Management Thread - Read OP

[4Twenty]

The biggest difference is Ferland scored some points while leeching of top 6 players while Connolly did it from the 3rd line. Connolly is also a better defensive player. IMO Connolly is the better player, Ferland has been carried by Monahan and Aho, while Connolly had the same level of production playing next to Lars Eller.

And Monahan/Gaudreau and Aho have significantly better numbers away from Ferland.

 

[F A N]

The thing with Connolly is that he’s been out-producing his minutes for 4 straight years.

His 2016-18 numbers at ES - from 10-12 bottom-6 minutes/game - are basically the same as what Sven Baertschi was putting up here on the top line next to Horvat. And that was before he broke out this year and put up first-line production from 13 minutes/game next to Lars Eller.

As soon as he gets a consistent 16 minutes/game with some PP time he’ll be a consistent 25+ goal guy.

I don't share your projections based on extrapolations. I do think Connolly is a good player but it would be foolish to sign him with the idea that if given 16 minutes/game with some PP time he'll be a consistent 25+ goal guy.

 

[MS]

I don't share your projections based on extrapolations. I do think Connolly is a good player but it would be foolish to sign him with the idea that if given 16 minutes/game with some PP time he'll be a consistent 25+ goal guy.

I don't feel this is some sort of outlandish projection.

He averaged 16 goals/82 GP from 2014-2018 while getting 10-12 3rd/4th line minutes/game.

Last year, he scored 22 goals from 13 minutes/game on a 3rd line with almost zero PP time. If he received regular 2nd unit PP time last year and scored a measly 3 goals there, he's at 25 last year.

After 5 years of outproducing his minutes, I don't think it's a huge stretch to think he's improve slightly more with better linemates and more icetime.

Again, for the couple years prior to this year in 2016-2018 he was basically generating Sven Baertschi results at ES from Tim Schaller minutes. Last year wasn't some sort of fluke.

 

[Addison Rae]

it's not a logic i used.

Players who fight and play physical get and deserve compensation. Do you disagree

Connolly is the same age as Ferland and has had major hip surgery. As a rule your right on the break down bit but he's 27 not 30. No one is advocating for a 5 or 6 year deal. If he came in at 4 x 4 that could be a nice addition and one that makes us harder to play against.

It amazes me how people scoff at being able to play heavy hockey and here we are......Blues world champs. Gotta be able to play it all ways and not get chased off the rink.

St. Louis was able to get their Ferland type player in Patrick Maroon on a sweet heart deal, because Maroon wanted to be close to his family. They're the prime example of not overpaying for "heavy hockey".

Jim Benning has tried to make this team "harder to play against" since 2014 and has failed miserably, to hell with it. Make this team better at ice hockey.

 

[valkynax]

Being tough doesn't mean a thing without the skills.

Just like being "nice" is no substitute for coaching talent, or talent, period.

Tom Sestito was tough, wasn't he?

 

[thecupismine]

This whole Edler debacle reinforces the common belief here that Benning has no comprehensible plan. Zero problems giving term to guys like Beagle and Roussel when our bottom 6 is already crowded, yet draws a line in the sand when it comes to one of the only top four defensemen we have.

You could argue (and I'd disagree with you) about the merit behind the Erikson signing given the Sedins were on the team, but this flip-flop has happened over the course of one year. I can't put together a cohesive, logical argument behind why you give term to 2, 30+ bottom 6 players but not to top 4 defensemen...unless there's already regret surrounding the former signings.

Yet, everything about Edler is exactly what Benning wishes Beagle/Roussel were: tough veterans who know how to win and can show the young guys how to play/what it takes. I just don't get it.

 

[bossram]

I have a radical idea. How about we go out and get Connolly and Ferland?

Because Ferland isn't that good, has really only produced next to elite linemates, and will be more overpaid based on "grit" and "toughness".

Connolly I wouldn't mind. But he'd probably come in at something like 4x4 at this point, which doesn't really represent much of a discount to me.

The only UFA forward I'd really target is Joonas Donskoi. He kinda fell out a favour in SJ and seems to not have that "reputation" factor, but he's an efficient scorer with good underlying numbers and microstats.

 

[elitepete]

The Rangers contended for 4 years while Benning was the GM, rebuilt for half a season so far, and are as far along in their rebuild as the Canucks.

 

[Horse McHindu]

I don't share your projections based on extrapolations. I do think Connolly is a good player but it would be foolish to sign him with the idea that if given 16 minutes/game with some PP time he'll be a consistent 25+ goal guy.

Agreed.

I'm a huge fan of Connolly as well, but I can't see him putting up 25+ goals either.

 

[Askel]

And Monahan/Gaudreau and Aho have significantly better numbers away from Ferland.

Absolutly. Ferland is overrated, look at what Monahan and Gadreau did this year when they got a competent 3rd part of their line.

 

[PG Canuck]

Comical. Just comical.

 

[MS]

This whole Edler debacle reinforces the common belief here that Benning has no comprehensible plan. Zero problems giving term to guys like Beagle and Roussel when our bottom 6 is already crowded, yet draws a line in the sand when it comes to one of the only top four defensemen we have.

You could argue (and I'd disagree with you) about the merit behind the Erikson signing given the Sedins were on the team, but this flip-flop has happened over the course of one year. I can't put together a cohesive, logical argument behind why you give term to 2, 30+ bottom 6 players but not to top 4 defensemen...unless there's already regret surrounding the former signings.

Yet, everything about Edler is exactly what Benning wishes Beagle/Roussel were: tough veterans who know how to win and can show the young guys how to play/what it takes. I just don't get it.

Any claims that Benning has any sort of cohesive plan are basically destroyed by the Beagle/Roussell last year vs. Edler this year situation.

It's just insanity that anyone could give 4-year term for someone else's 33 y/o middling 4th liner but draw the line at 2 years for your 33 y/o #1 defender who has been with the organization for 15 years.

It's just the most basic thing that you pay your top guys and go cheap on depth. Benning, as usual, has the whole thing backward.

 

[MS]

Agreed.

I'm a huge fan of Connolly as well, but I can't see him putting up 25+ goals either.

He literally would have scored 25 goals last year if Washington had used him on the 2nd PP unit. As it was, he had 22 next to Lars Eller on a 3rd line.

 

[Fire Benning]

He has no plan, he is winging it.

 

[mouz135]

Comical. Just comical.

Weren't they working on signing Schenn awhile back? What on earth is the hold up

 

[MS]

He has no plan, he is winging it.

Benning is an extremely unintelligent man who is also disorganized and has no planning skills or ability to be proactive. There's kind of a 'notion' about what we're doing that usually holds for about 6 months before he sees a squirrel and goes a different direction.

 

[Fire Benning]

Weren't they working on signing Schenn awhile back? What on earth is the hold up

Schenn's agent is smart, he knows the chances of him schooling Benning increase drastically if he's still unsigned past July 1.

 

[MadaCanuckle]

What the hell? Benning is really trying to save his job... with Bogosian?

 

[FroshaugFan2]

A curious state for a team that team that claims to be focused on drafting and development.

 

[Hansen]

A curious state for a team that team that claims to be focused on drafting and development.

Benning clearly can't handle having more than one person to talk to about Utica

 

[bossram]

The Rangers contended for 4 years while Benning was the GM, rebuilt for half a season so far, and are farther along in their rebuild as the Canucks.

Fixed that for you

 

[bossram]

What the hell? Benning is really trying to save his job... with Bogosian?

Names Benning is linked to this offseason: Lucic, Zaitsev, Bogosian, Ristolainen.

We are so effed.

 

[polarbearcub]

Names Benning is linked to this offseason: Lucic, Zaitsev, Bogosian, Ristolainen.

We are so effed.

Risto the only good one

 

[WonderTwinsUnite]

Risto the only good one

He's really not.

 

[MS]

Risto the only good one

Ristolainen is absolute dog crap.

He's a 3rd-pairing defender with the IQ of a fire hydrant who gets overplayed because tools and ends up being the best Tank Commander in the NHL.