GDT: Free Agent Lull-zy - Summer 2015

[WhoahNow]

To be honest, I think Nill is wondering if Oduya or Franson is really better than what he has on D. Oduya was second pair on Chicago, and we have enough of those, so you would have to argue second Pair on the champs is first pair with us.

Franson was a 1-2 on a terrible TOR team, and a 5-6 or scratch with a good D team in NSH. Hard to know, but would certainly have to be a bounceback type of bet.

For trades, Shatty is an intriguing possibility, Dion is not.

Not sure who else might be out there on D that would fit the No. 1 pair criteria. If it ain't number one, then we might as well play the youth and save money for signing Benn, Seguin, etc., and maybe pick up some depth forward, hopefully a better version of Hemsky.

I looked through generalfanager at teams in the East and who I would try and target:

CAR: Faulk
Dunno if or why Carolina would ever trade him, he should be the guy they build around.

FLA: Gudbranson, Kulikov
Gudbranson more physical and defensive, but I'm pretty sure Kulikov is who the Stars scouts wanted to draft in 2009, but Joe Nieuwendyk elected for Glennie not wanting to draft a Russian (I could be making that up, but I thought I read that somewhere).

NYI: Hamonic
Don't see Islanders moving Hamonic, but he would be ideal.

WSH: Alzner, Carlson
Maybe Washington will eventually run into cap issues and have already shelled out big contracts for Orpik and Niskanen might have to move one of Alzner or Carlson?

The teams probably have no intention of trading away these guys, but they would be my first choice targets.

 

[EXTRAS]

They are taking a while to sign oleksiak. Given how many young d they have I assume they are trying to move him for a forward prospect.

 

[LT]

They are taking a while to sign oleksiak. Given how many young d they have I assume they are trying to move him for a forward prospect.

Or there could simply be a split in Nill's and Oleksiak's agent's line of thinking. He might not be a fan of being passed over by Jokipakka, either. Who knows.

 

[WhatWhat]

They are taking a while to sign oleksiak. Given how many young d they have I assume they are trying to move him for a forward prospect.

He might have offered him a 2-way contract whereas Jokipakka got a 1-way and maybe he holds out in hopes of getting that 1-way contract

 

[WhatWhat]

I looked through generalfanager at teams in the East and who I would try and target:

CAR: Faulk
Dunno if or why Carolina would ever trade him, he should be the guy they build around.

FLA: Gudbranson, Kulikov
Gudbranson more physical and defensive, but I'm pretty sure Kulikov is who the Stars scouts wanted to draft in 2009, but Joe Nieuwendyk elected for Glennie not wanting to draft a Russian (I could be making that up, but I thought I read that somewhere).

NYI: Hamonic
Don't see Islanders moving Hamonic, but he would be ideal.

WSH: Alzner, Carlson
Maybe Washington will eventually run into cap issues and have already shelled out big contracts for Orpik and Niskanen might have to move one of Alzner or Carlson?

The teams probably have no intention of trading away these guys, but they would be my first choice targets.

You are rigt about Faulk. There i no way he gets moved. Kulikov is a bum for what he did to Seguin.

I would love Alzner on the Stars. I think he would make us much better

 

[LT]

He might have offered him a 2-way contract whereas Jokipakka got a 1-way and maybe he holds out in hopes of getting that 1-way contract

Highly doubt that. Neither will make it through waivers so a two-way contract is pretty useless.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Also, wonder what it means that Jamie O hasn't been signed yet, among all the others.

Will they let him walk?

Sorry, didn't see the posts above. Sounds very Dillonish. Low ball offer, he doesn't like it. Dillon got traded so maybe Jamie O is in play. They really do have too many D, especially if they pull the trigger on Oduya or Franson for a short term deal.

And, they cut Glennie and gave JC a one year deal. Maybe Nill really doesn't want any JN high draft picks around......although no word on Faksa as yet going anywhere.

 

[OttMorrow]

Also, wonder what it means that Jamie O hasn't been signed yet, among all the others.

Will they let him walk?

They i doubt they let him walk. I think he knows that he is on his way out of Dallas via trade, but still wants to get locked into a one-way deal...because he's tall. I don't think the Stars want to do that. That would be my guess as to the hold up.

 

[ZeHockeyFan]

I looked through generalfanager at teams in the East and who I would try and target:

CAR: Faulk
Dunno if or why Carolina would ever trade him, he should be the guy they build around.

FLA: Gudbranson, Kulikov
Gudbranson more physical and defensive, but I'm pretty sure Kulikov is who the Stars scouts wanted to draft in 2009, but Joe Nieuwendyk elected for Glennie not wanting to draft a Russian (I could be making that up, but I thought I read that somewhere).

NYI: Hamonic
Don't see Islanders moving Hamonic, but he would be ideal.

WSH: Alzner, Carlson
Maybe Washington will eventually run into cap issues and have already shelled out big contracts for Orpik and Niskanen might have to move one of Alzner or Carlson?

The teams probably have no intention of trading away these guys, but they would be my first choice targets.

Gudbranson should've been targeted a year or two earlier. He was expected to be Florida's #1 guy and didn't quite show that, but he may be finally starting to put it together in the role of a physical, shutdown #2/3 guy now that Ekblad is the obvious heir apparent to the #1D position and I think Florida will not break up that young defensive trio of Ekblad, Gudbranson, and Kulikov barring overpayment.

 

[Hull Fan]

I'd bet the argument with Oleksiak is one year (he wants) vs two year (team wants) contract. The money is going to be in the same neighborhood as Nemeth and Jokipakka but they got 2 year deals and I'm sure Oleksiak would like the one year deal in hopes of playing and cashing in, or being traded then playing and cashing in.

Wiercioch is the guy I wanted then he played really well in the playoffs and I doubt Ottawa moves him. Gormley may also be available if Tippet continues to refuse to play him.

 

[Satan]

I really want to sign Lee Stempniak for a year but I can't slide him into our lineup anywhere.


Unless we say au revoir to Colton Sceviour or The Great Garbino.

 

[LT]

Unless we say au revoir to... The Great Garbino.

Let's do it.

 

[Ambassador Of Fun]

Lites was on with the Owen and Bruce show earlier today (thank god Bruce didn't talk during the part of the interview I heard). I got in the car about halfway through the interview, so I didn't hear it all. But from what I did hear when they asked about the slow offseason, Lites insinuated that we will be making some moves (I assume trades) in the near future, and that we are in the business of "building a Stanley Cup contender". He said that Gaglardi is all on board to spend to the cap, but trusts Nill to use the space wisely.

Lites called bringing Nill to Dallas his greatest achievement of his career in Dallas.

 

[FirstRowUpperDeck]

Sounds great, but we want them NOW, NOW, NOW!

 

[Ambassador Of Fun]

Heh, my read of Lites was pretty right on the money.

 

[Dundalis]

Apologies for being cynical here but...

The nhl needs a stanley cup winner each year...as well ad a 30th placed cellar dwellar..its also needs mediocre "meh" teams to finish in the 14th to 20th type spot each year...which is where weve sat each of the last 6 years. ..one year where we scraped into the playoffs gave us renewed hope but after what was followed this year...back to... meh.

With the exception of val who fell in our laps our 1st round picks in each year have been underwhelming. .

Unfortunately I see no reason why we improve next year into a top team in our conference. .same with the year after...

Failing to be excited about our future.. I hope im 100% wrong...but unfortunately I dont see any reason why We rise next year. ..disappointing that our gm appears happy with the staus quo...and wont address the biggest area weve needed help and change in the last 6 years.

Unfortunately I see us sitting in the 14th to 20th best spots for years to come...pretty big waste of premier offensive talent

Guryianov is every bit on Nichushkin's level in terms of pure talent from everything I've seen and read. Nichushkin is bigger and is more of a virtuoso with the puck, but otherwise they are pretty comparable in other areas, with Guyrianov having a better shot. Definitely a blue chipper IMO. And last I heard Julius Honka still has the potential to be an elite level NHL PP QB.

Under Nill, I would say our 1st rounders have been high upside high risk, just the opposite of what we'd seen previously, and very much a positive change, not underwhelming in the least given our mid first rounder positions.

Understand the post above. Of course, its always hard to buy the "we will improve internally" line of thinking, except for maybe the young D, where we have enough prospects that at least a few will hit in addition to Klinger and Nemeth.

Problem with that is, our core is Benn and Seguin, plus Klinger, all about 25. Their prime years will be the next 4-5 years, and that is when we need to gear to win.

Sometimes, young D men take that long to mature, and be in their prime. So, if we can't acquire a sub 30 year old prime guy, we may still have the D merry go round.

Our goalie situation seems set for 3 of those 5 years, and they will be past their prime, in all likelihood. Will that team, with a rookie JC or Desrosiers still be a contender?

I presume we can keep a group of forwards around Benn and Seguin, although, see the cap problems of PIT and CHI (which Chicago has overcome, PIT has not....which will we be when our big guns get market contracts?

Short version, it is always difficult to build a roster that all comes together at one time, usually for a 2-3 year span at their peak, a la the 1998-2000 Stars. The six year run of the Hawks is nothing short of amazing, and I don't think we have the overall talent level they do. In addition to the two FW, they have had top 2 D in place that whole time, which we simply don't have and don't have a clear plan to have, other than "wait and see what we can get at a reasonable price and/or let the kids develop.

It was sure easier back in the hey day, where Gainey bought a team of ready for prime time vets to supplement his core in their prime.

BTW, missing out on the Hamilton trade, which would have been absolutely perfect for us, and maybe a few other trades mentioned are hard to take, but this is what fans of other teams probably felt like the last two years when the Stars seemingly won the off season, by obtaining the supposedly impossible - two top centers.

I agree Hamilton would have been perfect. Not sure what the situation is there, whether we were even in on it.

Our offense is not an issue for a while. Even with Spezza being 32, give him someone to work with on his wing, for me he plays a style of game that will see him producing for a few years yet. Seguin and Klingberg will be 23 going into next season. I'd say their primes will be longer than 4-5 years baring injuries. Nichushkin comes back this season and will develop. Ritchie can still be a 30 goal power forward in this league IMO. Guryianov is a blue chipper for me also, I think if he has a smooth transition coming over the pond, he will be a stud.

Our D prospects look excellent. Klingberg, Nemeth, Jokipakka, Lindell, Oleksiak, Honka and Johns make for an excellent group coming through, pretty much all NHL ready or a minor bit of seasoning away. Those who make it will solify our backend, and those who don't will make excellent trade bait.

I'm not worried, because if the right player comes up, we have the pieces to make a trade, and if they don't we have the prospects to have a very good defense for a number of years. I think our timetable to contend is the following season at the latest. I think our D will be ready to go by then, whether it be from guys from the pool above settling into the NHL with a decent amount of experience, or because the right player came along and we made a trade (or both).

 

[LT]

 

[Satan]

Oduya has been attached to Hjalmarsson's hip.

I don't know how successful he will be in Dallas if we sign him.

 

[starshockeyfan56]

Oduya has been attached to Hjalmarsson's hip.

I don't know how successful he will be in Dallas if we sign him.

While he won't be leading the rush, I think his game is very solid. I wouldn't worry at all about him slotting in with someone like Goligoski or Klingberg.

 

[Arkham32]

As long as the term is short, Oduya would be a good addition brings winning experience to the team that has a really young and inexperienced defence.

If anything he's a upgrade over Daley.

 

[Mr Misty]

He'd be stupid to take short term with us. I'd rather re-sign Goligoski than make a same-term offer to Oduya.

 

[Ghost of Kyiv]

Wouldn't be too happy if the Stars signed Oduya. Solid in Chicago but hasn't been elsewhere. Undersized and 34 years old come October, doesn't help the Stars enough to be worth it, hopefully we pass. Doubt he will even be a top 4 D two years from now to be honest.

 

[starshockeyfan56]

He'd provide some short term value. Nill isn't going to pull the rug out from under himself to get the guy though. I trust him to offer a fair deal for what we would get out of him and not budge.

 

[LT]

Oduya's signed.

Buffalo or us, not sure which. Announcement in 5 minutes.

Assuming Buffalo since we haven't heard anything about this yet.

 

[Satan]