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Confirmed with Link: Kuznetzov (50%) for 2025 3rd - mutual contract term.

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bleedgreen

bleedgreen

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I mean I got behind Tony so I can get behind this. It’s just that initial visual impact of seeing the headline, it’s a stiff smack to the face. This is dumpster diving that would make JR blush.

So the positive is if we can find a way to motivate him we’ve got a guy who’s obviously talented enough to be a good 2C. He’s more talented than Aho really. He used to be occasionally defensively responsible even.

If he stays the way he’s been we have two centers making decent coin that are essentially passengers next season. And five of them overall.

Makes you think there’s still more happening at center. I think they love Drury, and I remember DW talking about KK’s struggles last year and talking about how he needed to have more offense. I think they’d move him if they could. He doesn’t make a better winger.
 
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TheOllieC

TheOllieC

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Jul 12, 2013
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I don't mind it as much as the main board seemingly does. Obviously banking a lot on him getting close enough to the kind of player he was previously. But I doubt he'll struggle to outperform Drury/KK offensively. If he was close to top form though, you're not getting a player like this for 3.9m let alone for 1.5x that $ - nor for a 3rd. It's literally just a 3rd round pick next year. Cap is the bigger dilemma and these are deadline swings I don't mind the Borg taking especially in that cap world where we've been able to somehow retain important top prospects though this point. This is why you fight to keep them, with the hopes they can contribute while affordable. Additionally while realizing these are simply the high risk high reward deals they're going to try to make. If they're taking a risk on a player, they want that extra year. That's how you gain that competitive advantage even if it is just for that one year. We've seen it before.

Add in that he's in probably one of the best places playstyle-wise for his game to thrive in, and he's reunited with someone who's apparently a great friend in Orlov. Harm reduction can be done reasonably if he really is bad enough to warrant a buyout. That would suck sure, but I think they have the safeguards in place.
 
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Blueline Bomber

Blueline Bomber

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bleedgreen said:
I mean to those who think Drury was doing good enough as a 2C, this is how desperately different management thought.

And what they currently think of KK as well.
Click to expand...

The only play I remember from KK last night was when Lemeiux intercepted a pass and created a 2-on-1 with KK, and KK shot the puck so far over the net, I assumed it was tipped or the puck was on edge. Then the replay showed none of that.
 
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Chrispy

Chrispy

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bleedgreen said:
I mean I got behind Tony so I can get behind this. It’s just that initial visual impact of seeing the headline, it’s a stiff smack to the face. This is dumpster diving that would make JR blush.

So the positive is if we can find a way to motivate him we’ve got a guy who’s obviously talented enough to be a good 2C. He’s more talented than Aho really. He used to be occasionally defensively responsible even.

If he stays the way he’s been we have two centers making decent coin that are essentially passengers next season. And five of them overall.

Makes you think there’s still more happening at center. I think they love Drury, and I remember DW talking about KK’s struggles last year and talking about how he needed to have more offense. I think they’d move him if they could. He doesn’t make a better winger.
Click to expand...
I'm confident only one of Kotkaniemi or Kuznetsov is on the team next season.

If Kuznetsov fails like I suspect, they buy him out.
If Kuznetsov succeeds, they trade or buy out Kotkaniemi.

I don't know if they find a taker for Kotkaniemi today.
 
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Svechhammer

Svechhammer

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Jun 8, 2017
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bleedgreen said:
I mean I got behind Tony so I can get behind this. It’s just that initial visual impact of seeing the headline, it’s a stiff smack to the face. This is dumpster diving that would make JR blush.

So the positive is if we can find a way to motivate him we’ve got a guy who’s obviously talented enough to be a good 2C. He’s more talented than Aho really. He used to be occasionally defensively responsible even.

If he stays the way he’s been we have two centers making decent coin that are essentially passengers next season. And five of them overall.

Makes you think there’s still more happening at center. I think they love Drury, and I remember DW talking about KK’s struggles last year and talking about how he needed to have more offense. I think they’d move him if they could. He doesn’t make a better winger.
Click to expand...
The only thing I'm holding onto is that he's really not that far removed from being a very good player, and if there is any coach in the league who could bring that back out of him quickly its Rod. If he can do that, this could be an all time bargain move and something that legitimately pushes us over the top for a playoff run.

This isn't even as bad as diving for Poolparty last year. Kuzy has shown he can consistently be a very good player. He just has.... other issues.
 
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robbieberns

robbieberns

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Feb 23, 2016
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He’s going to be playing with one of Guentzel/Svech and Necas to start with, literally been handed a key role on a serious contender with real legitimate difference making top 5 line mates. If he can’t find the motivation to get back to his best game with the circumstances being such a positive turn around for him, he can be our 13th forward and he squandered his chance and we took a risk.
 
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Stickpucker

Stickpucker

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Jan 18, 2014
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bleedgreen said:
I mean I got behind Tony so I can get behind this. It’s just that initial visual impact of seeing the headline, it’s a stiff smack to the face. This is dumpster diving that would make JR blush.

So the positive is if we can find a way to motivate him we’ve got a guy who’s obviously talented enough to be a good 2C. He’s more talented than Aho really. He used to be occasionally defensively responsible even.

If he stays the way he’s been we have two centers making decent coin that are essentially passengers next season. And five of them overall.

Makes you think there’s still more happening at center. I think they love Drury, and I remember DW talking about KK’s struggles last year and talking about how he needed to have more offense. I think they’d move him if they could. He doesn’t make a better winger.
Click to expand...
I think Rods clearly given up on him and he's in the dog house.

KKs days are numbered.
 
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Chrispy

Chrispy

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Svechhammer said:
The only thing I'm holding onto is that he's really not that far removed from being a very good player, and if there is any coach in the league who could bring that back out of him quickly its Rod. If he can do that, this could be an all time bargain move and something that legitimately pushes us over the top for a playoff run.

This isn't even as bad as diving for Poolparty last year. Kuzy has shown he can consistently be a very good player. He just has.... other issues.
Click to expand...
Yes, but no one was ever concerned about letting Puljujarvi into the locker room.
 
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Stickpucker

Stickpucker

Playmaka
Jan 18, 2014
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Svechhammer said:
The only thing I'm holding onto is that he's really not that far removed from being a very good player, and if there is any coach in the league who could bring that back out of him quickly its Rod. If he can do that, this could be an all time bargain move and something that legitimately pushes us over the top for a playoff run.

This isn't even as bad as diving for Poolparty last year. Kuzy has shown he can consistently be a very good player. He just has.... other issues.
Click to expand...
If he can find his game again this will be our team:
 
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User13452

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Jan 7, 2022
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Big Daddy Cane said:
Kotkaniemi has 6 points over his last 41 GP.

I don’t think he’s a bad player over the longer term, but he’s having a bad season.
Click to expand...
Like Rod said last night he isn’t playing bad but Drury was just playing better so he lost his minutes both 5 on 5 and powerplay so the production isn’t gonna be there. I still think come playoff time if he’s on the 4th line he can take advantage of matching up against other teams 4th lines
 
Nikishin Go Boom

Nikishin Go Boom

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bleedgreen said:
On the surface that’s a kick to the tenders, but after we got Jake the glaring hole is center. Then consistent goalie where we’re taking a huge gamble I suspect and riding what we got.

Another wing isn’t a huge need.
Click to expand...
the problem to me is there is nothing that says Kuzy is a center on a RBA team looking at how he has played the last 3 seasons. He doesnt get the puck deep, he doesnt play much defense, he isnt great in the circle, and he doesnt forecheck. Drury and KK are much better fits as centers in the system.

Why would Kuzy play center for Rod and not Necas? it doesnt make sense to me. Necas does some of that better than Kuzy and hasnt gotten a shot at center.
 
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