Speculation: What's the final roster look like to you?

[2Pair]

Rask will be back between Kaprizov and Zuccarello by Thanksgiving. Possibly Halloween.

 

[thestonedkoala]

IMO Rask and Pitlick will switch at the 13th forward.. I don't think we have seen the end of Rask though because with one year left they probably want to see if they can get something for him before the deadline. If after the deadline he hasn't been dealt to a blind eye, or there are no injury/call ups, I can see them putting him on waivers at that point.

My guess is that Minnesota has a slump, Rask is inserted back in as 1st line center and Eriksson-Ek slides back to the 2nd line center with Greenway and Foligno. Hartman moves down to 3rd line with Fiala.

 

[guitarhunterdude]

Rask will be back between Kaprizov and Zuccarello by Thanksgiving. Possibly Halloween.

I think they're gonna try and force Ek to work there to justify that contract and his position as our best center come hell or high water, myself.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Rask will be back between Kaprizov and Zuccarello by Thanksgiving. Possibly Halloween.

You get out of here with that nonsense

 

[north21]

I think they're gonna try and force Ek to work there to justify that contract and his position as our best center come hell or high water, myself.

Is there not a large gap between Ek and our next best center? We really don't even have a next best center because they are kind of a jumble of spare parts and youth. Add Ek's 19 goals last season to his defensive play and long term his contract might be one of the best we have.

I would much rather see him anchoring another line and get a center with more high end offense to work with Kap and Zucc but we might have to wait another year for something like that to happen.

 

[2Pair]

I think they're gonna try and force Ek to work there to justify that contract and his position as our best center come hell or high water, myself.

Eventually, common sense will take over.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Add Ek's 19 goals last season to his defensive play and long term his contract might be one of the best we have.

I love Ek, but his numbers last year are deceptive. Before last season, he had 6-7% shooting %. He exploded with 10% more than normal. Even if he goes down to a 9%, that's 11 goals.

I would much rather see him anchoring another line and get a center with more high end offense to work with Kap and Zucc but we might have to wait another year for something like that to happen.

Next season?

 

[north21]

I love Ek, but his numbers last year are deceptive. Before last season, he had 6-7% shooting %. He exploded with 10% more than normal. Even if he goes down to a 9%, that's 11 goals.

He passes the eye test and is a pain to play against, but he has always had a decent shot. If he can score 20 a year that win no matter how you slice it, no reason he couldn't beat expectations with some experience under his belt and two high end wingers to play with.

Next season?

I don't see much chance of us making any moves unless something falls into our lap. Even then if we can land a decent FA for free that is better than giving up huge assets for say an Eichel or whoever.

 

[Gurglesons]

So did Addison make the roster or was he sent down?

 

[DeagleJenkins]

So did Addison make the roster or was he sent down?

sent down.

 

[Bazeek]

So did Addison make the roster or was he sent down?

Sent down, though he showed much better than Benn and Merrill.

 

[BagHead]

I love Ek, but his numbers last year are deceptive. Before last season, he had 6-7% shooting %. He exploded with 10% more than normal. Even if he goes down to a 9%, that's 11 goals.

I have the same argument about Foligno, who shot 27.5(!) percent. That line scored a ton of goals on very little opportunity. Each member of it is almost definitely going to regress toward the mean. JEE's totals will be helped by Kaprizov and Zuccarello, but I have no idea how Foligno will reproduce anything close to the last performance. Greenway's assist numbers will probably drop as a result, too.

 

[MuckOG]

I love Ek, but his numbers last year are deceptive. Before last season, he had 6-7% shooting %. He exploded with 10% more than normal. Even if he goes down to a 9%, that's 11 goals.

I think Ek is going to see more opportunities for "greasy" goals in and around the crease while playing with Kaprizov and Zuccarello.

 

[keppel146]

 

[ThatGuy22]

I love Ek, but his numbers last year are deceptive. Before last season, he had 6-7% shooting %. He exploded with 10% more than normal. Even if he goes down to a 9%, that's 11 goals.

They might not be quite as deceptive as we think, as there was difference in his play as well.

His expected shooting percentage on unblocked shots was top 10 in the league, after being very poor the previous years. It reads as a player getting into better spots to shoot.

Hopefully it's closer to a natural progreession than a fluke.

Shows up pretty clearly in his shot charts as well.

If he can replicate that, he might be Tomas Holmstrom reborn.