The 2018 Panthers off-season thread-Petrovic is back

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Well that was a fun run. Hopefully next year they know the season starts in October. Buffalo, Ottawa, Detroit and Montreal will all still be bad, Devils should regress, so Florida should be contending with Philly,CBJ, Carolina (NJD if they can continue this turnaround).

Anyways, a much more enjoyable product than last year's disaster. That said, a couple things stick out:

-need for a winger: Can't have McGinn or McCann in the top 6, Borgstrom needs a year to develop. If only there was a veteran UFA wing with friends on the Panthers and has been associated with Florida before. Kovy is a pipe dream but c'mon it would make my year, one of my favorites

-need for a dman: Mark Pysyk is a 6/7 dman. If Tallon has watched this season and doesn't think so, we have a problem. Completely overmatched all year.

-Nick Bjugstad: Tallon was right on Bjugstad bouncing back, but for anyone who's watched #11 since he was removed from Barkov, production can be expected while playing with Barkov, without, not so much. Not a fan of him but he's had a very good year and Tallon won't be moving him. Hell even the old analytics guys wouldn't move him.

-Management: Dale Tallon and Bob Boughner will both be returning for the 2019 season. The former probably won't make some people happy, but I think most people like Boog.

cap space: a ton, but I don't know what the 2019 internal cap is?

UFAs: None, as Vrbata is retiring

RFAs: Alex Petrovic, Jared McCann, Frank Vatrano, MacKenzie Weegar

Click to read more...

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Just some thoughts...Add yours. Much like the end of the '15 season I want to teleport to October, expecting good things (well a 1 and done playoff series, which is as good as it gets for us )

 

[SimbaThePanther]

Pretty much agree with you. Pysyk has to be replaced in the top4. I've liked Weegar this season, thought he had a lot of sloppy passing in the first half but has really been much more solid in the 2nd half. Petrovic I'm undecided on, seems a bit slow/uninterested at times.

Seeing Borg in action, I agree. Best thing for him would be to start on the 3C. Have someone like Vatrano/Tippett and Mamin on his wings would be interesting, speed, size and strenght. Starting to feel McCann is the odd man out, not really a fit on the 4th either. Though would not mind replacing MacK + Haley need to NOT play so much! I too think Bjugstad might stick on that 1st next year, and if that line can continue to produce, it wouldn't be too bad at all. But if they can find a very good deal with him in a package for a legit top 6 scoring winger....I say go for it.

Ugh, a LONG off-season ahead. The worst thing I know about NHL hockey...especially when this team isn't in the playoffs.

 

[IceManCat]

We need a defensive center. Even in the new NHL I can’t imagine a team winning with one defensive center. Neither Trocheck, Borgstrom, or old McKenzie are defensive centers. Slotting McCann as a fourth line center is just bizarre. Maybe Malgin as he is slightly better but even then I prefer someone else through FA

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Realistically the Isles will ask and get a #1 Center from one of 3 teams that have the room if Tavares refuses to sign....Cats, Yotes, VGK. Yotes would probably do the deal if Stepan didn't have a NTC but the Golden Knights would have to think long and hard about giving up Karlsson and his 41 G's and 73 pts in 77 games. I'm not adverse to giving them Barky and our #1 if that's what it would take but they would also have to absorb Nick, Pysyk and send us back DeHaan.

A Barkov trade is probably the most viable from a practical competitive standpoint as he is young and on a reasonable contract. So it would just be a matter of dollars and whether Tavares wants to be here. Certainly he could test UFA but there aren't a lot of teams that could absorb $9-10M per for 7 years.

Like I said it's probably a pipe dream but to me Barkov has a lot of holes in his demeanor (passion/intensity) to take us to the next level.

ps: The Cats like the Bolts probably can pay about a million less per due to no income tax. Stamkos signed for $8.5M and was worth more if he signed elsewhere.

So you've traded:

Yandle, Ekblad, Matheson, Huberdeau and Barkov over the course of this year....are we keeping Trocheck?

So Tavares alone will save the team?

Fill out the rest of the roster with all those deductions made above. I want to see this pipedream roster of yours.

 

[Mogo]

Need top 6 winger or 2
Veteran defensive dman or 2
3rd line that can produce
4th line that can at least play good defensively

MacK, Pysyk should be gone

Wouldn't mind trading Bjugstad with his value high. I don't have high hopes he'll come in next season as good as he was later part this season.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

The team needs some serious depth.

I’d also like to lock Weegar up for a few years.

 

[16Skippy]

I agree with everyone that we need depth, mainly a top 4 D and middle 6 forward. But how will we make room for them?

Not extend some of our RFAs? Buy out our captain? Or hopefully trade some dead weighr?

 

[BB88]

• At minimun they need to add a top4 RD, that's the start of building a contender.

• Keep this years draft pick and hope for a strong D-prospect to be in range.
• Try to add Kovy, if not one of Bogrstrom/Tippett to top6 and add a new 4th line C, Haley& Mackenzie should be gone after this season, but I doubt this will happen which again will lead to too much icetime for Barkov& Trocheck.
• Start looking for new goaltender, again doubt this will happen either.

In the end my guess is Tallon bets on kids and replaces Haley with someone.

 

[EnforceTheLaus]

Gone next year:
Pysyk
McCann
Dmac
Haley

Kids coming up will be Tippett, Borg with a dark horse of Hepo

Off season I’d like to a possible Bjugs trade (if it’s an upgrade). Also go after a top 4 RD, looking at Hjammer, Tanev etc. to replace Psysk.

Also want a more tough 4C that can play but also satiates Boughner’s need for an enforcer so we can keep more utility based 4th and roll more of a scoring 3rd. Icing would be to get a decent back up and move from Riemer but his contract to performance makes that difficult.


Something like:
Bjugs(replacement)-Barkov-Dads
Hubey-Tro-Tippett
Malgin-Borg-Vatrano
Mamin/McGinn-4C-Scev

Yandle-Ek
Matheson-Hjammer/Tanev
Weegar- warm body

Lu
Replacement

 

[CatscratchFever]

When Tallon interviews and he projects the line-up going forward and emphasizes "young" like he does so often, what I hear is "cheap" There is still many holes, and for a budget team, they look to fill it with inexperience. I remember a poster on here made a terrific point about this, it was basically the Panthers strategy is to ride it's best players, go cheap/young after them and basically hope everything goes right in order to maybe squeak into the playoffs. They approach it this way every time. The vets they do employ are cheap and ineffective. Hard to be optimistic when every year is maybe next year.

 

[Bennie Aggy]

I love how Tallon brings up our prospects and they are yet again going to let one of our top prospects walk out the door. It's unbelievable how this continues to happen. Only in Florida with their ineptitude

 

[Bennie Aggy]

When Tallon interviews and he projects the line-up going forward and emphasizes "young" like he does so often, what I hear is "cheap" There is still many holes, and for a budget team, they look to fill it with inexperience. I remember a poster on here made a terrific point about this, it was basically the Panthers strategy is to ride it's best players, go cheap/young after them and basically hope everything goes right in order to maybe squeak into the playoffs. They approach it this way every time. The vets they do employ are cheap and ineffective. Hard to be optimistic when every year is maybe next year.

Mostl likely that person was me. I'm the ine of few people on here that speaks the truth. I'm tired of mediocrity and I'm sick of being lied to by ownership. They don't know how to build a team, it's sad because this group is really close to being special but the only way they make it over the hump is to bring in top talent to take the pressure off our young core.

Do you guys think the Penguins needed Kessle? Yup. That took them to another level and bam back to back championships. You have to spend money to win in this league. Or have luck in the draft. We have neither.

 

[Bennie Aggy]

Over 2 decades since this organization has won a playoff series. That's pathetic. I can see every team in the league win a playoff series before the panthers figure that one out. Even the Coyotes.

 

[KW]

I don't think the owners will do this but here's what I'd like:

Top6:
Barky, Dads, Bjug, Hubie, Tro, Kovy

Bot6:
Malgin, Borg, McGinn, Vatrano, Vet, Vet

D:
Ek, Yandle, Math, Vet, Vet, Weegar

Goal:
Need a trade here or Sateri to become Vasilevsky.

That's an overhaul with 5-6 new players. We need at least half of that, and not just young rookies.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

Well that was a fun run. Hopefully next year they know the season starts in October. Buffalo, Ottawa, Detroit and Montreal will all still be bad, Devils should regress, so Florida should be contending with Philly,CBJ, Carolina (NJD if they can continue this turnaround).

Anyways, a much more enjoyable product than last year's disaster. That said, a couple things stick out:

-need for a winger: Can't have McGinn or McCann in the top 6, Borgstrom needs a year to develop. If only there was a veteran UFA wing with friends on the Panthers and has been associated with Florida before. Kovy is a pipe dream but c'mon it would make my year, one of my favorites

-need for a dman: Mark Pysyk is a 6/7 dman. If Tallon has watched this season and doesn't think so, we have a problem. Completely overmatched all year.

-Nick Bjugstad: Tallon was right on Bjugstad bouncing back, but for anyone who's watched #11 since he was removed from Barkov, production can be expected while playing with Barkov, without, not so much. Not a fan of him but he's had a very good year and Tallon won't be moving him. Hell even the old analytics guys wouldn't move him.

-Management: Dale Tallon and Bob Boughner will both be returning for the 2019 season. The former probably won't make some people happy, but I think most people like Boog.

cap space: a ton, but I don't know what the 2019 internal cap is?

UFAs: None, as Vrbata is retiring

RFAs: Alex Petrovic, Jared McCann, Frank Vatrano, MacKenzie Weegar

Pretty much agree here.

Seeing Borg in action, I agree. Best thing for him would be to start on the 3C. Have someone like Vatrano/Tippett and Mamin on his wings would be interesting, speed, size and strenght. Starting to feel McCann is the odd man out, not really a fit on the 4th either.

I'd try McCann on the wing. While Mamin has looked ok, he hasn't shown any production. And McCann has that shot, I'd like to see him as a trigger man. Again, he's just 21 and has plenty of room to grow.

Need top 6 winger or 2
Veteran defensive dman or 2
3rd line that can produce
4th line that can at least play good defensively

MacK, Pysyk should be gone

Wouldn't mind trading Bjugstad with his value high. I don't have high hopes he'll come in next season as good as he was later part this season.

Agree. Now is the time to trade Bjugstad if that ever was the case. It would've been completely moronic to trade him last summer like some wanted.

I don't think he's a long time solution on the top line.

 

[I am not exposed]

Well that was a fun run. Hopefully next year they know the season starts in October. Buffalo, Ottawa, Detroit and Montreal will all still be bad, Devils should regress, so Florida should be contending with Philly,CBJ, Carolina (NJD if they can continue this turnaround).

Anyways, a much more enjoyable product than last year's disaster. That said, a couple things stick out:

-need for a winger: Can't have McGinn or McCann in the top 6, Borgstrom needs a year to develop. If only there was a veteran UFA wing with friends on the Panthers and has been associated with Florida before. Kovy is a pipe dream but c'mon it would make my year, one of my favorites

-need for a dman: Mark Pysyk is a 6/7 dman. If Tallon has watched this season and doesn't think so, we have a problem. Completely overmatched all year.

-Nick Bjugstad: Tallon was right on Bjugstad bouncing back, but for anyone who's watched #11 since he was removed from Barkov, production can be expected while playing with Barkov, without, not so much. Not a fan of him but he's had a very good year and Tallon won't be moving him. Hell even the old analytics guys wouldn't move him.

-Management: Dale Tallon and Bob Boughner will both be returning for the 2019 season. The former probably won't make some people happy, but I think most people like Boog.

cap space: a ton, but I don't know what the 2019 internal cap is?

UFAs: None, as Vrbata is retiring

RFAs: Alex Petrovic, Jared McCann, Frank Vatrano, MacKenzie Weegar

I agree with everything except the Huberdeau part. I really think he has an injury. I believe he would be producing a lot more.

 

[I am not exposed]

The team needs some serious depth.

I’d also like to lock Weegar up for a few years.

$5m for 7 years.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

$5m for 7 years.

Lol.

I was thinking something like $1-1.5M for 3 years.

 

[GrumpyKelly]

I agree with everything except the Huberdeau part. I really think he has an injury. I believe he would be producing a lot more.

Why? Do you think Barkov has an injury too then since he's not scoring goals? I don't hear anyone saying this about him, all I hear is that he's not intense enough lol.

 

[SoupyFIN]

I have only one major request, sign or trade for a top4 d-man. If that happens, also trade one of Pysyk/Petro (can't see them keeping a 2M+ healthy scratch for a second straight year).

A better 4C would be nice, but I'm not counting on it. The market isn't that great either.

Outside of that, we have a lot of young forwards close to being ready for bigger roles, this is not the time to commit big money to a 6-8 year UFA deal.

I'd try McCann on the wing. While Mamin has looked ok, he hasn't shown any production. And McCann has that shot, I'd like to see him as a trigger man. Again, he's just 21 and has plenty of room to grow.

Where does he fit though?

Huberdeau
Dadonov
Bjugstad
Malgin
Vatrano
McGinn
Mamin
(Haley & Sceviour are a given on the 4th line, so no point in counting those in)

That's 6 winger spots for 8 guys (9 if Tippett looks good at camp). I think McGinn & Mamin are a lock because we lack physicality as it is, though McGinn might push Mamin to a call-up role, which isn't a bad thing for his development. I also don't see McCann replacing MacKenzie, because he just isn't good enough defensively (not that Mac is awesome, but he's at least average and can PK, looked better as the season went on). Then we get to our young scoring wingers. Is McCann better than Malgin or Vatrano? Nope. Bjugstad? Unless some team offers a can't say no -offer for him, I think he stays. Huberdeau & Dadonov obviously aren't going anywhere. So we're left with something around:

Dadonov-Barkov-Bjugstad
Huberdeau-Trocheck-Malgin
McGinn (/Mamin when McGinn is hurt)-Borgstrom-Vatrano
Haley/UFA LW-MacKenzie/UFA C-Sceviour

So McCann might be Haley's replacement whenever he sits.. which isn't all that great.

 

[I am not exposed]

Why? Do you think Barkov has an injury too then since he's not scoring goals? I don't hear anyone saying this about him, all I hear is that he's not intense enough lol.

I think he is gassed from too much ice team. The coach basically admitted this.

I have to confess, I have had a sinful thought, and believe the hatter won't happen this season.

 

[Little Bobby Boo]

Is this the thread/time of year where we all admit Brokin was right all along?

 

[Gentle Man]

My biggest wish is one of Petro or Pysyk get traded and we get a better 2RD

 

[PBPantherfan]

Put this in The Bjugstad thread but probably belongs here instead.

Why are people surprised that Trocheck, Barkov, and Huberdeau tailed off at the end of the year? The coach ran them into the ground with ice time in because the third line was bad and the 4th line is absolutely awful. Our top two centers have to play huge PK time because the rest of the team is terrible at it. The same thing happened last year when Rowe ran Tro into the ground with all the ice time he was playing him. Dadonov didn’t get so run down because its not really tiring to sit around the blueline waiting for outlet passes so he can get breakaways. Trocheck gets grief for shooting too much, his over aggressiveness and being selfish then Barkov gets it for passing too much, not showing emotion and being to unselfish. Make up your mind.

Most of the players on the team are young and are playing a new system for the what the 3rd to 5th time? Huberdeau has had 5 coaches in his 6 year career with the Panthers Barkov has had 5 in 5 years that’s ****ing nuts. It’s hard enough to break into the NHL as a new guy but with rotating coaches and systems how the hell do you develop your talent when you’re constantly changing your coaches and systems. I am hoping that the Panthers remain stable this offseason add a couple quality bottom six guys and a veteran D to stabilize the backend(bye Pysyk ) and hopefully somebody for the top 6 either externally or internally.