Right Defense ... a position of need

[HamiltonNHL]

of the players we have

Dermott LD Rielly RD
Gardiner LD Zaitsev RD
Carrick RD

bring back Hainsey for 1 year to play LD wth Carrick ?

Liljegren

Wont be ready for 82 games next year.

 

[one77]

I really like a Rielly-Dermott pairing

 

[MyBudJT]

Carrick is gone IMO.

Ideally:

Rielly-Top4D
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Dermott-Hainsey/Holl/Ozhiganov
Hainsey/Holl/Ozhiganov

Borgman will make it difficult. I'd almost like to package Gards for a top pairing RHD.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Next year:
________
Zaitsev
Hainsey
Carrick
Liljegren
Holl
Ozhiganov
Ransanen

We have RHD and we are building up the cupboard too. The problem is getting a top 4 RHD ...Doughty?

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Holl/Ozhiganov

How many games would either of these guys be playing next year ?
Lilj might play 20. max.
You can't make lines based on guys would only play 1/4 of a season.

Borgman

Left D.

Top4D

Very hard to get. Short of trading something big.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Random question:

Are most NHL players lefties?

In other sports such as golf, football and soccer (feet obvs) most players are righties - but it seems NHL is different.

 

[X66]

I've been on record saying we have arguably the worst right side in the NHL.

But at least we have a can't miss, elite blue-chip RHD in Liljegren.

 

[MyBudJT]

How many games would either of these guys be playing next year ?
Lilj might play 20. max.
You can't make lines based on guys would only play 1/4 of a season.


Left D.


Very hard to get. Short of trading something big.

I think you misunderstood me when I wrote Hainsey/Holl/Ozhiganov. I wasn't suggesting they split the time in that position... moreso that one of them will take the bottom pairing RD slot.

Hainsey is probably a lock. But I really like Holl and think he could do well in that role, and I think Ozhiganov (if we sign him) could as well.

Also, I didn't say Borgman was a RD

Nor would it be easy to get a Top4RD... but I think it should be in our gameplan this offseason.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I've been on record saying we have arguably the worst right side in the NHL.

A few years ago we only had one right handed shot D.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threa...-of-7-defenders-as-lefties-situation.1661873/

But at least we have a can't miss, elite blue-chip RHD in Liljegren.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Mess]

Drew Doughty would solve everything.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Rielly ______
Dermott Zaitsev
Gardiner Hainsey
Borgman

With Rielly, let's give these guys some more exposure:
Carrick 15 games
Liljegren 15 games
Holl 15 games
Ozhiganov 15 games

Not going to hurt our playoff chances but will get them some much needed development in key situations.

Make a decision at the trade deadline(game 60) if you want to trade for a dman or move forward with what we have.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Drew Doughty would solve everything.

sure would help alot.

Maybe Doughty needs a fresher team ?

It'll be near impossible to acquire a #1 RD.
Why would any team trade them ?

 

[zeke]

For the record, overall in this series, it's been the left side dmen who have dissappointed, not the right side guys.

Even Strength

Rielly: 17:02, A qoc, 33.0cf%, 34.7xgf%
Hainsey: 16:08, A+ qoc, 39.6cf%, 43.2xgf%

Rielly has been the one bringing the top pair down - Hainsey has better numbers in tougher usage.

Gardiner: 18:51, A- qoc, 52.0cf%, 52.6xgf%
Zaitsev: 17:21, B+ qoc, 52.0cf%, 62.9xgf%

Jake with slightly tougher competition, and similar cf%, but Zaitsev with the better xgf%.

Dermott: 14:29, B- qoc, 48.2cf%, 49.6xgf%
Polak: 15:10, B- qoc, 50.8cf%, 50.5xgf%

Identical usage, but Polak has been better.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Rielly: 17:02, A qoc, 33.0cf%, 34.7xgf%
Hainsey: 16:08, A+ qoc, 39.6cf%, 43.2xgf%

any ideas why babcock switched them to the other side during last game ?

 

[GoldenGOOSE]

I love this guy. Please get him Shanahan.

 

[IBeL34f]

Random question:

Are most NHL players lefties?

In other sports such as golf, football and soccer (feet obvs) most players are righties - but it seems NHL is different.

You generally use your dominant hand on the top of your stick - So most people who are right-handed shoot 'left'.

 

[54thecup]

I'm hearing that Hamilton may be available. He is the perfect fit, a solid tough RHD, only 24, 3 more years at 5.75 M. He would be expensive but I think a guy like this should be our number one target in the offseason!

 

[TorontoTrades]

the future:

Rielly - Doughty
Dermott - Liljegren
Gardiner - Zaitsev

 

[IPS]

Paying Doughty UFA money would effectively eliminate us from cup contention.

 

[Pi]

Paying Doughty UFA money would effectively eliminate us from cup contention.

Did it eliminate the Bruins from cup contention after acquiring Chara?

Stop worrying about the cap, it's always going up. If you have to overpay players, overpay stars not mediocre talent.

Cap space in 2006-07: 44 mill.

Chara's contract: 7.5M

17% of the cap.
17% of the cap right now would be 13.6M (assuming cap is at 80M). Doughty's not going to make that much money.

 

[IPS]

Did it eliminate the Bruins from cup contention after acquiring Chara?

Stop worrying about the cap, it's always going up. If you have to overpay players, overpay stars not mediocre talent.

Cap space in 2006-07: 44 mill.

Chara's contract: 7.5M

17% of the cap.
17% of the cap right now would be 13.6M, Doughty's not going to make that much money.

Look at how things ended up for Chicago and LA after having to pay up for their superstars.

Bargain contracts >>>> everything.

 

[Pi]

Look at how things ended up for Chicago and LA after having to pay up for their superstars.

Bargain contracts >>>> everything.

I just want a single cup. LA won 2, Chicago won 3. I doubt they care what they had to do to win.

Sign Doughty and we're headed to the SCF within the first 2 years of his contract.

Doughty would have the same effect as getting Matthews. Everyone would be pegged a little further down and it'll settle our defense.

 

[IPS]

I just want a single cup. LA won 2, Chicago won 3. I doubt they care what they had to do to win.

Sign Doughty and we're headed to the SCF within the first 2 years of his contract.

Doughty would have the same effect as getting Matthews. Everyone would be pegged a little further down and it'll settle our defense.

So we'll just be able to seamlessly fit UFA Doughty under the cap without weakening ourselves anywhere else?

I don't agree. And besides, you're essentially screwing up your future cap structure for a short-term window. You're not guaranteed to win shit in a short-term window. Long-term is always the way to go.

 

[Pi]

So we'll just be able to seamlessly fit UFA Doughty under the cap without weakening ourselves anywhere else?

I don't agree. And besides, you're essentially screwing up your future cap structure for a short-term window. You're not guaranteed to win **** in a short-term window. Long-term is always the way to go.

Are we really screwing ourselves by icing a younger team. Are we not better off if we are forced to play faster younger players that disables us from going after over the hill vets?

The window is still going to be large as long as we have Marner, Matthews, Nylander, Rielly, Kadri and Doughty. Everyone is expendable. That is the core.

 

[IPS]

Are we really screwing ourselves by icing a younger team. Are we not better off if we are forced to play faster younger players that disables us from going after over the hill vets?

Hey it depends. If we get the big 3 all on good bargains and we can bring in Doughty with minimal damage to the cap structure, I'm all for it. This is very unlikely though.

We'll see if we can maintain depth needed to win a cup though - you can't count on unproven young players to fill in every position.