Reporters, but Grier also said something about it being hard as the deadline neared. Basically "It's a complex deal, and I don't know if we can pull it off before the deadline. IF someone really wants him there's a way but I expect him to be here" - IIRC
I think a lot has to go right for this to be true. Otherwise, I think this is still a worse team, with a higher collapse risk as guys like Hertl, Couture, Karlsson, and Vlasic only get older.
That team would give up so many goals. Apart from Sturm none of the forwards are good defensively, every defenseman except Karlsson is third pairing at best and to top it all off we have the worst goaltending tandem in the league.
Zadina‘s gonna score 35 goals this yr soooo..
8x8 incoming
It depends on how much Calgary and Winnipeg want to dismantle their teams as well since lots of players don't want to stay there long term. Chicago will be better just on Bedard alone. Arizona and Philly are definitely comparable but Montreal and Anaheim could get enough bad luck to compete there too.
Wrong in two ways.
Because of injuries and because of the complexity in moving roster players mid season to facilitate the cap hit swap. It’s literally the exact reason he wasn’t traded this TDL. It’s a very complex move moving that sort of salary. If it’s not done in the offseason, it’s unlikely to get done until next offseason. Teams don’t move out 3-4 roster players mid-season. Too much locker room dynamic at play.
Although all the information states that EK is being flexible and letting Grier negotiate with multiple teams. That could obviously change but at least it seems EK is bring a good sport about it.
From everything Karlsson has said publicly, I doubt he would try to strong arm Mike like this. Mike could also just turn it around. “Erik, we have a deal with Carolina. Do you want to be a Cane or a Shark next year? Those are your only choices.”
Yeah a player having a NMC doesn’t mean he has 100% of the leverage. Sharks can just do nothing and EK is a Shark. I doubt he would go so far as refusing to report which in turn means he won’t get paid. It would be messy but Grier doesn’t just have to give him away for free just because EK wants out.
id argue Montreal and Winnipeg are two others likely to be very near the bottom and likely in line with ours. Especially if Winnipeg goes scortched earth and trades hellebuyck
If Winnipeg trades Hellebuyck all bets are off but as of today I would argue the Jets are better than they were at the end of last season. They're certainly deeper. Montreal had a bunch of injuries to key players last year that probably won't happen again.
I’m not so sure I’d say deeper. Their 2C is Lowry or Barron? I think? Their defense is still Morrissey and a bunch of number 4s at best. I think WPG has the same holes as last year but with less scoring.
Isn't Vilardi a center? I think bringing in him, Namestnikov, Niederreiter, Iafallo and Kupari since the trade deadline has made them deeper overall despite subtracting PLD and Wheeler.
He’s pretty much exclusively played wing. He was drafted as a C but even on draft day they were saying he is likely a W. I mean they definitely have more players but W depth has never been WPG’s issue. Kupari also is absolutely nothing.
A lot like 2020-2022 or 2003-2004; a lot of ifs, potential, and high expectations…
