Speculation: Offseason moves

[Qward]

After the playoffs are over we will have some holes that need to be filled. Here is where we sit without any signings.

FORWARDS
Mika Zibanejad ($1.744m) / Jason Spezza ($7.000m) / Milan Michalek ($4.333m)
Cory Conacher ($0.925m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Jakob Silfverberg ($0.900m)
Colin Greening ($0.817m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Chris Neil ($1.900m)
Matt Kassian ($0.575m) / Jim O'Brien ($0.638m) / XXXXXXXX
DEFENSEMEN
Jared Cowen ($1.265m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Eric Gryba ($0.563m)
Chris Phillips ($3.083m) / XXXXXXXXXXXX
GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($0.870m)
OTHER
Buyout: Bobby Butler ($0.200m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $42,887,500; BONUSES: $1,275,000
CAP SPACE (18-man roster): $22,687,500


Here are our UFA's and RFA's

UFA
Gonchar
Alfredsson
Latendresse
Lundin
Regin
Benoit
Lawson
Jessiman

RFA
Wiercioch
Da Costa
Hoffman
Condra
Cowick
Borowiecki
Dziurzynski
Caporusso

Addressing forwards:
We have 1 spot open in the bottom 6. That could be addressed by re-signing Condra to slot into that part.
That will leave us with 2 scoring lines and 2 energy/grinding lines.

Another option is to create 3 scoring lines and having one energy/grinding line.

XXXXX - Spezza - Michalek
XXXXX - Turris - XXXXX
Conacher - Zibanejad - Silfverberg
Kassian - Smith - Neil
O'Brien

Greening can be slotted into one of those LW vacant spots. This still leaves 1 LW and 1 RW. Do we re-sign Latendresse and Alfredsson to fill these needs? Do we bring up more kids from Bingo and slot them in? Stone, Hoffman.

Addressing Defense:

We have two spots on the RD that need to be filled.

Is Gryba to the caliber that is needed to go deep? Do we re-sign Benoit or Lundin?

There is the option of re-signing Gonchar.

There is also the option of approaching a team like PHX that has 2 very good D prospects that are RHD and are NHL ready. Rundblad/Stone.

Rundblad is more offensive and Stone is more Defensive. Could a trade be made trading one/couple prospects for either of these guys?


Thoughts on re-signings / signings, plans moving forward?

Click to read more...

 

[sensfandan]

At this point, I can't see Zibanejad moving back to wing permanently. He's always looked more effective at centre to me, and he's starting to become a physical two-way force up the middle. When you have 3 good centres, you don't move one to wing, you build 3 scoring lines. Pittsburgh and Boston both had great success with this formula.

I'm a big believer in duos, and if Alfie comes back another year I'd build the top 9 as follows:

Michalek - Spezza - xxx
xxx - Turris - Alfredsson
xxx - Zibanejad - Silfverberg

Greening and Conacher can fill two of those holes, with Smith and Condra on the 4th line who are easily talented enough to slot up for injuries. That leaves the third hole, which could be filled by Latendresse but we could also try for an upgrade. If Alfie retires Murray certainly is gonna have his hands full trying to find an impact winger to play with Turris.

As an aside, I can certainly see Wiercioch being moved this summer. I don't think Maclean trusts him very much, and with Karlsson we don't need to be a team that tolerates a one-dimensional defenseman. Teams also pay through the nose for puck-movers, so he could be a valuable trade chip. Similar to Bishop, he's a guy who might have more value to other teams than he does to us, and we'd be wise to flip him while his value is high. If we can flip him for a scoring winger I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

 

[Laphroaig]

I'm going to proceed on the assumption that Alfie retires.

I want a fast team. I'd like Hoffman to make it and I'd try to package Stone for a top six forward. There should be guys available due to the reduction in the salary cap. Wayne Simmonds would be my dream acquisition. A top six power forward has been lacking on this team forever.

Condra has value on this team but if we re-sign him it would mean moving either Silfverberg or Conacher to the top six and using Condra with Zibanejad. Weakens the third line but makes our penalty kill very effective.

I think Gryba has been exceptional. I think he and Methot could be a terrific shut down pair for the next several years.....equivalent to Phillips and Volchenkov in their prime.

Ideally I'd love to see Phillips retire so we could sign Wiercioch and Benoit as well as a free agent. Phillips won't leave so maybe we just let Cowen replace Gonchar and see how it goes without any new faces.

We'll still have plenty of cap space to upgrade throughout the season as needed.

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

Gui should get an extension, Alfie obviously if he wants to play and Gonchar if he'll take a one year.

Other than that we probably stand pat unless we can add one of the big names.

Re-sign Condra, Hoffman, Da Costa, weircioch. The other RFAs re-sign if we have the contract room.

 

[sensfandan]

I'm going to proceed on the assumption that Alfie retires.

I want a fast team. I'd like Hoffman to make it and I'd try to package Stone for a top six forward. There should be guys available due to the reduction in the salary cap. Wayne Simmonds would be my dream acquisition. A top six power forward has been lacking on this team forever.

Condra has value on this team but if we re-sign him it would mean moving either Silfverberg or Conacher to the top six and using Condra with Zibanejad. Weakens the third line but makes our penalty kill very effective.

I think Gryba has been exceptional. I think he and Methot could be a terrific shut down pair for the next several years.....equivalent to Phillips and Volchenkov in their prime.

Ideally I'd love to see Phillips retire so we could sign Wiercioch and Benoit as well as a free agent. Phillips won't leave so maybe we just let Cowen replace Gonchar and see how it goes without any new faces.

We'll still have plenty of cap space to upgrade throughout the season as needed.

We can easily slot Condra as a fourth liner and use him as a PK specialist. His numbers aren't great and he won't have a lot of leverage as an RFA, and he's a very valuable player. Injuries will happen and we'd be wise to keep an excess of effective forwards.

 

[Very Stable Genius]

Mason Raymond anybody?

 

[Laphroaig]

Raymond can skate but he's a perimeter player with questionable hands and hockey sense. My guess is that Hoffman can give us as much as Raymond and at a discount.

 

[Iamok]

It still remains to be seen if this is the year we finally open up to making big moves, which is why I don't really expect a big off-season. Ideally we don't re-sign Lats simply because we find 2 top 6 wingers that are better, but I doubt that. I choose not to include Alfie until it's a certainty that he comes back.

Oh, and if one of Stone/Noesen/Hoffman end up emerging as legit NHL forwards, then Silf sliding up a spot works too.

So, going into next season, I see it as:

Greening - Spezza - Michalek
XXX - Turris - XXX
Conacher - Zibanejad - Silfverberg
Condra - Smith - Neil
JOB, Kassian

Methot - Karlsson
Cowen - XXX
Phillips - Gryba/Wiercioch

 

[Xspyrit]

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
Xspyrit's custom Lineup

* Red = incertain (rest should be set in stone)

FORWARDS

Guillaume Latendresse ($2.500m) / Jason Spezza ($7.000m) / Milan Michalek ($4.333m)
Stephane Da Costa ($1.000m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Daniel Alfredsson ($4.000m)
Cory Conacher ($0.925m) / Mika Zibanejad ($1.744m) / Jakob Silfverberg ($0.900m)
Colin Greening ($0.817m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Chris Neil ($1.900m)
Matt Kassian ($0.575m) / Jim O'Brien ($0.638m) / Erik Condra ($0.900m)

DEFENSEMEN

Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Jared Cowen ($1.265m) / Sergei Gonchar ($4.500m)
Patrick Wiercioch ($1.200m) / Chris Phillips ($3.083m)
Andre Benoit ($0.800m)/Eric Gryba ($0.563m)

GOALTENDERS

Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($0.870m)

OTHER

Buyout: Bobby Butler ($0.200m)
------

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $57,787,500; BONUSES: $1,275,000
CAP SPACE (25-man roster): $7,787,500



* Gonchar, Latendresse and Alfredsson are UFA at the end of the 2012-13 season. No certainty that we will re-sign them. Maybe we'll sign different UFAs. Maybe another trade will be made.

** I know there's 25 players on my roster but people start to see that injuries DO occur.

*** No idea if Da Costa will be on the roster next year but he should be ready for the NHL, so he could also be traded if we can't get him some ice-time. I have him there because it would make our top-9 so dangerous.

 

[Tuna99]

Break in your future minute eaters - Ceci, stone, Noessen, Prince. Integrate Grant, Dizzy, Boro into their support rolls and use your available minutes on the kids.

Resign Alfie and Tender

Wait until the deadline to add your different maker, a Hossa, Kovulchuk, Pominville, Carter type and take a run for Alfie next year - the improved play of Silfverburg, Zibby, Gryba, Cowen should be enough alone to get us into the top 5 NHL teams.

We have the goaltending and Karlsson, if Spezza and the group say healthy we're a contender next year

 

[bert]

I would be suprised if Alfie and Gonch werent re signed with one more kick at the can. Wiercioch, Condra, Borowiecki and Hoffman will all be retained no doubt in my mind. That leaves one top 6 spot open I say they go for a home run whether it be trade or free agency with the cap going down there are going to be very good players readily available for cheap.

After watching Conacher I think him and Spezza are a match made in heaven, his puck pursuit and pressure is exactly what Spezza needs. That is why Greening is so effective with Spezza, well Conacher is Greening with way better hockey sense and skill.

Next year this is what I would like to see.

Conacher Spezza Michalek
UFA/Trade Turris Alfredsson
Greening Zibanejad Silfverberg
Condra Smith Neil
O'Brien/Hoffman/Stone

Methot Karlsson
Cowen Gonchar
Phillips Wiercioch
Gryba Borowiecki

Anderson
Lehner

Depending on who the new UFA is that team can win the cup no doubt in my mind.

 

[Busboy]

I think I'm in the minority but I'd have no problem giving Gonchar a 2 year extension at 5 million per.

We're not hurting for cap space and he's been very good for the team this year.

 

[mcnorth]

FORWARDS
Colin Greening ($0.817m) / Jason Spezza ($7.000m) / Milan Michalek ($4.333m)
Guillaume Latendresse ($2.000m) / Kyle Turris ($3.500m) / Daniel Alfredsson ($4.875m)
Cory Conacher ($0.925m) / Mika Zibanejad ($1.744m) / Jakob Silfverberg ($0.900m)
Erik Condra ($0.715m) / Zack Smith ($1.888m) / Chris Neil ($1.900m)

Matt Kassian ($0.575m) / Jim O'Brien ($0.638m) /
Mike Hoffman ($0.660m) / Stephane Da Costa ($0.840m) /

DEFENSEMEN
Marc Methot ($3.000m) / Erik Karlsson ($6.500m)
Jared Cowen ($1.265m) / Sergei Gonchar ($5.500m)
Chris Phillips ($3.083m) / Patrick Wiercioch ($0.827m)

Andre Benoit ($0.650m) / Eric Gryba ($0.563m)


GOALTENDERS
Craig Anderson ($3.188m)
Robin Lehner ($0.870m)

UFAs:
Latendresse - My opinion changes by the hour. Has a scoring touch that we need. Has his limitations. Looks good with Zibby and Silf but... everyone has. Alfie and Turris line seems the slot but hasn't always clicked with all three. I have a hard time seeing and Spezza and 9MM play the entire surface together. Like them as a PP unit, however.
DECISIONS
Don't retire and re-sign: Alfie and Gonchar. Both very important players. Would like to be able to have three forwards lines to avoid leaning so heavily on Alfie, and to be able to give Gonchar the night off by having him literally sitting in the pressbox having the night off.

RFAs:
Hoffman - Ready for full-time? Will he take a 2 way? Can he be a scoring winger? I'd love for him to push Greening off the Spezza line.
DaCosta - NHL ready, but where does he fit-in? Can't see him in the AHL next season. Can't see him on the wing. If he was under contract I'd imagine he'd be involved in a possible draft day move.
Wiercioch - NHL ready. I kinda would like to see them try as a left-handed D on the right side more often. Maybe Gryba's partner as our future 5 and 6, and then time on the PP. I don't see him taking a 2 way - this might be an interesting story this off-season.
Benoit - Ideal guy to have around. Can't see him getting through waivers all season the amount of times we'd like to shuttle him back and forth. Basically comes down to if Gonchar resigns. If he does, will we have to choose Gryba or Benoit? Then we'll take Gryba.

IN, BUT WHERE:
Greening - Probably with Spezza and 9MM until someone better comes along. Like the guy but IMO he isn't consistent. Well, he's occasionally really good, but usually useful.
Condra - Ideal bottom 6er. Is he so good we need him with Spezza and Michalek? Too many RWers? Does it matter on the fourth line?
Gryba - Done with Bingo, right? Right?

 

[BigBush*]

I think I'm in the minority but I'd have no problem giving Gonchar a 2 year extension at 5 million per.

We're not hurting for cap space and he's been very good for the team this year.

I would much rather use his salary to pick up a big UFA left winger this summer. I think he can be replaced by Gryba and Wiercioch.
Not sure how well he can do in a full season, deep playoff runs in the next 2 years. I wouldnt be too disapointed if he got resigned though

 

[mcnorth]

Do you think they'll wait until after training camp if they are considering a move? If they did something like trade for Ryan and then didn't re-sign Gonch, that'd be the 55 million cap we've heard talked about. So it seems doable from a money position anyway. But I kind've think there's a Stone vs Hoffman battle waiting to happen for that spot on the Spezza line (unless CC takes it and you put Lats back with Zibby and Silf and Stone/Hoff with Turris).

In other words... I dunno.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Ryan-Spezza-Michalek
Latendresse-Turris-Alfredsson
Conacher-Zibanejad-Silfverberg
Condra-Smith-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Gonchar
Phillips-Gryba

Anderson
Lehner

Greening+Stone+Wiercioch+1st for Bobby Ryan

Sign Gonchar 1 year 4 million.

Ceci replaces Gonchar in 2 years.

In 2 years:

Prince-Spezza-Ryan
Conacher-Zibanejad-Silfverberg
Noesen-Turris-Michalek
Condra-Smith-Neil

Cowen-Karlsson
Methot-Ceci
Gryba-VIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKSTRANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Anderson
Lehner

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Mason Raymond anybody?

I think with the addition of Conacher, I wouldn't bother. I like the appeal of his speed but a better option would be Victor Stalberg. If you can sign him to a 3 year 9M deal, it'd be a good pick up. Hoffman could be a similar player to Raymond too.

My priorities for the offseason are figuring out the forward situation. We should look to build 3 scoring lines around our 3 big centers. We have a lot of options already available, think we can improve it further via trade or UFA.

After that I want signing Gonchar or replacing him the second priority. Or if Wiercioch steps into that role, a vet should be looked at to be a tertiary puck mover. Maybe Benoit is that guy, but I'd certainly prefer a Mark Streit instead.

This offseason is definitely the one to target teams in cap trouble. Hope they can take advantage of that in some way.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Exactly ^

Conacher= Raymond with better hands and vision.

 

[OmniSens]

Ryan-Spezza-Michalek
Latendresse-Turris-Alfredsson
Conacher-Zibanejad-Silfverberg
Condra-Smith-Neil

Methot-Karlsson
Cowen-Gonchar
Phillips-Gryba

Anderson
Lehner

Greening+Stone+Wiercioch+1st for Bobby Ryan

Sign Gonchar 1 year 4 million.

Ceci replaces Gonchar in 2 years.

In 2 years:

Prince-Spezza-Ryan
Conacher-Zibanejad-Silfverberg
Noesen-Turris-Michalek
Condra-Smith-Neil

Cowen-Karlsson
Methot-Ceci
Gryba-VIIIIIIIKKKKKKKKSTRANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Anderson
Lehner

Them lineups are dirty!

 

[PatrickEaves]

If he gets to free agency, I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Brad Boyes for Spezza's wing.

He's not amazing, but he has a proven ability to score, and I don't think he'd be an expensive gamble.

 

[Iamok]

I'm not sure of the cap situation for most teams, but I'd imagine some quality players could be cut loose, for sure.

 

[Laphroaig]

If he gets to free agency, I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Brad Boyes for Spezza's wing.

He's not amazing, but he has a proven ability to score, and I don't think he'd be an expensive gamble.

I'm not a fan. He's neither tough nor fast. I don't see him as a player who really fits with our re-build. I think if we're signing free agent top six forwards we have to aim higher. We have the cap space.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

If he gets to free agency, I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Brad Boyes for Spezza's wing.

He's not amazing, but he has a proven ability to score, and I don't think he'd be an expensive gamble.

Brad Boyes is the last thing we need on this team. A one-dimensional useless soft player who only unless placed with elite players, then he scores but is still one-dimensional.

I want an elite player who complements elite players.

 

[Caje]

I think both Alfie and Gonchar get one year extensions. I think they'll want to play in Sochi.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Them lineups are dirty!

I'd be willing to bet our 3rd line can be another team's top line too.