GDT: Free agency madness, brought to you by the letter G - PART 2

[Ice-Tray]

The D will be in better shape than at any point last year. Hamonic is an add. Sanderson is an add. Brannstrom closed out the year well and had a summer to get stronger. And the forward group is considerably stronger which puts less pressure on the D.

I'm actually excited to see Brannstrom on PP 2. Last year for a lot of the season he was the only guy on PP 2 that actually belonged on an NHL PP. Him and White in White's limited time. That 2nd PP will be able to score and Brannstrom's point totals should benefit from it

That and Talbot. Goaltending should be a strength to start the season, as opposed to what happened last season, and the season before.

 

[Peptic Balcers]

What are you willing to give up to unload Zaitsev and acquire the top 4 D ?

To unload a Zaitsev? Going rate seems to be one Connor brown

 

[UglyPuckling]

What are you willing to give up to unload Zaitsev and acquire the top 4 D ?

Plus, we are 10% under the cap ceiling now, so if its about the same thing next year, you got to make the roster work with $76 m cap. That assumes the team doesn't increase its spending level, or that the cap doesn't go up more than what was announced via the CBA revisions and Bettman.

 

[GCK]

To unload a Zaitsev? Going rate seems to be one Connor brown

Unloading Zaitsev would cost picks or prospects not another salary.

 

[GCK]

Plus, we are 10% under the cap ceiling, so if its about the same thing next year, you got to make the roster work with $76 m cap. That assumes the team doesn't increase its spending level, or that the cap doesn't go up more than what was announced via the CBA revisions and Bettman.

Even spending to the cap adding another contract of a top 4 D would require unloading/not re-signing Debrincat, Zub or Batherson on top of Zaitsev.

Chabot, Brady, Norris, Stu and Giroux aren’t going anywhere and they will eat just under 40M of cap space.

 

[Micklebot]

DJ calling the defense adequate is pretty telling that they gotta add someone

Kind of misrepresenting what he said here.

He was asked if what they have right now is good enough, he cautioned about whether Brannstrom and Sanderson can take the next step. Followed that up by saying what they have us adequate, but if one of those guys emerges that makes them better, so basically he's not counting on either of them being impact guys when he says they have an adequate group.

What DJ is saying is they need one of Brannstrom or Sanderson to emerge to be better than just good enough. Now, if you don't have faith in Sanderson or Brannstrom emerging as a top 4 guy to push Holden down to the third pair, then I guess we have to add someone.

 

[Micklebot]

Unloading Zaitsev would cost picks or prospects not another salary.

I think that was a joke reference to what Toronto paid to dump him.

 

[bert]

This is extremely optimistic.

There’s improvement. And then there’s improvement that makes a difference. Hamonic on a pair instead of Zaitsev doesn’t take that pair to the next level. And Zaitsev on the third pair instead of anyone else currently slotted to play there certainly doesn’t even improve it it actually makes it worse.

Sanderson needs to be great. Like truly great for that defence to stand a chance

If he emerges as a true top 4 D man they really arent that far off. But thats the huge if for this season in my opinion. I dont think its immediate but I think he can get there, especially if he gets to play with Zub. I think the real hope is that Hamonic or Thomson can play real top 4 minutes with Chabot. If that happens this team might be in pretty good shape. Lots of things need to go right but its not impossible. With a better forward group its going to make it easier on the D core.

Honestly they just need Zaitsev to not be playing. But I dont think that happens, DJ just likes him so much. Getting rid of him would be huge. Massive addition by subtraction.

 

[UglyPuckling]

Even spending to the cap adding another contract of a top 4 D would require unloading/not re-signing Debrincat, Zub or Batherson on top of Zaitsev.

Chabot, Brady, Norris, Stu and Giroux aren’t going anywhere and they will eat just under 40M of cap space.

I agree. I built a spreadsheet so that I can quickly run different permutations (in a few seconds) and test that kind of thing out. Like you say, when you add stuff from the wish list, you quickly realize that it won't work unless something else is done like a subtraction, bridge or whatever. Reality always sucks when you compare it to hope and hypothesis.

To unload a Zaitsev? Going rate seems to be one Connor brown

Unloading Zaitsev would cost picks or prospects not another salary.

I think that was a joke reference to what Toronto paid to dump him.

Ya, I think your right about that, but I was kind of scratching my head as well after reading the post (#2252).

 

[aragorn]

The Sens defence over the course of the next two seasons need to upgrade & replace Zaitsev, Holden, Hamonic & Brannstrom. Two of these guys are UFAs this yr & Zaitsev is a UFA the following yr. One of Thomson or JBD should be able to make this lineup this yr & certainly going into the following yr. At that point they will need Kleven & Roger to establish themselves on the 3rd pairing or if not, replaced through trade to upgrade the 3rd pairing.

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - JBD
Kleven - Thomson/Roger

 

[DrEasy]

I think that was a joke reference to what Toronto paid to dump him.

It could also be true that the pick obtained for trading Brown is what needs to be packaged with Zaitsev to get rid of him.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

It could also be true that the pick obtained for trading Brown is what needs to be packaged with Zaitsev to get rid of him.

I assume that would have been done already if it were that easy.

 

[cudi]

The Sens defence over the course of the next two seasons need to upgrade & replace Zaitsev, Holden, Hamonic & Brannstrom. Two of these guys are UFAs this yr & Zaitsev is a UFA the following yr. One of Thomson or JBD should be able to make this lineup this yr & certainly going into the following yr. At that point they will need Kleven & Roger to establish themselves on the 3rd pairing or if not, replaced through trade to upgrade the 3rd pairing.

Chabot - Zub
Sanderson - JBD
Kleven - Thomson/Roger

at this point Roger is barely an OHL 3rd pairing guy (i exaggerate a bit, but hes going into his OA year and will have to earn a contract. the way he's played since being drafted doesnt look like a guy who deserves an NHL contract)

 

[HSF]

Kind of misrepresenting what he said here.

He was asked if what they have right now is good enough, he cautioned about whether Brannstrom and Sanderson can take the next step. Followed that up by saying what they have us adequate, but if one of those guys emerges that makes them better, so basically he's not counting on either of them being impact guys when he says they have an adequate group.

What DJ is saying is they need one of Brannstrom or Sanderson to emerge to be better than just good enough. Now, if you don't have faith in Sanderson or Brannstrom emerging as a top 4 guy to push Holden down to the third pair, then I guess we have to add someone.

not really misrepresenting. The defense is by DJs words qdequate unless Sanderson (a rookie) or branny (a player that DJ hasn't shown trust in) pick it up and become a LEGIT 2nd pairing NHL defensemen for 82 games

Seems like they are going to add a defensemen here

 

[Micklebot]

not really misrepresenting. The defense is by DJs words qdequate unless Sanderson (a rookie) or branny (a player that DJ hasn't shown trust in) pick it up and become a LEGIT 2nd pairing NHL defensemen for 82 games

Seems like they are going to add a defensemen here

You realize adequate means good enough, and he was hedging to not put too much responsibility on a rookie even though historically comparables to Sanderson have done just that, come in and immediately been a top 4 Dman, right?

Would they like to improve the d, absolutely they have made no attempt to hide that. But it seems pretty obvious by now that they are prepared to go into the season with what they have. The coach made it clear that they aren't relying on rookies to step up in order to be good enough, but there's room for o improve. Dorion has signalled they have a lot of internal competition for the last two spots on the roster, not like they don't have options.

 

[cudi]

Imo at this point we're probably more likely to pick up a Dman off waivers than trade for one. See how this group looks in the pre season and go from there.

 

[Micklebot]

Imo at this point we're probably more likely to pick up a Dman off waivers than trade for one. See how this group looks in the pre season and go from there.

Well, we've got 4 guys on one way deals that are absolute locks, we have Zaitsev who's probably our 3rd pair RD fallback option, we have Brannstrom left to extend, so that's 6 NHL d,

After that, all signs point to Sanderson being a stud, and JBD and Thomson are knocking on the door, so there's 9 options. Heatherington is probably the next in line for callups with Guinette having an outside shot but those last two are really only around if injuries hit us hard

 

[HSF]

You realize adequate means good enough, and he was hedging to not put too much responsibility on a rookie even though historically comparables to Sanderson have done just that, come in and immediately been a top 4 Dman, right?

Would they like to improve the d, absolutely they have made no attempt to hide that. But it seems pretty obvious by now that they are prepared to go into the season with what they have. The coach made it clear that they aren't relying on rookies to step up in order to be good enough, but there's room for o improve. Dorion has signalled they have a lot of internal competition for the last two spots on the roster, not like they don't have options.

Adequate seems like the bare minimum as there is no way a coach is going to take shots at his own players.

Adequate is pretty telling

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Kind of misrepresenting what he said here.

He was asked if what they have right now is good enough, he cautioned about whether Brannstrom and Sanderson can take the next step. Followed that up by saying what they have us adequate, but if one of those guys emerges that makes them better, so basically he's not counting on either of them being impact guys when he says they have an adequate group.

What DJ is saying is they need one of Brannstrom or Sanderson to emerge to be better than just good enough. Now, if you don't have faith in Sanderson or Brannstrom emerging as a top 4 guy to push Holden down to the third pair, then I guess we have to add someone.

No we need to add a top-4 D regardless of whether Branny and Sandy "emerge".

Edit: Hell, for us to be a playoff team we need both that top 4 guy AND for one or two of those kids to take a step forward.

 

[SensFactor]

Chabot Subban
Sanderson Zub
Holden Hamonic
Brannstrom JBD

 

[GCK]

No we need to add a top-4 D regardless of whether Branny and Sandy "emerge".

Edit: Hell, for us to be a playoff team we need both that top 4 guy AND for one or two of those kids to take a step forward.

Sounds like the ask was too high on anyone they wanted. Maybe staying with what we have is the best option.

 

[Psycroptic86]

I take it we're out of "buckle up's" for the time being?

 

[Micklebot]

No we need to add a top-4 D regardless of whether Branny and Sandy "emerge".

Edit: Hell, for us to be a playoff team we need both that top 4 guy AND for one or two of those kids to take a step forward.

I think you're being overly pessimistic.

First 20 games: 4-15-1 48 GF 79 GA
Last 62: 29-2 7-6 179 GF 187 GA

We paced at a 37 pts pace and a shockingly bad -127 goal differential pace in the first 20 games. Those first 20 games, we had to contend with a slew of unexpected injuries in particular to two top 9 centers, terrible goaltending, and a playing through Covid outbreak that took a dozen players out of the lineup. That's not at all representative of what to expect going forward.

The last 62 games are likely a better indication, we still went through some tough situations, Batherson missed over half of those 62 games, Chabot missed 23, Norris missed 16, and Brown missed 14, just to state a few, so injuries were still about what should be expected, but we still managed to pace at a 85 pts pace, and a -11 goal differential pace per 82. We've added Giroux and DeBrincat, and only really lost C.Brown from that group. We also upgraded on Murray with Talbot, will be getting Pinto back, and will have Sanderson who if historical trends for top 10 drafted College D follow, will give us top 4 mins right away.

With a relatively healthy season, we should be a much improved team over the final 62, and that's not even factoring in the much better schedule this year (we easily had the toughest schedule in the league last year). Heck, even if Sanderson plays the entire year in the AHL which is doubtful, this team has a chance at playoffs based on the improvements it made over last years team, provided it can stay healthy.

 

[ksens]

No we need to add a top-4 D regardless of whether Branny and Sandy "emerge".

Edit: Hell, for us to be a playoff team we need both that top 4 guy AND for one or two of those kids to take a step forward.

Agreed. Too many question marks outside of Chabot and Zub, and for the rest of them hope is not a strategy.

Especially, you can't be relying on a rookie D to eat top-4 minutes. It rarely happens; most NHL top-4 caliber D didn't play those kind of minutes in their rookie seasons. Most struggle with consistency over a full NHL season and take a while to adjust. And if that is Sanderson you don't want to rush things and put undue pressure on him because the team doesn't have the D depth and he's being forced to play up the lineup. What we want is Sanderson forcing DJ to play him in the top 4 with his play, not banking our season on it before he has played a single game.

 

[Crosside]

Lundkvist has request a trade. I wonder if he could be a good target