GDT: Canes @ Rangers 3/11 7PM...If A Canes Game Takes Place...
- Thread starter tomdundo
- Start date
- Oct 31, 2007
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Navin R Slavin
Fifth line center
LOL -- no, he means *if* we go 12-3-2, we've got a 71% of getting in at that point.
Our chances of going 12-3-2? Currently about 6%.
(Or 100% if they play the game the right way, work hard, backcheck but not too much, north-south, leadership.)
--hank
- Oct 31, 2007
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Stickpucker
Playmaka
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raynman
Registered User
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I know it's an incredibly small sample size and maybe even wishful thinking but what if Ward does return to form? Do you roll with arguably the best goalie duo in the league? Assuming Ward returns to form of course. Or do you flip him for some much needed cap relief and maybe a top 4 d-man?
DaveG
Noted Jerk
Right now I'd say, if he returns to form and you can find a taker for his entire contract (no cap eating) you move him and use the money you save to upgrade 2nd pairing and 3rd line.
Right now, set to go to UFA:
Zidlicky
Meszaros
Schultz
Tallinder
Robidas
Klesla
Greene
Morris
Niskanen
Hainsey
Stralman
Obviously, Hainsey's ours and we need to re-sign him, and obviously not all these guys are going to make it to UFA. Pittsburgh, Philly, Boston, and even LA are going to have to make some tough decisions on who to keep. I can easily see Mesz or Niskanen ending up here in the offseason, especially since we have Komi coming off the books.
The only thing that makes me think we're not going to be major players on the D UFA front is that we have Faulk, Sekera, Murphy, Bellemore, Harrison, and Liles already. But I honestly think there's a decent chance we could trade someone cost effective like Bellemore at the draft to one of the big spenders in order to bring in one of these guys.
Right now, set to go to UFA:
Zidlicky
Meszaros
Schultz
Tallinder
Robidas
Klesla
Greene
Morris
Niskanen
Hainsey
Stralman
Obviously, Hainsey's ours and we need to re-sign him, and obviously not all these guys are going to make it to UFA. Pittsburgh, Philly, Boston, and even LA are going to have to make some tough decisions on who to keep. I can easily see Mesz or Niskanen ending up here in the offseason, especially since we have Komi coming off the books.
The only thing that makes me think we're not going to be major players on the D UFA front is that we have Faulk, Sekera, Murphy, Bellemore, Harrison, and Liles already. But I honestly think there's a decent chance we could trade someone cost effective like Bellemore at the draft to one of the big spenders in order to bring in one of these guys.
The opinion of Ward across the league is very low (and rightly so). He'd have to have half of next season in top form to reverse what's happened over the last few years. And even then...it's 6 million dollars, teams aren't going to take a flier on him, IMO.
I've never been in the trade Ward boat but the more I have thought about it, it makes a lot of sense. And then signing Dobby was the final piece in that.
But at this point, you aren't going to get anything for him. Maybe you find someone looking for a number 1 who is willing to give you a pick or a prospect, but you aren't getting a Ryan Kessler for him. And do we make that kind of move? Unless we need to free up 5 million to sign a top tier FA, I doubt it.
Best case scenario for the team at this point is Ward lights the world on fire for the rest of the season and someone grabs him in the offseason.
Assuming that doesn't happen, the situation gets really really tricky.
I then think you move Peters in the offseason.
If this team is winning next year, there is no doubt it will be because Ward and or Dobby is having a great year.
If it's Ward that is having a good year and not Dobby, you can't trade Ward now.
If it's Dobby having a good year and not Ward, then you are where you are now - with no one wanting him b/c of the contract.
If they both are, do you want to mess with that 1-2 punch on a winning team?
If the team is losing, I can't imagine many scenarios where Ward is having a good year and the team isn't.
It's just a big mess right now. As much as I'm a JR defender, he hasn't handled the goaltender situation well at all this year.
But at this point, you aren't going to get anything for him. Maybe you find someone looking for a number 1 who is willing to give you a pick or a prospect, but you aren't getting a Ryan Kessler for him. And do we make that kind of move? Unless we need to free up 5 million to sign a top tier FA, I doubt it.
Best case scenario for the team at this point is Ward lights the world on fire for the rest of the season and someone grabs him in the offseason.
Assuming that doesn't happen, the situation gets really really tricky.
I then think you move Peters in the offseason.
If this team is winning next year, there is no doubt it will be because Ward and or Dobby is having a great year.
If it's Ward that is having a good year and not Dobby, you can't trade Ward now.
If it's Dobby having a good year and not Ward, then you are where you are now - with no one wanting him b/c of the contract.
If they both are, do you want to mess with that 1-2 punch on a winning team?
If the team is losing, I can't imagine many scenarios where Ward is having a good year and the team isn't.
It's just a big mess right now. As much as I'm a JR defender, he hasn't handled the goaltender situation well at all this year.
What? What else could he have done, except find a sports psych for Ward (or at least one that actually worked)? He re-signed the most important piece in Khudobin. If you could just cut Ward, like in the NFL, I'm of the opinion he would have.
I was moreso speaking about not moving one of them.
I guess I just can't believe we are keeping three goalies on the roster each night.
- Oct 31, 2007
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I don't see why, if Ward does return to form, you simply don't keep that duo in net.
Yes, there are some holes in the lineup that need to be addressed and moving Ward's salary would definitely go a long way toward filling those holes. But how much do we really trust JR to use that salary cap space wisely? Or to acquire players that would help the team more than a "returned-to-form" Ward? Ward, at his best, has found great success behind teams that were much worse than the lineup we have now. If he returns to that level of play, there's no telling how successful he can be.
And then there's the issue of spending year after year attempting to find a decent backup goaltender, then finally finding him...only to make him the starter. Moving Ward would mean we'd need to continue to spend year after year finding another decent backup.
Yes, there are some holes in the lineup that need to be addressed and moving Ward's salary would definitely go a long way toward filling those holes. But how much do we really trust JR to use that salary cap space wisely? Or to acquire players that would help the team more than a "returned-to-form" Ward? Ward, at his best, has found great success behind teams that were much worse than the lineup we have now. If he returns to that level of play, there's no telling how successful he can be.
And then there's the issue of spending year after year attempting to find a decent backup goaltender, then finally finding him...only to make him the starter. Moving Ward would mean we'd need to continue to spend year after year finding another decent backup.
VAcaniac
SHOOT THE PUCK
I want whatever you guys are smoking. Second win in last 9 and you guys are so optimistic. I've been burned too many times wearing the rose-colored sunglasses.
Canes will probably win next 5 to get you guys hooked. Just say no!
Canes will probably win next 5 to get you guys hooked. Just say no!
At this point in the season it really makes no difference. I doubt, with all the goalies on the move at the trade deadline, all much more proven than Peters, that there was any market at all for him.
VAcaniac
SHOOT THE PUCK
I really don't understand why we would be upset to lose Peters? Is he worth a bag of pucks?
Joe McGrath
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2009
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The only way the Canes can move Ward is to a colossal moron who strikes out in FA to fill their massive hole in net. This is where we pray for Garth Snow to not be fired.
Exactly. As I said earlier, unless he lights the world on fire the next month - aka play like he did last night every single game - it's not gonna happen.
Let me try it another way - nobody wants Justin Peters. We couldn't GIVE him away if we wanted to.
There's still 17 games out there.
We are at 65 points. 93 minimum makes it. That's 14-3 or something like 13-2-2.
Possible? Yes. Of course. In our Stanley Cup year the Devils won something like 13 in a row to finish a season and win the Atlantic. It's been done before.
But if you have no hickups against the current non playoff teams (Buffalo, Edmonton, Winnipeg, NYI, Florida, Ottawa, NJ, Washington and Detroit), you still have to get 10 points in the 8 games against playoff teams (at Boston, at Columbus, at Chicago, Columbus, at Pittsburgh, Dallas, at NYR and at Philly).
Each hickup in the 9 non-playoff team set means 2 more points in the playoff team set of games.
But we all know this team will win like 4 in a row now to keep everyone hopefull.
You questioned my critique of JR's handling the goalie situation.
If we couldn't give him away, why did we not just put him on waivers and send him back to Charlotte? Clearly there was a concern about someone grabbing him. And if you feel that is unfounded, then how can you not get somewhat uspet with JR about this?
Ok, I get what you are saying. I guess the end result is that we would never gain anything if Peters would be put on waivers and claimed, so the ONLY downside would be that if he was indeed claimed, and either Ward or Khudobin got hurt, we're back to Murphy being the backup. Which is not what anyone wants.
Again, maybe JR thought there at least would be a low round pick thrown at him so he waited. There isn't anyone really "waiting in the wings" where Peters' roster spot is holding them back in Charlotte...so I don't see it as a big deal. It wasn't really a gamble IMO, more like an educated guess with no downside.
VAcaniac
SHOOT THE PUCK
Believe me I know what is possible. We could have beaten Columbus in December, Winnipeg in February, and Buffalo in February. If we could just assume we win games we should, we'd only be 2 points out of the playoffs right now.
I would love nothing else but to be proved wrong.
Navin R Slavin
Fifth line center
"Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man."
--Nietzsche
Joe McGrath
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2009
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It would be hilarious if these clowns won something like 9 in a row and then lost the rest of their games.
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