GDT: Game 51: Columbus Blue Jackets @ Utah Hockey Club | 1/31/25 7:00 p.m. MST | Utah16, Arizona61

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

Was Valimaki a healthy scratch ? Or is he injured?


Thanks

I haven't heard of an injury. I believe it was a healthy scratch. He's been disappointing this season.

 

[Jakey53]

I think we need a good 2C more than anything and it will take another Sergachev type trade to get one.

It's time to start making a few more big trades to finalize the rebuild and go for it, IMO. I want to be "all in" for the 2026-27 season (not just make the playoffs, actually competing in the playoffs.) We have the assets to do just that and still have a pipeline that feeds to team for years to come (sustainability.)

I'm willing to trade Iginla, picks, (anyone not named Keller, Cooley, Guenther, But, Simashev, Sergachev, or Marino) for young(ish) but proven players that will be an upgrade to anyone else on the roster. As long as they aren't just short-term solutions or rental types.

Hopefully Maccelli and Crouse figure it out or we'll need upgrades on them too.

I think we have our core and it's time to make trades to build around them with some more young but proven players. We can't keep waiting for all these kids developing outside of the NHL to mature and see where we're at. Time to hit fast forward a bit, IMO.

What is there, 9 contracts expiring at season's end? Most of them won't be back so let's look for players worth more than a one season "show me" contract and aren't from the bargain bin. Fewer stopgaps & placeholders.

Edit: I just think the next phase of this rebuild should focus more on the now and a bit less on a year or two from now. Otherwise, we won't get to where we need to be in a year or two from now. Time to flip some more assets to fill in gaps and make the best roster we can with the assets we have. Still considering long-term sustainability.

I'm not willing to trade Iginla. I believe he will be part of the core.

 

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

I'm not willing to trade Iginla. I believe he will be part of the core.

So do I. If it got down to trading Iginla specifically, as the main piece in a trade, it would have to be for a really good 2C that could also be a core piece that is a little farther along. That's about the extent of my willingness to trade Iginla. I wouldn't use a player like Iginla to fill any other positional need.

Edit: I'm tired of rooting for a team with crappy C depth and players playing two lines too high in the lineup. The team still needs a stronger spine if it's going on any long playoff runs, anytime soon. We aren't going to be able to draft it and wait for it. Might have to overpay for it, if the opportunity even arises. JMO.

Edit x2: I also think it's why BA had at least inquired about Pettersson.

 

[Canis Latrans]

No second scoring line threat this game. It was pretty stagnant until Keller/Schmaltz would go out for most of it. Not going to win many games that way and reminds me of previous seasons.

Maccelli played better since the scratch, but the rest of his line needs to elevate more.

 

[Canis Latrans]

I think we need a good 2C more than anything and it will take another Sergachev type trade to get one.

It's time to start making a few more big trades to finalize the rebuild and go for it, IMO. I want to be "all in" for the 2026-27 season (not just make the playoffs, actually competing in the playoffs.) We have the assets to do just that and still have a pipeline that feeds to team for years to come (sustainability.)

I'm willing to trade Iginla, picks, (anyone not named Keller, Cooley, Guenther, But, Simashev, Sergachev, or Marino) for young(ish) but proven players that will be an upgrade to anyone else on the roster. As long as they aren't just short-term solutions or rental types.

Hopefully Maccelli and Crouse figure it out or we'll need upgrades on them too.

I think we have our core and it's time to make trades to build around them with some more young but proven players. We can't keep waiting for all these kids developing outside of the NHL to mature and see where we're at. Time to hit fast forward a bit, IMO.

What is there, 9 contracts expiring at season's end? Most of them won't be back so let's look for players worth more than a one season "show me" contract and aren't from the bargain bin. Fewer stopgaps & placeholders.

Edit: I just think the next phase of this rebuild should focus more on the now and a bit less on a year or two from now. Otherwise, we won't get to where we need to be in a year or two from now. Time to flip some more assets to fill in gaps and make the best roster we can with the assets we have. Still considering long-term sustainability.

Agree on 2C, but we are waiting on so many prospects to come up that it seems hasty to try and trade for one before we know what we have and don't have on the roster. They'll have free agency to look to as well.

If it's truly a cost like Sergachev, then that would be appealing, but that was just an amazing value trade.

 

[Arizonatah Coyetis]

Agree on 2C, but we are waiting on so many prospects to come up that it seems hasty to try and trade for one before we know what we have and don't have on the roster.

I think the team already has some pretty good projections of what they've got in the system from 5 years of drafting high BPAs, what they still need, what could be improved upon. We don't have a 2C in the system that I'm aware of. Unless I'm forgetting somebody (like you said, we've got so many prospects!)

They'll have free agency to look to as well.

Of course. That's a given. Always start with FA.

If it's truly a cost like Sergachev, then that would be appealing, but that was just an amazing value trade.

Iginla has the highest value of all the prospects I'm willing to trade and 2C is the need I think will be the hardest to find and most expensive to fill. That's why I mentioned him specifically. What kind of C could we possibly get with Iginla+? As much as I'd love to keep him, I'm willing if it fills a hole we've had for over 20 years now, which is C talent and depth.

I think that now is a good time to start trading from areas of strength to fill/upgrade positions in need of improvement. To move the rebuild along. They can't get stuck in a perpetual "wait for the kids" routine. At some point we are going to have to make trades to build the best roster possible. Unless we really do wait patiently for another 5 years, but I doubt they acquired all of these assets to draft, develop, and wait patiently for each and every one to make the team. I think it's a good time to start doing some shopping with all this currency.

That's what I'd like to see anyways.

 

[Stanley Thermos]

I can't help but feel that a season-ending hip surgery isn't a great look for Iginla. I also wonder what his trade value really looks like until he has time time to prove he's back up to pace for at least part of a season.

 

[Canis Latrans]

I think the team already has some pretty good projections of what they've got in the system from 5 years of drafting high BPAs, what they still need, what could be improved upon. We don't have a 2C in the system that I'm aware of. Unless I'm forgetting somebody (like you said, we've got so many prospects!)



Of course. That's a given. Always start with FA.



Iginla has the highest value of all the prospects I'm willing to trade and 2C is the need I think will be the hardest to find and most expensive to fill. That's why I mentioned him specifically. What kind of C could we possibly get with Iginla+? As much as I'd love to keep him, I'm willing if it fills a hole we've had for over 20 years now, which is C talent and depth.

I think that now is a good time to start trading from areas of strength to fill/upgrade positions in need of improvement. To move the rebuild along. They can't get stuck in a perpetual "wait for the kids" routine. At some point we are going to have to make trades to build the best roster possible. Unless we really do wait patiently for another 5 years, but I doubt they acquired all of these assets to draft, develop, and wait patiently for each and every one to make the team. I think it's a good time to start doing some shopping with all this currency.

That's what I'd like to see anyways.

Iginla was playing some center this season before his injury, so I was under the impression he was trying to convert to a center. I'm not sure you want to trade him if he could be the solution as a 2C, but you're probably waiting 3 seasons before he's resembling that role at best. Going that long without the role properly filled is a valid question, and it's an if on whether Iginla turns out. He may even convert back to a winger.

There's also Beaudoin in the system as a center of any significance unless I'm missing someone. I'd expect that down the line the center depth would go Cooley, Iginla, Hayton, Beaudoin, and McBain. I also don't know how Beaudoin projects. Shoring that up with a trade would be good as you can always play 2 centers on a line, just not sure when the make the trade.

There's also the possibility to start trading away draft picks. The picks tend to be more valuable the closer they are, but you might eke out some extra value by trading away a higher round pick more than a season away. Just have to weigh the risk. Realistically, it's probably just an exercise for 1st and 2nd round picks.