Confirmed with Link: (G) J. Markstrom (30% retention) traded to NJ for (D) Kevin Bahl, 2025 1st rd pick (Top 10 protected)

[Emperoreddy]

I suppose if you get a good enough LHD that can kill 2+ minutes a night on average a long with Marino... then you can limit your 2nd groups time somewhat?

What's your solution? Because it seems like your solution is to send Nemec to the AHL and sign a PKer in his place. Or are you suggesting they trade Dougie for a PKer? Or play 11/7 all year?

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

They probably want Zadarov in UFA, it makes too much sense with the PK + hole on the LHD

 

[MartyOwns]

Let's suppose the best case scenario...

Is making the playoffs and getting bounced in a round or maybe even two worth a middle 1st round pick and Bahl?

I don't know at this point I don't think we should be unloading the chambers to just make the playoffs. It seems shortsighted.

the offseason hasn’t even started, i doubt very much fitz is done. let’s see what other moves he makes.

 

[Guttersniped]

Yeah, it's a rough spot. There's just no goalies that are available that I really felt all that comfortable with. Even Ullmark, I don't trust him to handle the workload even though he's a better goalie night in, night out. I want no part of Gibson or Elvis.

I'd have liked to take a chance on Gustavsson or Knight, but there certainly some risk there as well and you could kind of just tell that Fitz was probably going to "shoot higher".

I have concerns about the age, but Markstrom playing at a good level last year probably makes them feel comfortable that he's still capable of playing well next year. I'm wary of the cliff approaching, but nobody ever predicts when the cliff actually happens, especially after a good year. So I kind of get it.

I can’t wait for the bitching if/when Kahkonen has better numbers than Markstrom next year.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

They probably want Zadarov in UFA, it makes too much sense with the PK + hole on the LHD

Yep. I commented on this earlier

 

[guitarguyvic]

I already posted the stats.

Markstrom + Allen last year were 28.6 goals saved above expected better than Vanacek/Daws/Schmid were. It’s a pretty significant upgrade.

If last summer you posted Vitek’s previous season stats, it would have looked like we would be fine with him too. How’d that work out?

This team was a train wreck defensively this year, and xG is a wildly flawed metric that cannot be looked at in a vacuum. This kind of comparison is useless.

 

[devilsblood]

Bahl came into this season with 66 NHL games over 3 seasons....

Luke 2
Nemec 0
Nemec was always playing this season, it was only a matter of how much....no way was he going to get buried in Utica for another full season.

66 Regular season games, over 3 seasons. 77 games total if you include playoffs. That's 88 games if you count the playoffs as twice as important. Which, you know, we all do. 88 games stretched over 3 seasons is basically 100 games played.

We can't know for sure if Nemec would have played at some point. We do know he started the season in the AHL, even when Miller was injured early.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I can’t wait for the bitching if/when Kahkonen has better numbers than Markstrom next year.

Really wish we could keep Kahkkonen.

 

[MartyOwns]

I can’t wait for the bitching if/when Kahkonen has better numbers than Markstrom next year.

i won’t be bitching, but i really do love kahk. i firmly believe he’ll be hard to replace. but the competition here was just too stiff for him to stay up.


urethra.

 

[Guttersniped]

What's your solution? Because it seems like your solution is to send Nemec to the AHL and sign a PKer in his place. Or are you suggesting they trade Dougie for a PKer? Or play 11/7 all year?

Nemec should PK. You learn how to PK by doing it. He had PK time last year and it should be increased.

We’ll still more to replace Smith/Bahl but Nemec did fine on the PK last year.

 

[theoptimist]

Siegenthaler is undefeated

 

[billingtons ghost]

I love how this board props up guys after they leave like Bahl, he was utter garbage last year and one of the bigger issues on the backend with how his play fell from 2023 playoff levels. If Siegs is the 3LD in talent/depth chart, it's a very good thing for the roster. Hatakka also outplayed him in the limited time he got

Because 23 year old defenseman rarely hit their ceiling after like 140 games? Esp when thrust into first pair roles they aren't ready for and they are frigging 6'6'.

Look, the guy isn't exactly going to bloom into Chara, but small, non physical team who already needed a physical defense first Dman as their biggest need just got smaller and weaker and got one or two years of a very good goaltenders IF WE ARE REALLY LUCKY.

you guys know what I think about goaltenders playing behind bad teams. I don't see how we got better here.

Jake Allen was frigging terrific and didn't fix the problem and we actually just got worse before you even factor the 10oa in.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

If last summer you posted Vitek’s previous season stats, it would have looked like we would be fine with him too. How’d that work out?

This team was a train wreck defensively this year, and xG is a wildly flawed metric that cannot be looked at in a vacuum.

Vanecek in 22-23 was 5.6 goals saved above expected, good for 26th in the NHL. Nothing crazy.

 

[Clam Jensen]

Bad trade imo

We lost size at defense and our first in 2025?

Unbelievable, Markstrom ain't about that hype! Jfc

Size is only useful if the big person plays big. He’s not tough to play against. He had that one amazing shift against the rangers last year and that’s about it.

 

[HughesCorporation]

how can you seriously complain about this deal?!?! a 20 something pick and bahl to fix our cage.. im doing the happy dance this is great

 

[Cheddabombs]

Oh man, have like 10 pages to catch up plus this thread is live? I'm missing out on some high octane HF-ing

 

[devilsblood]

I can’t wait for the bitching if/when Kahkonen has better numbers than Markstrom next year.

I mean, will it not be some well deserved bitching?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Because 23 year old defenseman rarely hit their ceiling after like 140 games? Esp when thrust into first pair roles they aren't ready for and they are frigging 6'6'.

Look, the guy isn't exactly going to bloom into Chara, but small, non physical team who already needed a physical defense first Dman as their biggest need just got smaller and weaker and got one or two years of a very good goaltenders IF WE ARE REALLY LUCKY.

you guys know what I think about goaltenders playing behind bad teams. I don't see how we got better here.

Jake Allen was frigging terrific and didn't fix the problem and we actually just got worse before you even factor the 10oa in.

Jake Allen was playing behind half of an NHL team most of the time. Lets be honest about our assessments here..

 

[billingtons ghost]

i won’t be bitching, but i really do love kahk. i firmly believe he’ll be hard to replace. but the competition here was just too stiff for him to stay up.


urethra.

I knew this whole thread would be Kahk and Bahls. Too bad we aren't the Bruins bc it would all make more sense with the accent

 

[JimEIV]

What's your solution? Because it seems like your solution is to send Nemec to the AHL and sign a PKer in his place. Or are you suggesting they trade Dougie for a PKer? Or play 11/7 all year?

I think we're going to have to roll with 7 for a while...not all year but frequently.

I like to see Luke become more well rounded and eventually start to PK....but I think we are a couple of years from that honestly

I really hate the fact that Dougie doesn't PK at all...it really complicated things.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Nemec should PK. You learn how to PK by doing it. He had PK time last year and it should be increased.

We’ll still more to replace Smith/Bahl but Nemec did fine on the PK last year.

I feel like people are missing this exact point, the whole point you get a goalie like Markstrom is the added benefit it gives the youth D. They'll make mistakes and goals will probably be scored on them still, it's the maturation of their position in the sport. But it won't be as often and as soft/disgusting as some of the goals last year were at points

 

[HughesCorporation]

Because 23 year old defenseman rarely hit their ceiling after like 140 games? Esp when thrust into first pair roles they aren't ready for and they are frigging 6'6'.

Look, the guy isn't exactly going to bloom into Chara, but small, non physical team who already needed a physical defense first Dman as their biggest need just got smaller and weaker and got one or two years of a very good goaltenders IF WE ARE REALLY LUCKY.

you guys know what I think about goaltenders playing behind bad teams. I don't see how we got better here.

Jake Allen was frigging terrific and didn't fix the problem and we actually just got worse before you even factor the 10oa in.

you think bahl was physical??? he was only larger than most of our team yes we need a big mean D man now in FA. this was strickly a goalie add

 

[JimEIV]

66 Regular season games, over 3 seasons. 77 games total if you include playoffs. That's 88 games if you count the playoffs as twice as important. Which, you know, we all do. 88 games stretched over 3 seasons is basically 100 games played.

We can't know for sure if Nemec would have played at some point. We do know he started the season in the AHL, even when Miller was injured early.

Is this girl math?

 

[Devilsgrl35]

I'm fine with this. I do love the $6M investment for both goalies. Lots of flexibility with assets and cap. I'm glad it got done before the draft also.

 

[Based Anime Fan]

f***, throw cash at Montour or Skjej.