Speculation: 2023-24 Armchair GM thread

[keppel146]

I’m surprised how down you guys are on the state of the team tbh. I thought for sure this team was going to be garbage the past two years, but they’ve been able to put together some decent seasons. First season was definitely more enjoyable to watch than last season though.

I absolutely hate this team’s complete inability to win playoff games & think Evason should be gone. I also think Guerin has missed out on some value with holding onto players too long or simply mismanaging them. Other than that though:

1. We’ve got the best prospect pool in the league

2. We’ve got all of our 1st and 2nd round picks for the next 3 drafts (as well as an additional 2nd).

3. We’ll have tons of cap space after this upcoming season.

I’m sick of the predictability as well as one person mentioned. I hate being in the middle and since we’re wasting 2 years that’s why I want the tank. I wanted to make the most out of this situation and another 1st round exit isn’t it. It would’ve been nice to add a Carlsson or Smith to the pool while we had the chance.

 

[57special]

I’m sick of the predictability as well as one person mentioned. I hate being in the middle and since we’re wasting 2 years that’s why I want the tank. I wanted to make the most out of this situation and another 1st round exit isn’t it. It would’ve been nice to add a Carlsson or Smith to the pool while we had the chance.

It's like we've been in limbo for the past 15 years. Hard to get excited about that. It was cool when Nino scored and we upset the Avs, but since then... pffftt.

 

[keppel146]

It's like we've been in limbo for the past 15 years. Hard to get excited about that. It was cool when Nino scored and we upset the Avs, but since then... pffftt.

7 straight 1st round exits. I wonder how feasible it would have been to trade up from say 8-10th instead of 21. Tbh I was exited about the first few games of the Dallas series this year, but once they tied the series at 2, I knew it was over.

 

[Gecklund]

Hey Everyone!

We are running a GM Game over on the GM Game Boards. Basically the whole game is built around becoming the GM of a team, making trades, doing a quick entry draft, signing Free Agents, etc. Minnesota is open! If this sounds interesting to you let me know!

 

[Digitalbooya]

Three of the four remaining teams have a Finnish 1C. Ladies and gentlemen, your pathway to playoff series wins.

 

[DC4MVP]

Three of the four remaining teams have a Finnish 1C. Ladies and gentlemen, your pathway to playoff series wins.

Ahh man....can we get Rossi to change his name to Marko Jorossisen?

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Three of the four remaining teams have a Finnish 1C. Ladies and gentlemen, your pathway to playoff series wins.

We spent a decade all in on Fins and we finally switch to Swedes and this happens.

 

[Wasted Talent]

Ahh man....can we get Rossi to change his name to Marko Jorossisen?

Funnily enough Rossi is a fairly common Finnish surname.

 

[TaLoN]

Ahh man....can we get Rossi to change his name to Marko Jorossisen?

No change needed to the first name...
Last name? Rossanen

 

[Wabit]

Three of the four remaining teams have a Finnish 1C. Ladies and gentlemen, your pathway to playoff series wins.

Players 5'10" or shorter (hockey reference):
DAL: Domi
VGK: Marchessault
FL: Lomberg
CAR: Jarvis

 

[thestonedkoala]

I'm making a very brief appearance and catching up on a few things;

1) I was right about the defensemen. Spurgeon and Brodin are very effective regular season defensemen, but ineffective in the post-season. Faber seemed to be a pretty good defenseman, but that isn't going to fix the issues. I honestly don't see a defenseman on the roster or in the minors that is absolute number 1. Faber is close, but Lambos, O'Rourke, Hunt, Peart, and whoever else don't scream franchise defenseman that can help win playoff games. Faber needs to chip in offensively more and that'll probably come with time.

2) I was also right about Zuccarello. I hope, HOPE, Minnesota trades him this off-season. He's a no-show in the playoffs. 2 goals in one game and pretty much nothing the last two games.

3) This team is the very definition of milquetoast. There is nothing to get excited about. They got blown out again. And now they have to face Bedard and a reloaded Chicago team? As well as Anaheim with MacTavish, Fantilli and Zegras? Yeah, keep spinning the wheels like the hamster on a treadmill.

4) Barkov and Huberdeau are a big reason why Florida is wrecking havoc (well Tkachuk btw of Hubbie), but damn. I was right about Zito. And Fenton is showing why he's the best in the business as a scout/advisor. Bringing in Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Brandon Montour, Eetu Luostarinen, Gustav Forsling. They built around their star players (Ekblad, Barkov) and knew who to trade off (Huberdeau). Weeger is going to hurt, but damn...

4a) Also Staal had more goals this season than Sam Steel, Brandon Duhaime, Marcus Foligno, Mason Shaw, Connor Dewar while being their like 4th center.

5) Kaprizov better not go back to Russia. There are rumors that he is, but he better not. The drama last season isn't worth him going back to Russia this season.

6) Guerin bringing back the old coaches - Evason is fine, but the assistants as well is a joke. His loyalty is the opposite of Fenton's disloyalty and both of them are huge issues. He sounds like a jerk, and that he knows better than most because he played the game. Guess what? Bertuzzi played the game as well, does that make him a good GM?

7) I don't see Michkov going in the top 5. Teams need help now and Michkov isn't going to come over until 2025 at the earliest. Teams aren't going to wait 2 seasons if they have a top 5 pick for an unknown Russian regardless of how talented he is. Plus the headaches of getting his papers and such.

8) Minnesota should absolutely look at getting a top 5 pick in the 2025 draft. If they get Misa and then with all of that cap room? Yeah they could actually make some noise.

9) None of the prospects Minnesota have excite me at all; Khus and Yurov are probably the ones that have the most promise, along with Wallstedt, but most of them have low ceilings, high floors. Does anyone have ANY idea how Haight and Lorenz did because there was like zero coverage of them other than stats? Ohgren honestly seems like a rich man's version of Johan Larsson.

10) I hate all of you, because I'm officially old, grumpy and yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

 

[DANOZ28]

i hear your pain but i think the wild are alot closer to being a top team. improve centers and add a goal scorer and this team is dangerous! as for kaprizov going back to russia thats exactly why i've wanted to add a player like tarasenko for years! im disappointed we didn't tank this year however its because we're a good team. cheers

 

[NHL1674]

I'm making a very brief appearance and catching up on a few things;

1) I was right about the defensemen. Spurgeon and Brodin are very effective regular season defensemen, but ineffective in the post-season. Faber seemed to be a pretty good defenseman, but that isn't going to fix the issues. I honestly don't see a defenseman on the roster or in the minors that is absolute number 1. Faber is close, but Lambos, O'Rourke, Hunt, Peart, and whoever else don't scream franchise defenseman that can help win playoff games. Faber needs to chip in offensively more and that'll probably come with time.

2) I was also right about Zuccarello. I hope, HOPE, Minnesota trades him this off-season. He's a no-show in the playoffs. 2 goals in one game and pretty much nothing the last two games.

3) This team is the very definition of milquetoast. There is nothing to get excited about. They got blown out again. And now they have to face Bedard and a reloaded Chicago team? As well as Anaheim with MacTavish, Fantilli and Zegras? Yeah, keep spinning the wheels like the hamster on a treadmill.

4) Barkov and Huberdeau are a big reason why Florida is wrecking havoc (well Tkachuk btw of Hubbie), but damn. I was right about Zito. And Fenton is showing why he's the best in the business as a scout/advisor. Bringing in Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Brandon Montour, Eetu Luostarinen, Gustav Forsling. They built around their star players (Ekblad, Barkov) and knew who to trade off (Huberdeau). Weeger is going to hurt, but damn...

4a) Also Staal had more goals this season than Sam Steel, Brandon Duhaime, Marcus Foligno, Mason Shaw, Connor Dewar while being their like 4th center.

5) Kaprizov better not go back to Russia. There are rumors that he is, but he better not. The drama last season isn't worth him going back to Russia this season.

6) Guerin bringing back the old coaches - Evason is fine, but the assistants as well is a joke. His loyalty is the opposite of Fenton's disloyalty and both of them are huge issues. He sounds like a jerk, and that he knows better than most because he played the game. Guess what? Bertuzzi played the game as well, does that make him a good GM?

7) I don't see Michkov going in the top 5. Teams need help now and Michkov isn't going to come over until 2025 at the earliest. Teams aren't going to wait 2 seasons if they have a top 5 pick for an unknown Russian regardless of how talented he is. Plus the headaches of getting his papers and such.

8) Minnesota should absolutely look at getting a top 5 pick in the 2025 draft. If they get Misa and then with all of that cap room? Yeah they could actually make some noise.

9) None of the prospects Minnesota have excite me at all; Khus and Yurov are probably the ones that have the most promise, along with Wallstedt, but most of them have low ceilings, high floors. Does anyone have ANY idea how Haight and Lorenz did because there was like zero coverage of them other than stats? Ohgren honestly seems like a rich man's version of Johan Larsson.

10) I hate all of you, because I'm officially old, grumpy and yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

So in a nutshell.....I was right....I was right...I was right....I hate you.

Welcome back, TSK!

 

[Wabit]

I'm making a very brief appearance and catching up on a few things;

10) I hate all of you, because I'm officially old, grumpy and yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

Why stop at just yelling at the delinquents that go on your yard?
-plant some poison ivy
-set up a motion sensor/remote that'll spray them with fart spray
-get a pet tiger and let it roam in the yard.

 

[57special]

i hear your pain but i think the wild are alot closer to being a top team. improve centers and add a goal scorer and this team is dangerous! as for kaprizov going back to russia thats exactly why i've wanted to add a player like tarasenko for years! im disappointed we didn't tank this year however its because we're a good team. cheers

We've been trying to "add a Center" for how many years now? Rossi was supposed to be that guy, but I'm telling you, I see Granlund at best. Certainly not a #1C.

A goal scorer covers a lot of ground.... if you're talking a REAL goal scorer, like 35-40 every year, then we'd have to trade for one, because I don't see it in our system.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

It’s a shame Mathew’s is being moved this off season, he would be a good target for us and I don’t see how we snag him.

We've been trying to "add a Center" for how many years now? Rossi was supposed to be that guy, but I'm telling you, I see Granlund at best. Certainly not a #1C.

A goal scorer covers a lot of ground.... if you're talking a REAL goal scorer, like 35-40 every year, then we'd have to trade for one, because I don't see it in our system.

 

[DANOZ28]

57 just remember that wild mgmt had no replacement plans when they knew koivu was leaving & we let staal go. i really find that irresponsible. it took JEE about 4 seasons to become the decent center he is today. give rossi a little more time.

 

[AKL]

It’s a shame Mathew’s is being moved this off season, he would be a good target for us and I don’t see how we snag him.

Matthews and Knies for Kaprizov and Addison who says no

 

[57special]

Matthews and Knies for Kaprizov and Addison who says no

1000% depends on whether Mathews will negotiate a contract pre-trade. If, as i think, he won't, then it's a big no from us. We can always trade Kap later on should it become evident that he is not a candidate to re-sign.

If he would re-sign for something like 7 x 11M, then yeah, even though I love Kap. Would then trade Zucc to make room for him cap wise.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Matthews and Knies for Kaprizov and Addison who says no

Right now we do as matthews can still walk. Get an extension and prob they do but idk.

 

[Wabit]

Matthews and Knies for Kaprizov and Addison who says no

I'd rather just trade Kap and Addison for a haul of picks/prospects.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

I'd rather just trade Kap and Addison for a haul of picks/prospects.

Can I ask why? Knies is already a Quality prospect then we get a 1C even if it’s an overpay. If you’re wanting to wait till dead cap is out I get it. Just curious on your thoughts of having picks and prospects vs Mathews and a prospect.

 

[keppel146]

Matthews and Knies for Kaprizov and Addison who says no

Probably Toronto. Shoot, I’d add our 1st this year to do that deal.

 

[Wabit]

Can I ask why? Knies is already a Quality prospect then we get a 1C even if it’s an overpay. If you’re wanting to wait till dead cap is out I get it. Just curious on your thoughts of having picks and prospects vs Mathews and a prospect.

Matthews can walk after the season. There isn't the cap space to re-sign Matthews and not a lot of incentive for Matthews to re-sign in MN even if there was.

Kap for Matthews doesn't move the needle in making the team a contender for next season. You want to add a Matthews quality player to a team with Kap on it.

 

[DeagleJenkins]

Matthews can walk after the season. There isn't the cap space to re-sign Matthews and not a lot of incentive for Matthews to re-sign in MN even if there was.

Kap for Matthews doesn't move the needle in making the team a contender for next season. You want to add a Matthews quality player to a team with Kap on it.

Trading Kap and zucc would make enough cap room to afford him. Once you do that you start adding around him. Top 6 C of matthews and ek feels quite good compared to Hartman and ek.

Boldy - Matthews - Johanson
X - Ek - Hartman

I’m fine with that to start the year. If people can beat out Hartman great bump him to 3rw.

I’ll agree matthews doesn’t make us a contender instantly but it fills our biggest void. I’d rather go shopping for scoring wingers than trying for a 1C even longer than we have.