Build your team!!!!

[BigFatCat999]

Let's have a pipe dream. Take this team and build what you would love to see on the ice. Use the current team and use it as a foundation. You can go full pipe dream or you can try to be realistic. Only rules are the following:

1) 68 Million dollar cap. I have a feeling the cap will be higher but the NHL is putting rumors out with the falling Loonie, (Thanks, you Quebecor ********.) I would not be surprised by a 70 million dollar cap

2) Have fun. http://www.capgeek.com/predators/armchair-gm/

Here are my pipe dreams.

FORWARDS
Evander Kane ($5.250m) / Ryan O'Reilly ($6.700m) / Ryan Callahan ($6.000m)
Filip Forsberg ($0.894m) / Calle Jarnkrok ($0.715m) / Craig Smith ($2.000m)
Gabriel Bourque ($0.775m) / Mike Fisher ($4.200m) / Patric Hornqvist ($4.250m)
Eric Nystrom ($2.500m) / Paul Gaustad ($3.250m) / Nick Spaling ($1.500m)
Viktor Stalberg ($3.000m) / Richard Clune ($0.850m)

DEFENSEMEN
Shea Weber ($7.857m) / Roman Josi ($4.000m)
Mattias Ekholm ($0.851m) / Seth Jones ($0.925m)
Anthony Bitetto ($0.605m) / Ryan Ellis ($0.851m)
Victor Bartley ($0.667m) /

GOALTENDERS
Pekka Rinne ($7.000m)
Carter Hutton ($0.800m)

SALARY CAP: $68,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $65,438,976; BONUSES: $3,051,667
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $2,561,024

Moves made:

E. Kane for Colin Wilson and MDZ

To be honest, I could see DET's 2nd adding on to this. I think Kane could be a higher end version of Hornqvist. If Kane's media problems are cause WPG's management problems I think this could work. Gives WPG a LHD they need and a Winnipeg boy to ease the press. (Do I personally believe the press BS is overrated yes.)

Ryan O'Reilly offer sheet. Salary at the level of 1st, 2nd, 3rd

I'm not a big fan of this draft. I'm just not. I would rather lose the 1st 2nd and 3rd on known commodities that can help win NOW not later. Also you are hearing rumors of 19-20 year olds being scouted because of the lack of talent in this draft. When they are talking about 2 year over agers being drafted in the first 2 rds, that's not a good sign.

Added benefit, if COL matches they could be stretch for cash to sign Stasny.

Ryan Callahan 5-6 years at 6 million

Overpayment, a little, but the guy is a goal scoring version of 'the Predators way'. He also completes the need for a whole new 1st line and infusion of talent.

Compliance buyout Cullen

His spot is more important that his game. Nashville has one left, might as well use it. I was tempted to use it on Stalberg but 1 yr does not make a season. Also Stalberg might blossom under a new coach.

LHD battle for the 3rd pairing

Let's see, MDZ gone, move Ekholm up to 2nd with Jones. (Similar body types) and then see if; Bitetto, Noonan, Dialby, ETC can win the job.

So in:
E. Kane, R. O'Reilly, Callahan, LHD TBA

Out:
Cullen, Wilson, MDZ, 1st, 2nd, 3rd picks.

This is a pipe dream but have at it.

Click to read more...

 

[glenngineer]

I'd just go after Stastny and Callahan to be perfectly honest. You'd have a top 9 of Stastny, Callahan, Jarnkrok, Wilson, Smith, Forsberg, Cullen, Fisher and Hornqvist. You could then ice a 4th line of Spaling, Bourque and Goose or Nystrom. While that may not be a sexy top 9 it could be very productive if they were given 50-52 minutes a night with the 4th line getting some minutes here and there and playing the PK.

I'd leave the D alone except get a thumper to play alongside Ellis. Jones/Ekholm is your second pairing moving forward. I'd be content with that.

 

[BigFatCat999]

I'd leave the D alone except get a thumper to play alongside Ellis. Jones/Ekholm is your second pairing moving forward. I'd be content with that.

I think they are hoping Diably will be that.

 

[triggrman]

I'd just go after Stastny and Callahan to be perfectly honest. You'd have a top 9 of Stastny, Callahan, Jarnkrok, Wilson, Smith, Forsberg, Cullen, Fisher and Hornqvist. You could then ice a 4th line of Spaling, Bourque and Goose or Nystrom. While that may not be a sexy top 9 it could be very productive if they were given 50-52 minutes a night with the 4th line getting some minutes here and there and playing the PK.

I'd leave the D alone except get a thumper to play alongside Ellis. Jones/Ekholm is your second pairing moving forward. I'd be content with that.

Me too.

and I look forward to what the Jones/Ekholm pairing will be. That grouping has top pairing potential in the future.

 

[Paranoid Android]

Cullen can't be bought out under compliance - only deals signed before the current CBA are eligible. Also, picks lost from offer sheets made this summer will be for the 2015 draft, not this year's. Offer sheets can only happen after June 30th (the draft will be over by then).

I'd love to go after Kane and ROR/Stastny. They won't be easy to acquire though. Kane has another level I think he can reach. And I don't see how Colorado can afford both O'Reilly and Stastny. They'd be better off spending that money on a dman anyway.

Callahan on the other hand... I can see that being a deal someone regrets. Tons of heart, little skill. He's a younger version of Fisher.

I'm on board with trading Wilson. Hopefully he still has some good value. Though, maybe he'll play better and more consistent under a difference coach... tough call.

I'm crossing my fingers someone big becomes available for trade. Like along the lines of Nash/Carter/Kessel of the past. We have a lot of good assets we can part with IMO.

 

[Armourboy]

Also pretty sure Cullen can't be bought out with the compliance buyout because his contract was signed after the new CBA ( just like Stalberg).

 

[wentz22]

Ok so i may have accidentally reset my armchair gm after setting everything up so im going to do this the lazy way. I have this team set up for next year on a hopefully logical basis. This is also based on us getting Statsny and I honestly think there is a chance Cullen retires this summer so I've used that as a theory as well. Here we go.

Fisher - Stastny - Smith

Stalberg - Wilson - Hornqvist

Bourque - Jarnkrok - Forsberg

Nystrom - Gaustad - Clune


Josi - Weber

Jones - MDZ

Ellis - Ekholm

Rinne/Hutton or Maz


If i could add something I'd like to try and grab Moulson as well to make our Left side stronger. If that were to happen I would move fisher and Stalberg down a line and do something with bourque. I've just never been a big fan of his.

 

[MKMM]

I would rather go after Skinner than after Kane.
Both play LW, both are rumored to be shopped.
Skinner is a year younger, has a higher hockey IQ and is the better Skater.
So something like: 1st, MDZ, Watson/Beck/Bourque for Skinner

Go hard after Stastny on July 1 and give him something like 7*7
We need someone like him badly, especially when Fisher retires at the end of next season.

Try to unload Stalberg and trade Bourque.
Send Sissons and Salomaki to Milwauke for one more year, and next season they both should be ready to replace Cullen and Fisher.

Skinner-Stastny-Smith
Wilson-Jarnkrok-Forsberg
Cullen-Fisher-Hornqvist
Nystrom-Gaustad-Spaling

Josi-Weber
Ekholm-Jones
Bartley-Ellis

Rinne
Hutton

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I would rather go after Skinner than after Kane.
Both play LW, both are rumored to be shopped.
Skinner is a year younger, has a higher hockey IQ and is the better Skater.
So something like: 1st, MDZ, Watson/Beck/Bourque for Skinner

Go hard after Stastny on July 1 and give him something like 7*7
We need someone like him badly, especially when Fisher retires at the end of next season.

Try to unload Stalberg and trade Bourque.
Send Sissons and Salomaki to Milwauke for one more year, and next season they both should be ready to replace Cullen and Fisher.

Skinner-Stastny-Smith
Wilson-Jarnkrok-Forsberg
Cullen-Fisher-Hornqvist
Nystrom-Gaustad-Spaling

Josi-Weber
Ekholm-Jones
Bartley-Ellis

Rinne
Hutton

I agree on Skinner over Kane. Despite his physical tools, I'm not on the Kane hype train. Skinner will cost more though...definitely more than an 11th overall, an RFA defenseman we don't want, and a prospect that is unlikely to make much of an impact at the NHL level. 1st and Forsberg at least, and I'm guessing the Canes still would pass.

 

[AintLifeGrand]

1.Sign Stas 7x7
2. Sign Michalek 3x5
3.Package Wilson, MDZ,Watson,2014 1st, for Spezza and Right to Hemsky
4.Sign Hemsky 3 x5
5. Do something with Goose


Michalek-Spezza-Hemsky
Stalberg-Stastny-Smith
Cullen-Jarnkrok-Forsberg
Borque- Fisher-Hornqvist

Nystrom

 

[PFL615]

1. Sign Stastny.. Get Craig Smith recruiting asap

2. Trade Josi and Detroit 2nd to Edmonton for Eberle. If they don't want to play work Tampa with similiar package for Johnson/Palat.

Trade Ellis/Gaustad or something similiar to Edmonton for Yakupov.

Hornqvist-Stastny-Smith
Fisher-Jarnkrok-Eberle
Cullen-Wilson-Stalberg
Nystrom-Fisher-Watson/Beck

FA-Weber
MDZ-Jones
Elkholm-FA/Prospect.

Suddenly the Preds are absolutely loaded with talent and should be able to go toe to toe with the Blackhawks and Avalanche of the division.

 

[Byrddog]

1. Sign Stastny.. Get Craig Smith recruiting asap

2. Trade Josi and Detroit 2nd to Edmonton for Eberle. If they don't want to play work Tampa with similiar package for Johnson/Palat.

Trade Ellis/Gaustad or something similiar to Edmonton for Yakupov.

Hornqvist-Stastny-Smith
Fisher-Jarnkrok-Eberle
Cullen-Wilson-Stalberg
Nystrom-Fisher-Beck/Watson

FA-Weber
MDZ-Jones
Elkholm-FA/Prospect.

Suddenly the Preds are absolutely loaded with talent and should be able to go toe to toe with the Blackhawks and Avalanche of the division.

Wow just WOW

A few things stand out here. 1 Stastny will resign with the Ave's. 2 In no manner is Craig McTavish stupid enough to consider this "Ellis/Gaustad or something similiar to Edmonton for Yakupov". Now Eberle is possible but theres just no way you create the hole's on D moving Josi and Ellis. # MDZ will not be here in the fall.

That said if the current roster looked like this the team would score more goals but they would get destroyed by every team in the division short of the Jets and that even questionable.

 

[triggrman]

Stastny is not resigning with the Avs, if he was, he would have by now. Besides they have to beef up their defense and resign ROR. He'll get a bigger payday on the open market and will play a bigger role with another team. Why do you think a player would stay as a number 3 center when he can be a number one somewhere else while also making more money.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

2. Trade Josi and Detroit 2nd to Edmonton for Eberle. If they don't want to play work Tampa with similiar package for Johnson/Palat.

If this happens, I have to find a way to like the NBA. Either of these would kill the Preds and the other teams would be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[PFL615]

Wow just WOW

A few things stand out here. 1 Stastny will resign with the Ave's. 2 In no manner is Craig McTavish stupid enough to consider this "Ellis/Gaustad or something similiar to Edmonton for Yakupov". Now Eberle is possible but theres just no way you create the hole's on D moving Josi and Ellis. # MDZ will not be here in the fall.

That said if the current roster looked like this the team would score more goals but they would get destroyed by every team in the division short of the Jets and that even questionable.

I have been hearing Yak was on the outs in Edmonton. He has not done anything more than
the value of what i offered. I'm sure you are under valueing Ellis even though he showed leaps and bounds improvement this year. Goose brings them size and grit something the Oilers desperately need. They also get a 2nd round pick in their quest to rebuild.

The Preds still have the two cornerstones in Weber and Jones.

It's pretty clear over the years that 20 all star defensemen are no going to get the Preds far.

 

[PFL615]

If this happens, I have to find a way to like the NBA. Either of these would kill the Preds and the other teams would be laughing all the way to the bank.

Why? Eberle and Josi are close value. The 2nd would be icing to win in a trade war if it was even needed.

I guess Pred fans are going to always be stuck on we need 6 all star defensemen to win. Blows my mind how two lines with Weber on one and Jones on the other are not enough.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Value wise I suppose it's about right (straight up), but Josi is a top pairing D getting 25 mins a night and is being groomed as our next Suter (on an awesome contract).

I will admit, however, that I didn't realize that Eberle just came off a 65 point season. That is pretty stout.

 

[Byrddog]

Stastny is not resigning with the Avs, if he was, he would have by now. Besides they have to beef up their defense and resign ROR. He'll get a bigger payday on the open market and will play a bigger role with another team. Why do you think a player would stay as a number 3 center when he can be a number one somewhere else while also making more money.

Most if not all players want to raise the Cup. Secondly Stastny has already said he would give Colorado a hometown discount. Colorado has almost 26 mil in cap space so ROR and Stastny will get a decent payday and the remaining roster will be filled with ease. The only thing they need is to improve there defense marginally and there set for the next 10 years. Its impossible to imagine Stastny remotely wanting to leave that. Now if his numbers were terrible and the team wanted to move him they sure could have and still could trade his rights. Did they hold on to him just for this playoff run?? Only to let him walk???? It just makes no sense for the team or the player. The two UFA's that may be had Vanek and Moulson but the Preds would have to pay crippling money to get Vanek to even sniff here. Moulson could be a wildcard but hes gonna cost a ton.

As to playing 3rd line I point out this. The same argument was made when Malkins contract was up. Heck I even bought into it thinking he would prefer to be the number one guy on another team and not sit behind Crosby. Malkin also signed his contract in mid June.

Its not like I would not love to see the guy on our roster but its not even remotely possible.

 

[Byrddog]

I have been hearing Yak was on the outs in Edmonton. He has not done anything more than
the value of what i offered. I'm sure you are under valueing Ellis even though he showed leaps and bounds improvement this year. Goose brings them size and grit something the Oilers desperately need. They also get a 2nd round pick in their quest to rebuild.

The Preds still have the two cornerstones in Weber and Jones.

It's pretty clear over the years that 20 all star defensemen are no going to get the Preds far.

Yak is on the outside looking in because the oil have drafted a good group of forwards with top 5 picks over the last few years. Yak has not had the opportunity others have had. His name as well as Eberle always come up in Oil trade threads. as was pointed out Eberle had 65 points this season but he is still expendable?????

The only logical trade with the Oil would include Weber. Leave one hole in the defense instead of two. Yes its hard to stomach. But if we want Eberle and Yak we could also get a D prospect and there 1st. It would make a single hit on the defense but would add two or three offensive pieces according to who was drafted with there 1st. But moving Josi and Ellis to the same team creating two holes would hurt more than losing Weber IMO.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Most if not all players want to raise the Cup. Secondly Stastny has already said he would give Colorado a hometown discount. Colorado has almost 26 mil in cap space so ROR and Stastny will get a decent payday and the remaining roster will be filled with ease. The only thing they need is to improve there defense marginally and there set for the next 10 years. Its impossible to imagine Stastny remotely wanting to leave that. Now if his numbers were terrible and the team wanted to move him they sure could have and still could trade his rights. Did they hold on to him just for this playoff run?? Only to let him walk???? It just makes no sense for the team or the player. The two UFA's that may be had Vanek and Moulson but the Preds would have to pay crippling money to get Vanek to even sniff here. Moulson could be a wildcard but hes gonna cost a ton.

As to playing 3rd line I point out this. The same argument was made when Malkins contract was up. Heck I even bought into it thinking he would prefer to be the number one guy on another team and not sit behind Crosby. Malkin also signed his contract in mid June.

Its not like I would not love to see the guy on our roster but its not even remotely possible.

Yeah, completely agree with your assessment. Even un-signed, Stastny leaving a team that's quickly shaping up to be a contender, and one he has significant roots with, just to be "the guy" on a far less potent team doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I really think the only other option would be St. Louis.

 

[Montross]

After watching how dynamic a lot of these Western Conf teams are in the playoffs, I get the feeling no changes made this offseason are going to be enough to bridge the gap between the Preds and them. Too many bad forward contracts still on the books for next year.

 

[triggrman]

I guess we'll have to wait and see who's right and wrong here.....

 

[Persona5]

Most if not all players want to raise the Cup. Secondly Stastny has already said he would give Colorado a hometown discount. Colorado has almost 26 mil in cap space so ROR and Stastny will get a decent payday and the remaining roster will be filled with ease. The only thing they need is to improve there defense marginally and there set for the next 10 years. Its impossible to imagine Stastny remotely wanting to leave that. Now if his numbers were terrible and the team wanted to move him they sure could have and still could trade his rights. Did they hold on to him just for this playoff run?? Only to let him walk???? It just makes no sense for the team or the player. The two UFA's that may be had Vanek and Moulson but the Preds would have to pay crippling money to get Vanek to even sniff here. Moulson could be a wildcard but hes gonna cost a ton.

As to playing 3rd line I point out this. The same argument was made when Malkins contract was up. Heck I even bought into it thinking he would prefer to be the number one guy on another team and not sit behind Crosby. Malkin also signed his contract in mid June.

Its not like I would not love to see the guy on our roster but its not even remotely possible.

I agree that Stastny will more than ilkely be retained by the Avs. I think the only hold up is length of that contract. They will have almost 26M in cap space next season and will need to sign at least 5 guys with that money. Like I said though it will be more about the length of contract Stastny is willing to acept more so than the money. In two years they will have to retain Johnson and Mack with new contracts and if they both continue to play the way they are now they will comand huge deals. I'm not sure if the Avs can throw two long term big moneys contracts out there right now with that in mind and that is what it will take to keep ROR and Stastny. So while I agree he will more than liekly be retained by the Avs there is a chance that either he or ROR will be moved/unsigned and if that happens I hope the Preds do something about it.

 

[PFL615]

Anything can happen. Especially if hearts get broken in the next round. Anyone of the Sharks/Hawks/Blues can beat the Avs. I think the goalie has been the main reason they have done as well as they have..
My proposal is just wishful thinking though.
Yak could be obtainable though. Edmonton should be a team that the Preds could trade with.

 

[Armourboy]

I don't see Stastny going anywhere, but stranger things have happened. It really just comes down to what the individual player wants. Some don't worry about the money too much and just want the cup. Others, its all about setting themselves up for when they retire and can no longer play.

Moulson might be the easiest to get, but then again its a matter of what he is more concerned with. So many times players will take the big name franchises and less money. After being jerked around all season though he may just want somewhere stable lol.

Frankly short of a trade I'm not sure we can land anyone. Edmonton is definitely our best dance partner, as they have what we need and we have what they need. I just have a feeling though that one or the other, or both GM's are too stupid to get it done.

Edmonton and Nashville are such oddities, if you took both teams and smashed them together you would have one hell of a monster.