I'd trade Tanev and use the cap savings to sign Hoffman. Cut someone and sign Soderberg for a cheap 1 year deal.
Guentzel - Crosby - Kap
Hoffman - Malkin - Rust
McCann - Tb - Zucker
Jank - Soderberg - Sceviour
If a team had enough space to take on Tanev and we could use that money on Hoffman, why wouldn't the team taking Tanev just sign Hoffman?
I know a lot has been said about Ceci already, but the only real issues I have with bringing in Ceci are:
1. You already have a "reclamation project" on your bottom pair in Matheson. If you would have a LD that could anchor the bottom pair, I'd be content with Ceci as the 3rd pair RD because he can eat minutes if nothing else.
2. Ceci is going to be overplayed by Sullivan because Ceci gets overplayed by every coach
The question I asked earlier of "I wonder how Ceci would do in a lesser role" doesn't mean anything if a coach won't play them in a lesser role. It's the same issue with Jack Johnson. You could have fairly pointed out he got insanely difficult minutes with Columbus and argue "he'd be better with easier usage", but that doesn't mean anything if the new coach uses him the same way the old coach did and the evidence for "bad players in hard roles can be better in easier roles" is limited at best.
Ceci was unnecessary and I still wish we saved that money for the TDL or for other assets but...it is what it is. We all know of Ceci's struggles but putting it into context, the struggle was "Ceci stinks as a top pairing dman making $4mil". Our top 4 is pretty set so the only option for him is the bottom pairing and I'm not totally convinced he has a spot in stone. I do think JJ's contract was part of the discussion as I imagine the owners and GM don't like seeing millions of dollars sitting. When you're around the $1mil mark, I think there's significantly less angst. As is, one of Ceci and Riikola will be sitting and they both make $1mil. So I do believe Ceci will have to earn the spot. With that, the expectations relative to salary have been adjusted way down. I have different expectations for Matheson, Dumo, and Pettersson at $4mil than Ceci at $1mil.
Couple of other factors may be the assistant coach's love or hate for any of the bottom pairing options. They may opt to be mixing and matching based on what skill sets they want out there. If it's Pettersson on the bottom pairing, they may want a puck mover in Riikola. If it's Matheson, they may want the more defensive-oriented Ceci. This same premise applies when there are injuries. We have a nice mix of players to be mixing and matching if this needs to be switched up.
As you pointed out, there's always that glimmer of hope when thinking about how players are going to do in a reduced role and I think Matheson and Ceci are as primed for that as anyone. Last season, they were both heavy minute top pairing dmen that struggled. Now they are coming here to be on the 2nd or 3rd pairing, new partners, new systems, new expectations. That said, you're spot on when pointing out that it doesn't mean much if they are not played properly. 3rd pairing (unless injuries dictate) for Ceci is a no-brainer for me given who else we have. Matheson is likely 2nd but I can see 3rd also which would be just fine. If they stick either with Letang...now we have issues. Matheson with Marino is fine with me but Ceci on the 2nd pairing...and it gets real iffy, real quick.
hasn’t he done this to every player? I’d like to see Ceci’s #s with Matthews, Tavares etc...lol
I'd love to be a fly on the wall in the defense tapes meetings with the coaches in the last two seasons. Outside a small, decent stretch, I have a hard time understanding how they can watch the tapes, look at the stats, and then day in and day out say "Yes, Jack Johnson will be in the NHL lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight and we believe him being there gives us the best chance to win". Mind-boggling.
