Around the League 34 - 1 round down, 3 to go

[Tryamw]

I swear to God, if this offseason sees our biggest acquisitions be a few defensive depth pieces again I'll f***ing scream.

Jack Johnson? (again)
(Glad I have a Force field of protection from non mods)

 

[Chrispy]

Will absolutely not disagree here. We had been playing with fire all postseason, and likely would have gotten our asses handed to us by Colorado. But Tampa is proving to have been ripe for the picking this year, and we could have knocked them off. And when I say we choked away a great opportunity, I am also saying we should have closed out NY in less than 7 and we would have still had Jarvis and Raanta ready to go in this series. We would have taken them.

I hope this kicks our front office into action. These kind of opportunities don't come around every year and we should absolutely be kicking our own asses in the front office for not being able to capitalize on this golden opportunity that we had. Our lack of scoring is unacceptable, and its been a recurring theme for 4 years now in the postseason. Its time to f***ing fix it. No more little improvements on the margins here and there, they aren't enough to get us over the hump in the playoffs. We need someone capable of taking over a game with a proven track record of being able to do so in the past. We must make serious runs at Gaudreau, Forsberg and Malkin and we need to get at least one. We need to be heavily involved in trade talks for big stars elsewhere and we need to finally land one. Even if we have to pay a huge price, its time.

I swear to God, if this offseason sees our biggest acquisitions be a few defensive depth pieces again I'll f***ing scream.

With Nino and Trocheck likely getting bigger deals elsewhere they have the space and the spots open in the top 6 to bring in an elite UFA or trade target.

Given the price and contract situation of most of the trade targets (Miller, DeBrincat, Kane, Scheifele) I'd like to see them make a play for one of the top UFAs as well. I don't see a forward signed long-term who would be a good trade target this off-season.

I'm not saying I'd be opposed to some of the moneypuck targets (Hornqvist, Hoffman, Kessel) to improve shooting and the PP but they need a top line target as well, especially if Trocheck and Nino are leaving.

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

Not disagreeing we need a scorer. But I believe everyone thought Svetch and Necas would have provided more than they did this year.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I really don't see how we can claim to have choked anything away, when we were the worse team for the majority of that series. We barely scraped by in Game 1 and 2, couldn't win on the road in Games 3, 4, and 6 and played well off our game in Game 7.

Game 5 was the only game where the Canes executed like the better team.

 

[Chrispy]

Not disagreeing we need a scorer. But I believe everyone thought Svetch and Necas would have provided more than they did this year.

Svech cracking 30 this year was a small step forward. Even in 2020 he was just below a 30 goal pace for the season. They will need more steps obviously, but he's coming along smoothly at just turning 22.

Necas was a major issue the second half of the year. If he had kept up his 2021 calendar year pace and hit 53 points or so and cracked 20 goals, I think everyone would have said it was a small step forward for him as well. But once the calendar hit 2022? WTF knows what happened.

 

[Svechhammer]

Not disagreeing we need a scorer. But I believe everyone thought Svetch and Necas would have provided more than they did this year.

If we are waiting around for them to be in their prime as scorers we might miss our current window. Our (likely) best course of action is to acquire someone, possibly 2, elite level scorers who are in their prime right now, and then hoping that Svech takes that step to being one himself. Maybe even hoping Jarvis continues his progress as well. And this is kind of why I wouldn't be super opposed to dangling Necas as primary trade bait, assuming he still has any kind of trade value right now. We don't have the time to wait for him to get his shit together, so we are probably better off using him packaged with a prospect or 2 plus picks to get someone who is already there.

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

Svech cracking 30 this year was a small step forward. Even in 2020 he was just below a 30 goal pace for the season. They will need more steps obviously, but he's coming along smoothly at just turning 22.

Necas was a major issue the second half of the year. If he had kept up his 2021 calendar year pace and hit 53 points or so and cracked 20 goals, I think everyone would have said it was a small step forward for him as well. But once the calendar hit 2022? WTF knows what happened.

7 of Svech's were EN. So about 25%...

 

[Blueline Bomber]

7 of Svech's were EN. So about 25%...

I'm pretty sure Svech is on pace to demolish the record for career ENGs.

 

[MinJaBen]

With Nino and Trocheck likely getting bigger deals elsewhere they have the space and the spots open in the top 6 to bring in an elite UFA or trade target.

Have the space? Yes. Willing to use the space on one guy into his 30's? Not unless they change their philosophy from the way they have been acting in the past.

 

[Chrispy]

Have the space? Yes. Willing to use the space on one guy into his 30's? Not unless they change their philosophy from the way they have been acting in the past.

That's going to be the tricky part. Are they willing to make a push for someone like Forsberg or Gaudreau for 6-7 years and accept there will be a downturn at the end?

I think Forsberg makes more sense because he turns 28 before next season, while Gaudreau turns 29. So the projections may work better for Forsberg there.

 

[MinJaBen]

That's going to be the tricky part. Are they willing to make a push for someone like Forsberg or Gaudreau for 6-7 years and accept there will be a downturn at the end?

I think Forsberg makes more sense because he turns 28 before next season, while Gaudreau turns 29. So the projections may work better for Forsberg there.

I think they would want him. But the contract offer would be $6.5M over 5 years. They have their valuation system and seem to be unaware of how markets work.

 

[Lempo]

Is Gaudreau still a cherry-picker who likes to hang about the attack blueline when the puck is t the own end? Will that go down with Rod?

 

[chaz4hockey]

Will absolutely not disagree here. We had been playing with fire all postseason, and likely would have gotten our asses handed to us by Colorado. But Tampa is proving to have been ripe for the picking this year, and we could have knocked them off. And when I say we choked away a great opportunity, I am also saying we should have closed out NY in less than 7 and we would have still had Jarvis and Raanta ready to go in this series. We would have taken them.

I hope this kicks our front office into action. These kind of opportunities don't come around every year and we should absolutely be kicking our own asses in the front office for not being able to capitalize on this golden opportunity that we had. Our lack of scoring is unacceptable, and its been a recurring theme for 4 years now in the postseason. Its time to f***ing fix it. No more little improvements on the margins here and there, they aren't enough to get us over the hump in the playoffs. We need someone capable of taking over a game with a proven track record of being able to do so in the past. We must make serious runs at Gaudreau, Forsberg and Malkin and we need to get at least one. We need to be heavily involved in trade talks for big stars elsewhere and we need to finally land one. Even if we have to pay a huge price, its time.

I swear to God, if this offseason sees our biggest acquisitions be a few defensive depth pieces again I'll f***ing scream.

My preference on your three:
1. Forsburg
2. Forsburg
3. Forsburg

Malkin is closer to the end and Gaudreau at 29 next season worries me due to his size/age/

 

[hblueridgegal]

Is Gaudreau still a cherry-picker who likes to hang about the attack blueline when the puck is t the own end? Will that go down with Rod?

Hope whoever it is he gets to retain what attracted the Canes to him in the first place on the scoring front instead of being another transformation or reinvention project.

Speaking of windows, in chats this past week with fellow fans who are season ticket holders and big supporters, they’re pretty annoyed by the final outcome to the season. Not as forgiving and a bit more skeptical than the FB set and gatekeepers attest.

 

[AD Skinner]

I am flabbergasted that gaudreau is older than forsberg. I am not sure why I thought anything else but I very much did

 

[Lempo]

I am flabbergasted that gaudreau is older than forsberg. I am not sure why I thought anything else but I very much did

Because Gaudreau signed his ELC at 21 and entered the league from NCAA somewhat recently and late for his high profile and the whole "Johnny Hockey" brandification.

While the name "Forsberg" has been around the league ices forever.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

My preference on your three:
1. Forsburg
2. Forsburg
3. Forsburg

Malkin is closer to the end and Gaudreau at 29 next season worries me due to his size/age/

fool me once, shame on you
fool me twice, shame on me
fool me a 3rd time and it means you really don't know how to spell his name.

 

[Lempo]

Kick the feet under of the Euros' pretences by intentionally mispelling their names, that's what I say.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Kick the feet under of the Euros' pretences by intentionally mispelling their names, that's what I say.

Or in my case, unintentionally misspelling their names. I have to look up Kaapo Kakko every time, and usually I still don’t feel like I got it right.

 

[Lempo]

Or in my case, unintentionally misspelling their names. I have to look up Kaapo Kakko every time, and usually I still don’t feel like I got it right.

The fundamental difference in which syllables get stressed makes many Finnish names nigh-impossible for English-speakers to get right.

Pulkkinen becomes Pulkinnen.

 

[moses malone 12]

My preference on your three:
1. Forsburg
2. Forsburg
3. Forsburg

Malkin is closer to the end and Gaudreau at 29 next season worries me due to his size/age/

100% in agreement. I think he resigns with Nashville

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Kick the feet under of the Euros' pretences by intentionally mispelling their names, that's what I say.

whatever you say lumpo

 

[Svechhammer]

Well damn, looks like we got Cassidy shit canned in beantown

 

[cptjeff]

100% in agreement. I think he resigns with Nashville

How often does a big name UFA finish the season with no contract and then re-sign with their current team? Because it's not common. Stamkos was the last one I can think of. Remember the Isles fanbase desperately pushing the line that Tavares was absolutely going to stay right up until he signed with Toronto? Yeah. At this point the "Forsberg will stay in Nashville" claims have a similar ring. They were aggressively trying to sign him all year, I don't think a deal gets done now if one hasn't already.

 

[chaz4hockey]

fool me once, shame on you
fool me twice, shame on me
fool me a 3rd time and it means you really don't know how to spell his name.

Lol. Never said spelling was my Fortah (e’)

My name has been mispronounced for over 60 years…I dont take it personally anymore.