Speculation: Armchair GM - Offseason Thread (Summer Edition)

[CBJWerenski8]

By the numbers Gaudreau scored twice as much per minute with Laine compared to Marchenko.

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20222023&thruseason=20222023&stype=2&sit=5v5&stdoi=std&rate=y&v=t&playerid=8476346

Maybe Gaudreau is better with Laine, but Laine appears to be better without Gaudreau. According to this website (If I am reading this correctly), Laine scored better with Chinakhov (albeit small sample) and Roslovic.

 

[majormajor]

Maybe Gaudreau is better with Laine, but Laine appears to be better without Gaudreau. According to this website (If I am reading this correctly), Laine scored better with Chinakhov (albeit small sample) and Roslovic.

It looks to me like Laine is best with Gaudreau - of the six forwards he spent the most minutes with (including Roslovic), he had the highest scoring rate with Gaudreau.

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20222023&thruseason=20222023&playerid=8479339&sit=5v5&stype=2&stdoi=std&rate=y&v=t

 

[stevo61]

I feel like using numbers from last year is pretty pointless knowing we actually have an NHL level defense next year and completely different systems

 

[majormajor]

I feel like using numbers from last year is pretty pointless knowing we actually have an NHL level defense next year and completely different systems

I don't give a lot of predictive weight to last year's stats but you'd think from assertions like "Laine and Gaudreau are better apart" that they didn't do well together, and that's not true.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I don't give a lot of predictive weight to last year's stats but you'd think from assertions like "Laine and Gaudreau are better apart" that they didn't do well together, and that's not true.

Personally, I didn’t see it with them. And neither did Lars. Which I’m not sure is a good thing or bad thing for my argument

 

[majormajor]

Personally, I didn’t see it with them. And neither did Lars. Which I’m not sure is a good thing or bad thing for my argument

If you're going to throw out the numbers from last year (that showed the two playing better together than apart) then we should also throw out the eye test judgments from last year too.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

If you're going to throw out the numbers from last year (that showed the two playing better together than apart) then we should also throw out the eye test judgments from last year too.

That's fair. Like I said, I do think Babcock goes back to it. (And he should), but Roslovic has been the most consistent performer with him since they've both been here.

 

[Marioesque]

I wish that were the case but Laine and Gaudreau were not good together. Laine and Jenner works, but Jenner also works with Gaudreau and he’s more important to get going.

I do think Babs tries Laine and Gaudreau together again but it just didn’t work.

I've read that a few times but Gaudreaus numbers were better with Laine than without.

 

[Marioesque]

That's fair. Like I said, I do think Babcock goes back to it. (And he should), but Roslovic has been the most consistent performer with him since they've both been here.

That's understandable. Laine and Gaudreau have played together less than 30 games probably, and maybe10 games continuously between injuries. Roslovic has been playing with Laine for 6 years or something. If you looked up who Roslovic has played the most minutes with over his career so far, It would be Laine.

Laine and Gaudreau are elite players, they'll learn how to thrive and benefit from each other. It showed at times but the season was too broken to expect much more.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

Yeah, count me in on the wait-and-see camp with Roslovic. Given his described low hockey IQ, maybe he can benefit from Babcock's structure? When he's deployed correctly, he can be quite effective. It's a matter of finding consistensy. A highly structured coaching approach might do that.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

That's not what it looks like to me. You can see for yourself:

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20212022&thruseason=20222023&stype=2&sit=5v5&stdoi=std&rate=y&v=t&playerid=8478458

I guess it's just the end of 21-22 that has led me to think this way. I remember he was put to Laine's line and went on a 10 game heater where he scored ppg. He did have streaks in 22-23 too, but maybe those ones were in bottom 6

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

It never really felt like Laine and Gaudreau had any meaningful chemistry (eye test). Maybe they'll need a new guy between them or maybe the new structure will help. (I'm not quite sure if chemistry is something that truly develops over time, I feel like it's something that either exists or doesn't, to various degrees, and is dependent on the players' playstyles and instincts... but maybe it's not so important in pro hockey and structure trumps chemistry when playing as a five man unit.)

Given our plentiful options, I don't know if Babs feels like he needs to force Laine and Gaudreau together though. Sure they'll get the first crack at it but our top-6 is pretty exciting (in theory and hopefully in action too). Gaudreau-Jenner-Laine-Johnson-Fantilli-Marchenko is exciting no matter how you put it together, and even if you drop Fantilli down we still have Texier and Chinakhov. If Johnson (or Laine, Texier) can play center, that will just open it up even more.

 

[VT]

Btw, Yegor Chinakhov trains in SK "Arktika", in a training camp organized by Shumi Babayev's agent for his players.

Do you know how other players train, at least those who are in Columbus? Jenner, Roslovic, Laine, Kuraly, Meyer, Sillinger if I haven't forgotten someone. I mean, if it's similar camp or if they have their own coaches.

 

[Xoggz22]

We have a lot of D, which is great, but I'm not sure how it shakes out in Cleveland.

Werenski
Severson
Provorov
Peeke
Boqvist
Gudbranson
Bean

---‐------ 7 in the NHL (possibly 8)

Blankenburg (waiver exempt)
Jiricek
Christiansen
Svozil
Berni
Ceulemans
Bjorgvik-Holm
Bjork
Sweezey
Knazko

Some of these guys might be sitting for a while. Or maybe injuries will kick in.

I wouldn't be surprised to 8 D in Columbus, although clearly a log jam on both D and F so one area is going to have harder decisions to make (I think that's up front). As for Cleveland, assuming Jiricek and Blanks are sent down, I have a hard time thinking that Jiricek, Svozil, Blanks and Ceulemans don't get a LOT of playing time. I think Berni has shown (if he clears waivers if sent down) that he's worthy of a future option (7/8 or even bottom pair guy but maybe not in Columbus). They like Christiansen too but he's starting to become that AHL+ type player so maybe they don't feed him the time.

What I would expect is you could see Berni stay as the 8th in Columbus (barring no injuries to the others) and the others stick in Cleveland with a heavy rotation. Wouldn't shock me to see a prospect moved in a multi player deal to free up some space in Cleveland as well. While I think all on your list offer some value, I don't think a waiver loss of Christiansen, Bjork, Sweezy would have too significant an impact to the club overall. Depth... sure but If they keep the top 7 and have Jiricek, Blanks and one or two of the others behind them availabel for injury duty that still provides 10 deep on quality defensemen. In my opinion... The depth, as shown, goes beyond 10 with NHL potential (just a lot of green back there)

 

[Xoggz22]

Btw, Yegor Chinakhov trains in SK "Arktika", in a training camp organized by Shumi Babayev's agent for his players.

Do you know how other players train, at least those who are in Columbus? Jenner, Roslovic, Laine, Kuraly, Meyer if I haven't forgotten someone. I mean, if it's similar camp or if they have their own coaches.

I know Kuraly and Roslovic do personal training in my gym. Roslovic had taken up Pilates but not sure if he's still doing it and Kuraly works with a trainer and my PT to maintenance. Kuraly gets after it for sure (used to include Connor Murphy). Currently there is a new summer league in Columbus that has Jenner, Kuraly, Roslovic (I think) and other NHL, NCAA and Junior players to keep their skating and skills in play. I have not seen it live, but Svaboda wrote an article on it recently.

 

[Viqsi]

I know Kuraly and Roslovic do personal training in my gym. Roslovic had taken up Pilates but not sure if he's still doing it and Kuraly works with a trainer and my PT to maintenance. Kuraly gets after it for sure (used to include Connor Murphy). Currently there is a new summer league in Columbus that has Jenner, Kuraly, Roslovic (I think) and other NHL, NCAA and Junior players to keep their skating and skills in play. I have not seen it live, but Svaboda wrote an article on it recently.

That sounds like you're referring to the Cap City Summer Elite League, which we have a thread on:

Cap City Summer Elite League

Didn't see this posted anywhere but the CCSEL started at Chiller North today. From their website: "Cap City Elite is a professional summer hockey league in Columbus, OH for NHL, AHL, ECHL, Major Junior, & NCAA hockey players. Our league provides our professional athletes with competitive...

forums.hfboards.com

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Btw, Yegor Chinakhov trains in SK "Arktika", in a training camp organized by Shumi Babayev's agent for his players.

Do you know how other players train, at least those who are in Columbus? Jenner, Roslovic, Laine, Kuraly, Meyer, Sillinger if I haven't forgotten someone. I mean, if it's similar camp or if they have their own coaches.

Laine has usually trained with Barkov in Finland. Not sure if that has changed this year with him having a dog and girlfriend in US now

 

[BB88]

Laine has usually trained with Barkov in Finland. Not sure if that has changed this year with him having a dog and girlfriend in US now

Laine is in Finland.

 

[majormajor]

I wouldn't be surprised to 8 D in Columbus, although clearly a log jam on both D and F so one area is going to have harder decisions to make (I think that's up front). As for Cleveland, assuming Jiricek and Blanks are sent down, I have a hard time thinking that Jiricek, Svozil, Blanks and Ceulemans don't get a LOT of playing time. I think Berni has shown (if he clears waivers if sent down) that he's worthy of a future option (7/8 or even bottom pair guy but maybe not in Columbus). They like Christiansen too but he's starting to become that AHL+ type player so maybe they don't feed him the time.

What I would expect is you could see Berni stay as the 8th in Columbus (barring no injuries to the others) and the others stick in Cleveland with a heavy rotation. Wouldn't shock me to see a prospect moved in a multi player deal to free up some space in Cleveland as well. While I think all on your list offer some value, I don't think a waiver loss of Christiansen, Bjork, Sweezy would have too significant an impact to the club overall. Depth... sure but If they keep the top 7 and have Jiricek, Blanks and one or two of the others behind them availabel for injury duty that still provides 10 deep on quality defensemen. In my opinion... The depth, as shown, goes beyond 10 with NHL potential (just a lot of green back there)

A waiver loss wouldn't be a big deal, agreed. I'd hope it isn't Berni or Christiansen, I think Christiansen's improvement has flown under the radar. I wouldn't have minded if Bean was moved or given a U26 buyout because I like Christiansen and Berni just as much, and I'm pretty confident that Svozil will take that spot soon.

Knazko is a guy that feels a bit too far down the depth chart for his own good. He has very little chance here and would be better off with a trade.

 

[VT]

Laine is in Finland.

In the US.

 

[BB88]

In the US.

Well I know he’s been regularly golfing here.

Not sure if he’s just left but so far and as far as I know he’s been here

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Probably means nothing but a local radio show here holds a yearly charity softball game and features local celebs/players. The past two years both Kuraly and Roslovic have played in it. This year it’s Kuraly and Werenski.

Just thought it was interesting to note

 

[VT]

Well I know he’s been regularly golfing here.

Not sure if he’s just left but so far and as far as I know he’s been here

I know his girlfriend was showing photos of them flying to the US last week. In addition, he signed up for Cap City Summer Elite League. We'll see if he plays on Tuesday.

On the other hand, let him be on Mars, the most important thing is to be perfectly prepared for the next season.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Halak ought to be insulted at the idea of being a #3 behind two goalies that he's greatly outperformed. We should be adding a goalie not looking for a #3 in particular.

Agree. However, I think it's only fair to point out that most #3 goalies would be the #1 goalie here.

 

[NotWendell]

Agree. However, I think it's only fair to point out that most #3 goalies would be the #1 goalie here.

I won't go quite that far. There are plenty of #2 goalies around the league that would be the #1 here.