News and Notes Thread VII: Ch ch ch changes

[DaveG]

Other one's over 1K, so:

@TSNBobMcKenzie

Even though CAR's Jim Rutherford stepped down as Canes' GM, belief is he would have interest in being a GM with another franchise.

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
PIT assistant GM Jason Botterill likely to take over on an interim basis. Shero likely to immediately become frontrunner for GM job in WSH.

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
Not sure if he has interest in being a GM, but many in PIT believe owner Ron Burkle would like Sidney Crosby's agent Pat Brisson to be GM.

Click to read more...

 

[Wolfpuck]

Rutherford as the Penguins' new GM decides to extend Dan Blysma for another 5 years.

I can see it now.

 

[rocky7]

of course Rutherford's ownership alone wouldn't prevent him from taking the GM position in Pittsburgh. he is an old man who appears to want to retire after all these years and I highly doubt that the Penguins are even considering him at all. again, it's goofy to assume such.

anyway, I will assume that the Penguins coaching staff will be let go shortly or as soon as they replace Shero.

 

[Dishface]

Rutherford as the Penguins' new GM decides to extend Dan Blysma for another 5 years.

I can see it now.

Plus extending Craig Adams to a multi year, multi million contract.

 

[ONO94]

Good news is that if JR took the Pens GM job the first trade would be Staal, Staal, Staal and Ward for Sid, Malkin, top prospect and a 1st.

 

[Buenos Necas]

From Friedman's 30 thoughts:

14. Another exec, asked if he thought Jeff Skinner was available, said this about Carolina's Ron Francis: "He saw first-hand what trading an important young player can do to an organization, so he'll be careful." Hartford was never the same after it dealt the Hall of Famer to Pittsburgh in 1991.

15. Asked about that, Francis downplayed it. Afterwards, I realized he's probably thinking, "If I say yes, I'll sound like an egomaniac." He kept things close to the vest during our conversation and it's understandable, as there are some massive decisions to make. When I enquired about Eric Staal's future, the GM replied, "It depends on our budget." He could say that about a few players. Those numbers should be known in the next week or so.

16. Before we go crazy with Staal rumours, Francis added he liked seeing the captain as a left winger because it makes it easier to double-shift him around the lineup. This was one of the most interesting parts of the conversation. Asked what he's looking forward to hearing from coaching candidates, the first thing he said was, "Line pairings." He wants to hear how the interviewees would structure the roster, particularly the forward lines. "It's more about finding good pairs," he said. That way you can be flexible with the third man.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hockey/opinion/2014/05/cap-increase-wont-ease-penguins-roster-dilemma.html

Interesting that Francis views Staal as a LW, and sounds like he wants the new coach to use him that way. Unless he plans to shift Skinner or Lindholm to the middle, that would have to make gaining another center a bigger priority.

 

[TheOllieC]

Good. JStaal should be the top line C with competent offensive wingers like Eric and Semin. Muller would try that for like 1/3rd of a game then turn the blender back on.

Will be interesting to see how Loktionov heals though. I like him a lot and it would obviously add to the group of C's.

 

[SkinnersAWinner]

From Friedman's 30 thoughts:




http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/hockey/opinion/2014/05/cap-increase-wont-ease-penguins-roster-dilemma.html

Interesting that Francis views Staal as a LW, and sounds like he wants the new coach to use him that way. Unless he plans to shift Skinner or Lindholm to the middle, that would have to make gaining another center a bigger priority.

Interesting thought there with moving Skinner or someone else to center. Who do you think would be the best fit at center? Could Tlusty be used as a center?

 

[Ole Gil]

Tricky moving Staal from center now that he's become a very strong faceoff guy (52+ 3 years in a row).

I think it'd have to involve someone from outside the org to make that happen, or Lindholm making some serious strides his sophmore season.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Tricky moving Staal from center now that he's become a very strong faceoff guy (52+ 3 years in a row).

I think it'd have to involve someone from outside the org to make that happen, or Lindholm making some serious strides his sophmore season.

Francis likes seeing EStaal at LW because he knows what a C looks like in his own end.

 

[nobuddy]

Staal-Loktionov-Semin
Skinner-Staal-Lindholm
Gerbe-Nash-Tlusty
XXX-Malhotra-Dwyer

maybe?

 

[StormCast]

Staal-Loktionov-Semin
Skinner-Staal-Lindholm
Gerbe-Nash-Tlusty
XXX-Malhotra-Dwyer

maybe?

Maybe this is better suited to the Watcha Been Drinking thread?

 

[nobuddy]

Maybe this is better suited to the Watcha Been Drinking thread?

They played together at the end of the season and were pretty productive.

Do you have any better suggestions if we're moving E.Staal? Staal-Staal-Semin isn't valid as that murders are already non existent depth.

 

[StormCast]

They played together at the end of the season and were pretty productive.

Being pretty productive with nothing on the line is a far cry from penciling in Lokti as your 1C.

As for other options, Lindholm will be given a long look at 2C and they'll upgrade 3C via trade or UFA signing.

 

[Identity404]

15. Asked about that, Francis downplayed it. Afterwards, I realized he's probably thinking, "If I say yes, I'll sound like an egomaniac." He kept things close to the vest during our conversation and it's understandable, as there are some massive decisions to make. When I enquired about Eric Staal's future, the GM replied, "It depends on our budget." He could say that about a few players. Those numbers should be known in the next week or so.

Anyone else a little concerned about the bolded?

With PK getting closer to the business side of things this season i'm afraid the purse strings will be tighter than ever.

Are we unable to afford our star players now?

 

[nobuddy]

Being pretty productive with nothing on the line is a far cry from penciling in Lokti as your 1C.

As for other options, Lindholm will be given a long look at 2C and they'll upgrade 3C via trade or UFA signing.

Being a 1C in a vacuum is a far cry from being a 1C with Eric Staal and Alex Semin as your wingers.

 

[nobuddy]

Anyone else a little concerned about the bolded?

Yup.

 

[StormCast]

Being a 1C in a vacuum is a far cry from being a 1C with Eric Staal and Alex Semin as your wingers.

So using that logic, why not throw Riley Nash up there as 1C? Look, Lotki showed some nice glimpses of his potential but if he's your 1C you've got problems regardless of his wingers. He's not that good.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I don't understand how Staal-Staal-Semin isn't valid but an injured RFA who may or may not even sign here is a valid first or second line center.

 

[nobuddy]

So using that logic, why not throw Riley Nash up there as 1C? Look, Lotki showed some nice glimpses of his potential but if he's your 1C you've got problems regardless of his wingers. He's not that good.

Because Loktionov is much better than Nash. The guy put up 10 points in 20 games playing under 15 minutes a night with us. And it's not like he was riding some ridiculous luck streak either. He was shooting below his career average and his GF% was even below his CF%. It's a small sample size but there aren't any of the red flags that are there when small sample sizes typically aren't replicable.

 

[nobuddy]

I don't understand how Staal-Staal-Semin isn't valid but an injured RFA who may or may not even sign here is a valid first or second line center.

Staal-Staal-Semin would give us the worst middle six in the league outside of Buffalo. Loktionov was very good with EStaal and Semin this season with EStaal on the wing and Lokti at center. Skinner-JStaal-Lindy provides us a serviceable (maybe even above average???) second line. Obviously this is all dependent on his health shoulder coming out okay and him signing here. Really no need to state the obvious.

 

[StormCast]

Because Loktionov is much better than Nash. The guy put up 10 points in 20 games playing under 15 minutes a night with us. And it's not like he was riding some ridiculous luck streak either. He was shooting below his career average and his GF% was even below his CF%. It's a small sample size but there aren't any of the red flags that are there when small sample sizes typically aren't replicable.

Really? Of course he's better than Nash. The point is that you can't just place a bottom 6 C into a 1C role just because he'd play with good wingers.

Who cares about Lotki's shooting percentage? He's lousy at draws and his playmaking is not on par with a 1C. If you need Semin or EStaal to have to play the role of playmaking wing, then what's the point? Red flags in my book.

 

[nobuddy]

Really? Of course he's better than Nash. The point is that you can't just place a bottom 6 C into a 1C role just because he'd play with good wingers.

Who cares about Lotki's shooting percentage? He's lousy at draws and his playmaking is not on par with a 1C. If you need Semin or EStaal to have to play the role of playmaking wing, then what's the point? Red flags in my book.

Pretty easy to have Eric take the draws and move him back to the wing immediately. It's a very common practice. And you have nothing to support that his playmaking isn't on par with a 1C, especially considering playmaking is his strong point.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Pretty easy to have Eric take the draws and move him back to the wing immediately. It's a very common practice. And you have nothing to support that his playmaking isn't on par with a 1C, especially considering playmaking is his strong point.

Do you have anything to support that he was "very good" with Staal and Semin? He had 4 even strength points in 20 games and did the bulk of his PP damage with Skinner and Lindholm.

 

[StormCast]

Pretty easy to have Eric take the draws and move him back to the wing immediately. It's a very common practice. And you have nothing to support that his playmaking isn't on par with a 1C, especially considering playmaking is his strong point.

Wow, talk about pretzel logic. So why not just play Staal at C then?

I have nothing to support his playmaking isn't on par with a 1C? I realize it may not be fashionable but...well...I've watched him quite closely. He has pretty good playmaking skills along the half-wall on the PP but in open ice against top D pairs? Below average for a 1C and his vision is average.