Speculation: Opening Night Lines?

[Hen Kolland]

I’m not a huge fan of Fabbri and Zadina together, but I’m extremely excited to see Zadina and Suter play together if they stick together.

Zadina and Suter are two players whom I believe are very creative minds and don’t use pace of play as their source of creating offense 95% of the time. I think truthfully this will be the best center fit for Zadina since he entered the league. I really hope they click.

 

[ShelbyZ]

Wonder if Veleno was sent down to avoid waivers, I thought he earned a spot. Maybe Yzerman is looking to trade a depth forward rather than losing one for nothing. Likely just wishful thinking and Veleno will be the go-to-guy in GR for now.

IMO whether Yzerman is looking to trim someone or not, I don't think anyone should sweat over Veleno getting sent to GR to start the year. Considering he practiced this morning with the 23 guys that made the team, he was pretty much their last cut. But he's probably #1 on the list of guys to recall when they have a spot open at forward. Given that they already know they'll be down 9 man games at forward due to Bertuzzi and the whole Canada thing, and with Covid protocol still being a thing, Veleno will probably end up with a pretty decent split between filling in at the NHL level and being the Griffins top center. Probably a really high probability that he finishes the regular season at the NHL level.

 

[Henkka]

Yzerman’s track record is not to have a top 6 and a bottom 6. Look at his Tampa team in the final years. If anything he errs too much on scoring depth.

I think that’s why players like Erne, Rasmussen, Stephens fit his vision now. Dudes that are a handful to deal with, be it size, physicality, speed, tenaciousness. He absolutely could find a place for Raymond on a third line with Erne and Ras. He has that skill level that a lesser defensive matchup could be exploited and make Ras and Erne more dangerous than they normally are.

We still have that Veleno - Rasmussen - Zadina in the back pocket to be tried as a 3rd line. That would hell of offensive depth.

Vrana - Larkin - Bertuzzi
Fabbri - Suter - Raymond
Veleno - Rasmussen - Zadina
Erne - Stephens - Gagner/Smith/Rowney

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I would have kept Veleno personally, but I think he will be back up in the next six weeks

 

[FabricDetails]

Happy about Ray Ray. For today at least. It's a long season.

 

[Revenge of Gru]

I mean start taking away the best veterans and watch any prospect flounder as he continues to acclimate to a new level of play. This will be a season of turmoil for him certainly. New challenges at every turn. The one thing we don’t have to worry about is if Raymond can handle himself like a pro and take care of his responsibilities and have ownership of his play. Multiple years in the SHL should have instilled those habits, much like they did for Seider. I know Hakan Andersson has commented saying just about as much in regards to the Swedes or other Euro kids who get exposed to pro hockey. And God knows that Henkka preaches that message too (this comes from the heart, Henkka).

He might need to go down to GR, but he certainly proved early on his talent plays up. I’ll always remember when you said Raymond had no chance to make the roster and we should prepare for another year of Bobby Ryan. A fond memory indeed

I am pleased to be wrong about him making the opening night roster. I'm not so petty and insecure as to be afraid of such things. We will see if he can stick around beyond 9 games.
If I'm Veleno I am expecting a spot as well having done the work.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I am pleased to be wrong about him making the opening night roster. I'm not so petty and insecure as to be afraid of such things. We will see if he can stick around beyond 9 games.
If I'm Veleno I am expecting a spot as well having done the work.

I know a lot of people were impressed with Veleno, and certainly he did more than a number of players on the roster, but I wasn’t a huge fan of his preseason offensively. I felt he was trying to do too much and ended up tunnel visioned at times. Still would love to see him on the third line with Ras and Erne instead of Gagner

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I don't think he deserves any Center spot if all core Larkin-Suter-Rasmussen-Stephens are healthy.

Winger spot yeah.

He's faster and better at faceoffs than both Stephens and Rasmussen.

 

[ThankGord]

If Veleno gets some starts because someone got injured and looks really good, I'm pretty sure Yzerman will make room for him, somehow.

IMO whether Yzerman is looking to trim someone or not, I don't think anyone should sweat over Veleno getting sent to GR to start the year. Considering he practiced this morning with the 23 guys that made the team, he was pretty much their last cut. But he's probably #1 on the list of guys to recall when they have a spot open at forward. Given that they already know they'll be down 9 man games at forward due to Bertuzzi and the whole Canada thing, and with Covid protocol still being a thing, Veleno will probably end up with a pretty decent split between filling in at the NHL level and being the Griffins top center. Probably a really high probability that he finishes the regular season at the NHL level.

True true. I think they want him playing In All Situations™ so he'll be top line in GR until there's room in the top six.

 

[SCD]

It will not take long for someone to get injured and Veleno recalled. This happens every year to protect a veteran from waivers. Relax.

 

[Revenge of Gru]

I know a lot of people were impressed with Veleno, and certainly he did more than a number of players on the roster, but I wasn’t a huge fan of his preseason offensively. I felt he was trying to do too much and ended up tunnel visioned at times. Still would love to see him on the third line with Ras and Erne instead of Gagner

I would rather see him on the 2nd line instead of Suter.

 

[ricky0034]

$12M. That seems like f***all for how bad this team is.

Nielsen+Abdelkader+retention on Panik are taking up about 8 without even being on the roster so there's that

 

[Hen Kolland]

I would rather see him on the 2nd line instead of Suter.

Well as we’ve discussed, it’s okay to have wrong opinions

 

[newfy]

I know a lot of people were impressed with Veleno, and certainly he did more than a number of players on the roster, but I wasn’t a huge fan of his preseason offensively. I felt he was trying to do too much and ended up tunnel visioned at times. Still would love to see him on the third line with Ras and Erne instead of Gagner

I've always said that about Veleno, the guy doesnt have an offensive killer instinct. Hes great in his own end, at skating the puck through the neutral zone but in the offensive end hes lacking comparatively. Saw it in the prospect tourney this year and in the preseason. I've got no issue with Veleno being sent down to put up some points before getting called up. He played well enough to make the team but not sure hes a guy who had to make the team to develop their best

 

[deca guard]

 

[bedtime20]

Last year it was 28.71, big improvement by Stevie.

 

[Mijatovic]

$12M. That seems like f***all for how bad this team is.

We are also about $8M in retained and buyout costs. Only DDK and Fabbri are mildly overpaid now. I feel the rest is fair enough.

 

[deca guard]

OBVIOUSLY 'SIDE'S' HASNT DRIVEN ON POT HOLED METRO
DETROIT RODES MUCH OR HE WOULDA BOUGHT A TRUCK
* this toy car is a rookie mistake...

 

[Revenge of Gru]

Well as we’ve discussed, it’s okay to have wrong opinions

I guess when the team you've assembled is a smoldering dumpster fire it doesn't really matter.

 

[Gniwder]

IMO whether Yzerman is looking to trim someone or not, I don't think anyone should sweat over Veleno getting sent to GR to start the year. Considering he practiced this morning with the 23 guys that made the team, he was pretty much their last cut. But he's probably #1 on the list of guys to recall when they have a spot open at forward. Given that they already know they'll be down 9 man games at forward due to Bertuzzi and the whole Canada thing, and with Covid protocol still being a thing, Veleno will probably end up with a pretty decent split between filling in at the NHL level and being the Griffins top center. Probably a really high probability that he finishes the regular season at the NHL level.

Does the team get an extra roster spot when Bert is ineligible to travel to Canada? The protocol just says he's suspended, and a suspension doesn't necessarily mean an extra roster spot. For vaccinated players, it's treated the same as an injury.

I kinda speed read this thing because I haven't had dinner yet.... and I did not see anything about roster space.

https://media.nhl.com/site/asset/public/ext/2021-22/2021-22COVIDProtocol.pdf

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

It’s truly very exciting to have Seider and Raymond make the team.

 

[Gniwder]

We are also about $8M in retained and buyout costs. Only DDK and Fabbri are mildly overpaid now. I feel the rest is fair enough.

Fabbri is well over .5 pts per game, how do you figure he's overpaid at $3M?. A similar player in FA would likely cost over $4M.

Unless of course you're talking about his propensity for injury.

 

[lilidk]

Bert- Larkin- Raymond
Fabbri - Suter - Zadina
Erne- Rasmussen- Ganger
Namestnikov- Stevens- Royney

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

$12M. That seems like f***all for how bad this team is.

It's almost like we bought a couple guys out and retained on a trade and therefore have $8 million that is not playing for us. Or... put another way... without the buyouts and retention on Panik... we're 900k over the floor. Oh, and Vrana's injured too and that's included in the 69,035,000 as well.

But sure, let's bitch about the cap space that we're not using.

 

[Oddbob]

Happy Raymond made the team, but not not happy that Veleno didn't. Rowney, Names, Gagner and Smith were all worse.