Speculation: Roster Building Thread: New Season Edition

[McRanger92]

Florida was a well balanced team last season. Mason Marchment signed with the Stars. Anthony Duclair is out until January with a torn Achilles tendon. MacKenzie Weeger is in Calgary. The Florida fans will say Weeger wasn't very good last season. Matthew Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau is even.

The Panthers D is bad. They claimed Josh Mahura off of waivers. Florida signed Marc Staal.

Who is replacing the Marchment's 18 goals? Duclair scored 31 goals last season.

Frank Vatrano did not have a spot in their lineup.

Florida had so much depth last season.

Who is replacing Weegar?

The Panthers don't have much cap space. Duclair is on long-term IR and they need to clear space when he is ready to return. That is a tough injury to return from. Cam Akers still is not right after injuring his Achilles.

Every season teams miss the playoffs after making the playoffs the previous season.

That Tkachuk trade was a good move long-term for Florida but I think organizationally they know they will take a step back this year, barring a huge breakout from Spencer Knight, because that defense is shit.

 

[Avery16]

Maybe we were watching different players?

Langdon was a middleweight when the rest of the league was using heavyweights. He was a courageous SOB, but he got his s**t kicked in more times than I can remember.

And stone hands...

He outlasted Twist and Brashear in their primes, arguably winning those fights. That's not a middle-weight.

 

[pld459666]

But hey, at least they have $15M cap space tied up in goal

(well, starting next season)

That is sooo confusing what they are doing in nets

 

[NYR Viper]

This may be an unpopular opinion but I would re-sign Reaves right now for 2 years @ $1m per season. Whether he sticks with the NHL team or is waived and plays in the AHL, he's the type of guy I want around the organization.

 

[Machinehead]

This may be an unpopular opinion but I would re-sign Reaves right now for 2 years @ $1m per season. Whether he sticks with the NHL team or is waived and plays in the AHL, he's the type of guy I want around the organization.

Hire him for some tit coaching job and he's off the cap.

 

[redwhiteandblue]

I'm a Goodrow guy but he's definitely getting bought out if they need the cap space. They get a cap credit this summer and next if they do. It's like Chekhov's gun. LTIR could be an option too.

Sure, but they may very well not need the cap space. There's bridge contracts, there's money coming off the books they don't have to re-invest (Reaves for example), guys that will likely be ready to come in and contribute on cheap ELCs. I get that it's there, it exists, and was a savvy move by Drury.

I just don't buy that because someone suggested it here on the boards and it is a possibility, that Drury already has it drawn up in his back pocket. I mean hell, if you go on another run this year and Goodrow is pivotal in being a veteran presence, scores some key goals, and provides that ever-so-important playoff depth, I'd argue he's going nowhere.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but because it became a popular idea on here doesn't mean anything is written in stone. It's so 50/50 and people talk about it like he's already off the roster going forward. There's so much that can happen but noway

I'm not saying it absolutely will happen. I'm saying Drury intentionally structured the contract that way in case he needs to buy him out, so a buyout is much more likely than some people want to believe.

Yeah that's fair. My original point is how people talk about it like it's only a matter of time until it happens. I agree it very well could, very well could not.

 

[Thirty One]

We saw this with Brashear. He signed a 2 year deal at age 37. Only the 2nd year of that deal was subject to the 35+ restrictions. If we had send him down in the first year, the cap hit would have been reduced like any other contract.

This did in fact happen.

 

[GAGLine]

Hire him for some tit coaching job and he's off the cap.

But how much will we spend on training bras?

 

[Machinehead]

But how much will we spend on training bras?

Still doesn't count against the cap. Dolan has it.

 

[LORDE]

This may be an unpopular opinion but I would re-sign Reaves right now for 2 years @ $1m per season. Whether he sticks with the NHL team or is waived and plays in the AHL, he's the type of guy I want around the organization.

Reavo does a lot for this team... in attitude (due to obv reasons),professionalism, swagger and getting the rest of the guys pumped up.

We can sit here on a discussion board and debate his ability vs cap hit but I guarantee the team sees him as a tremendous asset.

That being said... he can be given limited mins for sure.

 

[GAGLine]

Still doesn't count against the cap. Dolan has it.

Sorry. It's just not the cups we should be pursuing.

 

[SA16]

This may be an unpopular opinion but I would re-sign Reaves right now for 2 years @ $1m per season. Whether he sticks with the NHL team or is waived and plays in the AHL, he's the type of guy I want around the organization.

He's welcome to take a coaching or front office position if he likes.

 

[Creepingjeff]

Reavo does a lot for this team... in attitude (due to obv reasons),professionalism, swagger and getting the rest of the guys pumped up.

We can sit here on a discussion board and debate his ability vs cap hit but I guarantee the team sees him as a tremendous asset.

That being said... he can be given limited mins for sure.

I think this is really it. Reaves is a leader on the team for sure. Countless times last year in interviews, players said they felt they could play more freely with him dressed. At the game I was at in Minnesota, Panarin's line was getting taken advantage of. They put Reavo out as the right wing and that ended it. Now, he killed any production that line would have had, but at the point of the game it was, it was much better than losing Panarin due to the late hits for the rest of the year. If he can play 8 minutes a night and get some games off, I think he can still be an asset for this team

 

[NYR Viper]

It's unfortunate for a guy like Reaves because as he ages, having him around the team (either Hartford or NYR) is worth paying him. Even if he plays 30-40 games a year in the NHL, to me, he's worth the $1m in salary. I would doubt he would want to quit playing and just take a coaching gig but maybe.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

It's unfortunate for a guy like Reaves because as he ages, having him around the team (either Hartford or NYR) is worth paying him. Even if he plays 30-40 games a year in the NHL, to me, he's worth the $1m in salary. I would doubt he would want to quit playing and just take a coaching gig but maybe.

I think when Reaves retires he will either work in media or if he's going to work for a team it will be for the VGK. I believe he's already said publicly that he's made his home in Vegas and that is where he's going to live when he retires.

 

[17futurecap]

I think when Reaves retires he will either work in media or if he's going to work for a team it will be for the VGK. I believe he's already said publicly that he's made his home in Vegas and that is where he's going to live when he retires.

Feels like he would be great in the Adam Graves role in the Vegas community. His brewing company is also in Vegas.

 

[McRanger92]

Sure, but they may very well not need the cap space. There's bridge contracts, there's money coming off the books they don't have to re-invest (Reaves for example), guys that will likely be ready to come in and contribute on cheap ELCs. I get that it's there, it exists, and was a savvy move by Drury.

I just don't buy that because someone suggested it here on the boards and it is a possibility, that Drury already has it drawn up in his back pocket. I mean hell, if you go on another run this year and Goodrow is pivotal in being a veteran presence, scores some key goals, and provides that ever-so-important playoff depth, I'd argue he's going nowhere.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but because it became a popular idea on here doesn't mean anything is written in stone. It's so 50/50 and people talk about it like he's already off the roster going forward. There's so much that can happen but noway

Yeah that's fair. My original point is how people talk about it like it's only a matter of time until it happens. I agree it very well could, very well could not.

Totally agree that its still a wait and see proposition, but its a nice built in failsafe. Many here talk in absolutes regarding what might or could happen; thats still a decision thats hopefully not made until were done playing in mid-June

 

[Clark Kellogg]

Mollie Walker, 10 minute mark:

 

[duhmetreE]

Laffy and KAM are getting bridged. It is what it is at this point.

When they are due for new BIG contracts, all the 'old boys' will be coming off or moveable... along with the cap shooting up.

It would be nice to sign one or both long term but it's just not feasible.

 

[Levitate]

That Tkachuk trade was a good move long-term for Florida but I think organizationally they know they will take a step back this year, barring a huge breakout from Spencer Knight, because that defense is shit.

I imagine they're hoping to do better in the playoffs and will try to fix some of those problems during the season, and that they have the talent to make it to the playoffs without having an optimal roster to start.

 

[duhmetreE]

somewhat conservative bridges for Laffy, KAM, Z.Jones and a 1-2 year deal for Chytil

the kids are just place holders. They could be the ones playing but whoever is slotted there needs to be close to league minimum.

I didn't believe it at first but there is a slight chance of Goodrow being bought out to kick the can down the road. I just have a hard time seeing Drury going that route. Better chance he's traded.

 

[Boris Zubov]

He outlasted Twist and Brashear in their primes, arguably winning those fights. That's not a middle-weight.

Langdon was a great 2nd half fighter. His endurance was impressive.

The only guy I ever saw him truly overwhelmed by was Stu Grimson.

I remember Langdon taking on Chara during Chara's rookie season & it was pretty much a draw.

 

[Thirty One]

I remember Langdon taking on Chara during Chara's rookie season & it was pretty much a draw.

Too bad the cameraman panned to another fight pretty quickly.

 

[Kendo]

Reaves serves a purpose and plays a role. His ice time needs to be limited and take an occasional day off.

Carpenter serves a purpose and plays a role.

I like our role players. I just wouldn't give them regular shifts at even-strength if I didn't have to.

100% on Reavo. No reason to quibble over a $500k overpay. Play him in 40ish games, limit his ice time when he does play, and he's a net positive for the club.

I'm reserving judgment on Carp for 20 games. I'd prefer Rooney in his spot at $800k, but *would* quibble over that $400k more CGY paid. That said, if Carp can't hang, we can try Rydahl in his spot. (Maybe we should have done that to start, but w/e.) If we roll snake eyes on both, we will need to staple Goodrow to the 4th line but have absolutely no one to take a faceoff outside of top 4 C.

All in all, or 4th line shouldn't be an issue. We'll need a Vatrano-like top 9 addition and a Braun-like 6/7 addition before the 4th line is an issue. With some luck, Blais - Goodrow - Vesey would be an amazing 4th line if our top 9 is balanced and everyone's healthy (yeah, yeah, yeah, including Blais lol).

 

[bleedblue94]

I'm a Goodrow guy but he's definitely getting bought out if they need the cap space. They get a cap credit this summer and next if they do. It's like Chekhov's gun. LTIR could be an option too.

I know on paper it makes sense for goodrow to be bought out for that credit, but I will believe it when I see it. If gorts signed him I would feel differently, but drury id'ed goody as a guy they wanted for the role and he continues to be a guy that plugs in from 4th line to 1st line. I am of the mind set that this season is not going to go as rosey as many here feel it will be and I believe that may lead to a substantial player being moved next summer, that not being goodrow.