Speculation: The 2026-27 Roster Speculation Thread: Summer Edition - Throw in All The Oars, We're Trading for Battleships

[Jim Bob]

One unsexy topic of conversation this offseason should be what are they doing with their PK personnel, especially at forward.

2 of their top 3 forwards in SH TOI last season are UFAs. And some fans are talking about moving on from the other two.

 

[Jetskiis]

One unsexy topic of conversation this offseason should be what are they doing with their PK personnel, especially at forward.

2 of their top 3 forwards in SH TOI last season are UFAs. And some fans are talking about moving on from the other two.

i would keep mcleod and malenstyn, put krebs on pk, along with one of helenius or ostlund,

 

[Jim Bob]

i would keep mcleod and malenstyn, put krebs on pk, along with one of helenius or ostlund,

Krebs has a total of 143 minutes of SH TOI in his NHL career and played only 10 minutes of SH TOI in 25-26.

Ostlund played less than 3 minutes of SH TOI in the NHL this season and Helenius was not used on the PK this season in Buffalo.

I wonder how much experience they have outside of the NHL on the PK.

Either way, it is risky to go that route and go with such inexperienced penalty killers for a team that expects to be a playoff team next season.

 

[Der Jaeger]

I don’t see the issue with having that many centers. All of them have spent time at wing aside from Norris. Keep them all. Here’s a line up that could work:

Benson - Norris - Thompson
Kulich - Ostlund - Doan
Zucker - Helenius - Quinn
Malenstyn - McLeod - Carrick
x Krebs, Kozak, Danforth

And they can bury Danforth in Rochester.

I don’t really see this as an issue. I think it’s a huge positive

 

[Jetskiis]

Krebs has a total of 143 minutes of SH TOI in his NHL career and played only 10 minutes of SH TOI in 25-26.

Ostlund played less than 3 minutes of SH TOI in the NHL this season and Helenius was not used on the PK this season in Buffalo.

I wonder how much experience they have outside of the NHL on the PK.

Either way, it is risky to go that route and go with such inexperienced penalty killers for a team that expects to be a playoff team next season.

i understand krebs and ostlund may not have experience, but theoretically, they have the skills to do it. we are going to need to trust the young guys to make some steps in development. pairing them with mcleod and beck should help that learning curve. and we dont really have a whole lot of options. greenway was pretty brutal at 5on5 and i cant see them keeping him. I think tuch will be chasing the bag and will leave. and i wouldnt really want to have him at 9mil+ cap hit for 8 years anyway. i guess they could try carrick on the pk also?

 

[toddkaz]

One unsexy topic of conversation this offseason should be what are they doing with their PK personnel, especially at forward.

2 of their top 3 forwards in SH TOI last season are UFAs. And some fans are talking about moving on from the other two.

A guy that scored 0 points in 7 playoff games against Montreal wants 9-10 million over 8 years? Damn right I am talking about moving on and some PK stats isn't going to get me to fork out 70-80 million dollars.

The last report on Tuch is he wants 9m x 8 years Is that what you are suggesting because he can kill penalties?

Malenstyn I would like to resign but its pretty tight lipped there as to what Jarmo plans to do.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

Lindy sounds like he wants to try Doan as a pk'er and I think that makes a lot of sense. I think we have enough forwards who can succeed in that role if needed that we don't need to prioritize pk'ers in FA or trades.

 

[Dubi Doo]

This offseason is going to be fascinating.

Benson - Norris - Tage
Östlund - Helenius - Doan
Zucker - McLeod - Quinn
Greenway - Krebs - Kulich
Danforth - Carrick - Kozak

So, going off of this roster. Here's a few changes I'd make.

Norris and Greenway on the outs. Cap space saved: 7.95 + 4= 11.95. re-sign Malenstyn, Benson, Kesselring, and Krebs.

Benson-XXX-Thompson
Ostlund-McLeod-Doan
Zucker-Helenius-Quinn
Krebs-Carrick-Malenstyn
Kozak/Danforth

Curious is Kulich can start in the AHL next year given how much work he has to do to get back into game shape, and then to feel comfortable in-game again. I'm working under the assumption he can and will start in ROC.

Total cap space: 12.5M (ish) +11.95M= 24.85M.
Re-sign Malenstyn 4 x 2.5M
Re-sign Benson 7 x 7M
Re-sign Kesselring 2 x 2M
re-sign Krebs 3 x 3M
Total cost: 14.5M
Available Cap Space: 10.35 to find our top-6C. I'd aim high for Thomas, but if that doesn't work then set your sites on Trocheck, RoR, etc...

 

[Gras]

i would keep mcleod and malenstyn, put krebs on pk, along with one of helenius or ostlund,

Benson, Carrick, Danforth, Kozak are the other forwards that had an AVH SHTOI of around a minute this year.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Benson - Norris - Tage
Östlund - Helenius - Doan
Zucker - McLeod - Quinn
Greenway - Krebs - Kulich
Danforth - Carrick - Kozak

So, going off of this roster. Here's a few changes I'd make.

Norris and Greenway on the outs. Cap space saved: 7.95 + 4= 11.95. re-sign Malenstyn, Benson, Kesselring, and Krebs.

Benson-XXX-Thompson
Ostlund-McLeod-Doan
Zucker-Helenius-Quinn
Krebs-Carrick-Malenstyn
Kozak/Danforth

Curious is Kulich can start in the AHL next year given how much work he has to do to get back into game shape, and then to feel comfortable in-game again. I'm working under the assumption he can and will start in ROC.

Total cap space: 12.5M (ish) +11.95M= 24.85M.
Re-sign Malenstyn 4 x 2.5M
Re-sign Benson 7 x 7M
Re-sign Kesselring 2 x 2M
re-sign Krebs 3 x 3M
Total cost: 14.5M
Available Cap Space: 10.35 to find our top-6C. I'd aim high for Thomas, but if that doesn't work then set your sites on Trocheck, RoR, etc...

McLeod not a 2C. Was just down to L4 for the Montreal series, now he back up to being 2C ? He's a good 50pt 3C for regular season.

Perhaps Norris could be part of a Thomas deal ? And if you go back in on Thomas your likely going to have to include one of Osty/Helenius + Mrtka, 1st's, etc as their will likely be bidding war with Detroit, Mn, etc

Someone else mentioned Hischeir this week ?

 

[Ace]

Our technical 1C (Norris) has shown the most chemistry with Tage.

Than Kulich?

Come on man.

You don’t need to play pretend because facts don’t fit your bias.

 

[Jetskiis]

imo our best lines without tuch next year are:

Benson - Tage - Doan
Zucker - Norris - Quinn
Krebs - Helenius - Ostlund
Carrick - Mcleod - Malenstyn

Kulich starts the year in Rochester.
I could live with those lines.

 

[Djp]

Benson - Norris - Tage
Östlund - Helenius - Doan
Zucker - McLeod - Quinn
Greenway - Krebs - Kulich
Danforth - Carrick - Kozak

So, going off of this roster. Here's a few changes I'd make.

Norris and Greenway on the outs. Cap space saved: 7.95 + 4= 11.95. re-sign Malenstyn, Benson, Kesselring, and Krebs.

Benson-XXX-Thompson
Ostlund-McLeod-Doan
Zucker-Helenius-Quinn
Krebs-Carrick-Malenstyn
Kozak/Danforth

Curious is Kulich can start in the AHL next year given how much work he has to do to get back into game shape, and then to feel comfortable in-game again. I'm working under the assumption he can and will start in ROC.

Total cap space: 12.5M (ish) +11.95M= 24.85M.
Re-sign Malenstyn 4 x 2.5M
Re-sign Benson 7 x 7M
Re-sign Kesselring 2 x 2M
re-sign Krebs 3 x 3M
Total cost: 14.5M
Available Cap Space: 10.35 to find our top-6C. I'd aim high for Thomas, but if that doesn't work then set your sites on Trocheck, RoR, etc...

Kulich can start in AHL and should just to go through a month+ of regular play to ser if he is ok

 

[Tatanka]

imo our best lines without tuch next year are:

Benson - Tage - Doan
Zucker - Norris - Quinn
Krebs - Helenius - Ostlund
Carrick - Mcleod - Malenstyn

Kulich starts the year in Rochester.
I could live with those lines.

You are wasting Benson and Doan. Thompson is not a center.

 

[Jetskiis]

You are wasting Benson and Doan. Thompson is not a center.

would love to have thompson play wing. unfortunately doubt they will move him off center. if we are stuck with him at center, i would give him benson and doan to help cover up his deficiencies. this is making the best of what we do have, not dreaming about getting a 1c.

 

[UrbanAchiever]

Thompson doesn't win board battles, so where does he belong?

St. Louis?

 

[Jim Bob]

St. Louis?

They are not trading Tage.

 

[TageGod]

Than Kulich?

Come on man.

You don’t need to play pretend because facts don’t fit your bias.

What bias? lol. Who has Norris showed more chemistry with? I am not even talking about Kulich. Kulich stans are out of control.

 

[Jim Bob]

Lindy sounds like he wants to try Doan as a pk'er and I think that makes a lot of sense. I think we have enough forwards who can succeed in that role if needed that we don't need to prioritize pk'ers in FA or trades.

Doan and Carrick are two returnees that I could see getting PK time next year.

Getting Carrick out there also gives them a PKer that won't get caved in at the dot, too.

 

[TageGod]

Doan and Carrick are two returnees that I could see getting PK time next year.

Getting Carrick out there also gives them a PKer that won't get caved in at the dot, too.

Tuch and Mcleod as pk probably wore them down, more so Tuch with his higher minutes. It's why your 4th liners usually PK.

 

[TheBarnIsElectric]

Tage is not great defensively, but he's still a plus player at C or at W. I think you can move him to W depending on the situation like when playing against opponents who give less space, or when he needs a change to get his game going.

Either way, the biggest factor to whether Tage is a C or not is actually not Tage at all, it's what are our other options?

If we feel like 2 of Kulich, Hele, Ostlund can play an effective 2-way game reliably at C, you go with that IMO, but I don't think that's clear yet. I expect Tage to play some C next year...

... and for the emphatic opinions on whether he's a C or a W to continue to flip back and forth every few weeks due to recency bias.

 

[UrbanAchiever]

They are not trading Tage.

I know. He’s been here through the tough times, and he’s clearly a leader and a good teammate. Hoping he can learn from this playoff struggle. The concerns are valid. Not an ideal C—great shot, but not the best distributor or decision maker. He needs to improve in those categories if he’s going to be a 1C in the SCFs. The mistakes were obvious and costly.

 

[MeenOlViks]

They are not trading Tage.

St Louis or us?

 

[Jim Bob]

Tuch and Mcleod as pk probably wore them down, more so Tuch with his higher minutes. It's why your 4th liners usually PK.

McLeod was 8th in total SH TOI among forwards in the regular season and Tuch was 10th.

But, you do see a fair amount of non-4th liners in the top 20. I wish it were easy to get PP+SH TOI. McLeod and Tuch were the only guys in the top 10 of SH TOI that were over 100 minutes of PP TOI.

It would be interesting to see who had the most PP+SH TOI.

Stutzle and Guentzel were both over 400 minutes total.

Lawson Crouse is another guy with McLeod and Tuch in the top 10 of SH TOI that totals over 300 minutes of total ST minutes.

McDavid led all forwards in total TOI and he did play 86 minutes on the PK. Hischeir and Zibanejad were both top 10 in TOI and over 100 minutes of SH TOI.

 

[Jim Bob]

St Louis or us?

Jarmo is not trading Tage this offseason.

Tage has led the team in scoring in back to back seasons, along with in the playoffs this year, and is signed to a team friendly deal.