Which of these centers would you like Jarmo to pursue ?

[koteka]

I’d start the season (assuming everyone is healthy):

Jenner/Johnson - Johnson/Jenner - Laine (ease Johnson into center responsibilities)
Gaudreau - Fantilli - Marchenko
Foudy - Texier - Chinakhov
Robinson - Kuraly - Olivier
Danforth Pederson


I‘d condense the top 2 lines to

Gaudreau - Jenner - Johnson

if you need defense in the last couple of minutes of a tight game and rotate with the Kuraly line.

Voronkov and Sillinger start in Cleveland. Roslovic is traded. Bemstrom is traded or waived and sent to the AHL.

 

[MAHJ71]

I still have Lindholm at the top of my wish list. IMO, acquiring him sets us up at C for years to come. Gives Fantilli even more time to really settle in. Basically pushes this rebuild over the top of the mountain.. What’s not to like about that?

We have a gluttony of wingers/prospects fighting for only so many spots. No reward for keeping them and playing roulette with the bench/Cleveland.

 

[Cowumbus]

I’d start the season (assuming everyone is healthy):

Jenner/Johnson - Johnson/Jenner - Laine (ease Johnson into center responsibilities)
Gaudreau - Fantilli - Marchenko
Foudy - Texier - Chinakhov
Robinson - Kuraly - Olivier
Danforth Pederson


I‘d condense the top 2 lines to

Gaudreau - Jenner - Johnson

if you need defense in the last couple of minutes of a tight game and rotate with the Kuraly line.

Voronkov and Sillinger start in Cleveland. Roslovic is traded. Bemstrom is traded or waived and sent to the AHL.

Bemstrom > Foudy. Neither should be starting.

 

[traffic cone]

I still have Lindholm at the top of my wish list. IMO, acquiring him sets us up at C for years to come. Gives Fantilli even more time to really settle in. Basically pushes this rebuild over the top of the mountain.. What’s not to like about that?

We have a gluttony of wingers/prospects fighting for only so many spots. No reward for keeping them and playing roulette with the bench/Cleveland.

If they’re 100% sure Johnson and Laine are going to be wingers only in the future then Lindholm can make some sense.

I would do 8x8 with him but not higher.

And it would probably Sillinger who could still be developed into a NHL top6 C.

 

[koteka]

Bemstrom > Foudy. Neither should be starting.

I think they are comparable now and Foudy might improve. Bemstrom is what he is. Worst case scenario for Foudy is a solid 4th liner who replaces Robinson next year. I’d rather lose Bemstrom in a waiver claim than Foudy. If you get a decent return for Foudy, you trade him, but I don’t know that he would get a decent return now.

 

[Cowumbus]

I think they are comparable now and Foudy might improve. Bemstrom is what he is. Worst case scenario for Foudy is a solid 4th liner who replaces Robinson next year. I’d rather lose Bemstrom in a waiver claim than Foudy. If you get a decent return for Foudy, you trade him, but I don’t know that he would get a decent return now.

For a 3rd line role I’d much prefer Bemstrom. But ideally Texier-Voronkov-Chinakhov.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Brayden Schenn?

 

[Cyclones Rock]

At this point I'd imagine that Lindholm is completely out of the picture. Fantilli is pencilled in as a 1C so he'd be redundant. It's not like a Draisatl/McDavid or Crosby/Malkin situation. It's a one or the other and the other has already been chosen.

With Fantilli, Jenner and possibly Johnson as centers with Sillinger in the wings, I can't see the CBJ allocating a lot of resources for another center at this point. A Couture with retention would be great, but a 7 or 8 year big money deal center doesn't seem to make sense at this point.

I'm actually excited about the CBJ! I used to make the hour and a half drive to Nationwide 10 or more times per year, but with the mask shenanigans/limited attendance I stopped going a few years ago. Last year I went 3 times early in the season, but I've relocated a bit and I'm 2.5 hours away and the team wasn't worth driving down the street to see.

Just watching Fantilli's career start and him playing along side Gaudreau and or Laine will make the drive well worth it. Now the goaltending on the other hand..............................

 

[MoeBartoli]

Gaudreau-Fantilli-Marchenko
Jenner-Johnson-Laine
Thats the top 6 I hope for moving forward. No shortage of skill and get some grit and compete on each line

For the coming year, I like these lines - at least some mix of those players. I’d next like to see the following year Boone move to 3 and Tex move up as I’m bullish on a 3rd line that includes Boone-Voronkov/Sillinger-Chinakov.

 

[EspenK]

Can anyone tell me the last time KJ played C? He can't be counted on as a C for now and must be eased in as koteka mentioned. Hopefully Babcock tries and we have an assistant coach who is up to the task. Until I see it I can't do more than hope that all who say he is the next C are right.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Can anyone tell me the last time KJ played C? He can't be counted on as a C for now and must be eased in as koteka mentioned. Hopefully Babcock tries and we have an assistant coach who is up to the task. Until I see it I can't do more than hope that all who say he is the next C are right.

He was center for Laine and Gaudreau for the whole preseason and at times in November iirc

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

He was center for Laine and Gaudreau for the whole preseason and at times in November iirc

So you’re saying he failed!

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So you’re saying he failed!

Iirc most of us thought he was doing well but Larsen thought he looked overwhelmed and was taken off the line and never was back.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Iirc most of us thought he was doing well but Larsen thought he looked overwhelmed and was taken off the line and never was back.

Center fail!

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

I think getting Fantilli only increases the need for acquiring a top end center now. He’s more ready than the other options would have been. The team is now better this coming season than it would have been. And there are more redundant NHL-level assets that can be moved out.

Find a legitimate guy that can complement him for years to come. I don’t think there’s an issue with having a “Lindholm” that is top line center for the next couple years and then one of the best second line centers after that. A big one-two punch down the middle is common among great teams.

*not lines, just depth 6+ lines deep:
Gaudreau-xxxx-Laine
Johnson-Jenner-Marchenko
Texier-Fantilli-Chinakhov
Robinson-Roslovic-Olivier
Voronkov-Kuraly-Danforth
Foudy-Sillinger-Bemstrom
McKown-Dunne-Fix-Wolansky
Meyer, Gaunce?

 

[Marioesque]

I think getting Fantilli only increases the need for acquiring a top end center now. He’s more ready than the other options would have been. The team is now better this coming season than it would have been. And there are more redundant NHL-level assets that can be moved out.

Find a legitimate guy that can complement him for years to come. I don’t think there’s an issue with having a “Lindholm” that is top line center for the next couple years and then one of the best second line centers after that. A big one-two punch down the middle is common among great teams.

*not lines, just depth 6+ lines deep:
Gaudreau-xxxx-Laine
Johnson-Jenner-Marchenko
Texier-Fantilli-Chinakhov
Robinson-Roslovic-Olivier
Voronkov-Kuraly-Danforth
Foudy-Sillinger-Bemstrom
McKown-Dunne-Fix-Wolansky
Meyer, Gaunce?

This is why I wouldn't want to get the C from outside until we have checked what we have.

If Laine can play C and is willing to do so, that opens up a winger position for one of the guys below and they don't "go to waste", they get an opportunity. There's so much redundancy right now that a lot of really good players don't fit in the roster.

What role can Fantilli take this season? We don't know yet and it would be good to know before making more acquisitions. A rushed move without knowing exactly what we have can backfire later. If I thought the team was going to be a contender next year I might agree with you, but they still have growing to do. If we're leading Metro at TDL. different evaluation and market. I'd rather hold on to the assets until something really worth it comes along.

 

[AndBoomGoesTheCannon]

Iirc most of us thought he was doing well but Larsen thought he looked overwhelmed and was taken off the line and never was back.

Couldn’t pass the Lars Bar.

 

[DougKnowsBest]

duchene getting bought out.

perfect spot for us

 

[TaketheCannoli]

duchene getting bought out.

perfect spot for us

I understand Duchene hasn't played center for several years. To compound that, he had a hand injury that I understand limits his capabilities over the long term.

 

[Xoggz22]

I’d start the season (assuming everyone is healthy):

Jenner/Johnson - Johnson/Jenner - Laine (ease Johnson into center responsibilities)
Gaudreau - Fantilli - Marchenko
Foudy - Texier - Chinakhov
Robinson - Kuraly - Olivier
Danforth Pederson


I‘d condense the top 2 lines to

Gaudreau - Jenner - Johnson

if you need defense in the last couple of minutes of a tight game and rotate with the Kuraly line.

Voronkov and Sillinger start in Cleveland. Roslovic is traded. Bemstrom is traded or waived and sent to the AHL.

One easy change to make is that Pederson will not be with CBJ so if you're going with 14F, you can add someone in his place. I also don't think there is much chance Texier is playing center. He's been a wing here and in Switzerland (exclusively LW) and I've heard nothing but the expectation he'll play on the wing. I think you're looking at a line of Tex-Sillinger-Chinkhov as a stronger possibility. Just an opinion though

 

[Xoggz22]

This is not meant to be argumentative but any thought of Lindholm on an 8 year deal should be put to bed. That's not to say the Fantilli just became the 1C but more because you aren't going to add another big contract knowing you're going to be extending Marchenko, Johnson, Fantilli, Jiricek and likely Sillinger to long term deals. Lindholm at 9 more years doesn't fit a need (long term) or financial structure (top 3 prospect pool and young core). I have no idea what the future of the center position holds but the team is still very high on Sillinger and expect him to be a middle 6 center. We can all talk until we're blue in the face about Jenner "not being a center" but the reality is.... he is and a pretty damn good one, just not a top line C as far as we'd like/expect to have. The team continues to say KJ will be a center and if so, it's not a bottom 6 center. not all these will be this year but if you look at the potential down the middle - yes, I'm going with potential - you can continue with Jenner in the top 6 but likely lessen his workload if Fantilli does sign. Fantilli may not start out in the top 6 but by the end of the year I would think he'll start to pull minutes in the top 6 and away from Jenner.

These are who I think are expected centers currently with the CBJ (no Roslovic but he certainly could have 1 more year impact on the position - not a good one )

Jenner (Top 6 for now) - he could slide to 3C or back to wing but he's more than acceptable in the top 6 with the group of wings we have in my opinion
Fantilli (Top 6)
Johnson (Top 6)
Sillinger (Middle 6)
Voronkov (Bottom/Middle 6)
Kuraly (Bottom 6)
Del Bel Belluz (Middle 6)
McKown (Bottom/Middle 6)
Dunne (Bottom 6)

That doesn't include Danforth (actually a good center but not long term and good on the wing), Roslovic (trade, not re-signed) or Angle (AHL+ guy) but this is what I see for their potential (where I slot them). I also think the club strongly feels the future is Fantilli and Johnson as the top 2 centers on this team (next year) and that Sillinger and Voronkov will round out the top 4 centers on this roster. The others can take longer and see what happens with those above them but Del Bel Belluz is no throw in and you can continue to draft given the youth. If...If... they completely fall flat, there are assets to add a center to this team. I simply don't think we're looking at another long term, high level center. A stop gap... maybe. But I wouldn't be shocked if the Fantilli pick didn't change the view. Camp is going to be very, very important (as usual ) to see if Sillinger made any progress and is Voronkov ready to play in the NHL. These are two reasons I see Boone staying at C in the top 6 for one more year. That's our stopgap (my opinion)

 

[5th Line Fanatic]

This is not meant to be argumentative but any thought of Lindholm on an 8 year deal should be put to bed. That's not to say the Fantilli just became the 1C but more because you aren't going to add another big contract knowing you're going to be extending Marchenko, Johnson, Fantilli, Jiricek and likely Sillinger to long term deals. Lindholm at 9 more years doesn't fit a need (long term) or financial structure (top 3 prospect pool and young core). I have no idea what the future of the center position holds but the team is still very high on Sillinger and expect him to be a middle 6 center. We can all talk until we're blue in the face about Jenner "not being a center" but the reality is.... he is and a pretty damn good one, just not a top line C as far as we'd like/expect to have. The team continues to say KJ will be a center and if so, it's not a bottom 6 center. not all these will be this year but if you look at the potential down the middle - yes, I'm going with potential - you can continue with Jenner in the top 6 but likely lessen his workload if Fantilli does sign. Fantilli may not start out in the top 6 but by the end of the year I would think he'll start to pull minutes in the top 6 and away from Jenner.

These are who I think are expected centers currently with the CBJ (no Roslovic but he certainly could have 1 more year impact on the position - not a good one )

Jenner (Top 6 for now) - he could slide to 3C or back to wing but he's more than acceptable in the top 6 with the group of wings we have in my opinion
Fantilli (Top 6)
Johnson (Top 6)
Sillinger (Middle 6)
Voronkov (Bottom/Middle 6)
Kuraly (Bottom 6)
Del Bel Belluz (Middle 6)
McKown (Bottom/Middle 6)
Dunne (Bottom 6)

That doesn't include Danforth (actually a good center but not long term and good on the wing), Roslovic (trade, not re-signed) or Angle (AHL+ guy) but this is what I see for their potential (where I slot them). I also think the club strongly feels the future is Fantilli and Johnson as the top 2 centers on this team (next year) and that Sillinger and Voronkov will round out the top 4 centers on this roster. The others can take longer and see what happens with those above them but Del Bel Belluz is no throw in and you can continue to draft given the youth. If...If... they completely fall flat, there are assets to add a center to this team. I simply don't think we're looking at another long term, high level center. A stop gap... maybe. But I wouldn't be shocked if the Fantilli pick didn't change the view. Camp is going to be very, very important (as usual ) to see if Sillinger made any progress and is Voronkov ready to play in the NHL. These are two reasons I see Boone staying at C in the top 6 for one more year. That's our stopgap (my opinion)

We don't have anyone in our prospect pool like Lindholm. Fantilli and Lindholm down the middle is a match made in heaven. Lindholm is the defensively responsible #1 who plays in all situations including killing penalties and is great at faceoffs. Fantilli may become that one day and when he does, Lindholm moves down to line two. As he ages further, he moves down to become the defensively responsible third line center. The window is now. We have 3 years of Fantilli on ELC. We can't waste it waiting on prospects.

 

[Youngguns80]

This is not meant to be argumentative but any thought of Lindholm on an 8 year deal should be put to bed. That's not to say the Fantilli just became the 1C but more because you aren't going to add another big contract knowing you're going to be extending Marchenko, Johnson, Fantilli, Jiricek and likely Sillinger to long term deals. Lindholm at 9 more years doesn't fit a need (long term) or financial structure (top 3 prospect pool and young core). I have no idea what the future of the center position holds but the team is still very high on Sillinger and expect him to be a middle 6 center. We can all talk until we're blue in the face about Jenner "not being a center" but the reality is.... he is and a pretty damn good one, just not a top line C as far as we'd like/expect to have. The team continues to say KJ will be a center and if so, it's not a bottom 6 center. not all these will be this year but if you look at the potential down the middle - yes, I'm going with potential - you can continue with Jenner in the top 6 but likely lessen his workload if Fantilli does sign. Fantilli may not start out in the top 6 but by the end of the year I would think he'll start to pull minutes in the top 6 and away from Jenner.

These are who I think are expected centers currently with the CBJ (no Roslovic but he certainly could have 1 more year impact on the position - not a good one )

Jenner (Top 6 for now) - he could slide to 3C or back to wing but he's more than acceptable in the top 6 with the group of wings we have in my opinion
Fantilli (Top 6)
Johnson (Top 6)
Sillinger (Middle 6)
Voronkov (Bottom/Middle 6)
Kuraly (Bottom 6)
Del Bel Belluz (Middle 6)
McKown (Bottom/Middle 6)
Dunne (Bottom 6)

That doesn't include Danforth (actually a good center but not long term and good on the wing), Roslovic (trade, not re-signed) or Angle (AHL+ guy) but this is what I see for their potential (where I slot them). I also think the club strongly feels the future is Fantilli and Johnson as the top 2 centers on this team (next year) and that Sillinger and Voronkov will round out the top 4 centers on this roster. The others can take longer and see what happens with those above them but Del Bel Belluz is no throw in and you can continue to draft given the youth. If...If... they completely fall flat, there are assets to add a center to this team. I simply don't think we're looking at another long term, high level center. A stop gap... maybe. But I wouldn't be shocked if the Fantilli pick didn't change the view. Camp is going to be very, very important (as usual ) to see if Sillinger made any progress and is Voronkov ready to play in the NHL. These are two reasons I see Boone staying at C in the top 6 for one more year. That's our stopgap (my opinion)

You are probably right on Lindholm but sorely mistaken on riding Jenner in the 1C. I have nothing but respect for him but you can’t rely on him (heavy minutes) and an unproven rookie down the middle. Just the same as betting on a bounce back from Elvis without having some insurance. That would be a huge risk and a house of cards if Jenner gets hurt (like he has in the past 2 seasons) or relying on a rookie, who has never played 82 games to shoulder minutes as well.

You need a stop gap at center in the top 6 and unless Sillinger has worked on his game (skating, positioning, fitness, faceoffs) I wouldn’t let him sniff the NHL roster until he does (earn it). That was a big issue with Larsen - guys didn’t earn it.

 

[Xoggz22]

We don't have anyone in our prospect pool like Lindholm. Fantilli and Lindholm down the middle is a match made in heaven. Lindholm is the defensively responsible #1 who plays in all situations including killing penalties and is great at faceoffs. Fantilli may become that one day and when he does, Lindholm moves down to line two. As he ages further, he moves down to become the defensively responsible third line center. The window is now. We have 3 years of Fantilli on ELC. We can't waste it waiting on prospects.

I agree that we don't have a Lindholm in our prospect pool. None of them are on the back end of their prime looking for 8 year deals. The window is NOT 3 years. You don't pay a guy that's going to move down your lineup in 3 years over $8MM per year for an additional 6 years (sure maybe you can move the last two). The challenge to keep a young building team could be a problem in 3 years with 9 years of Lindholm. you and I will just have to agree to disagree. I guess it just depends on where this team thinks their center options will be in a year or two. If Fantilli is that guy in 2 years, then get your 2 year stop gap. Again, that's my opinion.

You are probably right on Lindholm but sorely mistaken on riding Jenner in the 1C. I have nothing but respect for him but you can’t rely on him (heavy minutes) and an unproven rookie down the middle. Just the same as betting on a bounce back from Elvis without having some insurance. That would be a huge risk and a house of cards if Jenner gets hurt (like he has in the past 2 seasons) or relying on a rookie, who has never played 82 games to shoulder minutes as well.

You need a stop gap at center in the top 6.

Agree completely. I would love a stop gap but unless it's Backlund, the options are limited. I like ROR but he's not coming here on his last deal and I don't think he's got any 1C left in him. I'd still take him as I don't think there are any 1C options that can be had for short term.

 

[5th Line Fanatic]

I see absolutely no way Elias Lindholm isn't at least a good #2 Center for all of the next six years. Beyond that, I don't really care. They'll figure something out.