Kulikov

[Dr Beinfest]

A $25 million contract on Kulikov is WAY off hand. He isn't coming off a great season. Don't Olesz the guy. $3.5 million is already plenty more than he's worth. I'd argue he'd be worth $5 million if he reached his potential, but considering he's an RFA I would either say get a 1 year or something in the $3 million per range. $5 is absurd considering how bad he and everyone else on this team was. Nobody deserves that kinda money. The only player I could see making that number would've been Brad Boyes as a 1 year deal, but they got a killer number on him.

 

[CoolburnIsGone]

I think Olsen is your Cheap #7. Tallon wants 2 UFA D-men so I think it will be more

Soup - UFA
Kuli - UFA
Ekblad - Guds

I agree that Olsen is probably gonna be #7. Heck Tallon could end up keeping Jovo to be #8 too. But I think with the UFA crop of d-men, its gonna look more like this (baring we dont trade Kulikov):

Soup - Kulikov
UFA - Guds
UFA - Ekblad

 

[RainingRats]

I agree that Olsen is probably gonna be #7. Heck Tallon could end up keeping Jovo to be #8 too. But I think with the UFA crop of d-men, its gonna look more like this (baring we dont trade Kulikov):

Soup - Kulikov
UFA - Guds
UFA - Ekblad

This makes the most sense to me. I think we need to have Kulikov, Guds, and Ekblad play with Veterans. Depending on the D we sign, maybe Guds plays with Soup. I think bringing in Ekblad makes it more likely we move Kulikov.

 

[coopdaloop123]

This makes the most sense to me. I think we need to have Kulikov, Guds, and Ekblad play with Veterans. Depending on the D we sign, maybe Guds plays with Soup. I think bringing in Ekblad makes it more likely we move Kulikov.

Everyone I've talked to doesn't think Ekblad is NHL ready for next season

 

[MintyFresh88]

Everyone I've talked to doesn't think Ekblad is NHL ready for next season

He should be sent down for another year. Absolutely no reason why we (or anyone else for that matter) should need to rely on him right away.

 

[gudzilla]

Everyone I've talked to doesn't think Ekblad is NHL ready for next season

where should he play then?

can he go to college for 1 year? he seems to be a clever kid who likes to study

 

[coopdaloop123]

where should he play then?

can he go to college for 1 year? he seems to be a clever kid who likes to study

Assume he'd do another year in the OHL

 

[Ghoste]

Agree, if we draft Ekblad, let him go back to Barrie.

-ghoste

 

[gudzilla]

Assume he'd do another year in the OHL

yeah, thats the standard procedure, but will he learn anything though?

seems like he can just use his size etc

 

[RCGP]

yeah, thats the standard procedure, but will he learn anything though?

seems like he can just use his size etc

Ekblad can't go to college only the OHL or the NHL.

He's as NHL ready as any 18 year old defenseman, he already has NHL size. If we have the depth to keep him down that would be nice but I doubt it.

When's the last time a first overall stayed in the minors?

 

[gudzilla]

Ekblad can't go to college only the OHL or the NHL.

He's as NHL ready as any 18 year old defenseman, he already has NHL size. If we have the depth to keep him down that would be nice but I doubt it.

When's the last time a first overall stayed in the minors?

EJ, lol, he went to college though. for junior, i think its MAF

so you can't go CHL>college? bullcrap lol

 

[RCGP]

EJ, lol, he went to college though. for junior, i think its MAF

so you can't go CHL>college? bullcrap lol

It was ej. He was in the NCAA though so it could have been his choice as the player has to decide to go pro. I can't recall. Maf did make the penguins and played half the year up until he was returned.

The NCAA considers chl guys as pros so they are ineligible. They aren't allowed in the ahl until they hit 20 or have 4 chl seasons either due to an agreement between the NHL chl and ahl.

It would be great to send ekblad back for a year I just don't see it happening.

 

[I am not exposed]

It was ej. He was in the NCAA though so it could have been his choice as the player has to decide to go pro. I can't recall. Maf did make the penguins and played half the year up until he was returned.

The NCAA considers chl guys as pros so they are ineligible. They aren't allowed in the ahl until they hit 20 or have 4 chl seasons either due to an agreement between the NHL chl and ahl.

It would be great to send ekblad back for a year I just don't see it happening.

I think if we draft Ekblad he plays next season. I just hope we get good support for our young Ds. Actually the same can be said you our young Forwards!

 

[FrolikFan67]

i don't see how ekblad wouldnt be ready. he's played 3 years in the ohl already and is a man-child beast, already 6'3 215lbs at 18. what good would a 4th year in the ohl do him? if we make next to nooooo improvements this offseason via trade/ufa, then fine keep him down if you want, but I'm assuming we'll try to significantly improve given the money we have available. if we do pick up some strong players then let ekblad jump in. he's the most nhl ready prospect in this draft imo.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Whether or not he's NHL ready is irrelevant... a year of juniors won't help him.

It's either two years (one in the AHL) or straight to the NHL. Wouldn't make sense to send him back to his junior team if you planned on playing him the following season.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Whether or not he's NHL ready is irrelevant... a year of juniors won't help him.

It's either two years (one in the AHL) or straight to the NHL. Wouldn't make sense to send him back to his junior team if you planned on playing him the following season.

CHL players can't play in the AHL until they turn 20 because of the NHL/CHL transfer agreement.

 

[gudzilla]

CHL players can't play in the AHL until they turn 20 because of the NHL/CHL transfer agreement.

can he play in KHL/SHL/FEL?

 

[SoupyFIN]

can he play in KHL/SHL/FEL?

I don't see why not.

Then again, I highly doubt that any European team would give him the minutes he could get with the Colts. It would have to be at least a 3 year project to make it worthwhile, and whoever drafts him would probably want him in the AHL for the 3rd year.

 

[gudzilla]

I don't see why not.

Then again, I highly doubt that any European team would give him the minutes he could get with the Colts. It would have to be at least a 3 year project to make it worthwhile, and whoever drafts him would probably want him in the AHL for the 3rd year.

the thing here is, will he develop better playing in europe than on the colts?

playing junior vs a bunch of smaller guys makes him able to just use his size, in europe he gotta play with smarts too

now, if i thought he'd just rely on size in the CHL, i'd be no go to draft him, but i dont think its a bad idea to explore europe

 

[ShootIt]

I think Tallon will give any player we draft the 9 games before deciding on where they'll play

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

I think Tallon will give any player we draft the 9 games before deciding on where they'll play

I agree. Ekblad will at least get the 9 game tryout unless he has a godawful training camp or something.

 

[mbitonti]

Random question, but has a Guds-Campbell pairing ever really been tried? If we brought in a Niskanen or an Orpik type vet, I don't see why Kuli couldn't play with them on our top line. Then put Soup and Guds on our second. Guds would play a shut down role, allowing Soup to take offensive chances. Also, putting Soup on the second pairing would let his minutes to go down because, lets face it, the guy looked gassed playing 27 min a night. Let him play 21-23 including extra PP time, Guds can play 16-19. Kuli and a good UFA are capable of playing 22-24 minutes easy. My main concern for this is that I just don't think Kulikov and Campbell work well together with their offense-first styles and I really want a good vet to play with Kuli. Best scenario would be getting a vet to play with all three (Campbell, Kuli, Guds), making our lines Cambell-UFA, Kuli-UFA, Guds-UFA. However, I highly doubt we add more than two Dmen this offseason. Plus we have to deal with Jovo. Also, although I am highly advocating for Ekblad, I don't think he should play here next season unless we get a good vet for him to play with (ie. nobody currently on our roster)

Perfect scenario:

Kulikov-Niskanen
Campbell-Greene
Guds-Stralman

Likely:

Kulikov-Orpik
Campbell-Guds
Jovo-UFA/Olsen

 

[SoupyFIN]

Random question, but has a Guds-Campbell pairing ever really been tried?

Occasionally for a shift or two, yes.

But the main problem has been that Guds can't handle the 25+ minutes Campbell plays on a nightly basis.

 

[ShootIt]

Occasionally for a shift or two, yes.

But the main problem has been that Guds can't handle the 25+ minutes Campbell plays on a nightly basis.

Guds can't handle it, or the coaching staff can't handle giving Guds 25+ mins a night.

 

[mbitonti]

I agree he's not ready for that yet, but I think Campbell would benefit by getting less ice time as well. I think Guds could handle 18-19 a night, then Campbell can simply get extra time on the PP, PK, and at the end of games when we are desperately trying to make a come back with one-two minutes left. Like I said though, ideally we would just get a UFA to play with all three of our currently signed Dmen excluding Jovo, letting Guds play on the third. My main concern is Guds continuing to play with Jovo each night and I don't like a Kuli-Campbell pairing at all