Speculation: What moves could McPhee try, if he is looking to make them?

[Vegan Knight]

I think with the emergence of Pirri Vegas got that depth goal trade that teams look for to boost the team.

Now, goal scoring is still hard to come by for this team but with Haula a possibility for the playoffs and our top six seemingly set, I can't see the team adding anymore forwards. I think they are going to trust Karlsson, Smith and Stastny, Pacioretty to get going. Or they trade one of them for an upgrade. I don't see them doing that.

What does the team do?

Could Vegas swing a Miller for Pietrangelo trade if he gets healthy? Do they look for a backup goalie that they trust more?

Click to read more...

 

[Brazen331]

I can think of something to do that can give us a top 10 PP to go with our top 10 PK and we wouldn't even have to do a deal with anybody: Bring up Brannstrom. It's that simple. Anybody who saw him play in the preseason, especially against the Coyotes knows that he is dynamic on that unit. He shoots the puck and we don't have a defender in the organization who shoots it as good. I think he would make the PP really dangerous with Tuch, Patches, Reaves there to sweep in all the rebounds.

I'll stand by the assertion that he should be on our 3rd pairing and our main PP QB.

Now as far as a dead-line deal, I saw Lawless going off on the need for a 3rd line forward. Maybe that's needed but I prefer the opposing teams blue liners in pretty much every game I watch. I think our 3rd pairing currently is subpar and the 2nd is kind of weak. We need to trade for a solid defender who can eat up minutes and keep the Merrills of the world off the ice.

I do think the defense is playing well in that I think they play above their ability on most nights. We tend to out shoot opponents and that is saying something. However, I think this defensive unit gives up the most choice chances on many nights.

 

[Vegan Knight]

I can think of something to do that can give us a top 10 PP to go with our top 10 PK and we wouldn't even have to do a deal with anybody: Bring up Brannstrom. It's that simple. Anybody who saw him play in the preseason, especially against the Coyotes knows that he is dynamic on that unit. He shoots the puck and we don't have a defender in the organization who shoots it as good. I think he would make the PP really dangerous with Tuch, Patches, Reaves there to sweep in all the rebounds.

I'll stand by the assertion that he should be on our 3rd pairing and our main PP QB.

Now as far as a dead-line deal, I saw Lawless going off on the need for a 3rd line forward. Maybe that's needed but I prefer the opposing teams blue liners in pretty much every game I watch. I think our 3rd pairing currently is subpar and the 2nd is kind of weak. We need to trade for a solid defender who can eat up minutes and keep the Merrills of the world off the ice.

I do think the defense is playing well in that I think they play above their ability on most nights. We tend to out shoot opponents and that is saying something. However, I think this defensive unit gives up the most choice chances on many nights.

I don't see how a third line forward is needed. Eakin, Pirri, Nosek, Haula if he is on the team. Carrier, Bellemare, Reaves, Carpenter and Lindberg on the fourth line. Not to mention Zykov, Carr Macek I don't think we need bottom six forwards, I think we need our top six forwards to contribute more to the offense.

As far as defense, if we could put Pietrangelo with Theodore then our top four becomes very strong and Engelland might be bumped down to the third pair that could fit him better. Holden and Hunt could fight for the last spot, maybe with Bischoff or Whitecloud or even Brannstrom.

If they aren't going to give Subban any starts then maybe a better goalie might be needed.

 

[theslatcher]

Yeah we do not need another 3rd liner, what we need is a 4D, and a PP that works.

 

[CupInSIX]

Hard to say with 27 players on the team right now.

Obviously someone might get moved out when bodies get healthy, but apart from that...I wouldn't hold out much hope for a big trade or calling up one of the bluechip dmen. I can't see McPhee burning off their ELC year with the team 10 points up on the wildcard spots.

Maybe a 3rd goaltender if roster space allows.

I think Miller should be moved out for a steadier RD but it probably won't happen until the summer.



Right now the best thing they can do for the future is keep enough cap space open to sign a big UFA (Karlsson, Stone, Panarin).

 

[Vegan Knight]

Hard to say with 27 players on the team right now.

Obviously someone might get moved out when bodies get healthy, but apart from that...I wouldn't hold out much hope for a big trade or calling up one of the bluechip dmen. I can't see McPhee burning off their ELC year with the team 10 points up on the wildcard spots.

Maybe a 3rd goaltender if roster space allows.

I think Miller should be moved out for a steadier RD but it probably won't happen until the summer.



Right now the best thing they can do for the future is keep enough cap space open to sign a big UFA (Karlsson, Stone, Panarin).

Is Duchene still unsigned? Would he be good for a center for us? Karlsson seems to have hit a wall recently but we could still move him to the wing (or Duchene) if we did sign them.

 

[CupInSIX]

Is Duchene still unsigned? Would he be good for a center for us? Karlsson seems to have hit a wall recently but we could still move him to the wing (or Duchene) if we did sign them.

I don't know if Duchene would be a good locker room fit. The guy has a rep, and his comments in the Uber video didn't help much.

 

[IceNeophyte]

I don't know if Duchene would be a good locker room fit. The guy has a rep, and his comments in the Uber video didn't help much.

Correct. Team has said ad naseum that they look for character first and foremost. We don't need a Duchene.

 

[CupInSIX]

The Knights should have a ton of cap space and one spot left to retain salary on a contract. Washington and Pittsburgh are two Eastern teams that might need a team to retain cap & flip a player to them at the deadline.

 

[Vegas07]

I suspect that one of the major issues with Subban is this team is playing in so many close games and winning with so many 3-2 and 2-1 scores with Fleury. It seems so risky putting Subban in there even if he is a decent backup. The Knights are even struggling to blow out the weaker teams.

Improving another position could give the team a boost and make it “safer” to rest Fleury more often.

 

[Vegan Knight]

I don't know if Duchene would be a good locker room fit. The guy has a rep, and his comments in the Uber video didn't help much.

I think that's understandable. I think it came to mind because I feel like teams that have an extra center turned winger really insulate themselves from injury at the position as there are usually more winger options teams can use for the top six than centers.

 

[Knightmare]

Trade McPhee for Yzerman. Then we can start making good trades and start seeing Bransstrom, Hague and Glass in the lineup.

 

[LadyStanley]

Trade McPhee for Yzerman. Then we can start making good trades and start seeing Bransstrom, Hague and Glass in the lineup.

Sharks rushed their first rounders into the NHL early in their history. Didn't work out long term, in part because the kids had too much pressure on them (and the league was a very different animal 25+ years ago).

Let them develop at their own pace so they'll have a better long term career.

 

[Knightmare]

Sharks rushed their first rounders into the NHL early in their history. Didn't work out long term, in part because the kids had too much pressure on them (and the league was a very different animal 25+ years ago).

Let them develop at their own pace so they'll have a better long term career.

Ya most definitely . I’m just excited to see how they turn out with us.

 

[LadyStanley]

So, a goalie might be available to back up Flower.

 

[theslatcher]

So, a goalie might be available to back up Flower.

Hopefully not something we're looking at.

 

[CupInSIX]

Hopefully not something we're looking at.

Edmonton needs to dump cap. Talbot could be had for future considerations...wouldn't hurt to try.

 

[Vegan Knight]

Talbot for a late pick would be interesting. I think Pietrangelo would definitely help this team.

Although, I would hesitate to go spending assets on this team. Our top line isn't capable of winning a Cup this year.

I know Marchessault and Karlsson have the second and third most points on the team (Karlsson HAS to have a ton of second assists because he has seemed offensively invisible pretty much all year) but they are far too little for a top line, I mean Eakin isn't that far away from them! Compare them to other top lines.

Smith has had an even worse year and Pirri even doesn't look as good with them. Our second line is our real top line but Stastny and Pacioretty are either injured or inconsistent to give us that production.

Long story short, I don't know if I trust Karlsson and Marchessault to get going to the level they would need to in order to make us contenders. That makes me hesitant for McPhee to spend assets addressing the other parts of the team unless it is with an eye to beyond this postseason.

 

[theslatcher]

Talbot for a late pick would be interesting. I think Pietrangelo would definitely help this team.

Although, I would hesitate to go spending assets on this team. Our top line isn't capable of winning a Cup this year.

I know Marchessault and Karlsson have the second and third most points on the team (Karlsson HAS to have a ton of second assists because he has seemed offensively invisible pretty much all year) but they are far too little for a top line, I mean Eakin isn't that far away from them! Compare them to other top lines.

Smith has had an even worse year and Pirri even doesn't look as good with them. Our second line is our real top line but Stastny and Pacioretty are either injured or inconsistent to give us that production.

Long story short, I don't know if I trust Karlsson and Marchessault to get going to the level they would need to in order to make us contenders. That makes me hesitant for McPhee to spend assets addressing the other parts of the team unless it is with an eye to beyond this postseason.

He was good until around 15 games ago, when Marchy & Smith also started being shit, 9 of his 16 assists are secondary, Marchy has 8 out of 18, and Tuch of all people are leading secondary assists stats with 14 in 24.

What Turk hasn't tried doing is splitting up Marchy & Bill, maybe that'd work?

 

[CupInSIX]

Talbot for a late pick would be interesting. I think Pietrangelo would definitely help this team.

Although, I would hesitate to go spending assets on this team. Our top line isn't capable of winning a Cup this year.

I know Marchessault and Karlsson have the second and third most points on the team (Karlsson HAS to have a ton of second assists because he has seemed offensively invisible pretty much all year) but they are far too little for a top line, I mean Eakin isn't that far away from them! Compare them to other top lines.

Smith has had an even worse year and Pirri even doesn't look as good with them. Our second line is our real top line but Stastny and Pacioretty are either injured or inconsistent to give us that production.

Long story short, I don't know if I trust Karlsson and Marchessault to get going to the level they would need to in order to make us contenders. That makes me hesitant for McPhee to spend assets addressing the other parts of the team unless it is with an eye to beyond this postseason.

Going by ice time, Stastny is the #1C

The team is built to win in year 4, and they need to try and stick to that plan.

 

[GKG18]

Going by ice time, Stastny is the #1C

The team is built to win in year 4, and they need to try and stick to that plan.

I'm okay with this. No need to rush or make panic moves as I don't see this team offensively getting out of the 1st round as it is currently composed. Big picture is, they make the playoffs in their second year on the way to building a powerhouse.

 

[Vegan Knight]

He was good until around 15 games ago, when Marchy & Smith also started being ****, 9 of his 16 assists are secondary, Marchy has 8 out of 18, and Tuch of all people are leading secondary assists stats with 14 in 24.

What Turk hasn't tried doing is splitting up Marchy & Bill, maybe that'd work?

They could possibly swap Marchessault and Tuch. Karlsson has a natural tendency to wait for the best shot and look to pass so it wouldn't be a bad idea to put him with Tuch and Pirri, two guys who are quicker to shoot. Tuch can also playmake for Karlsson. Marchessault could possibly get going with Stastny passing to him and Pacioretty finishing chances he creates.

I feel like Marchessault and Karlsson are getting good opportunities but they have both been very mediocre at finishing them.

I still think obviously we can't let Wild Bill go. He's way too valuable at everything else even when his offensive stats are disappointing. I just think that both of them seem unlikely to get it going this season enough to get a Cup this year.

I don't think McPhee will stay put but I really think I might lean toward waiting for Brannstrom and Glass to make the team, Haula to come back and try to get Gusev and see if he can help spark more offense.

Maybe use the assets next year and after to improve the team and ride with what we've got this season.

 

[LadyStanley]

Blackhawks will ask Duncan Keith if he wants to be traded, per report

Keith available?

Might be a way of beefing up blue line.

 

[IceNeophyte]

Blackhawks will ask Duncan Keith if he wants to be traded, per report

Keith available?

Might be a way of beefing up blue line.

No way VGK will take on 4 years at $5+M for a 35 yo skater.

 

[Vegan Knight]

No way VGK will take on 4 years at $5+M for a 35 yo skater.

Correct me if I'm wrong but if he retires won't his cap recapture go back to Chicago?

We could also LTIR when we need or possibly buy him out without a cap penalty since those usually are available after CBA.

If he doesn't cost big assets, I think they could consider it.