Speculation: ReWhitney?

[The Feckless Puck]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/spor.../Hockey+World+Whitney+line/9806390/story.html

I could see us giving him a 1-year deal to play and then moving him into management and/or player development. He seems to like it here and we weren't awful with him in the lineup.

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[Sciamachy]

I'd go for it. One year deal for cheap, if it works great, if not he retires mid season. Ray is as smart as they come so I'd love to have him in the front office after he retires.

 

[rt]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/spor.../Hockey+World+Whitney+line/9806390/story.html

I could see us giving him a 1-year deal to play and then moving him into management and/or player development. He seems to like it here and we weren't awful with him in the lineup.

His points per game dropped in half this season, compared to his previous two seasons. That's little spooky given his age. He also put up a total goose egg (zero total points) in the playoffs this year. Averaged just over 11min of ice time per game in the post-season. That puts him at just 32pts in 74gp this season. That's not exactly terrible, or anything, but at a certain point I think we really need to look at infusing some youth into the line-up. I feel like if 32pts is the Ray Whitney mark, we should see if we can't get a kid like Domi or Lessio to try to hit it.

 

[IPreferPi]

Probably Plan Q for me this offseason, but I'd go for it if he's willing to take a big discount. Love the Wizard. But I'd caution expecting the Prime Line to return to its 2011-2012 productivity.

At this point though we really should be looking to put Domi and/or Lessio in our lineup instead.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

His points per game dropped in half this season, compared to his previous two seasons. That's little spooky given his age. He also put up a total goose egg (zero total points) in the playoffs this year. Averaged just over 11min of ice time per game in the post-season. That puts him at just 32pts in 74gp this season. That's not exactly terrible, or anything, but at a certain point I think we really need to look at infusing some youth into the line-up. I feel like if 32pts is the Ray Whitney mark, we should see if we can't get a kid like Domi or Lessio to try to hit it.

A lot of that comes down to how the Stars used him, but certainly I wouldn't sign him in lieu of bringing up Domi or Lessio (or, indeed, Miele, who is the same kind of player but with much less chassis wear).

BUT - having Whitney in the system for future management work would be tremendous. The guy is sharp as a tack and we seem to be shedding office folks left and right lately (Treliving, Nealy...).

 

[IPreferPi]

A lot of that comes down to how the Stars used him, but certainly I wouldn't sign him in lieu of bringing up Domi or Lessio (or, indeed, Miele, who is the same kind of player but with much less chassis wear).

BUT - having Whitney in the system for future management work would be tremendous. The guy is sharp as a tack and we seem to be shedding office folks left and right lately (Treliving, Nealy...).

Miele is not going to have a future in the NHL at center, and he has not impressed at all in any of his callups here.

Still, we still can have a roster with both Whitney and Domi/Lessio in the lineup. Something like

Whitney - Hanzal - Vrbata
Doan - Ribeiro - Erat
Domi/Lessio - Vermette - Boedker

And I agree that Whitney could be a very good get for our management in the future.

 

[Sciamachy]

Lessio shouldn't be considered a lock to make the team by any stretch just yet (Domi either but I think he's a safer bet). I'd love for him to make it as we could really use his game, but some more time in Portland doesn't kill him if he needs it. Could have Doan, Domi and Wizard on the left to start and if Ray can't get his legs back Lessio gets the call and Whitney retires.

EDIT: or Lessio and Whitney can split time, keep Rays legs fresh and eases Lessio into the NHL.

Also re: Miele, can't imagine he is back next year. Sounds pretty happy to be UFA now.

 

[rt]

Still, we still can have a roster with both Whitney and Domi/Lessio in the lineup. Something like

Whitney - Hanzal - Vrbata
Doan - Ribeiro - Erat
Domi/Lessio - Vermette - Boedker

Honestly, it's tough to picture such a line-up after watching Maloney's end of season presser. This sort of seems like the opposite of what he was going for in that interview. He stated he wanted to get younger but not with inexperienced youth. All we've added here is an old man and an inexperienced kid. Hard to reconcile that with his statements.

 

[IPreferPi]

Honestly, it's tough to picture such a line-up after watching Maloney's end of season presser. This sort of seems like the opposite of what he was going for in that interview.

Yeah, I know. As I said, pretty sure it's like Plan Q, haha.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Miele is not going to have a future in the NHL at center, and he has not impressed at all in any of his callups here.

I'll admit to being less than objective about Miele but there's no way that he was utilized in a way that showed what he can do for a team in either of his two stints with the Coyotes over the past couple of years.

Still, we still can have a roster with both Whitney and Domi/Lessio in the lineup. Something like

Whitney - Hanzal - Vrbata
Doan - Ribeiro - Erat
Domi/Lessio - Vermette - Boedker

And I agree that Whitney could be a very good get for our management in the future.

No way would I put Ray on the first line. Second line with Doan and Ribs, maybe. Perhaps Ray could do something to shake Ribeiro out of his funk - since they're both playmakers, maybe Ribs might actually start shooting the puck instead of endlessly trying to get rid of it in the cutest manner possible.

 

[XX]

Team shows a chronic lack of energy and compete

Team signs a 41 year old that will in all likelihood retire if he doesn't get a deal with Phoenix

This kills the team

 

[IPreferPi]

I'll admit to being less than objective about Miele but there's no way that he was utilized in a way that showed what he can do for a team in either of his two stints with the Coyotes over the past couple of years.

Miele has no business as a center in the NHL. He's not good in the dot and gets knocked off the puck way too easily. I get that he's been productive with the Pirates as a center, but he needs to shift to wing ASAP.

No way would I put Ray on the first line. Second line with Doan and Ribs, maybe. Perhaps Ray could do something to shake Ribeiro out of his funk - since they're both playmakers, maybe Ribs might actually start shooting the puck instead of endlessly trying to get rid of it in the cutest manner possible.

Whitney and Ribeiro are very similar types of players - small, shifty, crreative distributors who aren't great defensively (Which is why I've been supportive of shifting Ribs to wing to play with the Czechs). Don't like the idea of having both of them on the same line.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

We need an actual first line and Boedker should be that guy taking the RW spot. He proved he can score and he looks like he's still getting better, so maybe the 51 pts next season becomes a 30-goal campaign and 60+ pts.

Whitney worked well with Hanzal/Vrby the first time, no need to not try it again

Doan/Ribeiro/Boedker
Whiteny/Hanzal/Vrbata
Lessio/Vermette/Domi
? / ? / ?

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Team shows a chronic lack of energy and compete

Team signs a 41 year old that will in all likelihood retire if he doesn't get a deal with Phoenix

This kills the team

There's a lot more killing the Coyotes than the possibility of signing Whitney to a cheap 1-year deal.

But we'll save the lack of true first-line talent, a bipolar goalie on an insane locked-in contract, a top-pairing defenseman who plays worse defense than 80% of the forward corps, and a total inability to gain the offensive zone without dumping and chasing for other, more vitriolic threads...

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Miele has no business as a center in the NHL. He's not good in the dot and gets knocked off the puck way too easily. I get that he's been productive with the Pirates as a center, but he needs to shift to wing ASAP.

That I'll agree with wholeheartedly.

 

[IPreferPi]

There's a lot more killing the Coyotes than the possibility of signing Whitney to a cheap 1-year deal.

But we'll save the lack of true first-line talent, a bipolar goalie on an insane locked-in contract, a top-pairing defenseman who plays worse defense than 80% of the forward corps, and a total inability to gain the offensive zone without dumping and chasing for other, more vitriolic threads...

And how does resigning the Wizard solve any of those problems you listed. ;-)

 

[XX]

There's a lot more killing the Coyotes than the possibility of signing Whitney to a cheap 1-year deal.

By the end of the year he was in the doghouse with Dallas. Didn't play well. Signing him is 20 steps in the wrong direction, and probably about 15 too far for Maloney if his presser was anything to go by. Thank god.

I loved the wizard when he was here but that was a flash in the pan. Some here are chasing the ghost of the WCF team as if it's repeatable. Vrbata isn't even signed at the moment.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

And how does resigning the Wizard solve any of those problems you listed. ;-)

It doesn't, really, but I still think he'd be an asset. One thing I failed to list in my snarky reply above was that we lacked solid veteran presence this season (Vermette was left holding the bag, and he did a great job, but he can't do everything on his own). How many times did you look at the D-corps this year and think, "You know, we seemed a lot more solid with Aucoin around"? I must have thought that a hundred times.

Whitney is still creative, even if he's not the points producer he used to be. He's the kind of guy who can help settle a bench and keep it loose. And no matter how people bandy around Fenwick Close and Corsi and all of that, teams need that kind of presence.

It bears mentioning that on MOST NHL teams, Whitney would be an unnecessary extra piece. But the Coyotes are a team that gets by on players who would be a full line lower on the depth chart elsewhere because of the demands of economy and the market. In that context, I think Whitney could still contribute even at his age.

 

[Sciamachy]

Could always just bring him to camp on a PTO and say if you can beat out the kids you'll get a contract.

 

[rt]

Could always just bring him to camp on a PTO and say if you can beat out the kids you'll get a contract.

With DT running the team? Haha. Pretty sure Wiz would have that in the bag.

 

[IPreferPi]

It doesn't, really, but I still think he'd be an asset. One thing I failed to list in my snarky reply above was that we lacked solid veteran presence this season (Vermette was left holding the bag, and he did a great job, but he can't do everything on his own). How many times did you look at the D-corps this year and think, "You know, we seemed a lot more solid with Aucoin around"? I must have thought that a hundred times.

Most of us agree with that lack of a vet presence on our blueline being a factor in our defensive inconsistency the past 2 seasons. Although Maloney has stated he's happy with our blueline, I'm still hoping he adds a top 4 SAH veteran for at least depth. Brad Stuart would be a good 1-year addition that can help eat shutdown minutes if the Sharks are looking to move him this summer.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

Welcome back zyllyx!

I'm willing to try Whitney out in a management roll of some sort but I'd rather we do without him as a player. In case we can't re-sign Vrbata as well, I'd rather GMDM go after either Vanek or take Gaborik away from the Pasadena Princesses. As far as that solid veteran presence is concerned, chances are that is someone we get overtime within the system or better yet Doan should step it up more in that role since we all know his point production expected to go down in his remaining years in the league.

Nice avatar BTW.

 

[XX]

With DT running the team? Haha. Pretty sure Wiz would have that in the bag.

I hear there's an undersized, defensively questionable left winger coming into the fold next year that's a pretty important piece for this organization. I really wouldn't mind Ray taking on a management role here in Phoenix and having him mentor Domi a bit on the side. But it was clear towards the end of the season with Dallas that he is running on empty.

 

[Sciamachy]

With DT running the team? Haha. Pretty sure Wiz would have that in the bag.

OK true, but I'd like to believe that DM would pull rank in that instance if the kids are the better choice

 

[IPreferPi]

OK true, but I'd like to believe that DM would pull rank in that instance if the kids are the better choice

But the Detroit model, the Detroit model!