2023 Free Agency/UFA Targets

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

For the love of god.. I know good centers don't grow on trees.. but could we please get one? He doesn't even have to be great.. Just good.

Let me introduce you to this kid we drafted last year.



He's realgud.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

Last night I had a nightmare that we traded 9 and 17 for ADB and that terrified me more than the entire Saw collection combined.

 

[Big Ed]

People who think DeBrincat was a product of Kane in Chicago don't know what they're talking about. His first year he played with Ryan Hartman and Patrick Sharp on the third line and had 28 goals. His second year he played with Toews and Dominik Kahun and had 41 goals. He didn't start playing with Kane until his third year, which was by far the worst year of his career with only 18 goals.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

I wonder if there’s room for Boqvist on a blueline with Werenski, Severson, Provorov, Gudbranson, and Jiricek on the way.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I wonder if there’s room for Boqvist on a blueline with Werenski, Severson, Provorov, Gudbranson, and Jiricek on the way.

If you liked Dennis Cholowski flinching on the forecheck you'll love Boqvist.

(Yeah I know Boqvist is better than Cholowski, but he's about as soft.)

 

[GoBoltz56]

I wonder if there’s room for Boqvist on a blueline with Werenski, Severson, Provorov, Gudbranson, and Jiricek on the way.

He's never even played a full season. He's like the Fabbri of defensemen.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

He's never even played a full season. He's like the Fabbri of defensemen.

If Fabbri were ten-ply.

 

[norrisnick]

I wonder if there’s room for Boqvist on a blueline with Werenski, Severson, Provorov, Gudbranson, and Jiricek on the way.

Steal Peeke to play with Ed.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

If you liked Dennis Cholowski flinching on the forecheck you'll love Boqvist.

(Yeah I know Boqvist is better than Cholowski, but he's about as soft.)

Sure, he's undersized and he's struggled with injury issues. But he's 22 and he's produced at a ~ .5ppg clip over the past three years when he's been able to stay healthy. Not a perfect player but he could step into that second pair RHD role in Hronek's absence and chip in some sorely-needed point production.

Not sure what the price would be but I think he's an option.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Sure, he's undersized and he's struggled with injury issues. But he's 22 and he's produced at a ~ .5ppg clip over the past three years when he's been able to stay healthy. Not a perfect player but he could step into that second pair RHD role in Hronek's absence and chip in some sorely-needed point production.

Not sure what the price would be but I think he's an option.

Being undersized isn't the issue. It's the fact that he is a guy is bad at defense and absolutely needs to be sheltered. His zone start split is probably the highest I've ever seen. 74.2% O-zone starts. 66% at even strength. And last I checked, that Columbus team wasn't so dominant they had the other team hemmed into their defensive end for 2/3rds of the game.

Do I want him on PP1 over Seider? Hell no.
Do I want him on PP2 over Edvinsson? Hell no.
Can he be counted on late in a 1-goal game? Hell no.
Can he PK? Hell no.

So if he's not an all situations defenseman and he's not as good as the top weapons Detroit can deploy on special teams, then where does he fit?

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Being undersized isn't the issue. It's the fact that he is a guy is bad at defense and absolutely needs to be sheltered. His zone start split is probably the highest I've ever seen. 74.2% O-zone starts. 66% at even strength. And last I checked, that Columbus team wasn't so dominant they had the other team hemmed into their defensive end for 2/3rds of the game.

Do I want him on PP1 over Seider? Hell no.
Do I want him on PP2 over Edvinsson? Hell no.
Can he be counted on late in a 1-goal game? Hell no.
Can he PK? Hell no.

So if he's not an all situations defenseman and he's not as good as the top weapons Detroit can deploy on special teams, then where does he fit?

Boqvist has looked good on the powerplay against NHL competition and Edvinsson has looked bad on the powerplay against minor league competition, so I’d give the PP2 nod to Adam pretty comfortably.

That’s where he’d fit for me. #4 defenseman playing second unit powerplay. I wouldn’t give up the sun and the moon to get him, but he’d be on the Hronek replacement shortlist for me.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Boqvist has looked good on the powerplay against NHL competition and Edvinsson has looked bad on the powerplay against minor league competition, so I’d give the PP2 nod to Adam pretty comfortably.

That’s where he’d fit for me. #4 defenseman playing second unit powerplay. I wouldn’t give up the sun and the moon to get him, but he’d be on the Hronek replacement shortlist for me.

You mean #6 defenseman playing PP2. #4 defenseman can typically play in their own end.

Edvinsson also looked better on the powerplay in Grand Rapids.

 

[norrisnick]

Just get Peeke instead.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

You mean #6 defenseman playing PP2. #4 defenseman can typically play in their own end.

Edvinsson also looked better on the powerplay in Grand Rapids.

If you have a second pairing RHD in mind who generates offense plays great defense and doesn’t cost us an arm and a leg I’m all ears. Plenty of teams play with an offense-first player on the second pairing. I don’t think we have to go that route, but I think you’ve got to address the gap one way or the other.

It’s wild to me that people are clamoring for Albert Johansson to make the team, who brings all of the same scrawniness and shit defending with the added benefit of producing way less effectively in a worse league, but the thought of buying in on a flawed 22 year old Boqvist is a total nonstarter.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

kuL you have a second pairing RHD in mind who generates offense plays great defense and doesn’t cost us an arm and a leg I’m all ears. Plenty of teams play with an offense-first player on the second pairing. I don’t think we have to go that route, but I think you’ve got to address the gap one way or the other.

It’s wild to me that people are clamoring for Albert Johansson to make the team, who brings all of the same scrawniness and shit defending with the added benefit of producing way less effectively in a worse league, but the thought of buying in on a flawed 22 year old Boqvist is a total nonstarter.

Albert Johansson is a better skater and probably a better defender than Boqvist. You should have seen the night and day difference between the start of his year and end of his year in Grand Rapids. Ben Simon was basically coaching the skill out of the entire team and the team defense were chipping it off the glass or dumping it to center even when there were clear breakout lanes. I've seen house league hockey with more structure than Grand Rapids last season.

And I get that anyone in the #4 defense spot will have some flaws. But if I'm chosing a #4 defenseman I want someone that can be relied upon to move up the lineup a spot if there's an injury.

Scott Mayfield? Ryan Graves? Luke Schenn? These guys aren't offensive dynamos but they also aren't liabilities and can be relied upon to play 20+ minutes and can put up 20-25 points. THAT is what this team needs.

This team can rely on Seider, Walman and Edvinsson to be puck movers. Maybe Wallinder or Johansson when they make it. Once Detroit stops fishing the puck out of their own net with so much frequency their offense will get better as well.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Just get Peeke instead.

Peeke is a fine player but he won’t give you much production. We lost a ton of points with Hronek leaving, Bertuzzi and Vrana left too and even though they didn’t play much last year that hurts. I’m not gonna die on the Boqvist hill but you’ve got to find points somewhere.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Just get Peeke instead.

Nah, he's Peeked. Wouldn't be the right value.

 

[TheOctopusKid]

Let me introduce you to this kid we drafted last year.



He's realgud.

#teamkasper

 

[SantosHalper]

Why would Arizona trade Keller? He’s like their only good player and I haven’t heard anything about him not wanting to be there.

Coyotes has no future in Arizona anymore after they lost the arena vote. No clear buyer in sight, some interest in Salt Lake City, Houston and Forsyth County, Georgia. Who knows how many years it's going to take, before there is some certainty where the Coyotes go.
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Playing in Mullet arena it's not going cover the expenses and in a long run i find it hard to believe that Coyotes Organization can pay higher salaries to best players. Since the team has no clear future why would Keller stay there? Even the lifer Doan left to Toronto, that alone is a clear signal.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Albert Johansson is a better skater and probably a better defender than Boqvist. You should have seen the night and day difference between the start of his year and end of his year in Grand Rapids. Ben Simon was basically coaching the skill out of the entire team and the team defense were chipping it off the glass or dumping it to center even when there were clear breakout lanes. I've seen house league hockey with more structure than Grand Rapids last season.

And I get that anyone in the #4 defense spot will have some flaws. But if I'm chosing a #4 defenseman I want someone that can be relied upon to move up the lineup a spot if there's an injury.

Scott Mayfield? Ryan Graves? Luke Schenn? These guys aren't offensive dynamos but they also aren't liabilities and can be relied upon to play 20+ minutes and can put up 20-25 points. THAT is what this team needs.

This team can rely on Seider, Walman and Edvinsson to be puck movers. Maybe Wallinder or Johansson when they make it. Once Detroit stops fishing the puck out of their own net with so much frequency their offense will get better as well.

I'm open to Mayfield, with Severson off the board I think he has more attractive suitors who don't play non-competitive hockey in a small midwest market. Maybe you can outbid if you're willing to overpay a bit, I don't hate that, but again no guarantees with UFAs. Graves is a decent player, shoots left which wouldn't be my preference when we're already likely playing at least one lefty on the right side. Schenn is a fine plug for a year or two, I guessss, it really doesn't get the blood pumping. If our blue line change this year is replacing Hronek and Lindstrom with like Edvinsson and Schenn or someone of his calibre, that's not exactly driving the team forward.

On the other point, I don't agree that Johansson is a better skater than Boqvist. If he is a better defender, and it's tough to gauge because he's playing against weaker competition, it's pretty marginal. I don't see 6'0 185 Albert Johansson killing penalties super effectively in the NHL. We can hammer the Ben Simon point all day long, but a guy who is producing > .3 ppg in his D+4 in the AHL probably just isn't going to produce points at a high level in the NHL. Johansson's a nice skater but ultimately he hasn't added anything else to his game that suggests top 4 NHLer.

 

[norrisnick]

Peeke is a fine player but he won’t give you much production. We lost a ton of points with Hronek leaving, Bertuzzi and Vrana left too and even though they didn’t play much last year that hurts. I’m not gonna die on the Boqvist hill but you’ve got to find points somewhere.

We should be adding one Edvinsson, Simon to the 2nd pairing as well.

 

[Frk It]

Is Dumba cooked? With Severson off the board, we might be looking at Mayfield or bust as far as RD options go.

Are there some teams other than Columbus who have a log jam on defense where we might be able to swing a trade?

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

Is Dumba cooked? With Severson off the board, we might be looking at Mayfield or bust as far as RD options go.

Are there some teams other than Columbus who have a log jam on defense where we might be able to swing a trade?

Doesn't LA need LDs and have a glut of RDs? Seems like a natural fit

 

[Bench]

Is Dumba cooked?

No, he's just not going to be what people hoped when he came into the league.

But he's still a strong skater who doesn't shy away from the physical game. He moves the puck well, but he's not going to generate offense the way the top guys can.

Dumba isn't a star add by any means, but as a #2 RD on a team looking to be mobile and more responsible defensively... He's a really nice fit.

 

[Gniwder]

Is Dumba cooked? With Severson off the board, we might be looking at Mayfield or bust as far as RD options go.

Are there some teams other than Columbus who have a log jam on defense where we might be able to swing a trade?

Could pick up Tyler Myers, Tanev, or Martinez as a cap dump. Fill a need and possibly get extra assets like Stevie did with Staal.

I don't think Dumba brings enough for the money he's going to be asking for. I also don;t think Stevie will trade any meaningful asses to acquire a defenseman considering he just sold a defenseman for draft picks.