7 Members of the Core

[XxJammingxX]

So I was listening to TSN 1050 earlier this week and Pierre Mcguire was talking about the 7-player core you need in order to be a true contender. The make up of this core was:

- elite goaltender
- shutdown defence man
- puck moving defence man
- defensive center
- #1 centerman
- #2 centerman
- power forward

Which of the current leaf players and prospects do you think can fit into this 7-player core? Keep in mind all these players have to be top players in these positions.


I could start with:

Goalie: No one. Maybe Sparks/Bibeau. Too early to tell.
Shutdown Defensemen: No one.
Puck Moving Defence man: Rielly.
Defensive Center: Gauthier
#1 Center: Nylander
#2 Center: Kadri
Powerforward: JVR.

Click to read more...

 

[Stephen]

We have nobody in any of those roles yet. The personnel may be in place for some of those positions, but they haven't proven anything.

 

[Crosscrease14]

That's just one way to build a team. There is no set formula. Those pieces are good to have but I don't think they are all necessary to contend.

 

[Bomber0104]

So I was listening to TSN 1050 earlier this week and Pierre Mcguire was talking about the 7-player core you need in order to be a true contender. The make up of this core was:

- elite goaltender
- shutdown defence man
- puck moving defence man
- defensive center
- #1 centerman
- #2 centerman
- power forward

Which of the current leaf players and prospects do you think can fit into this 7-player core? Keep in mind all these players have to be top players in these positions.


I could start with:

Goalie: No one. Maybe Sparks/Bibeau. Too early to tell.
Shutdown Defensemen: No one.
Puck Moving Defence man: Rielly.
Defensive Center: Gauthier
#1 Center: Nylander
#2 Center: Kadri
Powerforward: JVR.

Nope.

 

[Paris in Flames]

Elite goaltending is nice but not a necessity as many recent Cup winners have proven.

 

[Menzinger]

Not a huge fan of these "formula" theories about cup contenders.

Look at LA/Boston/Hawks - all three teams are built differently.

It just seems that to win, you need a group of highly skilled players, and also good depth.

 

[Gallagbi]

Not a huge fan of these "formula" theories about cup contenders.

Look at LA/Boston/Hawks - all three teams are built differently.

It just seems that to win, you need a group of highly skilled players, and also good depth.

Bingo

 

[Stephen]

A shutdown defenseman is also a very archaic notion of what good teams should have. Give me a heads up two way defenseman with great skating who gobbles up loose pucks and starts the transition over some Luke Schenn clone any day of the week.

 

[gamer1035]

That 7 role player thing seems like a bunch of crap.

I'll go with at least 3 elite players, with at least 2 of the 3 slots filled: #1 C,D or G.

 

[Apotheosis]

Disagreed. For one, Kadri won't be here as the number 2 C when we're contending, and good on that. I don't think there's one clear cut way to win a cup, even in a league with as much parity as the NHL. But the constants of past winners in this era are pretty clear.

You NEED a number one centre. Boston (Bergeron), LA (Kopitar), Chicago (Toews)... etc. Being deep down the middle also helps a lot because having reliable options besides your number 1 C spreads out minutes, so it doesn't overly fatigue your number 1 guy.

You NEED a number 1 defence man who eats up minutes. Keith and Doughty are the best in the league at this bar none.

A good system can remedy the need for a true number 1 goalie, but 2 of the 3 (Boston and LA) have elite goaltending, so it's best to find an elite goalie.

Other than that, you need skill and most importantly... DEPTH. The game isn't all about "stop this" or "outscore this". Guys like Gauthier and Leivo are just as important as Marner and Nylander could be in the future, simply because they can fill roles differently and might be able to provide valuable depth.

 

[champs*]

present team...

• elite goaltender <<<< Jonathan Bernier
• shutdown defenseman <<<< Matt Hunwick
• puck moving defenseman <<<< Morgan Rielly
• defensive center <<<< Byron Froese
• #1 centerman <<<< Nazem Kadri
• #2 centerman <<<< Tyler Bozak
• power forward <<<< Leo Komarov

future team ...

• elite goaltender <<<< not in the organization
• shutdown defenseman <<<< Morgan Rielly
• puck moving defenseman <<<< Morgan Rielly
• defensive center <<<< Nazem Kadri
• #1 centerman <<<< William Nylander
  
• #2 centerman <<<< not in the organization
• power forward <<<< not in the organization

 

[Warden of the North]

Chicago has proven you dont need 7 "core" players.

 

[BlueBaron]

When I look back at the recent cup winners, say for the last 8 years all of them had a true elite #1 d except for Pittsburgh. Lidstrom, Doughty, Kieth, Chara (sorry Letang but you are not like these guys)

All have been deep down the middle Bos and Pitt especially

All got solid goaltending with only LA and Boston getting elite that comes to mind (Quick/Thomas)

So the only rules I can come up with are

#1 C does not have to be a point game guy if he is highly defensively aware. (Bergeron)
#2 C must also be decent defensively, should be a 60ish point kind of guy

#1 D in this I am of the mind you need a guy who can play on both special teams, get 40+ points who plays the big minutes and is very good defensively. I do not think a Karlsson/Subban type #1 D is quite the same.

#1 G Must be solid and give you a chance to win, not prone to soft goals that break the teams heart.

Decent coaching and health

 

[Purity*]

Not a huge fan of these "formula" theories about cup contenders.

Look at LA/Boston/Hawks - all three teams are built differently.

It just seems that to win, you need a group of highly skilled players, and also good depth.

Don't forget about chemistry.

Your lines and pairings absolutely need to mesh. Knowing which style of players fit with who and where is crucial.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Chicago has proven you dont need 7 "core" players.

Kane, Toews, Hossa, Sharp, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson.

 

[Purity*]

Kane, Toews, Hossa, Sharp, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarsson.

Replace Sharp with Crawford and there you have it.

 

[TLeafsFan]

In addition to a power forward, one would think a high skill guy on the wing is also part of the formula now.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

i guess we dont need marner OP.

 

[Trapper]

Chicago has proven you dont need 7 "core" players.

Toews,Kane,Hossa,Keith,Seabrook,Hjalmarsson.
So 6.
No matter what happens, this core is protected.
Add Crawford to the list for 7. Niemi was in goal for the 1st Cup replaced by Crawford (their own draft pick) to replace him. You could add Sharp for no. 7 (he was there for all 3 Cups but got to expensive.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Replace Sharp with Crawford and there you have it.

Yeah, I just listed the core guys who have won 3 cups and who they kept after their rebuilds.

 

[TLeafsFan]

Yeah, I just listed the core guys who have won 3 cups and who they kept after their rebuilds.

There are a lot of players in Chicago that were a part of all 3 Stanley Cups.

Nearly half the team I believe.

 

[Durrr]

Little early to start trying to see what we have, because the simple fact is we don't actually know for many players. Rielly could be our Kieth, Nylander could be a 1C...or Rielly could be a good #2 and Nylander a good 2C.

Lots of time needed, but next year should be a good indication of where we are headed based on our 2016 draft picks and Nylander/Marner making the jump. What I will say, is that I think we found a solid #3 in Gardiner long(er) term, a top six winger in JVR (if we choose to keep him) and a pretty decent 2C in Kadri.

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

There are a lot of players in Chicago that were a part of all 3 Stanley Cups.

Nearly half the team I believe.

I think it is "just" the ones I listed.

 

[figure]

Goalie : No one yet.
Offensive Dman: Rielly
Defensive Dman: No one yet.
Defensive bottom 6 center who can win draws and PK: Gauthier
Offensive top 6 center: Nylander
2 way top 6 center: no one yet (We need this more than anything else - Toews, Kopitar etc)


I think Rielly hitting his prime in our contention window will be an absolute juggernaut.
I think Nylander has every bit the ability to become as good as Backstrom and be our #1 offensive center. But Nylander is not the guy you put out in the last minute of game 7 (unless your losing but what ever).
We are in very desperate need of that top 2 way center if we do want to be come a contender. We have 2 chances at one in the upcoming drafts: Matthews this year, and Nolan Patrick next year. Marner could become that #1 2 way center for us if he grows 2 inches and puts on 35 pounds, it is possible - looking at his brother - but I wouldn't bank on it. It is so annoying crucial that we get extremely lucky in one of the next 2 drafts or we will have to get our #1 center through trades which will be incredibly difficult. Also, if we do land Stamkos, there is a chance he becomes that type of player under Babcock, but again not likely - I see him more being a leader and an offensive guy down the line similar to what Hossa has been for the hawks.
We also need a top Defensive Dman still, Chychrun this year or Liljegren next year who happens to be Right handed.

If we get lucky in the next 2 drafts we can truly become a contender, if we don't the battle will be WAY harder.

Possible Future line up:

Stamkos - Matthews2016 or Patrick2017 - Marner
JVR (Dubois if he drops to near our 2nd pick)- Nylander - Kapanen/Tymashov etc.
Brown - Kadri - Soshnikov
Holland - Gauthier - FA Vet

Rielly - Chychrun 2016 or Liljegren 2017
Dermott - Nielsen
? ?

That line up can very realistically win a cup, and it is actually possible, but will require an insane amount of luck.

More realistic Line up if we pick top 5 in the next 2 years with no Stamkos and Marner does become that center:

JVR - Nylander -Laine/Pulli/A.Nylander/top winger from this draft
Late 1st round pick 2016/2017 - Marner - Kapanen/Tymashov etc.
Brown - Kadri - Soshnikov
Holland - Gauthier - FA/traded Vet

Rielly - Possibly Chychrun or other 2016 top dman, or 2017 top dman.
Dermott - Nielsen
? ?


That line up probably cant win a cup unfortunately. In my eyes we need to get lucky if we want to truly win a cup, and thats just the way it goes when building a core through the draft.

 

[Funk21]

Goalie : No one yet.
Offensive Dman: Rielly
Defensive Dman: No one yet.
Defensive bottom 6 center who can win draws and PK: Gauthier
Offensive top 6 center: Nylander
2 way top 6 center: no one yet (We need this more than anything else - Toews, Kopitar etc)


I think Rielly hitting his prime in our contention window will be an absolute juggernaut.
I think Nylander has every bit the ability to become as good as Backstrom and be our #1 offensive center. But Nylander is not the guy you put out in the last minute of game 7 (unless your losing but what ever).
We are in very desperate need of that top 2 way center if we do want to be come a contender. We have 2 chances at one in the upcoming drafts: Matthews this year, and Nolan Patrick next year. Marner could become that #1 2 way center for us if he grows 2 inches and puts on 35 pounds, it is possible - looking at his brother - but I wouldn't bank on it. It is so annoying crucial that we get extremely lucky in one of the next 2 drafts or we will have to get our #1 center through trades which will be incredibly difficult. Also, if we do land Stamkos, there is a chance he becomes that type of player under Babcock, but again not likely - I see him more being a leader and an offensive guy down the line similar to what Hossa has been for the hawks.
We also need a top Defensive Dman still, Chychrun this year or Liljegren next year who happens to be Right handed.

If we get lucky in the next 2 drafts we can truly become a contender, if we don't the battle will be WAY harder.

Possible Future line up:

Stamkos - Matthews2016 or Patrick2017 - Marner
JVR (Dubois if he drops to near our 2nd pick)- Nylander - Kapanen/Tymashov etc.
Brown - Kadri - Soshnikov
Holland - Gauthier - FA Vet

Rielly - Chychrun 2016 or Liljegren 2017
Dermott - Nielsen
? ?

That line up can very realistically win a cup, and it is actually possible, but will require an insane amount of luck.

More realistic Line up if we pick top 5 in the next 2 years with no Stamkos and Marner does become that center:

JVR - Nylander -Laine/Pulli/A.Nylander/top winger from this draft
Late 1st round pick 2016/2017 - Marner - Kapanen/Tymashov etc.
Brown - Kadri - Soshnikov
Holland - Gauthier - FA/traded Vet

Rielly - Possibly Chychrun or other 2016 top dman, or 2017 top dman.
Dermott - Nielsen
? ?


That line up probably cant win a cup unfortunately. In my eyes we need to get lucky if we want to truly win a cup, and thats just the way it goes when building a core through the draft.

Not sure where you are getting these multiple top 5 picks from but we certainly will not be getting say Laine and Chychrun, we get one or the other.

I think if we are lucky enough to land in the top three and Pitts makes the playoffs management will likely make a major push for Stamkos. Nylander from all we have seen is ready to make the jump which means our top six could be pretty decent. A lot of things need to fall in place but if it does watch out.