Roster Building XXII: Too Many Forwards, Hopefully One Cup

[Svechhammer]

Why?

We gravitate toward distressed assets like a moth to flame

 

[Unsustainable]

Why?

What cap space?

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I dont really see why we would offer sheet Robertson. Outside of having NHL experience, he isnt more than what we have in the prospect pool. If he was a big bruising forward, maybe it would be worth alienating a trade partner for.

 

[spockBokk]

Why?

He read an ill-advised and poorly written article on the hockeywriters site and evidently misunderstood that as an actual source.

There’s absolutely nothing to this rumor outside of a Canes’ writer who has no clue.

If you care to read the dreck:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1832777790040555647

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I dont really see why we would offer sheet Robertson. Outside of having NHL experience, he isnt more than what we have in the prospect pool. If he was a big bruising forward, maybe it would be worth alienating a trade partner for.

Yeah, I don't see an offer sheet from the Canes here. If the Canes want him, a trade is more likely.

 

[Lempo]

Yeah but if Dundo doesn't want to be left upstaged by the likes of the Blues, Toronto would be exactly who he should be going after.

Didn't we just recently extend some guy we picked on some expensive-in-real-money Toronto pick back in the day? Dundo is nothing if not an insult to an injury kind of guy.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

If Burns struggle I think they might go Slavin - Walker and make that the shut down pair.

Ya... I thought of that too.

In that case would you go...

Orlov - Burns
Ghost - Chat

OR

Orlov - Chat
Ghost - Burns

???

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Yeah, I don't see an offer sheet from the Canes here. If the Canes want him, a trade is more likely.

Agreed. You'd have to sign him to an offer sheet that is too high so that Toronto ins't comfortable matching. If the contract is 'reasonable' then the compensation won't be great and the money won't be high enough for Toronto to decline.

Toronto could just match and then Robertson is stuck in a situation he doesn't want to be in. Don't see why he would take that risk.

Robertson is a decent young player and only 22. Toronto has very specific roles for slotting in forwards because Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares all play their own types of games and they aren't changing. The team looks to pair them with players with specific skillsets and game types to compliment that. If that's not you or you don't mesh right away then you don't get to play there. And playing on the 3rd and 4th line on the Leafs isn't chalked full of opportunity like the Canes or other teams that roll things more evenly.

 

[SlavinAway]

Ya... I thought of that too.

In that case would you go...

Orlov - Burns
Ghost - Chat

OR

Orlov - Chat
Ghost - Burns

???

I'm not sure actually.

 

[LakeLivin]

Ya... I thought of that too.

In that case would you go...

Orlov - Burns
Ghost - Chat

OR

Orlov - Chat
Ghost - Burns

???

No idea here, but given the degree of turnover this offseason I'm glad they have the pieces to have a reasonable chance of finding some combination that works.

 

[NotOpie]

Given Roddy's history, Burns likely starts the season next to Slavin. But if there is a shake up, then Walker makes the most sense next to Slavin. Walker has speed and offensive chops....plus even for a smaller guy, he likes to hit. Plus, plus Walker tends toward the offensive side of things and scores primarily off of the rush. That just makes too much sense once Burns proves he's lost a step or five.

I think Burns then ends up next to Orlov.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Given Roddy's history, Burns likely starts the season next to Slavin. But if there is a shake up, then Walker makes the most sense next to Slavin. Walker has speed and offensive chops....plus even for a smaller guy, he likes to hit. Plus, plus Walker tends toward the offensive side of things and scores primarily off of the rush. That just makes too much sense once Burns proves he's lost a step or five.

I think Burns then ends up next to Orlov.

I think that Orlov - Burns had the ability to be a monster pairing or a complete disaster. They are kind of the same type of player and when they are feeling it they can take over a game physically and with the puck and impose their will but I’m not gonna say they are the ‘smartest’ or ‘safest’ d-men so the ability to get absolutely torched is gonna be there.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

I think that Orlov - Burns had the ability to be a monster pairing or a complete disaster. They are kind of the same type of player and when they are feeling it they can take over a game physically and with the puck and impose their will but I’m not gonna say they are the ‘smartest’ or ‘safest’ d-men so the ability to get absolutely torched is gonna be there.

If either Orlov or Ghost are ok playing their off side (and Rod is ok with it) then I wouldn't mind seeing Chat and Burns get another shot together. They had a few pretty solid games together when Slavin was out.

 

[spockBokk]

I believe Walker has played on the left at points in his career so far as well. However, I highly doubt RBA plays a D on their off-side if everyone is healthy.

I don’t see a world where RBA breaks up the Slavin-Burns pair, so I would think Walker will play with Orlov and Chatfield with Gostisbehere. A potential Gostisbehere-Walker 3rd pairing seems like it may be problematic, like the Orlov-TDA disaster was last year. So, as much as RBA may like the Orlov-Chatfield pairing, I don’t see how he can keep it together given the current makeup of their blueline.

 

[chaz4hockey]

Not roster related but I have been watching old Stanley cup games mostly on HNIC from late 70’s through mid 80’s (those Canadian and Islander teams are my all time favorite hockey teams with 99’s team just behind them) this summer.

Anyway, it was good catching up and remembering those games and the crowds there. What’s amazing is that virtually none of the attending fans have team jerseys, hats, team swag on. I wonder when that all changed? Don’t see a game today without team stuff.

 

[Svechhammer]

If Burns has to drop from the top pair, I'm not sure Orlov would be a good partner for him. I do think they would try it, but Orlov is at his best when he's able to free wheel a bit and pinch in to find a shot, and if Burns has fallen off enough that he shouldn't go with Slavin, then whoever is with him is going to have to play a much more stay at home game, cheating more defensively than not, and I'm not sure that is Orlov's game.

If Burns drops I think they go

Slavin-Walker
Orlov-Gost
Chatty-Burns

But the season starts out

Slavin-Burns
Orlov-Chatty
Walker-Gost

But I also agree with @spockBokk that it will adjust to

Slavin-Burns
Orlov-Walker
Chatty-Gost

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I'm not too concerned about Burns' potential fall-off. We have enough young players to cushion the blow, especially when Nikishin comes over. Morrow might even be NHL-ready, though he's more of a question mark than Nikishin.

 

[Svechhammer]

I'm not too concerned about Burns' potential fall-off. We have enough young players to cushion the blow, especially when Nikishin comes over. Morrow might even be NHL-ready, though he's more of a question mark than Nikishin.

To be clear, I'm specifically talking about this year only. I think once Nikishin comes over, we're golden on defense for a while. He's the real deal and I fully expect him to be an impactful player for us as early as next season, and if he's paired with Slavin, I really genuinely think he will be a Norris finalist within the next 3-5 years.

I just look at how Burns slowed down at the end of last season, and it doesn't give me a good feeling about his ability to handle 82 games and a playoff run this season. I think he's overdue to hit that age wall, and I kind of expect it to happen this season. I think Walker and Gost on their own are going to struggle to replace just how good Skjei and Pesce were as a pair on the backcheck, and if you throw in a Burns fall-off on it, I think we might be in for more growing pains defensively than we expect this year. But again, the next generation is coming, so it should only be a one year thing.

Why?

Who could have guessed that this was crap

Oh, right, we all did

 

[TheBigLetowski]

To be clear, I'm specifically talking about this year only. I think once Nikishin comes over, we're golden on defense for a while. He's the real deal and I fully expect him to be an impactful player for us as early as next season, and if he's paired with Slavin, I really genuinely think he will be a Norris finalist within the next 3-5 years.

I just look at how Burns slowed down at the end of last season, and it doesn't give me a good feeling about his ability to handle 82 games and a playoff run this season. I think he's overdue to hit that age wall, and I kind of expect it to happen this season. I think Walker and Gost on their own are going to struggle to replace just how good Skjei and Pesce were as a pair on the backcheck, and if you throw in a Burns fall-off on it, I think we might be in for more growing pains defensively than we expect this year. But again, the next generation is coming, so it should only be a one year thing.


Who could have guessed that this was crap

Oh, right, we all did

So much for him wanting a change. Sounds like a Necas situation. Couldn’t get what they wanted for the player, so they both made a decision.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

To be clear, I'm specifically talking about this year only. I think once Nikishin comes over, we're golden on defense for a while. He's the real deal and I fully expect him to be an impactful player for us as early as next season, and if he's paired with Slavin, I really genuinely think he will be a Norris finalist within the next 3-5 years.

I just look at how Burns slowed down at the end of last season, and it doesn't give me a good feeling about his ability to handle 82 games and a playoff run this season. I think he's overdue to hit that age wall, and I kind of expect it to happen this season. I think Walker and Gost on their own are going to struggle to replace just how good Skjei and Pesce were as a pair on the backcheck, and if you throw in a Burns fall-off on it, I think we might be in for more growing pains defensively than we expect this year. But again, the next generation is coming, so it should only be a one year thing.

I think that, on a general level, it's ideal to pair a lefty with a righty. Nikishin could potentially be so good at some point, however, that he forms his own first pair above Slavin's in a few seasons.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Well here are the things we know...

Slavin can be paired with anyone and make it work.

Orlov and Chatfield work.

We have this as a safety net baseline. The question marks are if one of Walker/Burns are not with Slavin then can they work with Ghost?

I tend to believe that RBA will defer to the Slavin - Burns pairing out of familiarity, loyalty, and veteran respect. Burns will have to play his way off that pairing. That's just something we will have to wait and see.

Orlov is going to be #2 LD. There is no doubt about that. So that makes Ghost #3 LD which is fine.

I see no reason why Ghost - Walker can't be a REALLY good 3rd pairing and we already know that Orlov - Chat works. Is it Skjei - Pesce? No, but I expect bigger impacts from both players compared to last year... and I have made my viewpoint on Pesce's future outlook well known.

I don't think Orlov can quite be Skjei but I think he can be 75-85% of him. I don't know if I there is a substantial drop off from Pesce to Chatfield but we will have to see on that. I see one as getting better and one as declining with lessened mobility and injury risk.

So I think it probably ends up in the most obvious combination with Rod keeping familiar pairings together and having Ghost - Walker work it out on the 3rd pair. If it's a disaster then we'll see a shakeup.

 

[Borsig]

Anyone who thinks this defense will be anywhere near as good as last year isn't thinking critically.

We're gonna have problems this year on D. We are not used to that as a team. 7/77 proves that when our defense fails, its not just bad. Its terribad.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

So much for him wanting a change. Sounds like a Necas situation. Couldn’t get what they wanted for the player, so they both made a decision.

Well, now it’s sounding like they’re going to try and trade him before the season begins, so maybe he still wants a change.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Anyone who thinks this defense will be anywhere near as good as last year isn't thinking critically.

We're gonna have problems this year on D. We are not used to that as a team. 7/77 proves that when our defense fails, its not just bad. Its terribad.

Define 'nowhere near as good' in your outlook of the defense.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Well, now it’s sounding like they’re going to try and trade him before the season begins, so maybe he still wants a change.

Apparently the plan is to sign Pacioretty almost immediately after they trade Robertson. I would imagine that Columbus is the favorite in those sweepstakes.