Speculation: Armchair GM - Offseason Thread (Summer Edition)

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Are we trading our d men anytime soon ? We definitely have a surplus there


It appears to me that we will not sign any goalies. I guess that could make sense because I don’t think anyone expects us to contend for play off this upcoming season

It's been 1 day. Plenty of time to find gola tender depth before camp starts. Nobody we are going to acquire is going to be the starter unless it is in the AHL.

 

[traffic cone]

He's said earlier this offseason he wants to see them behind a better defense first. It's not surprising imo

Exactly. Better defense, better system etc.

If it doesn’t work they can always improve the goalie situation mid season.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Here is my prediction.

We are going to wind up burying guys with 1 way contracts in Cleveland or losing them on waivers for nothing.

I don't see a deal being made anywhere to help us. Free agents weren't getting huge deals. Everybody is looking to offload something. Nobody wants to take on our excess players. We aren't going to get a deal for 1 good player by packaging up 2-3 of our excess.

The Wild got Pat Maroon and an ECHL player for a 7th round pick. The market is pretty dry and there isn't demand for the CBJ excess.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Here is my prediction.

We are going to wind up burying guys with 1 way contracts in Cleveland or losing them on waivers for nothing.

I don't see a deal being made anywhere to help us. Free agents weren't getting huge deals. Everybody is looking to offload something. Nobody wants to take on our excess players. We aren't going to get a deal for 1 good player by packaging up 2-3 of our excess.

The Wild got Pat Maroon and an ECHL player for a 7th round pick. The market is pretty dry and there isn't demand for the CBJ excess.

Yeah, agreed. Slowly realizing this myself.

I bet if anyone gets moved it would be a guy like Peeke. But not sure that's even going to happen either.

We probably lose/waive at least two of Bemstrom, Foudy, Danforth, or Olivier. Unless of course Chinakhov struggles in camp and goes to Cleveland. Then only one.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Using CapFriendly, this is how I would have our roster at as of now. (FWIW: RD on the PP is the bumper position)

Waiving: Bemstrom, TFW, Dunne, Meyer, Christiansen

Minors: Voronkov, Sillinger, Jiricek, Svozil, Blankenburg

I don't see Voronkov spending much time in Cleveland. And if he forces someone to waivers in camp I think it would be Danforth.

 

[MissADD]

Here is my prediction.

We are going to wind up burying guys with 1 way contracts in Cleveland or losing them on waivers for nothing.

I don't see a deal being made anywhere to help us. Free agents weren't getting huge deals. Everybody is looking to offload something. Nobody wants to take on our excess players. We aren't going to get a deal for 1 good player by packaging up 2-3 of our excess.

The Wild got Pat Maroon and an ECHL player for a 7th round pick. The market is pretty dry and there isn't demand for the CBJ excess.

I don't think you can compare that to the CBJ excess. Maroon is a 35 year old. Yes he was only making 800k, but he is at the end of his career. The CBJ excess are young guys (Peeke, Bean, Boqvist) who can still maybe be something in the NHL, just need a different situation, or vets on expiring contracts (Roslovic, Bemstrom, Robinson) a player you can trade for and flip for something at the deadline. I can see those three guys going to a team who is rebuilding. Roslovic and Robinson I can see a team like Calgary trading for. I think they're about to blow it up, and those guys can be flipping the deadline for something to help you go. Bemstrom just send to Arizona and forget

 

[VT]

This is so frogging annoying, the second line center is Jenner, you know, the guy who scored over 20 goals in each of the last two years ???? It is so annoying how the guy is disrespected by so many fans.

Jenner is not a top 6 center. He had those stats because of his teammates that he depends on (who's stats don't get worse even when they play with other centers, which can't be said for him) and the PP. In addition, Boone has to play less minutes. Otherwise, he may play a maximum of 50 games, and even that's for the best.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

View attachment 725600

Using CapFriendly, this is how I would have our roster at as of now. (FWIW: RD on the PP is the bumper position)

Waiving: Bemstrom, TFW, Dunne, Meyer, Christiansen

Minors: Voronkov, Sillinger, Jiricek, Svozil, Blankenburg

I don't see Voronkov spending much time in Cleveland. And if he forces someone to waivers in camp I think it would be Danforth.

Traded Roslovic to Ducks for a pick.

I think Voronkov makes the lineup from day one. Exactly the type of player coaches love. Also put him on PP2 for faceoffs and netfront since the other option was Kuraly.

Probably a good top 6 forward (preferably center) and a solid starting goalie away from playoffs? Hart + someone like Nylander, Terry, Ehlers or Konecny would do it

 

[BB88]

What has happened this past week with Fantilli dropping down to 2 really gives them potential for 1st ”soft” all in window for the last 2 years of Fantillis elc if he develops as hoped next year.

Something Buffalo wasn’t really able to do with Eichel or Edmonton with McDavid.
So I’d be carefull with how I spend the rest of the cap this offseason and leave as much room as possible for next offseason to make a push for the 2 years of Fantillis elc.

Gaudreau/Laine/Werenski/Severson will all be signed for those 2 years and in their prime still.

Johnson should be ready to be an impact player& while not on elc I doubt he’ll score enough to earn a superstar level contract next season.

Fantilli could be a legit 1C by year 2 and Jiricek a legit top2/3 and both would be on elc for those 2 years.

 

[koteka]

I don't see a deal being made anywhere to help us. Free agents weren't getting huge deals. Everybody is looking to offload something. Nobody wants to take on our excess players.

Last off-season Jarmo thought cap was going to be a bigger issue than it turned out to be. He traded Bjorkstrand for a very low return because of this. Cap wasn’t as big of a factor as he had thought.

In March he was able to trade Voracek and a 6th round pick for a back up goalie. People started talking about eventual cap increases.

It looks to me like Jarmo got burned last season so he decided cap wouldnt be a big deal this off-season, but maybe it is a larger factor now than he expected

Jarmo’s smartest move in the last year might have been moving the Voracek contract when he did.

 

[majormajor]

What has happened this past week with Fantilli dropping down to 2 really gives them potential for 1st ”soft” all in window for the last 2 years of Fantillis elc if he develops as hoped next year.

Something Buffalo wasn’t really able to do with Eichel or Edmonton with McDavid.
So I’d be carefull with how I spend the rest of the cap this offseason and leave as much room as possible for next offseason to make a push for the 2 years of Fantillis elc.

Gaudreau/Laine/Werenski/Severson will all be signed for those 2 years and in their prime still.

Johnson should be ready to be an impact player& while not on elc I doubt he’ll score enough to earn a superstar level contract next season.

Fantilli could be a legit 1C by year 2 and Jiricek a legit top2/3 and both would be on elc for those 2 years.

I don't expect that (for the team or those young players) but we certainly can't rule it out. And I agree that we should be thinking ahead to next offseason to maintain the cap flexibility to contend (if we can) the following seasons.

 

[BB88]

I don't expect that (for the team or those young players) but we certainly can't rule it out. And I agree that we should be thinking ahead to next offseason to maintain the cap flexibility to contend (if we can) the following seasons.

I know it’s a big expectation but I’m not putting the pressure(expectation) on basic level prospects.

Fantilli is the best prospect Columbus has ever drafted and Jiricek a true franchise caliber D prospect. Both have pro ready games.

& when I say next year it doesn’t mean they have to be ready by game 1, at that point matters where they are by game 82 and that’s 160 games away.

If you look at the W there’s no reason to not expect them to be ready win a round or 2 by then.
Gaudreau, Laine, Johnson, Jenner, Marchenko and who else they will add.

Defense the entire top6 should be good for a round or 2 with no clear major weaknessess.
Werenski, Severson, Provorov, Jiricek, Svozil/Mateychuk, Gubranson.

So it leaves the 1C position and net as the main concerns and atleast with Fantilli we know that has potential to be addressed (Eichel& Matthews year 2). Even if we look at what Beniers was able to do and I consider Fantilli easily the better prospect and more NHL ready.

 

[EspenK]

He said it at the Fantilli press conference yesterday that they’re in the market for a veteran goalie for Cleveland and they feel good with Elvis and Tarasov

That's wild.

Well, he can't say "We're sucking at Goalie right now" right?

 

[majormajor]

View attachment 725600

Using CapFriendly, this is how I would have our roster at as of now. (FWIW: RD on the PP is the bumper position)

Some thoughts on the PP.

You could tell from yesterday's video alone that Fantilli is an insane catch and release shooter. He might be one of the best in the league.

You can put him on the top unit right away and the natural position would either be right half wall or bumper. I'm not sure if he's been tried at bumper, some guys are uncomfortable there, but his catch and release would be a huge asset there. At halfwall that would displace Johnny so unless Johnny works in the bumper (has he played there?) we want to leave him there.

I'm personally a one unit guy - I want us to leave our top guns out there all PP like Washington and Edmonton do. But it feels wrong to not have KJ on it. He's actually great at scoring around the net and short passes from the netfront, just not the ideal screener. But there is a parallel there on Winnipeg's PP where Kyle Connor played down low.

‐------------ KJ
Laine -- AF/JG -- AF/JG
---------Boq/Jiricek

We also really don't have room for Elias Lindholm. A big part of his scoring is cranking one timers on the PP. I don't think he's worth acquiring if you aren't giving him #1PP minutes. His 5v5 scoring isn't great.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Some thoughts on the PP.

You could tell from yesterday's video alone that Fantilli is an insane catch and release shooter. He might be one of the best in the league.

You can put him on the top unit right away and the natural position would either be right half wall or bumper. I'm not sure if he's been tried at bumper, some guys are uncomfortable there, but his catch and release would be a huge asset there. At halfwall that would displace Johnny so unless Johnny works in the bumper (has he played there?) we want to leave him there.

I'm personally a one unit guy - I want us to leave our top guns out there all PP like Washington and Edmonton do. But it feels wrong to not have KJ on it. He's actually great at scoring around the net and short passes from the netfront, just not the ideal screener. But there is a parallel there on Winnipeg's PP where Kyle Connor played down low.

‐------------ KJ
Laine -- AF/JG -- AF/JG
---------Boq/Jiricek

We also really don't have room for Elias Lindholm. A big part of his scoring is cranking one timers on the PP. I don't think he's worth acquiring if you aren't giving him #1PP minutes. His 5v5 scoring isn't great.

This is the ideal PP long-term, but looking at it short-term, unless Fantilli or Laine really surprise me, they'd likely lose +70% of the faceoffs. That's why I'd put KJ on PP2 and Jenner netfront PP1

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I don't think you can compare that to the CBJ excess. Maroon is a 35 year old. Yes he was only making 800k, but he is at the end of his career. The CBJ excess are young guys (Peeke, Bean, Boqvist) who can still maybe be something in the NHL, just need a different situation, or vets on expiring contracts (Roslovic, Bemstrom, Robinson) a player you can trade for and flip for something at the deadline. I can see those three guys going to a team who is rebuilding. Roslovic and Robinson I can see a team like Calgary trading for. I think they're about to blow it up, and those guys can be flipping the deadline for something to help you go. Bemstrom just send to Arizona and forget

But in exchange for what? It’s a buyers market and people actually need to be willing to pay to acquire anything. Calgary is an oddity because everyone wants out but I think they are going to have trouble getting good value on their trades as well.

 

[JacketsDavid]

I'm assuming once we get into camp and preseason there will be injuries and a better chance of moving depth dmen. So I think we have options to move a Peeke or Bean type but the return won't be much.
No way I think we move Roslovic unless we retain and attach assets.

 

[stevo61]

Some thoughts on the PP.

You could tell from yesterday's video alone that Fantilli is an insane catch and release shooter. He might be one of the best in the league.

You can put him on the top unit right away and the natural position would either be right half wall or bumper. I'm not sure if he's been tried at bumper, some guys are uncomfortable there, but his catch and release would be a huge asset there. At halfwall that would displace Johnny so unless Johnny works in the bumper (has he played there?) we want to leave him there.

I'm personally a one unit guy - I want us to leave our top guns out there all PP like Washington and Edmonton do. But it feels wrong to not have KJ on it. He's actually great at scoring around the net and short passes from the netfront, just not the ideal screener. But there is a parallel there on Winnipeg's PP where Kyle Connor played down low.

‐------------ KJ
Laine -- AF/JG -- AF/JG
---------Boq/Jiricek

We also really don't have room for Elias Lindholm. A big part of his scoring is cranking one timers on the PP. I don't think he's worth acquiring if you aren't giving him #1PP minutes. His 5v5 scoring isn't great.

My only concern would be it gives Laine another reason to not shoot. He already passes up too many chances and thats very fruatrating to watch from a player that has one of the best shots in the game.

No harm in trying it but with Gaudreau being the facilitator it could be slightly awkward for Fantilli starting in that bumper role

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

My only concern would be it gives Laine another reason to not shoot. He already passes up too many chances and thats very fruatrating to watch from a player that has one of the best shots in the game.

No harm in trying it but with Gaudreau being the facilitator it could be slightly awkward for Fantilli starting in that bumper role

I think (and hope) he'd shoot more if he'd get more space. Fantilli will create that space if he becomes a big scoring threat.

And it'd actually be lovely to see someone score a onetimer from Laine's crossice pass for once. Fantilli might be the first guy with the tools to do it.

 

[NotCommitted]

Haha, as if no other high level professional, or another NHL hockey team would have offered him a contract.

The CBJ are idiots not giving him the contract they gave Merzlikins.

You are forgetting you are talking about a goalie who had two very bad years in a row, the latter of those ending in hip surgery just a year ago and he still missed some time at the start of this past season to heal.

Once the season begun for him, he had an awesome year and if he had played like that in a better team for the whole year, I think he would've been in the mix for Vezina. I'm super glad for him he came back successfully from the hip surgery, but let's be real here, no one really knew if he'd be able to play at a high level ever again - and his mobility doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be, though he compensated really well for that with technique / play style, which speaks highly of his ability.

I don't think the Elvis contract would look great on a guy with two sub .900 seasons in a row who needs to get his hips fixed. You need to have *a lot* of faith in the guy to say that makes sense without the benefit of hindsight. OK for a fan but I'm not sure I want my GM having that level of faith in anyone They should keep some level of realism in mind and calculate risk levels.

 

[thebus88]

For me, anyway, it's nothing to do with talent.

I'm afraid if we keep adding minutes to Jenner's plate, it's going to be an early career for him. Why not add another good center, allow him to eat minutes, and preserve Jenner for slightly longer into his career?

While we don’t want to ADD to his minutes at this point, we’d need to add a VERY good center, and probably another separate good “middle 6” level forward (center or wing) that brings the things Jenner does, before the CBJ could handle actually LIMITING Jenner’s minutes at this point, and still attempt to win games.

We need what he brings to win games. We need him on the ice more so than any other forward/center when leading. Then again, when we get behind in games so quickly all the time from the very beginning of games, is that why some people look at him less?? I believe his offensive game is underrated also, and would be better and more offensively productive on the wing. Again, it’s not his fault his teammates and the roster his GM has put together is DEFICIENT in the things he brings and the things needed to win games.

He could focus MORE on offense if he had better defensive and DRIVEN players on his line. Scoring is way up in the league and the CBJ allow the most goals in the league, it really doesn’t matter at all how many points any of Gaudreau, Laine, or Jenner put up.

 

[thebus88]

If we’re signing a veteran goalie with the purpose of him being the call Up guy in Cleveland, there is no way Halak, Elliott, Greiss, or Jones take up that offer. Especially the first two. The first three have been in the NHL for years and would probably rather just walk away than go to the minors. Jones might, but he might take issue with playing well last year and getting demoted.

Honestly there isn’t many options for the other. I guess maybe Hutchinson, Kinkaid, Berube, Dell or Stallock are the best bets for journeyman backups who can come up or down. None of these guys are NHL caliber goalies anymore. So I’m not sure I love this gamble by jarmo to go with Tarasov and Elvis

He’s going with Greaves, just nobody knows it yet.

 

[thebus88]

Well, he can't say "We're sucking at Goalie right now" right?

I just want to highlight this.

Same goes for like 95% of any interviews players have where they are asked ANYTHING regarding their teammates, coaches, city they play in etc, yet seemingly, so many people take SO MUCH out of what they say to the media, and it’s hilariously ridiculous most of the time.

The reason I made such a big fuss about the comments about the issues at practice (mainly from Gudbranson) and “body language” I noticed during games and interviews.

Could have been directed (or hinting at) towards Larsen, but, I really think it was to other players. But, since we have no names dropped, we have no “facts”, which nowadays in certain situations, people act like there’s essentially now no “story”, no troubling practice comments actually ever made to begin with.

Exactly. Better defense, better system etc.

If it doesn’t work they can always improve the goalie situation mid season.

“Mid season”??

2 months after we’ve been out of playoff contention??

 

[GoJackets1]

I know I’m certainly not speaking for Bus here, but am I the only one who thinks Elvis can turn it around with some time off, a new goalie coach, and a better team in front of him?

The team was a steaming pile of dogshit last year. Any goalie would improve the following year if the team takes a step forward, especially with an actually good coach with a strong system at the helm.

He still probably isn’t the long term solution in net, but I don’t think he’s just going to permanently be an .880 goalie now.

Other than Hellebuyck, what options are out there currently that would be a surefire long term solution in net? Maybe I’m overlooking someone.

 

[Marioesque]

Other than Hellebuyck, what options are out there currently that would be a surefire long term solution in net? Maybe I’m overlooking someone.

I think he's the only one at the moment. And he needs extended next season, which will cost 9+ million a year I'd imagine. I'd stay away from that.