Around the League Thread | Ixnay on Zerplanyay

[StickShift]

Wonder if Jets were offered that by the Canucks. I would have done it from Canucks perspective.

Unless playing in Canada was a non-starter for McGroarty...

 

[Josepho]

Yager has way more value than Lekkerimaki.

 

[StreetHawk]

Yager has way more value than Lekkerimaki.

C over wingers. Similar size as well. And Lekky doesn't project to be elite like a Pasta or other high end winger. Roughly about the same upside, but based on position, better to take the C if offered.

 

[Phrasing]

Unless playing in Canada was a non-starter for McGroarty...

I think it’s more the case Canucks are outbid with Yager even if Canada was on the table

 

[StreetHawk]

Well, he got his wish and got out of Win. Cost him an ELC year that he has to play under vs burning it off last season and hitting RFA at 22 vs 23.

 

[VanJack]

Yager has way more value than Lekkerimaki.

Until Yager wins the MVP at the World Jr. Hockey Championships, he has 'less value' than Lekkerimaki......Unlike Yager who played as a junior in the WHL last season, Lekkerimaki actually scored 19 goals as a teenager playing in the Top Tier SHL, a full-on men's professional league.

It's always baffled me how kids playing in the CHL, instantly become better prospects, just because they were draft picks in the top-half of the first round.

 

[bossram]

Until Yager wins the MVP at the World Jr. Hockey Championships, he has 'less value' than Lekkerimaki......Unlike Yager who played as a junior in the WHL last season, Lekkerimaki actually scored 19 goals as a teenager playing in the Top Tier SHL, a full-on men's professional league.

It's always baffled me how kids playing in the CHL, instantly become better prospects, just because they were draft picks in the top-half of the first round.

Idk, I think it's pretty reasonable to have Lekk and Yager in the same prospect tier, and then to weigh C>W in value.

I'm not saying AINEC! but it's a reasonable position to have Yager>Lekk.

I've always personally been skeptical of Lekk's playstyle myself.

 

[bossram]

So are we gonna talk about how now two high end american prospects have essentially done the weakest thing in hockey

what is with these prospects straight up Ghosting organizations
I mean McGroarty had his "advisor" be his communicator, but even that dude was Ghosting the jets LOL
Gauthier was running from Briere at the world juniors, taking no calls, blocking texts, trying anything to get a quick face-to-face after practice or quick coffee.

Straight up text to the GM saying:
"i dont want to get into a whole long thing, and I appreciate you taking interest and drafting me and the resources you put into me, but at this point and after talking with my family I think it is best if you seek to trade me to another organization. You can have potential trade partners contact me with parameters"

I don't really have an opinion one way or the other. Guys don't want to stay in an org for 7+ years they had no say in choosing. They're using the leverage given to them in the CBA. Fair is fair.

 

[StreetHawk]

I don't really have an opinion one way or the other. Guys don't want to stay in an org for 7+ years they had no say in choosing. They're using the leverage given to them in the CBA. Fair is fair.

I do wonder if Burke back in his day would let the kid just stay in college and use up all 4 ncaa years to make the player finish elc at age 24 (only 2 year elc for a 22 year old) if they didn't want to sign after their So. year and thus hit RFA at 22. Costing 2 years and maybe over $10 million to the player.

 

[MS]

Idk, I think it's pretty reasonable to have Lekk and Yager in the same prospect tier, and then to weigh C>W in value.

I'm not saying AINEC! but it's a reasonable position to have Yager>Lekk.

I've always personally been skeptical of Lekk's playstyle myself.

Also they 'both went 14th overall' but one was in a terrible draft and one was in an absolutely stacked draft.

Yager goes top-10 in 2022 and JL is in the 20s in 2023.

 

[credulous]

I do wonder if Burke back in his day would let the kid just stay in college and use up all 4 ncaa years to make the player finish elc at age 24 (only 2 year elc for a 22 year old) if they didn't want to sign after their So. year and thus hit RFA at 22. Costing 2 years and maybe over $10 million to the player.

you don't have to wonder you can just google rj umberger

 

[pitseleh]

Also they 'both went 14th overall' but one was in a terrible draft and one was in an absolutely stacked draft.

Yager goes top-10 in 2022 and JL is in the 20s in 2023.

Do you think he goes ahead of Savoie in 2022? Don’t have an informed opinion, but from what I’ve seen he’s not particularly big or fast, he gets the two-way label but doesn’t seem to have a reputation as a great defensive player, and while his point totals are solid it looks like he’s been the third or fourth most important offensive player on his teams the last couple years. Not a bad prospect but not particularly exciting either.

 

[MS]

Do you think he goes ahead of Savoie in 2022? Don’t have an informed opinion, but from what I’ve seen he’s not particularly big or fast, he gets the two-way label but doesn’t seem to have a reputation as a great defensive player, and while his point totals are solid it looks like he’s been the third or fourth most important offensive player on his teams the last couple years. Not a bad prospect but not particularly exciting either.

Yes, I think he would have gone ahead of Savoie in 2022. Not really sure why Savoie went that high to begin with.

 

[pitseleh]

Yes, I think he would have gone ahead of Savoie in 2022. Not really sure why Savoie went that high to begin with.

I must have misremembered - thought you like Savoie that year.

What do you see Yager’s projection as in the NHL?

 

[MS]

I must have misremembered - thought you like Savoie that year.

What do you see Yager’s projection as in the NHL?

I liked Savoie relative to that draft but I’ve also changed how I value prospects over the past couple years and I wouldn’t rate a 5’9 guy who projected as a winger as highly as I did then.

Yager probably projects as a 2C.

 

[bossram]

I do wonder if Burke back in his day would let the kid just stay in college and use up all 4 ncaa years to make the player finish elc at age 24 (only 2 year elc for a 22 year old) if they didn't want to sign after their So. year and thus hit RFA at 22. Costing 2 years and maybe over $10 million to the player.

Ehh I guess you could do that to be petty. Still doesn't benefit the drafting club.

Going that route just means you end up with no asset. WPG ended up with Yager. That's a better outcome.

Also they 'both went 14th overall' but one was in a terrible draft and one was in an absolutely stacked draft.

Yager goes top-10 in 2022 and JL is in the 20s in 2023.

I'm probably lower on Yager than consensus. He's a small-ish center and I don't think he has any "elite" traits. Moreso just acknowledging there is a legit case to believe Yager>Lekk.

 

[StreetHawk]

Sharks acquire top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov from Predators

The rebuilding San Jose Sharks have added a significant prospect to their lineup after a trade with the Nashville Predators.

www.sportsnet.ca

Askarov officially a shark. Basically, it's the main pieces of the Hertl to LV trade headed to Nash.

Edstrom whom LV took in 2023 and LV's 25 first (plus a swap of minor leaguers from the ECHL) and a 3rd back to SJ.

So 2 late 1sts (most likely for '25) for like the 11OA pick in 2020.

 

[God]

That's a good trade for San Jose.

I still don't really know what Nashville is doing. Seemed like a natural transition to go from Saros to Askarov, and I think they probably could've secured a late 1st at last year's deadline for him.

 

[StreetHawk]

That's a good trade for San Jose.

I still don't really know what Nashville is doing. Seemed like a natural transition to go from Saros to Askarov, and I think they probably could've secured a late 1st at last year's deadline for him.

Well, given that the PG kid who took the job from Young is eligible for the '25 draft, puts Nash in a good position to take him and reset their goalie timeline as they would have Sarros for another 8 years after this season. Would give the kid plenty of time to develop and then secure backup job and then deal with Sarros final 3 years or so at that point in time.

No goalie went round 1 this past draft. first one off the board was at #38.

 

[God]

Well, given that the PG kid who took the job from Young is eligible for the '25 draft, puts Nash in a good position to take him and reset their goalie timeline as they would have Sarros for another 8 years after this season. Would give the kid plenty of time to develop and then secure backup job and then deal with Sarros final 3 years or so at that point in time.

No goalie went round 1 this past draft. first one off the board was at #38.

Betting on taking a player in a future draft and handing an 8-year contract to a 29-year old goalie instead of going with the prospect you developed and who has exceeded expectations would certainly be... a choice. It simply looks like they're putting all of their chips in for a playoff push with old players. I've only ever seen the early 2000s Rangers do this.

 

[bossram]

I think Grier's vision is starting to take shape. Celebrini + Askarov hopefully, for SJ, gives them franchise building blocks at each end of the ice.

I think it's a touch too heavy of a price for goalie, but I think it's a decent gamble for SJ. Nashville and Askarov basically agreed his time there was done, and they get a couple first-round equivalents they can cash in for deadline upgrades. Fine for both sides.

My lukewarm take is that I don't think SJ is actually the worst team in the league anymore.

Betting on taking a player in a future draft and handing an 8-year contract to a 29-year old goalie instead of going with the prospect you developed and who has exceeded expectations would certainly be... a choice. It simply looks like they're putting all of their chips in for a playoff push with old players. I've only ever seen the early 2000s Rangers do this.

Agreed. I don't think Nashville's direction is smart. At best, they can make a run in the next 1-3 years. At worst, they gunked their cap sheet for years, jump-started a managed decline into mediocrity, and aren't even better in year 1.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Betting on taking a player in a future draft and handing an 8-year contract to a 29-year old goalie instead of going with the prospect you developed and who has exceeded expectations would certainly be... a choice. It simply looks like they're putting all of their chips in for a playoff push with old players. I've only ever seen the early 2000s Rangers do this.

I see the rationale. The franchise has delivered a rather bland boring product since their inception. They had that exciting cup run in 2017 but there's never really been a belief they could do anything meaningful in the playoffs.

 

[StreetHawk]

I see the rationale. The franchise has delivered a rather bland boring product since their inception. They had that exciting cup run in 2017 but there's never really been a belief they could do anything meaningful in the playoffs.

Nash/Car seem similar in that they want consistency year to year over ups and downs.

Betting on taking a player in a future draft and handing an 8-year contract to a 29-year old goalie instead of going with the prospect you developed and who has exceeded expectations would certainly be... a choice. It simply looks like they're putting all of their chips in for a playoff push with old players. I've only ever seen the early 2000s Rangers do this.

I find it puzzling as well. And not like he had he deal done, they just signed it in the summer with Sarros. But, Trotz wasn't around in 2020 when Poile made the Askarov pick.

Good move by SJ, that only came around because of Nash's decision to go with Sarros. Otherwise, they are behind on a goalie for that team.

 

[Vector]

I appreciate Trotz's "f*** it, we ball!" attitude even if I don't think it's going to lead them to a cup or much long term success. The slow and steady pace the franchise is known hasn't really lead to much either.

 

[bossram]

I appreciate Trotz's "f*** it, we ball!" attitude even if I don't think it's going to lead them to a cup or much long term success. The slow and steady pace the franchise is known hasn't really lead to much either.

The thing is last season I think they were on an *upward* trajectory that could have reasonably been maintained for some time. Now they've basically given themselves 3 years at most to win, before the wheels completely fall off.