Speculation: Trade Speculation Part IV

[Devils Dominion]

If we're trading for a forward and a defenseman then lets just trade for two forwards.

If they will move Streit we should go for it. Our PP would instantly get MUCH better.

 

[Bleedred]

If they will move Streit we should go for it. Our PP would instantly get MUCH better.

No thanks. I want more forwards if anything.

 

[Semak]

No thanks. I want more forwards if anything.

You mentioned you wanted Vinny, well, now he's hurt

 

[Devils Trap]

You mentioned you wanted Vinny, well, now he's hurt

Jesus Christ we are bad luck

 

[Bleedred]

You mentioned you wanted Vinny, well, now he's hurt

I only said if he was bought out though! Don't want him on that brutal contract now!

Regardless we have to stop talking about guys. Weiss, Versteeg, Lecavalier. Everyone's getting hurt!

 

[Semak]

I only said if he was bought out though! Don't want him on that brutal contract now!

Regardless we have to stop talking about guys. Weiss, Versteeg, Lecavalier. Everyone's getting hurt!

I know, I know Just thought it was funny/strange.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

we should get sidney crosby and kris letang. also patrice bergeron and chara

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

we should get sidney crosby and kris letang. also patrice bergeron and chara

And Gaborik, Phaneuf and Eric Stall. Let's get those guys as well.

 

[Saugus]

Is everyone talking about the same Zubrus that I remember? He's a good piece but I am not sure he will be the salvation to our top LW issues.

No, but he is a good complementary forward for the top line. Sometimes I feel like all Kovy needs to start a scoring burst is a guy on his line to win pucks and clear space for him. Zubrus does that better than anybody on the team.

Well we control his rights so its all a matter of whether he bolts for Russia. If it was all about just getting regular NHL time he has that now and his flight risk should be low now.

He won't bolt. If Lou gives him a fair offer and DeBoer keeps playing him in the top 6, he will stick around.

 

[apice3*]

People confuse top line talent and top line player all the time. There are a lot of players that play on the top line for their teams that aren't top line talents. You just need to have chemistry wit the top line talents.

Parise, Zajac, and Zurbus were a dominant first line a couple years ago. Zubrus was a complimentary player then, just like he would be now.

 

[manilaNJ]

In a perfect world where Zubrus comes back soon and Josefson is back in the NHL mentality... I'd like to see

Henrique-Zajac-Zubrus
Elias-Loki-Kovy
Poni-Josefson-Clarkson
Carter-Gionta-Bernier

I think Henrique has some of the same elements to his game that Parise did that really made that ZZZ line sing.

I know putting Henrique at wing is a long shot for Pete.... but I'd love that.

 

[njdss4]

Is everyone talking about the same Zubrus that I remember? He's a good piece but I am not sure he will be the salvation to our top LW issues.

No he won't, but he's a hard worker that will help solve some of the forecheck, cycling, and defensive issues the team is having, not to mention allow for better linemaking. He won't be scoring tons of points, but he'll do wonders for the lines. Just imagine not having to have Barch AND Kostolofogousexpialidocious in the lineup at the same time!

 

[Volodya Krutov]

I'm 100% with you but you know how stubborn Pistol Pete can be. Henrique won't be moved to wing anytime soon IMO. I'd give my left nut to watch Elias with Loki and Kovalchuk too but DeBoer has never consistently paired Elias with Kovalchuk. For some reason he wants them on different lines. Too bad, I think they'd be together one of the most dynamic duo in the league.

 

[NJDevs26]

I could have sworn Henrique 'was' at wing for a couple of games this year when Josefson was up here. Then again the bingo ball machine probably confused me. I don't see why Pete would be stubborn about that, if we had the centers to replace Henrique. I think he feels (correctly) that it's more important to have quality depth down the middle, then fill in the wings. Right now we don't have enough depth down the middle to make that change. Maybe if Josefson becomes a viable option.

 

[manilaNJ]

I'm 100% with you but you know how stubborn Pistol Pete can be. Henrique won't be moved to wing anytime soon IMO. I'd give my left nut to watch Elias with Loki and Kovalchuk too but DeBoer has never consistently paired Elias with Kovalchuk. For some reason he wants them on different lines. Too bad, I think they'd be together one of the most dynamic duo in the league.

The hockey IQ between the 2 of them is through the roof, and their sense of on ice awareness is impeccable
I just keep watching this and think about what could be...



Need some depth first, though. Be it players coming up or trade...scoring depth first.

I could have sworn Henrique 'was' at wing for a couple of games this year when Josefson was up here. Then again the bingo ball machine probably confused me. I don't see why Pete would be stubborn about that, if we had the centers to replace Henrique. I think he feels (correctly) that it's more important to have quality depth down the middle, then fill in the wings. Right now we don't have enough depth down the middle to make that change. Maybe if Josefson becomes a viable option.

'was' is pretty correct
That was the beginning of the nonstop pingponging of players up and down the lineup every other shift.

Henrique coming back overlapped Josefson's struggles, and then Elias-Henrique-Clarkson was clicking so well. So that experiment ended very, very quickly.

 

[NJDevs26]

'was' is pretty correct
That was the beginning of the nonstop pingponging of players up and down the lineup every other shift.

Henrique coming back overlapped Josefson's struggles, and then Elias-Henrique-Clarkson was clicking so well. So that experiment ended very, very quickly.

Well that still disproves the notion Pete would be too stubborn to make that switch since he already did. It's not like the Kovy-RW thing where he's 'never' officially gone back to LW since DeBoer put him there.

btw glad you came out of the nuclear shelter

 

[Bleedred]

As long as it doesn't take away the depth of the other lines then I'd be down for an Elias-Loktionov-Kovy line. I'd be down with an Elias-Henrique-Kovy line if Loktionov wasn't as impressive too.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Wait so we don't need top line talent, just chemistry and we don't know if they have chemistry but we want it?

 

[Devil X]

There would be so much passing with an Elias Lokti Kovy line no one would shoot. Elias would also be the best fore checker on that line they would almost have to score off the rush or something playing the boards with those three wouldn't work won't well. But could set up some really nice tic tac toe passing goals

 

[manilaNJ]

Well that still disproves the notion Pete would be too stubborn to make that switch since he already did. It's not like the Kovy-RW thing where he's 'never' officially gone back to LW since DeBoer put him there.

btw glad you came out of the nuclear shelter

For a couple of periods, the man turned his back on his word
I see a lot of the same language being used by Pete in regards to Henrique at wing as is also used towards Kovy at LW - I interpreted it as fat chance

I've got my emergency escape route panned out just in case

Wait so we don't need top line talent, just chemistry and we don't know if they have chemistry but we want it?

If Zubrus came back to old form, Josefson started playing to his potential and Loktionov continues to impress - it's not so far fetched. Again, a lot of ifs.

Top end talent is a necessity when you consistently try to create chances off the rush and create your own offense - but this system is all based on possession, smart reads and out working the opponent. Chemistry can sometimes prevail talent in that regard.

Lou recently said something about making a trade also necessitating a willing trade partner, as well. Reading between the lines, it sounds like he might have started shopping around.
Any addition to the forward core will immediately make the team better - but we might get lucky and find that solution from within again. Chances are low - but if everything were to go as planned, the possibility is there.

 

[CerebralGenesis]

Wait when did Josefson enter the conversation?

And my point is you can't assume Zubrus will have chemistry with Lokti or Kovy not that we need to go out and get another winger. I'm sure the market is going to be jacked up.

 

[Volodya Krutov]

Well that still disproves the notion Pete would be too stubborn to make that switch since he already did. It's not like the Kovy-RW thing where he's 'never' officially gone back to LW since DeBoer put him there.

btw glad you came out of the nuclear shelter

I'm sure Kovalchuk has had a few shift on the LW once in a while, that doesn't change the fact that in Peter DeBoer's eyes he's nothing but a RWer now. There's definitely some moves we'd love to see happening that he clearly doesn't want to hear about. Some people want to see Kovalchuk on the LW, others desire Henrique moved to wing, mine is Elias and Kovalchuk together at ES more than 2 games per year (due to exceptional circumstances.)

Being stubborn is not that terrible nonetheless, it's just a part of his character traits. Pretty obvious guy believes in what he does and his players trust in his system.

 

[manilaNJ]

Wait when did Josefson enter the conversation?

And my point is you can't assume Zubrus will have chemistry with Lokti or Kovy not that we need to go out and get another winger. I'm sure the market is going to be jacked up.

I entered him back in, the kid didn't die... he got sent down to put his game back together.

And Zubrus might not have chemistry with Lotki or Kovy, but he has had chemistry with Zajac.
Hence, at least from my perspective, putting him in the top 6 with Zajac and (my wish) Henrique.

In that regard, I think you have a pretty balanced top 6.
Get Henrique-Zajac-Zubrus out to establish the forecheck and slowly cycle in Elias, Lotki and Kovalchuk to finish it off. In my mind, it looks pretty. It might not translate on ice, of course.

But this all falls under the realm of "maybe our solutions come from within" that I threw out there.
Just a little more speculating and theorizing and stuff.

 

[apice3*]

Wait so we don't need top line talent, just chemistry and we don't know if they have chemistry but we want it?

You can make educated guesses on who will click based on playstyles.

The main point which many people haven't realized is that you do not need to be an elite offensive threat to be a top 6 player. For example, Alexandre Burrows is a top line player, but by no means is he an elite offensive player. Same can be said all over the league. Brad Boyes, Matt Cooke, Pascal Dupuis, etc.

 

[NjDevsRR]

For whatever reason I have a gut feeling Deboer will put 8-19-18 together at some point for a shutdown checking line. Random thought of the day.