Kasperi Kapanen (Aberg/J Lindgren) Traded to Pittsburgh (15OV/Hallander/E Rod/Warf to Toronto)

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

No one has mentioned this so I'll be the one to do it. How do you all feel about the perceived Nepotism here?

Hainsey = brought back and worked out against the odds - Carolina connection
Johnson = Signed long-term, previous draftee, Carolina connection
Kapanen = Drafted once, traded for again, massive Carolina connection
Cullen = Signed twice, probably going to be an AC, Carolina connection

Go back to Carolina in 2010-2011 when he brought back Corey Stillman thinking he'd still be useful in the top six.

I was talking about this earlier.

It seems like the kind of thing someone defaults to when they are out of ideas and are just tossing shit at the wall.

 

[Andy99]

No one has mentioned this so I'll be the one to do it. How do you all feel about the perceived Nepotism here?

Hainsey = brought back and worked out against the odds - Carolina connection
Johnson = Signed long-term, previous draftee, Carolina connection
Kapanen = Drafted once, traded for again, massive Carolina connection
Cullen = Signed twice, probably going to be an AC, Carolina connection

Go back to Carolina in 2010-2011 when he brought back Corey Stillman thinking he'd still be useful in the top six.

Limited creativity and understanding of players....you have to wonder what the pro scouts and analytics are doing and why they don’t talk him out of this shit? They must be sick and hate their job because the GM has tunnel vision and ignores them...

 

[Ryder71]

I don't know if Yohe actually knows something, but the idea that the rest of the lineup could look "drastically different" supports that this is going to be a busy off-season for JR.

3C will be key, no question.

 

[Andy99]

That's the nature of scouting. But we're hearing similar things from a lot of sources, and Hallander sounds like he has a higher floor than those guys.

JR used Sundqvist as a throw-in not long ago and many questioned that at the time. This feels like a similar situation, and the player we got back doesn't address our issues well enough to justify moving a solid prospect and a mid-1st. There's a lot of "well if he bounces back then maybe..." or "if Sid can teach him to play like he wants then possibly...". And that's without addressing the PP issue.

not to mention we’ve completely drained our limited prospect pool of centers...

 

[WayneSid9987]

Everyone here was penciling in Kapanen.
So that part was obvious.
Hate losing Hallander. Gonna be Sunny all over again.
JR overpaid to get his guy again.

 

[SEALBound]

Remember how the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings kept selling the farm to make the playoffs and "contend" long after the jig was up and their core players were old and hurt all the time? And then how they crashed, burned, and went into purgatory for like half a decade, and are basically a total afterthought now?

Just thinking about that for some reason.

Detroit won cups while others did...what?

By the way, Max Domi is a monumentally better player than Kapanen. It is not even remotely close.

Who says we aren't bringing him in still?

As a little self-promotion, here's what I wrote on this trade a few hours ago:

Advice: Don't write angry.

Nah Rust is gonna be traded for some garbage Defensemen.

Zaitsev at your service!

He also traded for John Marino. I remember how enthusiastic this board was when that move was announced.

Sutter for Bonino, 1st for Perron for Hagelin, the Kessel trade, Sprong for Pettersson, Schultz for a 3rd...and we have two cups to show for it and perhaps the most formidable top 6 we've ever had.

I love it though: WE NEED TO GET YOUNG AND PROVIDE SID AND GENO WITH A GOOD SUPPORTING GUYS WHO ARE SKILLED AND FAST!!!!

*JR trades for Zucker*

NO NOT LIKE THAT!

*JR trades for 24yo Kapanen*

NO NOT LIKE THAT!

We need to have a larger discussion about this because it's been bugging me for awhile now. Back in the 90's, it was easy to understand why the Devils played that God-awful trap. The two-line pass rule made it a no-brainer.

But now? Why is this working? What's the secret sauce? If the only way to beat it is to do it back, in five years you end up with the worst product of all time. Coaching is regressing, We're heading in the wrong direction! And the worst part is nobody can figure out why.

I can give you a list of reasons why:

1. An expanding league with a diluting talent pool.
2. A salary cap.
3. Mega contracts.
4. Short term coaching contracts that don't pay "that" much ultimately.
5. Playoff revenue.

Look at the Islanders. They don't have the forward talent to play a run and gun late 80's, early 90's game. The only way for them to be competitive is to play conservative. Same with the Canadians.

Now if you took the league from 31 down to 20 and it forced you to get rid of the McCanns, Bjugstads, Johnsons, Bleugers, ZARs, etc and you could built a top 6 that rivals an early 2000s RedWings or Avalanche roster, then you could see teams returning to a more free flowing, higher pace game.

What we are seeing is the evolution of a lesser talented team needing to compete with talent because if they don't, their coach gets fired.

 

[Peat]

No one has mentioned this so I'll be the one to do it. How do you all feel about the perceived Nepotism here?

Hainsey = brought back and worked out against the odds - Carolina connection
Johnson = Signed long-term, previous draftee, Carolina connection
Kapanen = Drafted once, traded for again, massive Carolina connection
Cullen = Signed twice, probably going to be an AC, Carolina connection

Go back to Carolina in 2010-2011 when he brought back Corey Stillman thinking he'd still be useful in the top six.

Guess or hint on Cullen as AC?

Tbh, I don't mind. It's not unusual and in a league full of imperfect knowledge, going for the known makes sense.

The trick is to evaluate the players known right and not overpay just because you know them. Hainsey and Cullen - great. Old boy Stevens reccing a kid he knew - amazing. JJ- not so much.

 

[PensandCaps]

how about Andrew Copp for McCann.

Though it might take Pettersson, as they need D.

 

[Gurglesons]

No one has mentioned this so I'll be the one to do it. How do you all feel about the perceived Nepotism here?

Hainsey = brought back and worked out against the odds - Carolina connection
Johnson = Signed long-term, previous draftee, Carolina connection
Kapanen = Drafted once, traded for again, massive Carolina connection
Cullen = Signed twice, probably going to be an AC, Carolina connection

Go back to Carolina in 2010-2011 when he brought back Corey Stillman thinking he'd still be useful in the top six.

We've been banging this drum on HFBoards since 2017.

 

[StroShow]

JR better recoup some real picks/prospects for Murray now...

 

[Gurglesons]

how about Andrew Copp for McCann.

Though it might take Pettersson, as they need D.

I proposed this trade to Winnipeg fans and they weren't biting, but they also acted like McCann was a has been. I think Copp or Lowry would be a decent enough move for McCann with the addition of Kapanen. I know @Peat thought it was undervaluing McCann. And at this point we should probably be able to get a mid round 1st and a solid prospect for McCann

 

[The Old Master]

it would be one thing to make this trade after you made a bunch of moves to rebuild your team and needed one last piece. but to make it your first trade????????

 

[Empoleon8771]

JR better recoup some real picks/prospects for Murray now...

I feel like this trade pretty clearly signals that JR doesn't care about futures, no? I'm not expecting him to trade Murray or McCann for futures when he's emptying the bank for a guy like Kapanen. If anything, I'm expecting more NHL player for NHL player swaps with JR trying to go all-in for the next few years.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I dunno. I see that top six and just can't shake the feeling of failure after that flameout. I still have high hopes for Zucker but maybe not if they play him next to Malkin but with Sid, instead. But that's Guentzel's spot... who looks good next to Malkin. And then there is Rust who couldn't find a pulse to save his life in the playoffs but was light's out with Malkin all year... but he's ALSO a favored player on Sid's RW... along with Sheary and Simon. And now with Kapanen... who has had major issues finding any kind of top six consistency... in the mix.

Doesn't this just look like kind of a big, confused mess to anyone else? And not really at all "dominant?" Malkin and Crosby can't carry players anymore, either. And if Malkin pots 20 next year in his 40 healthy games or whatever I'll be astonished.

 

[Terrapin]

Can't wait till JR trades Murray for a 5th round pick, and Letang for a few bags of butterscotch candy

 

[KIRK]

No one has mentioned this so I'll be the one to do it. How do you all feel about the perceived Nepotism here?

Hainsey = brought back and worked out against the odds - Carolina connection
Johnson = Signed long-term, previous draftee, Carolina connection
Kapanen = Drafted once, traded for again, massive Carolina connection
Cullen = Signed twice, probably going to be an AC, Carolina connection

Go back to Carolina in 2010-2011 when he brought back Corey Stillman thinking he'd still be useful in the top six.

If you thought that was something, wait until he tries to coax Cam Ward out of retirement after he trades Murray.

(what does it mean that I can't say I'm joking)

 

[Gurglesons]

I dunno. I see that top six and just can't shake the feeling of failure after that flameout. I still have high hopes for Zucker but maybe not if they play him next to Malkin but with Sid, instead. But that's Guentzel's spot... who looks good next to Malkin. And then there is Rust who couldn't find a pulse to save his life in the playoffs but was light's out with Malkin all year... but he's ALSO a favored player on Sid's RW... along with Sheary and Simon. And now with Kapanen... who has had major issues finding any kind of top xi consistency... in the mix.

Doesn't this just look like kind of a big, confused mess to anyone else? And not really at all "dominant?" Malkin and Crosby can't carry players anymore, either. And if Malkin pots 20 next year in his 40 healthy games or whatever I'll be astonished.

Zucker has shown he doesn't need carried here by a specific center and I have no idea why the board is turning on him. He scored 2 goals in 4 games in the playoffs and has produced at a 60 pt pace regardless where he is in the line-up. He's exactly what we needed.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

If we get a mid-1st and a solid prospect for McCann, I'll change my name to whatever you want @pixiesfanyo

That shit ain't happenin', because the only GM in the league that would do something that stupid is in charge of our team.

 

[KIRK]

It better be, because this team needs a Hell of a lot more than Kapanen.

But no, Yohe doesn't know anything, and never has.

I'm still trying to figure out why Zucker-Malkin-Rust, which was bad in the playoffs, suddenly will be good.

Seems obvious that the right play, if you're seeking the most from your top 6, is Zucker-Kapanen and Jake-Rust pairs, which is precisely why it won't happen.

 

[Gurglesons]

If we get a mid-1st and a solid prospect for McCann, I'll change my name to whatever you want @pixiesfanyo

That shit ain't happenin', because the only GM in the league that would do something that stupid is in charge of our team.

I know. But, I also think McCann may have a lot more value than we thought given he is cost controlled.

 

[K Fleur]

JR- Jimmy’s Retreads.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

If we get a mid-1st and a solid prospect for McCann, I'll change my name to whatever you want @pixiesfanyo

That shit ain't happenin', because the only GM in the league that would do something that stupid is in charge of our team.

Tampa recently traded a 1st for a 4th liner, so anything is possible.

 

[Fordy]

Zucker has shown he doesn't need carried here by a specific center and I have no idea why the board is turning on him. He scored 2 goals in 4 games in the playoffs and has produced at a 60 pt pace regardless where he is in the line-up. He's exactly what we needed.

yeah zucker has been getting a lot of weird beef thrown his way since day 1. i have to say he has never struck me as anything but a strong contributor. don't agree with his usage but

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Zucker has shown he doesn't need carried here and I have no idea why the board is turning on him. He scored 2 goals in 4 games in the playoffs and has produced at a 60 pt pace regardless where he is in the line-up. He's exactly what we needed.

I'm not "turning" on him. I think he will continue to look a little disconnected if they keep insisting on him with Malkin, though.

Zucker just isn't a skill guy, IMO. I know that's the book on him but I'm sorry I am just not seeing it. He's a north/south effort and skating guy. That's great! Already full up, though.

I'd keep him out of the glut we have, though. Too many of the same players, IMO.

 

[PensandCaps]

I proposed this trade to Winnipeg fans and they weren't biting, but they also acted like McCann was a has been. I think Copp or Lowry would be a decent enough move for McCann with the addition of Kapanen. I know @Peat thought it was undervaluing McCann. And at this point we should probably be able to get a mid round 1st and a solid prospect for McCann

lol. Kap and McCann aren't that far off. you may be right.

we should be able to get a top 10 pick for McCann