Speculation: Trade Ideas & Free Agency IV

[BigT2002]

Wut.

Why do you think that?

He hasn't put up the numbers to validate he is worth anything higher than MAYBE a current 3rd depending on the team. He has 8G and 2A in 41 games on the NHL level, and has been fairly invisible at times when he's played. He is not as great defensively as he was praised for during the WJC. I think he still has the potential for a major upswing, but if I'm not sure a lot of GMs are going to want to let go of a Top 60 pick for someone who isn't already proven in the NHL unless they are in full rebuild mode (BUF style).

Obviously hindsight being 20/20, how many would have been more willing to trade Zucker to Buffalo in the Poms trade as opposed to Larsson? Especially if Brodziak is bought-out or is not replaced and Phillips doesn't make the move up, or the team does not acquire someone in the offseason?

I know I hold a very unpopular opinion on this, but I just don't see him going for something you typically see 20-goal scorers going for.

Who knows? Part of a package for another player? Acquire draft picks? Move up in the draft?

It just doesn't seem like, to me, that he is in the Wild's long term plans...especially if they do target Moulson or Vanek in the offseason...where would he fit in?

Acquiring picks would constitute they see something in the draft in the high double-digits or plan on putting a package together of picks to move up in that matter. Either way, I don't know if Fletcher would do that based on what we've seen for how active the front office has been with obtaining proven veteran leaders in the last 3 years. If he will use it and the picks to do a RFA swap, I'd be interested to see what it would look like. But you're right, if this team finds a way to retain Moulson and sign Vanek, There is literally no Top-6 roster spot for him. Keeping him in the AHL would do about as much good as it would have been keeping Dumba in Red Deer. However, he could provide much needed speed to a 4th line of Zucker-Haula-Fontaine. Just means the 2nd and 3rd lines would see the blunt of defensive minutes then.

 

[Jarick]

I would have to think that if Coyle is going to be a long term option at center, they buy out Brodziak. Brodz is making $2.8m and not providing that value. They can use a compliance buyout and have zero cap hit. That would slot Coyle over to #3 center and allow Nino and whoever else to play on the second line with Mikko.

 

[Engebretson]

Does anybody know what the CBO window is this offseason?

 

[Victorious Secret]

Does anybody know what the CBO window is this offseason?

48 hours after final Stanley Cup game to 5pm June 30th.

 

[State of Hockey]

I have a sneaky suspicion that Fletcher will be dangling Jason Zucker as trade bait during the draft.

I think he's already been used in negotiations. I wouldn't be surprised to see him gone at the draft. I don't think he has a future in Minnesota. His playing style of speed and skill doesn't fly here. He's just not fitting in defensively or offensively.

 

[DANOZ28]

Now we don't. I just explained we have ~16 million for 3 players. One of those spots is a forward spot.

Even if you break the bank on Vanek, and go with a 9 million cap hit(no where near what the Wild would spend on him), that leaves two 5-7 D spots available and 7 Million dollars.

In reality, if the caphit for vaenk is likely around 7.5 million its 9.5 million dollars in cap space.

Even IF one of those is spots is a dop 4 upgrade that everyone wants to see at 5 million, they aren't going to pay a 6th/7th D 4.5 million.

moulson , nino, zucker, kuemper are all gonna get raises next yr. backs cant stay on IR forever. we also need at least one upgrade on D. i dont remember how much the cap is going up.

 

[nickschultzfan]

I would have to think that if Coyle is going to be a long term option at center, they buy out Brodziak. Brodz is making $2.8m and not providing that value. They can use a compliance buyout and have zero cap hit. That would slot Coyle over to #3 center and allow Nino and whoever else to play on the second line with Mikko.

Correct. The Wild are at the point that they can transition away from spending cap space on externally-acquired depth players and to home-grown depth players.

Cooke will be the next on the list if guys like Bulmer or Bussi start knocking on the door. Althought, he will be much hard to move than simply buying out Brodziak.

 

[Jarick]

Brodziak was home-grown, he just happened to forget how to play hockey.

Luckily, Cooke only has two years left. I think he might perk up with a different center.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Brodziak will stay; it's only one more year and we're not going to need the space.

 

[Jarick]

Thought: do you think they are trying to keep Nino's numbers down to avoid paying him big on his next contract?

 

[Generic User]

He hasn't put up the numbers to validate he is worth anything higher than MAYBE a current 3rd depending on the team. He has 8G and 2A in 41 games on the NHL level, and has been fairly invisible at times when he's played.

But he hasn't been given consistent minutes, a consistent role or consistent linemates that he can develop chemistry with. I really don't think we're able to get an accurate gauge of what type of NHL player or what type of NHL potential he has until he there's some permanence.

 

[TaLoN]

Brodziak was home-grown, he just happened to forget how to play hockey.

Luckily, Cooke only has two years left. I think he might perk up with a different center.

Brodziak was an oiler, not home grown.

 

[Generic User]

Thought: do you think they are trying to keep Nino's numbers down to avoid paying him big on his next contract?

That sounds like something the Twins would do - not the Wild. I know there was a similar theory with Josh Freeman and the Vikings and how they wanted to get him for cheap by throwing him to the lions initially.

Either way, the games we win are too close and the competition is too tight to do something like this. And the club has a problem scoring goals; it's getting better, but it's still a problem. Bet they'd want to take them where and when they can get them.

 

[Generic User]

Brodziak was an oiler, not home grown.

Brodziak played for the Oilers; the Wild developed him. Ha.

 

[MuckOG]

Thought: do you think they are trying to keep Nino's numbers down to avoid paying him big on his next contract?

No, I don't think that at all. Yeo is responsible for line combinations, not Fletcher. And I don't believe Fletcher is the type of GM that would tell Yeo to do something like that.

 

[Jarick]

Okay, here's my CapGeek scenario:

Sign:
- Nino @ $2.5m
- Moulson @ $5m
- Fontaine @ $1.25m
- Stoner @ $1.5m
- Kuemper @ $2.5m

Recall:
- Dumba @ 900k
- Gabriel @ 666k.

If the cap goes down to $68m, that's going to leave $6.8m in space. They are probably going to want to keep $3-5m in space to deal with the goalie situation and trade deadline acquisitions. They also need 1-2 more players on the roster as there's 12 forwards and 7 defense (and 3 goalies), so that could be $1-2m or more right there.

That would end up around $5m in cap space, give or take, which leaves only a little wiggle room.

The other kicker is that, do you think Coyle and Haula give you better performance than Brodziak and Coyle/Haula? If so, then you move/cut him. You don't want to make your team worse to save a little bit of money.

 

[Jarick]

Brodziak was an oiler, not home grown.

We didn't acquire him with his $3m contract though. We acquired him as a young player who proved himself and got a big contract. Would you consider Nino an Islander or Coyle a Shark?

 

[BigT2002]

But he hasn't been given consistent minutes, a consistent role or consistent linemates that he can develop chemistry with. I really don't think we're able to get an accurate gauge of what type of NHL player or what type of NHL potential he has until he there's some permanence.

I was going to add that caveat because you are indeed correct. The Wild, moreso Yeo than anyone, has not utilized him to his potential strengths. We've seen it before in the franchise before too. But it is still something that can be held against Jason as a player though. If he isn't showing progression and adaptation with linesmates, it could make him a one-trick-pony in the minds of some GMs who are looking to low ball.

 

[Generic User]

I was going to add that caveat because you are indeed correct. The Wild, moreso Yeo than anyone, has not utilized him to his potential strengths. We've seen it before in the franchise before too. But it is still something that can be held against Jason as a player though. If he isn't showing progression and adaptation with linesmates, it could make him a one-trick-pony in the minds of some GMs who are looking to low ball.

Which is why we should keep him -- for now at least. The return he brings isn't going to be great. And no package for a proven star-ish player is going to have Zucker as the centerpiece.

As far as the adaptation with linemates go, Yeo also has to adapt to the player. Few players can do anything you ask of them and they get paid accordingly.

Sometimes you can't ask a speedy pure scorer who is a bit of a liability on defense to be a 4th line grinder. Likewise, you can't ask the enforcers/brutes to play in the top 6 and let the offense run through them.

I'd like to see Yeo put Zucker in a position that he could succeed in before we (and the organization) makes up their mind on him.

 

[DANOZ28]

jarick what about zucker on your list? he may not have big #s but you have to pay him to keep him.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

We didn't acquire him with his $3m contract though. We acquired him as a young player who proved himself and got a big contract. Would you consider Nino an Islander or Coyle a Shark?

He played 2 full seasons in Edmonton, producing 27 and 31 points; Nino's 1 point in 55 games doesn't stack up and Coyle never played a game in SJ.

Anyways, not really important to the greater discussion.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Okay, here's my CapGeek scenario:

Sign:
- Nino @ $2.5m
- Moulson @ $5m
- Fontaine @ $1.25m
- Stoner @ $1.5m
- Kuemper @ $2.5m

Recall:
- Dumba @ 900k
- Gabriel @ 666k.

If the cap goes down to $68m, that's going to leave $6.8m in space. They are probably going to want to keep $3-5m in space to deal with the goalie situation and trade deadline acquisitions. They also need 1-2 more players on the roster as there's 12 forwards and 7 defense (and 3 goalies), so that could be $1-2m or more right there.

That would end up around $5m in cap space, give or take, which leaves only a little wiggle room.

The other kicker is that, do you think Coyle and Haula give you better performance than Brodziak and Coyle/Haula? If so, then you move/cut him. You don't want to make your team worse to save a little bit of money.

We need to have space for Granlund, Coyle and Haula's 2nd contracts in the summer of 2015 as well, plus Scandella's new one, so we shouldn't lock our selves into too many contracts close to the cap. I'd feel comfortable with us having $7-$8m in space going into next season, after the UFA signings.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Okay, here's my CapGeek scenario:

Sign:
- Nino @ $2.5m
- Moulson @ $5m
- Fontaine @ $1.25m
- Stoner @ $1.5m
- Kuemper @ $2.5m

Recall:
- Dumba @ 900k
- Gabriel @ 666k.

If the cap goes down to $68m, that's going to leave $6.8m in space. They are probably going to want to keep $3-5m in space to deal with the goalie situation and trade deadline acquisitions. They also need 1-2 more players on the roster as there's 12 forwards and 7 defense (and 3 goalies), so that could be $1-2m or more right there.

That would end up around $5m in cap space, give or take, which leaves only a little wiggle room.

The other kicker is that, do you think Coyle and Haula give you better performance than Brodziak and Coyle/Haula? If so, then you move/cut him. You don't want to make your team worse to save a little bit of money.

Agree with all but Kuemper. He won't have the track record to command 2.5 baring us making a LONG post season run. He'll have played 40-50 NHL games, by the time he's RFA. I'd look at what Bernier got as an RFA, and adjust for inflation.

So 1.5 is where I bet he comes in.

The bolded is exactly why the Wild will keep Brodziak. Buying him out removes all center depth, and without question makes the team worse next year.

 

[gopherman23]

Brodziak was home-grown, he just happened to forget how to play hockey.

Luckily, Cooke only has two years left. I think he might perk up with a different center.

What's wrong with Cooke? He is easily worth a 2.5 caphit at his current production. 30+ point 3rd liner who is an excellent pk'er and good defensivly. He's better than Clutter and is making less. If he declines some than 2.5 may be a little much, but I think it was a great signing by CF.

 

[DANOZ28]

Agree with all but Kuemper. He won't have the track record to command 2.5 baring us making a LONG post season run. He'll have played 40-50 NHL games, by the time he's RFA. I'd look at what Bernier got as an RFA, and adjust for inflation.

So 1.5 is where I bet he comes in.

The bolded is exactly why the Wild will keep Brodziak. Buying him out removes all center depth, and without question makes the team worse next year.

kuemper has the team by the @@@@s , if hes the #1 goalie going into next yr he gets paid!