Speculation: Roster Building Thread LXXXIV: 2021: “The Fun has begun” or “Over & done”?

[True Blue]

i aint making that claim until he scores at that pace for more than 50-60 games

He was scoring at a 55 point pace last year. He is scoring at a 68 point this year. That comes to 59 points average. That is over the course of 92 games. Which makes it over 1 year's worth of NHL games.

 

[Fitzy]

So with the statement that he is not getting fired during the year being the baseline, were it up to you, who were you planning on bringing in?

Straight truth, I don't know. I'm glad I won't be the one to have to make the decision.

I like Gallant, but haven't seen enough of his work to be able to pin down his coaching style. If he wasn't such an ass, I'd want Babcock.

 

[Guyute]

He was scoring at a 55 point pace last year. He is scoring at a 68 point this year. That comes to 59 points average. That is over the course of 92 games. Which makes it over 1 year's worth of NHL games.

understood. i guess it's just a pet peeve of mine when people on HFBoards says "this guy is a 25 goal scorer" as if he scores 25 every year except he's never even done it once.

 

[Rongomania]

If Nils game translates which I'm pretty certain it will, I believe that this team will be similar to those beast Nashville teams with the sick D corps + an actual dynamic, elite forward group here.

Aka what that Nashville team wished they were but were only halfway there.

 

[Calad]

Minnesota wants centers badly. A few Wild fans were interested in trading Pit's 1st for Strome. Gorton, pick up the phone quick!!!

 

[Fitzy]

If Nils game translates which I'm pretty certain it will, I believe that this team will be similar to those beast Nashville teams with the sick D corps + an actual dynamic, elite forward group here.

Aka what that Nashville team wished they were but were only halfway there.

We've always been more successful developing blueliners anyways.

Just need to be smarter about who we give long term extensions into their 30's this time.

It's kind of cruel that we need Lundy on the blue line now a lot more than we need Kravtsov on the wing, but the circumstances are such that we will get Vitali here a lot sooner.

 

[True Blue]

understood. i guess it's just a pet peeve of mine when people on HFBoards says "this guy is a 25 goal scorer" as if he scores 25 every year except he's never even done it once.

All good. I get it

 

[True Blue]

Straight truth, I don't know. I'm glad I won't be the one to have to make the decision.

I like Gallant, but haven't seen enough of his work to be able to pin down his coaching style. If he wasn't such an ass, I'd want Babcock.

My view is that the next coach of the Rangers is not currently available. I do not know who that may be. But I do not believe he is out there as of right now. That included both Babcock and Gallant. Babcock is not a coach you bring in, given the stage of where the Rangers are in the rebuild.

Gallant? People gush about him, but he is not some sort of strategic genius. At all. And the fact that he has been employed by 3 NHL teams as a head coach and without exception all 3 fired him during his third year, is a warning flag.

 

[Calad]

My view is that the next coach of the Rangers is not currently available. I do not know who that may be. But I do not believe he is out there as of right now. That included both Babcock and Gallant. Babcock is not a coach you bring in, given the stage of where the Rangers are in the rebuild.

Gallant? People gush about him, but he is not some sort of strategic genius. At all. And the fact that he has been employed by 3 NHL teams as a head coach and without exception all 3 fired him during his third year, is a warning flag.

If Pittsburgh misses the playoffs this year, I think Sullivan gets fired. Comments from Burke on his 31 thoughts podcast interview says that if the team cant get it done this year he plans to rebuild the team. I would be shocked if Gorton doesn't jump at hiring him immediately

 

[JimmyG89]

Thing is, we'd probably get more for him at the deadline if the deal was to a team looking for a stanley cup.

If he isn't moved, I believe he has one season remaining of RFA eligibility, so they could push the long term decision on him down the road a touch.

One thing is that it would open the door for other teams that are not contenders right now looking to make an add. With the RFA status, those teams inquiring would be able to work on a longer term deal. Especially a team that feels they are close to being a playoff team.

Still feel like that team is Edmonton.

 

[NYR Viper]

What's a 'fair' contract for Buchnevich on his next deal? $5.5m? Kreider got $6.5m.

Kreider
Panarin
Kaako
Lafreniere

Gauthier
Kravtsov
Barron

Lemieux


Very shortly, we are going to need to slide one of the LW's over to RW in order to get guys minutes more than likely. That's going to push Buch or Kaako down.

I'd rather trade Buch for assets now and then use assets in the future to target the right center.

Theoretically let's say they trade Buch for an A prospect + 1st + cap dumps

In the off-season, Yzerman wants an A prospect + 1st + utility young NHLer for Larkin.


What trading Buch does is open up the opportunity to have cap space and more cheap, young assets in a time when both will be absolute king with a flat cap.

 

[duhmetreE]

Larkin is already 24 though.

Around the same age we got Brass, Zibs and Strome. Seemed to work out fine.

I really do not want 'green' center depth. I personally rather have a youngish player that has developed at the position already.

 

[JimmyG89]

Around the same age we got Brass, Zibs and Strome. Seemed to work out fine.

I really do not want 'green' center depth. I personally rather have a youngish player that has developed at the position already.

Highly doubt he is available. He was just named team captain in January.

 

[Fitzy]

My view is that the next coach of the Rangers is not currently available. I do not know who that may be. But I do not believe he is out there as of right now. That included both Babcock and Gallant. Babcock is not a coach you bring in, given the stage of where the Rangers are in the rebuild.

Gallant? People gush about him, but he is not some sort of strategic genius. At all. And the fact that he has been employed by 3 NHL teams as a head coach and without exception all 3 fired him during his third year, is a warning flag.

You are probably correct, though my focus would less be on the personality of the coach and more the fit with the kind of players we have on the roster right now and in future.

It looks like this team is shaping up to have a lot of small puck moving defensemen, and a combination of big speedy goal scoring wingers with slower playmaking wingers.

It hurts to say, but that would have been a perfect Alain Vigneault club.

 

[tomobson]

Can Kravstov take faceoffs? I'm tired of seeing Rooney on that third line. I'm still not sure why we play Rooney over Blackwell on that third line. Blackwell even seems better at faceoffs than Rooney.

 

[Fitzy]

Can Kravstov take faceoffs? I'm tired of seeing Rooney on that third line. I'm still not sure why we play Rooney over Blackwell on that third line. Blackwell even seems better at faceoffs than Rooney.

Should be a moot point when Panarin returns. Chytil will have to go back to taking faceoffs eventually- he's going to have to learn to be better with them if he is going to make it as an NHL center, and his hand is steadily improving.

 

[True Blue]

If Pittsburgh misses the playoffs this year, I think Sullivan gets fired. Comments from Burke on his 31 thoughts podcast interview says that if the team cant get it done this year he plans to rebuild the team. I would be shocked if Gorton doesn't jump at hiring him immediately

That may well be. I started the year believing that barring the wheels completely falling off the bus, that he is finishing the year and will be at the helm to start the year next year. I thought that they would be a bubble team for most of the year, which means that the chances of them making the playoffs were just as good as them missing the playoffs. Given the injuries, the DeAngelo situation, the Panarin situation and the fact that Zibanejad has the same amount of points as Ryan Lindgren, they are about where I expected them to be.

 

[True Blue]

You are probably correct, though my focus would less be on the personality of the coach and more the fit with the kind of players we have on the roster right now and in future.

It looks like this team is shaping up to have a lot of small puck moving defensemen, and a combination of big speedy goal scoring wingers with slower playmaking wingers.

It hurts to say, but that would have been a perfect Alain Vigneault club.

Disagree on the construction of the defense. Trouba is well over 200 lbs. So too is Miller. In fact both Miller and Schneider may wind up being close to 230 when all is said and done. Robertson is over 200. People think that Lundkvist is a given as being part of the future, but I actually believe that he is a piece in a trade and that Schneider is here long term.

 

[True Blue]

Can Kravstov take faceoffs? I'm tired of seeing Rooney on that third line. I'm still not sure why we play Rooney over Blackwell on that third line. Blackwell even seems better at faceoffs than Rooney.

Since he has gotten here, Blackwell spent a lot of time on the top-6. Rooney has been a fine 4C. He is on the third just to take faceoffs instead of Chytil right now.

 

[Edge]

I always thought he was someone we could trade but now I'm not so certain.

If you're gonna move him, you have to make it count.

 

[Rongomania]

We've always been more successful developing blueliners anyways.

Just need to be smarter about who we give long term extensions into their 30's this time.

It's kind of cruel that we need Lundy on the blue line now a lot more than we need Kravtsov on the wing, but the circumstances are such that we will get Vitali here a lot sooner.

Agreed. However, if Krav gels with another kid we expect to take a huge step then we get even better immediately. I am expecting big things from Krav with this group he has here to work with. It will instantly become the best group this kid has ever played with.

 

[Fitzy]

I know the fanbase is contested on Lundkvist's upside, but damn if I can't see him going full Erik Karlsson after being traded. Not in terms of style, but in terms of performance.

Nils is heavily in competition for best defenseman not currently in the NHL if you believe a lot of the articles being written (Caveat, probably many of which by people not watching the games)

 

[RGY]

Julien Gauthier has 5 points in 18 games. 3 of those points came in the last 5 games in which, would you look at that, he was getting more minutes...

In the beginning of the season he rang the post twice. He scores those goals and he is sitting at 7 in 18. The kid generates offense.

Could it be...and just hear me out on this one...that this Coach is clueless when it comes to evaluating players at the NHL level and plays favorites? I know that is just too wild of a take for some to comprehend, but could it be possible?....

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I know the fanbase is contested on Lundkvist's upside, but damn if I can't see him going full Erik Karlsson after being traded. Not in terms of style, but in terms of performance.

Nils is heavily in competition for best defenseman not currently in the NHL if you believe a lot of the articles being written (Caveat, probably many of which by people not watching the games)

He’s easily in top 5 D prospects not playing in the league

you’d be hard pressed to come up with 5 names better. And he’s probably close to #1 than he is to #5

 

[MarkMessyay11]

I know the fanbase is contested on Lundkvist's upside, but damn if I can't see him going full Erik Karlsson after being traded. Not in terms of style, but in terms of performance.

Nils is heavily in competition for best defenseman not currently in the NHL if you believe a lot of the articles being written (Caveat, probably many of which by people not watching the games)

I don't watch any of the games, but would love to read some of the articles if you have them. Feel free to PM me if you can.

I'm in agreement through. I wouldn't consider myself a prospect hugger, but with every passing day my desire to keep him continues to grow.