Seravalli: Predators’ Mattias Ekholm “Available”

[Bringer of Jollity]

You know we have no control on the team right?


We enjoy watching Ekholm play, so we like keeping the guys we like watch play. Also, he showed loyalty to the team, so we'd like for the team to be loyal to him beyond one year.

But if we trade all the players we like for magic beans other teams don't want, we might someday become a better team than we currently are. Get with the program!

 

[SoundAndFury]

You know we have no control on the team right?

Isn't the whole point of writing asks and rejecting offers to roleplay the GM? And @AintLifeGrand here is GMing you out of king's ransom offers left and right.

The whole thread was created under the premise that Ekholm is available. I assume people who don't want to see him traded just tell that instead of calling every offer for him, even ones that are clearly above the market value, terrible.

But if we trade all the players we like for magic beans other teams don't want, we might someday become a better team than we currently are. Get with the program!

Few posts above this is the offer for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, a prospect and roster player. If those are "magic beans other teams don't want", what can I tell you, maybe the trades board is not for you.

And all that in an environment where older players like MaxPac or Burns indeed were traded for next to nothing.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

Preds fans love Ekholm so the price on here would be of Chychrun proportions and maybe more.

so Preds arent moving Ekholm then?

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Isn't the whole point of writing asks and rejecting offers to roleplay the GM? And @AintLifeGrand here is GMing you out of king's ransom offers left and right.

The whole thread was created under the premise that Ekholm is available. I assume people who don't want to see him traded just tell that instead of calling every offer for him, even ones that are clearly above the market value, terrible.


Few posts above this is the offer for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, a prospect and roster player. If those are "magic beans other teams don't want", what can I tell you, maybe the trades board is not for you.

And all that in an environment where older players like MaxPac or Burns indeed were traded for next to nothing.

1st - nobody on the Preds' board takes ALG seriously, and nobody else should either.
2nd - Preds fans are well aware Poile and the ownership puts a premium on just making the playoffs year in and year out and so trading pieces that help us achieve that for pieces that won't add anything to the roster for 4-5 years is a known non-starter
3rd - the offer isn't THAT good. A 1st two years from now (that theoretically should be a later 1st if EDM gets their shit together), a 2nd, a prospect that won't pan out to anything and two cap dumps. The revised version gets us a mid/mid-late 1st this year, defers the 2nd, a 3rd is whatever and then same dump/peripheral prospect.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

so Preds arent moving Ekholm then?

That is correct. It has been stated many times in this thread already.

 

[herzausstein]

That is correct. It has been stated many times in this thread already.

Ekholm is still our 2nd best defensemen. Honestly unless Poile is ready to admit this team isnt a competitor, we will keep ekholm and trade fabbro or carrier and work out the cap for next season. Having ekholm, McDonagh, and josi gives us the best chance at competing for the next 3 years.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

That is correct. It has been stated many times in this thread already.

oh, so how come Seravalli is saying he's available?

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

oh, so how come Seravalli is saying he's available?

Throwing shit against the wall. I feel like he was the same one that said Ekholm and Forsberg were both being shopped last year. None of these guys have any serious sources with the Preds, as is generally shown by almost no rumors involving them ever coming to fruition.

 

[herzausstein]

oh, so how come Seravalli is saying he's available?

Same reason he was supposedly available last season when Nashville was doing poorly?

Analyst look at Nashville and see them doing poorly and make educated guesses as to what shakes loose.

For example:
Nashville has 3 dmen with 6+ million caphits. 2 young rfa dmen looking at raises to around 3 million. That much in defense is probably not sustainable when your forwards are struggling for offense. Therefore a dman should be moved to address forward issues. Josi and McDonagh have trade protection. Carrier, Fabbro, and Lauzon dont open up alot of space. Ekholm could be dangled to address a need at forward and open up capspace. Simple postulation when you dont take into account nashville has a fairly decent forward pipeline in the ahl and a less than good defense pipeline.

 

[SoundAndFury]

3rd - the offer isn't THAT good. A 1st two years from now (that theoretically should be a later 1st if EDM gets their shit together), a 2nd, a prospect that won't pan out to anything and two cap dumps. The revised version gets us a mid/mid-late 1st this year, defers the 2nd, a 3rd is whatever and then same dump/peripheral prospect.

I guess that's what seeing years of Nashville's drafting do to people...

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

That is correct. It has been stated many times in this thread already.

You do know that just because you say Ekholm isn't available doesn't mean It's true right?

In fact Seravalli saying he's available points to him actually being available

 

[Traveled]

This would be ideal for the Oilers backend, which means there is zero % chance it'll materialize. Katz likes to keep the average *flake happy, and this trade is too good for those folk.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

You do know that just because you say Ekholm isn't available doesn't mean It's true right?

In fact Seravalli saying he's available points to him actually being available

It has also been pointed out several times in this thread why Seravalli may have a motive to post such things, even when they are not true. So far he has always been wrong about the Predators. You can still believe him if you want, that's your prerogative. Good luck with that.

 

[Esko]

Nashville is in a weird spot in regards to franchise direction, forward and defense core either late 20's or early 30's. Entirety of that core is also locked up for a few more years. To me their defense is good enough to compete but the forwards lack the elite talent which is usually required to win a Stanley Cup. Predators seem somewhat in purgatory, they'll be good enough to compete for a playoff spot for awhile but likely drafting in the 12-20 range for the next few years if they remain status quo.

Nashville fans how do you see the next few years- try to sign a marquee free agent or two and roll with this most of your current core, retool and win some big trades or rebuild?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Nashville fans how do you see the next few years- try to sign a marquee free agent or two and roll with this most of your current core, retool and win some big trades or rebuild?

None of the above. No Cap space to sign a marquee free agent. No big trades. Definitely no rebuild.

"Retooling" has been happening, on the fly, basically organically the last couple years as internally developed prospects come along and take a spot. I would say that would just continue.

Although with the caveat that the new owner could possibly overturn this if he brings in a new philosophy in the next few years. That would be the wildcard. And I suspect that's when Poile retires. It could go in any direction, possibly with a decade of disastrous results if the new GM can't pull off a successful rebuild. But that's in the land of the complete unknown.

 

[Kamus]

I would do:

1st 2024, 1st 2025, Bouchard, b-prospect +camp dump






Camp dump being Jack Cambell….. lol

 

[Armourboy]

Nashville is in a weird spot in regards to franchise direction, forward and defense core either late 20's or early 30's. Entirety of that core is also locked up for a few more years. To me their defense is good enough to compete but the forwards lack the elite talent which is usually required to win a Stanley Cup. Predators seem somewhat in purgatory, they'll be good enough to compete for a playoff spot for awhile but likely drafting in the 12-20 range for the next few years if they remain status quo.

Nashville fans how do you see the next few years- try to sign a marquee free agent or two and roll with this most of your current core, retool and win some big trades or rebuild?

We will basically be on the bubble every year for the next several unless some of the young guys come up and make some serious noise, which isn't out of the question. I look for Poile to make some moves I just don't think it will be a guy like Ekholm. I think it is much more likely you see a guy like Granlund or Sissons get moved out to make room for a young guy. Maybe a guy like Trenin or Fabbro if there are contract issues.

 

[ole ole]

I would love for the Habs to get him in the off-season, and start strying to contend next season.

People will say “bUt YoU hAvE tO TaNk fOr 3-5 YeArs” but I don’t think so. With their current core of prospects/young players and this years firsts, I think they should go for it.

You might be about the only one. Habs are not interested in a 32 yr old D-man and are for sure not giving up anything valuable for him.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

But if we trade all the players we like for magic beans other teams don't want, we might someday become a better team than we currently are. Get with the program!

Hard to believe Poile still has a job.

 

[WhalerTurnedBruin55]

Bruins offer 1st, zboril, beecher

Pretty confident the Bruins aren't in on him.

Cap space, long term roster building, and limited assets just don't see it.

 

[Thechozen1]

Have always appreciated Ekholm’s game and would love to have him on the JETS, but I feel a top 9 scoring winger is of greater need.

Ekholm would sure toughen up the Jets blue line.

 

[Armourboy]

Hard to believe Poile still has a job.

He's done exactly what the owners want him to do. Build a roster that generally has a shot at the playoffs and is sometimes good enough to take a stab at it. That is why he still has a job.

 

[Soundgarden]

Hard to believe Poile still has a job.

Not really, look at the moves he made this summer, they've all worked out well for us. Hynes not knowing how to incorporate young players is a huge downfall for us.

 

[exporta]

This doesn't look good on Poile / Preds.

He could have gone to UFA, chose to sign, didn't get a NTC/NMC and in year 1 they're gonna trade him?

I'm sure a lot of teams would like him though.

Where did they trade him, talk when it happens not when it's a click bate rumour.

 

[glenngineer]

Nashville is in a weird spot in regards to franchise direction, forward and defense core either late 20's or early 30's. Entirety of that core is also locked up for a few more years. To me their defense is good enough to compete but the forwards lack the elite talent which is usually required to win a Stanley Cup. Predators seem somewhat in purgatory, they'll be good enough to compete for a playoff spot for awhile but likely drafting in the 12-20 range for the next few years if they remain status quo.

Nashville fans how do you see the next few years- try to sign a marquee free agent or two and roll with this most of your current core, retool and win some big trades or rebuild?

Not really, look at the moves he made this summer, they've all worked out well for us. Hynes not knowing how to incorporate young players is a huge downfall for us.

Esko nails this and I've been saying this for a while now. Without elite level talent up front, teams don't win Cups. In 40 years as a GM, Poile has never drafted an elite level/HOF forward. It doesn't matter if you have a top 5 pick or not, teams find gems outside of the top 5 and even after the first round. Poile with all his years and wisdom has never found that secret sauce.

SD, even if Hynes could incorporate the young players into the mix, they're ceiling is either good to great, it won't be elite. I have enjoyed watching Glass, Parssinen and Novak play and they have injected some talent but at the end of the day, it won't be enough.

There is one caveat you can find enough quality talent to play up and down your lineup to make up for the lack of elite players at the top. You have your three top lines that are all essentially 2nd line talents and your fourth line is a third line. It may tip the scale enough to counter balance the lack of elite talent. What I view Poile does is build two solid second lines as his top two lines and builds conventional third and fourth lines and that is never enough talent to go all the way.

FYI, go back to when Poile was the GM in DC and look at the '91 draft. He had two late firsts and an early second. See the guys he picked and see all the guys who got picked before and after some of his picks. A few pretty good players left on the table.