Potential roster fixes for 2025-26 and beyond
- Thread starter Fistfullofbeer
- Start date
The Marquis
Moderator
RainyCityHockey
Registered User
I think you've got to take a realistic look at the team and try to figure out who actually has some positive trade value and could get you something back.
I think guys like Stephenson and Montour will be here cause those contracts are hard(Montour) or next to possible(Stephenson) to move.
Unless you're willing to retain for six seasons and give up a retainment spot over that time. And that's only possible for Montour.
But hey, you need to hit the cap floor and they help with that....
You also need to know that Francis won't be the guy doing any of that(cause that would admit failure of his and requires being bold in decision making) and so it probably won't start before next offseason with the exception of expiring guys like Gourde, Tanev and Borgen.
After that I think guys like Oleksiak, Bjorkstrand, Tolvanen, Eberle, Dunn and McCann(if you really want to start over) have some value and you could also dangle D'Accord in front of teams to guarantee yourself of not finishing above about 5th worst given the goaltending.
Heck, if you do trade Joey, you could even keep Grubauer(you need to hit the cap floor and it's probably better to have that deal completely off your books within two instead of four seasons) for sh*ts and giggles...
Anyways, this roster right now is a mess that will be tough to fix and will need a different group of decisions makers + ownership accepting that "competing now" is not going to happen for a couple of years.
I'm not sure that will happen cause it needs quite a few people admitting they were wrong in how to approach the start of this franchise.
I think guys like Stephenson and Montour will be here cause those contracts are hard(Montour) or next to possible(Stephenson) to move.
Unless you're willing to retain for six seasons and give up a retainment spot over that time. And that's only possible for Montour.
But hey, you need to hit the cap floor and they help with that....
You also need to know that Francis won't be the guy doing any of that(cause that would admit failure of his and requires being bold in decision making) and so it probably won't start before next offseason with the exception of expiring guys like Gourde, Tanev and Borgen.
After that I think guys like Oleksiak, Bjorkstrand, Tolvanen, Eberle, Dunn and McCann(if you really want to start over) have some value and you could also dangle D'Accord in front of teams to guarantee yourself of not finishing above about 5th worst given the goaltending.
Heck, if you do trade Joey, you could even keep Grubauer(you need to hit the cap floor and it's probably better to have that deal completely off your books within two instead of four seasons) for sh*ts and giggles...
Anyways, this roster right now is a mess that will be tough to fix and will need a different group of decisions makers + ownership accepting that "competing now" is not going to happen for a couple of years.
I'm not sure that will happen cause it needs quite a few people admitting they were wrong in how to approach the start of this franchise.
The Marquis
Moderator
I think that aside from Oleksiak that the blue line is fine and even then Oleksiak is passable at this contract, though I still move Borgen for assets.
Now our forward group is brutal. The hardest working guys are up at the end of the year. Can we do better? With what they make now, probably, but it’s not a sure thing.
I’d trade both Gourde and Tanev for assets, try to move Schwartz and Burakovsky for guys not made of glass. I hold onto Beniers, Eberle, McCann and Stephenson. I consider moving Bjorkstrand and/or Tolvanen for the right return, but only that. Kartye stays, and I’d also consider moving Wright if the return were stellar. Gotta get a return based entirely on potential and also with a complimentary piece that produces at least what he does now.
Tl;dr - blow up the forwards except McCann, Beniers and Eberle.
Now our forward group is brutal. The hardest working guys are up at the end of the year. Can we do better? With what they make now, probably, but it’s not a sure thing.
I’d trade both Gourde and Tanev for assets, try to move Schwartz and Burakovsky for guys not made of glass. I hold onto Beniers, Eberle, McCann and Stephenson. I consider moving Bjorkstrand and/or Tolvanen for the right return, but only that. Kartye stays, and I’d also consider moving Wright if the return were stellar. Gotta get a return based entirely on potential and also with a complimentary piece that produces at least what he does now.
Tl;dr - blow up the forwards except McCann, Beniers and Eberle.
RainyCityHockey
Registered User
Why Eberle?
He'll be 35 next summer going into his final season of that contract and certainly won't be all that interested in participating in a rebuild/re-tool.
I think he would be a prime candidate(even if it takes retaining money and giving up a retention spot for one season) to actually fetch you something given his status around the league.
Guys like Schwartz and Burakovsky(two more years after this one) would be really tough to move and cost us.
If you really want to rebuild/(re-tool you'll probably just keep them and let those contrracts expire.
BTW: Unless Wright goes through the roof, from now on. no one's going to trade much for him.
And if he goes through the roof, there's no point in trading him for the kraken.
His development so far hasn't been greate and there are more question marks around him and his actualy potential then there were at the draft in 2022.
