Speculation: Is our defence good enough to go deep in the playoffs?

[WTFMAN99]

No - you need 1 more top 4 RD

Rielly-X/Brodie
Muzzin-X/Brodie
Gio/Sandin-Liljegren

I thought Liljegren could ascend this year but with the hernia injury and being so difficult to come back from, I am tempering my expectations.

Upgrading on Holl and maybe adding 1 more weapon to the forward group (maybe it's Knies or Robertson?) will go a long way as long as the goaltending is steady.

 

[Havoc]

Justin Holl: *exists*

Auston Matthews:

 

[Nhlpowerweek]

How is Muzzin's fitness and shape right now? Is he more ready than the seasons before this one? His role might elevate back to the form he was, if ready and trained.

 

[kevsh]

We have never had issues with D in the playoffs

Yeah. that's a bit of a stretch but your post overall was fair.

From what I've seen, this D is good enough for a deep run with a healthy Muzzin. If he's out or playing hurt, not so much.

Gio really helps with the depth and Liljegren hopefully takes another step forward, Brodie when he's on is fantastic, Reilly will be looking to prove he's worth the new cap hit and he strikes me as a player who will make sure he does and Holl while frustrating to watch at times is underrated. And they've still got Sandin who should be looking to take advantage of his opportunities.

 

[TheScandal89]

The D is pretty good, we got 4 legit top 4 in Rielly, Gio, Muzzin and Brodie as well as potentially 2 future Top 4 in Liljegren and Sandin. We also got Holl who sometimes looks like a NHLer and then sometimes looks like a Minor leaguer. Its a good enough D when healthy imo.

The problem usually comes down to our PP faltering in elimination games, taking bad penalties and weak goals getting through our goalies.

Poor penalties have really plagued us in key games. Going to this year up against Tampa in game 6, Kampf took a weak penalty call, followed by Kerfoot taking a bone head one to make it 5 on 3. Then against Montreal Nylander takes one, then Marner with all day gets delay of game. Now lets go back to Boston series, in game 6 we were up early then Ennis and Dermott take penalties and we down and never came back. I was there, after those penalties completely sucked the energy out of the building after Bostons tied it

The team is good but year after year loves to shoot themselves in the feet.

 

[CDN24]

The D is pretty good, we got 4 legit top 4 in Rielly, Gio, Muzzin and Brodie as well as potentially 2 future Top 4 in Liljegren and Sandin. We also got Holl who sometimes looks like a NHLer and then sometimes looks like a Minor leaguer. Its a good enough D when healthy imo.

The problem usually comes down to our PP faltering in elimination games, taking bad penalties and weak goals getting through our goalies.

Poor penalties have really plagued us in key games. Going to this year up against Tampa in game 6, Kampf took a weak penalty call, followed by Kerfoot taking a bone head one to make it 5 on 3. Then against Montreal Nylander takes one, then Marner with all day gets delay of game. Now lets go back to Boston series, in game 6 we were up early then Ennis and Dermott take penalties and we down and never came back. I was there, after those penalties completely sucked the energy out of the building after Bostons tied it

The team is good but year after year loves to shoot themselves in the feet.

How much time is Liljegren expected to miss? There is no Cap space for him when healthy. Current roster of 20 maxes out the Cap. Unless there is another D making at least $1.4M On LTIR or able to go on LTIR there is no room for him when healthy. who do you waive when he is healthy? Holl? Sandin? Liljegren? The Cap is going to be problematic this year.

 

[kb]

How much time is Liljegren expected to miss? There is no Cap space for him when healthy. Current roster of 20 maxes out the Cap. Unless there is another D making at least $1.4M On LTIR or able to go on LTIR there is no room for him when healthy. who do you waive when he is healthy? Holl? Sandin? Liljegren? The Cap is going to be problematic this year.

You don't think they have planned for every possible cap scenario? Just because that is the situation now doesn't mean that will be the situation in 3 weeks. I suspect they know exactly what they will do if everyone is healthy.

 

[CDN24]

You don't think they have planned for every possible cap scenario? Just because that is the situation now doesn't mean that will be the situation in 3 weeks. I suspect they know exactly what they will do if everyone is healthy.

They may have a plan- they may not. They may be counting on someone else being on LTIR. If all are healthy, ignoring Benn he would be waived, they are 1.4M over the cap. No-one is waiver exempt so if all are healthy or more specifically not on LTIR one of two things has to happen.
1) they trade out forward who makes at least 1.4M more than his replacement (replacement comes in trade or from minors)
2) trade away a D-man
3) they waive a D-man.


Those are the only 3 options.

The cheapest replacement player is league minimum 750K to free up 1.4M need to trade someone making at least 2.15M. That's Engvall or Kerfoot assuming the big 4 won't be moved.

So trade one of those 2 or trade/waive one of Sandin, Holl, Liljegren, Brodie or Muzzin again assuming Rielly is not an option.

So no- we don't know the plan, but we do know their options

 

[TheScandal89]

How much time is Liljegren expected to miss? There is no Cap space for him when healthy. Current roster of 20 maxes out the Cap. Unless there is another D making at least $1.4M On LTIR or able to go on LTIR there is no room for him when healthy. who do you waive when he is healthy? Holl? Sandin? Liljegren? The Cap is going to be problematic this year.

I think it was either 4-6 weeks or 6-8, but i cant remember.

 

[zeke]

I think it was either 4-6 weeks or 6-8, but i cant remember.

it was 6 weeks from Sep21, which would be the first week of November.

of course, this is the kind of injury that can linger and that they can milk for a long time if they think it will help them in trading other guys.

 

[TheScandal89]

it was 6 weeks from Sep21, which would be the first week of November.

of course, this is the kind of injury that can linger and that they can milk for a long time if they think it will help them in trading other guys.

I knew the median was 6 weeks but I couldn't remember if it was a 4-6 or 6-8, it was neither lol

 

[Tak7]

It's an above average D-core, on a team that plays above average team defense. I still think it's missing some grit / sandpaper for a proper cup run though.

The number of goals Tampa scored from the garbage areas, because we just couldn't clear that area of ice, still bothers me.

 

[zeke]

It's an above average D-core, on a team that plays above average team defense. I still think it's missing some grit / sandpaper for a proper cup run though.

The number of goals Tampa scored from the garbage areas, because we just couldn't clear that area of ice, still bothers me.