Speculation: 2017-18 Roster Discussion - Part 2

[Todd1a]

Nope, we all know we are going to overpay for some UFA like Shattenkirk and be unable to afford Kucherov in a few years; meanwhile going all-in for a Cup after trading our 3rd best forward for a prospect with a LOADED Pens team in our conference.

This offseason will be the worst one for us in recent memory. (Even worse if we whiff on our draft pick)

He had his chance at shattenkirk and shatty rejected the contract! He stuck to 8.5 for stamkos per year and didn't move a dollar up. So why do you think he will move up for shattenkirk?

 

[Todd1a]

Gotta see what the Palat and Johnson deals look like, I guess. Hard to know how much wiggle room we have right now.

I'm guessing 5.0 to 5.5 cap hit I hope 5.25 for each.

 

[These Are The Days]

To hell with Shattinpants. If anything I think we'll bring Boyle back and sign a forward UFA

 

[Rschmitz]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Shattenkirk is still on Yzerman's radar. Might circle back to the Lightning and accept the original contract offer depending on how the market reacts.

 

[Leonardo87]

To hell with Shattinpants. If anything I think we'll bring Boyle back and sign a forward UFA

I think that ship on Boyle has sailed. But maybe his friend can convince him again. But think this time will be hard since he was traded. Very rarely does a player sign with a team he recently got traded from. But love to be wrong. Can move one or both of Brown and Paquette, use their cap hits to help pay for the Boyle contract.

 

[The Macho King]

I think Washington left Nate Schmidt exposed. If the prices for Dumba/Manson are too high, he's a guy that could be worth taking a run at.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Lol, just like we did with Stammer and Hedman?

At least for you, you can cheer on your Leafs or Habs though

The Bolts are my first team. The Leafs are my second team. Don't get it mixed up, I'm a Bolt 4 Life.

As for the Habs, I like a few of their players (JD) but not the team.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Shattenkirk was an example. We will probably overpay a UFA for too long a term.

 

[HoseEmDown]

This is Boyle's last chance at a big contract, I assume he's going to want 3 years at 3mil or so. Guys like Kruger, Stajan, Cizikis are making over 3 so he should be able to get that. It's not worth it to invest in a 32 year old who'll be 33 during the year when we have Gourde ready, Peca pretty much ready too and Cirelli close.

 

[The Macho King]

This is Boyle's last chance at a big contract, I assume he's going to want 3 years at 3mil or so. Guys like Kruger, Stajan, Cizikis are making over 3 so he should be able to get that. It's not worth it to invest in a 32 year old who'll be 33 during the year when we have Gourde ready, Peca pretty much ready too and Cirelli close.

This so many times this. It's probably his last chance for big money in the NHL. He's going to look for a 3-4 year deal ~3m a year, and he's earned it. I'm happy for the big guy - was a fantastic player for us and I'll look at him similarly to how I look at Dominic Moore. But we're not going to want to pay him that.

 

[LightningStrikes]

The 3C question is interesting. On paper we're stacked on C and need wingers.

Centers:
Stamkos
Johnson
Point
Gourde
Namestnikov
McKegg
Dumont
Paquette

Left wings:
Palat
Killorn
Erne
(Stamkos)
(Namestnikov)

Right wings:
Kucherov
Callahan
Brown
Vermin (leaving for EU)
(Killorn)


On the other hand our FO% wasn't exactly stellar last season. You could argue Dumont's spot in the lineup was justified only because he was one of if not the only one with a >50% FO% late in the season. Stamkos was out for most of the year, Johnson was okay.

 

[Stammertime91]

The drop off after our top two wingers is staggering. Bigger on the right but even on the left, Palat is the better player but needs to go back to a couple years ago.

I'd love to have a top 6 winger brought in. Man, if only Vegas would take Garrison.

 

[Leonardo87]

The Top 6 that led this team to a deep playoff run and the SCF in 2015 is pretty much all still here. It's just a question if these guys can bounce back from either bad seasons or injury. Kucherov is the only one who has been fine if you think about it, and think that is scary, when you see how much potential this team has on paper, but the amount of injuries piled up has held them back the last two seasons. You then add guys like Point, Erne, Gourde to the line-up and it should be immediately better. I think the focus will be trying to acquire a Top 4 D who can provide offense. Don't see Yzerman going after a forward as aggressive as a D. But we shall see.

 

[These Are The Days]

The drop off after our top two wingers is staggering. Bigger on the right but even on the left, Palat is the better player but needs to go back to a couple years ago.

I'd love to have a top 6 winger brought in. Man, if only Vegas would take Garrison.

We're not winning jack unless we dip into free agency or sign Gusev. Our skill beyond Stamkos and Kucherov ranges from average to horrendous. Particularly at wing

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

The 3C question is interesting. On paper we're stacked on C and need wingers.

Centers:
Stamkos
Johnson
Point
Gourde
Namestnikov
McKegg
Dumont
Paquette

Left wings:
Palat
Killorn
Erne
(Stamkos)
(Namestnikov)

Right wings:
Kucherov
Callahan
Brown
Vermin (leaving for EU)
(Killorn)


On the other hand our FO% wasn't exactly stellar last season. You could argue Dumont's spot in the lineup was justified only because he was one of if not the only one with a >50% FO% late in the season. Stamkos was out for most of the year, Johnson was okay.

Thank you for this. Adding another center will give us the flexibility to play Point and Johnson together if needed, and give us depth along our lineup if (when) we get hit by the injury bug. I don't have confidence in Namestnikov playing center.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Means nothing vinny sold his house and came back but personally I'd rather go after vanek

Don't do it Todd, don't buy the Vanek hype, he is awful...

 

[The Macho King]

Don't do it Todd, don't buy the Vanek hype, he is awful...

Well, Vanek always scores against us. So even if we keep him in the press box, we're probably saving like 5 GA over the course of a season.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Well, Vanek always scores against us. So even if we keep him in the press box, we're probably saving like 5 GA over the course of a season.

so true

 

[Leonardo87]

Well, Vanek always scores against us. So even if we keep him in the press box, we're probably saving like 5 GA over the course of a season.

LOL, that was good.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

The parallels between PIT and us are rather funny... not that Stamkos is on the level of Crosby, but your star center is basically MIA for the better part of two seasons to injury and now we're trying to do the similar thing of loading up on as much young forwards and cheap free agent risk to have forward depth that we desperately need as we can. Also a young goaltender. Hopefully we skip the stud-defenseman-****ed-up-for-a-year part.

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Well, Vanek always scores against us. So even if we keep him in the press box, we're probably saving like 5 GA over the course of a season.

Don't remind me, I have nightmares of TB-BUF games...

 

[Sky04]

This is Boyle's last chance at a big contract, I assume he's going to want 3 years at 3mil or so. Guys like Kruger, Stajan, Cizikis are making over 3 so he should be able to get that. It's not worth it to invest in a 32 year old who'll be 33 during the year when we have Gourde ready, Peca pretty much ready too and Cirelli close.

Good player, nice to have, not essential. He wasn't a make or break it player, was great to have him at 2m because he was cost efficient, at 3m and up it'd just be meh and will probably play under his worth on most nights.

 

[VoluntaryDom]

The parallels between PIT and us are rather funny... not that Stamkos is on the level of Crosby, but your star center is basically MIA for the better part of two seasons to injury and now we're trying to do the similar thing of loading up on as much young forwards and cheap free agent risk to have forward depth that we desperately need as we can. Also a young goaltender. Hopefully we skip the stud-defenseman-****ed-up-for-a-year part.

Difference is they actually have forward depth. (And don't trade their good young forwards for prospects)

But Tampa and Pittsburgh both have underrated AF defenses

 

[Flat Ronnie]

We're not winning jack unless we dip into free agency or sign Gusev. Our skill beyond Stamkos and Kucherov ranges from average to horrendous. Particularly at wing

Unfortunately true....

 

[Sky04]

The parallels between PIT and us are rather funny... not that Stamkos is on the level of Crosby, but your star center is basically MIA for the better part of two seasons to injury and now we're trying to do the similar thing of loading up on as much young forwards and cheap free agent risk to have forward depth that we desperately need as we can. Also a young goaltender. Hopefully we skip the stud-defenseman-****ed-up-for-a-year part.

How? Crosby has played 80,75,77 and 80 games the past 4 seasons...Crosby has missed 16 games the past 4 seasons and Stamkos has missed 110..