Speculation: Acq./Rost. Bldg./Cap/Lines etc. Part LXXXIV -- The Doggiest Days (Woof!) 2017

[um]

I'd prefer someone more offensive than Winnik but what offensive forward free agents are left? off the top of my head its just Vanek and Jagr. I guess I'd like Vanek if we could get him cheap.

 

[hockeykicker]

I'd prefer someone more offensive than Winnik but what offensive forward free agents are left? off the top of my head its just Vanek and Jagr. I guess I'd like Vanek if we could get him cheap.

Purcell, parenteau, hudler, iginla, michealek, Gordon winnik etc

 

[um]

Purcell, parenteau, hudler, iginla, michealek, Gordon winnik etc

wouldn't call many of those guys offensive... anymore. Winnik truly does look like the best player/fit other than Vanek, although I'm one of those people who always liked Vanek.

Oh Zaripov, he's a shiny new toy!

 

[Hivemind]

I'd be very much in favor of Vanek if they could fit him under the cap (very questionable). Vanek's hallmark has been his play in front of the net on the powerplay. They just traded away their left shooting PP net presence to New Jersey. Even if they do promote Kuznetsov or Burakovsky to PP1, there's still a spot up for grabs on PP2 that Vanek could fill. They also have a bumper position on PP2 that should be competitive (Connolly, Wilson, Vrana, possibly Vanek).

I wouldn't mind a PTO for someone like Hudler or PAP. Plenty of upside associated with those two, and very little downside associated with a PTO.

 

[hockeykicker]

“i feel more responsibility on me right now,†kuznetsov said, “and that’s what i need.â€

kuznetsov possesses all of the skills and instincts a team could want in a top-six pivot. The challenge for him, though, has been producing at a clip commensurate with his immense ability for an entire 82-game regular season and the playoffs. For example, last season the 25-year-old started slowly, was named the nhl’s player of the month during a torrid january, cooled off a bit down the stretch, then was the team’s third most productive player in the postseason, racking up five goals and five assists in 13 games.

In order to take the next step, he can’t afford sluggish starts and late season lulls.

“i want the people to ask more from me,†he said. “and at the same time, they give me more opportunity to show more.â€

 

[RandyHolt]

cough Power Play time cough

 

[ovikovy817]

cough Power Play time cough

I'm sure he'll be on PP1 to replace MoJo.

 

[Monsterrain]

I'm sure he'll be on PP1 to replace MoJo.

Finally. Been wanting this for years.

 

[Revelation]

Vanek was great with Detroit last year, if we sign him it would be the top steal of the offseason easily.

Ovechkin Kuznetsov Oshie
AUS-SWE-AUS

 

[um]

The most we can afford for Vanek is around 1.2 Million, assuming we have 13F and 7F. Maybe we can throw in some small bonuses as well, since those carry over to the next season I believe.

Its very unlikely but Vanek would be sweet, and he's the only good top 6 option left.

 

[Raikkonen]

Trade Deadline 2019: Mojo to Caps, salary retained (E5)

The new 2 year window. 1st year we are grooming youngsters and waiting for Orpik to retire, 2nd year we strike!

 

[Revelation]

Run 12F 6D and Chorney as D/F, save ~700k on a warm body essentially.

 

[hockeykicker]

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

168....Jesus....dude needs a feed bag strapped to his face 24/7....

 

[RandyHolt]

LOL!!! Up to 168 from what, 167?

I am sure there have been 170 Dmen but they are certainly few and far between, and were probably almost always under 6'0 - stocky. To be honest, I cannot recall a single one. ___ O'Connell, a Bruin...

The game is changing, with almost no hitting, so he should be fine except for the ~10 games a year there are a period or 2 of former NHL grade hitting. We may have to look away a few times.

Lets make an all caps short team roster to make him look big.

Maruk Kaminsky Dale
Djoos Holt
Riggin

I cannot think of a smaller RD than Holt ~5'11 185, but I suspect there were a few. Fun fact. Holt only had 60 PIMs in his first 42 NHL games. This after 411 PIMs in the CHL season before his first game.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2345

Look at these criminals. They should be behind bars.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

He better display some elite footwork and ability to dodge hits at that weight.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

LOL!!! Up to 168 from what, 167?

I am sure there have been 170 Dmen but they are certainly few and far between, and were probably almost always under 6'0 - stocky. To be honest, I cannot recall a single one. Mitch McConnell, O'Connell, a Bruin...

The game is changing, with almost no hitting, so he should be fine except for the ~10 games a year there are a period or 2 of former NHL grade hitting. We may have to look away a few times.

Lets make an all caps short team roster to make him look big.

Maruk Kaminsky Dale
Djoos Holt
Riggin

I cannot think of a smaller RD than Holt ~5'11 185, but I suspect there were a few. Fun fact. Holt only had 60 PIMs in his 42 NHL games. This after 411 PIMs in the CHL season before his first game.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2345

Look at these criminals. They should be behind bars.

Housley?

 

[John Price]

Very exciting hope he makes the team

 

[twabby]

Very exciting hope he makes the team

Same. Japers Rink said it best: if he's good enough, he's big enough.

 

[Langway]

Do you even hypertrophy, brah?

 

[RandyHolt]

Housley?

Nice pull. He's listed at 5'10 185 - so that means probably 5'9. ish. But he was a consistent 20 goal guy of course, so he could play. He's an assistant in Nashville. I think he spent a little time at forward.

I wonder if we ever considered Djoos at LW. We probably just kept telling him to add weight and didn't bother.

 

[Hivemind]

I'm a supporter of smaller defensemen in the NHL. There are quite a few who are excellent. Krug, Spurgeon, Enstrom, Gostibehere, Ellis, Vatanen, Campbell, etc. But even among those guys, only Spurgeon (164) is under Djoos' weight (168). And almost all of those guys have some combination of explosive skating and high-end hockey sense to back up their play. Not all smaller guys have to be offensive dynamos (see Spurgeon or Kris Russell), but it's probably the easiest path to legitimacy as a smaller defender. It remains to be seen if Djoos' shot is really NHL quality, and if he can produce any offense without powerplay time (if Orlov doesn't get PP time in Washington, no way Djoos will).

If Djoos wants to succeed, he can't try to play a big defenseman's game. Like the other smaller defensemen in the NHL, he has to be a step ahead of the competition. He has to read and react to plays quickly in order to win races to loose pucks. He has to understand where to position himself to deny the opponent the blueline or an angle on the net. He has to be able to recognize the opponent's fore check and get the puck to safety. He's not going to win a whole lot of one-vs-one battles, so he shouldn't sacrifice the other portions of his game in a blind quest to bulk up (which doesn't seem to be working anyhow).

 

[Hivemind]

Also, so much for the Vanek dreams. Signed with Vancouver. 1 year x $2M

 

[hockeykicker]

Also, so much for the Vanek dreams. Signed with Vancouver. 1 year x $2M

Could they have afforded that?

 

[Hivemind]

Nope