top pair (none)
• One more No. 1-caliber defenseman to play behind him (Chabot, Sanderson)
• A top-pairing-caliber defenseman for the second pair (Chychrun)
• Another top-pairing-caliber defenseman for a soft-minutes third pair (Sanderson above)
• A top-10-caliber starting goaltender (none)

 

[aragorn]

To Car: Joseph LW/RW
To Ott: Andersen G

Unknown: does Formenton return?

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
DBC - Norris - Batherson
Greig/Formenton - Pinto - Sokolov
Kelly - Kastelic - Gauthier/Gambrell

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Chychrun
Brannstrom - Hamonic
Kleven - JBD

Andersen - Forsberg/Sogaard

 

[DaveMatthew]

To Car: Joseph LW/RW
To Ott: Andersen G

Unknown: does Formenton return?

Tkachuk - Stutzle - Giroux
DBC - Norris - Batherson
Greig/Formenton - Pinto - Sokolov
Kelly - Kastelic - Gauthier/Gambrell

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - Chychrun
Brannstrom - Hamonic
Kleven - JBD

Andersen - Forsberg/Sogaard

Andersen is a UFA this summer. Joseph has negative value.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Joseph can rebound next season, he has the talent to do so.

 

[aragorn]

Andersen is a UFA this summer. Joseph has negative value.

I understand that, moving Joseph's salary helps Ottawa's budget situation & the very fact that he has negative value is the reason to move him to get the goalie before he goes to free agency July 1, if he will come & sign here. Signing Andersen then trying to move Joseph IMO would be too difficult given we might have to retain salary to move him. Joseph might be able to fill a hole in the bottom six for Car depending on who they lose over the summer.

 

[Micklebot]

Still a bit too early... but


Tkachuk (8.205)-Stu(8.35)-Giroux(6.5)
Greig(.863)-Norris(7.95)-Batherson(4.975)
???-Pinto(???)-Joseph(2.95)
Kelly(.7625)-Kastelic(.835)-???
Imamma(.775)

Chabot(8)-Zub(4.6)
Sanderson(.925)-Chychrun(4.6)
Brannstrom(2)-JBD(.805)
???(Hamonic?)

Korpisalo(4)
Forsberg(2.75)

Buyout/retained(5.02)

Cap hit 74.092
Space 8.633

So.. say 2 mil for Pinto, another .863 for Thomson to be the 7th D if we don't sign Hamonic, and 1 to 1.5 for a 4th line RW? We really only have about 4 mil to fill the middle six LW spot.

 

[Icelevel]

Still a bit too early... but


Tkachuk (8.205)-Stu(8.35)-Giroux(6.5)
Greig(.863)-Norris(7.95)-Batherson(4.975)
???-Pinto(???)-Joseph(2.95)
Kelly(.7625)-Kastelic(.835)-???
Imamma(.775)

Chabot(8)-Zub(4.6)
Sanderson(.925)-Chychrun(4.6)
Brannstrom(2)-JBD(.805)
???(Hamonic?)

Korpisalo(4)
Forsberg(2.75)

Buyout/retained(5.02)

Cap hit 74.092
Space 8.633

So.. say 2 mil for Pinto, another .863 for Thomson to be the 7th D if we don't sign Hamonic, and 1 to 1.5 for a 4th line RW? We really only have about 4 mil to fill the middle six LW spot.

At least one of those ??? needs to be really good.
Also I like our d a lot better when Kleven is in there. But whatever’s best for his development.

 

[Emerica]

I think you can pretty much pencil in Smeagol at the 4LW over Kelly at this point. Bottom 6 is going to be sketchy.

If we can turn DBC into two middle six players, it would go a long way with helping the depth.

 

[bicboi64]

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Kubalik Stu Giroux
Grieg Pinto Zadina
Imama Kastelic Joseph

Chabot Zub
Sanderson Chychrun
Brannstrom JBD

Korpi
Forsberg

(Dorion trades Cat to Detroit for Kubalik, Zadina, and the higher of Boston's or Detroit 2024 1st).

 

[Silky Johnson]

U

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Kubalik Stu Giroux
Grieg Pinto Zadina
Imama Kastelic Joseph

Chabot Zub
Sanderson Chychrun
Brannstrom JBD

Korpi
Forsberg

(Dorion trades Cat to Detroit for Kubalik, Zadina, and the higher of Boston's or Detroit 2024 1st).

I don't hate this lineup, particularly if we had a good coaching staff, but we don't.

 

[Samsquanch]

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Kubalik Stu Giroux
Grieg Pinto Zadina
Imama Kastelic Joseph

Chabot Zub
Sanderson Chychrun
Brannstrom JBD

Korpi
Forsberg

(Dorion trades Cat to Detroit for Kubalik, Zadina, and the higher of Boston's or Detroit 2024 1st).

Love it tbh. That's a playoff team imo.

There's so much hidden value in Pinto and Greig being on the 3rd imo. Those guys could be like the lite version of young Marchand and Bergeron on Bostons 2nd line during the their 2010 run.

I'll admit that a lot of this teams overall depth depends on those two being future top 6 players in the making. But I think it's likely the case for both of them.

Add Formenton in there somehow and this team is locked and loaded.

 

[Boud]

I'd rather have Wahlstrom and Pageau than Kubalik and Zadina.

I think we should definitely go for Christian Fischer though, he'd be a very good add on the bottom 6.

 

[KingAlfie11]

Tkachuk Norris Batherson
Kubalik Stu Giroux
Grieg Pinto Zadina
Imama Kastelic Joseph

Chabot Zub
Sanderson Chychrun
Brannstrom JBD

Korpi
Forsberg

(Dorion trades Cat to Detroit for Kubalik, Zadina, and the higher of Boston's or Detroit 2024 1st).

It's insane to think that DeBrincat will fetch you Kubalik, Zadina and a 1st round pick, it's fantasy. This not NHL 23, no GM will trade 3 players for Alex DeBrincat ain't gonna happend. If I'm Yzerman I hang up the phone.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

It's insane to think that DeBrincat will fetch you Kubalik, Zadina and a 1st round pick, it's fantasy. This not NHL 23, no GM will trade 3 players for Alex DeBrincat ain't gonna happend. If I'm Yzerman I hang up the phone.

Its really hard to get a top 10 pick a 2nd and a 3rd for 1 year of service.

 

[Boud]

It's insane to think that DeBrincat will fetch you Kubalik, Zadina and a 1st round pick, it's fantasy. This not NHL 23, no GM will trade 3 players for Alex DeBrincat ain't gonna happend. If I'm Yzerman I hang up the phone.

Really? Kubalik is a UFA next year and he's an alright middle-6 guy who produces on the PP. He started off strong last year but then fell off a cliff.

Zadina does not even have a roster spot on the Red Wings at this moment. His value is non-existant for a team like Ottawa.

The first will be middle of the pack probably. Between 12 and 20.

I don't see much value there to be honest with you. We're talking about a 40 goal scorer in the middle of his prime here.

 

[BigRig4]

Parker Kelly is on a one-way. Unless he'd traded he's a lock for 4LW imo.

 

[Boud]

Parker Kelly is on a one-way. Unless he'd traded he's a lock for 4LW imo.

I could see Kelly as the 13th forward.