The Offseason Thread (Previously Retool vs Rebuild)

[Fro]

If Zach declines to extend would you trade him and one of our young F's Tex/Bemmstrom/Foudy to Detroit for 6OA and Vrana or Fabbri?

Probably...take 2 of Clarke, Beniers, Hughes, McTavish, Eklund

 

[majormajor]

.

I look at Vegas and those 3Cs of Stehpenson, Karlsson, and Roy are just solid guys. I think we could replicate that easily enough.

It would help immensely if one of Texier or Foudy would take a step at center. The thing about those Vegas centers is that they're all fast and strong defensively. Jenner can't keep up, while Tex and Foudy aren't all there yet.

I remember Stephenson in the 2018 playoff series vs Washington, he was great. He ended up a 4th line failure there, that Vegas picked up for free. They correctly identified that they needed his strength up the middle more than they needed the slower Stastny.

I'm wondering if Kuraly could be the next Stephenson. I don't know his game well enough - but like Stephenson he has had some great playoff performances, and like Stephenson he is being cast off after a poor regular season.

 

[VT]

If Zach declines to extend would you trade him and one of our young F's Tex/Bemmstrom/Foudy to Detroit for 6OA and Vrana or Fabbri? If you would do you think Detroit would?

Rasmussen + 6OA + draft pick 2022. Michael can be very good center. And than draft a d-man.

 

[Fro]

 

[majormajor]

If Zach declines to extend would you trade him and one of our young F's Tex/Bemmstrom/Foudy to Detroit for 6OA and Vrana or Fabbri? If you would do you think Detroit would?

If he tells you now that he is 100% not staying long term when his deal is up, then yes it's highest bidder. I'd sooner target #6 and Bertuzzi, by the way. We're not going to be short on soft scoring wings.

If Zach is just not sure then I'm in favor of keeping him for another year and seeing where we're at next year. It's just too damn hard to replace a player like him. The Sabres would be thrilled if Owen Power becomes as good. I don't know if Zach's value would go up or down over the course of the year. He'd be one year from UFA but also more established as a #1D. And for all we know things might be looking up for the Jackets a year from now. Let's see where Zach stands after the toxic cloud around the team passes.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

yeah yeah we’ll see. They’re probably calling for 5th overall

 

[thebus88]

I wanted to show how stats can be incorrect.

Not very easy to do around here….

 

[koteka]

Yes, I went through the same exercise and noted that we're already set on soft wingers. Centers, RD, and gritty power forwards are in dire shortage.

As they are in the UFA market. Danault and Adam Larsson might make the most sense. No more than 4 year contracts. Outbid other teams. We’ll still suck next year, but we’ll have some veteran teachers (who start the season at 28 years old). Plus they should still be good players when we are ready to compete. Don’t know if they would come here. They both might want to chase a cup. Danault might want the cash more than Larsson. (He’s made less in his career and forwards tend to have shorter careers.)

 

[majormajor]

As they are in the UFA market. Danault and Adam Larsson might make the most sense. No more than 4 year contracts. Outbid other teams. We’ll still suck next year, but we’ll have some veteran teachers (who start the season at 28 years old). Plus they should still be good players when we are ready to compete. Don’t know if they would come here. They both might want to chase a cup. Danault might want the cash more than Larsson. (He’s made less in his career and forwards tend to have shorter careers.)

I'd be willing to risk longer term to get Danault. And I think you have to sell the player on your team being competitive. You might fail to compete but you better try.

 

[VT]

If he tells you now that he is 100% not staying long term when his deal is up, then yes it's highest bidder. I'd sooner target #6 and Bertuzzi, by the way. We're not going to be short on soft scoring wings.

If Zach is just not sure then I'm in favor of keeping him for another year and seeing where we're at next year. It's just too damn hard to replace a player like him. The Sabres would be thrilled if Owen Power becomes as good. I don't know if Zach's value would go up or down over the course of the year. He'd be one year from UFA but also more established as a #1D. And for all we know things might be looking up for the Jackets a year from now. Let's see where Zach stands after the toxic cloud around the team passes.

Btw Bertuzzi is RFA. If not Rasmussen I would prefer him than Vrana or Fabbri. If hard wingers may choice - Brendan Lemieux. Players like Hofmann or Danforth don`t help us but players like Brendan yes.

 

[stevo61]

Btw Bertuzzi is RFA. If not Rasmussen I would prefer him than Vrana or Fabbri. If hard wingers may choice - Brendan Lemieux. Players like Hofmann or Danforth don`t help us but players like Brendan yes.

Bertuzzi is a fine player but why Rasmussen? All hes good at is being big

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Used car salesman mode engaged.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

I know everyone is bummed and stressed but I feel like we are at a near franchise high in trade value and cap space, and I’m not really willing to stress about the difference between a rebuild and a reload.

I feel like there is enough doom and gloom around here that we feel like we lost Jones already AND his potential trade value at the same time. But chins up, keep it together. It’s going to be a weird off-season.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I know everyone is bummed and stressed but I feel like we are at a near franchise high in trade value and cap space, and I’m not really willing to stress about the difference between a rebuild and a reload.

I feel like there is enough doom and gloom around here that we feel like we lost Jones already AND his potential trade value at the same time. But chins up, keep it together. It’s going to be a weird off-season.

I told a buddy yesterday my biggest concern is that it ends up not being a weird off-season, that the trades and moving pieces/parts we’re all expecting are just a trickle and there’s not a significant rejiggering of the roster.

I reserve the right to favor or disfavor any particular move but I think as long as Jarmo’s busy, I’m going to do my best to feel good about it.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I told a buddy yesterday my biggest concern is that it ends up not being a weird off-season, that the trades and moving pieces/parts we’re all expecting are just a trickle and there’s not a significant rejiggering of the roster.

I reserve the right to favor or disfavor any particular move but I think as long as Jarmo’s busy, I’m going to do my best to feel good about it.

There so much hype and talk that they want to do big things this summer. I don’t feel confident it will happen. I want less talk and more action once the season is over to get stuff done. I’m prepared for all these teams with cap issues to figure it out on their own without our assistance just like last offseason.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

FWIW I just watched a Dave Pagnotta segment on NHL tonight saying he wouldn’t be surprised if we take big swing at Dougie Hamilton if he doesn’t resign with the Hurricanes.

I expect him to stay but I’d throw a garage load of cash at him if he was UFA.

 

[Maylo]

Used car salesman mode engaged.

Learned from the "best".

Other NHL clubs with head-coaching vacancies contacted the Blue Jackets for permission to interview Larsen, Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said, but they were turned away because Columbus didn’t want him to go.

 

[majormajor]

FWIW I just watched a Dave Pagnotta segment on NHL tonight saying he wouldn’t be surprised if we take big swing at Dougie Hamilton if he doesn’t resign with the Hurricanes.

I expect him to stay but I’d throw a garage load of cash at him if he was UFA.

Jackets should absolutely take a swing at any and all elite talent. I don't expect to get him, but you only have so many shots to get players of that caliber so you might as well swing when the time comes.

 

[EDM]

There have been a lot of interesting suggestions in this and other threads. Lots of permutations and combinations. But who knows what Jarmo will do? With JD looking over his shoulder now, however, I think Jarmo will think through his moves more carefully.

Going after UFA's such as Danault or Hamilton is, however, where I think the selection of Larsen may hurt us. The selection of Larsen was pretty much an announcement of a full blown rebuild. That may really discourage vets like Danault or Hamilton from signing here since they clearly would have to accept playing on an, at best, marginally competitive team for a coach who does not have much cache attached to his name. Such may prove to be one of the disadvantages of a full rebuild.

 

[EDM]

And nobody should give much credence to anything that Jarmo says, It is JD's show very clearly now. Jarmo is rapidly approaching the carnival barker level the Maclean used so often to try to cover the gaps in our roster.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Jackets should absolutely take a swing at any and all elite talent. I don't expect to get him, but you only have so many shots to get players of that caliber so you might as well swing when the time comes.

Agreed. Inquire about players you didn’t think would be interested in playing for you or who might not normally be on your ‘reach out’ list.

Inquire, courteously and professionally, on players you would like to trade for but that you don’t think are even on the market.

Some years ago I made my hopes for that particular off-season ‘kick every tire.’ I’m bringing it back for this one. No reason not to do all the work, since JD and JK are both in the case. Rick Nash should be making some calls, too.

 

[Fro]

Agreed. Inquire about players you didn’t think would be interested in playing for you or who might not normally be on your ‘reach out’ list.

Inquire, courteously and professionally, on players you would like to trade for but that you don’t think are even on the market.

View attachment 446313

Some years ago I made my hopes for that particular off-season ‘kick every tire.’ I’m bringing it back for this one. No reason not to do all the work, since JD and JK are both in the case. Rick Nash should be making some calls, too.

And here I thought that represented you about to start a tire fire

 

[koteka]

That may really discourage vets like Danault or Hamilton from signing here since they clearly would have to accept playing on an, at best, marginally competitive team for a coach who does not have much cache attached to his name. Such may prove to be one of the disadvantages of a full rebuild.

Danault’s last contract was 3 x $3.08 million. Before that he made about $900k per year. I could see him going to the highest bidder. This is his chance to cash in. We could be a player here.

Phillip Danault - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Hamilton is coming off a 6 x $5.75 million contract. He is going to get paid wherever he goes. He’ll pick where he likes best. I doubt it is Columbus.

Dougie Hamilton - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Kreji has made over $70 million in his career. He’ll go where he wants. The only chance the Jackets have is if he believes he is worth $5 mill + and nobody wants to / can afford to give him that much. And so he takes our offer.

David Krejci - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

We might have a shot at Adam Larsson if we outbid everyone. Rumor is Edmonton is offering 4 x $4 which is a similar hit to his current contract (6 x $4.17 million).

Adam Larsson - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

I am very much against RNH. He is coming off a 7 x $6 million contract. I don’t think he is the answer and he’ll cost too much. He is someone that maybe we could win a bidding war, but he is one of those guys that could get a contract that is instantly regrettable, which is pretty common in free agency.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

 

[EDM]

Well, I do agree we may have a shot at Danault if we offer him enough money to make it worth his while.

 

[cslebn]

There have been a lot of interesting suggestions in this and other threads. Lots of permutations and combinations. But who knows what Jarmo will do? With JD looking over his shoulder now, however, I think Jarmo will think through his moves more carefully.

Going after UFA's such as Danault or Hamilton is, however, where I think the selection of Larsen may hurt us. The selection of Larsen was pretty much an announcement of a full blown rebuild. That may really discourage vets like Danault or Hamilton from signing here since they clearly would have to accept playing on an, at best, marginally competitive team for a coach who does not have much cache attached to his name. Such may prove to be one of the disadvantages of a full rebuild.

I agree that Larsen seems likely to indicate a rebuild but

But what if we get a solid system with players bought in? Why can't we have a Vegas year 1?