Speculation: 2023-24 Armchair GM thread

[Lapa]

Another year, another 1st round exit.

What changes would you like to see this offseason? Who would you keep, who would you trade?

Discuss.

Old thread

Speculation: - Trade and Free Agency Talk - 2022-23 Edition - Postseason Success can't be a Myth!

New thread for a new season. Since threads aren't limited to only 1k post counts anymore, I figure a nice break by season should be good. Old thread https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/trade-and-free-agency-talk-liv.2866587/ Let's hope this offseason leads to another good regular...

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[f7ben]

I’d move Zucc , Foligno , Middleton , Goligoski. Fluery would not be on this team no matter what. Retire trade or buyout makes no difference to me

I’d bring back Marjo, Nyquist , Gus. I think targeting Middletadt this summer is wise.

I’d pencil Rossi into the top 6 and give him a full half season there to adjust. If he fails at center initially give him time at wing.

Kap , Mids , Nyquist
Marjo , Rossi , Boldy
Duhaime , Fred , Hart
Shaw , Dewer , Steel

Walker , Petan , Beckman

Spurg Brodin
Faber Merril
Addison Mermis
Xxx

Gus / Wallstadt

Fill in around this group of players as you see fit

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Copied in from trades/free agency:

Let's just say...

Trade Zucc
Trade Foligno
Buy out Fleury (if you can't trade him)

Trade for Mittelstadt

Sign Duhaime for $1M
Sign Shaw for $800k
Sign Johansson + Nyquist + Gustavsson for $9M combined

Kaprizov - Mittelstadt - Boldy
Johansson - Eriksson Ek - Nyquist
3LW - Gaudreau - Hartman
Duhaime - Dewar - Shaw
Whoever

Brodin - Faber
Middleton - Spurgeon
Merrill - 3RD
Goligoski

Gustavsson
2G

$6.9M in cap space to find a 3LW, 3RD and 2G (or $5.9M if you want to leave a $1M cushion).

 

[Southern Minny]

I think there maybe be something up with Dumba, I think we may be surprised that he re-signs at a bargain rate, If BG couldn't trade him for a bag of chips he just may want to stay, but we'll have to wait and see, so with that said, considering this is going to be a tough year coming up, I'd experiment with Boldy at center more.

Trade Foligno, Addison, Middleton, Goligoski

Try and get Reaves but little cheaper.

I think Shaw might be done.

Kaprizov- xxx Boldy-Nyquist
Boldy/Walker-Ek-Zucc
Harts-Freddy-Johansson
Reaves-Dewar-Duhaime

Beckman-xxx Rossi-xxx

Spur-Brodin
Faber-Dumba
Klingberg-xxx

xxx-xxx

Fleury-Gus

 

[DANOZ28]

i think we're stuck with fluery as the backup next season. addison , i'd give him a one year prove it deal. gotta play rossi this year and tuff it out whatever he does. before the draft get anything for dumba's rights (5th?) i would do anything to sign tarasenko for 5 mill if possible and fit him under the cap. (i think hes a ufa) including trade zuccarello for tarasenko. (not my 1st choice). i'd for sure keep reaves. when foligno's hot i really like his game. cheers

 

[Minnewildsota]

i think we're stuck with fluery as the backup next season. addison , i'd give him a one year prove it deal. gotta play rossi this year and tuff it out whatever he does. before the draft get anything for dumba's rights (5th?) i would do anything to sign tarasenko for 5 mill if possible and fit him under the cap. (i think hes a ufa) including trade zuccarello for tarasenko. (not my 1st choice). i'd for sure keep reaves. when foligno's hot i really like his game. cheers

Not sure why you have such a hard on for Tarasenko.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

I feel like the defense is always going to feel underwhelming with Brodin and Spurgeon here. Too soft for playoff hockey. Not that there is anything we can do about that going forward, at least for next year.

I’d trade Foligno, Zucc, Hartman, Merrill, Addison, and see if Fleury is open to a trade back to Pittsburgh.

Players I would like re-signed in order of preference:
1. Sundqvist (3 years)
2. Nyquist (2 years)
3. Johansson (3 years)
4. Reaves (1 year)

Kaprizov-Boldy-Nyquist
Johansson-Eriksson Ek-XXXX
Sundqvist-Gaudreau-XXXX
Duhaime-Dewar-Reaves

Brodin-Faber
Goligoski-Spurgeon
Middleton-XXXX

Gus
XXXX (Fleury)

XXXXs = traded for players/free agents/internal replacements

 

[saywut]

Feels weird trying to keep it realistic with what I think Guerin would do with moving one of his clear favorites in Foligno, but I don't see the cap working with the 5 highest cap-hit forwards all staying.

TRADES
Foligno + O'Rourke for Mittelstadt(retention at the cost of a 2024 pick? Buffalo has room they may not be using)
Goligoski + Addison to Arizona for 2023 3rd(ARI) + 2024 3rd(EDM)

RE-SIGN
Gustavsson 2 years 3M aav - any higher and it gets tight. Would consider signing Raanta/Andersen and trading Gus if his demands are unreasonable.
Johansson 2 years 2M aav - maybe need to give him a 3rd year.
Duhaime 2 years 1M aav
Reaves 1 year 1M
Shaw 1 year league min(ahl stint when healthy, make a decision after)
Mermis/Swaney/McIntyre 1-2 years 2-way
Guessing Chaffee looks elsewhere but extend an offer

UFA
Justin Holl 1 year 2M
Thomas Nosek 2 years 1.5M aav
Offering Ryan Johnson an ELC with his name penciled in as 3LD at the start of camp, unsure if he accepts.

LINES
Kaprizov - Mittelstadt - Zuccarello
Johansson - Ek - Boldy
Duhaime - Gaudreau - Hartman
Dewar - Nosek - Reaves
3rd line spot is there if Rossi/Walker/Beckman earn it

Brodin - Faber
Middleton - Spurgeon
Johnson/Merrill - Holl

Waiver claims to fill out roster if internal options aren't ready.
Hoping for Ritchie/Yager/Barlow/Stenberg in the 1st round of draft. Okay with moving up, maybe opens up other options but I do think 3/4 of these will be there at ~15.

 

[saywut]

I feel like the defense is always going to feel underwhelming with Brodin and Spurgeon here. Too soft for playoff hockey. Not that there is anything we can do about that going forward, at least for next year.

This is very true and concerning. Suter outplayed both of them just like he always did in our jersey come playoff time.

 

[DANOZ28]

Not sure why you have such a hard on for Tarasenko.

why wouldn't ya? hes a great player.

 

[Minnewildsota]

why wouldn't ya? hes a great player.

Because he's in the twilight of his career?

 

[Spurgeon]

I think there maybe be something up with Dumba, I think we may be surprised that he re-signs at a bargain rate, If BG couldn't trade him for a bag of chips he just may want to stay, but we'll have to wait and see, so with that said, considering this is going to be a tough year coming up, I'd experiment with Boldy at center more.

Trade Foligno, Addison, Middleton, Goligoski

Try and get Reaves but little cheaper.

I think Shaw might be done.

Kaprizov- xxx Boldy-Nyquist
Boldy/Walker-Ek-Zucc
Harts-Freddy-Johansson
Reaves-Dewar-Duhaime

Beckman-xxx Rossi-xxx

Spur-Brodin
Faber-Dumba
Klingberg-xxx

xxx-xxx

Fleury-Gus

This team does not need a Reaves. Having a player like that just absolutely kills any productivity of a line. Saw the same shit last year with DLo. Reaves shouldn’t have seen the ice for a second in that 3rd period of Friday’s game. The one shift I focused solely on Reaves, he had 3 turnovers and was completely useless.

 

[DANOZ28]

so you care less about goal scoring? why don't you say who you'd add for 5 mill who can match or out score tarasenko. i wanted him on our team even before kaprizov got here. ps ever heard of vet experience? he's actually won a cup.

 

[Wild11MN]

As others have said elsewhere, we need Rossi the next two years to have a chance to be successful. But I'm worried.

 

[Roman Maroni]

Besides Foligno and the others that everyone is talking about….

If the Wild want to get some help up the middle, they have to consider if the situation arises with no move contracts the possibility of using either Brodin, or Spurgeon in a deal. Spurgeon and Brodin have had front row seats in all of these 1st round exits in the last how many years. But they have a ton of value.

Whatever they do, get someone who can win a face off!

And for the record before I get torched. You use either of Spurgeon and Brodin as part of a deal to get your no 1 center if you can work around the NMC.

 

[57special]

This team does not need a Reaves. Having a player like that just absolutely kills any productivity of a line. Saw the same shit last year with DLo. Reaves shouldn’t have seen the ice for a second in that 3rd period of Friday’s game. The one shift I focused solely on Reaves, he had 3 turnovers and was completely useless.

Reaves was not even close to the reason that we lost. Pretending that is was so only makes fixing our real problems more difficult.

 

[Spurgeon]

Reaves was not even close to the reason that we lost. Pretending that is was so only makes fixing our real problems more difficult.

No, he wasn’t close to the problem. He is part of the problem though. This team does not need grinders who are among the worst in the league at actually playing hockey. Would you have rather had Sundqvist or Reaves on a line with Dewar and Duhaime? Seems like a pretty easy decision to me.

Evason has iced a useless plug in two series in-a-row when he had plenty of reasonable replacements he could’ve went to. That’s the problem, this team is not being led by a coach who knows how to make adjustments and ice the best roster possible.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

A good penalty killer in the Reaves spot definitely could've made a difference.

 

[57special]

No, he wasn’t close to the problem. He is part of the problem though. This team does not need grinders who are among the worst in the league at actually playing hockey. Would you have rather had Sundqvist or Reaves on a line with Dewar and Duhaime? Seems like a pretty easy decision to me.

Worrying about who the 12th or 13th forward is on this team(who averaged less than 8 minutes during the playoffs, and doesn't play special teams) is avoiding the main, far more important problems.

- cap restrictions
- outclassed coach during playoffs
- GM who evaluates players from an outdated perspective
- poor special teams
- talented, highly paid players not producing during playoffs
- paying washed up, veteran players with no upside to sit on the bench during the playoffs(Goligoski, Merrill, Fleury)
- lack of NHL ready talent in the AHL

and on, and on, and on.

 

[Spurgeon]

Worrying about who the 12th or 13th forward is on this team(who averaged less than 8 minutes during the playoffs, and doesn't play special teams) is avoiding the main, far more important problems.

- cap restrictions
- outclassed coach during playoffs
- GM who evaluates players from an outdated perspective
- poor special teams
- talented, highly paid players not producing during playoffs
- paying washed up, veteran players with no upside to sit on the bench during the playoffs(Goligoski, Merrill, Fleury)
- lack of NHL ready talent in the AHL

and on, and on, and on.

If Dewar & Duhaime could have been more effective with a different line mate, that can change a series. That line produced nothing offensively and in a series where your top guys aren’t scoring, you sometimes need to rely on unsung heroes from your depth.

Our PK was absolutely horrendous and we were playing Johansson as our #1 guy for some idiotic reason. Sundqvist should’ve been in there.

We obviously didn’t lose this series because Reaves played, but he didn’t improve our chances of winning either. It’s questionable decision after questionable decision when it comes to Evason.

Main reasons we lost this series were:

1. Evason
2. Penalty Kill
3. Kaprizov/Boldy Disappearing

I’m ready for them to move on to the next coach that can start shaping this team for a deep run in 25-26.

 

[Wasted Talent]

If Dewar & Duhaime could have been more effective with a different line mate, that can change a series. That line produced nothing offensively and in a series where your top guys aren’t scoring, you sometimes need to rely on unsung heroes from your depth.

Our PK was absolutely horrendous and we were playing Johansson as our #1 guy for some idiotic reason. Sundqvist should’ve been in there.

We obviously didn’t lose this series because Reaves played, but he didn’t improve our chances of winning either. It’s questionable decision after questionable decision when it comes to Evason.

Main reasons we lost this series were:

1. Evason
2. Penalty Kill
3. Kaprizov/Boldy Disappearing

I’m ready for them to move on to the next coach that can start shaping this team for a deep run in 25-26.

Might as well change second point from PK to special teams. 4th worst PK% and 4th worst PP%, the only team that is/was bottom 4 in both.

 

[PettersonHughes]

For the folks who suggested moving Middleton, what do you guys want for him?

 

[DC4MVP]

It never hurts to have a Reaves type of player.

Should he play in the playoffs? No. Absolutely not. But over 82 games, it's not a bad idea to have a guy like that on the 4th line. Is he going to play all 82? Of course not but having a guy who can play 60 games and provide a different type of game than the guys who rotate into the 4th line.

I'm not saying break the bank for him but if you can get him for 1.0-1.1....why not? Great room guy, high character, etc.

 

[DC4MVP]

For the folks who suggested moving Middleton, what do you guys want for him?

I'm confused....

Why are we wanting to destroy our D corps all of a sudden?

Dumba is gone. People saying we should explore trading Brodin and Spurg for centers. Trading Middleton.

Spurgeon, Brodin, Middleton, Faber shouldn't go anywhere until you know damn well the younger d-men are ready.

How do we expect to replace these players even if we can trade them for 1C's?

Wild aren't a team that can win 5-4 every night.

 

[f7ben]

I think Middleton can easily be replaced internally and for less money