Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part LXVII

[egelband]

Fox was literally one of the better two-way defenseman in the NHL, I don't understand why he and ADA wouldn't work.

I am suggesting he might have to hang back and play more defense in a pairing with ADA. Which could handcuff Fox, somewhat.

 

[ElLeetch]

Not gonna lie..I absolutely f***ing loved that move
#Innovative

I've used that move once or twice. Once on a ref. cost me the season.

 

[egelband]

Unless one of them becomes Scott Niedermeyer, there needs to be a defensive defenseman or at least a two-way defenseman, with each of those guys.

Yep. That’s what I’m saying. Someone has to stay home. It could work - it seems Fox has a great three zone game - but it’s not maximizing either one’s strengths.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

i honestly feel that management feels Miller should be ready this year by their comments after camp. So if we are talking pairs I'd say we will be looking at a Miller Trouba pair at some point in the season. The Johnson signing is incase he isn't but it still makes little sense unless Martin thinks he can fix him.

 

[bbny]

appears the GM is talking cap as much i and others are. And they are running the team.

cheers

Not to mention, after the initial shock and joy of winning the #1 pick, you know they were already game planning about the impending bonus crunch that none of the rest of us knew until a week ago. These guys are smart and it's their job to be very familiar with the CBA. I really find it hard to believe in this narrative that exists on here they aren't game planning cap situations 3 or 4 years down the road. While I'm sure it's true to some degree that a few posters on here are more worried about an impending cap crunch, it doesn't mean Gorton/JD aren't running through the same multitude of scenarios to piece this thing together.

 

[RGY]

Not to mention, after the initial shock and joy of winning the #1 pick, you know they were already game planning about the impending bonus crunch that none of the rest of us knew until a week ago. These guys are smart and it's their job to be very familiar with the CBA. I really find it hard to believe in this narrative that exists on here they aren't game planning cap situations 3 or 4 years down the road. While I'm sure it's true to some degree that a few posters on here are more worried about an impending cap crunch, it doesn't mean Gorton/JD aren't running through the same multitude of scenarios to piece this thing together.

Not for nothing, there wasnt much said about the cap in that clip as that other poster is making it out to be.

It is not to say the cap isnt important and that there should not be consideration for next year or the one after that, but Gorton and JD will continue to evaluate and are not shy when it comes to making moves that could indeed make the cap tighter but also make the team better. Panarin. Trouba. Kreider re-signing. So if a player comes along, especially via trade, I dont see them rejecting that possibility for fear of what the cap implication will be for next year or the one after that with what potentially* could be raises for some of our young kids needing their 2nd contract. There is also a lot of money coming off the books next year. Regardless, as they have shown already, they will find ways to navigate the cap.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

i honestly feel that management feels Miller should be ready this year by their comments after camp. So if we are talking pairs I'd say we will be looking at a Miller Trouba pair at some point in the season. The Johnson signing is incase he isn't but it still makes little sense unless Martin thinks he can fix him.

I wouldn't put too much stock in how Miller looked at camp when the guys he was playing against in camp looked as bad as they did against Carolina

 

[B17 Apricots]

My hopes aren't too high, but my real dark horse on D this season is Brendan Smith. No Skjei, no Staal. He was eating minutes by the end of the season. I think he got some trust from DQ. If he comes in this year how he did when he was traded here, plays a simple game... I think he can flourish. I'm very curious if we get to see a shut down unit with Smith and Trouba. Big, tough, mean f***ing pairing, hard to play against. Might not be the most glamorous option but if he's focused he should be serviceable

 

[LokiDog]

My hopes aren't too high, but my real dark horse on D this season is Brendan Smith. No Skjei, no Staal. He was eating minutes by the end of the season. I think he got some trust from DQ. If he comes in this year how he did when he was traded here, plays a simple game... I think he can flourish. I'm very curious if we get to see a shut down unit with Smith and Trouba. Big, tough, mean f***ing pairing, hard to play against. Might not be the most glamorous option but if he's focused he should be serviceable

I’ve heard crazier theories. Contract year for Smith and he sees the squeeze the flat cap has put on lower tier players. If he wants another NHL contract, especially anything over 750k, he’ll have to bring his A game next season. I doubt he‘s some sort of out of nowhere stud, but I could see him being maybe a bit more consistent and focused.

 

[B17 Apricots]

I’ve heard crazier theories. Contract year for Smith and he sees the squeeze the flat cap has put on lower tier players. If he wants another NHL contract, especially anything over 750k, he’ll have to bring his A game next season. I doubt he‘s some sort of out of nowhere stud, but I could see him being maybe a bit more consistent and focused.

Definitely. I'm not expecting anything crazy. After that wedding offseason debacle the rest is history, but when he got moved here he saw a bunch of minutes and didn't look too damn bad either. So its not like he hasn't played that role in the past. Once Skjei got moved that was the first time he's consistently seen those types of minutes since that debacle of a season. And honestly, I don't think he looked half bad. I really think it's his spot to lose at this point. He just needs to play a smart, simple game.

 

[egelband]

appears the GM is talking cap as much i and others are. And they are running the team.

cheers

Yep. Been a bucket of cold water, eh. Regardless, I’m pretty confident in this team. I think even with just the ‘additions by subtraction’ I think we’re gonna be ok. Even losing Fast doesn’t worry me much.

 

[Ola]

the nhl just help the entire playoffs in canada with no issue and zero cases...having the tournament in Edmonton where the nhl just was shouldn't be an issue for the games. I'm sure they won't have fans but it is what it is...

big issue will likely be that canada will require players to quarantine 14 days so teams will have to travel there earlier than normally planned.

But things like that can spoil the entire thing. Can ppl come from all places? Certain restrictions could increase costs tremendously and make it unviable.

 

[egelband]

My hopes aren't too high, but my real dark horse on D this season is Brendan Smith. No Skjei, no Staal. He was eating minutes by the end of the season. I think he got some trust from DQ. If he comes in this year how he did when he was traded here, plays a simple game... I think he can flourish. I'm very curious if we get to see a shut down unit with Smith and Trouba. Big, tough, mean f***ing pairing, hard to play against. Might not be the most glamorous option but if he's focused he should be serviceable

Big ‘agree’ from me. I think it’s Lindgren and Smith and then Bitetto and Johnson sharing the 3LD slot. And I’m not particularly worried. It’s not a “championship” LD lineup but it will be fine for this year. In my opinion.

 

[egelband]

I’ve heard crazier theories. Contract year for Smith and he sees the squeeze the flat cap has put on lower tier players. If he wants another NHL contract, especially anything over 750k, he’ll have to bring his A game next season. I doubt he‘s some sort of out of nowhere stud, but I could see him being maybe a bit more consistent and focused.

I am a huge believer in “the contract year”. I don’t even see it as a cynical thing. Players just nut-up better in contract years. They’re naturally more lucid, more focused, or something. Like their fight-or-flight mechanism kicks-in. Also, Smith May have just matured. And he’s still in his physical prime.

 

[Black Tank]

I am a huge believer in “the contract year”. I don’t even see it as a cynical thing. Players just nut-up better in contract years. They’re naturally more lucid, more focused, or something. Like their fight-or-flight mechanism kicks-in. Also, Smith May have just matured. And he’s still in his physical prime.

He's got the longest offseason of his career - he can't come in out of shape again. If the contract year mentality is in place and Smith comes into camp in shape, then I'm putting him in over the likes of Staal, Johnson and yes, Skjei. Smith, Lindgren, rookie could work out on LD if Smith can step up to what he showed us a long time ago.

 

[egelband]

He's got the longest offseason of his career - he can't come in out of shape again. If the contract year mentality is in place and Smith comes into camp in shape, then I'm putting him in over the likes of Staal, Johnson and yes, Skjei. Smith, Lindgren, rookie could work out on LD if Smith can step up to what he showed us a long time ago.

I also think a lot of positional defense is fungible. If a team is playing well they’re going to mask a (sorry to be jargon-y) buttload of mistakes.

 

[Avery16]

Really, just f*** Smith, especially if he has a contract-year performance. That joke had 17.4 million reasons to perform during this atrocity of his current contract. If anyone deserves no more than league minimum, I nominate him.

Edit: and not for us.

 

[NYSPORTS]

Not to mention, after the initial shock and joy of winning the #1 pick, you know they were already game planning about the impending bonus crunch that none of the rest of us knew until a week ago. These guys are smart and it's their job to be very familiar with the CBA. I really find it hard to believe in this narrative that exists on here they aren't game planning cap situations 3 or 4 years down the road. While I'm sure it's true to some degree that a few posters on here are more worried about an impending cap crunch, it doesn't mean Gorton/JD aren't running through the same multitude of scenarios to piece this thing together.

the 2022/23 season cap will be flat with $29.6 million allocated to only four players so far. By then things will change with many up for RFA including Kakko, Fox and then Zibby’s contract due. One year later it’s already Laf’s RFA time and it’s possible the cap doesn’t rise too much by then.

Glad you mentioned the bonus payouts and the assumed space today and yes there is a boat load of dead money. Add those together and the cap is tight for this season. Fast forward a short three years minus that dead money, give all these kids raises along with resigning Zibby and more bonus money, that’s a high dollar amount with a cap no higher than today.

Thankfully MSG is profitable so Gordon and JD can likely spend up to the cap but it’s likely some of these many kids will have to be moved out regardless and we just got them.

 

[NYR]

I've used that move once or twice. Once on a ref. cost me the season.

Well.. The idea is to not get caught lol

 

[pld459666]

Throwing your silver medal is now official diagnosis for bad character traits.

Now?!?

It was a red flag when he did it.

 

[Vitto79]

I Assume Howden had bonusses ... could he actually get some AHL time ?

Rooney I assume is the 4th line Pk McKegg replacement

 

[Leetch3]

I Assume Howden had bonusses ... could he actually get some AHL time ?

Rooney I assume is the 4th line Pk McKegg replacement

howden does not have bonuses...and at this point i'm pretty sure he's not being sent to the ahl. they didn't feel it would help him the last 2 years so zero reason to think in year 3 they would.

 

[Vitto79]

No secret i’m a big Barron fan. It’s been a while since college hockey was halted and who knows when the NHL season will begin. Barron has been off for a while so i would figure he starts in Hartford with NY not too far away.

i’m overly optimistic so i’m saying he’ll be a #2C yet likely a #3C. Look forward to watching him.

Can Barron play RW? Seems like a spot is ope

 

[Leetch3]

on the idea of moving someone to the left side.....I think the first question that needs to be asked is do you think this would be a long term solution? OR are you just looking at the short term and how weak our LD is? our LD is terrible right now but is pretty good in the system on the way (we hope)...

 

[Leetch3]

Can Barron play RW? Seems like a spot is ope

right now RW should be buchnevich, kakko and gauthier...and then I'm not sure if he's played wing before but maybe Kevin Rooney on the 4th line since he kills penalties and could replace fast in that area.

the big wild card there is gauthier and if he can step it up to keep a spot in the top 9...if he doesn't lock down that 3RW spot then we could maybe think about if Barron can play there but I really don't like the idea of playing him on his off-wing on the 4th line...can debate the 4th line at all depending on position but i'd rather he gets top minutes in hartford than play out of position on the 4th line.

of course the other huge wild card is Kravtsov...but my guess at this point is that he isn't here to start the season. they let him finish the year in the KHL and bring him over during the season. but if he is back for camp that obviously changes things.