Offseason Roster Moves, Rumors, and Discussion

[Napoli]

Two things can be true at once.

Gaudreau was a good signing but also premature when it came to giving false hope to how good this team could/would be.

One of Jarmo's biggest flaws was roster construction. Hopefully Waddell can see how trash this defense is and takes steps to fix it.

That probably means Provorov gone for a better defensive dman, Laine for hopefully more D help as well.

I wonder if they have a guy they're set on and think they could get him a couple spots back in the draft. Still hoping for Catton.

 

[VT]

Gaudreau doesn't hold this team back. The team failed to get players that are good and fit with him. That's a separate failure.

I only take a player like Gaudreau if I have a partner for him. Except we didn't have any sniper except Laine. And even he played better with other players. We did a similar thing to Toronto with Tavares. And the fact that we have Fantilli now is just a fluke. Although it might just be the one to help Johnny. Or playing with Chinakhov.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

I'm just trying to gather my thoughts regarding what this team needs or might soon need with examples:

• Top-pairing RD
  • UFA targets: M. Roy, D. DeMelo, C. Tanev, B. Pesce
  • Trade targets: R. Andersson, A. Ekblad, R. Pulock
• "Veteran" defensive LD
  • UFA targets: B. Dillon, M. Grzelcyk, D. Forbort
  • Trade targets: N. Hague, B. McNabb, R. Lindgren
• Top 6 C (relief for Jenner and possible stopgap 1C until Fantilli's ready)
  • UFA targets: E. Lindholm
  • Trade targets: W. Karlsson, A. Cirelli, B. Nelson
• Top 6 W (Laine replacement)
  • UFA targets: J. Marchessault, T. Bertuzzi, T. Teräväinen, P. Kane
  • Trade targets: Ehlers, Necas, O. Bjorkstrand, A. Lee
• G (Merzlikins replacement)
  • UFA targets: L. Brossoit, A. Stolarz, C. Talbot, K. Lankinen, M. Hellberg
  • Trade targets: V. Husso, S. Knight

 

[Xoggz22]

I'm just trying to gather my thoughts regarding what this team needs or might soon need with examples:

• Top-pairing RD
  • UFA targets: M. Roy, D. DeMelo, C. Tanev, B. Pesce
  • Trade targets: R. Andersson, A. Ekblad, R. Pulock
• "Veteran" defensive LD
  • UFA targets: B. Dillon, M. Grzelcyk, D. Forbort
  • Trade targets: N. Hague, B. McNabb, R. Lindgren
• Top 6 C (relief for Jenner and possible stopgap 1C until Fantilli's ready)
  • UFA targets: E. Lindholm
  • Trade targets: W. Karlsson, A. Cirelli, B. Nelson
• Top 6 W (Laine replacement)
  • UFA targets: J. Marchessault, T. Bertuzzi, T. Teräväinen, P. Kane
  • Trade targets (basically as returns for Laine): O. Bjorkstrand, A. Lee
• G (Merzlikins replacement)
  • UFA targets: L. Brossoit, A. Stolarz, C. Talbot, K. Lankinen, M. Hellberg
  • Trade targets: V. Husso, S. Knight

Like the list but I don't think you'll see a MErzlikins replacement this year and I'm also not sure we add to the wing given the current depth. If anything, to your point, it would be a trade of assets to upgrade. I also think Necas needs to be on your list as he seems like a possible fit either wing or, if they truly think he can be....center.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

Like the list but I don't think you'll see a MErzlikins replacement this year and I'm also not sure we add to the wing given the current depth. If anything, to your point, it would be a trade of assets to upgrade. I also think Necas needs to be on your list as he seems like a possible fit either wing or, if they truly think he can be....center.

Right, I forgot about Necas. Ehlers too. That's funny, considering both have been discussed at some length in this thread. I'll add them to the list.

I still think Merzlikins is being moved. I don't know if Waddell has met with him yet. Until he has, I am going to interpret everything Waddell says as him not closing any doors unnecessarily.

Note: I haven't listened to Portzline so I don't know the background on his Merzlikins comments.

EDIT: Okay, @Xoggz22, I listened to it now. I agree.

 

[Fred Glover]

With all of the trades happening today we should start a new thread called Waiting on Waddell

 

[Viqsi]

With all of the trades happening today we should start a new thread called Waiting on Waddell

It'd be merged in, because no.

 

[NotWendell]

This team needs a goalie, a center and a defensive defenseman. This is in addition to a whole new coaching staff.

One thing that absolutely must be considered is DURABILITY.

 

[NotCommitted]

JG was coming off a 115pt season with 90 even strength points and +64, his 5v5 production was something not seen since the 90s and he was arguably the best player in that line. Now it was pretty obvious that was a career year but he's not getting 115pt money so seems like everyone had more realistic expectations.

Imagine the forum if Jarmo said no thanks and JG goes in some functional team elsewhere and is potting 80-100 pts per season

 

[NotWendell]

JG was coming off a 115pt season with 90 even strength points and +64, his 5v5 production was something not seen since the 90s and he was arguably the best player in that line. Now it was pretty obvious that was a career year but he's not getting 115pt money so seems like everyone had more realistic expectations.

Imagine the forum if Jarmo said no thanks and JG goes in some functional team elsewhere and is potting 80-100 pts per season

People would have been calling for him to be fired.

 

[Fred Glover]

It'd be merged in, because no.

Well, be that as it may we are Waiting on Waddell

 

[Ice9]

Someone Really asked about the play by play guy?

 

[majormajor]

There wasn't a planet where we choose not to sign Gaudreau. Be real. And I'm very happy to have him, with better roster construction around him he might have some great seasons ahead.

It's much more reasonable though that we would have chosen not to trade Bjorkstrand. The team was only $1m-$2m over the cap (IIRC on a 21 man roster like the Leafs, Knights, etc.. have). Shipping out Bean might have done it. You're really only tight to the cap until the injuries start in camp, which they've done for us every year. Laine alone has been injured on game 1 three times!

I don't believe, by the way, that we ruined the rebuild with our impatience. We made a push but the fundamental challenge of the rebuild is perhaps the same regardless. We're stuck waiting on young players to grow up either way. If we were quiet they'd still be taking their time and the team still very bad. The only asset we gave up with our push was the late 1st in the Provorov deal, which we can partially recoup.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Well, be that as it may we are Waiting on Waddell

Indeed but we already have been.

 

[Fred Glover]

Indeed but we already have been.

So then we would be Dallying with Don

 

[Viqsi]

Someone Really asked about the play by play guy?

Yep, and I'm glad they did, because fundamentally this is about entertainment and the play by play guy is a not insignificant part of that.

 

[Ice9]

Certainly, but It just doesn't hit me as a pressing issue for the new GM. "Delegate to so and so and come back to me for a thumbs up or down"...

 

[Youngguns1380]

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Players recovering from major surgery do not get traded while they're recovering. The earliest he gets traded is next fall when he's medically cleared.

No rule says they can't be as far as I know. I think we traded for Ray Whitney when he was hurt but that was years ago.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Jarmo was in a tough spot with Johnny. He was batting the perception that every good player wants out of Columbus. Here he had a good player who wanted in. I think many of us recognized it was a challenging fit but I think it's easy for us to sit here and say it wasn't the best move from a roster standpoint.

If you give me the option of taking Johnny Gaudreau on the roster and having to give up Oliver Bjorkstrand I'd do it every day over and over again.

The problem is not with either of those players but the remaining players on the roster that they play with. You don't get talent like Johnny falling into your lap every year. You just need to adapt your roster around them.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I only take a player like Gaudreau if I have a partner for him. Except we didn't have any sniper except Laine. And even he played better with other players. We did a similar thing to Toronto with Tavares. And the fact that we have Fantilli now is just a fluke. Although it might just be the one to help Johnny. Or playing with Chinakhov.

This is a chicken or the egg scenario.

Just seems ludicous to me to turn down one just because you don't have the other. It should just be more incentive to go find the other. This is where Jarmo failed.

I refuse to do the Tavares comparison because Toronto was already loaded with young offensive talent and Tavares was redundant when they should have spent the money on defense and goaltending. The CBJ was not loaded when Johnny came knocking.

 

[KJ Dangler]

Anyone catch Portys podcast yesterday …. If you remember , towards the end of the season he spoke on Werenski, Gudbranson, Kuraly not really allowed to have a voice in the room , he went on further to say the locker room was like a fifth grade classroom ….
He went on to talk about Elvis and off the record alluded to Elvis needs to be content with winning and boring .. said he seems to always need drama following him , we all know people like that . Clearly the locker room was a mess

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

He specifically mentioned a defenseman and "maybe" a bottom 6 forward to look at in free agency. Do they really need a bottom 6 forward? It seems to me that they have plenty of those unless they are moving a guy like Texier or Kuraly.

Personally, my number one target for this free agency would be Matt Roy. Otherwise, Dylan DeMelo and Chris Tanev should be of interest. And they should at the very least give Elias Lindholm a look. Though I expect Boston, LA and Carolina, among others, will go after him and overpay.

EDIT: Of course, the left side of the defense has a little bit fewer players than the right side. We'll see if they bring in a player like Brenden Dillon.