Speculation: Summer 2018 General Speculation/Discussion Thread

[JohnnyJacket13]

I still think we need to pick up a bottom pairing defenseman. I think a Hamhuis or Enstrom could be had for an affordable 1 year contract.

I've posted this before, but our D could look like this opening night if Werenski isn't healthy.

Murray-Jones
Nutivaara-Savard
Harrington-Kukan
Cross, Simpson, Carlsson

This isn't inspiring confidence at all. I feel much better with Kukan, Harrington, and the others fighting for one spot, not two.

Which reaffirms CBJWennberg's post. I agree about getting a veteran third pair dman with some playoff experience.

Orpik would be a good get on a one year deal too

 

[EspenK]

Hamhuis or Orpik would work for me but I doubt Jarmo does it.

 

[JacketsDavid]

It is a bit scary looking at those d pairings. I know we're down a key guy but seeing it on paper is concerning.

 

[CBJFan827]

I don't see Hamhuis happening. People have been murmuring on the mains that Hamhuis is holding out for a 3 year deal out West, so he doesn't have to uproot his family. I think he'd be great, but not with multiyear term.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

It is a bit scary looking at those d pairings. I know we're down a key guy but seeing it on paper is concerning.

That's not even factoring in other injuries. If we lose ANY 2 defenseman at any point of the year? Yikes.

Orpik goes completely against everything we're trying to do here (speed, puck movement) but I think he's the guy I'd go for. Just for the pure leadership and winner stand point. He'd bring another dimension we don't have and would also be a good example for our younger guys.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

I feel like Carlsson is being underestimated in all of these projections.

I also feel like we should give Cross, Simpson, and Clendening a shot in camp before acquiring more depth defensemen.

Between those guys and Kukan (and Harrington), we have 6 guys with limited NHL experience that will fight for the 6/7 spots.

Most teams are saying the same thing about their depth fighting for 4/5 spots.


Jarmo has been calculated in trimming the older, more-expensive players from the lineup and letting the younger players fight for the last slots on the team. How it will play out is up to them.

This is very much the same D group going into this season as last season, only losing Jack, and gaining 3 depth defensemen, with the rest of the U24 defensemen a year older.

It seems very much like a calculated effort to trim the budget and complement the young core with similarly aged skill players, while making room for the proven ones to gradually assume bigger roles.

What we have on paper is a VERY young group that has a lot to prove.

 

[CBJFan827]

That very young group is why I want us to pick up a veteran dman on a 1 year deal

 

[major major]

That very young group is why I want us to pick up a veteran dman on a 1 year deal

I'd be fine with this as long as it's someone they can scratch as much as they want. A lot of veteran D won't be okay with that. I don't want us to be in a situation where we have a young D step up, like Kukan, and they can't get on the ice because there is a worse veteran in the way.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Young teams typically don't win. Given where we're at with our cap situation and subsequent Panarin situation, the time is now.

Unless they plan on trading Panarin. Then we can continue adding bricks slowly.

 

[Cowumbus]

Young teams typically don't win. Given where we're at with our cap situation and subsequent Panarin situation, the time is now.

Unless they plan on trading Panarin. Then we can continue adding bricks slowly.

The 15 years of suck followed by the Panarin situation make me feel that we are never going to win.

Our only elite offensive player leaving will kill our team.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

The 15 years of suck followed by the Panarin situation make me feel that we are never going to win.

Our only elite offensive player leaving will kill our team.

Kill it? Nah. But it probably puts us from an upper tier bubble team to a bottom tier bubble team. Depending on what comes back at least.

Now, if we trade both Panarin AND Bob before the year? That's a lottery team.

 

[thebus88]

Did the 16/17 season happen?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Did the 16/17 season happen?

Perfect storm. Zero outside expectations, exceptionally unsustainably hot powerplay, 16 game win streak, and Vezina trophy season. Yes, the season happened, but that roster wasn't worthy of the season it displayed. Last years roster was better, and they had less points. Yet the result at the end was a one game improvement.

Move Panarin? There is still a chance we make it in. Move Bobrovsky? Same thing, but even less so. Move both? No shot in hell.

 

[thebus88]

Move Panarin? There is still a chance we make it in. Move Bobrovsky? Same thing, but even less so. Move both? No shot in hell.

Ok, and let me guess, this is under the assumption that the 13-17 million dollars of cap room that would be opened up, isn't used in ANY way to improve the team....

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Ok, and let me guess, this is under the assumption that the 13-17 million dollars of cap room that would be opened up, isn't used in ANY way to improve the team....

Other than the players come in from said trades, yes. At least for this upcoming season. There's nothing left in UFA. Any trades bringing in significant players would cost draft picks/young prospects/young NHLers and if we trade both Panarin and/or Bobrovsky we would be in no position to deal any of those things.

 

[GoJackets1]

Maybe not this year, but next year we can use that free cap. There’s a good crop of free agents next year. Obviously some will resign before then, but not all of them. Seguin, Skinner, Zuccarello, Brassard, Wheeler, Duchene, Eberle, Silfverberg, just to name a few.

 

[thebus88]

Other than the players come in from said trades, yes. At least for this upcoming season. There's nothing left in UFA. Any trades bringing in significant players would cost draft picks/young prospects/young NHLers and if we trade both Panarin and/or Bobrovsky we would be in no position to deal any of those things.

Well, 1st, if either guy were to be traded, a "decent"/"good" roster player would have to come back. Money reasons or not. So you are looking at 2 hypothetical "top 6/9" forwards or maybe another "good" defenseman and I'm sure a "decent"/"good" backup/1B type netminder also would be brought in some how. You don't know how good or bad these hypothetical guys would play.

While I think only thinking about 1 year is shortsighted, mainly since these trades would be based primarily ON the future, I still don't think losing these 2 guys (with a couple adequate "replacements") makes this team a lottery team. Do I think they'd be BETTER (immediately)? Probably not, but to me, the playoffs still wouldn't be out of the question.

And depending on what types of trades were made, we would still ALSO get some decent picks/"future" assets, that we most certainly COULD use as trade chips. We don't NEED any more youth. I also don't need to hold out hope that the team NEEDS to somehow draft the next superstar, whether its the 1st round or the 6th round. I'm fine with PLD and Jones.

 

[GoJackets1]

We won't be better immediately, but it's very possible we could be better 2-3 years down the road. As I said in the other thread (this is probably better off here), say we get one or somehow both of Huberdeau and Borgstrom from Florida for a signed Panarin. Couple that with proper development of Texier, Abramov, Milano, and Marchenko. In 3 years, we could have one of the deepest groups of forwards in the league, perhaps deep enough to sacrifice some of that depth for another Panarin-style upgrade (hopefully signed for longer than Panarin was).

Losing Bread stings for a lot of reasons. He's the best player we've ever had, it reinforces every "stereotype" Columbus and the CBJ have had to face in the past, and that Bread just seems like a great guy. I trust Jarmo to not lose him for nothing, and as long as that trust pays off, I don't think it will be the end of the world. We're still the youngest team in the league, and we'll still have Jones, Z, and PLD at the very least, who will in all likelihood be dominant players for years to come.

 

[BluejacketNut]

Maybe not this year, but next year we can use that free cap. There’s a good crop of free agents next year. Obviously some will resign before then, but not all of them. Seguin, Skinner, Zuccarello, Brassard, Wheeler, Duchene, Eberle, Silfverberg, just to name a few.

There is almost zero chance of the bolded signing here as FA

 

[GoJackets1]

There is almost zero chance of the bolded signing here as FA

Noted. Doesn't mean they won't be available/we can't try.

 

[BluejacketNut]

True

 

[Cowumbus]

Kill it? Nah. But it probably puts us from an upper tier bubble team to a bottom tier bubble team. Depending on what comes back at least.

Now, if we trade both Panarin AND Bob before the year? That's a lottery team.

Imo we were a bubble team with Panarin..

 

[Cowumbus]

Maybe not this year, but next year we can use that free cap. There’s a good crop of free agents next year. Obviously some will resign before then, but not all of them. Seguin, Skinner, Zuccarello, Brassard, Wheeler, Duchene, Eberle, Silfverberg, just to name a few.

Seguin will be the only elite one.

 

[Cowumbus]

We won't be better immediately, but it's very possible we could be better 2-3 years down the road. As I said in the other thread (this is probably better off here), say we get one or somehow both of Huberdeau and Borgstrom from Florida for a signed Panarin. Couple that with proper development of Texier, Abramov, Milano, and Marchenko. In 3 years, we could have one of the deepest groups of forwards in the league, perhaps deep enough to sacrifice some of that depth for another Panarin-style upgrade (hopefully signed for longer than Panarin was).

Losing Bread stings for a lot of reasons. He's the best player we've ever had, it reinforces every "stereotype" Columbus and the CBJ have had to face in the past, and that Bread just seems like a great guy. I trust Jarmo to not lose him for nothing, and as long as that trust pays off, I don't think it will be the end of the world. We're still the youngest team in the league, and we'll still have Jones, Z, and PLD at the very least, who will in all likelihood be dominant players for years to come.

I don’t get how you can be so hopeful. Panarin is elite now, and makes a difference. The growth from within May or may not happen, those guys might not ever be anything in the NHL. You know what you have with Panarin. Every team has prospered like Texier/Abramov/Marchenko and high hopes for them.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Imo we were a bubble team with Panarin..

Yes we are.