Who gets the last forward spot?

NetflixandPhil

Registered User
May 7, 2016
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Hey everyone. I'm trying to make accurate roster predictions for all 31 teams. One of the things stumping me is who is the 14th fwd on the canes. Assuming Skinner, Staal, Aho, Williams, Lindholm, Rask, Teravainen, Stempniak, Ryan, Kruger, McGinn, Nordstrom, and Jooris are in.
 

Lempo

Recovering Future Considerations Truther
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Feb 23, 2014
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Sebastian Aho's dad thinks Kuokkanen is in the play for it.

Or then he just says so so he can let him go America.
 

GoldiFox

Registered User
Apr 21, 2014
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PDG is the only waiver eligible one. I don't see any way that a team like Vegas or NJ wouldn't take him off waivers so he will sit in the Press Box (like Murphy last year). Every other play on your list will be getting prime minutes in the AHL.
 

Roboturner913

Registered User
Jul 3, 2012
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The short answer is: we don't know

Zykov and Wallmark are the safer bets. My personal guess is Zykov since his style of play meshes better with what our bottom 6 does. I think Wallmark is the better overall player/talent though.

FWIW, I wouldn't be totally surprised to see two rookie forwards make the team and Jooris be the odd man out. He was signed as the presumed 4th line center, but that was before the trade for Kruger. I think he's got a big fight on his hands to make this roster.

Sebastian Aho's dad thinks Kuokkanen is in the play for it.

Or then he just says so so he can let him go America.

This wouldn't surprise me either. He'll be the same age Aho was to start last season and now has experience on small ice.
 

cptjeff

Reprehensible User
Sep 18, 2008
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Gauthier will be at least one, I suspect. He has the size to play on the fourth line and the skill to play higher. Somebody like Saarela might have NHL skill, but maybe not the ability to play a 4th line role. Could he displace Ryan based on what we saw in the AHL last year? Maybe. But unless he can bump somebody off the third line, I don't think he's in the NHL this year.

Between Ryan, Nordstrom and Jooris, I think there are are up to three roster spots that could be conceivably won in camp- we're not gonna put a rookie in the 13th forward job, though, that goes to the best of the vet who get bumped off the roster. As for who wins them, well, we'll just have to see what happens in camp. Should be fun to watch the competition this year.
 

Anton Dubinchuk

aho
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Jul 18, 2010
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Who cares what they bring to the table?

What do they bring to the PRESS BOX? Snacks? A decent sense of humor? Do they put the game on mute and comment over it so it's like it the same game but with different dialogue?
 

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
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Gauthier will be at least one, I suspect. He has the size to play on the fourth line and the skill to play higher. Somebody like Saarela might have NHL skill, but maybe not the ability to play a 4th line role. Could he displace Ryan based on what we saw in the AHL last year? Maybe. But unless he can bump somebody off the third line, I don't think he's in the NHL this year.

That would actually surprise me (unless he kills it in camp). The mantra of Francis has been draft and develop. I'd rather Gauthier play 20 min/night against in all situations in the AHL than 10 min / night on the 4th line and hope he can play up. We saw it with Fleury last year. They called up other guys and could have called him up, but let him get top pairing, all situation minutes in Charlotte which was better for him.

I'll be shocked if Ryan isn't part of the top 9, even though I'm not a big fan of his. They signed him to a 1 way contract for $1.4M so they aren't looking for him to be a 13th/14th forward. My guess is nobody is the 14th forward, unless they feel PDG won't clear waivers, then it will be him. With Charlotte being close, they can get someone here in a few hours if they need to. Barring someone blowing the doors off at camp, or injuries, my guess is the NHL squad will be:

Aho-Staal-Lindy
TT-Rask-Williams
Skinner-Ryan-Stempniak
Nordstrom-Kruger-McGinn
Jooris

We already saw from the poster that sat next to Vellucci what he had penciled in as the Charlotte line-up.

Zykov Wallmark Miller
PhilD Saarela Poturalski
Tolchinski Roy Goat
Foegelle Kuokkanen Brown

The line-ups may change, but that's what I think will happen unless the Canes are worried someone will claim PDG.
 

GoldiFox

Registered User
Apr 21, 2014
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PDG has to pass through waivers, right? I don't see how he makes it through. Maybe they don't mind losing him but it seems more likely they would keep him up in case of injury.
 

NetflixandPhil

Registered User
May 7, 2016
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266
Does anyone think there will be 8 defenseman instead? Assuming Slavin, Faulk, Pesce, Hanifin, Van Riemsdyk, Dahlbeck, Fleury are in.
 

Anton Dubinchuk

aho
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They will have 14 forwards through the west coast trip.

And because it's the NHL, one of them will be injured by the time they get back, getting them to 13.

It'd be irresponsible to waive PDG before that unless one of the kids in camp plays well enough to crack the top 12 (not 14).
 

Boom Boom Apathy

I am the Professor. Deal with it!
Sep 6, 2006
48,350
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They will have 14 forwards through the west coast trip.

And because it's the NHL, one of them will be injured by the time they get back, getting them to 13.

It'd be irresponsible to waive PDG before that unless one of the kids in camp plays well enough to crack the top 12 (not 14).

Good point on the road trip, I forgot about that. I think it will be PDG, again barring someone killing it at camp
 

CandyCanes

Caniac turned Jerkiac
Jan 8, 2015
7,195
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One year Westgarth gave out pizza.

Same with James Wiz. He spent more time passing out pizzas to Canes fans than playing hockey for the Canes, no lie. I was fortunate enough to eat a slice of pizza from him.
 

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