The Office of Strategic Planning - Tank Talk

[Dr Jan Itor]

The quote in question:


There was also this:


Whatever reading between the lines one wants to do here it's fair to call both statements provocative. Personally I've got zero problems with provocative when it comes to this team, though. Especially when the guys most likely to be "provoked" are guys with NMCs, and I'd bet cash money on that being part of why Parise was almost an Islander.

Threatening to trade guys that you can't trade without their permission isn't much of a threat.

I think Parise was almost an Islander because he wants out and has for a while.

 

[Bazeek]

Threatening to trade guys that you can't trade without their permission isn't much of a threat.

I think Parise was almost an Islander because he wants out and has for a while.

I don't read the first quote as a threat to trade specific guys that quit. It seems directed at the team as a whole. Whether or not the team's performance was actually going to have much bearing on what he did between then and the deadline is up for debate, but I think it was mostly hot air.

I agree on Parise and implying that he'd be provoked probably isn't fair. I think he doesn't want to waste any of the next 2-3 years on seasons like this one and if yesterday is any indication Guerin wants to oblige him by sending him elsewhere. But in the meantime he's in the locker room with an A on his chest with guys that are in this team's future plans. Their job isn't to worry about the standings, it's to compete. Especially the younger guys.

I'm not saying that Guerin's handled this deftly, but I agree with what he's doing in broad strokes: turn the page on the last few years, transition younger players into key roles, and leverage a crappy season into a strong draft. Maybe he completely trips over his own shoelaces this summer but for the time being his actions indicate a clear path to me. I don't particularly care what he says publicly.

 

[Bazeek]

I'll add: this could also all just be seat-of-the-pants flailing. It's possible that Guerin really thinks that swapping Zucker for Galchenyuk and Boudreau for Evason set this team up for a playoff run, and that he's actually going to be disappointed if the team ends up with a top-10 pick instead of it's usual 4-6 playoff games. If that's the case he's an idiot.

But that seems much less plausible to me than the idea that he's just blowing smoke and keeping up appearances while he positions himself for his first real offseason.

 

[thestonedkoala]

leverage a crappy season into a strong draft.

Remains to be seen; the turnover for this team is going to be massive in the next two years:

Top two centers: Koivu and Staal will more than likely be gone.

Good chance Parise will be gone. Galchenyuk will be gone in the summer. Have to re-sign Kunin and Greenway this offseason. And then 2021-2022 is going to be a bloodbath, Foligno is going to be up for a contract. Hartman, Donato, Eriksson-Ek and Fiala all up for contracts. Brodin as well.

Next year is going to be massive for development, because the next 3 years are going to be painful. If Khovanov doesn't develop as a top 6 center or we don't find one in return for Brodin or Dumba, we'll be overpaying for one.

 

[Bazeek]

Remains to be seen; the turnover for this team is going to be massive in the next two years:

Top two centers: Koivu and Staal will more than likely be gone.

Good chance Parise will be gone. Galchenyuk will be gone in the summer. Have to re-sign Kunin and Greenway this offseason. And then 2021-2022 is going to be a bloodbath, Foligno is going to be up for a contract. Hartman, Donato, Eriksson-Ek and Fiala all up for contracts. Brodin as well.

Next year is going to be massive for development, because the next 3 years are going to be painful. If Khovanov doesn't develop as a top 6 center or we don't find one in return for Brodin or Dumba, we'll be overpaying for one.

Yeah, a lot is up in the air right now, especially if moving Parise is on the table this summer. Even with the talk last summer I didn't consider it a possibility until yesterday, and it changes the outlook.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Yeah, a lot is up in the air right now, especially if moving Parise is on the table this summer. Even with the talk last summer I didn't consider it a possibility until yesterday, and it changes the outlook.

The biggest concern is the top 6 center. Putting all the eggs in Khovanov's basket seems risky.

 

[Bazeek]

The biggest concern is the top 6 center. Putting all the eggs in Khovanov's basket seems risky.

I'm sure adding a center via trade this summer is Plan A.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

Adding a #1 center has been the goal for 20 years :'(

 

[57special]

I'm completely fine with a bit of public BS from our GM, as long as he knows what he is doing behind the scene.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

I'm completely fine with a bit of public BS from our GM, as long as he knows what he is doing behind the scene.

I don't think he has a plan or know what he's doing. He can give / say to media / public anything he wants it's all BS to me.

i think He had a plan going into deadline.
Couldn't pull off 1 trade with 4-5 assets that he must have way overvalued.

I think he's over his head as a GM with only a few years as front office experience.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

I'm sure adding a center via trade this summer is Plan A.

A Center and a LEGITAMITE top 2 Center are different animals.
Every team in the league is looking for these 2 positions.
Wild could have had 1 and BG dropped the ball.
Now Wild going to hope a Q league over ager is going to fill this roll ?
I hope so but a real longshot at best.

 

[Minnewildsota]

I don't think he has a plan or know what he's doing. He can give / say to media / public anything he wants it's all BS to me.

i think He had a plan going into deadline.
Couldn't pull off 1 trade with 4-5 assets that he must have way overvalued.

I think he's over his head as a GM with only a few years as front office experience.

I think he knew exactly what he was doing. Didn't want to get low-balled on offers, or to make a trade just to make a trade.
He's providing lip service to keep fans interested. It's his job. He knows he needs to retool/rebuild. Just doesn't want to admit to the public that it needs to be done because "rebuild" has become synonymous with "bad". People aren't going to want to buy tickets if the GM comes out and says, "we're going to be bad"

 

[StateofCelly]

I don't think he has a plan or know what he's doing. He can give / say to media / public anything he wants it's all BS to me.

i think He had a plan going into deadline.
Couldn't pull off 1 trade with 4-5 assets that he must have way overvalued.

I think he's over his head as a GM with only a few years as front office experience.

I feel like this is a stretch considering we don't know what any of the offers were or what the breakdown of the Parise deal really was. For all you know he could have made some really smart decisions walking away from things. I get the skepticism but at this point we have to let it play out. I feel like past GM's would have made trades for the sake of making trades, and knowing that we stood pat could be the best of all scenarios.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

Too bad he couldn’t add another pick or two for this draft.

 

[StateofCelly]

A Center and a LEGITAMITE top 2 Center are different animals.
Every team in the league is looking for these 2 positions.
Wild could have had 1 and BG dropped the ball.
Now Wild going to hope a Q league over ager is going to fill this roll ?
I hope so but a real longshot at best.

Are you referring to Trocheck? If so I don't really believe the word legitimate is the best adjective to describe where his career is at right now. Sure he is solid, but he would be the 3 on a lot of teams. I am not sure who else he could have gotten at the deadline without potentially putting the team in worse position. Still think the "strength" (if any) of our assets will be flexed this summer and I think many know that. Some of these strong teams are going to fail going down the stretch here and possibly look to blow things up. Toronto? Maybe a deal will be able to be had there that wasn't on the table with their hopeful push to end the year.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

Rangers don't have a problem filling seats.
and fans respect them for being honest.

Screw the vets if they aren't performing and give the young guys a chance ..... it can't get any worse a Loss is a Loss

This is THE STATE OF HOCKEY support your team.

Leiopold isn't Melynk ...... I hope

 

[Bazeek]

A Center and a LEGITAMITE top 2 Center are different animals.
Every team in the league is looking for these 2 positions.
Wild could have had 1 and BG dropped the ball.
Now Wild going to hope a Q league over ager is going to fill this roll ?
I hope so but a real longshot at best.

The time to make that trade has always been in the offseason. Trocheck is interesting and it sounds like they looked into him, but if they weren't impressed they made the right call.

 

[StateofCelly]

Too bad he couldn’t add another pick or two for this draft.

Was listening the the prospect show on NHL Network this weekend and they said after the top 45-50 in this draft it is just names. That the top 50 is very widely known as a "deep draft" among GMs, however the same GM's think that it falls off a cliff after that. Not sure what other pieces could have brought us a pick there without making a bad deal. Maybe someone to bite on Foligno and overpay, Staal? Otherwise I am not sure without unloading Dumba or Brodin you would have seen a higher pick like that, especially without other question marks. I still think we add another pick or two at or before the draft.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

Are you referring to Trocheck? If so I don't really believe the word legitimate is the best adjective to describe where his career is at right now. Sure he is solid, but he would be the 3 on a lot of teams. I am not sure who else he could have gotten at the deadline without potentially putting the team in worse position. Still think the "strength" (if any) of our assets will be flexed this summer and I think many know that. Some of these strong teams are going to fail going down the stretch here and possibly look to blow things up. Toronto? Maybe a deal will be able to be had there that wasn't on the table with their hopeful push to end the year.

Right now

As bad as people say Trochek is ...... is as bad as people say Dumba is. Very comparable

Who's going to be able to take on or want the Leafs headaches ?
Dubas gone before any of the Leafs superstars gone.

 

[StateofCelly]

Right now

As bad as people say Trochek is ...... is as bad as people say Dumba is. Very comparable

Who's going to be able to take on or want the Leafs headaches ?
Dubas gone before any of the Leafs superstars gone.

The rumored Trocheck trade involved Brodin though. I get your point, both coming off of injuries that inhibit them from their normal game sytle. Dumba with the pec injury hurting his shot power potentially. I still think he gets that back. The injury Tro had impacts the real strength of his game and there is a reason he was on the docket to get traded, and inevitably did. His best season he was alongside Huberdeau and even with Fiala or Kaprizov here I don't know that he can duplicate that season. I just don't believe that hes a legit number 2 center anymore. He would for sure be on this team and potentially a 1 C but with so much risk on both sides, to me that isn't a no brainer and I am content standing pat.

The Toronto example was just that, an example. There could be others potentially available, but 1-2 C's don't come up very often, so it makes you scratch your head wondering why a team making a playoff push, that sees him every day, would make the decision to move on from him with a team they are competing for a playoff spot with.

 

[Mickey the mouse]

The rumored Trocheck trade involved Brodin though. I get your point, both coming off of injuries that inhibit them from their normal game sytle. Dumba with the pec injury hurting his shot power potentially. I still think he gets that back. The injury Tro had impacts the real strength of his game and there is a reason he was on the docket to get traded, and inevitably did. His best season he was alongside Huberdeau and even with Fiala or Kaprizov here I don't know that he can duplicate that season. I just don't believe that hes a legit number 2 center anymore. He would for sure be on this team and potentially a 1 C but with so much risk on both sides, to me that isn't a no brainer and I am content standing pat.

The Toronto example was just that, an example. There could be others potentially available, but 1-2 C's don't come up very often, so it makes you scratch your head wondering why a team making a playoff push, that sees him every day, would make the decision to move on from him with a team they are competing for a playoff spot with.

Queenville dog house ??????

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I don't think he has a plan or know what he's doing. He can give / say to media / public anything he wants it's all BS to me.

i think He had a plan going into deadline.
Couldn't pull off 1 trade with 4-5 assets that he must have way overvalued.

I think he's over his head as a GM with only a few years as front office experience.

I think that the Idea of not trusting Guerin to build contending team is valid given he has no previous track-record as a GM and the fact that his time as GM has been a mixed bag thus far. That being said, I don’t understand where this narrative is coming from that he “doesn’t have any direction.” It’s pretty obvious that wants to clear out cap space and get younger, and he doesn’t care if it makes us worse in the process.

 

[AKL]

Looking forward to scratching and clawing down the stretch to finish 10th last. A team behind us wins the lottery and we pick 11th. We draft a guy with questionable upside but tons of character. Might even wear the C someday. Kaprizov comes over and is a slightly better Zucker. Boldy never adjusts to the pro game. Brodin and Foligno go back to being their prior selves and we lose a ton of value on them. Continue to never find top 6 centers under the age of 32. Perpetual bubble finishes. Repeat the process. No chance of escaping mediocrity. Life is good. It’s simple.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Looking forward to scratching and clawing down the stretch to finish 10th last. A team behind us wins the lottery and we pick 11th. We draft a guy with questionable upside but tons of character. Might even wear the C someday. Kaprizov comes over and is a slightly better Zucker. Boldy never adjusts to the pro game. Brodin and Foligno go back to being their prior selves and we lose a ton of value on them. Continue to never find top 6 centers under the age of 32. Perpetual bubble finishes. Repeat the process. No chance of escaping mediocrity. Life is good. It’s simple.

Depressing. The truth hurts.

 

[Dee Oh Cee]

*Doctor Who guy standing in the rain gif*