Around the NHL: Part XIX

[Edge]

When you cant sign impact free agents you basically have no room for error in terms of draft picks and trades. The ROR trade was bad. It has to be tough in Buffalo. I heard the Pegulas are not good owners.

^^^^ This. A lot.

When we look at certain teams, Buffalo among them, we notice two very big challenges that can completely alter their trajectory.

The first is an inability to sign impact free agents. I don't care how well you draft or how much good fortune you have with developing prospects, at some point you're going to need to make trades or free agent signings. It's inevitable. And if you can't do either of these things with consistent success, you're probably going to struggle.

The second challenge is drafting beyond the first round. The odds say you'll come away with talent if you're consistently picking in the top half of the draft, especially the top 10. But what usually separates the top teams from the teams perpetually stuck on the bubble is the ability to find support talent in the second and third rounds, along with the occasional gem in the later rounds.

When people reference the teams they fear us becoming, more often than not the reason why those teams struggle is, in large part, due to the above shortcomings. When you look at the Sabres, the Oilers, the Avs, you see a real struggle to execute either of the above tactics. That leaves them with a short leash, and little or no margin for error.

 

[TheBloodyNine]

^^^^ This. A lot.

When we look at certain teams, Buffalo among them, we notice two very big challenges that can completely alter their trajectory.

The first is an inability to sign impact free agents. I don't care how well you draft or how much good fortune you have with developing prospects, at some point you're going to need to make trades or free agent signings. It's inevitable. And if you can't do either of these things with consistent success, you're probably going to struggle.

The second challenge is drafting beyond the first round. The odds say you'll come away with talent if you're consistently picking in the top half of the draft, especially the top 10. But what usually separates the top teams from the teams perpetually stuck on the bubble is the ability to find support talent in the second and third rounds, along with the occasional gem in the later rounds.

When people reference the teams they fear us becoming, more often than not the reason why those teams struggle is, in large part, due to the above shortcomings. When you look at the Sabres, the Oilers, the Avs, you see a real struggle to execute either of the above tactics. That leaves them with a short leash, and little or no margin of error.

Post and sticky this to the top of every page of the Roster building thread.

 

[I Eat Crow]

Kakko + Chytil + 1st for Eichel. Do it JG.

That's waaaaay too much.

My offer is DeAngelo, Buchnevich, Keane, and a middle round pick. Take it or leave it.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

That's waaaaay too much.

My offer is DeAngelo, Buchnevich, Keane, and a middle round pick. Take it or leave it.

Okay my offer was maybe too much but yours is not enough. No team would ever accept that. Drop Chytil and thats a good offer. Kakko + 1st. Maybe add Buch. Eichel is only 23 and odds are very high (pretty much a guarantee) neither Kakko nor that 1st will ever be as good as him. Eichel + Zib + Chytil down the middle for the long term, yes pls.

 

[Cassano]

Kakko + Chytil + 1st for Eichel. Do it JG.

Tough pill to swallow, but I'd do it. Core is in place that is capable of winning multiple cups with Shesty, Eichel, Panarin, Trouba and Fox. Ideally we can move salary in the trade as well with Staal and we get a 1st rounder in a deep draft back with the Kreider trade.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Tough pill to swallow, but I'd do it. Core is in place that is capable of winning multiple cups with Shesty, Eichel, Panarin, Trouba and Fox. Ideally we can move salary in the trade as well with Staal and we get a 1st rounder in a deep draft back with the Kreider trade.

Well it would take more than that to win a cup, let alone multiple, but its a great foundation and i don't have any doubts we can fill in the gaps for depth, and we still have a lot of high end prospects on the way

 

[I Eat Crow]

Man, you guys are too quick to give up on Kakko.

He's 18. 18. 18.

Did I mention he's 18?

I'd have been shocked if he was a PPG player out of the gate. It's too soon to deal him unless McDavid is the player coming back.

I'd prefer not to trade Chytil, but if he's headlining a package for Eichel, I'm ok with it. The reality of it is that we aren't in a position yet to trade multiple roster pieces for a player unless its for pennies on the dollar.

 

[RGY]

Interesting

 

[Edge]

Can't wait to call them the Crackheads.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Man, you guys are too quick to give up on Kakko.

He's 18. 18. 18.

Did I mention he's 18?

I'd have been shocked if he was a PPG player out of the gate. It's too soon to deal him unless McDavid is the player coming back.

I'd prefer not to trade Chytil, but if he's headlining a package for Eichel, I'm ok with it. The reality of it is that we aren't in a position yet to trade multiple roster pieces for a player unless its for pennies on the dollar.

im not giving up on him. But I’d give him up for Eichel without even a second thought.

oh and a month from now he officially won’t be 18 anymore so hopefully people can stop spamming “HE’s eIGhtEEn!!!1” by then.

 

[Bob Richards]

Sasquatch was right there and they flubbed it.

Unreal.

 

[aufheben]

Kraken is the shittiest name

 

[LeetchisGod]

Kraken is the ****tiest name

I couldn't disagree more. I think it's easily the best of the rumored options.

 

[Edge]

While we're debating which top young players we'd throw into a deal for Jack Eichel, we haven't actually mentioned the elephant in the room --- aka the $10 million salary coming back the other way and the subsequent moves we'd have to make to fit it in.

Because you can't trade a handful of ELCs for an 8 figure annual salary, after just signing another 8 figure player, and not have to do some serious shuffling.

 

[NYR94]

Interesting

Liam Neeson has to announce them before they come out on the ice. Release the Kraken.

 

[Yuck]

I like the Kraken name.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Sasquatch was right there and they flubbed it.

Unreal.

They got hung up on the question of Bigfoots vs. Bigfeet.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Kraken is so bad

And the rumored red black and white colors are horrendous

Like they had an opportunity to do some cool colors and they come in with this lame stuff

 

[Thirty One]

Still think it should have been the Supersonics.

 

[Off Sides]

Still think it should have been the Supersonics.

That is so last decade, should have been Super-Duper Sonics

 

[Off Sides]

Wow that was over a decade ago, I feel even older than I did a minute ago.

 

[Inferno]

While we're debating which top young players we'd throw into a deal for Jack Eichel, we haven't actually mentioned the elephant in the room --- aka the $10 million salary coming back the other way and the subsequent moves we'd have to make to fit it in.

Because you can't trade a handful of ELCs for an 8 figure annual salary, after just signing another 8 figure player, and not have to do some serious shuffling.

I mentioned it.

 

[Irishguy42]

Lol the Kassian deal

3.2x4 is garbage

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Lol the Kassian deal

3.2x4 is garbage

That deal is just a clever way to pay McDavid more money

 

[KOVALEV022473]