In-season Proposals, Rumors, Free Agents & Roster Moves (related topics) LVIII

[AvsRobin]

Varly can't play this good for eternity. BUT, our defense core hopefully wont be this bad for another year either. And steadly improve year by year.

 

[RockLobster]

I'm not opposed to letting Stastny walk if he wants too much money but you can't do that and then not add anyone to replace him in the top six. That'll be a disaster.

Greene being the lone addition to the defense with Benoit coming back and Holden being bumped up to the top four is a very scary thought.

Agreed on the Holden statement. I've got nothing against him as it's obvious that he improved leaps and bounds as the year went on, but if we're going to count on him to be a consistent and competent Top-4 defenseman then that would be an unwise move.

I saw how he played in the PO's but we also saw that over the course of an entire 82 game season that he is extremely prone to very bad mental mistakes. I have no problem with him on the 3rd pairing but I would really cringe to see him getting in the 20+ minutes a game because he just makes too many mistakes at that point.

And on top of that...if he doesn't improve his skating then it's all moot anyway. It surprised me when I saw just how slow he moved out there

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'm not opposed to letting Stastny walk if he wants too much money but you can't do that and then not add anyone to replace him in the top six. That'll be a disaster.

Greene being the lone addition to the defense with Benoit coming back and Holden being bumped up to the top four is a very scary thought.

Wouldn't the easiest thing be just to keep PA? If PA goes too then they need someone but otherwise I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't add to the top 6.

I think they will at least upgrade Benoit though.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Wouldn't the easiest thing be just to keep PA? If PA goes too then they need someone but otherwise I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't add to the top 6.

I think they will at least upgrade Benoit though.

You have a very pessimistic outlook on our moves this off-season, and I hate it! lol

All I can say is : I hope you're wrong...

 

[Avs_19]

Wouldn't the easiest thing be just to keep PA? If PA goes too then they need someone but otherwise I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't add to the top 6.

I think they will at least upgrade Benoit though.

It would be easy to do that but does it make us better? I think the main area where Stastny's loss would hurt us would be defensively. Parenteau wouldn't help us there and IMO, he would actually make things a lot tougher on Duchene/MacKinnon because he's that bad defensively. I would actually prefer McGinn in that spot over Parenteau because at least he brings up size and toughness, which we could also use more of.

 

[CB Joe]

If the Avs lose Stastny they should upgrade the bottom 6. If two or more of the current top 6 get injured the scoring lines look pretty weak and the bottom 6 look even more pathetic. I'd like to see a second/third line tweener added and a veteran checker.

 

[CobraAcesS]

It would be easy to do that but does it make us better? I think the main area where Stastny's loss would hurt us would be defensively. Parenteau wouldn't help us there and IMO, he would actually make things a lot tougher on Duchene/MacKinnon because he's that bad defensively. I would actually prefer McGinn in that spot over Parenteau because at least he brings up size and toughness, which we could also use more of.

I'm not holding my breath, but Kulemin really is a serious need for us. Fits in adding size, defensive ability, and can move up and down the lineup as well as play both wings.

Better defensive version of McGinn, perfect...

 

[tigervixxxen]

You have a very pessimistic outlook on our moves this off-season, and I hate it! lol

All I can say is : I hope you're wrong...

Haha, I prefer to call it realistic and not pessimistic I hope I'm wrong too. I don't think it will be a total disaster, I think they'll sign O'Reilly and somehow bring in a new defensemen. Outside of that....

Letting Stastny walk and keeping PA is the path of least resistance. It has to be considered a possibility. I can believe Roy is not fond of PA and his defensive deficiencies but moving PA and then filling that hole back in is a lot of moves. If they have Stastny it will be a lot easier. Not saying that's what I want but it's been a looong time since off seasons and trade deadlines were like Christmas morning.

 

[Avsboy]

If the Avs lose Stastny they should upgrade the bottom 6. If two or more of the current top 6 get injured the scoring lines look pretty weak and the bottom 6 look even more pathetic. I'd like to see a second/third line tweener added and a veteran checker.

Grabovski and Kulemin?

 

[expatriatedtexan]

No matter what happens with Stastny, I hope the AVs do not add to the forwards via trade unless the main return is a youngish top 4 dman and they simply offer to absorb a forward in the process that is decent/good but is causing cap problems for a year or two for the team we are trading with.

I really don't see a situation out there like this though so I'm just hoping all forwards are added via free agency and all trades are geared towards bettering the D.

 

[Avs_19]

Letting Stastny walk and keeping PA is the path of least resistance. It has to be considered a possibility. I can believe Roy is not fond of PA and his defensive deficiencies but moving PA and then filling that hole back in is a lot of moves. If they have Stastny it will be a lot easier. Not saying that's what I want but it's been a looong time since off seasons and trade deadlines were like Christmas morning.

I just think Parenteau is gone no matter what. I felt that way even before Dater's chat where he guaranteed Parenteau wouldn't be on the team next season.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

If the Avs lose Stastny they should upgrade the bottom 6. If two or more of the current top 6 get injured the scoring lines look pretty weak and the bottom 6 look even more pathetic. I'd like to see a second/third line tweener added and a veteran checker.

If fully agree with this. If we lost Stastny I would want to see a dedicated Top-6 and Bottom-6. Would like for the 3rd line to not be offensively-inept, but their focus to be on defense. Would want the 4th line to be a checking/pressure line that can punish opposing top lines without looking like they are lost.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Haha, I prefer to call it realistic and not pessimistic I hope I'm wrong too. I don't think it will be a total disaster, I think they'll sign O'Reilly and somehow bring in a new defensemen. Outside of that....

Letting Stastny walk and keeping PA is the path of least resistance. It has to be considered a possibility. Not saying that's what I want but it's been a looong time since off seasons and trade deadlines were like Christmas morning.

That's true, it's hard to remember those days...

Where I think I'm more pessimistic, is them actually bringing in a mid twenties or younger top four defender. I don't think we have the assets to get it (outside of trading a core piece like O'Reilly) without it being someone with serious flaws (Kulikov), and even that's in question.

I do think we have the assets to land a top 6 forward like Kesler though. (People are just not moving good defenders) Our best shot at defense is a stop gap from free-agency, and keeping our fingers crossed that one of Siemens or Bigras can fill that need within the next couple years.

Best case scenario... Markov... Worst case Hainsey IMO.

There could be more options next off-season with Martin, and Staal, but free-agency always looks that way the year before.

 

[Freudian]

There isn't really anything that can replace Stastny and Parenteau internally and Avs ran into depth problems with a few injuries last season and I don't trust Tanguay to stay healthy at all. He's having old man injuries. If Stastny and Parenteau go, Avs need to add two good pieces up front in addition to strengthening the defense.

 

[CB Joe]

Grabovski and Kulemin?

That would be ideal. Signing both Grabovski and Kulemin would cost more than Stastny alone, leaving even less money for the Avs to upgrade the defence. Unless of course Pareateau was dealt too. I know the Avs can fit all of that in under the cap, but there is still the actually dollars to be concerned about.

 

[AslanRH]

My low expectation of a Parenteau trade

Parenteau for Emelin and maybe a prospect/pick exchange

Anything much less in value and I think he stays until the deadline

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

My low expectation of a Parenteau trade

Parenteau for Emelin and maybe a prospect/pick exchange

Anything much less in value and I think he stays until the deadline

I could actually see Emelin doing quite well in Colorado.

 

[Avsboy]

Just say no to Emelin. He's not worth his contract, and not very good period.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

My low expectation of a Parenteau trade

Parenteau for Emelin and maybe a prospect/pick exchange

Anything much less in value and I think he stays until the deadline

That's a low expectation. I'd take Emelin straight up.

 

[ABasin]

That's true, it's hard to remember those days...

Where I think I'm more pessimistic, is them actually bringing in a mid twenties or younger top four defender.

It seems that an awful lot of us (yours truly included) have seemed to be obsessed with this thought: any defenseman returned in any O'R trade, must be a similarly-aged guy. So I have a question I've been asking myself: Why is this mandatory?

I mean, I'm not suggesting the Avs trade O'R for a 37 year old player with a year or two of elite play left. But, most reasonable NHL contracts for the really good players are 5-7 years in length, then they're UFAs. So guys like Landeskog and Duchene and EJ could easily be gone at the end of their contracts. Combine that with the notion that the Avs are entering their possible-contending years, probably in the 2015-16 season. So what if the Avs sign a 28-30 year old defenseman in return for O'R, as long as that 28-30 year old guy will sign a reasonable-length contract, and as long as he's a stud? Is that 5-7 year difference in age really such an awful thing, given that the Avs are no longer in year 1/2 in their rebuilding process? Especially when the Avs could request a draft pick be thrown in to make up for said age difference? Especially since some of the Avs "elite" players' contracts will run out prior to a 28 year old guy becoming old and decrepit?

At some point, the Avs are likely going to have to add some veteran presence to this young lineup if they're going to contend, and that may very well happen via a trade for a younger Avs player. I'm not saying they should do it lightly, nor that they should do it with 2014/15 in mind. But I'm starting to be open to the concept.

 

[Burnaby_Joe*]

That's a low expectation. I'd take Emelin straight up.

Me too

 

[Metallo]

I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle. It wasn't exactly just a miracle season. The one I have the most issue with is Varly. No he's not going to have a Vezina season every year but who knows what the expected average Varly is. For the Holden fans, he was the second highest rated defenseman. Anyway, was a decent summation and probably one of the best ones I've read on the prospects.

The Avs are not going to add that many pieces...but I do expect one on defense at least.

There is no way the Avs duplicate a 112pts season with the exact same lineup. We would be in the low 100s at best. If it's status quo minus Stastny we are a borderline playoff team. Avs need to add, no question in my mind. The "organic growth" of our young players only won't cut it.

 

[Bender]

It seems that an awful lot of us (yours truly included) have seemed to be obsessed with this thought: any defenseman returned in any O'R trade, must be a similarly-aged guy. So I have a question I've been asking myself: Why is this mandatory?

I mean, I'm not suggesting the Avs trade O'R for a 37 year old player with a year or two of elite play left. But, most reasonable NHL contracts for the really good players are 5-7 years in length, then they're UFAs. So guys like Landeskog and Duchene and EJ could easily be gone at the end of their contracts. Combine that with the notion that the Avs are entering their possible-contending years, probably in the 2015-16 season. So what if the Avs sign a 28-30 year old defenseman in return for O'R, as long as that 28-30 year old guy will sign a reasonable-length contract, and as long as he's a stud? Is that 5-7 year difference in age really such an awful thing, given that the Avs are no longer in year 1/2 in their rebuilding process? Especially when the Avs could request a draft pick be thrown in to make up for said age difference? Especially since some of the Avs "elite" players' contracts will run out prior to a 28 year old guy becoming old and decrepit?

At some point, the Avs are likely going to have to add some veteran presence to this young lineup if they're going to contend, and that may very well happen via a trade for a younger Avs player. I'm not saying they should do it lightly, nor that they should do it with 2014/15 in mind. But I'm starting to be open to the concept.

I can give you my perspective on this. I think there are a couple of guys in that age bracket that make a lot of sense for the Avs, guys like Dan Hamhuis and Mark Giordano. Both guys would be really good fits with this club and help us out tremendously. The issue that I have is that our core is still extremely young. At what point are they going to be, unequivocally, without a doubt, ready to become serious contenders for the cup every single year? Next year? Two years from now? More?

It's different for every club. So the theory behind acquiring a guy close to 30, although a 'stud' by every sense of the word, could easily backfire if the core of this team is only TRULY ready to contend by the 4th or 5th year and that player's impact won't be nearly as strong as he starts to decline (if he's even still on the team - depending on contract).

That's my take on it.

Now, if that player is the very last missing piece and you've gotten a feel for this because you've gone to the Conference Finals in back to back years or whatever, that's a different story but we're not there yet.

 

[shadow1]

I think Kesler is breaking down fast but he still has some good years left, he would be a good addition. I just think he'll cost way too much and we're better off using those assets in a trade to upgrade the defense.

Depending on the cost, he could be a huge addition for someone. To me he is the classic buy low player that fans forget how good he is due to recent circumstances (in this case, team play and injury).

It's easy to draw parallels between what Marian Gaborik recently went through and the Ryan Kesler saga of present.

 

[Avsboy]

It's easy to draw parallels between what Marian Gaborik recently went through and the Ryan Kesler saga of present.

IMO Gaborik has more talent in his left pinky. I have a thing for shifty Europeans like him or Yakupov.