Offseason Roster Moves, Rumors, and Discussion

[koteka]

So who here daydreaming about a third goaltender would have been willing to outdo Edstrom and a 1st? Anyone? Anyone? No? Cool, thought so.

Glad at least one of my teams is making trades I like.

No offense, but I think the Sharks won the trade, and I would have offered something better. But goalies are weird and we won’t be able to judge this trade for 6 or 7 years.

 

[Viqsi]

No offense, but I think the Sharks won the trade, and I would have offered something better. But goalies are weird and we won’t be able to judge this trade for 6 or 7 years.

I think it's a win-win, myself.

 

[koteka]

I think it's a win-win, myself.

I am sure we can all agree that we are glad he wasn’t traded to a team in the Metro.

 

[Jovavic]

I wonder if Jiricek gets any ideas after seeing what went down with Askarov?

 

[pscbj80]

I wonder if Jiricek gets any ideas after seeing what went down with Askarov?

Gonna go out on a long limb for this one and say....no.

 

[NotWendell]

I wonder if Jiricek gets any ideas after seeing what went down with Askarov?

So he can go from the Jackets to the Sharks? Frying pan meet fire.

It's a serious question though, and Jiricek's agent will work whatever angle to get his client a better situation here.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I wonder if Jiricek gets any ideas after seeing what went down with Askarov?

Nah. Askarov wanted out because the door closed on him being in the NHL next year and the door to start long term was closed.

The jackets made moves to give jiricek every opportunity to make the team. They’re practically giving it to him. If he doesn’t make the team it’s his own fault.

 

[Jovavic]

. If he doesn’t make the team it’s his own fault.

I doubt he will see it that way

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I doubt he will see it that way

Then that’s someone you don’t want on your team anyway.

His frustrations last year were completely valid. His mindset last year wasn’t great. He can control his mindset, and the situation he’s in is a lot better this year.

 

[stevo61]

Then that’s someone you don’t want on your team anyway.

His frustrations last year were completely valid. His mindset last year wasn’t great. He can control his mindset, and the situation he’s in is a lot better this year.

He needs to get his agent out of his ear too.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So with the rumors/news that Waddell is open to "weaponize our cap space" by taking on a player (per Porty, a forward likely a W) with salary from a cap strapped team (or a team looking for more room), I've been trying to look for some candidates.

Here's some names I thought of that we could potentially add and recoup a potential pick for future considerations or something:

Caps: Nic Dowd (1 year, 1.3 million)
Flyers: Nic Deslauries (2 years, 1.75 million per)
Canucks: Pius Suter (1 year, 1.6 million)
Penguins: Lars Eller (1 year, 2.45 million)
Kraken: Brandon Tanev (1 year, 3.5 million, NTC)
Wild: Marcus Johansson (1 year, 2 million, NTC)
Golden Knights: Keegan Kolesar (1 year, 1.4 million)
Preds: Colton Sissons (2 years, 2.8 million)

Non exciting names for sure. There are other guys out there but I did my best to exclude guys who 1. Just signed 2. Had more than 2 years of term, and 3. had NMC/NTC (although I did include some).

I considered throwing Evander Kane on the list, as you could probably get a pretty penny to take the full contract, but I didn't because 1. I'm not sure you want to put a guy with his baggage around a young, bad team. 2. Waddell wants a player who can help us and Kane needs surgery and will miss most of the year.

 

[majormajor]

So with the rumors/news that Waddell is open to "weaponize our cap space" by taking on a player (per Porty, a forward likely a W) with salary from a cap strapped team (or a team looking for more room), I've been trying to look for some candidates.

Here's some names I thought of that we could potentially add and recoup a potential pick for future considerations or something:

Caps: Nic Dowd (1 year, 1.3 million)
Flyers: Nic Deslauries (2 years, 1.75 million per)
Canucks: Pius Suter (1 year, 1.6 million)
Penguins: Lars Eller (1 year, 2.45 million)
Kraken: Brandon Tanev (1 year, 3.5 million, NTC)
Wild: Marcus Johansson (1 year, 2 million, NTC)
Golden Knights: Keegan Kolesar (1 year, 1.4 million)
Preds: Colton Sissons (2 years, 2.8 million)

Non exciting names for sure. There are other guys out there but I did my best to exclude guys who 1. Just signed 2. Had more than 2 years of term, and 3. had NMC/NTC (although I did include some).

I considered throwing Evander Kane on the list, as you could probably get a pretty penny to take the full contract, but I didn't because 1. I'm not sure you want to put a guy with his baggage around a young, bad team. 2. Waddell wants a player who can help us and Kane needs surgery and will miss most of the year.

Unless it's a guy we really want in our lineup, I don't see the Jackets being willing to do it. Especially after not being willing to retain any on Laine.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

My concern with the skating roster remains. Namely a lack of a two-way forward and a defensive D with size who can provide protection in front of the net and play on the PK. If they could add a guy like that to get another team under the cap, that'd be great. So far, Waddell's comments don't reassure me, but I hope that I'm wrong.

 

[DankoCBJ]

So if Waddell is trying to get one more forward..

Caps can get under the cap by putting Backstrom and Oshie to LTIR. Vegas likely keeps using LTIR too? Flyers are working on it getting rid of Ryan Johansens contract. Habs get under the cap placing Price on LTIR. Others are not in trouble I think.

But my eyes are on Seattle Kraken. They will most likely trade one forward away to get some needed space. I mean they have 10 forwards with a minimum of 3,475M cap hit. B.Tanev is the obvious name here but maybe even Burakovsky or Gourde?

 

[majormajor]

My concern with the skating roster remains. Namely a lack of a two-way forward and a defensive D with size who can provide protection in front of the net and play on the PK. If they could add a guy like that to get another team under the cap, that'd be great. So far, Waddell's comments don't reassure me, but I hope that I'm wrong.

One issue is that our fourth line already has our decent two way guys, so if we're going to bring in a defensive forward they have to replace a top 9 guy.

If we had Nic Dowd instead of Sillinger that would be a huge defensive improvement. But I can't imagine the Jackets moving Sillinger (I'm not suggesting a Sillinger for Dowd trade, I'm saying the Jackets are not trading Sillinger anywhere). And I can't imagine the Caps moving Dowd, he's one of their most cost effective players.

But my eyes are on Seattle Kraken. They will most likely trade one forward away to get some needed space. I mean they have 10 forwards with a minimum of 3,475M cap hit. B.Tanev is the obvious name here but maybe even Burakovsky or Gourde?

Tanev is the guy they'd like to move for sure. But they don't seem to be in a hurry to move anyone, maybe they have someone (like Tanev himself) going on LTIR.

Tanev would cost $3.5m and I really can't imagine the Jackets doing that.

 

[Jovavic]

Tanev would be the one to have the best chance at the greatest return at the deadline. But, I don't think Wad will end up using the space, at least not right now, maybe during the season when some teams get LTIR players back and they're more desperate for space.

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

One issue is that our fourth line already has our decent two way guys, so if we're going to bring in a defensive forward they have to replace a top 9 guy.

If we had Nic Dowd instead of Sillinger that would be a huge defensive improvement. But I can't imagine the Jackets moving Sillinger (I'm not suggesting a Sillinger for Dowd trade, I'm saying the Jackets are not trading Sillinger anywhere). And I can't imagine the Caps moving Dowd, he's one of their most cost effective players.

Yes, the issue is that the missing two-way forward should go in the top 6. It's likely that such gaps in the roster will have to be accepted for the time being. Who knows, maybe one of the younger guys, say Fantilli or Chinakhov, eventually takes a step forward in that department under Evason et al.

 

[majormajor]

Yes, the issue is that the missing two-way forward should go in the top 6. It's likely that such gaps in the roster will have to be accepted for the time being. Who knows, maybe one of the younger guys, say Fantilli or Chinakhov, eventually takes a step forward in that department under Evason et al.

Personally I tend to prefer this year's center lineup to be

Monahan
Jenner
Voronkov
Kuraly

Those are our best centers right now, and they put me at ease defensively without any of the four being great at it. I don't feel the need to bring in anyone. Nic Dowd isn't a big step up in that context. He is a big step up defensively for Sillinger or Fantilli. But the simple solution there is just to not put those kids at center at this point in time. I'm personally not a believer in this misbegotten idea that young centers have to be at center or we're somehow ruining them.

 

[tunnelvision]

Personally I tend to prefer this year's center lineup to be

Monahan
Jenner
Voronkov
Kuraly

Those are our best centers right now, and they put me at ease defensively without any of the four being great at it. I don't feel the need to bring in anyone. Nic Dowd isn't a big step up in that context. He is a big step up defensively for Sillinger or Fantilli. But the simple solution there is just to not put those kids at center at this point in time. I'm personally not a believer in this misbegotten idea that young centers have to be at center or we're somehow ruining them.

It doesn't necessarily mean anything but unlike with Sillinger, so far Waddell hasn't used the word "center" and Voronkov in the same sentence. It's a little worrying though.

Might be one of the first big tests for Evason at training camp to gain respect from a certain part of the fanbase.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Unless it's a guy we really want in our lineup, I don't see the Jackets being willing to do it. Especially after not being willing to retain any on Laine.

That’s different. Ownership has been nothing but accommodating to players the GM wants to acquire. They’re just not in the business of paying players not to play for the team over a year or two. The player we get will actually be in the lineup.

My names will probably be off but I do think they make one move before the season for a bottom 6 depth guy. Waddell has made it clear across a few different interviews that they’d like to do something.

 

[rt]

Hey Jackets fans - I was able to interview Egor Sokolov a couple of weeks ago. He had some interesting comments about being an invite to Columbus camp a few years back. I’m trying to figure out who some of the management folks he’s referencing might be. And what the team might’ve looked like at that time. Are you guys familiar with this story? Any context?

CBJ talk starts around 7:25 mark:

 

[majormajor]

Hey Jackets fans - I was able to interview Egor Sokolov a couple of weeks ago. He had some interesting comments about being an invite to Columbus camp a few years back. I’m trying to figure out who some of the management folks he’s referencing might be. And what the team might’ve looked like at that time. Are you guys familiar with this story? Any context?

CBJ talk starts around 7:25 mark:

Yes Sokolov was a fan favorite, we expected him to be signed and were surprised he wasn't. He looked better than most of our prospects so it was not a good feeling to let him go and see him drafted in the second round the next year. Great personality too, we shared a lot of his clips here. We also had a lot of discussions about whether he'd make it with his skating, and that's still a big question mark with him in Ottawa.

More interesting for me - he talks about covid and the opportunity to train full time and how that helped him. I've been arguing that training is better than games for development and Sokolov just gave me another good example. That is around 11:45 for those interested.

 

[rt]

Yes Sokolov was a fan favorite, we expected him to be signed and were surprised he wasn't. He looked better than most of our prospects so it was not a good feeling to let him go and see him drafted in the second round the next year. Great personality too, we shared a lot of his clips here. We also had a lot of discussions about whether he'd make it with his skating, and that's still a big question mark with him in Ottawa.

More interesting for me - he talks about covid and the opportunity to train full time and how that helped him. I've been arguing that training is better than games for development and Sokolov just gave me another good example. That is around 11:45 for those interested.

Thanks!

 

[majormajor]

It doesn't necessarily mean anything but unlike with Sillinger, so far Waddell hasn't used the word "center" and Voronkov in the same sentence. It's a little worrying though.

Might be one of the first big tests for Evason at training camp to gain respect from a certain part of the fanbase.

Coaches incentives on this are sometimes better. They are fully focused on what the players are doing right now. So if they play like they did last year, I would expect Evason to know that Voronkov is the much better player. The players will also find ways of telling him who they want to play with.

I found your comment on the fanbase funny though, it really is just a few nerds who think the way we do, there are plenty more who are attached to Sillinger and will riot if he's moved off of center.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

It doesn't necessarily mean anything but unlike with Sillinger, so far Waddell hasn't used the word "center" and Voronkov in the same sentence. It's a little worrying though.

Might be one of the first big tests for Evason at training camp to gain respect from a certain part of the fanbase.

I get what you’re saying but if he doesn’t make the decision that will “gain him respect from a certain part of the fanbase,” how will we know he didn’t make the decision he thought was best and not the one proscribed for him by the GM?

What I don’t want is Evason making decisions with the primary intent of “gaining respect from a certain part of the fanbase.”