Mr. Make-Believe
The happy genius of my household
I “like”d this message, but more for the thought process than actually genuinely liking it.It's early, but this summer doesn't feel like it's all about one more run to me. It feels like they think that was our last kick at the can with this group, and they're turning the page, putting more of an emphasis on youth and the future.
They didn't want to include a high pick or prospect to move Backes. Why? Because the pick is now more important than the cap space. They didn't want to find a long-term solution to Krejci's RW. Why? Because the RW that is right for Krejci may not be the RW that's right for Studnicka or Frederic.
I don’t know that I believe all that but it’s the one theory nobody has considered, and if you look at their decisions to this point, they do line up.
The other two theories are no cap space and LTIR Backes. I don't buy the cap excuse. Dom has already showed that we could afford to add a $4m piece with his Gusev proposal. And I would love to believe that they intend to LTIR Backes forever and make a big trade but that seems like a long shot so I'm not getting my hopes up.
It seems far more likely to me that Sweeney really does believe that two of Ritchie, Kuhlman and Bjork could do more for this team this year than say Donskoi, Johansson or Ferland (or whatever UFA you liked). I've been trying to see things from that perspective, and there is something there...
Bjork was the real deal before he got hurt. A dynamic puck carrier and playmaker in college and Providence who showed flashes in the NHL. I know he's been hurt twice and that's a problem, but if he can stay healthy he can replace a lot of what Johansson brought, at least during the regular season.
Kuhlman put up 21 points in his last 28 games in Providence and looked like an NHL'er when he was up with Boston, not a top6 NHL'er but a 3rd line guy for sure.
Ritchie is a total wild card. I've done some research on him, I've watched every NHL goal and every assist, and he has some ability. He's massive and is a real force along the walls. He's a natural net front guy who sets screens and doesn't get out of the way when a shot is taken like everyone we've used there so far. He has a good shot. He makes some nifty passes. He must be terribly inconsistent because he has the skillset of an NHL power forward, but he doesn't have the production. I think when fans here see him for the first time they're going to think he was a sneaky good find, but we won't really know what we have until 40 or so games and we find out who he fits with and how consistent he is.
EDIT: Forgot to mention Cehlarik. I don't know if Sweeney's inclusion of him was legit or not, he hasn't been very interested in him up til now, but I still believe he's an NHL player and the best shot at making Krejci-Pastrnak work as a line.
I do see what you’re seeing (they believe last year was their shot - now the plan is future/future/future), but I believe that assessment to be inaccurate.
Fact is, having your stars signed to sweetheart deals should give you cap flexibility to add quality support. But when that space is filled with bottom-of-the-roster free agent additions, it neutralizes the advantage.
Can’t use the cap as an excuse when the wounds are self-inflicted. And partly because of that, it appears as though they are pivoting early. It strikes me as being a mistake.
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