Offseason Roster Moves, Rumors, and Discussion

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Possibly why they haven’t signed him??? When I had back issues they said it takes a full 18 months to heal (granted I am older than him) That was only a couple of years ago for me so fairly recent.

There is no hurry to sing him unless he's expected to play in Columbus this season. I'm not sure he's there yet. Especially coming off this injury that cost him time last year.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Who are you? What have you done with CR?
Lol. I like your optimism.

Likely a short term condition.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825522460185198916

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825522460185198916

Something around Sillinger for Askarov? A man can dream.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Something around Sillinger for Askarov? A man can dream.

I would love Askarov but I'm not willing to give up center depth for him. We are finally starting to build some depth and flexibility at center.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I would love Askarov but I'm not willing to give up center depth for him. We are finally starting to build some depth and flexibility at center.

sillinger is behind monahan and fantilli on the center depth chart for the next few years. lindstrom seems like a good bet to leap-frog him in that order, too. voronkov may have already leap-frogged him, and that's without even mentioning jenner, who is probably best utilized as a 3C – sillinger's ideal long-term role.

I don't disagree with your point about depth, but sillinger seems like the definition of an expendable piece at this juncture, and if they do end up needing more depth, it's not that hard to find replacement level bottom six centers – which is more or less what sillinger has been to this point in the NHL.

 

[Crede777]

Not sure we could fit Askarov with both Elvis and Tarasov on the team.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Not sure we could fit Askarov with both Elvis and Tarasov on the team.

Well, if he ain't reporting to the Preds AHL team, he sure as hell ain't playing in Cleveland. One of them would definitely have to move.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Not sure we could fit Askarov with both Elvis and Tarasov on the team.

pretty sure they're planning to carry three goalies anyway given elvis and tarasov's injury histories. they can just do that with askarov and keep greaves in the AHL.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

pretty sure they're planning to carry three goalies anyway given elvis and tarasov's injury histories. they can just do that with askarov and keep greaves in the AHL.

zero chance we carry 3 goalies on the roster with not enough playing time to go around for any of them. If they finally stay healthy this does nothing more than piss somebody (if not all of them) off.

It didn't work with a tweener goalie like Martin and it certainly won't work with a top prospect goalie.

 

[Crede777]

Well, if he ain't reporting to the Preds AHL team, he sure as hell ain't playing in Cleveland. One of them would definitely have to move.

Agreed. We know Elvis is unmoveable which means we would have to move Tarasov. He's on a 1-way and probably wouldn't accept relegation to the AHL. Which means we would need to find someone willing to take him which might be difficult given rosters are pretty much set.

 

[NotWendell]

Elvis is bad-to-average, has an injury history and a history of being a head case. Tarasov is good, but has an injury history. Askarov DOES have the Milwaukee Admirals connection. I wouldn't dismiss this possibility and carrying 3 goalies when all are healthy.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

zero chance we carry 3 goalies on the roster with not enough playing time to go around for any of them. If they finally stay healthy this does nothing more than piss somebody (if not all of them) off.

their three options between the pipes would be:

1. askarov: a 22-year-old who is very likely to be very good very soon, and has the highest likelihood to become an elite NHL goalie of any young goalie on the planet
2. merzlikins: owner of the worst three-year sample of any current NHL goalie, on top of being an expensive 30-year-old who misses a ton of games and is a constant source of drama in the room
3. tarasov: has shown talent but has a similar predilection to miss games, is three years older than askarov, worse AHL stats, and a significantly lower probability of becoming a long-term starter (let alone an elite goalie)

you're saying that carrying #2 and #3 only is preferable than carrying all three guys. i simply cannot fathom a universe where that's actually the case.

tbh i wouldn't be surprised if they carry three goalies on opening night either way because their two current options are both so injury-prone and inconsistent.

It didn't work with a tweener goalie like Martin and it certainly won't work with a top prospect goalie.

it mostly didn't work because they were carrying three very bad goalies while also being a very bad team.

i also would argue that you're overstating the similarities between martin (journeyman tweener) and askarov (the world's best goalie prospect, with nothing left to prove at the AHL level).

passing on adding askarov because it means fewer starts for elvis merzlikins and daniil tarasov would be a bad process destined to yield bad results.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Agreed. We know Elvis is unmoveable which means we would have to move Tarasov. He's on a 1-way and probably wouldn't accept relegation to the AHL. Which means we would need to find someone willing to take him which might be difficult given rosters are pretty much set.

the ramifications of adding askarov are:

1. elvis's feelings getting hurt when he's the clear #3
2. needing to eat money in an elvis trade or buy him out
3. waivers risk for tarasov

elvis is already always hurt (feelings-wise and physically), and there are ways to avoid waivers for tarasov (conditioning stints, carrying three goalies, or trading him).

they could also simply treat askarov + tarasov as the clear 1-2 and put elvis into an endless loop of conditioning assignments to the AHL until he either:

1. plays well enough in those stints to rebuild some value/intrigue
2. plays poorly enough to justify a buyout this summer
3. refuses to report, leading to a suspension/termination

at this point i don't think the front office needs to be all that considerate of their relationship with elvis or his agent anyway, so this feels like the best path forward to me.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

their three options between the pipes would be:

1. askarov: a 22-year-old who is very likely to be very good very soon, and has the highest likelihood to become an elite NHL goalie of any young goalie on the planet
2. merzlikins: owner of the worst three-year sample of any current NHL goalie, on top of being an expensive 30-year-old who misses a ton of games and is a constant source of drama in the room
3. tarasov: has shown talent but has a similar predilection to miss games, is three years older than askarov, worse AHL stats, and a significantly lower probability of becoming a long-term starter (let alone an elite goalie)

you're saying that carrying #2 and #3 only is preferable than carrying all three guys. i simply cannot fathom a universe where that's actually the case.

tbh i wouldn't be surprised if they carry three goalies on opening night either way because their two current options are both so injury-prone and inconsistent.


it mostly didn't work because they were carrying three very bad goalies while also being a very bad team.

i also would argue that you're overstating the similarities between martin (journeyman tweener) and askarov (the world's best goalie prospect, with nothing left to prove at the AHL level).

passing on adding askarov because it means fewer starts for elvis merzlikins and daniil tarasov would be a bad process destined to yield bad results.

You value Askarov on what he "might become" in the same way we all hyped Tarasov as the future.

There are unknowns and risks in all scenarios and no guarantees. For all we know, Askarov could end up being no better than a mid tier B starter in the NHL playing for a bad team.

People like shiny new toys but you just don't carry him on the roster unless he proves he's the A or A/B splitting time guy. Therefore you are creating locker room issues by casting aside either of the other 2 who get releagted to a C role with no playing time.

Adding Askarov without moving either of them is destined to yield bad results. I see no scenarios where all 3 could coexist on a roster if healthy and genuinely carrying 3 goalies on a 23 man roster is a dumb concept to begin with because its a waste of roster/cap space.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

You value Askarov on what he "might become" in the same way we all hyped Tarasov as the future.

find me a single evaluator who thinks that tarasov's projection is in the same stratosphere as askarov's. i'll save you time: there isn't one.

There are unknowns and risks in all scenarios and no guarantees. For all we know, Askarov could end up being no better than a mid tier B starter in the NHL playing for a bad team.

tarasov isn't even a mid-tier B starter at this stage, and elvis is a straight-up sub-replacement level goalie.

even the disappointing potential outcomes for askarov are largely better than the optimal outcomes for tarasov and elvis.

People like shiny new toys but you just don't carry him on the roster unless he proves he's the A or A/B splitting time guy.

the new FO is committed to setting the org up for the future, not just maximizing competitiveness in the short-term. so askarov would absolutely be treated as the A guy, and that's fine.

Therefore you are creating locker room issues by casting aside either of the other 2 who get releagted to a C role with no playing time.

so just make elvis the third banana then.

elvis's very existence on the roster creates locker room issues already. he's already an on-ice negative when he's getting playing time.

get askarov, play him and tarasov, and send elvis down until he either refuses to report or finds his game again.

Adding Askarov without moving either of them is destined to yield bad results. I see no scenarios where all 3 could coexist on a roster if healthy and genuinely carrying 3 goalies on a 23 man roster is a dumb concept to begin with because its a waste of roster/cap space.

elvis pulled himself mid-game multiple times last year. they had five different goalies make starts. andrew peeke, the de facto 23rd guy on the roster, went weeks at a time without playing.

you are massively overstating the roster math that comes with carrying three goalies.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

find me a single evaluator who thinks that tarasov's projection is in the same stratosphere as askarov's. i'll save you time: there isn't one.

tarasov isn't even a mid-tier B starter at this stage, and elvis is a straight-up sub-replacement level goalie.

even the disappointing potential outcomes for askarov are largely better than the optimal outcomes for tarasov and elvis.

the new FO is committed to setting the org up for the future, not just maximizing competitiveness in the short-term. so askarov would absolutely be treated as the A guy, and that's fine.

so just make elvis the third banana then.

elvis's very existence on the roster creates locker room issues already. he's already an on-ice negative when he's getting playing time.

get askarov, play him and tarasov, and send elvis down until he either refuses to report or finds his game again.


elvis pulled himself mid-game multiple times last year. they had five different goalies make starts. andrew peeke, the de facto 23rd guy on the roster, went weeks at a time without playing.

you are massively overstating the roster math that comes with carrying three goalies.

I guess we'll just agree to disagree. It was less than a year ago many people here on this board were claiming Tarasov was the future. Jarmo sure as hell did.

I'm fine and completely for acquiring Askarov BUT you must move at least one of the others. its not happening in any fashion without that happening in some form and we still have no proven goaltending.

Still no guarantee Askarov turns into anything. Malcom Subban was a 1st round pick who bounced around and we just let him walk from Cleveland this summer. Internet experts don't have crystal balls.

 

[Viqsi]

find me a single evaluator who thinks that tarasov's projection is in the same stratosphere as askarov's. i'll save you time: there isn't one.

tarasov isn't even a mid-tier B starter at this stage, and elvis is a straight-up sub-replacement level goalie.

even the disappointing potential outcomes for askarov are largely better than the optimal outcomes for tarasov and elvis.

the new FO is committed to setting the org up for the future, not just maximizing competitiveness in the short-term. so askarov would absolutely be treated as the A guy, and that's fine.

so just make elvis the third banana then.

elvis's very existence on the roster creates locker room issues already. he's already an on-ice negative when he's getting playing time.

get askarov, play him and tarasov, and send elvis down until he either refuses to report or finds his game again.


elvis pulled himself mid-game multiple times last year. they had five different goalies make starts. andrew peeke, the de facto 23rd guy on the roster, went weeks at a time without playing.

you are massively overstating the roster math that comes with carrying three goalies.

If Askarov was ready to the extent we need for this scenario, he'd be on the Preds roster and there'd be no questions about trade requests.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1622569180254941184

it's a big time "hell yeah" from me

edit: oops wrong thread

If Askarov was ready to the extent we need for this scenario, he'd be on the Preds roster and there'd be no questions about trade requests.

i got the sense that his trade request was more about him not having a path to being the long-term starter after the saros trade and less with his actual NHL readiness, but you'd know a lot more about the goings on there than i would

also i don't think askarov has to be at "immediate franchise savior and vezina contender" status to be a present-day upgrade over elvis + tarasov in the NHL, or to make it a worthwhile trade to pursue.

 

[Viqsi]

i got the sense that his trade request was more about him not having a path to being the long-term starter after the saros trade and less with his actual NHL readiness, but you'd know a lot more about the goings on there than i would

also i don't think askarov has to be at "immediate franchise savior and vezina contender" status to be a present-day upgrade over elvis + tarasov in the NHL, or to make it a worthwhile trade to pursue.

I don't think he's NHL-ready yet at all.

 

[Cowumbus]

we can take on so many expiring contracts at the TDL

Weaponize our cap TM

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Instead, the Blue Jackets won't retain a penny of Laine's deal. That limited the return package, but Harris is still a young defenseman with potential and the large cap savings can now be utilized as a valuable asset. Not long after the deal was announced, Waddell received inquiries from two GMs looking to possibly send the Blue Jackets a trade offer to ease their own cap issues.

"There are a lot of teams that are either over the cap or right up against it, and if nothing happens right now, we’ll just go into training camp," Waddell said. "We just gave ourselves so much more flexibility. Even if it doesn’t work out this year, going into next summer knowing that you don’t have that on your books is a relief. There was already a question of whether we were going to be able to move him or not this summer, so now it’s behind us.”

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825648042403352680

Bet this was Edmonton

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Zero retention on Laine? That is AMAZING!!!!!!

The CBJ have around $18m of cap room and only have 42 contracted players-they can have 50.

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Check out the cap space, latest contracts, injury news, and transactions for all NHL teams, including salaries, cap hits, buyouts, and draft picks on PuckPedia.

puckpedia.com

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Zero retention on Laine? That is AMAZING!!!!!!

The CBJ have around $18m of cap room and only have 42 contracted players-they can have 50.

NHL Teams by Salary Cap, NHL Contracts and Cap Hit | Puckpedia

Check out the cap space, latest contracts, injury news, and transactions for all NHL teams, including salaries, cap hits, buyouts, and draft picks on PuckPedia.

puckpedia.com

throwing darts here on guys who could become possible cap casualties:

• jacob trouba
• ondrej palat
• jaden schwartz
• jg pageau
• andre burakovsky
• yanni gourde
• ivan barbashev
• rickard rakell

burakovsky, gourde and barbashev would be the most appealing names on that list for me.

and in the "super unlikely but you never know" category:

• erik karlsson
• alex pietrangelo

 

[Viqsi]

throwing darts here on guys who could become possible cap casualties:

• jacob trouba
• ondrej palat
• jaden schwartz
• jg pageau
• andre burakovsky
• yanni gourde
• ivan barbashev
• rickard rakell

burakovsky, gourde and barbashev would be the most appealing names on that list for me.

and in the "super unlikely but you never know" category:

• erik karlsson
• alex pietrangelo

I can't say many of those are names that would fill me with anticipation and longing.