Salary Cap: Salary Cap Thread - The Dog Days of August

[AuroraBorealis]

@AuroraBorealis - if we're talking Zucker's expected p/60 production this season, then I'd suggest looking at season averages since breaking into the NHL properly provide a more accurate and perhaps rosier picture. They run like this:

14/15 - 2.03
15/16 - 1.12
16/17 - 2.38
17/18 - 2.1
18/19 - 1.37
19/20 - 1.97
20/21 - 1.49

So his average of 1.76 is misleading as he's rarely near there. He's either a decent bit above or a decent bit below.

Now, yeah, the numbers suggest he's had a bit of regression in the last five years, but he's not reached the point at which we'd normally expect huge regression and we're just a season removed from flirting with 2 p/60. And I can't say when watching Zucker I found myself thinking "wow, he just can't do it" - he has hands, he has speed, and so on.

I feel like, providing we can get him a line with some chemistry and avoid disasters, there's not a lot of reason he can't be back around the 2 p/60 area again.

It would also seem to indicate that if he doesn't we can't expect much joy either.

It's true he goes hot and cold one year to the next. Maybe we're due for a hot one then.

Well if it's gonna work with any Center, I could see Carter being the guy for him. Plays a simplistic style. He won't feel as compelled to force passes to Carter like he does with Malkin. And I suspect Zuck will get some free points with Kap running the gauntlet time to time.

To me, Zuck seems to be overthinking things out there a lot. He's concerned about appeasing his linemates too much. He plays best when he relies on his instincts and has an aggressive mindset. I like when he carries the puck himself with speed in the O-zone. That's when he can do damage. He starts sucking when he slows down and tries to get cute with give-and-go's.

Hopefully with Carter he'll have a better orientation of where his linemates are around him. To this point I feel Zuck is very poor with decision making/pass accuracy on the walls. The opposition get too many easy exits off turnovers.

 

[Peat]

It's true he goes hot and cold one year to the next. Maybe we're due for a hot one then.

Well if it's gonna work with any Center, I could see Carter being the guy for him. Plays a simplistic style. He won't feel as compelled to force passes to Carter like he does with Malkin. And I suspect Zuck will get some free points with Kap running the gauntlet time to time.

To me, Zuck seems to be overthinking things out there a lot. He's concerned about appeasing his linemates too much. He plays best when he relies on his instincts and has an aggressive mindset. I like when he carries the puck himself with speed in the O-zone. That's when he can do damage. He starts sucking when he slows down and tries to get cute with give-and-go's.

Hopefully with Carter he'll have a better orientation of where his linemates are around him. To this point I feel Zuck is very poor with decision making/pass accuracy on the walls. The opposition get too many easy exits off turnovers.

I think we're mostly in agreement. The poor decision making on the walls is something I think could be cleaned up a bit with less overthinking too. Hopefully he has a good mental reset over the summer and finds that connection with Carter.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Point's assist rate really fell this season at 5v5. Like, no complaints totals, still 1C, but not silly like they were. I'm curious as to why that would be the case if it's not Kucherov.

It's a shortened season of stats. I'm not sure why anyone is taking that season as any rational basis of future production.

In 2012-13 Andrew Ladd had 46pts in 48 games. A 79pt pace that he's never ever sniffed in his entire NHL career.

The mere fact anyone takes what happened last year as a sign of anything to come just makes me laugh.

 

[Gurglesons]

It is absolutely bizarre to me how much Isles fans took Eberle for granted

 

[mpp9]

It is absolutely bizarre to me how much Isles fans took Eberle for granted

Yeah he wasn’t as Gretzky like against us this postseason but I’m happy as f*** he’s outta the division.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

PTO isn't a guarantee. Also if they're that desperate for a LHD, trade him that Pettersson.

I think you need bodies on PTO just in general so a lot of awful players get one. Some of you muppets read too into shit.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Also I figured Palms would stay on the Island. Lou figured out a way to keep that team strong and now with a full season with Kyle Palmieri.

 

[Gurglesons]

Also I figured Palms would stay on the Island. Lou figured out a way to keep that team strong and now with a full season with Kyle Palmieri.

I think Palmieri is going to be a bust there tbh.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Point also has had no problem in the playoffs scoring against the team that most of our players can't figure out how to score against.

Maybe he's a bit of a product of Kucherov but he's also just awesome.

Or their playstyles perfectly complement each other. Kucherov's a wizard at finding those seam passes for people darting into the slot to pick up in flight, and Point seems to excel at using his speed/agility to dart into that area to receive those passes.

Point definitely benefits from playing with a guy like Kucherov, but make no mistake Kucherov benefits from playing with a guy who goes to the areas to take advantage of what Kucherov does best.

 

[Gurglesons]

Or their playstyles perfectly complement each other. Kucherov's a wizard at finding those seam passes for people darting into the slot to pick up in flight, and Point seems to excel at using his speed/agility to dart into that area to receive those passes.

Point definitely benefits from playing with a guy like Kucherov, but make no mistake Kucherov benefits from playing with a guy who goes to the areas to take advantage of what Kucherov does best.

Kucherov put up 100 points while playing with Stamkos and Namestnikov in 17-18.

I'm not denying Point is a # 1 C. But this idea that he is a top five center that was made above is ridiculous. He has an argument for top ten.

 

[dogthateats]

Stop cussing guys

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I think Palmieri is going to be a bust there tbh.

I don't. Palmieri plays a fairly simple adaptable game that gets production. Trotz would have to purposely misuse him like Zucker is here, to tank his production.

He had a rough start when he got there, 4pts in 17 but then added 9 in 19 in the playoffs where he started to get comfortable. It's a whack season. I'd never consider what happened last year as Gospel for a lot of things.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't. Palmieri plays a fairly simple game that gets production. Trotz would have to purposely misuse him like Zucker is here, to tank his production.

You mean like use him on the third line and not play him on the 1st power play?

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

Player Season Totals - Natural Stat Trick

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You mean like use him on the third line and not play him on the 1st power play?

Full season incoming.

Better looks as well.

 

[Gurglesons]

Full season incoming.

Better looks as well.

Why does that change the fact Trotz used him on L3 and not on the 1st power play?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Why does that change the fact Trotz used him on L3 and not on the 1st power play?

Who was on their first powerplay.

You have the weirdest fixation to prove a point that no one wanted or asked for one out of some serious petty shit.

Someone says hey good for that team with keeping a solid winger, you come in like the captain obvious with facts that no one wanted or cares about. But you do you.

 

[Ugene Magic]

New thread is up.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Kucherov put up 100 points while playing with Stamkos and Namestnikov in 17-18.

I'm not denying Point is a # 1 C. But this idea that he is a top five center that was made above is ridiculous. He has an argument for top ten.

Ugh.... You made me turn on my computer to argue this.

Top 20 centres per fantasy value starting last year, decent list to start with:

1 Nathan MacKinnon (COL - C) - clearly better
2 Connor McDavid (EDM - C,F) - clearly better

This is where it gets interesting.

3 Leon Draisaitl (EDM - C,LW) - plays with McDavid, does nothing in the playoff, might be better offensively, but not overall, Id take Point when it matters
4 Auston Matthews (TOR - C,F) - might be better offensively, plays with a Kuch lite player, does nothing in the playoffs
5 Sebastian Aho (CAR - C) - interesting argument
6 Jack Eichel (BUF - C,F) - has the potential, needs to get out of the tire fire hes in, unproven
7 Mika Zibanejad (NYR - C) - heck no
8 Sidney Crosby (PIT - C,F) - was, if healthy and engaged, can be better, if I had to Id take point
9 Brayden Point (TB - C,F) - enough said
10 Elias Pettersson (VAN - C) - unproven, talent might be there, isnt durable yet
11 Evgeni Malkin (PIT - C,F) - see Sid
12 Mark Scheifele (WPG - C,F) - interesting argument
13 John Tavares (TOR - C,F) - nope, terrible contract, doesnt really do much on his own now
14 Patrice Bergeron (BOS - C,F) - older version of Point
15 Aleksander Barkov Jr. (FLA - C,F) - could argue either way, lets see what the Panthers are this year,
16 Sean Couturier (PHI - C,F) - defensively yes, offensively no
17 Evgeny Kuznetsov (WSH - C,F) - heck no
18 Mathew Barzal (NYI - C,F) - interesting argument, personally would take Point
19 Ryan O'Reilly (STL - C) - defensively better, offensively worse, would take Point
20 Nicklas Backstrom (WSH - C,F) - not at this point in his career

So you have Mac and Mc clear at the top, then it gets interesting. Draisaitl, Matthews, Aho, Eichel, Scheifele, Barkov and Barzel mixed in with Point. First two I wouldnt take over Point if Im building a team, next 4 you could argue. Top 5 centre in the league is not a stretch.

 

[Zirakzigil]

New thread is up.

Salary Cap: - Penguins Salary Cap Thread: Sept.(camp/pre-season) The New Normal - The horror, the horror...