Friedman: Nashville's not too interested in taking steps backwards

[Bringer of Jollity]

What would Preds fans think about an Arvidsson for Scissons swap?

Report today was Arvidsson is willing to waive NMC for the right fit. I’m sure he’d prefer to go to a contender, but I’d think the next best thing is a team/city he’s familiar with. His numbers were underwhelming last year, but for whatever reason his style just didn’t mesh with Connor or Leon. He’s generally put up points at a clip that’s 55+ pts per season, with staying healthy his biggest challenge.

Scissons would check a box for us as a RH face-off guy.

Thoughts?

No interest in Arvy coming back

 

[Soundgarden]

What would Preds fans think about an Arvidsson for Scissons swap?

Report today was Arvidsson is willing to waive NMC for the right fit. I’m sure he’d prefer to go to a contender, but I’d think the next best thing is a team/city he’s familiar with. His numbers were underwhelming last year, but for whatever reason his style just didn’t mesh with Connor or Leon. He’s generally put up points at a clip that’s 55+ pts per season, with staying healthy his biggest challenge.

Scissons would check a box for us as a RH face-off guy.

Thoughts?

Is a 2nd coming back along with Arvy? We got rid of Arvy because he was injured often and slow, now he's five years older.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Is this some kind of country line dancing joke?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Is a 2nd coming back along with Arvy? We got rid of Arvy because he was injured often and slow, now he's five years older.

We the fans... would take Arvy as a Cap dump, but yes, Edmonton would need to pay us for that. The 2nd rounder sounds about right.

Trotz the GM... would have zero interest in a smaller skilled-but-unproductive non-winner like Arvidsson.

We will also, separately, be looking to trade Sissons by the Trade Deadline. Hopefully he'll have a bounceback season to at least some extent to maximize the return. I'd hope to get a 2nd for him as well.

 

[Kimota]

Given ownership's unprecedented patience for their GMs, the Preds might suck ass for a long time.

It worked well for the Celtics, but Smart wasn't much of a coach. Seems like you can be good at one or the other, but not both.

As an overall point, though, you're on the money. The coach-to-GM pipeline is filled with guys who think that because their strategy worked for them behind the bench, they can duplicate it in the front office. But it's a different game.

I think it's because their coach mind is always in a "win now" mode. I remember how Bowman in Buffalo was a disaster. He kept hiring old guys that had their best days behind them. Cause he wanted "sure things". Same thing with Milbury with the Isles, etc...

 

[Armourboy]

Is a 2nd coming back along with Arvy? We got rid of Arvy because he was injured often and slow, now he's five years older.

Frankly I'm not even sure I want him for a 2nd. Have no interest in trading Sissons in the process either. Only reason I would consider it is if it kept Trotz from signing another old Vet to a moronic contract.

 

[GeauxPreds1]

Trotz is by far the worst gm in the league right now. Every decision he has made has pushed this franchise farther into oblivion. But we have an owner ship that doesn't really care because they are still bringing in money. Hopefully haslam has a different thinking and when he takes over he does care about contending. Trotz can't fired quick enough and the sooner the better

 

[TageGod]

What exactly is Trotz trying to do in Nashville?

Who is going to tell them (that they suck)?

 

[M Ace]

Brunette is a rush attack coach. The roster is a bunch of guys on the wrong side of 30.

Look, I like Brunette and I hope he succeeds somewhere else, but it's not in the cards with the guys that Trotz saddled him with.

They should hire Mike Keenan & John Tortorella as co-coaches and light some fire under the players asses...

 

[Drake1588]

There is plenty of reason to criticize Trotz for his management of the plan in Nashville, whatever it is, but "rebuild, retool or go for it" is not a GM's call. That's always an ownership call. A GM can state his case for why this or that roadmap is more palatable than others, but it's just advice to the owner(s) at the end of the day.

Maybe he wants to rebuild and maybe he wants to double down, or perhaps he favors some hybrid model. Yet ownership has made the call and Trotz' job is execution of that plan.

Fans generally think GMs have more autonomy than is usually the case.

 

[Armourboy]

There is plenty of reason to criticize Trotz for his management of the plan in Nashville, whatever it is, but "rebuild, retool or go for it" is not a GM's call. That's always an ownership call. A GM can state his case for why this or that roadmap is more palatable than others, but it's just advice to the owner(s) at the end of the day.

Maybe he wants to rebuild and maybe he wants to double down, or perhaps he favors some hybrid model. Yet ownership has made the call and Trotz' job is execution of that plan.

Fans generally think GMs have more autonomy than is usually the case.

In Nashville Poile pretty much had autonomy, but that's because he not only tried to do what was best for the team, but the owners as well. The owners pretty much made it clear he was in control to do what he wanted.

Trotz, based on his comments, talks to them regularly, but according to him has been allowed to do what he wants with the team. Now is it going to stay that with a new majority owner? We don't know, but if they have another bad season where they aren't rebuilding then those season tickets are going to be hurting pretty bad. That's when I think the Nashville owners get involved quickly.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

In Nashville Poile pretty much had autonomy, but that's because he not only tried to do what was best for the team, but the owners as well. The owners pretty much made it clear he was in control to do what he wanted.

Trotz, based on his comments, talks to them regularly, but according to him has been allowed to do what he wants with the team. Now is it going to stay that with a new majority owner? We don't know, but if they have another bad season where they aren't rebuilding then those season tickets are going to be hurting pretty bad. That's when I think the Nashville owners get involved quickly.

Yes, Poile was a very special case, including being President since 2007 and a voice to the NHL Board of Governors as a more active alternate Governor than most GMs are. Poile never abused his power, was generally risk-averse and competent, so the diffuse and uninvolved Nashville ownership group was content to let him run the show.

I do expect that to change as Haslam takes over as majority owner. So far, it seems the broader ownership group allowed Trotz to essentially start off with the same freedoms as Poile, and Trotz rewarded that confidence by spending like a drunken pirate with his series of retentions, buyouts, and UFA signings last year. And 30th place. I suspect he'll face greater accountability going forward. Especially if the losing continues and ticket sales start to drop off.

Nevertheless, Trotz's "Plan" is still to win games, entertain the fans, and sell tickets. It's not a Plan that ownership would object to. So far it's just the execution of that Plan which is failing spectacularly. Something which never really happened under Poile. It's good timing for Haslam to come in with a stronger monolithic ownership voice at least, he may tighten the leash on Trotz.

 

[Voight]

This is exactly why you don't hire coaches to be GMs. Doesnt usually work out too well.

 

[Voight]

Tavares 4x8
Marchand 5x9
Ekblad 6x10

Trade for Geno/Letang/Karlsson

Imagine a team of O Rielly/Stamkos/2 Marchys/Tavares/Ekblad/Geno/Letang and Karlsson???? Fuarrrkkk

2017 cup would be Nashvilles for sure! casm:

 

[Byrddog]

Since Liar Pold the Preds have not had ownership that were involved in hockey ops. In fact as long as the organization showed a profit or even a small loss they were just happy being called owner. Having never experienced a rebuild things are tenuous to say the least. Brunette is way over his head here, Trotz tried what kept Poile employed forever just patching the roster . Things did not work and now Trotz has just one chance set the team in a positive direction. The road is paved with mediocrity at every turn. If he is unable to move Saros before July 1 he may as well just retire. After three seasons of slipping nothing indicates this contract gets better as he ages. While the forwards Trotz put on paper last summer should have worked clearly they have not and the young guys currently look to top out as middle 6 if lucky. After enduring a horrid season to secure a top 5 pick the draft is a weak one and this pick is really no different than a mid term pick in a good draft year, so no immediate help there. If Trotz picks wrong and the pick fails fans will be ready to boil him in oil.

 

[glenngineer]

Trotz has made some pretty major blunders:

Adding vets to a roster without any elite young talent - if he added Stamkos, March and Skjei to a team that had young players driving the ship, they would've slotted into complimentary roles, which would have fit their skill set at this point in their careers. Instead, he thought they could drive the boat and I don't recall any team have a core group of players over the age of 30 who took a team to the Cup. Not sure what he was thinking, he certainly wasn't looking at history.

Signing Saros to an albatross of a contract that he won't be able to get out of after June 30th. By doing so, he had already decided to double down on moving Askarov because he didn't want the headache of a potential top 5 goalie bitching about not getting playing time or an opportunity. He could've waited this out. Instead, he settled for a late 1st in a not so great draft and a kid who was drafted late in the 1st round who's realistic potential is a 3C. If he turns into a 2C, amazing but it's doubtful Edstrom gets there. I get goalies don't have a ton of value but could've kept Askarov and moved Saros for basically the same deal and you've got your goaltender for the next 10-12 years.

Moving all the youth and getting nothing in return basically gutted the prospect pool. Outside of Kemell, Wood, Molendyk and Gibson, there isn't a lot to be excited about in Milwaukee with only Molendyk having any real shot of being a difference maker. Not saying the youth he moved on from was anything special but I'm sure if given the chance, could've supplied a roster starved of offense last year a shot in the arm. I'm sure they could've outscored what McCarron and Smith brought to the table.

I don't see a short or long term plan with what he's trying to do. He's doubled down on a coach who hasn't a clue. If he blows the draft on Friday, I'm terrified of what this team becomes.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

I wouldn't like to take a step backwards either if I wasn't able to turn my head to see where I was going.

Easy now…

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

In fairness, after the year we just had, how many more steps backward can we even take?

 

[triggrman]

I think Trotz is misunderstood here. He meant Nashville is not interesting and Is taking a step back