Speculation: Rumour, Trade and Free Agent Speculation, 2019-20 - Part XII

[surixon]

Let's wait and see what Point, Rantanen and Tkachuk get. He slots in below Point and Rantanen. That'll set good benchmarks for Laine. Boeser and Konecny have already given some good benchmarks for Connor.

Yup I'm willing to wait for those. I'm just saying I can see where his camp is coming from based on how he started his career.

 

[Howard Chuck]

It's mostly the intense Laine fans that advocate for a Laine trade. I don't think Laine is angling for a trade, but his agent and he are clearly taking a line in negotiations that project how much better he could be with more time in a top line role. I think it's mostly about the frustration of the lengthy and difficult negotiation process. I just think Laine should be counseled to keep these thoughts to himself and let the negotiations play out behind closed doors. That would be in everyone's better interests.

I agree that he shouldn't be talking to the press, but at the same time we want to hear something refreshingly different from a player. I see both sides.

 

[Board Bard]

As Wheeler said in his interview today, you want players to want more. You don't want them to be content to just play where they are, you want them to want to move up the lineup.

Like in the movie World War Z when a horde of zombies are climbing over each other to get up a wall.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Makes you wonder why he was brought then. It seems that there are still issues between some of the players and the coach. Does anyone really see things mending well especially if the team gets off to a slow start due to all the change on the backend?

To be fair to Maurice, he was brought in with the understanding that he was going to play the youth on the team at the expense of just trying to get higher in the standings ( I believe). He did that, but now I don't think he's the right coach to get the most out of our roster.

 

[Howard Chuck]

Like in the movie World War Z when a horde of zombies are climbing over each other to get up a wall.

Pack of Wolves, Horde of Zombies.

Tomato, Tomahto

 

[surixon]

To be fair to Maurice, he was brought in with the understanding that he was going to play the youth on the team at the expense of just trying to get higher in the standings ( I believe). He did that, but now I don't think he's the right coach to get the most out of our roster.

I can respect what he was asked to do and did but when you start to lose the team it's time to make a change. Also despite the stipulations he's been treated pretty darn well by org by giving him a good 7 years of employment with his contract likely guaranteed for another couple of years.

 

[Howard Chuck]

I can respect what he was asked to do and did but when you start to lose the team it's time to make a change. Also despite the stipulations he's been treated pretty darn well by org by giving him a good 7 years of employment with his contract likely guaranteed for another couple of years.

I agree with you....

 

[Royale With Cheese]

View media item 5951

 

[Ducky10]

Makes you wonder why he was brought then. It seems that there are still issues between some of the players and the coach. Does anyone really see things mending well especially if the team gets off to a slow start due to all the change on the backend?

I don't see it mending if the team doesn't get off to a good start, regardless of the back end. I don't wonder why he was brought back, it's naïve to think Maurice hasn't built up enough good will or benefit of the doubt to be behind the bench this season. Doesn't mean it's necessarily the right decision, but I get it.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Cap space is another key consideration. It can be weaponized in a variety of ways. If the Jets don't see themselves as a Cup contender this season, I could see various ways that they could restructure their roster and cap situation with a trade of Connor and/or Laine.

I really think the Buff situation might play into it. If Buff ends up missing a lot or all of this season, I could see the Jets using this season to retool and restructure things, get a good haul in next season's draft, and continuing to build around a nice young core for an extended competitive window.

I don't see doing it with Connor, though maybe. But Laine to Habs for Domi and Brook would interest me. Domi eats up a piece of the cap saved but he gives us a 2nd top 6 C. Even if you are in the "Little is still a good 2C" camp, you have to recognize that he won't be for much longer.

I would rather have Kotkaniemi than Domi but I think it would be a lot harder to pry him out of Montreal and if we got him we would need to take some cap back somewhere else. I would take back Alzner if it meant getting KK + Brook, but I don't think Habs would do that. We would probably have to buy out Alzner.

I've been thinking about our situation at C quite a bit lately and I've concluded that it is a greater need than even 1RHD. I started just by considering where we would be if we were contending or entering the PO and lost Scheifele for an extended period. I don't think Wheeler is an option beyond a short absence of Scheifele. Little is less and less a 2C all the time and just not adequate at all as a 1C. Copp + Lowry give us pretty good depth and 4C's are not hard to find at any time. But I think we badly need another top 6 C.

I don't mean just as insurance in case Scheif gets hurt. It was just thinking of it that way brought it into focus. A young 1b or even potential 1a centre would be my first requirement in a Laine trade.

I'm not sure how Buff's absence affects that calculation. We know we need a 1RHD going forward but I don't think it is as critical as strength at C. Certainly missing Buff for a large part of this season would be a blow but D help is on the way. So we could live with taking this as a reloading year if we are without Buff.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

It must be that quarter Irish that makes me that way. Grandpa ended up here cause he was stirring up too much **** back at home trying to get the English out of his country.

My Grandfather was Orange.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

There would obviously have to be something else coming back from Tampa to make the salaries work, maybe a defenceman and/or a middle six winger. Scheifele and Point would be among the best center pairs in the league imo.

Don't dispute that. I want a young top 6 C for Laine. I would aim lower than Point though and not trade 2 of my wingers to get him. What good would the C's be with no wingers? Look at the Oil right now.

Also, I think Point might be a little overrated. He has played exclusively on a pretty powerful team. How good would he be with Perreault and Roslovic on his wings? That would be a fast line, but tiny. Not saying that Point wouldn't be very good, but just how good is not really known.

 

[drumzan]

I think Connor resigns soon. His value has been set by these other deals.

Laine wants 10+ a year and I think he feels he deserves it.

Re-signs

#GrammarPolice

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Listen to the interview with Wheeler today. He was in full support mode of Patrik. There's nothing wrong here (other than Maurice, but that's another story).

Yup. Good interview. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

I found it interesting that he is in as much contact as he indicated during the off-season. As captain, does he stay in touch that closely with all of the players? Do most NHL captains do that in the off-season?

 

[Daximus]

Yup. Good interview. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

I found it interesting that he is in as much contact as he indicated during the off-season. As captain, does he stay in touch that closely with all of the players? Do most NHL captains do that in the off-season?

Hard to know what everyone else does but we know Wheeler takes literally everything seriously so he probably texts or calls everyone to see how things are going.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Makes you wonder why he was brought then. It seems that there are still issues between some of the players and the coach. Does anyone really see things mending well especially if the team gets off to a slow start due to all the change on the backend?

Mau has been Jets coach for 5.5 years now. I think that coaches tend to expire with a group of players after a certain amount of time. I think he was the right coach at the time he was hired. He may be expiring now. I think we will soon see.

The buy-in was insufficient last year. Maybe the players realize that after the way last season went. Maybe he gets the buy-in back this year. If not, I think it will be time to part ways, but we need to see what comes next before we will know.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Which is interesting, since it's most likely the guy Wheeler is willing to go thru a wall for, that is keeping Laine from moving up the lineup. Or if some rumors are true, it's actually Wheeler that is keeping Laine off his line.

I would like to believe that it's Laine that is keeping Laine off the top line for 5 on 5 play, and one day when the coach and GM think he is ready for that role, he will get it. But, what do I know.

The one thing that was missing from that interview was for someone to ask Wheeler how he feels about Laine being after his 1RW spot. They all just ignored that. Of course Laine could play LW on that line with S & W but the combination that makes most sense is ESL, IMO. That would see KC and Wheeler playing 2nd line with Little.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I think Connor resigns soon. His value has been set by these other deals.

Laine wants 10+ a year and I think he feels he deserves it.

Although he is willing to take less on a 2 year deal.

Agree, Connor's price is pretty well set.
Take Konecny's deal, add .5 mil for 7 years, another .5 for 8 years and a little more for the higher number of goals. You have 8x6.5-7.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Hard to know what everyone else does but we know Wheeler takes literally everything seriously so he probably texts or calls everyone to see how things are going.

There was some noise earlier that the malaise was Wheeler's fault - in a variety of ways. Maybe we have a damn good captain there.

 

[Gil Fisher]

Although he is willing to take less on a 2 year deal.

Agree, Connor's price is pretty well set.
Take Konecny's deal, add .5 mil for 7 years, another .5 for 8 years and a little more for the higher number of goals. You have 8x6.5-7.

That's just slightly more AAV than Beoser's bridge. How do those two compare?

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

View media item 5951

Still like Little. Just not centring Ehlers and Laine. Maybe he is 2RW after we trade Laine for a really good C.

 

[Neuf]

Journalism:

Wheeler downplays the situation, supports Laine's wants, but makes sure that he defends the team as well and that's what gets bolded.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Journalism:
View attachment 255255

Wheeler downplays the situation, supports Laine's wants, but makes sure that he defends the team as well and that's what gets bolded.

Shit journalism drumming up clicks. So gross.

 

[Upperdeckjet]

Journalism:
View attachment 255255

Wheeler downplays the situation, supports Laine's wants, but makes sure that he defends the team as well and that's what gets bolded.

I agree that the headline is a very small part of what Blake said, however, I'm glad he said it and I'm glad Laine will see it.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

That's just slightly more AAV than Beoser's bridge. How do those two compare?

Boeser has scored .83 ppg. Connor has scored .72 ppg. That is 15% higher for Boeser. Boeser is also ahead in gpg, .42/.38. Boeser is a little more than a year younger.

I thought Boeser was a little high for the term, but if we are using it as a comp we have to use it as it is. If we equalize to the scoring by subtracting 15% from Boeser's deal it would have been just about 5. How do my numbers for KC look compared to that? 1.5-2 mil higher/yr for 4-5 years longer. He would get that additional money in the same years as Boeser was getting the lower number, not just the additional years.

Edit: Yes, I know that ppg is a superficial comparison. Close enough for horseshoes, hand-grenades and atom bombs.