Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXIV (A New Hope)

[Devil Dancer]

Yeah I've defended Mojo for his reliability and cheap contract, but he's kind of in the way. He's taking up a spot on the PP for Kuz and 2nd line for Bura.

They'd be wise to deal him for a vet 3rd liner.

I'd rather keep him for depth, especially since Bura hasn't started strong at all this year. Plus, as someone else said, competition is good for young skaters.

 

[PuckBuddy]

I could be wrong, but doesn't Laich have a NTC?

Above and beyond the one his performance grants him?

 

[g00n]

GMBM should plan in advance obviously. Right now there isn't any Laich trade possibility most probably. But he has to think about it.

So why wouldn't we guess such a move?

We may want that move but is it likely, or even possible?

Who do you see taking Laich and why would they do it? I would guess there are many teams in the league with at least one or two players who are overpaid salary anchors. Those teams aren't looking for more such players unless they're looking to swap one for another. And the teams that lack such problem contracts are probably in that position because they don't seek out such deals and wouldn't be interested in BL.

About the only scenario I can imagine that creates a market for Laich is a young rebuilding team that's looking to hit the cap floor. And even then, again, there are plenty of teams with overpriced vets that can fill that need. Many of them probably bring something more obvious to the table than BL beyond decent PKer.

If gmbm COULD move Laich, he probably would have tried last year. And in the offseason. He made a great trade for Oshie and got t-bro out the door but Laich would need to start putting up a lot more points in order to make a similar deal possible.

So imo guessing such a future move assumes the move even exists. Right now I don't think it does.

 

[Raikkonen]

I could be wrong, but doesn't Laich have a NTC?

Cap sites list him without NTC/NMC.

 

[TeamBandWagon]

I don't think Laich is playing terrible. Theyre stuck with him.

Thanks for this. What I've seen of Laich so far is that he's played well; all be it maybe even a little snake bitten. Sure, he's not worth the kind of $ he's making at the moment but that ain't his fault. I'm more worried about the Orpik contract to be honest.

PS. This isn't Julianne

 

[Hivemind]

I could be wrong, but doesn't Laich have a NTC?

It expired.

 

[Capathetic]

Is he? Hadn't heard that he's near NHL ready. Unless by near you mean 2 years...(including this IMO)...

He's a big fast kid who puts up great numbers offensively. 3pts for the Bears already. Carrick has 2.

I think he's close. Produces every level he plays at.

 

[Langway]

He's a big fast kid who puts up great numbers offensively. 3pts for the Bears already. Carrick has 2.

I think he's close. Produces every level he plays at.

He was a healthy scratch tonight for Hershey. Given his typical adjustment period to rising levels of competition he will need a year in Hershey at the very least (and this coaching staff certainly will not rush him).

 

[Raikkonen]

He's a big fast kid who puts up great numbers offensively. 3pts for the Bears already. Carrick has 2.

I think he's close. Produces every level he plays at.

Being close to call-up role and being close to hold up in SCF is very different obv.

 

[Hivemind]

Bowey is the guy the Bears scratch when they want to get Djoos in. He hasn't exactly been playing his way up the depth chart in Hershey so far. If the Caps brass are making an offensive-minded call-up right now, it's Carrick that will get the nod. Maybe that changes in a couple months, but for now Carrick is ahead.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Johansson has 6 points in 10 games, 5 coming at even strength. He's playing well, including in terms of being physically engaged. Not sure what reason they would have to move him is.

He had 6 in 10 to start last season too. He had a good first quarter iirc. Then fell off a cliff and showed yet again that he can't physically handle the playoffs.

I'll buy progress when we see it for a full season plus playoffs.

 

[stanleycaps18]

Cap sites list him without NTC/NMC.

His contract is inherently an NMC.

 

[EroCaps]

Team is 8-2. We've seen them very good and very bad and that's their record. I'm not feeling like outside roster moves are an immediate need.

Teams are always looking to improve. Regardless of record. And they should.

 

[g00n]

Teams are always looking to improve. Regardless of record. And they should.

Of course everyone is LOOKING to improve. Doesn't mean it's the right or possible move in early November.

What do you suggest?

 

[Hivemind]

To be fair, a lot of GMs reference the fact that trade fires are often lit early, even if the trade isn't executed until later. GMBM starting to look into potential LD additions or destinations for Laich now make sense, even if the trade doesn't happen until spring.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Finally Bura gets off the 4th line. Wilson is more fit for the 4th line and Bura brings some skill to the 3rd line.

That's the way it should be.

 

[txpd]

To be fair, a lot of GMs reference the fact that trade fires are often lit early, even if the trade isn't executed until later. GMBM starting to look into potential LD additions or destinations for Laich now make sense, even if the trade doesn't happen until spring.

by this time MacLellan has talked to each GM about their expiring contracts in case those teams are sellers at the deadline. Pre season you would not have thought the Ducks and Jackets would be sellers, but its possible now.

He has very likely talked to every team in the league about backup plans for major injury fill in at each position on the team.

No doubt he has long ago(last season) asked around to see if there are any big Brooks Laich fans in the league. He knows if there is a team that would take him given a certain injury scenario.

If Chris Clark could be traded, Brooks Laich can be traded.

 

[txpd]

Finally Bura gets off the 4th line. Wilson is more fit for the 4th line and Bura brings some skill to the 3rd line.

That's the way it should be.

Wilson is a difference maker is not a fit for 4th line ice time. 65 was on the 3rd line for most of the first two periods in Florida. Wilson was moved back up in the 3rd.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Finally Bura gets off the 4th line. Wilson is more fit for the 4th line and Bura brings some skill to the 3rd line.

That's the way it should be.

I haven't had a problem with Wilson on the 3rd line. It's actually nice to see him more worried about playing the game hard and working to get better instead of running around like an idiot and fighting guys that don't deserve the time of day.

 

[g00n]

by this time MacLellan has talked to each GM about their expiring contracts in case those teams are sellers at the deadline. Pre season you would not have thought the Ducks and Jackets would be sellers, but its possible now.

He has very likely talked to every team in the league about backup plans for major injury fill in at each position on the team.

No doubt he has long ago(last season) asked around to see if there are any big Brooks Laich fans in the league. He knows if there is a team that would take him given a certain injury scenario.

If Chris Clark could be traded, Brooks Laich can be traded.

Clark was packaged with Jurcina for Chimera. A captain/3rd liner and 6/7 d-man for a 30 year old guy who had 8 goals and played only 49 games the previous year and 80 goals over 8 NHL seasons at that time.

Clark was also only making $2.75M.

What kind of a deal does that mean for Laich?

 

[hb12xchamps]

Clark was packaged with Jurcina for Chimera. A captain/3rd liner and 6/7 d-man for a 30 year old guy who had 8 goals and played only 49 games the previous year and 80 goals over 8 NHL seasons at that time.

Clark was also only making $2.75M.

What kind of a deal does that mean for Laich?

Don't know if the Blackhawks would do this, but what about Laich for Bickell? His cap hit is 500K smaller this season and goes down to 3,050,000 next season according to this

Good change of scenery for both guys, both have the same contract length, and we get some cap help this season and next

 

[Langway]

I haven't had a problem with Wilson on the 3rd line. It's actually nice to see him more worried about playing the game hard and working to get better instead of running around like an idiot and fighting guys that don't deserve the time of day.

While he hasn't been fighting he's still been running around without much composure and has generally been the least effective player on that line. He's taken well to PK duties but the pre-season hope of him becoming a really effective energy forechecker hasn't really been there to this point. His hands and offensive zone instincts still seem like they need a lot of work.

 

[Hivemind]

Finally Bura gets off the 4th line. Wilson is more fit for the 4th line and Bura brings some skill to the 3rd line.

That's the way it should be.

Meh. The 3rd line had an identity as grinders with good straight-ahead speed (and thus good forecheckers and a transition threat). The 4th line lacked one. Now both the 3rd and 4th lines lack identity.

My frustration with Beagle as 3C is partially because it doesn't really afford them the ability to do much else with the third line. Obviously a line with Beagle in the middle isn't going to be a scoring line. He's not good enough in the cycle game to resurrect a Chimera/Fehr/Ward or Kono/Halpern/Dalhen-style checking line. Beagle is basically limited to being a faceoff specialist and transition forechecker.

Clark was packaged with Jurcina for Chimera. A captain/3rd liner and 6/7 d-man for a 30 year old guy who had 8 goals and played only 49 games the previous year and 80 goals over 8 NHL seasons at that time.

Clark was also only making $2.75M.

What kind of a deal does that mean for Laich?

$2.75M in a $56.8M cap world isn't a whole lot more affordable than $4.5M in a $71.4M cap world.

 

[capitalsrock]

Don't know if the Blackhawks would do this, but what about Laich for Bickell? His cap hit is 500K smaller this season and goes down to 3,050,000 next season according to this

Good change of scenery for both guys, both have the same contract length, and we get some cap help this season and next

Even though Laich sucks, we need more players like him in the bottom 6 who are good defensively. Bickell brings grit and skill which aren't really needed as much.

If could get a good 3rd line defensive forward, preferably a center, at the deadline with the extra cap space, I'd do it.