Speculation: Off-Season 2013 - Part II

[Yzlamic Preacher*]

South Detroit? I wonder if there is a midnight train going...I don't know, anywhere.

Some will win, some will lose, some are born to sing the blues.

 

[IdealisticSniper]

Now we have to settle for Detroit of the south

Nah. Vinik alone has more money than the entire city of Detroit.

 

[jg39]

South Detroit? I wonder if there is a midnight train going...I don't know, anywhere.

Some will win, some will lose, some are born to sing the blues.

Real funny guys...these jokes just go on and on and on and on...

 

[Coopers Gum]

Real funny guys...these jokes just go on and on and on and on...

You strangers are just waiting for these opportunities...

 

[chasespace]

You strangers are just waiting for these opportunities...

Some would say they're searching in the night...

 

[The Macho King]

This thread is on a midnight train going anywhere but on topic...

 

[Jacko95]

This thread is on a midnight train going anywhere but on topic...

Who cares it'S a hell lot of fun to read

 

[Felonious Python]

Some would say they're searching in the night...

living just to find emotion.

 

[jg39]

This thread is on a midnight train going anywhere but on topic...

Does Purcell's on-ice floating drive you up and down the boulevard?

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

First of it's Clifford not Crawford.

Clifford had freakin 155 hits last season. Thats top10 among forwards in the NHl and only Gudas will be anywhere clsoe to this numbers next season.
And he is not a defensive liability, otherwise he would NEVER get playing time in LA.
I must have mixed something up, because for some reason I thought he played 14min a night, but in reality it's 10. So now I agree that Palat is too much, but I would still think SY should pull a trigger around Pyatt and a 7th or a 4th and Mullin. This guy would be perfect use on a line with Thompson and Crombeen. WOuld be a real strong and intimidating 4th line. Then we would have Labrie stepping up for them if needed and the three lines above are made as scoring lines. Or you mix the two bottom lines a little bit. Maybe Clifford-Johnson-Palat/Panik and Malone/Palat-Thompson-Crombeen.

My problem is this in regards to clifford. We already have too many players forwards. Whom are not as good as players as the upgrades in youth we can bring up imho in my humble opinion. So lets add another? I call him defensive liability cause his own coach words are he takes too many stupid stick penalties because he gets beat on defense. He said that somewhere I saw lol. He is not an agitator but takes a TON of penalties.


The one point I will make about whom stevie has targeted are SMART IQ hockey players. They might not be most physical etc.. that remains to be seen if cooper can get them to play more feisty etc.. Yet most of our guys do not take a lot of dumb penalties. 2010-2011 141 pim 2011-2012 123 pim and last year 51 pim. For someone whom doesnt fight EVER that is a huge amount of penalties per his ice time. To me that spells STUPID or defensive liability. I get the hits but I dont see as said this guy ever putting in more than 30 points.

So our line up kinda looks like this
stamkos marty and killorn whom will play physical and should hit 40 points
purcell drouin and valtteri
johnson panik another guy whom will play physical and get hopefully 30 points and palat? they are used to playing together why think this is third line.

fourth line would be connolly malone and thompson subs crombeen and labrie thats 14 forwards we got tyrell and pyatt on roster still and six guys on d hedman carle gudas aulie salo and brewer. With I think bringing up barberio also. and bishop and lindback in goal. That is your 23. We need to drop both tyrell and pyatt for this to happen.

ahl will have namestnikov and kucherov pushing for roster spot soon think by end of year for nhl. Also I know people want us more physical but I see our D coming along. I really would like korobov whom consider closest to spend a full year down in ahl to work with sustr. Yes will be on different lines I believe but also believe they will feed off each other etc.. and help us greatly next year. THEY BOTH ARE MONSTERS LOL Seergeev and koekkoek are probably the year after and witkowski and nesterov the year after that where can be brought up to bigs. By that time is another group of forwards probably ready gusev hall richard pacquette erne etc.. Hall and erne will be big physical forwards.

I know this is about the new NHL yet you look at gudas than think about korobov whom is 6'2 235 and sustr 6'8 218 range and you got to believe we have the size and gritty play coming. I think a lot of the young kids will surprise and be plenty physical yet also think we will out skate most teams and overall be one of the fastest teams in NHL and that truly has to count for something.

I do not know if kucherov can make roster this year but next I think is lock. To me on paper the lines we can throw out after this season I do not see any teams as fast as us. Thinking first line of marty stamkos kucherov second line valterri drouin and killorn third line of purcell-panik johnson palat and a fourth line of thompson connolly namestnikov labrie and not sure if crombeen will be on tampa or in ahl next year? First line there is our weakest D line probably but honestly also might rival the edmonton line of kurri messier and gretsky. Second line two great two way players with drouin? third line got panik and palat johnson are not terrible at physical play both under rated in that department!! yet fourth line looks awesome with namestnikov and thompson playing great two way game and connolly is improving in that and I think labrie is a lot better player than we know yet


We just have too many good players ready or coming up to add anyone whom is not elite. I really feel that way. Kucherov is going to be elite drouin is going to be elite johnson and palat are gonna be great players connolly is going to be a very good player. Korobov and sustr can become elite but so can seergeev and koekkoek given time. This is a dynasty we have here in the making.

I would really like stevie to stay inactive for the time being unless find a buyer for malone etc.. I would like him to be prepared also to watch other teams whom put themselves into salary cap hell in the next two three years and try to steal some of their young talent. I see that opportunity with teams like pittsburgh philadelphia etc.. not being able to keep guys whom are going to be very good players because of the salary cap not going up much and doing these long 8 year contracts etc... or too many long contracts to have flexibility needed year in and year out to keep their young talent?

That is the road I would travel in new CBA cause we have a strong foundation and honestly we might need a tweak or so but we are close right now and nothing should stop us 3 years from now.

 

[2 Weekes Notice]

Pre-Olympic rosters starting to come out, looks like we should be decently represented as an organization with Stamkos and Marty for Canada, Flip and Salo for Finland, Hedman for Sweden, maybe Panik for Slovakia? And of all the foreign goalies we have to offer, maybe just....Kristers Gudlevskis.

 

[peto10]

Pre-Olympic rosters starting to come out, looks like we should be decently represented as an organization with Stamkos and Marty for Canada, Flip and Salo for Finland, Hedman for Sweden, maybe Panik for Slovakia? And of all the foreign goalies we have to offer, maybe just....Kristers Gudlevskis.

Pánik is lock for Slovakia, Janus has good chance to be #3 or even #2 goalie.

 

[Coopers Gum]

Damn. We've got a lot of people going to the Olympics. How are we not a better team

 

[The Macho King]

damn. We've got a lot of people going to the olympics. How are we not a better team

1-3-1

 

[LTIR Trickery]

Damn. We've got a lot of people going to the Olympics. How are we not a better team

Short seasons do strange things to teams. I don't think we're as bad as last season, I also don't think some teams are quite as good as they were last year.

 

[2 Weekes Notice]

Damn. We've got a lot of people going to the Olympics. How are we not a better team

I think it's worth noting, too, that it's another indicator of this organization's future getting ready to take over. We have as many prospects (Panik, Gudas, Palat, Janus, Gudlevskis) getting camp looks as we do NHLers (Stamkos, St. Louis, Filppula, Salo, Hedman). For the Olympics, that's pretty ridiculous, and it doesn't even account for our most elite prospects in Drouin and Vasya.

 

[The Wyzerhood]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=428504

Dreger also suggested that the return for Franson in any possible trade might be a prospect and a draft pick.

Can we get this done already then? Right shot, physical, big bodied defenseman with good offensive potential that can easily play a top 4 role. Sign me up!

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=428504



Can we get this done already then? Right shot, physical, big bodied defenseman with good offensive potential that can easily play a top 4 role. Sign me up!

I personally would rather get Klesla in pheonix over franson. I agree could play our top four but he Franson is not a top four he really struggles in own end. He does hit and is physical and is awesome or seems awesome offensively. He might become great? Yet doubt it in own end.

Case in point is game seven where had two goals which is GREAT but gave up two also at the end.

They did a trade offer and the scenario agreed to was malone straight up for Klesla yes is only one year left on his contract but think we could resign him. Wish the gm's would do that

 

[The Wyzerhood]

I personally would rather get Klesla in pheonix over franson. I agree could play our top four but he Franson is not a top four he really struggles in own end. He does hit and is physical and is awesome or seems awesome offensively. He might become great? Yet doubt it in own end.

Case in point is game seven where had two goals which is GREAT but gave up two also at the end.

They did a trade offer and the scenario agreed to was malone straight up for Klesla yes is only one year left on his contract but think we could resign him. Wish the gm's would do that

Franson was one of Toronto's best defensemen all year. Together with Fraser, they became a reliable pairing for Toronto, so I'm not quite sure where you get "really struggles in his own end" from.

The collapse in game 7 was a result of inexperience from the team as a whole. Of the last three goals scored by Boston, Franson was only on for the last goal, which was Gardiner's fault; the other two were Phaneuf and Gunnarsson. Gardiner didn't clear the puck well and passed it right to Bergeron while Reimer was still recovering.

I hope you're kidding about Klesla over Franson...

 

[Steve Yzerman]

Franson was one of Toronto's best defensemen all year. Together with Fraser, they became a reliable pairing for Toronto, so I'm not quite sure where you get "really struggles in his own end" from.

The collapse in game 7 was a result of inexperience from the team as a whole. Of the last three goals scored by Boston, Franson was only on for the last goal, which was Gardiner's fault; the other two were Phaneuf and Gunnarsson. Gardiner didn't clear the puck well and passed it right to Bergeron while Reimer was still recovering.

I hope you're kidding about Klesla over Franson...

I'm not a huge fan of Fraser, he played a lot of sheltered minutes. He was lucky in the beginning of the season as he was on the ice a lot when Kadri scored, and his play in the playoffs was poor. But Franson is definitely interesting, he is a quality player and there was previously interest from Yzemran. Begin the trade proposals.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

No not kidding I want more physical d think we have plenty of guys whom can do the roles we need on offense so dont need franson. Also know we cannot trade malone for franson. That is move I am for. Am not for connolly for him yet think we really need two moves and if did both? I would do it connolly for franson klesla for malone.

I think we do not sign salo to another contract. I really feel brewer cannot get back to two years ago and neither can malone think both will have lost and step and become liabilities in 82 game years. I think they need to be shipped

Franson is a salary thing with toronto so moving brewer for him is not an option

I hope I am wrong and malone and brewer both shock me and revert back to form. I just think the years and hits have taken their toll and they will show drop offs this year even if injury free.

I personally would like us to slow down on bringing up defensive prospects I am old school and would like them more well rounded and to get a couple years down at cuse before coming up.

Unless someone like KoekKoek shocks I do not know where he is I liked him day one of camp. He is interesting but do not think would hurt us to have sustr and korobov both play two years down at cuse!!. I think bringing them up earlier is rushing and they wont get full time for us anyway unless is injury etc.. If you have a great two way guy bring him up early if have some lethal offensive talent its ok too but defense I like the slow steady approach and to give them most ice time possible before hitting the big team

I dont feel anyone is ready to come up at this point unless is KoekKoek. Keep in mind barberio is gonna make our roster. I think we lack big physical guys power guys and would like us to add one till those we have can get up to bigs

 

[The Wyzerhood]

I'm not a huge fan of Fraser, he played a lot of sheltered minutes. He was lucky in the beginning of the season as he was on the ice a lot when Kadri scored, and his play in the playoffs was poor. But Franson is definitely interesting, he is a quality player and there was previously interest from Yzemran. Begin the trade proposals.

Fraser is what he is - a third pairing, defensive defenseman that filled in with Franson in a 2nd pairing role. Their games complemented each other quite well and Franson's defensive zone play continued to improve as the season went on. He's got good all-around potential, but of course his offensive ability stands out more.

Trade proposals are tricky because Franson's a RFA and Toronto are clearly dealing from a disadvantage with their limited cap space.

 

[The Wyzerhood]

No not kidding I want more physical d think we have plenty of guys whom can do the roles we need on offense so dont need franson. Also know we cannot trade malone for franson. That is move I am for. Am not for connolly for him yet think we really need two moves and if did both? I would do it connolly for franson klesla for malone.

I think we do not sign salo to another contract. I really feel brewer cannot get back to two years ago and neither can malone think both will have lost and step and become liabilities in 82 game years. I think they need to be shipped

Franson is a salary thing with toronto so moving brewer for him is not an option

I hope I am wrong and malone and brewer both shock me and revert back to form. I just think the years and hits have taken their toll and they will show drop offs this year even if injury free.

I personally would like us to slow down on bringing up defensive prospects I am old school and would like them more well rounded and to get a couple years down at cuse before coming up.

Unless someone like KoekKoek shocks I do not know where he is I liked him day one of camp. He is interesting but do not think would hurt us to have sustr and korobov both play two years down at cuse!!. I think bringing them up earlier is rushing and they wont get full time for us anyway unless is injury etc.. If you have a great two way guy bring him up early if have some lethal offensive talent its ok too but defense I like the slow steady approach and to give them most ice time possible before hitting the big team

I dont feel anyone is ready to come up at this point unless is KoekKoek. Keep in mind barberio is gonna make our roster. I think we lack big physical guys power guys and would like us to add one till those we have can get up to bigs

So let me get this straight. You want a physical dman, but don't want Franson who registered 124 hits in 45 games, but you do want Klesla who registered 40 hits in 38 games?

Who do we have on defense that can provide offense and play a top 4 role outside of Hedman? Your assessment of Franson "really struggling in his own end" is also unfounded.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Franson is a perfect fit here, get it done Yzerman! The issue is that they're a contending team, and will want a player who can step in right away on a fairly reasonable contract. I wonder if they'd be interested in taking Aulie back, I know he was a fan favorite during his time in Toronto. Of course, we'd have to add to that, but I think it's a good starting point.

 

[CupsOverCash]

I honestly don't see it happening. They will be in our division next year. If hey want to trade him it will likely be elsewhere.