Ryan Kesler | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League

Ryan Kesler

DaddyPadre

Registered User
Jul 5, 2013
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hypothetical and would take a trade. Assuming we don't get Pauly i think Kesler would fit Hitch's system and we could have a 1A 1B situation with Backes with Kesler being more offensive all assuming he is healthy.....but lets be honest he would be our number 1. Backes on most good teams is a number 2 but is a 1 on this team.
 
I wanted Kesler at the deadline. I've since changed my mind. I've heard rumors of wear and tear on his body. Even though he is young, he might not last due to his physical style of play. He is 3 years removed from his last great season. He plays a lot like Backes. I'd prefer a different type of player for the other line. More skill, less size and grit. The point is to free Backes up to play more defensive role, and let the other line be a stronger scoring line.

Plus we have to trade assets to get him. We don't have a lot of trade pieces. Vancouver wanted a lot a the trade deadline. Now we'd only get him for one year, not a year and a cup run. He becomes a UFA next offseason. There are other free agent options that will cost nothing but the contract who we could lock up for a few years. I listed/analyzed a bunch of them in the "Proposal: 1st-2nd line centre to St.louis" thread. Might want to take this discussion there. Anyway, I'd choose several of them over giving up what I assume it would take to trade for Kessler. If they take Berglund and Leopold, we are in business. Any mention of Rattie, Allen, Jaskin, or Shattenkirk, then they can take Kesler and stick him...on another team.
 
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I want Kesler at the deadline. I've heard rumors of wear and tear on his body. Even though he is young, he might not last due to his physical style of play. He is 3 years removed from his last great season. He plays a lot like Backes. I'd prefer a different type of player for the other line. More skill, less size and grit. The point is to free Backes up to play more defensive role, and let the other line be a stronger scoring line.

Plus we have to trade assets to get him. We don't have a lot of trade pieces. Vancouver wanted a lot a the trade deadline. Now we'd only get him for one year, not a year and a cup run. He becomes a UFA next offseason. There are other free agent options that will cost nothing but the contract who we could lock up for a few years. I listed/analyzed a bunch of them in the "Proposal: 1st-2nd line centre to St.louis" thread. Might want to take this discussion there. Anyway, I'd choose several of them over giving up what I assume it would take to trade for Kessler. If they take Berglund and Leopold, we are in business. Any mention of Rattie, Allen, Jaskin, or Shattenkirk, then they can take Kesler and stick him...on another team.

If Holland is Letting Legwand walk, I would go after him prior to making any other move at center.
 
Kesler will cost too much to be worth it. This team either needs to sign Statsny or Legwand, or trade from someone actually young with top line potential like Stepan or Skinner.
 
Kesler has only averaged 50 points per 82 games over the past 3 seasons. His style of game is more likely to suffer from wear and tear and what kind of contract is he going to look for in 2 years time when he is 32?

He is a very good player, but the likely asset cost price is just too high for me.
 
If we're making a trade for a center, I want a young guy who is already a top six performer, with room to grow. Guys like Stepan. Hell you could add Kadri to that list. As great of a player as Kesler is, his offense is slightly overrated at this point, and I'm worried about him breaking down.
 
If Holland is Letting Legwand walk, I would go after him prior to making any other move at center.

Red Wings only traded for Legwand because of injuries. They needed him to make the playoffs with their centers decimated. With their injured players coming back. they don't have the room for him. They have 11 forwards under contract, 10 who have to go through waivers. They will either have to trade to create the space, let players go to waivers or, the most likely, scenario, let Legwand walk. Bertuzzi is in the same boat. Nothing in hockey is certain, but I'd bet money on Legwand hitting the market.
 
For free agents id prefer Statsny then Legwand, but Legwand is probably 6th or 7th on my list if you include potential trade pieces as well. I see my list as:

1. Statsny
2. Stepan
3. Spezza
4. Kesler
5. Kadri
6. Johnson
7. Legwand
8. Grabovski

I left out Pavelski and a couple others because I doubt we'd give up that much.
 
I hope the Blues in seriously interested in Legwand ...I saw him in Nashville and he never lived up to the billing he was drafted for he is a defensive center and not a playmaker the Blues need
 
For free agents id prefer Statsny then Legwand, but Legwand is probably 6th or 7th on my list if you include potential trade pieces as well. I see my list as:

1. Statsny
2. Stepan
3. Spezza
4. Kesler
5. Kadri
6. Johnson
7. Legwand
8. Grabovski

I left out Pavelski and a couple others because I doubt we'd give up that much.

What do you forsee we give up for those guys now? We don't exactly have a ton of future assets. I don't think a lot of those teams are in great need for a offensive D-man. I;m sure anybody would take Shattenkirk, but he might not fill a need. That means they'd undervalue him, and I wouldn't be happy giving him up unless he's way over-valued. So who else do we have? How do we replace Shatty on the point and in transition if we lose him?
 
After Stastny, Legwand is the guy I'd want. I really don't see what the Blues would trade for Kesler that would leave the Blues as a better team.

Please no.

I hope the Blues in seriously interested in Legwand ...I saw him in Nashville and he never lived up to the billing he was drafted for he is a defensive center and not a playmaker the Blues need

This says it all concerning Legwand.

Kelser? 30 years old, not the dominant possession player he was a few years ago, and like Spezza is a injury risk, although his contract is a bargin for 2 more years. The cost would be too high and too mush risk involved. I'll jump on the parade to attempt to get Kadri or Stepan since they are much younger, and still Eric Staal if Carolina retains salary in any such deal.
 
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I think Legwand is underrated a bit. Very good defensively, but with the Preds, he hasn't had a ton of wingers to work with. Hornqvist is the only one real solid winger he has truly had to play. They are truly a d first team.

I am not saying he is ideal, but based on not having to give up assets, I think he would make sense. I would like to keep our assets for the time being, mostly because we really don't have a ton.

I also like Bolland. There are other centers that would be a better fit (via trade, but in giving up those assets, are we really better???). If Schmaltz was signed to a contract, the I would be more apt to move the Shatty. But right now, I wouldn't do it as we don't have anyone to replace him.
 
I think Legwand is underrated a bit. Very good defensively, but with the Preds, he hasn't had a ton of wingers to work with. Hornqvist is the only one real solid winger he has truly had to play. They are truly a d first team.

I am not saying he is ideal, but based on not having to give up assets, I think he would make sense. I would like to keep our assets for the time being, mostly because we really don't have a ton.

I also like Bolland. There are other centers that would be a better fit (via trade, but in giving up those assets, are we really better???). If Schmaltz was signed to a contract, the I would be more apt to move the Shatty. But right now, I wouldn't do it as we don't have anyone to replace him.[/QUOTE I like Legwand too. (Can't get enough defensive forwards n my mind!) Can you imagine if we signed Stastny and Legwand? That would give us Backes, Stastny, Legwand and Laperriere down the middle, and Sobotka and Berglund on the wings! (Where they really should be). If we can't get Stastny, I think it makes sense to sign Legwand until a deal can be made for a true no. 1/2 centre.
 
Nope, Legwand would be a lateral move and our center depth would still be too weak to go anywhere in the playoffs. Don't want at all.

If you're going to sign Legwand, you might as well just sign an impact scorer on the wing and put Steen in the middle.
 

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