Kraken 2024 Offseason chatter

[Dead Coyote]

Verbeek doesn't see him as a player he wants. He was already trying to trade him a year ago. They moved him down the lineup to have Leo Carlsson and other players get more of the focus.

That doesn't mean the Ducks see him as a third liner. They just don't see the fit on their team.

LeBrun just said they aren't actively shopping him and that they're just listening to offers and he doesn't think they'll move him.

Also Verbeek seems pretty happy that he signed his deal last year at the start of the season.

Called him a Cornerstone of the franchise.

That was this season btw, and while he obviously got derailed off injuries somewhat he did show up defensively and has steadily been improving, there's no reason to think he isn't going to stay with the Ducks.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Agree. Replacing Turbo with Kartye actually feels like a lateral move to me. Winterton and Morrison both have had really good AHL playoff runs and I think they should be fine to bring up to NHL.

While we are in the current state, i.e not fully competitive, we seriously need to look at moving expiring contracts, who are not going to be part of our core moving forward. Gourde and Tanev both fall into that group. Gourde will be harder to replace, but I would be ok giving a UFA a 2-4 year contract based on their age, and move Gourde.

I would be for that and making a decision on which direction this team goes.
Though, I doubt Francis will and is actually allowed to do that given what the owner said(to win now as well) during the Bylsma press conference.

Overall I'm looking at this roster and how you could turn it into a really competitive team that can be a threat in the playoffs.
And unless we somehow get lucky with a couple of trades, I don't see another way besides not being good and drafing high enough a couple more times to hopefully get the difference makers you need.

I think the deadline is the time to move on from Gourde. We'll probably get a much better return then than now.

Yep.

If Yanni plays well enough we could get something nice(maybe even that coveted extra 1st round pick we haven't been able to get so far) and that's more likelly at the TDL.

Tanev won't be worth more than a mid pick either way so if someone wants him now, that's fine.

Honestly, with Tanev it's just more about creating some more spots at forward(wing) and getting rid of that 3.5M cap hit.
You should be able to find a bottom six guy doing a similar job for much less of a cap hit.

I'll admit I haven't given much of a look to Morrison or Winterton. How confident are we that they'll be NHLers?

They've been really good in the AHL and looked solid while being called up.

At the end of the day you never really know until they play regularly.

Though, even if they can't make it you just trade for a bottom six guy using a mid to late round pick and that guy won't have the cap hit of Tanev.

@Dead Coyote
I think with Zegras it's the fact of some media members consistantly talking about him being available.
If the Ducks want to keep him than that's it and you won't be able to trade for him.

 

[majormajor]

LeBrun just said they aren't actively shopping him and that they're just listening to offers and he doesn't think they'll move him.

Also Verbeek seems pretty happy that he signed his deal last year at the start of the season.

Called him a Cornerstone of the franchise.

That was this season btw, and while he obviously got derailed off injuries somewhat he did show up defensively and has steadily been improving, there's no reason to think he isn't going to stay with the Ducks.

I think Zegras has improved and I liked him at times even this year.

But I don't believe it that they're not shopping him. Looking at the way the Ducks are being built, I don't see them planning on keeping him long term.

 

[Vitto79]

Rangers fan here just spitballing

Lindgren and Kakko for Oleksiak and Tanev ?

Trouba for Burkovsky ? Bad contracts

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Rangers fan here just spitballing

Lindgren and Kakko for Oleksiak and Tanev ?

Trouba for Burkovsky ? Bad contracts

I'd look at that one but I also think we should go younger and focus on building through the draft.

Why do you want to trade Trouba?
Seems like he's always allowed to take off other players heads(during the playoffs) without ever being suspended........that's huge advantage for the Rangers.....

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Just spitballing here. If we were to trade for Necas and take on KK's contract, what kind of return would the Hurricanes expect? I am thinking we can send Gourde there (sure he would waive for the Hurricanes) but what else would we need to add? I consider use taking on KK a favor since that contract is not great for a 3C, but it would lock up our top-3 C's for years with Beniers, Wright and KK. And if KK, ever improves, even better.

 

[Dead Coyote]

I think Zegras has improved and I liked him at times even this year.

But I don't believe it that they're not shopping him. Looking at the way the Ducks are being built, I don't see them planning on keeping him long term.

Well, everything from the Ducks org has said they aren't and that they consider him a highly valuable piece for the team. In hockey you can never say never, and I'm sure if someone offers him a good enough deal Verbeek will highly consider it, but I sure as shit don't have the connections LeBrun does. And Verbeek as recently as the TDL said he was listening but not actively shopping him. Verbeek also said he thinks the foundation is set with the Ducks core and that he doesn't want to be a seller. Personally I'd rather take those two guys words over the random ass hockey bloggers that think he's going to get moved. And FTR Zegras himself has said he hasn't talked to Verbeek about this stuff so at the very least nothing is concrete and talks haven't gotten serious with anyone.

 

[Vitto79]

I'd look at that one but I also think we should go younger and focus on building through the draft.

Why do you want to trade Trouba?
Seems like he's always allowed to take off other players heads(during the playoffs) without ever being suspended........that's huge advantage for the Rangers.....

cap space on Trouba
Schneider can move up

 

[kihei]

Just spitballing here. If we were to trade for Necas and take on KK's contract, what kind of return would the Hurricanes expect? I am thinking we can send Gourde there (sure he would waive for the Hurricanes) but what else would we need to add? I consider use taking on KK a favor since that contract is not great for a 3C, but it would lock up our top-3 C's for years with Beniers, Wright and KK. And if KK, ever improves, even better.

Gourde and what, though? I don't see a fit with Carolina. What do we have that they need? Would Evans and Gourde tempt them? Probably not. But would we even want to do that, trade our best young D?

 

[majormajor]

Gourde and what, though? I don't see a fit with Carolina. What do we have that they need? Would Evans and Gourde tempt them? Probably not. But would we even want to do that, trade our best young D?

I think they'd be more interested in Larsson.

 

[Irie]

I think this team has to make the pick at 8. They had two top 5 picks in weaker drafts, and missed out on last years strong prospect pool. This year's draft has a lot of intriguing talent in the top 10 that has potential to be exceptional imo. I think you have to take the risk and make the pick and hope you win the lottery, because that is the only way this team is going to find the elite talent it needs to build a contender around.

Zegras and Necas are both fine players with some flaws, and while they would absolutely make this team better now, they are not "The Solution" that would solve this teams longterm issues. I would much rather take a chance on keeping the pick and hoping a Buium or Iginla or Lidstrom are there at 8 and that one of them becomes a cornerstone for the franchise for a long time.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I think this team has to make the pick at 8. They had two top 5 picks in weaker drafts, and missed out on last years strong prospect pool. This year's draft has a lot of intriguing talent in the top 10 that has potential to be exceptional imo. I think you have to take the risk and make the pick and hope you win the lottery, because that is the only way this team is going to find the elite talent it needs to build a contender around.

Zegras and Necas are both fine players with some flaws, and while they would absolutely make this team better now, they are not "The Solution" that would solve this teams longterm issues. I would much rather take a chance on keeping the pick and hoping a Buium or Iginla or Lidstrom are there at 8 and that one of them becomes a cornerstone for the franchise for a long time.

I would be really surprised if Francis moves 8 OA but if it is for someone who is young like Zegras and still under a decent contract, I am fine. Necas is less preferable simply because he is older and will get paid more.

I think it really comes down to how much faith management has the pick at 8 OA is going to be "the solution" and if they have a chance of being better than either Zegras or Necas. At the end of the day, there is no guarantee that 8 OA ends up being better than those two.

 

[Irie]

I would be really surprised if Francis moves 8 OA but if it is for someone who is young like Zegras and still under a decent contract, I am fine. Necas is less preferable simply because he is older and will get paid more.

I think it really comes down to how much faith management has the pick at 8 OA is going to be "the solution" and if they have a chance of being better than either Zegras or Necas. At the end of the day, there is no guarantee that 8 OA ends up being better than those two.

You are correct, there is no guarantee, but there is a reason why picks tend to be more valuable than prospects, and that is because of the potential of what a pick could become. Necas and Zegras are fine young players, but they are not going to be superstar players. There are flaws to their games and they probably aren't players you would ideally build a contender around. They are good secondary players on good teams.

The 8OA pick is a mystery box, but it has the potential to become a franchise player, and that potential is higher in stronger draft years. I think Francis has to make the pick and hope he can find another Aho, or maybe it is a Rantanen or possibly another kid taken with the 8th overall pick named Raymond Bourque

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

You are correct, there is no guarantee, but there is a reason why picks tend to be more valuable than prospects, and that is because of the potential of what a pick could become. Necas and Zegras are fine young players, but they are not going to be superstar players. There are flaws to their games and they probably aren't players you would ideally build a contender around. They are good secondary players on good teams.

And outside of Celebrini, we could say that about almost every other draft-eligible prospect for this draft.

The 8OA pick is a mystery box, but it has the potential to become a franchise player, and that potential is higher in stronger draft years.

Yep. But I would think there is a bigger probability that he doesn't and ends up being lesser than either Zegras or Necas.

I think Francis has to make the pick and hope he can find another Aho, or maybe it is a Rantanen or possibly another kid taken with the 8th overall pick named Raymond Bourque

I don't know if he has to make the pick. But at this point, I would like him to make the pick unless he can get a player that is a legitimate gamechanger for us.

I am actually of the opposite thinking and believe that prospects are more valuable than picks. There are quite a few of our prospects we picked after the 1st round that I wouldn't trade for a wildcard 1st round pick.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I hope we give Cale a shot to earn a spot next season on the Kraken. My guess he goes in as the #7 but with the regular season and playoffs, I think he needs to be given a chance to win that spot.

If there is no intention there, move the kid out, let him get a chance to earn that spot elsewhere.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

After the Panthers winning the cup and with the entry draft just three days away the "busy season" should start.

Are the Kraken doing anything until draft night?
Or will Ron just wait around, draft a couple of prospects on Friday/Saturday and sign som mid tier guy during the first week of free ageny?

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

After the Panthers winning the cup and with the entry draft just three days away the "busy season" should start.

Are the Kraken doing anything until draft night?
Or will Ron just wait around, draft a couple of prospects on Friday/Saturday and sign som mid tier guy during the first week of free ageny?

I know we won't hear much from Ron "You have to pull my teeth out to make me talk" Francis, but it has been unusually quiet.

This is all pure speculation on my part, but I think (hope) there is already an agreement in place with Beniers about a contract. Depending on how Francis plans to attack FA and trades, it could be either a bridge or a long-term contract.

To a lesser extent, a decision may already have been made regarding Tolvanen, either moving him based on UFA and trade signings or re-signing him to a contract. I can see Francis staying tight-lipped about the extensions for RFAs just to avoid exposing how much cap we really have to play with in FA.

Maybe all this is wishful thinking and Francis does just sign a mid-tier guy in FA but there has been a bit of smoke around the Kraken this summer. We have been mentioned around Laine, Necas and even Marner. Speaking for myself, I would be surprised if we start the season without a good addition.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Pretty quiet today. I am guessing not much happens till this Friday.

 

[The Marquis]

I'm so bored! haha

 

[majormajor]

It's quiet because Francis doesn't talk, but we also have very little reporting on the team in general. It's really a huge contrast with other clubs I follow who have a dedicated reporter at the Athletic as well as someone at the local paper who actually does something.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

It's quiet because Francis doesn't talk, but we also have very little reporting on the team in general. It's really a huge contrast with other clubs I follow who have a dedicated reporter at the Athletic as well as someone at the local paper who actually does something.

I think the biggest issue is the lack of a dedicated Athletic report, as you said.

Francis may not talk much, but I think the bigger problem is that people are digging that hard.

 

[Interior Cascadian]

I think the biggest issue is the lack of a dedicated Athletic report, as you said.

Francis may not talk much, but I think the bigger problem is that people are digging that hard.

Yeah. I think Sound of Hockey is the best we have.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Yeah. I think Sound of Hockey is the best we have.

I am glad that people understood my post. I said report instead of reporter and typed out are instead of aren't.

 

[Scomerica]

I don't think it's lack of reporter. I just think we have an ultra conservative GM too afraid or too stubborn to wheel and deal. We'll draft a prospect and grab some mid tier free agent and continue to stock pile for 'tomorrow', a 'rainy day', something. Happy to be proven wrong but it doesn't feel like this GM would do anything different unless forced.

 

[dylanmacarthur]

I would be for that and making a decision on which direction this team goes.
Though, I doubt Francis will and is actually allowed to do that given what the owner said(to win now as well) during the Bylsma press conference.

Overall I'm looking at this roster and how you could turn it into a really competitive team that can be a threat in the playoffs.
And unless we somehow get lucky with a couple of trades, I don't see another way besides not being good and drafing high enough a couple more times to hopefully get the difference makers you need.

This is what's so disappointing to me about management. I'm not sure if it's Francis or ownership pressure, but either way they seem to be thinking short term.