Speculation: 2024-25 Roster Thread

[Anaheim4ever]

Seems to me the answer might be better coaching. Patrick Kane (Z's idol) created a lot of offense from the wing. Why can't Z be molded into something like that? Oh, I know why, because we don't have a coach who cares about anything but defense.

My frustration with what this team is doing to destroy what Z can be, grows daily.

This. If that is who he modeled his game after he shouldn't have a problem trying to play the Wing like him. They just need to let him be unleashed offensively from the wing. Don't think he'll ever have the defensive game for Center especially compared to Carlsson and McTavish.

Also Gauthier was seen as a Center by Philly so its even possible he could be better defensively at Center than Z. Then there is who they draft in 2025, could be it be McQueen, Hagens, Desnoyers, Frondell or even Misa if they win the #2 pick post lottery ? Most of those guys seem like they'll be better positionally at Center than him as well. Seems to be alot of centers in that top10.

 

[JAHV]

This may sound stupid, because I don't know the ins and outs of coaching or systems, but couldn't they just tell Zegras, hey when we have the puck, you're the C, but when the other team has the puck and is in our defensive zone, someone else is the C (or acts as one)?

It's not at all stupid, but what you're talking about would be fairly complex. The guy playing center is more often going to be defending a forward who is down below the circles. The wingers are going to be defending the points. In order to make the switch you're talking about on the transition from defense to offense, it would take a lot of extra movement that would hinder an already fragile breakout process. It adds a layer of complexity that probably makes it unworkable for most teams.

Given how much we've seen this team struggle in the defensive zone and with breakouts, I don't think it's a good idea to add more complexity.

 

[Son of Gib]

Have they ever once tried Zegras and McTavish with Z in the middle? I don't understand.

 

[bracer028]

Z is kinda small to be in the middle. I think Mac is perfect in the middle, something like what getz used to do.

Have they ever once tried Zegras and McTavish with Z in the middle? I don't understand.

 

[bracer028]

So nesterenko is legit. How come it took so long for him to get in the league.

 

[zegrassyknoll]

So nesterenko is legit. How come it took so long for him to get in the league.

He's not legit until he does it consistently.

But he does look really good in a bottom 6 role. Him and Colangelo as the wings on a third line in the future might be really useful.

 

[SmokeyDuck]

So nesterenko is legit. How come it took so long for him to get in the league.

He was slow cooking down in SD.

 

[Arthuros]

He's not legit until he does it consistently.

But he does look really good in a bottom 6 role. Him and Colangelo as the wings on a third line in the future might be really useful.

Not bad as a return for the Swedish giraffe.

 

[Leonardo87]

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Why move Colangelo to his off-side?! Just do Nesterenko-Mac-Colangelo and move Leason back onto the 4th line.

 

[KelVarnsen]

Why move Colangelo to his off-side?! Just do Nesterenko-Mac-Colangelo and move Leason back onto the 4th line.

That makes too much sense for our coach.

 

[Hey234]

If Gauthier-Carlssson and Zegras-McTavish remain as pairs going forward, either Terry needs to be on one of those lines or he needs center better than Strome. Vatrano isn't helping Terry either.

Gauthier-Carlssson-xxx
Zegras-McTavish-Colangelo
Killorn-xxx-Terry
Vatrano-Strome-Nesterenko

 

[Leonardo87]

Updated…

Leo and Cutter have blown past Strome and Vatrano. Kids need to get more ice time than those two.

Mac is now #1

 

[duxfan1101]

 

[AngelDuck]

If we add a proven top tier forward in the next year or two it’s gonna be hard to picture this team not being a threat for a long time

 

[duxfan1101]

If we add a proven top tier forward in the next year or two it’s gonna be hard to picture this team not being a threat for a long time

We also really need at least one more dman to hit big like LaCombe.

 

[AngelDuck]

We also really need at least one more dman to hit big like LaCombe.

Agreed. The good news is that LaCombe hitting big has taken some of the pressure off Zellweger/Mintyukov/Luneau.

Like you said, we only need one of those 3 to hit big now and the rest is gravy

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

So what does lacombes next contract look like?

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

So what does lacombes next contract look like?

Hard to say. But I think I'd be comfortable trying to sign him for 8 years. I'd be real happy somewhere between $7-$8 AAV, but I don't know if he would be.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Hard to say. But I think I'd be comfortable trying to sign him for 8 years. I'd be real happy somewhere between $7-$8 AAV, but I don't know if he would be.

Ya thats a tough 1... i was trying to think of a comparable (obviously cap is changing a bit so hell prob get more)

 

[duxfan1101]

Ya thats a tough 1... i was trying to think of a comparable (obviously cap is changing a bit so hell prob get more)

Faber or Sanderson? If he gets 8 years, it will probably be around $8M.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Faber or Sanderson? If he gets 8 years, it will probably be around $8M.

Faber was who i had in mind, sanderson also a solid comp.

 

[duxfan1101]

Faber was who i had in mind, sanderson also a solid comp.

I also didn’t realize that LaCombe had 1 more year left on his current contract. Signing him to an 8 year deal ASAP would be ideal as he would only be in his early 30s when it ends.

 

[Leonardo87]

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Leo and Cutter have blown past Strome and Vatrano. Kids need to get more ice time than those two.

Mac is now #1

That's the impressive part about Mac is he's playing 3rd line minutes and usually given castaways who didn't pan out playing with Carlsson-Killorn. Z and Mac have looked dangerous together recently, but it also comes at the expense of leaving out Colangelo. The crazy part is that Mac adapts to the players that are put with him. It's a heavy line with Cutter-Mac-Colangelo that cycles and keeps possession in the Ozone. It's a fancy line with Z-Mac-Colangelo, but fancy only between Z and Mac. It's a grinding role with Fabbri-Mac-Leason. How in the hell can he produce offensively often without offensively talent around him?! Mac is succeeding offensively despite the org kicking him to the third line or 2LW. Hell, even his promotion to 2LW helped revive the Carlsson-Killorn line.