Salary Cap: Salary Cap & Roster Building | Monday, February 26

[66-30-33]

Too bad Anisimov sucks on faceoffs,

Artem Anisimov stats - Chicago Blackhawks - Puckbase

 

[66-30-33]

JT Miller would be a ****ing dream.

But the cost would probably be incredibly nuts. Like to keep their GM on the line, we'd have to guarantee Sprong + 1st at least to start and then add, oh boy would we add.

Like realistically, I don't know if we have what it would take...


1st in 2018.
Sprong
Gustavsson
Sheary
Lauzon

Would that even be worth their while? They'd get a mid 1st unless the Pens win again, a top 6 winger prospect, an heir apparent (and Gusto idolizes Hank) to Lundy, a top 9 dwarf winger, and a decent D prospect. If they wanted ZAR, sure, him too. For Miller + Grabner.

I'm not giving up that much for Miller, or even Miller+Grabner. We still gotta re-sign Hornqvist, so not like we can keep Miller+Grabner long term.

 

[Peat]

On more sober reflection, Anisimov isn't an ideal guy, but at the same time if you want a two way guy who can definitely make things happen with skilled players as a semi long-term thing, there's a really short list of possibilities where the contract and cost of acquisition makes sense. If you could get Anisimov for the deal Ryder mentions, he'd be on the list.

And I'm not sure anyone else is on it.

Very much doubt the Hawks would do it at the deadline though. If GMs were as ready to trade as people here, we'd have solved the problem back in the Summer no worries.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Why do we need a left-winger to take Kuhnhackl out of the lineup? He's out of the lineup now, and the world did not stop spinning on its axis. Why can't we use Guentzel, Sheary, Hagelin, Aston-Reese and Simon? That's more than enough LW depth.

I really wish Bobby Mac and others would stop using this stupid 'all in' term. If we are looking for bottom-six depth, we're not all in. If we have little to trade away, we're not all in. If we don't have much cap space, we're not all in.

It is really annoying how they make the Pens look out to be a completely different team than everybody else, when in reality we're just acting like everybody else.

If we were all in, we'd be moving out Letang for a combination of third-line center and younger defenseman.

If all we're doing is bringing back Matt frickin' Cullen, stop talking about the Pens already.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Too bad Anisimov sucks on faceoffs,

Artem Anisimov stats - Chicago Blackhawks - Puckbase

Right. So he takes 13.3 a game at 46.1% and Sheahan who is our best faceoff guy by % and a comparable # of faceoff takes 13.2 a game and is 55.2%. We’ll round everything at the end.

Sheahan: 13.2*55.2% = 7.3
Anisimov: 13.3*46.1% = 6.1
Sheahan in Pittsburgh: 15*55.5% = 8.3
Anisimov w/ 15FO: 15*46.1% = 6.95

Sheahan: 7 FO win/game
Anisimov: 6 FO win/game
Sheahan here: 8 FO win/game
Anisimov w/ same # of FO: 7 FO win/game

It’s a difference but not a substantial one. The % looks substantial but the results aren’t.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Why do we need a left-winger to take Kuhnhackl out of the lineup? He's out of the lineup now, and the world did not stop spinning on its axis. Why can't we use Guentzel, Sheary, Hagelin, Aston-Reese and Simon? That's more than enough LW depth.

I really wish Bobby Mac and others would stop using this stupid 'all in' term. If we are looking for bottom-six depth, we're not all in. If we have little to trade away, we're not all in. If we don't have much cap space, we're not all in.

It is really annoying how they make the Pens look out to be a completely different team than everybody else, when in reality we're just acting like everybody else.

If we were all in, we'd be moving out Letang for a combination of third-line center and younger defenseman.

If all we're doing is bringing back Matt frickin' Cullen, stop talking about the Pens already.

We don’t have the right LW to play with Kessel on L3. Jake and Sheary aren’t good fits and Hagelin is spoken for. ZAR is a few games in and doesn’t look like he’ll amount to much this season.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Not surprising but one less option now.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Not surprising but one less option now.

Yeah I don’t think anyone was expecting Eller to be an option. Good contract for him.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Not surprising but one less option now.

I guess tha Caps CAN sign someone to an extension that isnt cap crippling. Who knew.

 

[wej20]

Ideal forward lines come playoff time

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary/Simon
Hagelin - Malkin - Hornqvist
XXX - XXX - Kessel
Kuhnhackl - Sheahan - Rust

Guess Sheary might have to be dealt in the 3rd line centre deal (depending who they bring in). Maybe a guy like Benoit Pouliot for 3rd line LW

 

[Ogrezilla]

I do think Bones was pretty bad himself - at least the Bones we got pre-Sully in '15-'16 and pretty much all of '16-'17, and Sheahan being any worse than that in a year when we have had other issues doesn't bode well for our chances IMO. It sounds like we're saying the same thing in different ways - I just think the team ought to make the moves necessary to be the favourites even if it hurts some.

If we go without an upgrade there, I really don't think we can say we went "all-in". That implies getting what we need, even if it required overpayment. We would just be doing what was affordable.

that's fair, I don't really disagree with any of that. But that's not at all what you said at the start of this conversation.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

that's fair, I don't really disagree with any of that. But that's not at all what you said at the start of this conversation.

I'm not sure what doesn't hold up. Point out what it is and I'll square it.

 

[JTG]

Ideal forward lines come playoff time

Guentzel - Crosby - Sheary/Simon
Hagelin - Malkin - Hornqvist
XXX - XXX - Kessel
Kuhnhackl - Sheahan - Rust

Guess Sheary might have to be dealt in the 3rd line centre deal (depending who they bring in). Maybe a guy like Benoit Pouliot for 3rd line LW

I always thought Rust and Kessel played off each other well, and Rust is sort of like Dupuis where it doesn't matter where you put him...his game doesn't change. My hope is still that Bozak becomes available, as he is exactly what we need.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'm not sure what doesn't hold up. Point out what it is and I'll square it.

I didn't say it is wrong or doesn't hold up, but it's a completely different conversation than the one you started.

I find the acceptance of going into the playoffs with Sheahan as our 3C disturbing.

Does anybody honestly think we're going to have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Tampa over a 7 game series if we don't upgrade at 3C?

You've turned a conversation implying you don't think we can win with Sheahan at 3C into saying keeping him as our 3C isn't going all in.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I didn't say it is wrong or doesn't hold up, but it's a completely different conversation than the one you started.

You've turned a post implying you don't think we can win with Sheahan at 3C into saying keeping him as our 3C isn't going all in.

What do you think "going all-in" means?

 

[Ogrezilla]

What do you think "going all-in" means?

doing everything possible to be the best you can. But possible is a part of that definition. If there are better LW's available than 3C's, then all-in could mean adding a LW instead of a 3C.

Do you think a team that doesn't go all-in ever has a chance to win? You asked about being able to go toe-to-toe, not being the favorite.

 

[WheresRamziAbid]

Fact nobody would have ever guessed. Sheahan now has the 3rd highest p/60 even strength on the team.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Fact nobody would have ever guessed. Sheahan now has the 3rd highest p/60 even strength on the team.

I feel like that's more damning on the team than good for Sheahan, to be honest.

 

[DegenX]

Not this seasons Anisimov. 4.5 mil and he scored only 50% of his points at ES. Especially when he’s played 70% with Kane.

He was also Kane's center when he tore up the league with Panarin, yeah? I think the Hawks are struggling this year in general, not just Anisimov. And sure, 4.5 is a little on the high end, but it's a reasonable cap hit for a 3C who is capable of moving up if Sid or Geno are out. It's probably moot, anyway. I would think Chicago would be able to snag a better package than Sheary and a 1st, if they actually did decide to trade him. But if that were the price I'd pay it.

 

[Andy99]

We don’t have the right LW to play with Kessel on L3. Jake and Sheary aren’t good fits and Hagelin is spoken for. ZAR is a few games in and doesn’t look like he’ll amount to much this season.

It also appears we don’t have the right RW to play with Sid either, although maybe that’s moot if we get the right LW to play with him

 

[Ogrezilla]

I feel like that's more damning on the team than good for Sheahan, to be honest.

I tend to agree. But at the same time, it fits my belief that Sheahan as our 3C is not at the top of list of why this team has struggled this year.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I tend to agree. But at the same time, it fits my belief that Sheahan as our 3C is not at the top of list of why this team has struggled this year.

I agree with both of these points. Sheahan has done really well in the 3C spot this year, blaming him for the Penguins struggles is just illogical. He's producing at a ~10 goal, ~35 point pace, most of which is coming at ES, and eating huge defensive minutes. I have no idea how anyone can say he's been a problem this year. Someone you want to upgrade on? Maybe, but that's even starting to look iffy.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

doing everything possible to be the best you can. But possible is a part of that definition. If there are better LW's available than 3C's, then all-in could mean adding a LW instead of a 3C.

Center is inherently a more important position, and I don't think there are any available LWs you could add to make a Sheahan-Kessel combo a scoring line. As we all saw, Guentzel sure ain't it. If you give me a choice for this team between any of the LWs available and Pageau, I'm taking Pageau.

Do you think a team that doesn't go all-in ever has a chance to win? You asked about being able to go toe-to-toe, not being the favorite.

I clarified that in a post to Peat - clearly the goal isn't to have a hard-fought series and lose. I wanted to know if people honestly thought we could beat Tampa in 7 game series. With the present 3C situation, I don't think so.

Teams that don't go all-in have a chance to win, of course. An 8 seed has a chance to make a Cinderella run. What I want is our best chance to win - to me, that has to include an upgrade at 3C, otherwise we're not going all-in.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I'm not saying that can't be the difference.

I'm saying if you're expecting that to be the difference, its close enough that getting someone other than Sheahan doesn't move the needle from "Can't do" to "Can" for me. Particularly if we're talking a worst case for Sheahan scenario.

And I don't think its reasonable to assume a new 3C is gonna come in and just start putting up mad points with Phil at ES. Particularly when Phil's only good for about 3 or 4 points every 7 games himself at ES. If that's the expectation, if that's our only hope of beating Tampa... we're probably not beating them with any 3C.

I don't expect anyone is going to come in and start tearing the league apart with Phil. But I do think we need a 3C who can make Kessel enough of a threat at ES that we can run 3 actual scoring lines by splitting up our 3 best offensive players. We do that now, but it's not making 3 scoring lines. It's just putting Kessel on the 3rd to spin his tires.

And we've had two game 7s in the last 8 series. I just picked the number as the extreme case.

Right. But those are the pick 'em series where you need every advantage you can get, and 3C is a key role.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Center is inherently a more important position, and I don't think there are any available LWs you could add to make a Sheahan-Kessel combo a scoring line. As we all saw, Guentzel sure ain't it. If you give me a choice for this team between any of the LWs available and Pageau, I'm taking Pageau.

I think a worse player than Guentzel can make it a far better line than Guentzel did if it's the right player. Kessel and Sheahan would need someone to work the boards and play smart (honestly someone like how Hags is playing lately). Honestly, I don't know who is all available. I'm not disagreeing with the theory, and C is definitely a more important position.

I clarified that in a post to Peat - clearly the goal isn't to have a hard-fought series and lose. I wanted to know if people honestly thought we could beat Tampa in 7 game series. With the present 3C situation, I don't think so.

I would pick Tampa to beat us, but I would still say he have a legitimate chance to beat anybody. And that's pretty much as-is. Our best players are just so damn good. Add in some upgrades at wing or on the 4th line, and it gets even closer. My ideal add would be a 3C as well, but I don't think it's the only way to upgrade this team.

Teams that don't go all-in have a chance to win, of course. An 8 seed has a chance to make a Cinderella run. What I want is our best chance to win.

Obviously I do too. I just disagree with your assessment of how low our chances are with Sheahan at 3C. If we add a guy like Pageau, we have done more to upgrade our 4th line by replacing Rowney with Sheahan than we have to upgrade our 3rd line by replacing Sheahan with Pageau.

edit: I honestly must be missing something with Pageau, because he actually scores even less than Sheahan doesn't he? How does he give us a 3rd scoring line?