To me, the single most important attribute a DMan needs to have is the ability to quickly and accurately move the puck out to a teammate while under pressure. They can have average skating, they can be not very physical, but at least a modicum of puck-moving ability is a 100% necessity. Having 1 guy who can't in your Top 6 is a serious problem. Having multiple is a disaster. We had multiple. That needs to change or we'll continue to have no shot at winning a Cup.
bold is not wrong
BUT
being able to sufficiently clear the crease is another side of that coin
shoot for all unicorns who do everything, but then realistically, the best you can
You know who never stops producing? Patrick Kane. I’ll take him he’s healthy and he looked great last year.
We didn’t lose because of “grit”. Nonsense.
We lost because we stopped scoring, mainly our powerplay which never stopped all year stopped scoring, and our Norris dman was on one leg.
1. No Kane UNLESS per my suggestion we first deal bread to FL
AND he is willing to do 1 yr 1m. period as a stopgap.
otherwise no.
like peace, give Berard a chance
2. grit
as I have said many times, proven adage, all sports:
usually, the good big man beats the good little man
While we did not field smurfs vs Cats, w/few exceptions, they were effectively bigger vs us by being tougher
We needed to combat that w/mo tuffness, but stupidly did not play Rempe
It would help if we upgraded more of the roster so we dominate, are not dominated.
3. Scoring
We did not score b'c we were dominated/smothered.
In this instance cause and effect
It only really opens up $1.4m cause trading Kakko for futures also opens up a roster spot that has to be filled by someone making ~$1m. At best you get a rookie in there at 800k.
While not untouchable, selling low on KK = MAKES NO SENSE.
not only to $$/cap hit, but also production
Agree
If they want to run it back with Mika/Kreider/Panarin, they need to shed not just Lindgren but Trouba has to go too. They need his money to afford some further upgrades.
Agree move both Lindy + Trouba
but also bread
my solution here is
deal Lindy + Trouba + bread etc for picks/+
BE HAPPY W/PICKS IF HIGH ENUF = BANKABLE COLLATERAL and also cap relief
Then
Shesty + Zib + 2025 1st
for
Nylander + Knies + Lilj + 2024 _ 2026 1sts
this gives us Kreider - Knies - Nylander = 1st line
also boosts our RD
adds picks
Trading Kakko makes little sense. It makes even less sense to package him and a first to move up in a shitty draft.
OMG!!!!!!!!!!
STOP THE PRESSESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
for once you and I fully agree!!
Well, the average goalie gave up a game losing softie and the elite high paid goalie is likely the Conn Smythe winner….
Edit: didn’t take long for that to age badly. Hahaha. But Bob was likely the runner up.
Bob is still elite but mid 30s he aged as this series went longer
Shesty is better, prime, crazy cheaper upcoming final yr of his current deal
You just need to find the next Forsling, Verhaeghe, Montour, and Reinhart before the blow up as players. Look at their cap hits and their value.
I'm not saying you cannot pay Igor, but it makes things tougher. Even 11M instead of 12-12.5 is massive.
Anything about what this team needs vanishes if what they have isn't adjusted. Overhauled defense is the main thing. I just hope Drury sees that same vision.
Don't give Shesty away, but be fearless to shake things up SENSIBLY to upgrade, gamble w/Garand
If we did my deals, add Mikkola + Lilj replacing Lindy, Trouba
develop Scanlin, Fortesc, and even Robertson
Couldn't disagree more but whatever I guess. If we are looking at our bottom-6 guys when our top guys do f*** all, why don't we just get rid of our top players and pay Igor whatever the f*** he wants? No point in paying Panarin and Zibanejad 20 million combined if we are not going to hold them accountable when it really counts.
Some guys -- Kreider, Tro -- not the prob
some are in 'pass for now' territory for various reasons
some biggies, makes sense to repurpose their value
no sacred cows
For years we have gifted kakko a top 6 right wing spot only to watch him blow it and be forced to buy at the deadline. He’s had so many chances. Last year was it. We’re going to sign Kane for a couple seasons is my guess
no, he did not blow it
he was not given correct support
you are unfairly asking him to have instant chemistry w/anybody
some can do that
some can w/repetition = familiarity = chemistry
he proved chem w/kid line
they moved LaF
Chytil got hurt
shows chem w/Cuylle
need to do C-C-KK for now
DO NOT BE STUPID AND SELL KK CHEAP ESP IF WE MOVE BREAD
Not for nothing but Panarin and Mika scored at a PPG pace in the playoffs. I don't think their overall play was very good but I feel like the goalposts move for these guys every year, it will obviously never be enough until they win the Cup, which I accept.
I also dont think this is the time to lose faith in the core. We have a really good team, they need to augment their top guys. Can we play Mika on a line with 2 top players? Can we have a 3rd line that scores more than 3 goals in 16 games? Can we play our Norris winning defenseman with a guy capable of playing top pair minutes? These are easily correctable problems if the team has loyalty to the guys who actually win us games, instead of the guys who we want to amount to something. The window is wide open now, but some would let it pass waiting for Chytil/Kakko to happen.
bold was entire POs?
So it is skewed, doesn't reflect abysmal ineptitude of Fs vs FL, compounded by overworked D
I’m probably way off but I feel like we’re gonna get a trade with the kings. They have a lot kids who will need waivers next season. I could see something like kk & 30 for 21 & one of Thomas/kaliyev/turcotte/madden/fagemo.
They get a legit bottom 6 on a fair deal stay in the first for nyr moving up and adding a kid who might get claimed for nothing next season.
will show an open mind to specif prop, but am guessing no, avoid
those guys all are available for a reason
whether or not our flawed guys for theirs makes sense requires specif
and certainly don't want to give our better guys for their flawed ones
The only guy I wanted past 2+ yrs from them is Byfield,
as I correctly saw him developing.
As long as there was pld bust on payroll + roster, there was hope of something there but not anymore.
Team needs to identify their version of the Reinhart deal. Florida gave up nothing comparatively to the value of Reinhart for multiple seasons
Great if opportunity for swindle emerges, but more practical to go like bern, do profitable deals as opportunity presents, whether they are small or large
Good news, EF says Libor Is looking to make his big comeback to the NHL
Libor played like an all star for 4 games before damaging, of all things, his shoulder -- which you think they could have repaired him to form
but sadly no
wish him well
would give TO and maybe small 2 way contract if he shows enuf