Around The NHL Discussion 2019/20 - Part II

[Falco Lombardi]

The Provorov and Morrissey extensions just fattened Dunn's wallet, methinks.

I really hope that Vince Dunn becomes a player to where Morrissey is a valid comp. That guy is the most underrated defender in the league.

 

[execwrite1]

Another year of fierce competition in the Central Division - the best in hockey. The Blues could have the best goaltending of them all.

Non-playoff teams - Chicago and Minnesota. Both have a chance but will be tough. Each team is in transition, trying to piece together their team by filling holes.

Up and comers - Colorado and Dallas - strong cores, good young players and prospects, probably just beginning to build solid contenders.

Window closing - Winnipeg and Nashville - each could make it all the way but time is starting to run out.

 

[Falco Lombardi]

People are sleeping on Chicago. They played at a 100 point pace over the second half of the season and they added some pieces. I think they're in the playoffs this year.

On the flipside, I think people are going to be shocked at Nashville. Matt Duchene is going to bust. I don't think it's the slightest bit of a coincidence that the Avalanche improved almost immediately after they traded him away and Ottawa went in the toilet.

My bold pick of the season is Nashville finishes 6th in the Central and misses the playoffs.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Don't sleep on Dallas either. I have a suspicion they are going to be extremely difficult to beat this year.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

McAvoy signs for 3 x 4.9

 

[execwrite1]

40.4M that's 49.6% of next year's cap for 4 players (17.4% of a roster).

You've got to think that Toronto's D is in for a serious remodel next summer - with only Rielly signed for 2020-21. I have no idea how they expect to pay the 7 pending RFA/UFA dmen next summer... That's an awful lot riding on Sandin, Liljgren (spelling?) and other dmen being paid near league minimum going forward.

Instructive for Pietrangelo, Schenn and Blues fans. Toronto management has completely lost their minds. This cap management strategy will prove a disaster for the Leafs.

Each player is free to grab the biggest contract he can get. But if Petro and Schenn hold out for top dollar/longest term the Blues will have to pass. Reasonable contracts benefit everyone, but the Toronto approach of surrender is doomed to fail.

 

[Blueston]

Suter and Dumba are both better than Spurgeon.

Suter was but not anymore. Dumba may well be one day. Spurgeon today is better than either, but all 3 are quite good. If 1 or 2 of their forwards bust out and they get consistent goaltending, Wild could surprise.

 

[Blueston]

Another year of fierce competition in the Central Division - the best in hockey. The Blues could have the best goaltending of them all.

Non-playoff teams - Chicago and Minnesota. Both have a chance but will be tough. Each team is in transition, trying to piece together their team by filling holes.

Up and comers - Colorado and Dallas - strong cores, good young players and prospects, probably just beginning to build solid contenders.

Window closing - Winnipeg and Nashville - each could make it all the way but time is starting to run out.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jets miss playoffs. They have 2 legit NHL defensemen and then a pile of garbage on back end.

 

[Brockon]

I wouldn't be surprised if Jets miss playoffs. They have 2 legit NHL defensemen and then a pile of garbage on back end.

More or less my thoughts. Can't say I'm sad about it.

 

[rumrokh]

I've been gradually making my way through condensed games and extended highlights of all the 2019 playoff series as a build-up to the season.

Washington's Orlov-Niskanen pair looked pretty bad at times. Holtby wasn't good enough when it mattered. Gudas seems like a strict upgrade for them for this season. They have no impact forwards coming through the pipeline as far as I know, so they don't really have anybody to replace the skilled depth of Burakovsky and Connolly. But they're up against the cap and have some massive UFA's in a year. That's a perfect example of a team that either needs to luck into their own O'Reilly deal or might have a retool incoming.

Colorado is an interesting case. They've added crucial forward depth and they have Makar and Byram, but their current core of veteran defensemen are boneheads. As a d-corps and as a team, they don't know how to defend nearly well enough. If the youngsters can develop that aspect, they could be scary, but, until then, they're an incomplete project to me. If their management is smart, they'll be proactive about bringing in a better vet both to give them a complete team right now and to mentor the kids. I don't know who is available and how dearly they'd have to pay. Maybe that's a move that'll just have to wait for them.

 

[ezcreepin]

Another year of fierce competition in the Central Division - the best in hockey. The Blues could have the best goaltending of them all.

Non-playoff teams - Chicago and Minnesota. Both have a chance but will be tough. Each team is in transition, trying to piece together their team by filling holes.

Up and comers - Colorado and Dallas - strong cores, good young players and prospects, probably just beginning to build solid contenders.

Window closing - Winnipeg and Nashville - each could make it all the way but time is starting to run out.

I honestly think that Winnipeg won't make the playoffs. They've lost major, major pieces, and with Laine playing in the Swiss league till he has a contract, they could come out really flat to start the year. Buff will be gone for the foreseeable future, and their defense is pretty thin compared to last year. I think whoever doesn't get in between Dallas and Colorado, mixed in with Chicago, will challenge Winnipeg very hard.

 

[Brockon]

Another year of fierce competition in the Central Division - the best in hockey. The Blues could have the best goaltending of them all.

Non-playoff teams - Chicago and Minnesota. Both have a chance but will be tough. Each team is in transition, trying to piece together their team by filling holes.

Up and comers - Colorado and Dallas - strong cores, good young players and prospects, probably just beginning to build solid contenders.

Window closing - Winnipeg and Nashville - each could make it all the way but time is starting to run out.

Several small points I disagree with.

First, the Blues don't have the best goaltending in the division. Unequivocally I view Dallas as having this distinction. Bishop when healthy is a wall and the Bishop/Khudobin vs Binnington/Allen tandem isn't particularly close.

Secondly, both Colorado and Dallas are not beginning to build contenders, they need to add depth to be considered contenders. As you say, the cores are there, as is the young talent and prospects - both teams windows are open. They need a few bottom 6 upgrades and maybe a vet dman each to be top contenders (or another season to finish getting their young players up to speed).

Lastly, while both Winnipeg and Nashville are watching their windows close, Winnipeg needs better dmen to be a true playoff threat and I'm not sold on either starter getting them through 4 rounds. Last season, San Jose got to the conference finals despite sub-par goaltending on the back of a killer offence, Winnipeg is capable of the same. Nashville needs more scoring to get through the playoffs, I'm not sure if Duchene is that answer as an offence driving 2C. I suspect both will be in the 3-5 spots in division - this is the slow decline for Winnipeg and Nashville is going to be the Minnesota of the division stuck making the playoffs, but not going far for years barring a huge surge in their scoring. In short, I don't think either has what it takes to go all the way.

 

[simon IC]

I just finished reading the Byfuglien thread on the Jets board. The Jets without Buf are done. Stick a fork in 'em done. I hope he is okay.

 

[Brockon]

I've been gradually making my way through condensed games and extended highlights of all the 2019 playoff series as a build-up to the season.

Washington's Orlov-Niskanen pair looked pretty bad at times. Holtby wasn't good enough when it mattered. Gudas seems like a strict upgrade for them for this season. They have no impact forwards coming through the pipeline as far as I know, so they don't really have anybody to replace the skilled depth of Burakovsky and Connolly. But they're up against the cap and have some massive UFA's in a year. That's a perfect example of a team that either needs to luck into their own O'Reilly deal or might have a retool incoming.

Colorado is an interesting case. They've added crucial forward depth and they have Makar and Byram, but their current core of veteran defensemen are boneheads. As a d-corps and as a team, they don't know how to defend nearly well enough. If the youngsters can develop that aspect, they could be scary, but, until then, they're an incomplete project to me. If their management is smart, they'll be proactive about bringing in a better vet both to give them a complete team right now and to mentor the kids. I don't know who is available and how dearly they'd have to pay. Maybe that's a move that'll just have to wait for them.

A guy like Markov to mentor the young D trio in Colorado? Someone effective but not overly flashy, a guy to cover for their mistakes and help them round out their game. But I'd have questions about the age, speed and fit for Markov.

I mean you're describing a JBo, Chara, Hainsey or an Orpik type guy for their roster, right?

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I just finished reading the Byfuglien thread on the Jets board. The Jets without Buf are done. Stick a fork in 'em done. I hope he is okay.

Is there any credible information about what his problem is?

 

[Novacain]

Another year of fierce competition in the Central Division - the best in hockey. The Blues could have the best goaltending of them all.

Non-playoff teams - Chicago and Minnesota. Both have a chance but will be tough. Each team is in transition, trying to piece together their team by filling holes.

Up and comers - Colorado and Dallas - strong cores, good young players and prospects, probably just beginning to build solid contenders.

Window closing - Winnipeg and Nashville - each could make it all the way but time is starting to run out.

Just to follow up on this, the athletic are doing there team previews in order of least points to most on there statistical ranking gobbledygook, and there are 3 Central teams still needing to be named: St. Louis (spoiler alert, we are gonna be top 5 and highest rated of all West teams), Nashville, and Dallas. Colorado was 13th, Minnesota was 16th (they really love there D), Winnipeg was 17th (they really really don’t like there D), and Chicago was 23rd.

So same old thunder dome. By comparison 5 Pacific teams came in at 21st or lower, and 4 of the bottom 8.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I like what Colorado and Dallas did this off-season. I think both of those teams are going to be in the playoff hunt all year, and will be tough 1st round match-ups. In fact, I won't be surprised if St Louis/Dallas/Colorado are the top 3 in the division. Both Winnipeg and Nashville are poised to slide. I'm not sold on Duchene as being the answer in Nashville, and I'm not sure who's left to play defense in Winnipeg.

Colorado and Dallas are both young hungry teams that tasted some playoff success. They're both flawed rosters in some ways, but the same was true about St Louis until it wasn't.

 

[Stealth JD]

Is there any credible information about what his problem is?

Nothing official. Jets fans seems to be most concerned with him following Andrew Luck's path and retiring while the body still works somewhat.

If the Jets see Buff retire, they're in the 2020 lottery for sure. Basically Josh Morrisey and a bunch of question-marks would make up their entire defense.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Nothing official. Jets fans seems to be most concerned with him following Andrew Luck's path and retiring while the body still works somewhat.

If the Jets see Buff retire, they're in the 2020 lottery for sure. Basically Josh Morrisey and a bunch of question-marks would make up their entire defense.

I can see the GM responding like Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer. "This is something that could have been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!" before they failed to re-sign some of their defensive strength to make the salaries work. Oops!

Its amazing how fast a team can go from being one of the Cup favorites with a patient rebuild, to being 'apparently' past the window. But I remember a lot of fans around the league thought the Blues were past their window when Armstrong said they'd retool ("one step back before two steps forward"). Maybe the Jets will be like that, but they're going to have to find a way to acquire some defensive help the same way the Blues got a couple top 6 centers.

 

[simon IC]

Is there any credible information about what his problem is?

I read all 20 pages of the Byfuglien thread on the Jets board. Not a scrap of credible information anywhere, which is surprising as they are a pretty informed and insightful group. Jets brass are being incredibly tight lipped about it. All we know is he is on LOA indefinitely with no timetable for a return. I don't blame Jets fans for being anxious. If this happened to Pietrangelo or Parayko I'd be going batshit.

 

[rumrokh]

A guy like Markov to mentor the young D trio in Colorado? Someone effective but not overly flashy, a guy to cover for their mistakes and help them round out their game. But I'd have questions about the age, speed and fit for Markov.

I mean you're describing a JBo, Chara, Hainsey or an Orpik type guy for their roster, right?

I'm describing a legitimate top-pairing, all-situations player. Someone who can play the powerplay and can keep bigger assignments away from (or at least split with) Johnson and Cole. I don't even know who that would be, I haven't bothered to look at contracts and who could remotely be available, but that's the type of player the Avalanche need to acquire or have a youngster quickly develop into.

So, more on the Chara end, less on the Orpik end; but I think they need someone even better.

 

[Blueston]

I'm describing a legitimate top-pairing, all-situations player. Someone who can play the powerplay and can keep bigger assignments away from (or at least split with) Johnson and Cole. I don't even know who that would be, I haven't bothered to look at contracts and who could remotely be available, but that's the type of player the Avalanche need to acquire or have a youngster quickly develop into.

So, more on the Chara end, less on the Orpik end; but I think they need someone even better.

They are counting on Makar, Byram, and to a lesser extent Girard to be their top guys. How quickly they can assume those roles will be how quickly they become legit contenders.

 

[rumrokh]

They are counting on Makar, Byram, and to a lesser extent Girard to be their top guys. How quickly they can assume those roles will be how quickly they become legit contenders.

Right, which is why it might be a few years for them. And it's possible all of those guys are great offensively and none of them develop into shutdown defenders. But until that happens, I don't think they're going to get out of the second round.

 

[Blueston]

Right, which is why it might be a few years for them. And it's possible all of those guys are great offensively and none of them develop into shutdown defenders. But until that happens, I don't think they're going to get out of the second round.

Agreed.

 

[The Note]

With Buff maybe retiring, things souring with Laine and Connor still unsigned, things are on the verge of going real sideways in Winnipeg. What a difference a year makes.