2024-25 Roster…too soon?

[Chelios]

I think the issue is that they are not fun to watch (outside of last game). I really don't think it should even be a question about them being better than last year, the definitely are, and have weirdly played good teams really well. The issue is that they have not taken a step offensively, and because of that people are getting impatient (I will admit, I have even started to get impatient on that end of things).

 

[Hawkaholic]

More than a quarter way in, the Hawks goal differential on the season is -9. They're pacing for -33 or -34 at the current rate.

It's an extremely low bar, but people are lying or clueless if they say things like the Hawks are just as bad as last season. They had a -111 goal differential last year and a -97 goal differential the year before.

What I've been consistently saying since the offseason has been holding, a massively improved team in turns of their goal differential, but still come out of the season with a very high pick.

Massively improved? Not really, Slightly improved, is a better description. The only thing massively better this season is the goaltending.

Advanced Stats 5 on 5
Stat - 2023-24(Rank)/2024-25(Rank)
CF% - 43.71%(Last)/44.12(Last)
SF% - 43.58%(31st)/47.01(28th)
xGF% - 42.34%(31st)/44.74%(30th)
HDCF% - 39.81%(Last)/41.69%(Last)
SH% - 6.98%(Last)/7.97%(24th)
SV% - 90.77%(25th)(/92.73%(7th)

 

[WarriorofTime]

Massively improved? Not really, Slightly improved, is a better description. The only thing massively better this season is the goaltending.

Advanced Stats 5 on 5
Stat - 2023-24(Rank)/2024-25(Rank)
CF% - 43.71%(Last)/44.12(Last)
SF% - 43.58%(31st)/47.01(28th)
xGF% - 42.34%(31st)/44.74%(30th)
HDCF% - 39.81%(Last)/41.69%(Last)
SH% - 6.98%(Last)/7.97%(24th)
SV% - 90.77%(25th)(/92.73%(7th)

Even the analytics show improvement in basically every area. The relative rank not moving much is because nobody has entered the tank from last year to this year (Pittsburgh might have done so completely unintentionally). All the tank teams just closed the gap a little bit.

 

[Drumman44]

More than a quarter way in, the Hawks goal differential on the season is -9. They're pacing for -33 or -34 at the current rate.

It's an extremely low bar, but people are lying or clueless if they say things like the Hawks are just as bad as last season. They had a -111 goal differential last year and a -97 goal differential the year before.

What I've been consistently saying since the offseason has been holding, a massively improved team in turns of their goal differential, but still come out of the season with a very high pick.

Yep. All the shitty teams from last year got better. But since someone has to be last, it’s going to be the same shitty teams picking high in the lotto

 

[CallMeShaft]

The team has improved, but what is most important is Bedard progressing and he hasn't this season, in part due to the coach's incessant need for him to play a more rounded game.

I'd gladly sacrifice some of our defense, and even our plus/minus, to see Bedard be more creative out there.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Rantanen wants 14M on the open market, per LeBrun

Thoughts?

 

[WarriorofTime]

Rantanen wants 14M on the open market, per LeBrun

Thoughts?

I think he’ll settle with Colorado at 12.5.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Even the analytics show improvement in basically every area. The relative rank not moving much is because nobody has entered the tank from last year to this year (Pittsburgh might have done so completely unintentionally). All the tank teams just closed the gap a little bit.

They haven't improved that much, thats why I said slightly.

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Rantanen wants 14M on the open market, per LeBrun

Thoughts?

He’ll re-sign with Colorado around Mackinnon’s number

 

[Muffinalt]

Rantanen wants 14M on the open market, per LeBrun

Thoughts?

I'd give it to him no second thoughts actually.

He's a legit 100pt player with a lethal shot and a perfect fit next to Bedard.

Plus Bedard really needs someone to play with.

I also think he's good enough to not artificially set Bedards own value ala the Tavares Matthews/Marner debacle. Bedard won't be as good as Rantanen in 2026 yet, so it's a fair negotiation to sign him to a lower cap hit.

14 mil is good news to me coz it makes more likely the Avs won't be able to keep him.

 

[Crow]

Rantanen wants 14M on the open market, per LeBrun

Thoughts?

So we can destroy our pay structure like the leafs did? No thanks.

 

[belfour30]

So we can destroy our pay structure like the leafs did? No thanks.

Cap is supposed to going up significantly, but we shall see.

 

[Clownish]

So we can destroy our pay structure like the leafs did? No thanks.

There's no one in the entire organization that would need 8+ mil per within the next 4 years at minimum. No real chance of that happening.

 

[Crow]

There's no one in the entire organization that would need 8+ mil per within the next 4 years at minimum. No real chance of that happening.

Bedard easily could if he finds his game and 4 years from now there easily could be more too.

To me it’s not worth the risk.

I’d give rants 12.5 like Colorado would though.

Edit: nope changed my mind due to below. Thought he was at least a year younger than he is.

 

[TheFridge]

I'd give it to him no second thoughts actually.

He's a legit 100pt player with a lethal shot and a perfect fit next to Bedard.

Plus Bedard really needs someone to play with.

I also think he's good enough to not artificially set Bedards own value ala the Tavares Matthews/Marner debacle. Bedard won't be as good as Rantanen in 2026 yet, so it's a fair negotiation to sign him to a lower cap hit.

14 mil is good news to me coz it makes more likely the Avs won't be able to keep him.

He's going to be 29 when the next season starts and he's not a legit 100 point player away from MacKinnon. He's barely a 100-point player *with* MacKinnon.

I really like Rantanen, Great player. Would love to have him. He doesn't fit the window.

 

[Clownish]

He's going to be 29 when the next season starts and he's not a legit 100 point player away from MacKinnon. He's barely a 100-point player *with* MacKinnon.

I really like Rantanen, Great player. Would love to have him. He doesn't fit the window.

A bonafide top line player goes beyond window talk. You don't schedule a time in the future to help Bedard--that should've been done day one. As it is, no time like the present.

 

[TheFridge]

A bonafide top line player goes beyond window talk. You don't schedule a time in the future to help Bedard--that should've been done day one. As it is, no time like the present.

I don't care about having bonafide top-line talent today. This team is nowhere close to contending and investing 14M into a player on the wrong side of 30 for most of that deal when you're not even in your competitive window is how you sabotage yourself before you've even started.

 

[Clownish]

I don't care about having bonafide top-line talent today. This team is nowhere close to contending and investing 14M into a player on the wrong side of 30 for most of that deal when you're not even in your competitive window is how you sabotage yourself before you've even started.

So continue using third line talent with Bedard indefinitely?

 

[TheFridge]

So continue using third line talent with Bedard indefinitely?

Somehow, I think there's going to be a happy medium between paying someone like Rantanen 14M per year through his 30s and getting Bedard some help.

 

[ello]

0 chance rantanen hits UFA. Players of that calibre never reach ufa and leave unless they actually want to go somewhere else specific.

 

[Callidusblackhawk]

When was the last free agency class that actually had close to franchise caliber players available? The year the Wild got Parise and Suter?

 

[Drumman44]

When was the last free agency class that actually had close to franchise caliber players available? The year the Wild got Parise and Suter?

Tavares I guess. He was excellent for the first 4 or 5 years

 

[Clownish]

Somehow, I think there's going to be a happy medium between paying someone like Rantanen 14M per year through his 30s and getting Bedard some help.

That probably looks like paying a Max Domi type about 5 mil. With term, a move like that is a waste as that level of help doesn't make the team any better.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

That probably looks like paying a Max Domi type about 5 mil. With term, a move like that is a waste as that level of help doesn't make the team any better.

It probably looks like a Kyle Connor or Brock Boeser type of player. Somewhere in the 8-10 million range, but maybe not until it’s clear one of these young defenseman is actually a 1D. This team isn’t doing shit until they have a 1D to pair with Vlasic, even if you stick Rantanen next to Bedard.

Colorado had the best defenseman in the league next to a 1D while having rantanen next to a top-three center. This team has such a long way to go before being good.

 

[dj Mahoney]