2014 - 2015 Coyotes Roster Part 5

[KG]

Do you think you can compete in the Western Conference without a true #1 center?

 

[Desert Ice 11]

Submit your interview questions here:

_________

I will play the role of Tippett and answer them on his behalf.

D.I.11 : Did you ***** smack Ribz to end the shouting match last season?

D.I.11 : What is your plan to deal with complacent players during this season? It seemed as though last season you were fine with players, other than Klesla, that seemed to be mentally checked out. Maybe call up players and bench under performing players longer?

 

[Jakey53]

D.I.11 : Did you ***** smack Ribz to end the shouting match last season?

D.I.11 : What is you plan to deal with complacent players during this season? It seemed as though last season you were fine with players, other than Klesla, that seemed to be mentally checked out. Maybe call up players and bench under performing players longer?

Okay rt, I mean DT, your up.

 

[rt]

Do you think you can compete in the Western Conference without a true #1 center?

Answer: I think we have strength of depth at the center position. To have success as a group we need the entire group to buy in, and play as a united front. This is a group that's going to need to score by committee and we will need contributions through all four lines.


Translation: I'm only going to answer questions in a direct manner when they are questions I want to answer in a direct manner.

 

[CC96]

Submit your interview questions here:

_________

I will play the role of Tippett and answer them on his behalf.

Why is our PK horrendous, what can do to make it less anger inducing, and why in God's name did Jim Playfair get a multi-year extension?

 

[CC96]

Vrbata has also left the building. Pretty much the only guy on the team I trusted to beat a goalie with pure shooting skill outside of OEL.

Yup, we have literally 0 pure goal scorers at the NHL level on this roster now.

 

[rt]

D.I.11 : Did you ***** smack Ribz to end the shouting match last season?

I'm not in a position to comment on players no longer with the club. I do feel that team chemistry was an issue last season, and that we've taken the necessary measures to correct those issues this summer. I expect the team to play a more cohesive, bought-in brand of hockey this season.

D.I.11 : What is you plan to deal with complacent players during this season? It seemed as though last season you were fine with players, other than Klesla, that seemed to be mentally checked out. Maybe call up players and bench under performing players longer?

We missed the playoffs last season, which is obviously not the result we wanted. At the same time, we were two points from a playoff spot, and if the problems with the team were as significant as you are suggesting, than even if we've only solved them halfway, we should be a playoff team. I don't think the issues with the team were as severe as you've insinuated and I think we've done more than enough to solve some of the chemistry issues we may have had last season.

As always, our philosophy is to ice the team that gives us the best chance to win. To have success as a group we need the entire group to buy in, and play as a united front. This is a group that's going to need to score by committee and we will need contributions through all four lines.


Translation: dodged yet another one. I should run for office.

 

[Desert Ice 11]

Fair enough DT doppelganger...

How about...

D.I.11 : You mentioned to score by comity but one of your lead scores departed during the off season. Who do you expect to step into that role or who are you expecting to make up for the points Vrbata normally produced? Also, Riberio was bought out, do you expect Gagner to fill that void and do expect better results?

 

[rt]

Fair enough DT doppelganger...

How about...

D.I.11 : You mentioned to score by comity but one of your lead scores departed during the off season. Who do you expect to step into that role or who are you expecting to make up for the points Vrbata normally produced? Also, Riberio was bought out, do you expect Gagner to fill that void and do expect better results?

We expect that a healthy Shane Doan, a full season of Martin Erat and the addition of Sam Gagner will provide significant offensive production. We also anticipate some of our younger players continuing to take steps forward and contribute on a regular basis.

Translation: we've got fingers and toes crossed. We are basically just hoping and wishing at this point. But it doesn't matter how direct your question is, I'm just going to say a bunch of stuff that sounds positive.

 

[hbk]

Is the plan to carry 4 D pairs consisting of 4 LD and 4 natural RD this year?

 

[YandlesMother]

This is the worst thread.

 

[Desert Ice 11]

We expect that a healthy Shane Doan, a full season of Martin Erat and the addition of Sam Gagner will provide significant offensive production. We also anticipate some of our younger players continuing to take steps forward and contribute on a regular basis.

Translation: we've got fingers and toes crossed. We are basically just hoping and wishing at this point. But it doesn't matter how direct your question is, I'm just going to say a bunch of stuff that sounds positive.

Lol man you are good.. Pretty much read that in the DT voice. You could also see DM saying the something similar.

Good translation to, we should just have you decipher the Coyotes office replies to direct questions.

 

[Redcoyote]

Do you think you can compete in the Western Conference without a true #1 center?

Thank you. This is the question that management needs to address. Having three different 2/3 line quality centers does not count for depth. If you want to be successful like LA, Chicago, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh you need 1-2 top level centers.

If you think you are going to beat the other team with your defensive system and goalie then you absolutely need a forward group that is going to pound the hell out of the other team and wear them down. That is why we were successful when we had guys like Rafi Torres out there. If you aren't going to go out and get goalscorers make sure that you've got a dozen guys that are going to play so physically the other team is going to dread facing you.

 

[Redcoyote]

if Schlemko is playing then something is wrong, because both Murphy and Gormley should be better.

OEL/Z
Yandle/Stone
Gormley/Murphy

And it should be this for years to come, about time to work on getting some quality forwards in here. Summers & Schlemko can spell for injuries or players needing rest. We don't need McBain or any other Dman that is currently not named above and is on the invite list.

Unless we're going to bring in a heavy who can skate, then why bother. I'm happy letting Gormley and Murphy prove their metal.

I don't mind having both Gormley and Murphy out there but I am not fond of the idea of them paired together and I doubt DT is either. Mix it up with Yandle/Murphy and Gormley/Stone and that sounds better as far as protecting the young guys.

I'd also be happy with Summers on the 3rd line playing physically.

 

[rt]

There is literally no asset more difficult to acquire in professional hockey. How should we go about getting this legitimate number one center? It's easily said. Go get a number one center. It's much harder done. I can only think of one possible way, and it's not a popular strategy around here. And it's one both Tippett and Maloney expressly ruled out with great specificity not more than 72 hours ago. No tank. So what are we left with? No UFA money and these centers don't get traded. So, we need to get really, really, really, really, really, really, really lucky at the entry draft. That's not much of a strategy.

 

[cobra427]

I don't mind having both Gormley and Murphy out there but I am not fond of the idea of them paired together and I doubt DT is either. Mix it up with Yandle/Murphy and Gormley/Stone and that sounds better as far as protecting the young guys.

I'd also be happy with Summers on the 3rd line playing physically.

I think the top 2 pairing are set with Z/OEL, Yandle/Stone. The last pairing could be any combination of Summers/Schlemko/Gormley/Murphy. At least one D in this group will get hurt in training camp, leaving us with 7 D. Tip will play the top 4 and cycle the bottom 4 based on who is playing well, not well, and injuries.

I don't see a trade involving OEL/Yandle/Z. Schlemko/Murphy/Summers would be throw ins in a trade as they carry little value. That leaves Gormley and Stone. I doubt they move Gormley because of his potential but I could see Stone being moved as he is an asset another team might covet.

So, an injury or a trade leaves us with 7 D, both would leave us with 6 D. This log jam will work itself out. I think our D group is solid, our forwards, that's another story.

 

[BlazingBlueAnt]

There is literally no asset more difficult to acquire in professional hockey. How should we go about getting this legitimate number one center? It's easily said. Go get a number one center. It's much harder done. I can only think of one possible way, and it's not a popular strategy around here. And it's one both Tippett and Maloney expressly ruled out with great specificity not more than 72 hours ago. No tank. So what are we left with? No UFA money and these centers don't get traded. So, we need to get really, really, really, really, really, really, really lucky at the entry draft. That's not much of a strategy.

Think trying to move Perlini to center would be a good idea? I think he said he could play it in his draft interview or something.

 

[ibroce]

I think the top 2 pairing are set with Z/OEL, Yandle/Stone. The last pairing could be any combination of Summers/Schlemko/Gormley/Murphy. At least one D in this group will get hurt in training camp, leaving us with 7 D. Tip will play the top 4 and cycle the bottom 4 based on who is playing well, not well, and injuries.

I don't see a trade involving OEL/Yandle/Z. Schlemko/Murphy/Summers would be throw ins in a trade as they carry little value. That leaves Gormley and Stone. I doubt they move Gormley because of his potential but I could see Stone being moved as he is an asset another team might covet.

So, an injury or a trade leaves us with 7 D, both would leave us with 6 D. This log jam will work itself out. I think our D group is solid, our forwards, that's another story.

Murphy does not have "little value"
He is a 1st round pick defenseman who is already showing top-4 potential. Quite the opposite of "little value".
Schlemko and Summers are the only truly expendable throw-in type players on D, but I don't see anything happening to our d core at all unless we are making a move for a tougher top 4 guy like Boychuck.

 

[Redcoyote]

There is literally no asset more difficult to acquire in professional hockey. How should we go about getting this legitimate number one center? It's easily said. Go get a number one center. It's much harder done. I can only think of one possible way, and it's not a popular strategy around here. And it's one both Tippett and Maloney expressly ruled out with great specificity not more than 72 hours ago. No tank. So what are we left with? No UFA money and these centers don't get traded. So, we need to get really, really, really, really, really, really, really lucky at the entry draft. That's not much of a strategy.

They are the most difficult to acquire, I agree and we aren't likely to lure someone in through UFA. I agree that tanking is not the way to run a team which becomes frustrating because then we are just good at being mediocre.

While it is rare to see truly elite centers get traded it does happen. We have one of the few players that could would cause the other GM to pause before hanging up the phone. Yandle. If we offered Yandle and some combination of picks and prospects for an elite center we would have a shot at landing one.

Now that being said I don't think its worth doing it this season. I don't think the center would have enough talent around him for it to be worth it. Would have been nice to land about 2 years ago though.

 

[Redcoyote]

Murphy does not have "little value"
He is a 1st round pick defenseman who is already showing top-4 potential. Quite the opposite of "little value".
Schlemko and Summers are the only truly expendable throw-in type players on D, but I don't see anything happening to our d core at all unless we are making a move for a tougher top 4 guy like Boychuck.

I agree. I wouldn't lump Murphy with Summers and Schlemko. He played very well for his experience up to that point. He was a real surprise and showed he could be a top 4 defensemen. Summers and Schlemko are bottom pairing defensemen. Between the two I'd much rather keep Summers. .

 

[XX]

Murphy would be a throw in in a trade as he carries little value.

Based on what?

 

[Grimes]

Murphy does not have "little value"
He is a 1st round pick defenseman who is already showing top-4 potential. Quite the opposite of "little value".
Schlemko and Summers are the only truly expendable throw-in type players on D, but I don't see anything happening to our d core at all unless we are making a move for a tougher top 4 guy like Boychuck.

This is absolutely correct. A team like COL will be drooling over him if he continues to improve and gets enough NHL time this year.

I see three defensemen we could trade before the season starts; Yandle, Stone, Murphy. No team will pay what it would take to pry OEL out of AZ and Z really isn't moveable until closer to the deadline or if he is made expendable.

Yandle should bring back a young potential top line forward or proven young top 6 and either a second B-B+ player or a 2-low 1st round selection. I wouldn't trade him for less and sure hope management feels the same. But if they get a deal like this they absolutely should take it.

Stone and Murphy will be top 4 players barring anything out of their control. Murphy probably has a top pairing ceiling with a low floor (injury stops him from progressing). Stone already is playing top 4 minutes with special team minutes on a team with decent depth. That is about his ceiling and floor. His greatest upside right now is he is making 2 million less than market value because of this age. Both could bring back a top 6 forward of some kind.

If done right moving any of these defensemen could reshape the organization. We have assets, and a decent core that is missing 2-3 pieces.

 

[Grimes]

Summers for Macquid is interesting.

OEL-Z
Yandle-Stone
Gormely-Macquaid

 

[IPreferPi]

Summers for Macquid is interesting.

I like Mcquaid, but I'd much rather keep Summers. Far more mobile while having the size to be a crease-clearer.

 

[YandlesMother]

They are the most difficult to acquire, I agree and we aren't likely to lure someone in through UFA. I agree that tanking is not the way to run a team which becomes frustrating because then we are just good at being mediocre.

While it is rare to see truly elite centers get traded it does happen. We have one of the few players that could would cause the other GM to pause before hanging up the phone. Yandle. If we offered Yandle and some combination of picks and prospects for an elite center we would have a shot at landing one.

Now that being said I don't think its worth doing it this season. I don't think the center would have enough talent around him for it to be worth it. Would have been nice to land about 2 years ago though.

Out of curiosity (and this isn't just directed to you), what elite top line center? Also, if you were a GM team with a "elite center", would you trade that center for Yandle? I'm one of the largest Yandle defenders on this board, but he's a niche skill. Without leveraging a significant amount of our future, I don't see any him anywhere near the value that a top line center brings. We have one player on this team that has the value of an elite top line center, and his name isn't Keith Yandle (and we sure as hell aren't going to consider trading our best D-Man with one of the best contracts in the league).

As a final note, any top line center that would be brought in this hypothetical scenario is probably one with contract/organizational baggage.