Pre-Game Talk: The All Purpose Off Day Thread - It's Here!

[HowDareYou]

Not sure where to share this with you guys

but I thought it was cool for any of your hockey / skateboard fans



Dude ripping a vert contest with a Crosby jersey on and 'Goalie Net' for an extension he skates

 

[Peat]

Totally fine. My point is having a vet back up that has a good relationship with Murray could help calm things down. JR tried with Niemi and that was a dumpster fire so I'm not all that worked up about it.

Jarry I'd keep in AHL until you know Murray is out for a period of time and give him the reigns and let vet back up sit.

Which vet was/is out there who'd provide that sort of voice in Murray's ear and also be a good guy in net if needed - while not objecting to the fact he was blatantly meant to still be 2nd choice if a long injury happened to Murray?

I'm not totally opposed to the idea (although I believe Murray can and probably will figure out the mental side without needing another mentor and also generally favour backing our own products) but I'm curious as to just how realistic an option this is.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I don't see any problem at all running with Jarry and DeSmith and going from there.

I mean, they were pretty good last year.

 

[Rusty Razor]

Which vet was/is out there who'd provide that sort of voice in Murray's ear and also be a good guy in net if needed - while not objecting to the fact he was blatantly meant to still be 2nd choice if a long injury happened to Murray?

I'm not totally opposed to the idea (although I believe Murray can and probably will figure out the mental side without needing another mentor and also generally favour backing our own products) but I'm curious as to just how realistic an option this is.

I think this is a very overlooked part of any free agent signing. There are guys that take discounts because they want to win, but the overwhelming majority of these guys are their own promoters. They have to put themselves in the best situations to continue their careers. Especially in a position like goaltender where there are 62 active spots in the whole league.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I also don't think any veteran UFA goalie is going to be a tangibly big enough upgrade on DeSmith for you to even bother signing him. Below the elite and above average starters, there isn't a massive talent discrepancy between a lower end starter and a high end AHL starter. You're not going to get a guaranteed .910+ save% goalie in free agency right now, those guys have already signed. The only guys you can sign right now aren't any less of question marks than DeSmith.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm officially concerned about Murr. I think we should ride it out until teams start falling out of contention and then add a G before the deadline. We could really use a Vokoun right now.

Normally I'd be fine chancing it with DeSmith/Jarry as backups but I think this season will probably be our best chance at a Cup in what remains of the Sid/Geno era. For that reason, I think picking up a G is worth the cost.

So, no panic moves. Ride it out for a while and see how things shake out. In the meantime do whatever we can to maximize deadline cap space and start scouting G's.

ETA Probably should have been in the cap thread. Oh well.

 

[Andy99]

I'm officially concerned about Murr. I think we should ride it out until teams start falling out of contention and then add a G before the deadline. We could really use a Vokoun right now.

Normally I'd be fine chancing it with DeSmith/Jarry as backups but I think this season will probably be our best chance at a Cup in what remains of the Sid/Geno era. For that reason, I think picking up a G is worth the cost.

So, no panic moves. Ride it out for a while and see how things shake out. In, the meantime do whatever we can to maximize deadline cap space and start scouting G's.

ETA Probably should have been in the cap thread. Oh well.

There may be goalies available for trade depending on teams’ standings...Varlamov, Bob ? Not that CLB would trade with us, but maybe a 3-way....

 

[Tom Hanks]

I'm officially concerned about Murr. I think we should ride it out until teams start falling out of contention and then add a G before the deadline. We could really use a Vokoun right now.

Normally I'd be fine chancing it with DeSmith/Jarry as backups but I think this season will probably be our best chance at a Cup in what remains of the Sid/Geno era. For that reason, I think picking up a G is worth the cost.

So, no panic moves. Ride it out for a while and see how things shake out. In, the meantime do whatever we can to maximize deadline cap space and start scouting G's.

ETA Probably should have been in the cap thread. Oh well.

Murtay’s concussions would be in the mild TBI category which can take up to a year to full recovery. If he gets another one before it’s fully healed he’s more vulnerable to getting another one and it won’t (generally) take as much to get another one.

 

[Tom Hanks]

There may be goalies available for trade depending on teams’ standings...Varlamov, Bob ? Not that CLB would trade with us, but maybe a 3-way....

Stay away from Bob. We can’t afford his next contract and he has suspect playoff form.

 

[Andy99]

Stay away from Bob. We can’t afford his next contract and he has suspect playoff form.

He’d just be a rental, no interest in signing him longterm....despite his past PO performance, we don’t need him to play there unless Murray is hurt, which is not an unreasonable expectation.... but there’s no amazing PO goalie who’d be available in any event...we just need a very good vet to support Murray

 

[Tom Hanks]

He’d just be a rental, no interest in signing him longterm....despite his past PO performance, we don’t need him to play there unless Murray is hurt, which is not an unreasonable expectation.... but there’s no amazing PO goalie who’d be available in any event...we just need a very good vet to support Murray

His price to acquire would be crazy and I doubt they’d deal with us for him.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I wouldn't trust Bob to drive the zamboni in the playoffs.

I'm going to take this to the cap thread.

 

[PensPlz]

Dude ripping a vert contest with a Crosby jersey on and 'Goalie Net' for an extension he skates

Anyone wearing a powder blue 87 jersey immediately makes whatever they are doing 10x more dangerous.

 

[Peat]

If targeting a deadline goaltender, I think Jimmy Howard offers the greatest combination of almost surefire availability and ability (not that I'm wild on the latter).

 

[Andy99]

If targeting a deadline goaltender, I think Jimmy Howard offers the greatest combination of almost surefire availability and ability (not that I'm wild on the latter).

I love Howard but I’m not sure he’ll be available...what goalie does DET have in the pipeline that they’re planning on replacing Howard with? Is it certain they’re not re-signing him?

 

[Peat]

I love Howard but I’m not sure he’ll be available...what goalie does DET have in the pipeline that they’re planning on replacing Howard with? Is it certain they’re not re-signing him?

I guess its not certain, but they do have Bernier signed there for 3 seasons for 3m, and that's a pretty heavy price to pay if they're going to resign Howard.

But then they are bloody mental there, soooooooo...

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Let's see what our in-house guys can do here before spending good assets to acquire a big money goalie.

Jarry and Murray were good last year. Murray may be back shortly.

Chill.

 

[Peat]

Let's see what our in-house guys can do here before spending good assets to acquire a big money goalie.

Jarry and Murray were good last year. Murray may be back shortly.

Chill.

Werd.

That said, I guess its not too far fetched to think we might be looking at this down the line. I doubt it, but its possible.

 

[Turin]

Let's see what our in-house guys can do here before spending good assets to acquire a big money goalie.

Jarry and Murray were good last year. Murray may be back shortly.

Chill.

No Penguins goalies were good last year.

 

[Tom Hanks]

No Penguins goalies were good last year.

Well De Smith had a .921 SV% and a GAA of 2.4

What do you consider good then?

 

[Turin]

Well De Smith had a .921 SV% and a GAA of 2.4

What do you consider good then?

Either he compiled those stats in a couple games or my memory is failing me, but I remember Murray being injured and the backup tandem barely giving the team a chance to win night in and night out.

 

[WayneSid9987]

Either he compiled those stats in a couple games or my memory is failing me, but I remember Murray being injured and the backup tandem barely giving the team a chance to win night in and night out.

DeSmith played 14 games. Jarry 26.

 

[Tom Hanks]

Either he compiled those stats in a couple games or my memory is failing me, but I remember Murray being injured and the backup tandem barely giving the team a chance to win night in and night out.

7 of his 11 full games were at .921 SV% or higher. In his first stint up he was really good. The second stint was ok

 

[WayneSid9987]

They should but, unless willing to make outrageous overpays, it's going to be really short of anything other than 1Bs. In fact, I can pretty much tell you it now:

1) Pray that Bobrovsky reaches free agency and bury him in money
2) Ditto, except with Varlamov/Talbot

I guess there's a few other free agency options. But there are no trade ones. And the good ones either mean moving on from Murray then and there orrrr trashing some roster depth, and the bad ones kinda just leave us where we are.



25% of the way there in 2018! (I take no responsibility for this post when we lose the next game due to Letang shooting it into his own net".)

Not even looking for a #1. Just gimme NHL average.

Yeah, for sure. But at the same time, was going into this season with DeSmith as the backup the best idea, given Murray's struggles/injury concerns?

Especially when a guy like McIlheney (sp) was put on waivers by the Leafs, maybe JR should have looked at picking him up or tossing them a 7th round pick so they could get him before he was put on waivers.

Bottom line is the brass is secure with DeSmith/Jarrs FOR NOW. That can change obviously.
Last time they got a cheap vet they really liked, he stunk up the joint.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Kapanen looks really good for the Leafs. He'd have been a great support player here...Hagelin-ish with his speed and disruption on the forecheck, but with more skill.