Around the League Thread | Post Free Agent Frenzy Edition

[MS]

Didn't Benning say that he was brought in as a first pairing guy to take the pressure off of Hughes? That should debunk the "he won't have to be a #1 here" talk.

He is absolutely going to get buried in the toughest minutes imaginable. They have literally no other choice.

The notion that 'he doesn't have the same expectations here' is totally backward. He'd been pushed back down the lineup in Arizona and was being asked to be a #3 defender. He's going to be asked to be the saviour *here* on a team with one of the weakest bluelines in the NHL, nobody who can take hard-leverage minutes, and a black hole defensively on the left side.

Big difference is he actually wants to be here not like Arizona..... I dont think he will be as bad as all your doom and gloomers think he will be. He was still on pace for a 40 point season on a very defensively minded Arizona team. But most importantly he shelters Hughes and Rathbone from getting eaten alive by every other teams top line. If last year taught us anything its that Hughes cant handle the big minutes and defensive responsibilities.

He was on pace for a 40-point season because he got some of the biggest PP minutes in the NHL. He won't get those minutes here on a team with Hughes. He scored at a 17-point pace at ES which is worse than Hamonic and Benn did for us last year.

The whole point is that he doesn't protect from sheltering because he himself requires sheltering. At this point he's a defensively weak #4-5 you want to spot in offensive situations and keep away from high leverage.

 

[Melvin]

He is absolutely going to get buried in the toughest minutes imaginable. They have literally no other choice.

The notion that 'he doesn't have the same expectations here' is totally backward. He'd been pushed back down the lineup in Arizona and was being asked to be a #3 defender. He's going to be asked to be the saviour *here* on a team with one of the weakest bluelines in the NHL, nobody who can take hard-leverage minutes, and a black hole defensively on the left side.



He was on pace for a 40-point season because he got some of the biggest PP minutes in the NHL. He won't get those minutes here on a team with Hughes. He scored at a 17-point pace at ES which is worse than Hamonic and Benn did for us last year.

The whole point is that he doesn't protect from sheltering because he himself requires sheltering. At this point he's a defensively weak #4-5 you want to spot in offensive situations and keep away from high leverage.

there’s a chance it’s Poolman who gets buried in tough minutes.

 

[Catamarca Livin]

The thing is, he wasn't 'asked to be the saviour' in Arizona last year. Or the year before.

Jakob Chychrun is the star #1 guy there and he's been carrying the mail in terms of the biggest ES/SH TOI for the last couple years. Goligoski was the #2.

Arizona was asking OEL to anchor a competent 2nd pairing as their #3 guy, and he got absolutely eviscerated. Right now this is a lazy, soft defensive liability who needs to have a huge turnaround to even be a $3.5 million solid 2nd pairing defender.

He actually has a *worse* supporting cast on the blueline here and will be asked to to *more* than he was doing in Arizona.

He must be the worst defensive dman in the league to need to improve majorly to be a 3.5 million dman. He scored at a 40 pace last year. So offense is not an issue. I will need to see his terrible play as I did not watch a Coyote game last year.

 

[MS]

there’s a chance it’s Poolman who gets buried in tough minutes.

He's RS though. Agreed the top matchup pairing might be Poolman-OEL.

Right now, unless I'm missing something, our top 3 LS defenders are OEL-Hughes-Juolevi.

 

[VanillaCoke]

He must be the worst defensive dman in the league to need to improve majorly to be a 3.5 million dman. He scored at a 40 pace last year. So offense is not an issue. I will need to see his terrible play as I did not watch a Coyote game last year.

You haven't watched a Coyotes game in 5 years apparently

But 40 pts!!!

 

[Pip]

He must be the worst defensive dman in the league to need to improve majorly to be a 3.5 million dman. He scored at a 40 pace last year. So offense is not an issue. I will need to see his terrible play as I did not watch a Coyote game last year.

Are they gonna run OEL on the first powerplay unit? If not, he isn’t a 40 point player

 

[MS]

He must be the worst defensive dman in the league to need to improve majorly to be a 3.5 million dman. He scored at a 40 pace last year. So offense is not an issue. I will need to see his terrible play as I did not watch a Coyote game last year.

For the umpteenth time, he 'scored at a 40 point pace' because he got massive PP minutes he won't get here.

At ES, he scored at a 17-point pace. That's lower than Benn and Hamonic did for us last year.

He was very, very bad last season.

 

[MS]

You haven't watched a Coyotes game in 5 years apparently

But 40 pts!!!

Are they gonna run OEL on the first powerplay unit? If not, he isn’t a 40 point player

It is absolutely amazing how many people don't understand this.

 

[Melvin]

Are they gonna run OEL on the first powerplay unit? If not, he isn’t a 40 point player

Is there no chance they run a 3-2 with Horvat moved to the 2nd unit?

 

[MS]

Is there no chance they run a 3-2 with Horvat moved to the 2nd unit?

Does any team run 2 defenders on the PP anymore?

I mean, they might? But if so get ready for a 38-point season from Horvat.

 

[Gstank]

Is there no chance they run a 3-2 with Horvat moved to the 2nd unit?

if anything they shouldnt have Hughes as the only Dman as he basically plays as a forward and it leads to a ton of odd man rushes and breakaways

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Does any team run 2 defenders on the PP anymore?

I mean, they might? But if so get ready for a 38-point season from Horvat.

Last year, only Montreal and Nashville did. And with the Ellis trade/Weber retirement, I doubt they do it again next season.

 

[Melvin]

Man, Chychrun might put up like 80 next year without OEL taking up any PP minutes.

 

[VanillaCoke]

It is absolutely amazing how many people don't understand this.

I can't agree with you more that ppl dont watch the games anymore apparently.

Just wait for some twitter guy to come up with a graph.

 

[Melvin]

You know what’s super funny about Chychrun is that he was the consensus #1 D in the draft until suddenly he wasn’t and we ended up with Juolevi instead. Good times.

 

[Gstank]

You know what’s super funny about Chychrun is that he was the consensus #1 D in the draft until suddenly he wasn’t and we ended up with Juolevi instead. Good times.

He was over scouted and It took a while for his Offense to appear. I dont get why everyone is so down on Juolevi he hasnt even played a full season and is 2 years behind in his development because of injuries. I think he will come into camp and surprise a bunch of people who have prematurely written him off as a bust. If anything people here value Rathbone way too highly after 8 mean nothing games at the end of the season but have written Juolevi off after 23 NHL games.....

It would be in Rathbones best interest for him to Start off un Utica play 25 mins a night with both PP1 and PK1 time. I have never heard of a prospect who has flopped because of very developed, its always because they are rushed.

 

[bossram]

For the umpteenth time, he 'scored at a 40 point pace' because he got massive PP minutes he won't get here.

At ES, he scored at a 17-point pace. That's lower than Benn and Hamonic did for us last year.

He was very, very bad last season.

MS. Give it up. We've made the OEL arguments ad nauseum. By now, everyone must've heard he didn't play high leverage minutes, got crushed in them, and put up some soft PP prodution.

BenningBros don't wanna hear it because they don't live in reality.

 

[bossram]

He was over scouted and It took a while for his Offense to appear. I dont get why everyone is so down on Juolevi he hasnt even played a full season and is 2 years behind in his development because of injuries. I think he will come into camp and surprise a bunch of people who have prematurely written him off as a bust. If anything people here value Rathbone way too highly after 8 mean nothing games at the end of the season but have written Juolevi off after 23 NHL games.....

It would be in Rathbones best interest for him to Start off un Utica play 25 mins a night with both PP1 and PK1 time. I have never heard of a prospect who has flopped because of very developed, its always because they are rushed.

Qualitatively, Juolevi does not have the skating ability to really have the potential to be a top-four defenseman. He doesn't really have the physicality piece, and his skating limits his stop/starts and check attachment in the defensive zone.

I'm not discounting that he'll improve (I think he will), but it would take a lot more improvement to become something resembling an impact player. Rathbone clearly has more projectable tools.

 

[Killer Orcas]

We really dont have to wait and see. All relevant information is readily available.

Hoping for a bounce-back is little more than juvenile rose colored glasses.

I'm a Canucks fan since 82 hope is all I have sadly. Hopefully he bounces back somewhat but regardless he's here now.

 

[Melvin]

Qualitatively, Juolevi does not have the skating ability to really have the potential to be a top-four defenseman. He doesn't really have the physicality piece, and his skating limits his stop/starts and check attachment in the defensive zone.

I'm not discounting that he'll improve (I think he will), but it would take a lot more improvement to become something resembling an impact player. Rathbone clearly has more projectable tools.

Juolevi should have been traded 3 years ago.

 

[MS]

Qualitatively, Juolevi does not have the skating ability to really have the potential to be a top-four defenseman. He doesn't really have the physicality piece, and his skating limits his stop/starts and check attachment in the defensive zone.

I'm not discounting that he'll improve (I think he will), but it would take a lot more improvement to become something resembling an impact player. Rathbone clearly has more projectable tools.

Right now if Juolevi could turn into Lukas Krajicek that would be a major win.

 

[VanillaCoke]

6th overall Juolevi isnt a bust!
He's only in his draft +6 season.......

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

You know what’s super funny about Chychrun is that he was the consensus #1 D in the draft until suddenly he wasn’t and we ended up with Juolevi instead. Good times.

I actually wanted Tkachuk or if the Nucks were going to swing for a d-man for them to take Sergachev.

Juolevi just seemed so meek and his injuries seemed to later prove this.

 

[racerjoe]

I will be honest I thought Joulevi would be a lot better. I was fooled! Having said that I still didn’t have him in my top 10.

side note chychrun fell for me due to injuries.

 

[Killer Orcas]

Are they gonna run OEL on the first powerplay unit? If not, he isn’t a 40 point player

Is there no chance they run a 3-2 with Horvat moved to the 2nd unit?

Does any team run 2 defenders on the PP anymore?

I mean, they might? But if so get ready for a 38-point season from Horvat.

Considering OEL doesn't have a wet noodle shot and that's probably his strongest suit left why not have them both out there on the PP1? Hughes could kinda be a rover and he can cut in and out anyway at will. Having Horvat get less points might be a blessing if we can get him signed long term at a lower rate possibly.