Speculation: AVS Proposals/Rumors/Free Agents & Related Topics 2016-17 Part XVII

[tigervixxxen]

All I can say is that Sakic is a dumb **** if he does not take advantage of the top four defenders that could be moved for way less than normal because of expansion.

They should probably do the 8/1 rule and end up protecting 5 defenders lol.

A team like AZ has way more assets to be aggressive with a move like that. What can we offer that they can't easily improve on?

 

[CobraAcesS]

A team like AZ has way more assets to be aggressive with a move like that. What can we offer that they can't easily improve on?

There is probably going to be more than one available. We might not get the best one, but if we can solve our second pairing left side issue with that and someone who has some term at a reasonable cost, they should.

LA will probably have to move one of Martinez or Muzzin, and Minnesota will likely move one of their guys as well. There should be one or two teams I'm forgetting also. Getting a guy that is 27-31 still fits IMO. 34/35 is the scary year for these guys most of the time. If you can get a strong stop gap for 2-4 years it will be valuable.

I'm also not operating on the idea that they are going to tank intentionally next season. So one would assume they are still looking at ways to improve the roster for next season, but focusing on longer term solutions (2 plus years).

 

[AllAboutAvs]

There is probably going to be more than one available. We might not get the best one, but if we can solve our second pairing left side issue with that and someone who has some term at a reasonable cost, they should.

LA will probably have to move one of Martinez or Muzzin, and Minnesota will likely move one of their guys as well. There should be one or two teams I'm forgetting also. Getting a guy that is 27-31 still fits IMO. 34/35 is the scary year for these guys most of the time. If you can get a strong stop gap for 2-4 years it will be valuable.

I'm also not operating on the idea that they are going to tank intentionally next season. So one would assume they are still looking at ways to improve the roster for next season, but focusing on longer term solutions (2 plus years).

I still think a Duchene for Ekholm++ deal would be very good for the Avs.

 

[dahrougem2]

LA will probably have to move one of Martinez or Muzzin

Why will they have to move one of them?

 

[Foppberg]

I still think a Duchene for Ekholm++ deal would be very good for the Avs.

Yeah, same. We're not going to get a Jones esque defender for Duchene at this point. Getting something like Ekholm + Fiala with maybe another plus, would be nice.

 

[Balthazar]

Why will they have to move one of them?

Too many guys with NMC?

On a related note, with all those vets on long term contracts and absolutely nothing left in the farm, LA is in an even bigger mess than we are. It's a disaster that they are missing the playoffs this year. It will take them a decade to get out of there, paying Kopitar, Brown and Doughty big bucks for nothing.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Yeah, same. We're not going to get a Jones esque defender for Duchene at this point. Getting something like Ekholm + Fiala with maybe another plus, would be nice.

I would love to get Fabbro somehow in that deal.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Why will they have to move one of them?

A combination of cap concerns, and Forbort playing well while needing to be protected and only costing 650K.

 

[dahrougem2]

Too many guys with NMC?

On a related note, with all those vets on long term contracts and absolutely nothing left in the farm, LA is in an even bigger mess than we are. It's a disaster that they are missing the playoffs this year. It will take them a decade to get out of there, paying Kopitar, Brown and Doughty big bucks for nothing.

Cap Friendly lists Kopitar as the only player with a NMC.

If they protect 3 defensemen, it'll be Doughty, Muzzin, and Martinez most likely. McNabb isn't good enough to warrant losing one of Muzzin/Martinez

 

[Avs44]

Cap Friendly lists Kopitar as the only player with a NMC.

If they protect 3 defensemen, it'll be Doughty, Muzzin, and Martinez most likely. McNabb isn't good enough to warrant losing one of Muzzin/Martinez

They'll protect four, they are absolutely protecting Forbort. The only forwards worth protecting up front are Carter, Kopitar, Pearson, and Toffoli.

 

[Balthazar]

Cap Friendly lists Kopitar as the only player with a NMC.

Ok, I don't know why they would expose one of them then. AFAIK Minny is the only team that will have to expose a real top 4 dman...and Vegas will need him badly.

 

[CobraAcesS]

Cap Friendly lists Kopitar as the only player with a NMC.

If they protect 3 defensemen, it'll be Doughty, Muzzin, and Martinez most likely. McNabb isn't good enough to warrant losing one of Muzzin/Martinez

See my post above, as Forbort is playing around 20 minutes a night at this point. Gaborik sucking balls with no sure fire forwards coming is hurting them as well. Their forward ranks are stagnating while they do actually have some younger cheaper defenders ready to make the jump.

 

[CobraAcesS]

They'll protect four, they are absolutely protecting Forbort. The only forwards worth protecting up front are Carter, Kopitar, Pearson, and Toffoli.

It's both cap and expansion related was my point. Which is exactly why they were trying to get Landeskog for Muzzin.

 

[Chileiceman]

Yeah, same. We're not going to get a Jones esque defender for Duchene at this point. Getting something like Ekholm + Fiala with maybe another plus, would be nice.

Ekholm for Duchene straight up is much more likely

 

[Wintersun]

Would love to get Fabbro in a deal with Nashville. Think he's going to be very good and has that ability to breakout effectively and make good tape to tape passes that we lack so much.

 

[Perratrooper]

Would love to get Fabbro in a deal with Nashville. Think he's going to be very good and has that ability to breakout effectively and make good tape to tape passes that we lack so much.

While it is I think I prefer a Fiala+Ekholm package.

 

[Perratrooper]

I want us to re-sign Grigs, I know that might not be the popular idea around here, but I honestly think he could still become something. Why give up on a 22 year old who is 6th on our team in scoring. I know that's not saying much on this team, but I honestly think if we moved him to center (his natural position) we'd see an overall improvement in his game.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I want us to re-sign Grigs, I know that might not be the popular idea around here, but I honestly think he could still become something. Why give up on a 22 year old who is 6th on our team in scoring. I know that's not saying much on this team, but I honestly think if we moved him to center (his natural position) we'd see an overall improvement in his game.

Of course we would. He's smart, well positioned, great on faceoffs but incredibly weak and poor on the boards. Blows my mind that anybody would ever even try him on the wing.

 

[Perratrooper]

Of course we would. He's smart, well positioned, great on faceoffs but incredibly weak and poor on the boards. Blows my mind that anybody would ever even try him on the wing.

Exactly, I don't know why we haven't tried it more, especially this year! He's improved a lot on his d play and still has great vision. I'd have no problem with him centering our third line next year with players like Compher and Greer on his wings who go into the dirty areas and also play have decent in their own zone.

 

[Avs71]

All things considered, I think MacKinnon has had a better year this season than last year. He's produced almost the same on a team that is pretty much half as good.

 

[Perratrooper]

All things considered, I think MacKinnon has had a better year this season than last year. He's produced almost the same on a team that is pretty much half as good.

Great point! I definitely think he's gotten better this year over last and it's unfortunate he lost confidence and the team played terrible. Assuming we bounce back to an okay team I would expect him to put up 65-70 points.

 

[henchman21]

All things considered, I think MacKinnon has had a better year this season than last year. He's produced almost the same on a team that is pretty much half as good.

Yep... when all the other players are producing this bad and his production is close, I'd say he did alright, all things considered. With how hot that line is, I could see 55 points happening.

 

[dahrougem2]

The thing that irks me the most about MacKinnon are his decisions with the puck. The production is going to happen, he's way, way too talented for it not to happen. I just hate his decision making but I don't think that's something which will improve. We saw it last night vs Washington. A game where he is playing so well and so hard but continues to make poor decision after poor decision with the puck. It's maddening.

 

[Avs71]

If he made good decisions with the puck consistently, he is probably in a tier just slightly below McDavid. Don't see it ever happening either, but hopefully with guys like Jost, Rantanen, and maybe the 1st round pick this season, we see more high IQ players surrounding MacKinnon. Might be a little less maddening watching MacKinnon if that were the case.

Nevertheless, on a year where Duchene's negative +/- matches his point totals, Landeskog playing at not even a 40 point pace, and the rest of the roster being made up of trash, ~55 points isn't too bad. (Andrighetto and Rantanen have certainly helped and aren't lumped in with the trash).

 

[henchman21]

The thing that irks me the most about MacKinnon are his decisions with the puck. The production is going to happen, he's way, way too talented for it not to happen. I just hate his decision making but I don't think that's something which will improve. We saw it last night vs Washington. A game where he is playing so well and so hard but continues to make poor decision after poor decision with the puck. It's maddening.

He need to be surrounded with smart players. That is part of the reason he works so well with Rants. Ghetto is decent in a complementary role there, because he has real good instincts with the puck. If Bednar breaks up that line, I may go postal.

MacK won't be a perfect player, but surround him with the right types of players and he will be a good to great #1C.