NEW: Keep or Trade Granlund? Zetterlund’s Emergence, Will Smith & More Through 11 Games

[Alaskanice]

Didn’t Kaut burn some bridges on his way out?

He had some bad claims about the coaching. I can’t see them bringing him back ever.

 

[TheBeard]

Be the BMOC.

Do you get a ring for that?

 

[Cas]

Didn’t Kaut burn some bridges on his way out?

Yes, Kaut is gone - anyway, he has another year on his contract in Pardubice, who lost the ELH finals.

I don't expect to see him in North America ever again.

 

[TheBeard]

He had some bad claims about the coaching. I can’t see them bringing him back ever.

I think there's a lot of miscommunication there, but I can see Grier coaxing him into returning so long as it's not to the Cuda and McCarthy. They all know considerably more regarding what went down than we do.

 

[Cas]

I think there's a lot of miscommunication there, but I can see Grier coaxing him into returning so long as it's not to the Cuda and McCarthy. They all know considerably more regarding what went down than we do.

I don't think there's anything Kaut can provide that we would be any less likely to get from Bordeleau/Gushchin/Robins. He's just not very good at anything - Bordeleau has probably already surpassed him, Gushchin has a nasty shot, Robins is supposed to have a good shot, etc. Kaut is just kind of mediocre in all respects.

 

[Gecklund]

What are the projected lineups people are using when talking about adding FAs? Here's a list of internal options only using signed players or RFAs.

Forward:
Roster locks:
Eklund, Granlund, Zetterlund, Kunin, Sturm (that's a pretty short list lol)

In the mix:
Zadina, Graf, Bordeleau, Smith, Couture(if he can even play), Smith (if he signs), Bystedt, Edstrom (if he comes over), Cardwell, Gushchin, Studnicka

It's complicated:
Musty

Signed/RFA but I doubt they're even in consideration:
Coe, Wiesblatt, Robins, Russell, Todd, Sabourin, Peterson, Halttunen (back to Jrs.)

No:
Russell

Defense:
Roster Locks:
Vlasic, Ferraro, Rutta, Benning, Burroughs, Thrun

In the mix:
Emberson, Addison, Mukhamadullin, Furlong, Thompson

Signed/RFA but I doubt they're even in consideration:
Knyzhov, Pulli, Guryev, Laroque

Goalies:
Roster locks:
Blackwood, Vanacek

In the mix:
Romanov, Chrona

Lineup:
Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Kostin-___-Kunin
____-Sturm-_____
____-_____-_____

Ferraro-Emberson
Thrun-Ruutta
Vlasic-Benning

Blackwood
Vanacek

Think you pretty much covered it. Maybe some different line combos but those 6 forwards, think you can add Bordeleau and Graf as close enough to locks so 4 more forwards needed.

I’d also love to add another D or two to have a pairing that is above third pairing level. Bench Benning or Vlasic and/or trade Rutta.

 

[TheBeard]

I don't think there's anything Kaut can provide that we would be any less likely to get from Bordeleau/Gushchin/Robins. He's just not very good at anything - Bordeleau has probably already surpassed him, Gushchin has a nasty shot, Robins is supposed to have a good shot, etc. Kaut is just kind of mediocre in all respects.

I thought he looked decent in his short stint with the big club but you're probably right.

 

[Alaskanice]

All taken in, I agree that Kaut did show good things in his time here. I also agree that he doesn’t offer enough to make the effort to bring him back.

 

[Lebanezer]

Think you pretty much covered it. Maybe some different line combos but those 6 forwards, think you can add Bordeleau and Graf as close enough to locks so 4 more forwards needed.

I’d also love to add another D or two to have a pairing that is above third pairing level. Bench Benning or Vlasic and/or trade Rutta.

If you were going to fill out the rest of the roster, how would you do it?

 

[timorous me]

What are the projected lineups people are using when talking about adding FAs? Here's a list of internal options only using signed players or RFAs.

Forward:
Roster locks:
Eklund, Granlund, Zetterlund, Kunin, Sturm (that's a pretty short list lol)

In the mix:
Zadina, Graf, Bordeleau, Smith, Couture(if he can even play), Smith (if he signs), Bystedt, Edstrom (if he comes over), Cardwell, Gushchin, Studnicka

It's complicated:
Musty

Signed/RFA but I doubt they're even in consideration:
Coe, Wiesblatt, Robins, Russell, Todd, Sabourin, Peterson, Halttunen (back to Jrs.)

No:
Russell

Defense:
Roster Locks:
Vlasic, Ferraro, Rutta, Benning, Burroughs, Thrun

In the mix:
Emberson, Addison, Mukhamadullin, Furlong, Thompson

Signed/RFA but I doubt they're even in consideration:
Knyzhov, Pulli, Guryev, Laroque

Goalies:
Roster locks:
Blackwood, Vanacek

In the mix:
Romanov, Chrona

Lineup:
Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Kostin-___-Kunin
____-Sturm-_____
____-_____-_____

Ferraro-Emberson
Thrun-Ruutta
Vlasic-Benning

Blackwood
Vanacek

The problem with the defense is that I'd really like Shak and Emberson to start the season in the lineup. And I'd like us to make one solid addition.

So who goes or sits? Problem is, most are undesirable to other teams. You could probably sit Burroughs and Vlasic. But no one would trade for them or Rutta. Benning might have some appeal but not right off his injury. And I doubt Ferraro is traded now. So it's a complicated and still not good jigsaw puzzle.

 

[Gecklund]

If you were going to fill out the rest of the roster, how would you do it?

Personally I’d be trying to add a two way C (Wennberg, Gourde, Pageau were all mentioned on the podcast), Debrusk at like 6.5M for 2 years (or other middle 6 winger), see if there’s any young(ish) cap causalities like a Nic Roy or even Nick Robertson that can play in the middle 6, and then add some solid vet type player for the fourth line.

Defense I have no idea I’ll be honest. Pesce, Skjei both in FA but don’t know if we can convince them to come here. Again see if there’s cap casualties. Maybe COL moves Girard to resign Walker. Maybe TOR moves Liljegren.

It’s hard to say without knowing the entire trade market and honestly if they can only get 3 guys instead of the 6 that I’d like I’d think that’s a bit more realistic. I think I’d plan Couture being on the wing though. We desperately need a C. Whether that’s a younger guy like a Smith, Kotkaniemi (possible cap casualty from CAR), etc. or an older guy like Wennberg (FA), Gourde (cap casualty), or someone else I’m pretty open. Priority for me is C, D that can run a PP that isn’t a complete liability in their own end, other stuff.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

What are the projected lineups people are using when talking about adding FAs? Here's a list of internal options only using signed players or RFAs.

Forward:
Roster locks:
Eklund, Granlund, Zetterlund, Kunin, Sturm (that's a pretty short list lol)

In the mix:
Zadina, Graf, Bordeleau, Smith, Couture(if he can even play), Smith (if he signs), Bystedt, Edstrom (if he comes over), Cardwell, Gushchin, Studnicka

It's complicated:
Musty

Signed/RFA but I doubt they're even in consideration:
Coe, Wiesblatt, Robins, Russell, Todd, Sabourin, Peterson, Halttunen (back to Jrs.)

No:
Russell

Defense:
Roster Locks:
Vlasic, Ferraro, Rutta, Benning, Burroughs, Thrun

In the mix:
Emberson, Addison, Mukhamadullin, Furlong, Thompson

Signed/RFA but I doubt they're even in consideration:
Knyzhov, Pulli, Guryev, Laroque

Goalies:
Roster locks:
Blackwood, Vanacek

In the mix:
Romanov, Chrona

Lineup:
Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Kostin-___-Kunin
____-Sturm-_____
____-_____-_____

Ferraro-Emberson
Thrun-Ruutta
Vlasic-Benning

Blackwood
Vanacek

For me, a lot of it depends on the results of the draft. If we get Celebrini, I would be super aggressive with the roster turnover now to weed out a lot of what's left that we don't need to have here moving forward. That means cutting guys like Kunin, Zadina, Addison, and Studnicka all loose as RFA's. It means buying out Knyzhov and Vlasic. I would put in as many young players in the lineup as we can while potentially moving one or two of them for better long term fits and filling out the rest with free agency signings or trade acquisitions.

If we don't land Celebrini, I'm assuming that Smith goes back to college another year so then I'd be fine with it being treated as another transitional season where you're giving young players a chance to prove themselves but I'd want it to be guys like Bordeleau, Gushchin, Graf, and maybe Musty as well as another opportunity to someone like Zadina or Studnicka but probably not Addison or Kunin. I'd keep Vlasic around another season but I'd probably look at trading Ferraro for either a high 2nd or a late 1st depending on who's asking.

In either instance, we also have to wait and see what Couture's status is throughout the offseason. They're talking about having him skate in July. While it shouldn't impact their free agency signings or trade acquisitions, it will impact at least one depth acquisition to some degree. If it's a transition year, getting Couture healthy and playing again would set us up for moving him next offseason when Burns' retention expires. If it's the Celebrini path, Couture would be a pretty solid influence either as a guy to carry his own line against top competition or as a winger helping him defensively.

 

[coooldude]

No matter what happens, everyone's gotta write Kunin in the lineup in sharpie. He's not going anywhere.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

No matter what happens, everyone's gotta write Kunin in the lineup in sharpie. He's not going anywhere.

Pass.

 

[one2gamble]

Pass.

Hard Pass

 

[pappaf2]

Hard Pass

Hand pass

 

[Kcoyote3]

Here are just some guesses:

UFAs gone:
Labanc
Barabanov
Hoffman
Carpenter
MacDonald
Lindblom
Makiniemi

UFAs stay:
Bailey
Cooley (2-way deal)



RFAs gone:
Studnicka
Peterson
Addison
Coe (but borderline)

RFAs stay:
Zadina
Bordeleau
Thrun
Emberson




Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Zadina-Couture-Kostin
Bordeleau-Sturm-Kunin
Smith-XXX-Bailey

3 spots or so open with Bailey and Smith rotating out. I think they try to grab a fourth line center and a middle-six winger in FA. Stenlund/4th line C and Joshua/Debrusk or someone kind of like that. Obviously guys like Zadina, Bordeleau, Kostin all sort of rotate around lines until something works, and if Couture is injured then who knows what they do if they don't have Celebrini or Smith to try at center. I think they also give Gushchin an extended look if he shows up to preseason holding his own.


Defense is tricky but here goes:

Ferraro-Benning
Thrun-Rutta
Vlasic-Emberson
Mukhamadullin-Burroughs

Rotate in and out for injuries and bad play. I think by the end of the year Ferraro-Muk-Thrun becomes the left side. I think they try to find upgrades on RD that are younger and cheaper. That may mean moving Burroughs or Rutta but I suspect they try to add one defender, especially with Benning coming from injury.

Personally I'd try to move Granlund to a contender at the draft or just wait until the TDL I suppose. I just don't want to lose out on the opportunity if he has a downtrending season. I'd also move Rutta. He's old, still has some value to a contender though as a third liner. Get a draft pick for him and unclog the mediocrity on D.

 

[coooldude]

Pass.

Hard Pass

I mean, like Kunin or not, Grier clearly does. It's y'all's choice to wanna Pass, but he's gonna be in the lineup next year.

Here are just some guesses:

UFAs gone:
Labanc
Barabanov
Hoffman
Carpenter
MacDonald
Lindblom
Makiniemi

UFAs stay:
Bailey
Cooley (2-way deal)



RFAs gone:
Studnicka
Peterson
Addison
Coe (but borderline)

RFAs stay:
Zadina
Bordeleau
Thrun
Emberson




Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Zadina-Couture-Kostin
Bordeleau-Sturm-Kunin
Smith-XXX-Bailey

3 spots or so open with Bailey and Smith rotating out. I think they try to grab a fourth line center and a middle-six winger in FA. Stenlund/4th line C and Joshua/Debrusk or someone kind of like that. Obviously guys like Zadina, Bordeleau, Kostin all sort of rotate around lines until something works, and if Couture is injured then who knows what they do if they don't have Celebrini or Smith to try at center. I think they also give Gushchin an extended look if he shows up to preseason holding his own.


Defense is tricky but here goes:

Ferraro-Benning
Thrun-Rutta
Vlasic-Emberson
Mukhamadullin-Burroughs

Rotate in and out for injuries and bad play. I think by the end of the year Ferraro-Muk-Thrun becomes the left side. I think they try to find upgrades on RD that are younger and cheaper. That may mean moving Burroughs or Rutta but I suspect they try to add one defender, especially with Benning coming from injury.

Personally I'd try to move Granlund to a contender at the draft or just wait until the TDL I suppose. I just don't want to lose out on the opportunity if he has a downtrending season. I'd also move Rutta. He's old, still has some value to a contender though as a third liner. Get a draft pick for him and unclog the mediocrity on D.

This all makes sense with the caveat that I do think Grier is going to push for at least a 1-2 middle 6 F's and at least 1-2 trade or UFA D's to push the D lineup down and give us a shot to not spend so much time in our zone.

If we get Mack and Smith/Mack (one or both) want to join, then Bailey will be mostly an AHL call-up and Smith may be mostly press box unless injury.

 

[gaucholoco3]

Something has to be done about the D as even adding McDavid and MacKinnon would do nothing if this is their D.

The problem is there are already too many D signed to contracts and Ferraro is the only one with any trade value. They could plan to bury Burroughs, but they still need to get a Legit top 4 D which they don’t have any at the moment.

 

[coooldude]

Something has to be done about the D as even adding McDavid and MacKinnon would do nothing if this is their D.

The problem is there are already too many D signed to contracts and Ferraro is the only one with any trade value. They could plan to bury Burroughs, but they still need to get a Legit top 4 D which they don’t have any at the moment.

I think they'll try to move out a D, possibly packaging future lower-level draft picks (like 4ths) in order to move someone in. Or one of our DWJr prospects such as Bords, Gushchin. I could see Rutta, Burroughs for example moved out with Bords/Gushchin and two 4ths or something, for one player coming in and a 6/7th. I dunno, just feels like we won't go into next season with the exact same D's we currently have under contract, plus Mukh.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Something has to be done about the D as even adding McDavid and MacKinnon would do nothing if this is their D.

The problem is there are already too many D signed to contracts and Ferraro is the only one with any trade value. They could plan to bury Burroughs, but they still need to get a Legit top 4 D which they don’t have any at the moment.

I think you waive Burroughs and bury him in the AHL, healthy-scratch Vlasic, and trade Rutta. I would also certainly be open to trading Ferraro if someone gave us value for him.

Ferraro-FA signing (DeMelo/Carrier/Chatfield)
Mukhamadullin-Benning
Thrun-Emberson
Vlasic
Thompson (8D/first call-up)

I think it’s time to see what Mukh can do. He won’t benefit from another AHL season any more than he would an NHL season. Obviously shelter his minutes a ton, and make sure he has an adequate partner (Benning if healthy would be a fine option), give him PP minutes and a ton of film. He’s 22, it’s time to let him fly.

 

[Jargon]

I think you waive Burroughs and bury him in the AHL, healthy-scratch Vlasic, and trade Rutta. I would also certainly be open to trading Ferraro if someone gave us value for him.

Ferraro-FA signing (DeMelo/Carrier/Chatfield)
Mukhamadullin-Benning
Thrun-Emberson
Vlasic
Thompson (8D/first call-up)

I think it’s time to see what Mukh can do. He won’t benefit from another AHL season any more than he would an NHL season. Obviously shelter his minutes a ton, and make sure he has an adequate partner (Benning if healthy would be a fine option), give him PP minutes and a ton of film. He’s 22, it’s time to let him fly.

I think this is very reasonable.

I have this totally wild and probably wrong foretelling that Ferraro is going to be traded at the draft for a late 1st rounder. And/or used to move a 2nd into the top 10 or something. Just think he’s going to be packaged for something during the draft that’ll surprise and delight. I’m putting this here in case I happen to be right.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Here are just some guesses:

UFAs gone:
Labanc
Barabanov
Hoffman
Carpenter
MacDonald
Lindblom
Makiniemi

UFAs stay:
Bailey
Cooley (2-way deal)



RFAs gone:
Studnicka
Peterson
Addison
Coe (but borderline)

RFAs stay:
Zadina
Bordeleau
Thrun
Emberson




Eklund-Granlund-Zetterlund
Zadina-Couture-Kostin
Bordeleau-Sturm-Kunin
Smith-XXX-Bailey

3 spots or so open with Bailey and Smith rotating out. I think they try to grab a fourth line center and a middle-six winger in FA. Stenlund/4th line C and Joshua/Debrusk or someone kind of like that. Obviously guys like Zadina, Bordeleau, Kostin all sort of rotate around lines until something works, and if Couture is injured then who knows what they do if they don't have Celebrini or Smith to try at center. I think they also give Gushchin an extended look if he shows up to preseason holding his own.


Defense is tricky but here goes:

Ferraro-Benning
Thrun-Rutta
Vlasic-Emberson
Mukhamadullin-Burroughs

Rotate in and out for injuries and bad play. I think by the end of the year Ferraro-Muk-Thrun becomes the left side. I think they try to find upgrades on RD that are younger and cheaper. That may mean moving Burroughs or Rutta but I suspect they try to add one defender, especially with Benning coming from injury.

Personally I'd try to move Granlund to a contender at the draft or just wait until the TDL I suppose. I just don't want to lose out on the opportunity if he has a downtrending season. I'd also move Rutta. He's old, still has some value to a contender though as a third liner. Get a draft pick for him and unclog the mediocrity on D.

I think I'd prefer to keep Carpenter over Bailey if we're keeping one of them as UFA's. Carpenter can kill penalties and play center. Bailey doesn't really offer anything if he's not scoring and he's had a hard time scoring beyond the 4th line role with us. If they look to add a center, it may make sense to find a 3C to push Sturm down to 4C but it also depends on what the goals of the season are going to be. If we're doing another transition sort of season, they should look to maximize the potential returns of our expiring contracts in guys like Granlund, Sturm, Smith, Rutta, Blackwood, and Vanecek. Granted, not all of them are going to return much of anything especially Smith and one of the goalies likely.

Personally, I hope we move at least one of Burroughs or Rutta before next season. I think Emberson deserves to be in the lineup regularly but I also hope they either buy out Vlasic or trade Ferraro for draft capital. They need room for Mukhamadullin on the left side and those are the only reasonable options with a Vlasic buyout being my preference if we get Celebrini and Ferraro being traded if we don't.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I mean, like Kunin or not, Grier clearly does. It's y'all's choice to wanna Pass, but he's gonna be in the lineup next year.

So? Grier's moved guys he likes too if it made sense and it makes sense to move on from Kunin one way or the other. He's a negative when he's in the lineup far more often than being a positive. If he has any sort of trade value, they need to extract it and move on from him or just let him walk. He's not a good player and he's hardly a good leader or glue guy. Sturm is better at that than Kunin.

 

[coooldude]

So? Grier's moved guys he likes too if it made sense and it makes sense to move on from Kunin one way or the other. He's a negative when he's in the lineup far more often than being a positive. If he has any sort of trade value, they need to extract it and move on from him or just let him walk. He's not a good player and he's hardly a good leader or glue guy. Sturm is better at that than Kunin.

I'm not trying to argue with you on opinion or what could happen, and I'm not a Kunin apologist. I'm simply pointing out that Grier called out only a few players as playing his kind of Sharks hockey. He said, "Kunny is the kind of player who's always in the fight every day, and represents what we're trying to build here. I wish he fought less, but he's out there battling every day." Combined with the sometimes-A, That doesn't sound like a guy that Grier's going to move on from at RFA. He didn't give that clear a message about anyone else in his locker room clear out interview.

Grier said he could see Zadina staying because there's potential if he figures out mentally how to play a complete game and not worry about points -- that's a player I could see him moving on from if the chips fall the right way. But absent us signing Macklin and Smith and signing/trading for a really solid established top/middle 6 vet in the offseason, or grier trying to play 4D chess to pump Kunin's value which seems pretty silly, I think Kunin is in the plans.