How does the D Corps get fixed?

[EspenK]

Everyone knows that the defensive lineup we are stuck with isn't very good. The problem as I see it is fixing it isn't going to be easy.

JJ & Tyutin are both signed for the next 2 seasons at a cap hit of between 4 & 4.5. Either may be movable at the TDL but it isn't a sure bet they would bring a 1st rounder or a really good prospect and we sure don't want ta contract unless it is expiring.

Savard is signed for the 5 years at 4.25 per. As a 3-4 he is probably all right.

Murray needs to be resigned and I figure because of his injury history he goes for a 2 yr for no more than 2 a year and hopefully less. He still has all the potential to be a top 4 guy and hopefully a top 2 and for 2 more years will be affordable.

Golbuef has one more year at 750k. A very affordable serviceable guy for next year.

So that is 5 guys who look like they will be here next year and probably for the next two.

Luckily Prout and Connauton are RFA's after this year. I say they go but if they stay it has to be on 2 ways.

Werenski may or not be signed for next year and may or may not be NHL ready.

When I factor i expected raises for Jenner and Murray assuming the cap rises 3% we will have $4 million to sign 2 defensemen; if it rises 5% we will have 5.5.

Neither of those amounts allow us to sign 2 quality guys. Nor do they allow for one stud and a lesser light.

UFA's that look attractive to me include Kris Russell & Jared Spurgeon.

Maybe we could get lucky and sign one of them and limp along with a cheap 7th guy.

Here's a link to the whole upcoming class http://http://capfriendly.com/?p=fa-search&salaryMinMax=%24500%2C000+-+%2414%2C000%2C000&faType=UFA%2CRFA&teamID=0&pos=d&year=2016

All in all vastly improving our D in the short term is going to be pretty difficult-which may be the reason Jarmo hasn't done it already.

Viable solutions to me include:

Trading Cam for a pick at the deadline - frees up 3.5
Buyout Boll and Campbell -saves 2 million of cap
That brings the available cap up to 9.5 to 11 million.
Ship out either Tyutin or JJ at the deadline for picks - frees up another 4 plus and would give us a ton to spend on a top UFA or 2 when added to the money that would be freed up by the above moves.

Sign a decent UFA and pray that Werenski signs and is NHL ready.

In any case unless the team turns it around at the deadline I think dumping contracts at the deadline is imperative and adding a top 4 free agent acquisition is also top priority.

Trading for a top D man is very unlikely in my opinion unless we definitely overpay and even then I don't see it as being very likely.

So how would you fix it?

Click to read more...

 

[We Want Ten]

Sign Chara and trade cam to really cripple our club by spending to the cap on crap over paid veterans

Oh, what would i do? If we could get a decent top 4 guy to have a somewhat serviceable top 4 would go a long way by pushing down some of the guys to either the box, or down in the depth chart.

I see no possible situation where jj or toots bring us a 1st.

Also maybe revamping our defensive philosophy.

 

[CarolinaBlueJacket]

Send them this link and have them follow the detailed instructions.

http://markewbie.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Remove-your-Head-from-your-Ass

 

[CBJWerenski8]

1. Dump and chase. It makes it an easy time to get a change if needed, or retrieve the puck if not. For the love of god please start forechecking with one guy while having a guy high. Stop making it easy to breakout.

2. Hold the line. Stop giving them easy break-ins. Make sure the back-checkers are hustling (big problem right now). If they dump it in, obviously retrieve it or have solid support if they are battling for it along the boards. If you lose the battle, high pressure up high with someone always covering the slot. Stop chasing

3. For the love of god please cover the slot when its down low and clear the crease when its up high. Box out. Far too many screens, and far too much standing around.

4. Once you have the puck, SKATE. Stop holding the puck like its a grenade. Have solid support, skate it out of the zone if everyone is covered, or if someone is open make the pass. If you're under pressure, drop it back to your D partner and spread out their forecheck.

Our D is struggling because they're not playing basic hockey. When they have the puck its a ticking time bomb and they force it in bad places.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

Two words: Big Buff

But in all honesty, it seems like you mean in the next few years? Kind of sad that we have to write this year off already.

 

[blahblah]

There are some issues, but I don't think we have to go crazy. I still don't think Savard is that good of a player but the front office veto'd me.

Sure I'd look to be Cam for cap space and if someone comes along that's cool. I think we have some potential in our system. Yes, this is dismal but I'd be smart about any moves.

A good first step was bringing in Golo, but Prout needs to be out of the lineup. If KC is a problem we should have someone else filling his spot too. I know Prout is physical and all but I'd place him on waivers at this point. If he clears he can head back up to Cleveland.

 

[blahblah]

Two words: Big Buff

No thanks.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

no thanks.

 

[Nanabijou]

I really don't know what can be done in the short-term. Longer term - pray that Werenski and Heatherington develop ahead of their projected curves this year.

 

[CBJx614]

I agree that we should be in on him, however thats not the clip I'd use to showcase him. That's a terrible penalty to take. But I think if we could put the right package together he'd fit in perfectly.

 

[CarolinaBlueJacket]

So he can be in the box?
BTW I have seen JJ give some massive hits before, doesnt mean he is the best dman around.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

Relax. I was not being serious

 

[Sore Loser]

The chance that both Spurgeon and Russell make it to free agency are zero. The chance that one of them makes it to free agency is a little better, but still slim ... both guys are very valuable to their current teams, so I don't see either the Flames or the Wild letting their guy walk.

That being said, I get where you're going EK ... but I think the only way a defenseman of any real quality is added is if the Jackets pony up one of their big time forward prospects. Milano, Rychel, or Bjorkstrand ... along with a current, rostered player.

Maybe there's a deal already in the works?

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Here's a proposal....

Trade #1:
To WPG: Fedor Tyutin + Matt Calvert + 3rd Rd Pick + 6th Rd Pick
To CBJ: Dustin Byfuglien + smaller contract player to even out salaries (Adam Lowry?)

Trade #2:
To NJD: Sonny Milano
To CBJ: Damon Severson

Lineup looks like this...

Saad-Johansen-Jenner
Foligno-Dubinsky-Atkinson
Hartnell-Wennberg-Rychel
Bourque-Campbell-Clarkson/Boll

Buff-Murray
Savard-Severson
Johnson-Goloubef

 

[blahblah]

Here's a proposal....

Trade #1:
To WPG: Fedor Tyutin + Matt Calvert + 3rd Rd Pick + 6th Rd Pick
To CBJ: Dustin Byfuglien + smaller contract player to even out salaries (Adam Lowry?)

Trade #2:
To NJD: Sonny Milano
To CBJ: Damon Severson

Lineup looks like this...

Saad-Johansen-Jenner
Foligno-Dubinsky-Atkinson
Hartnell-Wennberg-Rychel
Bourque-Campbell-Clarkson/Boll

Buff-Murray
Savard-Severson
Johnson-Goloubef

Just please... No...

 

[Viqsi]

Here's a proposal....

Trade #1:
To WPG: Fedor Tyutin + Matt Calvert + 3rd Rd Pick + 6th Rd Pick
To CBJ: Dustin Byfuglien + smaller contract player to even out salaries (Adam Lowry?)

Trade #2:
To NJD: Sonny Milano
To CBJ: Damon Severson

Lineup looks like this...

Saad-Johansen-Jenner
Foligno-Dubinsky-Atkinson
Hartnell-Wennberg-Rychel
Bourque-Campbell-Clarkson/Boll

Buff-Murray
Savard-Severson
Johnson-Goloubef

Both of those would be turned down by the other side. Variants on the Winnipeg one have been tried several times already, and the NJ one would get you burned at the stake because they're about as eager to listen to Severson trades as we would be willing to hear Jenner trades.

 

[JacketsDavid]

IMO-
Make the forwards much more accountable defensively. All of them.
Free up cap space when possible - way too much being spent on forwards.
Hope at the deadline we can trade some salaries to desperate teams.
Find 6 d-men that will play hard. Right now that is the best we can do.
Sign a backup tender.

We can't fix it now. Not enough cap room, no one else besides us may be willing to trade now anyways. But find 6 guys who will play hard, and get your forwards to be more accountable. Hope between those 2 things it's enough to be competive - and hope Bob gets hot.

 

[EspenK]

Both of those would be turned down by the other side. Variants on the Winnipeg one have been tried several times already, and the NJ one would get you burned at the stake because they're about as eager to listen to Severson trades as we would be willing to hear Jenner trades.

I don't know anything about Severson but if the Devils hold him in the same light as we hold Jenner it may be a trade that should be considered. I'm not talking about fans what the heck do we really know but rather the front offices.

We need help on D they need forwards. Give to get.

Maybe the answer here is do nothing, let the current group ride it out and hopefully regain last year's play, wait it out and wait for Werensky,Paliotta,Heatherington,the other Karlsson and whomever else is in the system to be ready.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

We have to have a whole team-wide commitment to playing defense. During the lockout year we didn't win too many times with the score being high (for either team), it was often 2-1 or 3-2 games. We need to go back to that.

 

[BluejacketNut]

Everything mentioned is pretty much style of play, time for a new coach

 

[thebus2288*]

Step 1: Sign Joey to that 8 yr $90 mill contract

Step 2: Double shift Joey, We can have BOTH that elite #1 center and elite #1 D man we've never had, BEFORE NOW. 6 foot 3 players with this skill and length of stride don't grow on trees or in labs. He shuts down Joe Thornton and other top centers night in and night out as is. Bench Foligno, have Johansen and Saad go out alone for now to give the team a spark, to throw off the other teams, and to match up with Savard and Johnson to shelter them. Give a Murray-Tyutin pair 12-13 minutes a game to keep the glass-man healthy and the old man fresh. Whenever we can get the Johnson-Savard pairing off the ice and RyJo's ready to go we throw our top pair of Golobeuf-Johansen out there to win the games for us. Preferably about 30 min a game. The per 60 numbers would be outstanding. Joey might hit 50 and 50, but would easily win the ART ROSS if this were to happen.

Step 3: Profit, I don't know what could be considered a more successful season than OUR SECOND SON taking a step above OUR FIRST SON and winning an Art Ross instead of the Richard. When OUR THIRD SON is healthy and allowed to play on a line with OUR SECOND and surrogate MOTHER SAAD, and taught "the way", and wins the Selke, it will then be time for THY PROPHECY to be fulfilled.

Its all written down in the Quebec Manuscript foretold by the one and only Doug MacLean...

It all "ends" with a Nash-Johansen-Carter line leading the Quebec Red Jackets to the Stanley Cup.

 

[thebus2288*]

IMO-
Make the forwards much more accountable defensively. All of them.

Excuse me, ALL of them? Johasnen is scoring at a PPG pace.

We have to have a whole team-wide commitment to playing defense.

Team wide? Offense plays offense. Defense plays defense.

Defense doesn't win games. Scoring POINTS wins games!!

 

[JacketsDavid]

Excuse me, ALL of them? Johasnen is scoring at a PPG pace.



Team wide? Offense plays offense. Defense plays defense.

Defense doesn't win games. Scoring POINTS wins games!!

Good for Joey - but it's a team game. How is the team doing while he's scoring goals?

Successful teams score more goals than they allow. I don't care if you score 5 a game with 6 forwards, you're going to lose most nights. it's not an offense vs defense game, it's a team game.

 

[cbjfaninmo]

Step 2: Double shift Joey

Would Double-Shift Lasse be forced to become Double-Shift Joey?

 

[blahblah]

Both of those would be turned down by the other side. Variants on the Winnipeg one have been tried several times already, and the NJ one would get you burned at the stake because they're about as eager to listen to Severson trades as we would be willing to hear Jenner trades.

If Byfuglien gets moved it's far more likely at the deadline or the draft. Either way we seem to like to give up significant assets for a 30 year old pending UFA, not so much in his proposal. Having said that I doubt the Jets even remotely consider moving him as long as they are in the playoff race unless you knock it out of the park - at least until around the deadline. At which point it's "I have to get something for him" and that will be the last chance to get someone to overpay. Before the draft probably wouldn't net you as much (I don't see how it would for neg rights).

We make these trade proposals in a vacuum without looking at both sides and, more importantly, at the timing. Right now the Jackets are going to appear desperate and teams are going to try and fleece them. Yeah they might be able to pull out a minor deal somewhere, to try and shake things up. But I can't see anything of significance unless the other team is struggling as well or, please no, we actually are highly desperate.

One other scenario, we give up on a significant forward or defensive asset (JJ, Murray, Johansen, etc).

A Byfuglien deal has so many ways that it could hurt us. If we did manage to sign him that contract would further decrease our long term flexibility with the cap. If he started to decline more significantly in a couple of years would could be looking at a long 3-6 years stretch in which we also lost a couple of significant younger players along the way.