Proposal: Henrique to Colorado

[Richard88]

I know this isn't on topic as the thread is about Henrique, but would the Avs have any interest in Sutter? Sutter isn't a sexy name and he definitely hasn't lived up to his contract, but he has settled into a role as our #3C. He is not going to drive offense but he PK's and is over 50% on face offs. I might be called biased but Sutter looks better and is more involved on the ice then any of his stats would indicate.

For the Canucks, this season is over and management needs to do something to restore fans confidence. Getting an asset for an expiring contract would be the start. I think it would take max retention (50%) to make anyone interested and the return wouldn't be amazing but a pick or a prospect that's lost in the Avs organizational depth. Sutter is an upcoming UFA so this would be a rental and nothing more.

Canucks are not interested in trading 1 season of Sutter for 3 years of TJC or Donskoi. Canucks can't add to their current cap, and if the deal is cap neutral without an asset going to the Canucks, then the Nucks are better off keeping Sutter or looking for another team to take him. I would be happy if the Canucks could re-sign Sutter, it would just need to be for about 1/3 of what he is currently making.

To Avs: Sutter @ %50
To Canucks: ??

No interest at all from the Avs even at 50% retention.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't see Anaheim retaining.

 

[lwvs84]

Is Henrique even a good 3C? I hear folks complain about his defense being suspect.

Backlund and Lowry are your prototypical 3Cs. Stats to back this up (yes it’s an article on how much Turris sucks but it shows KK, Backlund, and Lowry killing it).

Lowetide: Is Oilers centre Kyle Turris playing himself out of the NHL?

Maybe even Nick Paul from the Sens.

That's only this season. Up until the Covid break, he was one of the top forwards on Anaheim (not saying much) and led the team in points 2 straight years I think (also not saying much). I (and other Ducks fans) think there is something else going on with him right now, it could be motivation (no fans in the stands and being on a really bad team), it could be out of shape (no hockey for almost a year), or just starting off on a cold streak (he has been a streaky player).

If he's viewed as only a cap dump, the Ducks might be better off waiting for him to hit a hot streak again and trading him for better value when he looks good. He's been extremely consistent over his career up until this year, and with no major injuries through his playing time there is no reason to think that his play should have declined this much this quick.

I guess the short answer is, if he rebounds back to near last year level (offensively and defensively), he's a good 2C. If he gets back to last year's defense and his offense is what it is this year, he's a good 3C.

 

[voxel]

That's only this season. Up until the Covid break, he was one of the top forwards on Anaheim (not saying much) and led the team in points 2 straight years I think (also not saying much). I (and other Ducks fans) think there is something else going on with him right now, it could be motivation (no fans in the stands and being on a really bad team), it could be out of shape (no hockey for almost a year), or just starting off on a cold streak (he has been a streaky player).

If he's viewed as only a cap dump, the Ducks might be better off waiting for him to hit a hot streak again and trading him for better value when he looks good. He's been extremely consistent over his career up until this year, and with no major injuries through his playing time there is no reason to think that his play should have declined this much this quick.

I guess the short answer is, if he rebounds back to near last year level (offensively and defensively), he's a good 2C. If he gets back to last year's defense and his offense is what it is this year, he's a good 3C.

2C is not the same as 3C... I think the Avs are looking for a Kesler.

Lowry and Backlund are that great defensively and can put up some points. From advanced stats... they can suppress the elites. Both have been able to shutdown McDavid at times.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

If Avs had a better 3C and thus a strong 3rd line they'd have been much more of a match against Dallas in the playoffs. Faksa and Dickinson made a very noticeable impact on the series whereas our 3rd line floundered badly.

I'm sure having a healthy Grubauer and/or Francouz would have probably also made us much more of a match against Dallas. And, having a healthy Calvert probably would have also improved the 3rd line. Or a healthy Donskoi. A healthy EJ probably would have also helped keep us more competitive. And having Landeskog available for game 7 probably would have been beneficial too.

That's not even mentioning that we gave up 19 goals in the first 4 games of the series, because everyone was getting hurt and/or playing like crap. Or do you think that the blame for that lays solely at the feet of our third line?

 

[Gliff]

2C is not the same as 3C... I think the Avs are looking for a Kesler.

Lowry and Backlund are that great defensively and can put up some points. From advanced stats... they can suppress the elites. Both have been able to shutdown McDavid at times.

Why settle for "A Kesler" when you can have the real thing!!!!
Kesler is available

 

[lwvs84]

2C is not the same as 3C... I think the Avs are looking for a Kesler.

Lowry and Backlund are that great defensively and can put up some points. From advanced stats... they can suppress the elites. Both have been able to shutdown McDavid at times.

He'll never be as good as Kesler was defensively, but he was pretty good. He was good at faceoffs, responsible on defense, and good on offense. He was never used as a matchup center (mainly because the Ducks needed the offense), but he was out there in the last minutes of close games. He was never a liability on the ice and his line was good defensively, but I wouldn't count on him to shut down McDavid/Drai... that's just not happening unless they have off games.

 

[Richard88]

I'm sure having a healthy Grubauer and/or Francouz would have probably also made us much more of a match against Dallas. And, having a healthy Calvert probably would have also improved the 3rd line. Or a healthy Donskoi. A healthy EJ probably would have also helped keep us more competitive. And having Landeskog available for game 7 probably would have been beneficial too.

That's not even mentioning that we gave up 19 goals in the first 4 games of the series, because everyone was getting hurt and/or playing like crap. Or do you think that the blame for that lays solely at the feet of our third line?

Obviously it's not just the 3rd lines fault. They were certainly part of the problem though.

 

[Hasbro]

Do you not think that 3C is a need for Colorado?

I was confusing him with a winger. All the Rackel proposals.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Obviously it's not just the 3rd lines fault. They were certainly part of the problem though.

Sure, but so was everyone else. They gave up 28 goals in the 7 game series. That level of struggle takes a team effort (or lack thereof).

And, I really don't disagree that it would be nice to improve our 3C. I just don't think that the shortcomings of our current options at 3C are significant enough to justify trying to reach on a struggling 30+ guy with 3+ years left on his contract. If that's the best option available today, I'd rather do nothing. It's not like we don't have Bowers and Newhook coming, possibly as soon as next season.

 

[Hisch13r]

This is not the right move for the Avs. This would be an extremely short-sighted move to acquire Henrique, only to wish you had the cap space to sign your other players in the future. Go for a pending UFA or a guy on an RFA deal. Maybe a guy like Zacha who is cost controlled (but don’t know how Devils fans feel about him).

You don't want Zacha to be your center. He's not good enough to play in the middle and belongs on the wing

 

[CanadienShark]

I couldn't be bothered to read your post in its entirety, but it seems like a reasonable offer.

 

[AslanRH]

Based solely on my eye test over 4 years (analytic folks will bury me I'm sure)
but why not just grab Haula @ 50% for a 3rd/4th?

His skating, FO, PK, and 2 way game is good enough to fit Bednar's system and he can push Compher out to RW

No need for a long term gamble with Newhook and Bowers banging on the door

 

[KaseMeOutside]

Anaheim is better off hoping Henrique pulls his head out of his ass, last year he was good, this year he has sucked and nobody knows why

 

[Richard88]

Based solely on my eye test over 4 years (analytic folks will bury me I'm sure)
but why not just grab Haula @ 50% for a 3rd/4th?

His skating, FO, PK, and 2 way game is good enough to fit Bednar's system and he can push Compher out to RW

No need for a long term gamble with Newhook and Bowers banging on the door

I agree that a short-term fix would be much more palatable than going after Henrique. I bent over backwards trying to explore a way that it could work, but after doing that I don't think it's worth it for Colorado to add that term/risk with an aging player like that.

That said I'm not sure Haula is the solution either. He hasn't been great since leaving Vegas, and strikes me as being a somewhat similar move to to the Brassard and Namestnikov rentals as a cheap guy you hope can spark the 3rd line but who ultimately isn't enough to actually be a proper solution. Avs should be aiming higher than that.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

I agree that a short-term fix would be much more palatable than going after Henrique. I bent over backwards trying to explore a way that it could work, but after doing that I don't think it's worth it for Colorado to add that term/risk with an aging player like that.

That said I'm not sure Haula is the solution either. He hasn't been great since leaving Vegas, and strikes me as being a somewhat similar move to to the Brassard and Namestnikov rentals as a cheap guy you hope can spark the 3rd line but who ultimately isn't enough to actually be a proper solution. Avs should be aiming higher than that.

I want to believe that our proper solution is one of the youngsters we have coming. Until then, I'm good with rentals who we hope can spark the 3rd line.