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

[ValJamesDuex]

they are paid to do so, so I would hope so. I would be very surprised if every org didnt have a designated Cap guy at this day and age.

I believe Flynn is the cap guru Jarmo brought over from C-bus

 

[Zman5778]

they are paid to do so, so I would hope so. I would be very surprised if every org didnt have a designated Cap guy at this day and age.

I think Jakubowski has been the cap guy.

 

[Chainshot]

I like puck pedia’s GM took because it lets you see what these decisions look like.

Easy Rochester moves: Danforth, Kulich, Helenius

Cap dump: I usually send Greenway to Chicago along with the rights to Novikov for Florida’s 7th.

They can just assume not tender Novikov. And I think Greenway has more value than just a seven round draft to a team like Chicago.

Waiver trade: Johnson for something. Wait until camp to see who wins Ellis vs Levi and trade the other one.

There’s little reason to trade Johnson. His salary is all NHL salary so it’s unlikely a team is going to make a claim on that guy for two years and wants to pay him that much in the American league.

As for Ellis and Levi, sure.

RFAs: re-sign Benson, Krebs, Kesselring
UFA: re-sign Malenstyn

Sure. Or they move Krebs instead.

Centers: Norris, McLeod, Ostlund, Carrick, Kozak, Helenius
Wing/center: Thompson
Wingers: Doan, Quinn, Zucker

Defense: Dahlin, Samuelsson, Byram, Power, Metsa, Timmins

Team on opening night (using game 7 lines as the base for accounting purposes):

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

If McLeod is on the fourth line at over five million per, that is a roster construction issue.

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Byram - Power
Metsa - Timmins
x Kesselring

I guess. I suspect they would do their floating rotation with the bottom pair never actually playing together the pair that both aren’t spectacular on their offhand side.

UPL, Lyon, Winner of Levi/Ellis

This roster is the Jarmo internal development roster. A shade over $2M in cap space.

The room to make changes:
- Don’t re-sign Krebs, Kesselring, Malenstyn
- Move McLeod

I get your point about moving fringe roster players. I don’t think we’d consider McLeod fringe. Kesselring is a sell low who no one would’ve considered fringe a year ago. Malenstyn is a 4th liner but his role was super important for the team. Krebs can be replaced but he also brings a lot to the team.

To a point you made earlier, how much smaller and less physical are we willing to make the roster? Greenway and the four mentioned above make that a reality.

I’d be willing to trade for Larkin with a package like Norris, McLeod/Quinn, etc because if you want to improve the roster, you largely have to make decisions on players which impact the middle part of the roster anyway. Though I doubt Detroit takes that package, I don’t think it puts Buffalo in a worse position. Especially when you start to find a roster spot for Kulich.

OK.

 

[Jetskiis]

I would not envy being the golden knights cap guy. Have foley and torts threatening to cut your balls off or make it work.

 

[Chainshot]

I believe Flynn is the cap guru Jarmo brought over from C-bus

Yes. He is the cap and contract guy.

 

[Jetskiis]

And if they do nothing big I'd like to see if we could snag Oleksiak for 3rd pair slot. Id have to imagine he'd be an upgrade

 

[LiseL]

All joking aside im on the get a 1c boat entirely but basically its only Thomas or bust.

Ep40 is our Norris but paid like 4 mill more a year.

Larkin is the antichrist lol. Keep him away from me.

Im not sure there is a reasonable answer to what I consider our problem so just run tage at 1c and let the kids grow and feast.

Only need Tage as 1C if Norris is out and McLeod is traded IMO. Norris on the 1st line, McLeod on the 2nd line, Helenius or Ostlund or Kulich on the 3rd line, Carrick on the 4th. Whichever kid isn't centering the 3rd line can play wing. There's no shortage of centers on this team. I'm not worried about the kids being used. Helenius and Ostlund both performed well in the playoffs, Helenius at the Worlds, I think they can handle the regular season just fine.

 

[LiseL]

I like puck pedia’s GM took because it lets you see what these decisions look like.

Easy Rochester moves: Danforth, Kulich, Helenius

Cap dump: I usually send Greenway to Chicago along with the rights to Novikov for Florida’s 7th.

Waiver trade: Johnson for something. Wait until camp to see who wins Ellis vs Levi and trade the other one.

RFAs: re-sign Benson, Krebs, Kesselring
UFA: re-sign Malenstyn

Centers: Norris, McLeod, Ostlund, Carrick, Kozak, Helenius
Wing/center: Thompson
Wingers: Doan, Quinn, Zucker

Defense: Dahlin, Samuelsson, Byram, Power, Metsa, Timmins

Team on opening night (using game 7 lines as the base for accounting purposes):

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

Samuelsson - Dahlin
Byram - Power
Metsa - Timmins
x Kesselring

UPL, Lyon, Winner of Levi/Ellis

This roster is the Jarmo internal development roster. A shade over $2M in cap space.

The room to make changes:
- Don’t re-sign Krebs, Kesselring, Malenstyn
- Move McLeod

I get your point about moving fringe roster players. I don’t think we’d consider McLeod fringe. Kesselring is a sell low who no one would’ve considered fringe a year ago. Malenstyn is a 4th liner but his role was super important for the team. Krebs can be replaced but he also brings a lot to the team.

To a point you made earlier, how much smaller and less physical are we willing to make the roster? Greenway and the four mentioned above make that a reality.

I’d be willing to trade for Larkin with a package like Norris, McLeod/Quinn, etc because if you want to improve the roster, you largely have to make decisions on players which impact the middle part of the roster anyway. Though I doubt Detroit takes that package, I don’t think it puts Buffalo in a worse position. Especially when you start to find a roster spot for Kulich.

I'd switch McLeod and Krebs in your line-up so Carrick would be the Center with Krebs on the wing. Then Ostlund on the wing of McLeod line. Ostlund isn't good enough in the dot yet so would be good to have him play with McLeod IMO.

 

[SundherDome]

I have this bad feeling Tuch is heading to Tampa.

 

[Jetskiis]

I have this bad feeling Tuch is heading to Tampa.

tampa has 13 mil cap space and nobody to resign... F

he'd immediately upgrade their 2nd line

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

Going to be disappointed if Tuch leaves and there's also no significant addition at forward.

 

[toddkaz]

Going to be disappointed if Tuch leaves and there's also no significant addition at forward.

Ostlund and Helenius will be full-time on the roster next year, probably not what you meant though.

Its a bit of a double edged sword although Ostlund will be ready to step in there will be growing pains with Helenius I am sure.

After making the playoffs you don't really want to rely on two young guys but they are two with bright futures.

 

[Chainshot]

tampa has 13 mil cap space and nobody to resign... F

he'd immediately upgrade their 2nd line

Their blueline? Raddysh?

 

[Jetskiis]

Their blueline? Raddysh?

oh i totally forgot about raddysh. then they would have to make some moves to fit both tuch and raddysh

 

[Beerz]

tampa has 13 mil cap space and nobody to resign... F

he'd immediately upgrade their 2nd line

And they do have to resign Kuch next year. That will probably be 18-20 mill

 

[Jetskiis]

kuch still has a year left. he doesnt hit UFA til 27

 

[SundherDome]

Their blueline? Raddysh?

Raddysh's comps are all over the place. If he took a 6-8 year deal I imagine they could get him in for 5 mil

 

[Der Jaeger]

I'd switch McLeod and Krebs in your line-up so Carrick would be the Center with Krebs on the wing. Then Ostlund on the wing of McLeod line. Ostlund isn't good enough in the dot yet so would be good to have him play with McLeod IMO.

I don’t ever post lines and pairs as what I think should happen. I go off the last game lines with some small adjustments. And just for accounting purposes, eg: making sure I have all the players accounted for in our out of the line up.

Going to be disappointed if Tuch leaves and there's also no significant addition at forward.

Get ready.

 

[Der Jaeger]

They can just assume not tender Novikov. And I think Greenway has more value than just a seven round draft to a team like Chicago.


There’s little reason to trade Johnson. His salary is all NHL salary so it’s unlikely a team is going to make a claim on that guy for two years and wants to pay him that much in the American league.

As for Ellis and Levi, sure.


Sure. Or they move Krebs instead.


If McLeod is on the fourth line at over five million per, that is a roster construction issue.


I guess. I suspect they would do their floating rotation with the bottom pair never actually playing together the pair that both aren’t spectacular on their offhand side.


OK.

Re: Johnson. I can see it your way. I’d also rather not take the chance.

I don’t think moving Krebs would be good. He’s been a Swiss Army knife for them, doing whatever is needed. I think his work at LW for Thompson, pulling a lot of the defensive zone F3 duties, gets overlooked.

I’d like to see McLeod at LW for Thompson. Even if Thompson moves to RW. I’d like to have as many centers on the roster as I could.

For the d pairs, I think the Byram discussion is going to shape it and be the biggest off-season driver.

I use puck pedia to run ideas to see where they go. I don’t see adding a 1C without taking some risks. There isn’t as much cap space and assets as we’d like to think, unless we’re moving players we don’t want to (Ostlund, Helenius, Kulich).

I think Jarmo is going to run it back nearly the same without Tuch and adding Kulich. I also think there’s going to be enough injuries that starting Danforth and Kulich in Rochester will work over time.

 

[Tatanka]

Re: Johnson. I can see it your way. I’d also rather not take the chance.

I don’t think moving Krebs would be good. He’s been a Swiss Army knife for them, doing whatever is needed. I think his work at LW for Thompson, pulling a lot of the defensive zone F3 duties, gets overlooked.

I’d like to see McLeod at LW for Thompson. Even if Thompson moves to RW. I’d like to have as many centers on the roster as I could.

For the d pairs, I think the Byram discussion is going to shape it and be the biggest off-season driver.

I use puck pedia to run ideas to see where they go. I don’t see adding a 1C without taking some risks. There isn’t as much cap space and assets as we’d like to think, unless we’re moving players we don’t want to (Ostlund, Helenius, Kulich).

I think Jarmo is going to run it back nearly the same without Tuch and adding Kulich. I also think there’s going to be enough injuries that starting Danforth and Kulich in Rochester will work over time.

He is not a swiss army knife more like a spork. Serviceable in a pinch but not really good at either.

 

[Chainshot]

Raddysh's comps are all over the place. If he took a 6-8 year deal I imagine they could get him in for 5 mil

He's the top scoring RHD on the UFA market. He is going to get more than that somewhere, even Tampa.

 

[Jetskiis]

He is not a swiss army knife more like a spork. Serviceable in a pinch but not really good at either.

I would rather bring back Malenstyn than Krebs tbh. He provides more for the team. And is bigger. And faster. And cheaper probably.

 

[Snippit]

The team was ahead of schedule this year. I firmly believe in 2 years we will be in our true contention window, with Dahlin/Byram/Power/Sammy and Thompson/Benson/Doan/Ostlund/Helenius leading the charge. I still think we are building towards that. I don't think we are contenders next year so that's why I'm more okay letting Tuch go;

 

[Yatzhee]

The team was ahead of schedule this year. I firmly believe in 2 years we will be in our true contention window, with Dahlin/Byram/Power/Sammy and Thompson/Benson/Doan/Ostlund/Helenius leading the charge. I still think we are building towards that. I don't think we are contenders next year so that's why I'm more okay letting Tuch go;

We’re there now. This team is a contender, they need to go get the couple of pieces that will put them over the top. 2nd line center is one of those pieces.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Raddysh's comps are all over the place. If he took a 6-8 year deal I imagine they could get him in for 5 mil

Raddysh is gonna get such a ridiculous contract that it will make Nurse’s contract look like a good deal.