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Speculation: Roster Building Thread: Part XLII Time for Curtis Lazar?

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Blue Blooded said:
Since the aqcuisition of Gauthier it should be a priority to figure out if someone in that group can effectively shift to LW. Considering three out of the four are left shots, at least one of them should be able to handle it. IIRC Kakko was even more effective at LW than RW in Liiga.
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Yeah, and I don't think either Kravy or Buch should have much problem with that.

I mean its night and day when you cross the blueline with the puck and challenge the defender 1 on 1. But how often does a winger in the NHL really end up in that situation?

Markus Näslund is a good example of a "LW" that just as well could have been a RW:


Like just watching that highlight its impossible to tell if he is a LW or RW. You can't cut into the ice of the rush the same way, but that is about it. Forwards move around so much in the attacking zone anyway.
 
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Tawnos said:
It’s crazy it wasn’t lottery protected in the first place... there was a chance when that trade was made that neither of Carolina or Toronto would make the playoffs even then. And when the season shut down, Toronto was only 3 points ahead of Florida.

I mean, it’s only a little more likely now than it was then because of how the phase 2 odds set up. But it’s still amazing Carolina didn’t insist on it.
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Maybe they still felt bad about the Staal trade
 
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Mac n Gs said:
I think Buch's fate was sealed the instant he signed a two-year deal. I still believe the correct move would have been to lock him in to a long-term, lower AAV contract that would've kept him relatively cheap throughout his prime. The underlying numbers suggested he'd continue to develop into a solid play-driving top-6 W, and he had obvious chemistry with Kreider and Zibanejad. We obviously saw him another step forward this year, which is a shame since this type of play is most likely going to put him out of our price range after next year.

That being said, I believe that someone mentioned he was only willing to sign a two-year deal last summer. I wasn't able to find this source, but if that was actually the case, it makes the long-term contract idea moot.
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I'll start with Buch- you know he's a very productive player for his age bracket, despite some inconsistent efforts. I'm a fan. But to me, the question becomes, is there a day where Buchnevich plus gets the Rangers Keller. Clayton Keller could be a guy who plays himself down towards a trade.

A couple of you out there who remember his USNDP days know just how dominant of a player he was. I thought of him as the most skilled American player since Patrick Kane. We're talking puck skills, deception, faking guys out. Outsmarting players. Kids a gamer. He's a hardcore gamer. Literally, just top tier Fortnite skills.

He's a player who could out perform his contract in his prime, and the Rangers were very high on him in 2016. There's also the Quinn connection. Keller schooled college hockey at BU. Keller and Fox. Keller and Lindgren. USNDP.

NYC is a better environment for him.
 
Loki Dog 74 said:
I don’t think the issue is whether Kakko/Kravstov can play LW; I believe both have/can. The issue is Panarin and Kreider have both top six LW slots locked down. Buchnevich currently has one RW slot. Kakko should grow into the other within the next full year. Kravstov doesn’t strike me as a guy who fits in a bottom six, away from scorers. If Strome is re-signed but we get another top six C (or Chytil grows into that role) he shifts to the wing. If Chytil ends up more of a W than C, he also has top six potential. If Gauthier surprises us with his growth, that’s another potential winger. It’s great to have all of these guys, but how you construct a good bottom six with guys whose games may not really be suited to being there becomes interesting.
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I think it’s inevitable that Kreider eventually moves down a line... that would mean cup contending type depth.
 
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Loki Dog 74 said:
Those are big assumptions. Strome is taking a 1 year deal? No guarantees Chytil is a center, nor takes the necessary steps to become a 2C and Andersson not only putting it together to become an NHLer, but a solid 3C? That’s a lot going right.

Philosophically I do agree with you. But it’s not as easy to strike that successful balance where guys like Kravstov of Buchnevich thrive in a third line role as I wish it was.
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I’d take 1 year if I was Strome. Get to UFA as soon as possible.
 
aufheben said:
I’d take 1 year if I was Strome. Get to UFA as soon as possible.
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He’d have to be very comfortable gambling on himself. He takes one year and he doesn’t replicate his success with Panarin, or Panarin gets injured (or Strome gets injured), or Chytil steals the spot and Strome has a 45 point season and that UFA deal won’t look too sweet. I’d be surprised if his agent isn’t trying to push for 5x5 or something like it.
 
As far as working out players contracts I think we're getting the cart before the horse. I'm not convinced that there is going to be a 20-21 season at all. When we talk about the NHL we're talking about filling arenas with fans and talking about 20 different states and Canadian provinces involved and the certainty of whether that can be done safely and even if the virus more or less goes back into the shadows--without a vaccine I don't think there will be enough certainty where we're going to see all those states and provinces on board to go ahead and even if all that gets worked out all it might take is one outbreak linked to an NHL game to shut the season down.

So would NHL teams play an entire season to empty arenas? My guess is no. What happens to minor leagues, college hockey and the CHL if there is no season? Could we loan prospects or players to European leagues if they or some of them are running? There is the issue of expiring contracts. For the Rangers Lundqvist, Staal and Smith have contracts that extend through 20-21. If there is no season do they get extended past that? My guess again is no but that will probably have to be worked out between the NHL and the NHLPA. So for the Marc Staal haters--you might have already seen the last of him as a Ranger. If there is no 20-21 do any teams shut down operations altogether?

Without a vaccine there is uncertainty and without a vaccine to make a new season work there is going to be a whole lot of shit to figure out. We have the states and the provinces but we also have a bunch of billionaire owners and entities that own the teams and this one or that might say 'f*** it--I'm not doing this or that'.
 
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Kakko Schmakko said:
What does Curtis Lazar have to do with anything?
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Erm. Pretty much everything.
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B17 Apricots said:
I do like some aspects of how the cap works for the NFL. Guaranteed money and being able to cut guys, you see guys like Brendan Smith who get their money and slack off. Dustin Brown spent the last few years as a top 6 player after spending almost 5 years looking like he was on his way out, so the talent is still there...a lot of those dudes from those Kings teams won their cups, partied and did a bunch of coke. And you know a budget team like Ottawa has been handicapped a bit by Bobby Ryan. There's a lot of flexibility because if you go all in a player with almost all guaranteed money there's a good chance you can't cut him, flipside... A guy like Semin a few years ago would be the perfect example of a guy you could throw a bunch of money to with 0 guaranteed money and if he underperforms..goodbye, good for a budget team
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Downside is that the NFL'S system allows and actually encourages holdouts.

Be careful what you wish fo .
 
Ola said:
I would like to see:
Kravy-Ziba-Buch
Panarin-Strome-Kakko
Kreider-Chytil-Gauthier
Lemieux-Howden-Fast
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I’d rather:

Kreider - Zib - Kravstov
Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Buchnevich - Chytil - Lemieux/Gauthier
 
Blue Blooded said:
Sure, but if Andersson sorts his head out I don't think a 3rd line of Kravtsov-Andersson-Gauthier would be an issue assuming Strome doesn't stay beyond 20-21 and Chytil assumes the role of 2C.
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That's alot of youth on one line--but in a good way. Questions are can Andersson get his head on straight--can Kravstov score outside of being in the top 6.

Even if Andersson does not clean up his act you go always go with:

Kravstov--Chytil--Goat but I would think you need more of a passer on that line. Could be Chytil..
 
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Call me crazy but I would love to see what Gauthier could do playing with Breadman.

Kreider - Zib - Kravstov
Panarin - Strome - Gauthier
Buchnevich - Chytil - Kaapo

Maybe I flip flop Kravstov and Kaapo.
 
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howztheglass said:
That's alot of youth on one line--but in a good way. Questions are can Andersson get his head on straight--can Kravtsov score outside of being in the top 6.

Even if Andersson does not clean up his act you go always go with:

Kravtsov--Chytil--Goat but I would think you need more of a passer on that line. Could be Chytil..
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I think you can insulate Kravstov to an extent by playing him in Buch’s spot with Z and Kreider. He’ll have a good opportunity to produce and not have to drive production himself, while Buch brings a veteran presence and a bit more balance to a third line with Chytil and Gauthier.

Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Kreider - Zbad - Kravstov
Buch - Chytil - Gauthier
Lemieux - Howden - DiGiuseppe

For argument’s sake.
 
howztheglass said:
Call me crazy but I would love to see what Gauthier could do playing with Breadman.

Kreider - Zib - Kravstov
Panarin - Strome - Gauthier
Buchnevich - Chytil - Kappo

Maybe I flip flop Kravstov and Kappo.
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I also like this option. Same set up I have but flipping Kakko and Gauthier. I’d definitely be game to trying both combinations. I think this is a very good looking top nine either way.
 
What would people think of a deal where the principles were DeAngelo and Howden for Hanifin and Bennett?

Hanifin is 23, signed 5 more years at 4.95M and while he hasn’t fully lived up to his draft hype, is a solid defenseman who still has room to grow. Age and term on contract fit for us. Bennett is a better 3/4C than Howden and a change of scenes could give him a spark. But he’s that pesky, feisty type we’re in need of. Lemieux and Bennett on a line would be very agitating for opponents. I’d HATE moving Tony, but it would balance our defense out substantially.

Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Kreider - Zbad - Buch
Kravstov - Chytil - Gauthier
Lemieux - Bennett - DiGiuseppe
Hanifin - Trouba
Lindgren - Fox
Hajek/Miller - Lundkvist
 
Hanafin isn't really anything special. There is some value in the player because his contract is reasonable but easy pass for me.

Theodore for DeAngelo would be a better trade and I don't love that one either.
 
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