Kraken 2024 Offseason chatter

[kihei]

Gourde, Tanev and Larsson for 11thOA, Krebs and Jokiharju.

Opens up 12.5M for free agent help, while adding a couple of younger players that have potential, and secures a much higher pick than they would get selling them alone at the TDL. If the expert Draft pundits can be trusted, The pick projects to be Helenius, Catton, Yakemchuk or Sennecke. If Francis thinks he could entice a couple of UFAs to come in with the money he saves here, I kinda like the move for both teams.

Buffalo doesn't make that trade in a million years. It would take something much more enticing to nab the 11th pick. Neither Tanev or Gourde have the value that they had at last year's trade deadline.

Incoming emoji?

 

[Irie]

Buffalo doesn't make that trade in a million years. It would take something much more enticing to nab the 11th pick. Neither Tanev or Gourde have the value that they had at last year's trade deadline.

Incoming emoji?

Ha!

Maybe I am jaded, but you should take a look at some of the proposals over on the Buffalo board from Sabres fans. (Many would move Owen Power for 3rd line help!). 13+ years without playoffs makes fans crazy, and at this point, Adams is fighting for his job.

Gourde and Tanev aren't the big catches here. Larsson is the big fish with the most value imo.

Gourde and Larsson definitely will have pretty serious value at the deadline next season. Tanev is a bit of a cap dump now, but with some retention, he could return a solid pick as well next spring. Jokiharjju needs a new contract and the Sabres don't want to pay him what he will likely get in arbitration. He had a solid year with less responsibility, but they already have 30+ million tied up on their blue line. Krebs they would be selling low on. He needs to not be playing on the 4th line, but Buffalo needs more from their top 3 centers than he is providing currently, and with tons of prospects knocking on the door, they can't wait for him to arrive any longer, so he may be the odd man out.

The 11th pick is nice, but it is still a crap shoot, and Buffalo has more high end prospects than they have spots for. They are likely going to lose some good prospects just to contract limits like they did with Hagel a few years back.

That package is an overpay for what Seattle is giving up, but not a huge over pay, and Buffalo would be paying a premium to have all three players around for the year and not just a TDL rental. The hope would be that the players find they like the city and their teammates, and are willing to re-sign without charging the normal "buffalo small market premium charge". Not to mention that that team needs solid vet mentors in the worst way right now.

Worst case scenario, if none of them are willing to extend, then they could still move them at the TDL and get back some of their assets.

I'm a Kraken fan now, but I still am and have been a Buffalo fan for decades as well, and I can say that the idea does intrigue me. Sabres need to make the playoffs. Their fanbase is evaporating permanently, and their young guys need to experience postseason play. 11OA is a luxury for that team right now, it is no where near the important future piece it would be for Seattle.

 

[Irie]

Buffalo doesn't make that trade in a million years. It would take something much more enticing to nab the 11th pick. Neither Tanev or Gourde have the value that they had at last year's trade deadline.

Incoming emoji?

**I will also add that 11th overall is generally viewed as a pretty high pick and high picks have intangible value, but the moment a prospect is selected with that pick, that prospect will not have anywhere near the perceived value of an 11th overall unused pick.

This close to the draft, the pick is a lot less "intangible". We can place a prospect in the slot now.

Yakemchuk+Jokiharju+Krebs

for

Larsson+Gourde+Tanev.

Substitute Yakemchuk for MBN/Sennecke/Helenius.... doesn't really matter. The value still seems a lot closer than it felt when it is listed as 11th OA, and that should be the real value.

 

[Fuhrious]

If you’re determined to play fantasy hockey in the Head Coach thread, that offer is an easy easy pass from me.

1) Krebs’ value at this point is negligible at best, any “top prospect” value he had 3 seasons (!) ago in the Eichel trade is gone after that many unimpressive showings on a team whose problem ISNT “lack of star-quality forwards” to pair him with. If dude isn’t a bust at this point, he’s damn near.

2) Jokiharju doesn’t move the needle when his “comparables” on Hockey Reference are Stephane Quintal and Marc Bergevin. And that’s his stat line playing with Dahlin? Undersized and never broke out after leaving Chicago.

I feel like there’s a reason BUF would be looking to dump 2 very young pending-RFAs like that. RF could get way way better value than that for Larsson and Gourde.

 

[Irie]

If you’re determined to play fantasy hockey in the Head Coach thread, that offer is an easy easy pass from me.

1) Krebs’ value at this point is negligible at best, any “top prospect” value he had 3 seasons (!) ago in the Eichel trade is gone after that many unimpressive showings on a team whose problem ISNT “lack of star-quality forwards” to pair him with. If dude isn’t a bust at this point, he’s damn near.

2) Jokiharju doesn’t move the needle when his “comparables” on Hockey Reference are Stephane Quintal and Marc Bergevin. And that’s his stat line playing with Dahlin? Undersized and never broke out after leaving Chicago.

I feel like there’s a reason BUF would be looking to dump 2 very young pending-RFAs like that. RF could get way way better value than that for Larsson and Gourde.

Yeah, sorry. There was a discussion on trading those guys and I just responded to it. Wrong thread to have this discussion, maybe @The Marquis or @Fistfullofbeer can move the conversation and drop it into the roster thread.

As far as value, Larsson and Gourde may return late 1sts, but Francis is not going to get any single high end piece at the TDL that comes anywhere close to the 11th pick, and moving up in the draft from late 20s to 11 is a pipe dream. Tanev at 3.5M is currently a cap dump.

As a fan of both teams, I like it a lot for Seattle. Seattle needs another high-end draft pick. Jokiharju has been miss-cast for several seasons, but he was Buffalos most consistent D the first half of last season playing a smaller role, (was great playing with more structures D partners, but he still sucks playing with Power who roams all over the ice, and had the same problem with Byram. Why Granato kept going back to that pairing is a mystery to the entire Sabres board. The real problem is that Jokiharju is not physical and is totally redundant with Power and Byram now. His arb number will not be attractive for what he brings to that team. They need a different type of defender to play with Power or Byram.

Krebs is not a bust. He's been asked to play a 4th line pest role and he has embraced it, but he has a much higher ceiling. I think his floor is a 3rd line center with the right linemates, and could easily jump up into a 2nd line top six role eventually. Kid has great vision, just needs to learn patience and not try to force plays that aren't there, but he is still a bit of a project.

 

[GrungeHockey]

Gourde, Tanev and Larsson for 11thOA, Krebs and Jokiharju.

Opens up 12.5M for free agent help, while adding a couple of younger players that have potential, and secures a much higher pick than they would get selling them alone at the TDL. If the expert Draft pundits can be trusted, The pick projects to be Helenius, Catton, Yakemchuk or Sennecke. If Francis thinks he could entice a couple of UFAs to come in with the money he saves here, I kinda like the move for both teams.

I think Buffalo would jump at this but I also agree that NTCs probably make this impossible.

Buffalo doesn't make that trade in a million years. It would take something much more enticing to nab the 11th pick. Neither Tanev or Gourde have the value that they had at last year's trade deadline.

Incoming emoji?

Oh I wouldn't be so sure. This is a make it or break it year for them. I am pretty sure if Adams doesn't get them into the playoffs this year he's out and so he will do some short term thinking to keep his job.

 

[majormajor]

Yeah, sorry. There was a discussion on trading those guys and I just responded to it. Wrong thread to have this discussion, maybe @The Marquis or @Fistfullofbeer can move the conversation and drop it into the roster thread.

As far as value, Larsson and Gourde may return late 1sts, but Francis is not going to get any single high end piece at the TDL that comes anywhere close to the 11th pick, and moving up in the draft from late 20s to 11 is a pipe dream. Tanev at 3.5M is currently a cap dump.

As a fan of both teams, I like it a lot for Seattle. Seattle needs another high-end draft pick. Jokiharju has been miss-cast for several seasons, but he was Buffalos most consistent D the first half of last season playing a smaller role, (was great playing with more structures D partners, but he still sucks playing with Power who roams all over the ice, and had the same problem with Byram. Why Granato kept going back to that pairing is a mystery to the entire Sabres board. The real problem is that Jokiharju is not physical and is totally redundant with Power and Byram now. His arb number will not be attractive for what he brings to that team. They need a different type of defender to play with Power or Byram.

Krebs is not a bust. He's been asked to play a 4th line pest role and he has embraced it, but he has a much higher ceiling. I think his floor is a 3rd line center with the right linemates, and could easily jump up into a 2nd line top six role eventually. Kid has great vision, just needs to learn patience and not try to force plays that aren't there, but he is still a bit of a project.

I agree with you that the 11th OA pick is worth a lot and not a bad return at all here. I'm not calling Joker and Krebs busts but they're not much/any better than players we can get for free. Regardless, with the 11th OA it's still a nice return.

The main issue is that Seattle isn't selling off yet. I think at the deadline we will be, and we'll get great returns at that point. And unfortunately that timeline doesn't work for Buffalo which is trying to make regular season upgrades.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Not that surprising but we are rumored to be interested in Necas. I just don't think Francis would pay the ask.

 

[kihei]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I like the idea a hell of a lot more than Marner. Probably not enough to pay the actual price, though.,

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I like the idea a hell of a lot more than Marner. Probably not enough to pay the actual price, though.,

I was listening to ECH earlier today and they were talking about us potentially having Firkus as a trade chip. Infact, they said anyone but Wright should be on the table for the likes of Necas. I genuinely don't know what Carolina is looking for, but I would agree with ECH and have every prospect outside of Wright on the table. Our first-round pick from 2025 should also be on the table. And since Carolina needs to get a replacement for Necas, I was thinking Tolvanen or Gourde could work. Some combination of these could be enough to make it work.

Alternatively, Francis could choose to take on the badKK contract if he does not want to give up too much. Though, I would rather give up our 1st round pick in 2025 rather than take on the KK contract.

 

[kihei]

I was listening to ECH earlier today and they were talking about us potentially having Firkus as a trade chip. Infact, they said anyone but Wright should be on the table for the likes of Necas. I genuinely don't know what Carolina is looking for, but I would agree with ECH and have every prospect outside of Wright on the table. Our first-round pick from 2025 should also be on the table. And since Carolina needs to get a replacement for Necas, I was thinking Tolvanen or Gourde could work. Some combination of these could be enough to make it work.

Alternatively, Francis could choose to take on the badKK contract if he does not want to give up too much. Though, I would rather give up our 1st round pick in 2025 rather than take on the KK contract.

I think the '25 first (protected, I assume--top 5?), Firkus and Gourde would certainly get their attention. I know it got mine.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I think the '25 first (protected, I assume--top 5?), Firkus and Gourde would certainly get their attention. I know it got mine.

I think Firkus + Gourde + 25 1st top-10 would be nice but I think top-5 would work as well. I expect, and hope, we do better this season with Necas and a healthier roster. When I was playing around with numbers, Tolvy at 4.5M AAV, Necas at 7.5M AAV and Beniers at 6M AAV, trading Gourde would leave us at 9.4M in cap space. Still enough to get a good 3C and a depth forward and D man.

 

[majormajor]

I think Firkus + Gourde + 25 1st top-10 would be nice but I think top-5 would work as well. I expect, and hope, we do better this season with Necas and a healthier roster. When I was playing around with numbers, Tolvy at 4.5M AAV, Necas at 7.5M AAV and Beniers at 6M AAV, trading Gourde would leave us at 9.4M in cap space. Still enough to get a good 3C and a depth forward and D man.

I would not do a '25 1st or any future 1st in a deal for Necas.

Even with top 10 protection, we could easily end up bottom 10 for a couple years in a row and end up giving up a great pick.

This feels like a Larsson deal again I think. Canes are losing a lot of D to FA and he has great value on his contract. Larsson + Gourde + prospect.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I would not do a '25 1st or any future 1st in a deal for Necas.

Even with top 10 protection, we could easily end up bottom 10 for a couple years in a row and end up giving up a great pick.

This feels like a Larsson deal again I think. Canes are losing a lot of D to FA and he has great value on his contract. Larsson + Gourde + prospect.

I disagree.

There is a much higher probability that a 1st round pick in the 10+ range ends up being a much worse player than Necas. You have to give to get, and Francis must start taking calculated risks like that. You improve the roster with Necas and then do more in FA (or trades) to make us a playoff team.

I can understand the philosophy of building through the draft, but it must also match management's expectations and timelines. If management's priority is making the playoffs, Francis needs to improve the roster today and not twiddle his thumbs, waiting for the picks to just pan out. He will be out of a job well before the 2025 first-round pick ever makes it to the NHL if he just waits for the draft.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I just don't get not trading draft picks but ready NHL players in order to get a ready NHL player to try and improve your team.

You gotta take a direction and it's either building through the draft or going for it.

And by building through the draft I don't mean middling around and drafting in the 12 - 20 range but rather in the top ten.

So if you go for a Necas, you better do it for picks and prospects in order to add to the current roster and try to be competitive right now.

If not you're better off trading some veteran guys(now or at the TDL), while only holding onto younger vets like Dunn or McCann.
That also will lead you into drafting higher cause the team has enough flaws to not compete for a playoff spot as is.

 

[majormajor]

I disagree.

There is a much higher probability that a 1st round pick in the 10+ range ends up being a much worse player than Necas. You have to give to get, and Francis must start taking calculated risks like that. You improve the roster with Necas and then do more in FA (or trades) to make us a playoff team.

I can understand the philosophy of building through the draft, but it must also match management's expectations and timelines. If management's priority is making the playoffs, Francis needs to improve the roster today and not twiddle his thumbs, waiting for the picks to just pan out. He will be out of a job well before the 2025 first-round pick ever makes it to the NHL if he just waits for the draft.

I just don't get not trading draft picks but ready NHL players in order to get a ready NHL player to try and improve your team.

You gotta take a direction and it's either building through the draft or going for it.

And by building through the draft I don't mean middling around and drafting in the 12 - 20 range but rather in the top ten.

So if you go for a Necas, you better do it for picks and prospects in order to add to the current roster and try to be competitive right now.

If not you're better off trading some veteran guys(now or at the TDL), while only holding onto younger vets like Dunn or McCann.
That also will lead you into drafting higher cause the team has enough flaws to not compete for a playoff spot as is.

My expectation is that we'll be somewhere in the 5th to 12th worst range next year, and probably the year after. Lottery range both years.

If we trade for Necas that won't by itself move us up by more than a few spots, I think we're probably finishing about where we just did, with or without Necas. The rationale for the trade can't be about next year, when we won't be good anyways. It has to be about a few years down the road. Necas is young enough to be part of our future core and Larsson and Gourde are not, that is the reason you trade older players for him.

If by chance Francis is actually interested in being aggressive and making a lot of moves to make the playoffs next year, and also interested in carrying in with continually moving picks/prospects for win now players, then sure I'll get on board with that. But that would require Ron Francis to make a lot of moves and big signings. And he'd have to keep doing it, there's no point in doing it once. We'd have to be an aggressive org from now on. Sign me up, I just don't think they'll do that.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

My expectation is that we'll be somewhere in the 5th to 12th worst range next year, and probably the year after. Lottery range both years.

If we trade for Necas that won't by itself move us up by more than a few spots, I think we're probably finishing about where we just did, with or without Necas. The rationale for the trade can't be about next year, when we won't be good anyways. It has to be about a few years down the road. Necas is young enough to be part of our future core and Larsson and Gourde are not, that is the reason you trade older players for him.

If by chance Francis is actually interested in being aggressive and making a lot of moves to make the playoffs next year, and also interested in carrying in with continually moving picks/prospects for win now players, then sure I'll get on board with that. But that would require Ron Francis to make a lot of moves and big signings. And he'd have to keep doing it, there's no point in doing it once. We'd have to be an aggressive org from now on. Sign me up, I just don't think they'll do that.

I feel like 5th to 12th is overly pessimistic. This season was a mixture of injuries, rookie slumps, etc. I also feel like Hakstol had lost the room, making things worse. With a healthier team and a new coach, I expect the team to be out of the top-10 range. You add in Necas and another UFA (either at F or D with our 9M+ in cap space after the Gourde/Tolvy trade), it pretty much makes us a bubble team. If either Evans or Wright take the next step, even better. And I am not counting on any surprises from the prospect pool but there is an off-chance that Morrison or Winterton take a small step and help with the bottom-6.

I just don't get not trading draft picks but ready NHL players in order to get a ready NHL player to try and improve your team.

You gotta take a direction and it's either building through the draft or going for it.

And by building through the draft I don't mean middling around and drafting in the 12 - 20 range but rather in the top ten.

So if you go for a Necas, you better do it for picks and prospects in order to add to the current roster and try to be competitive right now.

If not you're better off trading some veteran guys(now or at the TDL), while only holding onto younger vets like Dunn or McCann.
That also will lead you into drafting higher cause the team has enough flaws to not compete for a playoff spot as is.

Exactly. If you are going to try and make the playoffs, you go for a Necas, Guentzel, Reinhart, whoever to improve the current roster. If Francis is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle like our second season, he should be fired already.

But If Francis is trying to send a message that this team is not competing this year, move out Gourde, Tanev, Larsson, etc., and expiring contracts that can fetch a return before the 2024 draft so that we get a year ahead in our "rebuild" (it sounds stupid saying that for a third-year team). To me, re-signing Eberle and the post-season statements sends a message that they want to make the playoffs.

Also, this is the last season with the expiring contracts for Gourde, Tanev, and Larsson. If you want to make a playoff run, do it this year. Then, hit the UFA market next season as well.

On a side note, I like Necas even more because he is listed as a C. I don't know if he plays that role on the Canes or not, but that gives Wright so much more time to settle in. Having Beniers, Necas, Wright down the middle would be something.

 

[majormajor]

I feel like 5th to 12th is overly pessimistic. This season was a mixture of injuries, rookie slumps, etc. I also feel like Hakstol had lost the room, making things worse. With a healthier team and a new coach, I expect the team to be out of the top-10 range. You add in Necas and another UFA (either at F or D with our 9M+ in cap space after the Gourde/Tolvy trade), it pretty much makes us a bubble team. If either Evans or Wright take the next step, even better. And I am not counting on any surprises from the prospect pool but there is an off-chance that Morrison or Winterton take a small step and help with the bottom-6.

I think a lot would have to go right for us to be a bubble team. I expect we'll have a lot more injuries and rookie (and sophomore) slumps to come.

It's easier to forecast teams to improve when they have a lot of players in that 22-26 age range, where they've achieved consistency and still find ways to improve. We only have a few guys in that range. I suppose Beniers is basically in that category for me, I think he'll be a lot better. But I see mostly players who won't get better or won't have found consistency yet.

On a side note, I like Necas even more because he is listed as a C. I don't know if he plays that role on the Canes or not, but that gives Wright so much more time to settle in. Having Beniers, Necas, Wright down the middle would be something.

Necas doesn't play center for the Hurricanes. They prefer him on the wing, he wants to play center. It's been a conflict.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

My expectation is that we'll be somewhere in the 5th to 12th worst range next year, and probably the year after. Lottery range both years.

If we trade for Necas that won't by itself move us up by more than a few spots, I think we're probably finishing about where we just did, with or without Necas. The rationale for the trade can't be about next year, when we won't be good anyways. It has to be about a few years down the road. Necas is young enough to be part of our future core and Larsson and Gourde are not, that is the reason you trade older players for him.

If by chance Francis is actually interested in being aggressive and making a lot of moves to make the playoffs next year, and also interested in carrying in with continually moving picks/prospects for win now players, then sure I'll get on board with that. But that would require Ron Francis to make a lot of moves and big signings. And he'd have to keep doing it, there's no point in doing it once. We'd have to be an aggressive org from now on. Sign me up, I just don't think they'll do that.

I think if you add Necas to the current core and make another move for a better scoring forward you could have yourself a team that could challenge for the playoffs again.

Of course, that team would need to gel very fast and buy into Bylsma's aggressive forechecking style while still being good enough defensively.

Personally I wouldn't mind Necas but if we don't believe we can make the playoffs this year it might be better to sell off, maybe even take on a contract with some extra asset(s) on top of it and play the young guys.

That wouldn't look great in the win column but at least you'd guarantee yourself another top ten pick(or even better) while the young guys get loads of experience and would be able to play through mistakes.

Anyways, I'm curious to see what Francis and the front office will do given that the press conference with Bylsma made it sound like they want to bring in the young guys, with onwer Holloway talking about winning right now as well.

That combination makes next to no sense and would mean doing an in between thing?

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I think a lot would have to go right for us to be a bubble team. I expect we'll have a lot more injuries and rookie (and sophomore) slumps to come.

It's easier to forecast teams to improve when they have a lot of players in that 22-26 age range, where they've achieved consistency and still find ways to improve. We only have a few guys in that range. I suppose Beniers is basically in that category for me, I think he'll be a lot better. But I see mostly players who won't get better or won't have found consistency yet.



Necas doesn't play center for the Hurricanes. They prefer him on the wing, he wants to play center. It's been a conflict.

I think I posted this somewhere else, but we were a 60-point team in our first season, a 100-point team in the second, and 81 points this season. And this was with a lot going wrong this season. It is not a stretch to expect us to have another 10-15 points with a new coach, Beniers bouncing back, and Wright and Evans getting more time. This does not count adding Necas and/or any other player in FA or trade agency.

I am curious about how long you would want to wait until you feel comfortable trading our first-round pick(s). Is that predicated on the team already being a playoff team? If yes, how long do you think that may take? I am asking this because, from a business/management POV, that may just not be an option and not feasible.

But putting the business needs aside, I still think that adding an elite player in the right age range would do us more good than bad. The chance that our 1st round pick next season ends up being better than Necas is very small. We also have a lot of big contracts off the books over the next 2 seasons with very few players likely to get big raises. That and the the rising cap really offsets signing someone like Necas who is only 25.

 

[GrungeHockey]

I don't think you trade your firsts until you are a solid playoff team with a solidified core group. Then you can make bold moves but not before. Building via the draft is still the best way.

If you want to make moves or they are there for the taking, you can consider trading prospects who you don't think will fit or just never get there and maybe somebody else feels they just need a new start.

Target value free agents that fill holes and provide leadership but this team is a long way from being a trade your picks to get instantly good type team. Buffalo tried that after they drafted Eichel and it failed miserably.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I don't think you trade your firsts until you are a solid playoff team with a solidified core group. Then you can make bold moves but not before. Building via the draft is still the best way.

If you want to make moves or they are there for the taking, you can consider trading prospects who you don't think will fit or just never get there and maybe somebody else feels they just need a new start.

Target value free agents that fill holes and provide leadership but this team is a long way from being a trade your picks to get instantly good type team. Buffalo tried that after they drafted Eichel and it failed miserably.

And how long do we think that will take? Teams even with the likes of McDavid and Draisaitl can take years to be competitive. And can we guarantee that any of our current prospects including Beniers and Wright end up becoming a star or elite player. Depending just on the draft to become a solid playoff team is easier said than done.

Also, the idea is not to instantly improve the team but to make it more competitive. If giving up one first-round pick in the 10+ range does the trick, I have no objections. The idea is that our prospect pool takes the next step over the next couple of seasons. Hopefully the likes of Goyette, Rehkopf, Nelson, Nyman, etc. take the next step.

 

[Scomerica]

I don't think you trade your firsts until you are a solid playoff team with a solidified core group. Then you can make bold moves but not before. Building via the draft is still the best way.

If you want to make moves or they are there for the taking, you can consider trading prospects who you don't think will fit or just never get there and maybe somebody else feels they just need a new start.

Target value free agents that fill holes and provide leadership but this team is a long way from being a trade your picks to get instantly good type team. Buffalo tried that after they drafted Eichel and it failed miserably.

I think what you say is Francis preferred way. I think ownership want a blue chip player via trade in though to speed it up and have a proper star to market/build around

 

[majormajor]

I am curious about how long you would want to wait until you feel comfortable trading our first-round pick(s). Is that predicated on the team already being a playoff team? If yes, how long do you think that may take? I am asking this because, from a business/management POV, that may just not be an option and not feasible.

You have to be pretty sure that we wouldn't finish bottom 5 or bottom 8 in the next couple years. There's a lottery there, and also just uncertainty in general. Injuries could be worse. I've certainly seen worse.

I don't think the team looks like it will get much better in the near term, based largely on the age distribution of the players (the 22-26 age gap we have). The exception is if Francis agrees to go for it Vegas style and continuously move out picks and prospects. Then sure, things could change quickly.

I've seen folks suggest that acquiring Necas would be stepping away from "being caught in the middle" and to me it actually is stepping right into it. I'm only comfortable moving a 1st for Necas if it's part of a much bigger push.

 

[Scomerica]

You have to be pretty sure that we wouldn't finish bottom 5 or bottom 8 in the next couple years. There's a lottery there, and also just uncertainty in general. Injuries could be worse. I've certainly seen worse.

I don't think the team looks like it will get much better in the near term, based largely on the age distribution of the players (the 22-26 age gap we have). The exception is if Francis agrees to go for it Vegas style and continuously move out picks and prospects. Then sure, things could change quickly.

I've seen folks suggest that acquiring Necas would be stepping away from "being caught in the middle" and to me it actually is stepping right into it. I'm only comfortable moving a 1st for Necas if it's part of a much bigger push.

We're kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. The moment it was obvious we weren't going to come flying out of the gates like Vegas would have been the time to tear it down and tank. On paper the smart thing to do to eventually be cup contenders would be to tear it down by trading vets and tank for prospects.

We're now in a situation where we are a new franchise trying to build a fan base who have tasted the play offs who've just watched a season of mediocre/boring hockey and probably don't want to pay good money to watch a tanking team (aren't Kraken tickets some of the most expensive?). They are also up against the clock a little due to the NBA coming who'll compete against you for ticket money, sponsorships, arena time etc. A franchise that the city has a long history with, was popular and yet will also be the shiny new thing. So we're kind of in an in between where its trade for a star to sell tickets and hope? the remaining prospects pop/exceed expectations.

I think if there was no sonics coming they'd stay the course in Francis approach even if it meant continued mediocrity but lots of prospects.