Speculation: Evgeni Malkin

[Bonsai Tree]

That is what our team lacks. A legit scoring threat. Every other team has one. Thornton&co, Benn, Perry&Getz, Kopitar&co etc. Literally every team in our division has "that guy" that can put the puck in the net except for maybe Calgary. Who the heck do we have? Doan? Boedker?

Bisonette

 

[XX]

Bisonette

Doesn't look like he'll be back. It's for the best.

 

[IPreferPi]

Doesn't look like he'll be back. It's for the best.

Source?

 

[XX]

Source?

I'm just guessing.

There was a nice piece saying he "hopes to sign" on the Coyotes site with zero mention of the team being interested. You'd think that sort of deal would get done quickly if it was mutual.

 

[IPreferPi]

I'm just guessing.

There was a nice piece saying he "hopes to sign" on the Coyotes site with zero mention of the team being interested. You'd think that sort of deal would get done quickly if it was mutual.

True enough, not like there'd be a lot of people knocking on Biz's door except for maybe Twitter pointers, haha. Best wishes if he does not return.

 

[rt]

I like Bissonnette and hope he re-signs.

Oh, and if Malkin ever plays for the Coyotes it'll be when he's in his 40s.

Haha. We aren't going to trade for the best player in the world.

 

[IPreferPi]

I like Biz too, but even if he's making near league minimum and a heavyweight enforcer, his spot as a 13th/14th forward could still be filled by someone with more general utility that Tippett won't autoscratch for at least half the season.

 

[rt]

I like Biz too, but even if he's making near league minimum and a heavyweight enforcer, his spot as a 13th/14th forward could still be filled by someone with more general utility that Tippett won't autoscratch for at least half the season.

And Maloney will hire a goon twice as useless on ice that Tippett will play half as much. Haha.

 

[CC96]

And Maloney will hire a goon twice as useless on ice that Tippett will play half as much. Haha.

This.

 

[IPreferPi]

And Maloney will hire a goon twice as useless on ice that Tippett will play half as much. Haha.

Haha, wouldn't that be our luck. We'd have to think Tippett would actually use someone like Mike Brown more than Biz b/c of his speed and PK ability though, right?

Then again, speed, defensive ability, and an Energizer motor didn't prevent McMillan from getting passed up by Tim Kennedy either. :-/

 

[rt]

Haha, wouldn't that be our luck. We'd have to think Tippett would actually use someone like Mike Brown more than Biz b/c of his speed and PK ability though, right?

Then again, speed, defensive ability, and an Energizer motor didn't prevent McMillan from getting passed up by Tim Kennedy either. :-/

I didn't make my point clear. I meant that while I agree with you that Tippett would be more apt to use a guy like Brown, I don't think Maloney would allow us to have a guy like Brown as the biggest, baddest man on the team. He's a good example of maybe the one person on earth they could compromise on, though. What he lacks in size he makes up for in pugilistic talent.

If San Jose re-signs Brown, I truly can't see another guy good enough at hockey for Tippett to dress every game and big and bad enough for Maloney to feel comfortable checking the "enforcer" box on his "have to have" list.

Logic would suggest that Brown would be the best bet as an "enforcer" because he'd actually be dressed for games and able to enforce. Maloney is old school though. A lot of logic is thrown right out the window when it comes to "enforcers".

 

[IPreferPi]

I didn't make my point clear. I meant that while I agree with you that Tippett would be more apt to use a guy like Brown, I don't think Maloney would allow us to have a guy like Brown as the biggest, baddest man on the team. He's a good example of maybe the one person on earth they could compromise on, though. What he lacks in size he makes up for in pugilistic talent.

If San Jose re-signs Brown, I truly can't see another guy good enough at hockey for Tippett to dress every game and big and bad enough for Maloney to feel comfortable checking the "enforcer" box on his "have to have" list.

Logic would suggest that Brown would be the best bet as an "enforcer" because he'd actually be dressed for games and able to enforce. Maloney is old school though. A lot of logic is thrown right out the window when it comes to "enforcers".

Yeah, that's true enough. Do you think Samuelsson fully developed could adequately check off the heavyweight enforcer role in addition to being the power scorer we hope he becomes?

 

[rt]

I don't think so, no. No more than Troy Brouwer would.

 

[DesertDawg]

I remember Maloney saying a while back (2 years?) that they were going to try to give Bissonnette more playing time. I would like the Coyotes to give him more playing time if they sign Vitale. I can see him being a better shut-down/phycical than any of our d'men - momentum killers for a 4th line...

 

[IPreferPi]

As rt observed, there's a bit of a disconnect between Maloney and Tippett when it comes to tough guy utilization. Biz has looked pretty decent in his ice time over the past 2 seasons, but obviously Tippett still puts him on a pretty short leash.

 

[KG]

As rt observed, there's a bit of a disconnect between Maloney and Tippett when it comes to tough guy utilization. Biz has looked pretty decent in his ice time over the past 2 seasons, but obviously Tippett still puts him on a pretty short leash.

Too bad GMDM would never pull a 'moneyball'

 

[XX]

Too bad GMDM would never pull a 'moneyball'

If Tippett messes around with key young players he's going to have to. I just really, really hope the talk of playing a different game and adapting to what's in the system wasn't just talk.

 

[KG]

If Tippett messes around with key young players he's going to have to. I just really, really hope the talk of playing a different game and adapting to what's in the system wasn't just talk.

Tippet played young defensemen this year. I think it's the forwards we are concerned about.

 

[IPreferPi]

Tippet played young defensemen this year. I think it's the forwards we are concerned about.

True, but we have to keep in mind that Tippett's hand was forced into playing Murphy and Summers due to injuries.

 

[KG]

True, but we have to keep in mind that Tippett's hand was forced into playing Murphy and Summers due to injuries.

Max domi will prove one camp right or the other wrong, I imagine.

 

[IPreferPi]

Max domi will prove one camp right or the other wrong, I imagine.

Yeah, Domi will be a big test for Tippett. I'm inclined to think that if Tippett can tolerate Yandle and Ribeiro, he can tolerate Domi. But hopefully Domi knocks everyone's socks off at training camp.

 

[doaner]

Ha ha ha! The title made me laugh. Umm...NO.

 

[RemoAZ]

Only way they move Malkin is for a package with another legit star coming back. That's if they were dumb enough to move him. They should have bought out Fluery and got a decent goalie for half the salary.

 

[letowskie]

True, but we have to keep in mind that Tippett's hand was forced into playing Murphy and Summers due to injuries.

Right;

Tipp almost never willingly play less experienced player over vets. That's his calling card. I don't think Murphy would have sniffed the NHL if Z wasn't injured, and DMo had family issues and then turned into a zombie.

 

[letowskie]

Only way they move Malkin is for a package with another legit star coming back. That's if they were dumb enough to move him. They should have bought out Fluery and got a decent goalie for half the salary.

Yeah, I don't think the Pens would ever consider it from the Yotes, unless OEL would be going the other way. Plus the Pens are reasonably deep at D, there isn't really a need trading their #2 offensive threat for another D when they have Despres, Maatta, Harrington, Pouliot, etc coming up. If they needed help on D, they would probably resign Niskanen first.

We can file this as not complete impossibility, but along the same lines of alien landings in crop circles.