Rumor: In-season Proposals, Rumors, Free Agents & Roster Moves (related topics) LXXXI

[tucker3434]

Really liked that Roy interview today. Good to hear him talk about the defense and finding a partner for EJ. At some point they'll have to pull the trigger though, either by overpaying a bit in a trade or in free agency. I'd rather they just do it once and maybe hand out a contract that'll hurt in a few years than keep rolling with the cheaper (and much crappier) alternatives. Sakic/Roy haven't been on the job long but as fans we've been hearing the same thing about the defense for many years now.

For example, Paul Martin. He'll be 34 years old to start next season but he can still play. I wouldn't be against a contract that looks painful in the final year because he'll be a good addition and by that time they'll know what they have in Bigras, Geertsen, Siemens, etc. Someone like Martin will be a good stop gap to the prospects. They basically did the same thing with Iggy by giving him that third year so why not do it to address your biggest need?

Roy did say they were looking for a long term solution and not some 35 year old. In trade, I totallynagree with that. In UFA, I dont. I'd be all for a guy like Paul Martin on a 3 year deal.

 

[Foppa2118]

Roy on the radio show today putting to rest everyone's fears that they'll just settle on Hejda again on the top pairing.

"We know that we need a defenseman to play with EJ on the top pairing. We see that, and we get it."

"We tried! Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to tell you exactly what we did, but we tried to get a young defenseman that we believe will be part of our core. We're not just gonna add a 34, 35 year old defenseman free agent or something like this, to fit in. Because we're not here for the short term, we're here for the long term."

I wonder who the defenseman is he's talking about though? He also said in the same interview that they never put O'Reilly on the table, so presuming that's true, who would they be giving up for young defenseman, and how good could they be given their lack of quality to move besides ROR?

 

[cgf]

I'm guessing it was Duchene for Pysyk and a 2nd round pick...

 

[InjuredChoker]

leddy?

 

[henchman21]

There are probably 15-20 names you could put down and it would be a solid guess.

 

[Avs_19]

Roy did say they were looking for a long term solution and not some 35 year old. In trade, I totallynagree with that. In UFA, I dont. I'd be all for a guy like Paul Martin on a 3 year deal.

Yeah, I heard him say that. At the same time though, they recently traded a 2nd round pick for a 35 year old Stuart with the thought of him being EJ's partner in the short-term. That contract is a lot cheaper than what Martin will get but if you're willing to go with a veteran stop gap, go with someone good. Something like 3 yrs, $5.5M AAV for Martin. Maybe the long-term solution is a guy like Bigras. They just have to find someone to do a competent job until he's ready.

 

[Avs44]

Roy on the radio show today putting to rest everyone's fears that they'll just settle on Hejda again on the top pairing.





I wonder who the defenseman is he's talking about though? He also said in the same interview that they never put O'Reilly on the table, so presuming that's true, who would they be giving up for young defenseman, and how good could they be given their lack of quality to move besides ROR?

I am guessing it was a project. Likely names we have heard before. Cowen. Kulikov. Leddy. Hopefully they eventually find someone, but I have my doubts about teams being willing to move said young defender.

 

[Foppa2118]

There are probably 15-20 names you could put down and it would be a solid guess.

Would they be a solid defenseman though?

Have a weird/bad feeling it was Gardiner.

 

[Ice Crusher]

Roy on the radio show today putting to rest everyone's fears that they'll just settle on Hejda again on the top pairing.





I wonder who the defenseman is he's talking about though? He also said in the same interview that they never put O'Reilly on the table, so presuming that's true, who would they be giving up for young defenseman, and how good could they be given their lack of quality to move besides ROR?

My bet is on Kulikov.

Too long I've been hearing his name. At the 2013 draft, there was a rumor coming down from a good source of mine close to Roy in Quebec that they were doing everything they could at the draft to get Kulikov on their team. Take it with a grain of salt but it makes too much god damn sense now.

 

[Avs_19]

Patrick Wiercioch: analytics vs. eyeball test

Surprised someone didn't take a chance on him.

 

[henchman21]

Would they be a solid defenseman though?

If we are going to by the boards definition/standards? Probably not. Going by a their pro scouts definition? Yep.

Teams don't routinely trade young defensemen that are doing well, so somebody would object to anybody they traded for and the price that was paid.

Gardiner is one of the defensemen that could be a solid guess. The kid has a skill set that I can see the Avs desiring.

 

[tigervixxxen]

Is anyone seriously going to be mad if they end up getting someone better than Hejda? I mean I'm sure someone will. But should they not try because they are already behind in the asset management tally? If they let Hejda walk and bring in someone like Mezsaros and pay him 2-3M then yeah I see being pissed. Or what if they feel like Bigras is ready (not saying he is but what if they think that) and keep him off the roster? just think their options are open is all.

 

[Foppa2118]

If we are going to by the boards definition/standards? Probably not. Going by a their pro scouts definition? Yep.

Teams don't routinely trade young defensemen that are doing well, so somebody would object to anybody they traded for and the price that was paid.

Gardiner is one of the defensemen that could be a solid guess. The kid has a skill set that I can see the Avs desiring.

Yea see to me that's what's scary. I see Gardiner as a left handed roving puck mover like Barrie. I don't think he'll ever be that good defensively. I'd rather they just plan on playing Bigras next to EJ if that's who they were eyeing, because I think Bigras will at least be able to defend well.

 

[Avs_19]

Yea see to me that's what's scary. I see Gardiner as a left handed Barrie. I don't think he'll ever be that good defensively. I'd rather they just plan on playing Bigras next EJ if that's who they were eyeing, because I think Bigras will at least be able to defend well.

I think that's an insult to Barrie.

I thought Gardiner finally took the next step vs the Bruins in the playoffs and was going to become a very good defenseman. Instead he regressed defensively and even his offensive play and decision making has gotten worse.

 

[henchman21]

Is anyone seriously going to be mad if they end up getting someone better than Hejda? I mean I'm sure someone will. But should they not try because they are already behind in the asset management tally? If they let Hejda walk and bring in someone like Mezsaros and pay him 2-3M then yeah I see being pissed. Or what if they feel like Bigras is ready (not saying he is but what if they think that) and keep him off the roster? just think their options are open is all.

Orpik is better than Hejda, and this board (including me) would have been unhappy with the deal he got. It is all relative. If they trade for a defensemen, it will be one that has had struggles, or will be for an overpayment. Somebody will find an issue with it. Feel free to quote me on this when it happens.

Yea see to me that's what's scary. I see Gardiner as a left handed Barrie. I don't think he'll ever be that good defensively. I'd rather they just plan on playing Bigras next EJ if that's who they were eyeing, because I think Bigras will at least be able to defend well.

Gardiner and Barrie while both offense first defensmen are different types of defensemen. We have all been around in circles around him specifically... no sense in re-hashing it for the 50th time. I think the Avs are going to target somebody with a skill set they desire, and I can see the Avs liking his.

 

[Freudian]

Roy doesn't care for Elliott at all and Gardiner is a similar player. I can't imagine Roy wanting a player that loses that many puck battles and is afraid of being hit. But if he got sold on Stuart as a top pairing LD, I guess he could get sold on Gardiner.

 

[Avs44]

Yea see to me that's what's scary. I see Gardiner as a left handed roving puck mover like Barrie. I don't think he'll ever be that good defensively. I'd rather they just plan on playing Bigras next to EJ if that's who they were eyeing, because I think Bigras will at least be able to defend well.

He is not. A significantly bigger liability in his own end, reads the play quite poorly and often gets burned for it, rushes passes against hard for-checkers and puts the puck right on the stick of the opposition, prone to floating at times, shies away from any physical contact which results in poor decisions with the puck, and apparently has lost quite a bit of his confidence offensively from what I have witnessed. That part of his game I believe he can get back with a fresh start, and he does also have the skating ability to jump in the rush and get back in time if it turns out to be a poor decision, but he does not have the brain to be anything more, in my opinion, than a near disaster in his own end. He just has no clue how to play opposing forwards in his own end. He is a puck mover who turns the puck over far too much (might be able to be fixed) and who cannot handle himself without the puck (I don't believe it can be fixed).


Barrie strikes me as superior in nearly every facet of the game.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I can definitely see them targeting skill sets/players. I feel like they want more of a two way defenseman however.

On the Hejda thing I just mean about his roster spot. I can't believe just because he wasn't traded that people want his roster spot written in ink. The terms of the deal or trade or whatever that brings someone else in is an entirely different topic.

 

[Ice Crusher]

I can definitely see them targeting skill sets/players. I feel like they want more of a two way defenseman however.

On the Hejda thing I just mean about his roster spot. I can't believe just because he wasn't traded that people want his roster spot written in ink. The terms of the deal or trade or whatever that brings someone else in is an entirely different topic.

Like I said before...It's Kulikov. They've seen plenty of him in the juniors. Can be effective everywhere he plays.

 

[Foppa2118]

Gardiner and Barrie while both offense first defensmen are different types of defensemen. We have all been around in circles around him specifically... no sense in re-hashing it for the 50th time. I think the Avs are going to target somebody with a skill set they desire, and I can see the Avs liking his.

Didn't think we've really discussed him much in this context before, but they really aren't that different. You watch when Gardiner's had success offensively and he's flying around the whole offensive zone like Barrie does. He's jumping way down low into the play by the faceoff circles or in front of the net. He's leading rushes, he's circling the net, he's taking wristers from in close. He's not limiting himself to the point or only to his side of the ice. That's how Barrie plays offensively.

He's also never really displayed a strong defensive awareness, and doesn't play a particularly physical brand of D. They're not mirror images of each other, but they're not really that different either. Barrie just is playing with a lot more confidence right now.

 

[bohlmeister]

Like I said before...It's Kulikov. They've seen plenty of him in the juniors. Can be effective everywhere he plays.

Yeah. I can see that being an offseason move. Florida wanted to keep him for the playoff run.

 

[Avs_19]

I don't know if I should laugh, be concerned, or think nothing of the fact that Roy very rarely mentions Siemens. He'll slip in the occasional "we were happy with his training camp" but I don't think they like him very much.

 

[Ice Crusher]

Yeah. I can see that being an offseason move. Florida wanted to keep him for the playoff run.

But I think they tried to get him since the 2013 draft but it just never worked out.

 

[Foppa2118]

Like I said before...It's Kulikov. They've seen plenty of him in the juniors. Can be effective everywhere he plays.

Yeah. I can see that being an offseason move. Florida wanted to keep him for the playoff run.

I don't know what they could give up to get him though at this point, unless it's their 1st for Kulikov+ or something.

Kulikov has increased his value since last year when they talked about him. McGinn, Wilson, and Elliott have little to no value now, and I'm not sure what else they have that would entice Florida to move him. I don't think guys like Hishon and Siemens make sense. I think the Panthers would need a good NHL player, and unless they're still interested in McGinn with 1 year left, I don't think the Avs have that if ROR's off the table.

 

[viach]

Yeah. I can see that being an offseason move. Florida wanted to keep him for the playoff run.

Agree. But I remember at the draft, Roy also like so much Gudbranson ...