Off Season Move(s) Thread

[Dr Jan Itor]

Barzal has taken ~450 draws over the last 3 seasons combined. That’s roughly 100 more than Boldy in the same time frame. None of the 3 seasons were above 43%. He’s not a center. Let’s not pretend that he is.

Those darned face-offs again. I keep forgetting they're the be all and end all.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Zuccarello said he'll extend his contract if he feels ready for it, like he does now. But he'll not take a spot in the lineup just to play, he must really feel like he can still contribute and help the team win games. Sounds like the door will be open, and it's more up to him if he wants to stay longer or not.

He's very excited about next season, and with more cap space he thinks the Wild can become a real cup contender.

Thanks for the report. I woke up this morning wondering about Zuccarello's future.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

Those darned face-offs again. I keep forgetting they're the be all and end all.

Faceoffs are an important function of being a center. It’s negligent to think otherwise.

 

[MNRube]

What about Cirelli? I’ve seen his name out there a fair amount. I don’t hate the idea of going after another TWC. I personally like Danault, too.

Also the guy who is banging the “FOs are everything” drum is the same guy banging the “Yurov must play C” drum. Safe bet he’s going to struggle on the dot this year if he plays C

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Faceoffs are an important function of being a center. It’s negligent to think otherwise.

A center takes 1,640 face-offs in 82 games. That is 20 per game.

A 40% face-off man absolutely sucks at face-offs, wins 8 and loses 12.
A 60% face-off man is the elite of the elite at face-offs, wins 12 and loses 8.

This huge deal is the difference between 8-12 and 12-8 during a game.

 

[TaLoN]

A center takes 1,640 face-offs in 82 games. That is 20 per game.

A 40% face-off man absolutely sucks at face-offs, wins 8 and loses 12.
A 60% face-off man is the elite of the elite at face-offs, wins 12 and loses 8.

This huge deal is the difference between 8-12 and 12-8 during a game.

There needs to be a key draw stat, but there isn't. The numbers look simple and not worth worrying about, but we see on the ice it's very different as the key draws get lost and the opposition scores off the draw or we lose a key offensive draw on the PP and spend the rest of the PP trying and failing to establish the zone.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

What about Cirelli? I’ve seen his name out there a fair amount. I don’t hate the idea of going after another TWC. I personally like Danault, too.

Also the guy who is banging the “FOs are everything” drum is the same guy banging the “Yurov must play C” drum. Safe bet he’s going to struggle on the dot this year if he plays C

Incorrect. I’ve been banging the “Yurov must start at center and if he cannot handle the role yet then move him to wing” drum.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

A center takes 1,640 face-offs in 82 games. That is 20 per game.

A 40% face-off man absolutely sucks at face-offs, wins 8 and loses 12.
A 60% face-off man is the elite of the elite at face-offs, wins 12 and loses 8.

This huge deal is the difference between 8-12 and 12-8 during a game.

f*** it, trade Rossi for Peterka and put Peterka at 1C then if faceoffs don’t matter.

 

[Minnewildsota]

f*** it, trade Rossi for Peterka and put Peterka at 1C then if faceoffs don’t matter.

Everyone can play center now!

*Oprah gif* You're a center! You're a center! Everyone's a center!

 

[MNRube]

Honestly, I still see no reason Boldy can’t play C. He’d figure it out. I don’t put much stock in a poor season he had at 19 playing C. Kid is built different

 

[thestonedkoala]

Honestly, I still see no reason Boldy can’t play C. He’d figure it out. I don’t put much stock in a poor season he had at 19 playing C. Kid is built different

Buium as his winger and Eriksson Ek borrows his brothers gear and becomes goalie

 

[MNRube]

Buium as his winger and Eriksson Ek borrows his brothers gear and becomes goalie

Would bet $ that if he is given time, he would prove a good NHL C. Doubt it will happen, but he has all the ingredients

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

f*** it, trade Rossi for Peterka and put Peterka at 1C then if faceoffs don’t matter.

You know all of that shift time in between the face-off and the whistle? Yeah...

 

[AKL]

Lol, did you say the same somewhere?

A while back I listed them all out based on points scored (55+, 60+, 65+, 70+) and by faceoff percentage basically to illustrate that if you want a 70+ point, 52%+ faceoff center, you have to draft and develop them. I also said that we should wait and see with Rossi because he could develop into that at some point, as it's our best shot at one of those guys long term.

And I've been advocating for going after Tavares or Duchene for a few weeks now.

A center takes 1,640 face-offs in 82 games. That is 20 per game.

A 40% face-off man absolutely sucks at face-offs, wins 8 and loses 12.
A 60% face-off man is the elite of the elite at face-offs, wins 12 and loses 8.

This huge deal is the difference between 8-12 and 12-8 during a game.

I've also tried to illustrate this point too before, multiple times, where these faceoff percentages we're talking about really don't matter. The difference is even less stark if you're looking at where Rossi is (47%?) to the minimum faceoff % he wants (52%). If Rossi was a 52% faceoff guy, he would have won 3 extra faceoffs every 5 games, having taken 60 faceoffs in those 5 games. He would have won 31 of 60 instead of 28 of 60.

There are just far more important things. And we've seen the list of guys he wants to go after now. Half the names on that list are not better players than Rossi despite being bigger and better at faceoffs. So what is the point of hurrying to get rid of Rossi to replace him with a worse player just because he wins a few more faceoffs every several games?

It's like we can't see the forest for the trees here.

 

[AKL]

And this isn't even considering the fact that we have to try Yurov at center, but Yurov isn't anything special defensively in the KHL, and he's winning something like 45% of his faceoffs there. Do we really think he's going to come over and be better in the NHL in less than two seasons?

And Brock Nelson, he didn't win over 50% of his faceoffs in a season until he was 28. He didn't do it again until he was 33. He may not even do it again.

I'll always advocate for patience with young players to let them finish developing, there's just no reason to move Rossi now unless you can get a clearly better long term solution for him. That's not Brock Nelson, it's not Barrett Hayton, it's not Shane Pinto.

 

[Wabit]

FOs are an overrated stat. It's as much on the player taking the draw as the rest of the team on the ice. It is simply which team touches the puck first after the draw. Nothing to do with having possession of the puck.

A clean win back by the center turns into a loss in the stats when the d-man's first step is back and the opposing winger jumps on the puck. The Wild, as a whole, tend to be slow (reaction time) off the puck drop and their d-men's first step is back.

 

[DigitalBoldy]

You know all of that shift time in between the face-off and the whistle? Yeah...

Yes, all that time that Barzal has been playing wing. What about it?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Yes, all that time that Barzal has been playing wing. What about it?

Czikas is their 4th line center, and Barzal wouldn't play there anyway.
Pageau is their 3rd line center, and Barzal wouldn't player there anyway.
Nelson was their 2nd line center.
When they traded for Horvat, one of he or Barzal were going to play the wing. Horvat being a better center (if he even is one) doesn't mean Barzal can't be one.

Barzal has an 85 point in 82 game season playing center, and he has an 80 point in 80 game season playing wing. He can, more than competently, do either.

 

[MNRube]

Czikas is their 4th line center, and Barzal wouldn't play there anyway.
Pageau is their 3rd line center, and Barzal wouldn't player there anyway.
Nelson was their 2nd line center.
When they traded for Horvat, one of he or Barzal were going to play the wing. Horvat being a better center (if he even is one) doesn't mean Barzal can't be one.

Barzal has an 85 point in 82 game season playing center, and he has an 80 point in 80 game season playing wing. He can, more than competently, do either.

They don’t call him the Doc for nothing

 

[DigitalBoldy]

Czikas is their 4th line center, and Barzal wouldn't play there anyway.
Pageau is their 3rd line center, and Barzal wouldn't player there anyway.
Nelson was their 2nd line center.
When they traded for Horvat, one of he or Barzal were going to play the wing. Horvat being a better center (if he even is one) doesn't mean Barzal can't be one.

Barzal has an 85 point in 82 game season playing center, and he has an 80 point in 80 game season playing wing. He can, more than competently, do either.

So the islanders preferred Nelson at center over Barzal… Yet, we have many people here moaning about the thought of bringing in Nelson in free agency (no trade cost)… Absolutely hilarious.

 

[MNRube]

So the islanders preferred Nelson at center over Barzal… Yet, we have many people here moaning about the thought of bringing in Nelson in free agency (no trade cost)… Absolutely hilarious.

Isles fans have indicated that Barzal & Horvat play well together, and the desire to pair them up is why Barzal was moved to the wing.

I also want a free Brock Nelson. I think he’s the best C available and fits well with what we have. Can never have too many Cs

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

So the islanders preferred Nelson at center over Barzal… Yet, we have many people here moaning about the thought of bringing in Nelson in free agency (no trade cost)… Absolutely hilarious.

I know we're not really used to it (at least lately), but teams do oftentimes like to put their better offensive players together at 5v5 if they can. The Islanders appear to have opted to utilize that opportunity, since Barzal's game seemed to be fine on the wing too. Maybe Nelson's wouldn't be?

Did they prefer Nelson at center over Barzal, or did they prefer Barzal and Horvat playing together? We'll probably never know.

 

[57special]

Honestly, I still see no reason Boldy can’t play C. He’d figure it out. I don’t put much stock in a poor season he had at 19 playing C. Kid is built different

We already tried that, and it wasn't good. Why mess with a great winger?

So, if the best offer we have for Rossi is BUF's 9 oa, do we do that? It would give us the extra 5M or so cap space, and another swing at a C through the draft. Even more important would give us something meaty to talk about between now and July.

 

[Wabit]

We already tried that, and it wasn't good. Why mess with a great winger?

So, if the best offer we have for Rossi is BUF's 9 oa, do we do that? It would give us the extra 5M or so cap space, and another swing at a C through the draft. Even more important would give us something meaty to talk about between now and July.

I'd take it, if they are set on moving on from Rossi, and that is the best offer.

I think I'd rather raid BUF's prospect pool and get something like Rosen + Ostlund for Rossi instead of 9oa. I also haven't paid any attention to the draft class this year, so I don't know what I'd be passing up there, so there is that grain of salt.

 

[keppel146]

Honestly, I still see no reason Boldy can’t play C. He’d figure it out. I don’t put much stock in a poor season he had at 19 playing C. Kid is built different

He didn’t figure it out in college