2020/21 Roster Thread IV: A New Hope

[CanadianFlyer88]

Could Freidman or Braun play the left side. Paired together would be a good 3rd pair once Myers is back. Would eliminate the 2 biggest defensive liabilities on our team.

Provorov — Gostisbehere
Sanheim — Myers
Freidman — Braun

the 1st has proven to be a force before. And the 2nd one has been the best we have had in a long time. With so much room to grow.
So the question is, which pairing of guys will solidify the 3rd pairing.

braun is good enough to me. It’s just who do we pair with him? I would love to give Zamula a shot. But until then Freidman is the option. Maybe Hagg?
But Gus should never play again.

Friedman can play on the left.

It is arguable that Braun can even play on the right in 2021.

 

[Rebels57]

Ok I don't know if this has been mentioned but apparently there is a rumor that the Flyers are in talks with Florida to swap Ghost for Yandle. This seems like a pretty bad idea. I like Yandle and think he would be an ok addition if his salary and contract were far less, but I think we could do better even by finding a different "change of scenery" player if Ghost is out the door.

That will come back to haunt us within months. There's are 110% chance Ghost bounces back after he inevitably leaves here. I'd rather lose him to Expansion, which will be less painful since we can't protect him, than lose him in a bad trade.

 

[Rebels57]

Friedman can play on the left.

It is arguable that Braun can even play on the right in 2021.

Braun is being overused. He'd still be a passable #6 on the right side with a puck-moving partner. He's simply being asked to do/be too much.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Braun is being overused. He'd still be a passable #6 on the right side with a puck-moving partner. He's simply being asked to do/be too much.

Braun's my guy, but he's noticeably slower, both in foot speed and in processing what is happening on the ice.

He was a good fit with this group last year, even if his play was not up to par in the playoffs, but the gas light was already on last year. He's running on empty now.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I think Braun’s pretty much cooked at this point or at least close to it. He’ll be 34 in another month & has played a lot of games in this league. It happens. But makes that second year on his deal even more unnecessary.

 

[Beef Invictus]

The good news with Braun is that it's a short season.

He also started rough last season, so we'll see if he settles in more.

 

[Rebels57]

Braun's my guy, but he's noticeably slower, both in foot speed and in processing what is happening on the ice.

He was a good fit with this group last year, even if his play was not up to par in the playoffs, but the gas light was already on last year. He's running on empty now.

He's playing too much against tough competition. That will expose an aging defensemen. Lighten his workload and i'm sure he'll be fine as a #6. I'm not married to the guy though. If 6 other dmen outplay him, then so be it.

 

[Striiker]

Braun got overrated last year thanks to Sanheim and the forwards, but as soon as he was on the bottom pair he got exposed and crumbled.

This year isn’t a surprise, it’s just an extension of what we saw since last January.

Luckily for us, we have him and Hagg locked in next year too.

 

[deadhead]

Braun wasn't overrated, by any measure he was a legitimate top 4 guy last year, though bottom of the top four, and he finished the season on the 3rd pair. Sanheim played better with Braun than he did with Myers last season.

He just need his minutes cut down by a shift a period (2 minutes a game) and partnered with someone who can handle the puck. He played 17:16 last year, now he's up to 19:08.

He'd actually be the perfect guy to partner with York or Zamula or Hogberg if they bring them up in April, a steadying veteran influence who can be a coach on the ice.

Worst that happens next year is he's the #7 D-man who is an informal coach.

 

[Starat327]

If I had a penny for everytime someone here claimed our terrible defenders would just be #7s....

 

[deadhead]

Yes, because we have the depth and cap room to have a top 4 defenseman as our #7.
And of course, the top six never get injured.

Geez.

 

[Starat327]

Theres a wide arc of talent between top 4 and #7...its called bottom pairing. Several of our defensemen on the roster currently -ignoring injuries - don't fall into that arc.

You're right. That's a depth problem. One our brilliant GM tied us into.

 

[Striiker]

Theres a wide arc of talent between top 4 and #7...its called bottom pairing. Several of our defensemen on the roster currently -ignoring injuries - don't fall into that arc.

You're right. That's a depth problem. One our brilliant GM tied us into.

Fletcher values the #7 position so much he signed three of them.

That's some smart thinking. Now we'll never run out.

 

[renberg]

If I had a penny for everytime someone here claimed our terrible defenders would just be #7s....

Right now it seems that we have an abundance of #7s

 

[Starat327]

Fletcher values the #7 position so much he signed three of them.

That's some smart thinking. Now we'll never run out.

Never have to worry about playing subpar players in a pinch if you always play subpar players.

 

[Striiker]

Never have to worry about playing subpar players in a pinch if you always play subpar players.

Can't accuse him of weakening the defense if it's at rock bottom to start with.

Now any potential deadline panic moves can only be improvements. 200 IQ move by Chuckles.

 

[ajgoal]

Can't accuse him of weakening the defense if it's at rock bottom to start with.

Now any potential deadline panic moves can only be improvements. 200 IQ move by Chuckles.

7D chess

 

[deadhead]

Theres a wide arc of talent between top 4 and #7...its called bottom pairing. Several of our defensemen on the roster currently -ignoring injuries - don't fall into that arc.

You're right. That's a depth problem. One our brilliant GM tied us into.

Maybe you should look at both the available FAs and the Phantom's roster (and York probably going pro in April).
So what alternative strategy would you have followed?

Fletcher tried for Brodie (NMC was the deal breaker), Barrie wasn't interested, fortunately Hamonic wasn't interested (already on IR), Gudas got 3yr/$7.5M, and so on. It was either pay through the nose for a marginal top 4 guy, or add guys like the guys we added (changing the names to protect the guilty).

Yes, an aggressive GM might have pulled something off, something that would have you all screaming at him by next July.

 

[Starat327]

Maybe you should look at both the available FAs and the Phantom's roster (and York probably going pro in April).
So what alternative strategy would you have followed?

Fletcher tried for Brodie (NMC was the deal breaker), Barrie wasn't interested, fortunately Hamonic wasn't interested (already on IR), Gudas got 3yr/$7.5M, and so on. It was either pay through the nose for a marginal top 4 guy, or add guys like the guys we added (changing the names to protect the guilty).

Yes, an aggressive GM might have pulled something off, something that would have you all screaming at him by next July.

The alternative legitimate, modern 'bottom pairing' d that were available this offseason have been listed for you multiple times. You seem intent on ignoring people like Stecher would've been an upgrade on Hagg and (likely)Braun. Hell, we could play Friedman and banish Hagg and the roster would automatically be better.

If I wanted to go on, i likely could put a half an effort of research into available better options, but I'm not one to bang my head against walls, so ill save my sanity. Because Hagg must be a distant cousin or something, you seem intent to defend him at every imaginable angle and pretend like his 1.6M couldnt have been better spent elsewhere, and thats perfectly okay. But that isn't the reality of the situation, even in the slightest.

 

[Cootsfanclub]

Theres a wide arc of talent between top 4 and #7...its called bottom pairing. Several of our defensemen on the roster currently -ignoring injuries - don't fall into that arc.

You're right. That's a depth problem. One our brilliant GM tied us into.

I agree with this sentiment. Most teams use a player like Braun or Hagg in their top 6, Tampa played Schenn in the playoffs. Problem is we have two of these guys together and they play more than 10 minutes.

 

[Starat327]

I agree with this sentiment. Most teams use a player like Braun or Hagg in their top 6, Tampa played Schenn in the playoffs. Problem is we have two of these guys together and they play more than 10 minutes.

If we had one of Braun or Gus on the bottom pair (and not at 3M), with Hagg as a legitimate #7 id be much less angsty about this. I sont expect a top filled with top 4D. I'm not unreasonable.

The problem is, even when given the option to not do so, we still play #7s over legitimate bottom pair D (at worst). You don't sign oodles of #6s and 7s. You use guys from within for that role and use the cap space saved to convince other people to come play on a one year deal at an overpay because they're worth it for one year on an ED year where acquiring term doesn't make sense.

Instead, we overpay #7s and give them term to boot.

 

[Prongo]

Vince Dunn available.

 

[Flyer lurker]

Vince Dunn available.

Should I be hopeful or scared what Fletch might trade?

2 and Robert "30 cent" Hagg work for everyone?

(30 cent for the cf%)

 

[Stizzle]

Vince Dunn available.

I will train @Captain Dave Poulin's chickens to attack and maul anyone who suggests trading for another left handed defenseman.

 

[deadhead]

The alternative legitimate, modern 'bottom pairing' d that were available this offseason have been listed for you multiple times. You seem intent on ignoring people like Stecher would've been an upgrade on Hagg and (likely)Braun. Hell, we could play Friedman and banish Hagg and the roster would automatically be better.

If I wanted to go on, i likely could put a half an effort of research into available better options, but I'm not one to bang my head against walls, so ill save my sanity. Because Hagg must be a distant cousin or something, you seem intent to defend him at every imaginable angle and pretend like his 1.6M couldnt have been better spent elsewhere, and thats perfectly okay. But that isn't the reality of the situation, even in the slightest.

You mean the Stecher who posted E +/- of -11.9, -6.1, -7.2, -3.4 his first four seasons?
Yes, he's 4th in minutes on Detroit, of course, Marc Staal is 5th. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

It's just a question of which trash you prefer.