Speculation: Armchair GM Thread - Looking to the offseason

[Armourboy]

P

Yeah given how things went I wonder what we could have got for him at the deadline?

Edit.. I hadnt looked but it's almost like he used up all his mojo to give Nashville the finger. Hes been 0G 0A since that game

Tolvanen is more like Craig Smitg than a Forsberg. He's probably going to get you around 20g every year which means you are going to catch dry spells and while the stats may be there at the end of the year it may not feel that impressive.

 

[triggrman]

I still really don't care about not having Tolvanen on the roster and it's clear to see that he is settling back into his much more unproductive normal. Rarely does he find the scoresheet in a meaningful way outside of games that his team runs away with scoring. I'd much rather have Parssinen and Novak.

My only issue with any of it is that Poile thought he'd pass through waivers but he didn't and they got nothing for him.

That's my biggest issue. Giving up on a prospect that early, and hearing that he was getting mixed messages on his role. That's not the best way to handle a first round pick.

His game to me was average, both offensively and defensively.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

P

Yeah given how things went I wonder what we could have got for him at the deadline?

Edit.. I hadnt looked but it's almost like he used up all his mojo to give Nashville the finger. Hes been 0G 0A since that game

Yeah, his last 20 haven't been great. He had a 3A outburst 18ish games ago when the team scored 6-7 goals then the 2G game against the Preds when the team scored 7. Other than those two games he has 3G 2A in the last 21 games.

 

[triggrman]

9" fang, what's your take on Stastney so far.

I like his game, both offensively and defensively so far. Love his transition. He might be one of our better players in transition. Such a smooth skater, a lot like Girard, but a bit bigger.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

9" fang, what's your take on Stastney so far.

I like his game, both offensively and defensively so far. Love his transition. He might be one of our better players in transition. Such a smooth skater, a lot like Girard, but a bit bigger.

I've noticed him a bit frozen and indecisive in the Dzone a couple times, the worst was probably that first goal against in Dallas, but I agree he's looked really good so far.

His 1v1 defense keeping guys to the outside has been a big surprise.

He moves up the ice well without giving up too much behind him. Again, there have been some youthful mistakes but he should be able to clean that up because he seems like he understands the game at a high level. I say that because he seems to anticipate plays and be a half step ahead of the play and doesn't get cycled on a lot.

Hopefully Livingstone can elevate that third pair so they aren't always cycled on.

 

[Predation]

I saw Stastny make a few nice passes. Seems like he might be a good puck distributor, plus he has some wheels. I like what I’ve seen so far, but I’ll leave the analysis to the experts around here.

 

[PredsV82]

So now we can focus on what come next.

I will say this, after seeing how the kids played I will be shocked if we go "full rebuild" this summer, ie trading Saros, Forsberg, and Josi as some are advocating.

I think Trotz will realize that Novak, Tomasino and Evangelista are good enough that when Forsberg, Duchene and Johansen are healthy we will have a forward corps that can be reasonably competitive.

With Josi, McD, Fabbro, and Carrier, we have a good D core group and can mix in Livingstone, Statsney, Lauzon and Foote into the 6/7/8 spots and not just suck. Plus Gravel and Gross although I don't know their contract/waiver status etc.

Trading Saros before we know for sure Askarov can cut it would be suicidal.

I think the plan will be to use our cap space and bazillion draft picks to try to add a top 6 forward via trade (less likey via UFA) and then draft with the future(3-4 years) in mind. Guys drafted this summer by and large won't be ready until our old guard is long in the tooth.

I also still can't imagine that the plan was to do this big overhaul and yet keep the same coach. Hynes was hired when Lavy couldn't produce results with what Poile thought should be a competitive roster. When they still didn't produce under Hynes, Poile remade the roster the way Hynes wanted and the result was still underwhelming. I just can't believe that Trotz was hired and they dumped all those players at the deadline with the idea that Hynes is the guy to direct the rebuild/retool. Hiring Taylor, who coached a lot of these players who are now looking really good, makes so much more sense.

But I'm probably wrong. I usually am.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

The giveaway to me about Hynes staying was the Livingstone interview. The way he went on about Hynes calling him and being the guy talking to him about the plans forward, etc. If you have a dead man walking coach, he's not your point man for signing the biggest NCAA free agent on the market.

So as much as it pains me, I think Hynes has been accepted as The Guy for next season. Even though the "strong finish" with all the injuries is something of an illusion (still a .500 team that only managed to be .500 on the backs of a few inhuman goalie wins, and only stayed in the race because the other two teams in the race were even more futile with fewer excuses to be)... the narrative sure seems to be that Hynes is still the guy they are trusting for next season.

 

[glenngineer]

After watching the last bunch of games, the only reason we won a bunch of them was Saros. This has nothing to do with Hynes. Our play in the second period has been abysmal because we can't get the puck out of the d-zone. While this is on the players to do their jobs, it's also on the coaches to make adjustments so that the players succeed.

I saw the quote where Hynes said the crowd was rocking and it especially ramped up after they scored their goal. That's it? That's what you saw? Nothing about our team not being able to get the puck out of the zone? Getting hemmed in for minutes at a time? That is not a recipe for success, regardless of whether you have a young team or not. This is your job as coach to make the necessary adjustments so guys aren't out there for 2-2:30 minutes of ice per shift.

Also, explain to me when you're not scoring, why you keep rolling 4 lines? Play the guys who give you the best chance of scoring. AND, he reverts to playing Sanford with Glass and Tomasino? I've never seen an NHL'er seem more disinterested in playing hockey than Sanford.

Rant over.

 

[PredsV82]

I'm fairly certain Hynes hasn't been told he is going to be replaced and so he is surely going to try to do everything he can to keep his job going forward, including selling a prospect on signing with the team.

Obviously Trotz is a coach and a damn good one so if he keeps Hynes, I'll accept his judgement over mine. I just still can't believe that was the plan when Trotz was hired.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

@glenngineer

Ok, tell me here how you catch a unicorn. If you tell me it's tank to get a #1 overall pick, then I don't even want a unicorn. If you have another method, I'm all ears.

The arguments about past Cup teams having elite forwards (most did, a few outliers didn't) don't interest me. It's about what OUR TEAM can realistically do. Present tense. If you can't give me a realistic, practical approach beyond just listing the rosters of past Cup winners, then I'm not interested in the argument. Unicorns are wonderful, everybody agrees. But if there is no practical solution to landing one, we might as well be talking about how wonderful it would be to win Powerball and buy a private island in the Caribbean. That would be nice too.

Meanwhile, my philosophy is win hockey games, every game you can, every chance you get. If you "luck out" and a unicorn wanders in with a later draft pick (occasionally happens) or you manage your Cap and can lure one as UFA somehow or make a miracle trade steal (almost never happens?), then you won Powerball, and that's wonderful. Meanwhile, since you can't EXPECT to win Powerball, you just keep doing everything else you can to build the best team you can. Draft good players. Develop them well. Win trades. Sign free agents. Get a good coach. Win hockey games. Then at least even if you never catch a unicorn, you did a good job and made an honest effort and had some good times along the way.

 

[Predsanddead24]

I'll try and move the UFA talk over here, but what UFAs do people even think we should be going after?

This is just not really a great free agent class. There is very little that interests me unless we can pull something of like we did with Nino where we get a good deal after the frenzy has subsided.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I'll try and move the UFA talk over here, but what UFAs do people even think we should be going after?

This is just not really a great free agent class. There is very little that interests me unless we can pull something of like we did with Nino where we get a good deal after the frenzy has subsided.

Yeah, I would not be chasing anybody. I think the "leftovers" trash heap will be fairly significant this season since a lot of teams that aren't tanking are under Cap crunches. When you start to wonder about UFAs, it's incumbent to pencil in your default lineup as the starting point. My default lineup is:

Forsberg - Parssinen - Tomasino
Sherwood - Novak - Evangelista
? - Glass - Duchene
Trenin - Sissons - Smith
Jankowksi
+ I don't know about Johansen's recovery timeline

Josi - Fabbro
McDonagh - Barrie (traded during season, probably Deadline)
Lauzon - Carrier
Foote (replaced mid-season when they give up on him)

Saros
Lankinen

So I think we need a LW. We might not sign Sherwood, and I have no clue if Johansen comes back and fits in anywhere. Find a UFA LWer on the leftovers market (like Niederreiter) and we're all set. That's all I would plan to do.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Yeah, I would not be chasing anybody. I think the "leftovers" trash heap will be fairly significant this season since a lot of teams that aren't tanking are under Cap crunches. When you start to wonder about UFAs, it's incumbent to pencil in your default lineup as the starting point. My default lineup is:

Forsberg - Parssinen - Tomasino
Sherwood - Novak - Evangelista
? - Glass - Duchene
Trenin - Sissons - Smith
Jankowksi
+ I don't know about Johansen's recovery timeline

Josi - Fabbro
McDonagh - Barrie (traded during season, probably Deadline)
Lauzon - Carrier
Foote (replaced mid-season when they give up on him)

Saros
Lankinen

So I think we need a LW. We might not sign Sherwood, and I have no clue if Johansen comes back and fits in anywhere. Find a UFA LWer on the leftovers market (like Niederreiter) and we're all set. That's all I would plan to do.

Who knows on Johansen but if he's healthy I'd assume he l will be playing center, which would mean someone has to go the wing. I'd guess that is Parsinnen?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Who knows on Johansen but if he's healthy I'd assume he l will be playing center, which would mean someone has to go the wing. I'd guess that is Parsinnen?

It is certainly a valid question. I guess since we have no clue whatsoever about Johansen's recovery timeline or what he will look like if/when he comes back, we as dumb fans can't have any hopes about answering it.

He's good on faceoffs, and overall "a solid center". Historically. What he looks like post-injury, we have no idea. I would make room for him if he comes back strong. I have ZERO idea what the odds of that are. So I guess if that's also what Trotz knows (it isn't - he knows more), then I'd sign another UFA fwd. Just to be sure.

 

[triggrman]

I've heard it was a completely ruptured Achilles, which I think is a only about a 70% recovery rate period, and at least 6 month recovery.

 

[jumb0]

I've heard it was a completely ruptured Achilles, which I think is a only about a 70% recovery rate period, and at least 6 month recovery.

Kevin Durant missed just over 6 months when he blew his out back in 2019

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I've heard it was a completely ruptured Achilles, which I think is a only about a 70% recovery rate period, and at least 6 month recovery.

Hopefully in the post-season presser they give us a full data dump on these injuries. I can't imagine what the motivation would be for not doing so. Aside from just thinking we don't care/aren't that interested. Which is probably true for many fans. But... still sucks for the rest of us.

 

[triggrman]

Kevin Durant missed just over 6 months when he blew his out back in 2019

and he was also on the wrong side of 30, like Johansen. That's my worry, Johansen isn't young, how hard will it be for him to come back.

 

[herzausstein]

Yeah, I would not be chasing anybody. I think the "leftovers" trash heap will be fairly significant this season since a lot of teams that aren't tanking are under Cap crunches. When you start to wonder about UFAs, it's incumbent to pencil in your default lineup as the starting point. My default lineup is:

Forsberg - Parssinen - Tomasino
Sherwood - Novak - Evangelista
? - Glass - Duchene
Trenin - Sissons - Smith
Jankowksi
+ I don't know about Johansen's recovery timeline

Josi - Fabbro
McDonagh - Barrie (traded during season, probably Deadline)
Lauzon - Carrier
Foote (replaced mid-season when they give up on him)

Saros
Lankinen

So I think we need a LW. We might not sign Sherwood, and I have no clue if Johansen comes back and fits in anywhere. Find a UFA LWer on the leftovers market (like Niederreiter) and we're all set. That's all I would plan to do.

Id have tomasino at lw with duchene . I believe they were playing like that after forsberg was injured and it was going well

 

[Flgatorguy87]

and he was also on the wrong side of 30, like Johansen. That's my worry, Johansen isn't young, how hard will it be for him to come back.

...also is there a motivation for him to return vs. just finishing his career on LTIR?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

...also is there a motivation for him to return vs. just finishing his career on LTIR?

I mean, he's not THAT old. When his contract expires, he'll turn, what 33? In an ideal world he was going to make some NHL money for around another 5 years. Not $8M per. But if he even got an average of $3M per, for 5 years, then $15M is pretty good motivation to keep playing, if possible?

 

[Flgatorguy87]

I mean, he's not THAT old. When his contract expires, he'll turn, what 33? In an ideal world he was going to make some NHL money for around another 5 years. Not $8M per. But if he even got an average of $3M per, for 5 years, then $15M is pretty good motivation to keep playing, if possible?

No doubt, but there is life and opportunity outside of hockey. Some guys squeeze every drop out of it, and others are ok moving out of pro sports for other pursuits. Difficult to judge someone's mindset.

I hope he comes back and stays around. I like Johansen and think he'd be a great insulation for the young kids.

 

[predwings]

Hopefully in the post-season presser they give us a full data dump on these injuries. I can't imagine what the motivation would be for not doing so. Aside from just thinking we don't care/aren't that interested. Which is probably true for many fans. But... still sucks for the rest of us.

He's got a undisclosed lower body injury and is month-to-month

 

[predwings]

I mean, he's not THAT old. When his contract expires, he'll turn, what 33? In an ideal world he was going to make some NHL money for around another 5 years. Not $8M per. But if he even got an average of $3M per, for 5 years, then $15M is pretty good motivation to keep playing, if possible?

I fully agree with this, but like others stated, this is not an easy injury to come back from compared to others.

Kevin Durant missed just over 6 months when he blew his out back in 2019

I know people break their backs and return and are fine, but there are also plenty of stories like the one in the Titan's weight room where the guy dropped the bar on himself and will never play football again. (I think it was 2-3 years ago)

We're a bit spoiled because players come back from soft-tissue injuries all the time and they take such good care of their bodies they rarely have career ending injuries now, but it does still happen from time to time. Even at the professional level. We have to wonder if he will return, and even if so, will it be at 100% or 70% function? A Johansen at 70% over 30 would be essentially a 3rd or 4th line player.