Player Discussion Haydn Fleury

[Mortal Wombat]

Murray was pretty complimentary of Jones yesterday. Wouldn't be surprised at all if he's protected.

Wouldn't be surprised at all. All I'm saying is we don't have many forwards worth protecting.

 

[Paul4587]

who do you think the ducks protect up front? rakell, jones, terry, steel? figure nobody is taking silfverberg. heinen is a solid 3rd liner but expendable. lundestrom i haven't seen enough of to
say what he might be.

Rakell Lundestrom Terry and Jones probably. Although Murray does love Silfverberg so who knows what he ends up doing.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

If I am Seattle I pick Steel, move him to the wing and see how it goes.

It either works or it doesn't and they end up using him as a 4C or something depending on what their roster looks like.

 

[GreatBear]

I think that the Ducks will primarily protect their young players. For the forwards, assuming that the Ducks go 4 and 4, that means that we can see Lundy, Terry, and Jones protected. I base the Jones projection on BM's comments from yesterday, where he was praising Jones for going to the net and drawing penalties. For the fourth forward I think that the Ducks protect Rakell, but that may depend upon whether the Ducks have had talks with Rakell about a new contract and where those discussions are in terms of potential success. If the Ducks don't protect Rakell then they will probably protect Silf, but it would not totally surprise me to see them protect Steel, given his age and the fact that the Ducks are looking to the future.

 

[ADHB]

I think that the Ducks will primarily protect their young players. For the forwards, assuming that the Ducks go 4 and 4, that means that we can see Lundy, Terry, and Jones protected. I base the Jones projection on BM's comments from yesterday, where he was praising Jones for going to the net and drawing penalties. For the fourth forward I think that the Ducks protect Rakell, but that may depend upon whether the Ducks have had talks with Rakell about a new contract and where those discussions are in terms of potential success. If the Ducks don't protect Rakell then they will probably protect Silf, but it would not totally surprise me to see them protect Steel, given his age and the fact that the Ducks are looking to the future.

There is absolutely zero chance Rakell isn’t protected unless he’s somehow traded before the expansion draft. He would be, far and away, the best asset available from any team.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

I don’t see a scenario we protect Henrique over steel or jones. Henrique was waived (and not picked up). Obviously Henrique is the better player , but his contract makes him a negative asset.

Rico's contract doesn't stop the Ducks from acquiring more players this off-season. Although Rico was waived, his play did turn itself around. The same cannot be said of Steel as the season went. I'm not a fan of Steel for the past two seasons (where he should have been developing in the AHL, but Eakins...). I like Jones, but he put up fewer points than Heinen. Just how much better is Rico than Steel and Jones?

Rico: 12 g + 9a = 21 pts

Steel + Jones = 13g + 10a = 23 pts

Steel: 6g + 6a = 12 pts
Jones: 7g + 4a = 11 pts​

Factor in the previous season where Rico was our leading goal scorer and points scorer, then it should make the case to retain Rico who is still a better talent than Steel or Jones. On a team lacking goal scoring and scoring overall, not protecting Rico over Steel or Jones doesn't make sense. Steel has been regulated to 4C duties because his IQ isn't there right now. Jones is a big, chaotic, speedy banger and why he often gets referred to as a "bull in a China shop", but that is all he brings to the table right now (but I do like that part of Jones' game). We have Volkov to take over those duties if we lose Jones. Volkov put up 4g+4a in only 18 games with us and we're still trying to figure out what we have in Volkov.

Surely, Seattle wants better talents than Steel or Jones. IMO, the most enticing player on the Ducks that would be available (excluding Rico) is G Stolarz. Stolarz seemed to play better than Gibby at the conclusion of the year and Stolarz is signed for the next two seasons at $0.95 mil per year. Stolarz had high enough talent that protected him from the last expansion draft with Vegas. Now fully recovered from his leg surgeries, Stolarz could be that steal for Seattle. He's got the highest upside of any player for the Ducks on the cheap and can steal games. No other player available for the Ducks can steal games.

With Rico's salary, CapFriendly reflects the Ducks have $22.6 mil in cap space available for 2021 off-season. In 2022 off-season, they gain an additional $25.1 mil of cap space. Rico's contract does not deter us from making any player moves today nor in 2022. With Perry's buyout saving the Ducks $4.625 and Backes' $4.5 mil contract ending, that gives the Ducks over $9 mil in cap space towards a 1st line player if they could land one or at least a top-6 forward. That leaves $13 mil available to sign our FA's and possibly Getz' return, but that still would leave a few mil left and could be more depending on how low Getz' contract it. Also, we still have Kesler's $6.875 LTIR. Since we probably won't go over the cap before the season starts, then we can use all of Kelser's $6.875 LTIR.

I'm actually more afraid GM Murray protecting Silf over Rico because Silf wears the "A" and Bob is too loyal. LoL

 

[nbducksfan19]

Rico's contract doesn't stop the Ducks from acquiring more players this off-season. Although Rico was waived, his play did turn itself around. The same cannot be said of Steel as the season went. I'm not a fan of Steel for the past two seasons (where he should have been developing in the AHL, but Eakins...). I like Jones, but he put up fewer points than Heinen. Just how much better is Rico than Steel and Jones?

Rico: 12 g + 9a = 21 pts

Steel + Jones = 13g + 10a = 23 pts

Steel: 6g + 6a = 12 pts
Jones: 7g + 4a = 11 pts​

Factor in the previous season where Rico was our leading goal scorer and points scorer, then it should make the case to retain Rico who is still a better talent than Steel or Jones. On a team lacking goal scoring and scoring overall, not protecting Rico over Steel or Jones doesn't make sense. Steel has been regulated to 4C duties because his IQ isn't there right now. Jones is a big, chaotic, speedy banger and why he often gets referred to as a "bull in a China shop", but that is all he brings to the table right now (but I do like that part of Jones' game). We have Volkov to take over those duties if we lose Jones. Volkov put up 4g+4a in only 18 games with us and we're still trying to figure out what we have in Volkov.

Surely, Seattle wants better talents than Steel or Jones. IMO, the most enticing player on the Ducks that would be available (excluding Rico) is G Stolarz. Stolarz seemed to play better than Gibby at the conclusion of the year and Stolarz is signed for the next two seasons at $0.95 mil per year. Stolarz had high enough talent that protected him from the last expansion draft with Vegas. Now fully recovered from his leg surgeries, Stolarz could be that steal for Seattle. He's got the highest upside of any player for the Ducks on the cheap and can steal games. No other player available for the Ducks can steal games.

With Rico's salary, CapFriendly reflects the Ducks have $22.6 mil in cap space available for 2021 off-season. In 2022 off-season, they gain an additional $25.1 mil of cap space. Rico's contract does not deter us from making any player moves today nor in 2022. With Perry's buyout saving the Ducks $4.625 and Backes' $4.5 mil contract ending, that gives the Ducks over $9 mil in cap space towards a 1st line player if they could land one or at least a top-6 forward. That leaves $13 mil available to sign our FA's and possibly Getz' return, but that still would leave a few mil left and could be more depending on how low Getz' contract it. Also, we still have Kesler's $6.875 LTIR. Since we probably won't go over the cap before the season starts, then we can use all of Kelser's $6.875 LTIR.

I'm actually more afraid GM Murray protecting Silf over Rico because Silf wears the "A" and Bob is too loyal. LoL

I think you are looking at it all wrong. Henrique’s contract is bad and likely to get worse over the next few years. He does not fit our window. Also, there is an opportunity cost to keeping him as that $5.825 mill could be used to extend players, sign free agents or even absorb bad contracts to acquire assets for a rebuild.

while I am losing hope that steel will be the player we hoped for, as a young, cost controlled asset, he has more value to our team than Henrique IMO. Last thing we want is another William Karlsson...