Roster Speculation: Part XV (aka. Off-season wish list edition)

[Chainshot]

If the Habs organization is dumb enough to keep MT and trade Subban, how much dumber would they have to be to trade him within the division?

Bergevin seems world shatteringly stupid. So.... Yeah

 

[stokes84]

Judging by the comments of the coach so far, big changes have to be coming. They could easily grab a 3rd line center via trade/UFA (Nielsen, Matthias). I'd be shocked if RNH is there by the start of the season.

Why is RNH the odd man out when he didn't even play most of the season? To me, he is the least of their worries.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Why is RNH the odd man out when he didn't even play most of the season? To me, he is the least of their worries.

Eberle is too bad/paid to be a centerpiece, getting fair value for Hall is hard to impossible, McDavid/Drai are non-starters.

 

[kenfury]

So, in refocusing on the D-men, you have two pretty obvious teams that are dealing defensemen

The Wild
The Ducks

The Wild have:

Suter-Dumba
Spurgeon-Scandella
Brodin-

The Ducks have

Vatanen-Lindholm
Bieksa-Fowler
Stoner-Despres
Theodore-Montour

The problem going in is that the no matter what we can offer, the Oilers hold the cards here.

They're going to have a higher draft pick than us (barring a lotto into the top 3), they have higher quality forwards available, and I think they are a little more desperate.

Thats a really thought out post. Thanks.

 

[flashsabre]

Thats a really thought out post. Thanks.

The Flyers might be a team to look at with Ghost, Provorov, Sanheim and Morin as Young LHD in the system.

 

[Djp]

Why is RNH the odd man out when he didn't even play most of the season? To me, he is the least of their worries.

I see 2 would be getting moved out of RNH, Hall, Eberle, and Yakupov

Draisatl and McZjesus are safe as well as their 1st.

RNH being a center he has the most trade value where you have Minnesota snd St. Louis who don't have a true top center...but do have more experience defense.

 

[Onslow]

The Flyers might be a team to look at with Ghost, Provorov, Sanheim and Morin as Young LHD in the system.

I wasn't aware all 4 were LHD

 

[sabrebuild]

If the Habs organization is dumb enough to keep MT and trade Subban, how much dumber would they have to be to trade him within the division?

Play that out. How much do we pay for Subban before its a net negative?

2016 first, 2017 first, pysyk, guhle... something like that?

Would that be close? Maybe a more seasoned vet like girgs or ennis needs to be added.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

The Flyers have no organizational urgency, though. They aren't going anywhere until those defensemen arrive, and we have no real idea who ends up as what. Voracek/Couturier, who carry their top two lines at ES, are 26/23, and Giroux is going to be running power plays well into his 30s. Everyone else but Simmonds is a replacement level dude.

 

[OkimLom]

Can someone tell me how Franson fits into all this? That was TM's doing last summer, that is his quarterback that he signed. For arguements sake, lets say the concussion problems go away over the summer and he is ready to go October 1st. Then what? Is he trade bait to be packaged up and shipped somewhere else?

I hated that signing, I still do. But the fact is that were stuck with him for another year. So we would have to do something with him.

Cola probably let go, Franson relegated to #7 d-man.

 

[TehDoak]

Can someone tell me how Franson fits into all this? That was TM's doing last summer, that is his quarterback that he signed. For arguements sake, lets say the concussion problems go away over the summer and he is ready to go October 1st. Then what? Is he trade bait to be packaged up and shipped somewhere else?

I hated that signing, I still do. But the fact is that were stuck with him for another year. So we would have to do something with him.

Depends on what happens with him this summer. A buyout is relatively easy if he's healthy when the buyout window opens. Saves us around ~1.3M in space this year and costs 666k next year. Maybe we can trade him?

 

[Ace]

Someone has to sit in the Mike Weber memorial pressbox

 

[Moskau]

Someone has to sit in the Mike Weber memorial pressbox

It's where 3rd round picks are molded.

 

[Djp]

Can someone tell me how Franson fits into all this? That was TM's doing last summer, that is his quarterback that he signed. For arguements sake, lets say the concussion problems go away over the summer and he is ready to go October 1st. Then what? Is he trade bait to be packaged up and shipped somewhere else?

I hated that signing, I still do. But the fact is that were stuck with him for another year. So we would have to do something with him.

He does have some value. Buffalo can retain 50% on him and he has deadline trade value provided he isn't pressbox seat warmer.

If buffalo is in the playoffs then he likely doesn't get traded.

Going into next year buffalo has

Gorges-Ristolainen
McCabe-Bogosian
Franson-Pysyk

Nelson likely starts in Rochester over being 7th Dman

Draft time trades and UFA signings changes things.

I do see buffalo getting another vet Dman.

 

[Wisent42]

The expansion draft scares me a bit. As long as we don't know the terms of it I'm afraid of losing key pieces. But it could also be a blessing in disguise, because there are other teams who will be much more exposed then us. But still. It's scary.

When will we know the final terms?

 

[Heraldic]

The expansion draft scares me a bit. As long as we don't know the terms of it I'm afraid of losing key pieces. But it could also be a blessing in disguise, because there are other teams who will be much more exposed then us. But still. It's scary.

When will we know the final terms?

I don't think we will lose a key piece, but we might lose piece that has the potential to be a core piece. Of course, depending on what you consider as a key piece.

If and when we're making additions to this team, and those additions need protecting, we're most likely forced to expose those kind of pieces. And the better pieces we need to expose, the higher will be the price to be to try to LV taking "moulson" for a certain price instead of a valuable, exposed piece.

I think I read somewhere that the final terms would be known before the draft. Does anyone know more specific?

***

I also think that Murray talking about QB d-man being high on the list was pretty surprising. Granted, we don't exactly have one in our whole organisation.

Might Murray be looking to make several moves (upgrading Gorges) or does that mean that a player like Brodin is most likely outside of the question?

It might also mean that Murray is more than this board (me included) willing to give a contract to Yandle/Goligoski.

Having a skilled puckmover with playmaking ability would surely be nice. It would make our transition better and we most likely would score more after a cycle (we mostly play the puck to the blueline where the defender shoots it). But those kind of players almost every time come with a baggage (poor defensive play/high salary).

 

[Wisent42]

I don't think we will lose a key piece, but we might lose piece that has the potential to be a core piece. Of course, depending on what you consider as a key piece.

If and when we're making additions to this team, and those additions need protecting, we're most likely forced to expose those kind of pieces. And the better pieces we need to expose, the higher will be the price to be to try to LV taking "moulson" for a certain price instead of a valuable, exposed piece.

I think I read somewhere that the final terms would be known before the draft. Does anyone know more specific?

***

I also think that Murray talking about QB d-man being high on the list was pretty surprising. Granted, we don't exactly have one in our whole organisation.

Might Murray be looking to make several moves (upgrading Gorges) or does that mean that a player like Brodin is most likely outside of the question?

It might also mean that Murray is more than this board (me included) willing to give a contract to Yandle/Goligoski.

Having a skilled puckmover with playmaking ability would surely be nice. It would make our transition better and we most likely would score more after a cycle (we mostly play the puck to the blueline where the defender shoots it). But those kind of players almost every time come with a baggage (poor defensive play/high salary).

The thing is, as of now I think we can protect most of the players we want and need. But if we start adding now, we're likely to expose something. And that's where it gets scary. Like Murray talking about adding a QB. I'd hate to overpay for a D-man and then watch Pysyk (for example) walk for free at the expansion draft.

 

[Heraldic]

The thing is, as of now I think we can protect most of the players we want and need. But if we start adding now, we're likely to expose something. And that's where it gets scary. Like Murray talking about adding a QB. I'd hate to overpay for a D-man and then watch Pysyk (for example) walk for free at the expansion draft.

Yeah, this has been my thinking as well.

I really think we need to improve the team in order to take the next step (which is important), but I hope that we don't end up paying more than we actually pay in a trade (trade value + player being exposed).

Ideally you try to get pieces without the need of protecting, but in reality you're not going to get those.

Getting Nash for minimal return would be nice, because you could easily expose him. A veteran free agent addition as well (Yandle/Goligoski), because losing one would basically mean no loss compared to this exact current moment.

 

[Wisent42]

Yeah, this has been my thinking as well.

I really think we need to improve the team in order to take the next step (which is important), but I hope that we don't end up paying more than we actually pay in a trade (trade value + player being exposed).

Ideally you try to get pieces without the need of protecting, but in reality you're not going to get those.

Getting Nash for minimal return would be nice, because you could easily expose him. A veteran free agent addition as well (Yandle/Goligoski), because losing one would basically mean no loss compared to this exact current moment.

Hear hear. But there is the slight chance that some team is so exposed that they'll trade something we want on the cheap because it's better then having an unprotected player walking away a year later. That could make it worth it.

 

[Heraldic]

Hear hear. But there is the slight chance that some team is so exposed that they'll trade something we want on the cheap because it's better then having an unprotected player walking away a year later. That could make it worth it.

True. Team like Minnesota might be pretty forced to trade one of their d-men.

And there might become second markets after the expansion draft. At some point the expansion team might start to take best player available, and shop some of the players selected. I think that has been the case in former expansion drafts. So, when there likely is going to be a supply of d-men, you could get a d-man back (if it is a d-man that gets taken).

Expansion draft shouldn't dictate the whole coming off-season, but you need to be aware of the expansion draft and its impact.

 

[TehDoak]

Are "player options" a thing that's allowable in the CBA?

Might be an interesting avenue to look at, considering the expansion draft.

For example, we sign Brian Campbell to a two year deal, however, the 2nd year he can opt out of and become a UFA. So, we could leave him unprotected for the expansion draft, and if he's grabbed, simply re-sign him when he exercises his opt out option.

 

[Heraldic]

Are "player options" a thing that's allowable in the CBA?

Might be an interesting avenue to look at, considering the expansion draft.

For example, we sign Brian Campbell to a two year deal, however, the 2nd year he can opt out of and become a UFA. So, we could leave him unprotected for the expansion draft, and if he's grabbed, simply re-sign him when he exercises his opt out option.

You see those in European leagues, but I'm pretty sure that's prohibited in NHL. I mean, most likely at least one player would have taken that option already.

 

[jamers]

Re: Subban, I'm not even dreaming about it. It's insane that they might even be thinking about trading him; I can't imagine the price for an intra-division trade.

 

[Heraldic]

Re: Subban, I'm not even dreaming about it. It's insane that they might even be thinking about trading him; I can't imagine the price for an intra-division trade.

Then again, Murray was talking about looking for QB d-man... He hasn't brought that up before. Perhaps Murray didn't see the need before Subban was thrown on the block?

Evander and P.K. could become the best buddies ever (for good and bad)!

 

[Sabre Dance]

Re: Subban, I'm not even dreaming about it. It's insane that they might even be thinking about trading him; I can't imagine the price for an intra-division trade.

We only have the ammo if it's PK for Ristolainen +.

Has anyone thought of moving Ristolainen in a deal like this? It would improve our defense and offense, but there would still be a lot of work to do on Defense.