Speculation: Trade and Free Agency - 2024-25

[TaLoN]

Old thread

Speculation: - 2023-24 Armchair GM thread

Another year, another 1st round exit. What changes would you like to see this offseason? Who would you keep, who would you trade? Discuss. Old thread https://forums.hfboards.com/threads/trade-and-free-agency-talk-2022-23-edition-postseason-success-cant-be-a-myth.2884712/

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[Digitalbooya]

2025 1st + Kiviharju for McGroarty

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

2025 1st + Heidt + Lambos for Konecny

 

[Bazeek]

I suspect that the McGroarty boat sailed when they made the pick, which is fine.

With the way Russo was floating the idea that they were interested in trading back, they could have figured that the defensemen would likely be gone by #13 and they'd be looking at someone like Helenius or MBN; at that point, why not just convert it into McGroarty and skip a few years of development? Especially when a young player on an ELC is particularly valuable to us next year?

Maybe it's wildly optimistic of me, but getting Buium here feels like a potential turning point. If him, Yurov and Wallstedt pan out the way we hope, how much easier is it to pitch Kaprizov on an extension in 2026?

An extended Kaprizov would give us a few years with a core of:

Kaprizov
Eriksson-Ek
Boldy
Yurov

Faber
Buium

Wallstedt

Brodin would still be around. Rossi seems like he'll be solid supporting cast, at worst. We'll see what Ohgren's got this year, the prospect pool isn't bereft of potential call-ups, and if Guerin can keep it between the lines the cap structure should be strong.

I'm on my second whiskey and Coke, but where's the weak point? Snarl? What do we think the going rate for Snarl is in 2027?

 

[Lapa]

Reading the Athletic article (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/55...ree-agent-targets/?source=user_shared_article), Laine makes a ton of sense.

 

[f7ben]

I suspect that the McGroarty boat sailed when they made the pick, which is fine.

With the way Russo was floating the idea that they were interested in trading back, they could have figured that the defensemen would likely be gone by #13 and they'd be looking at someone like Helenius or MBN; at that point, why not just convert it into McGroarty and skip a few years of development? Especially when a young player on an ELC is particularly valuable to us next year?

Maybe it's wildly optimistic of me, but getting Buium here feels like a potential turning point. If him, Yurov and Wallstedt pan out the way we hope, how much easier is it to pitch Kaprizov on an extension in 2026?

An extended Kaprizov would give us a few years with a core of:

Kaprizov
Eriksson-Ek
Boldy
Yurov

Faber
Buium

Wallstedt

Brodin would still be around. Rossi seems like he'll be solid supporting cast, at worst. We'll see what Ohgren's got this year, the prospect pool isn't bereft of potential call-ups, and if Guerin can keep it between the lines the cap structure should be strong.

I'm on my second whiskey and Coke, but where's the weak point? Snarl? What do we think the going rate for Snarl is in 2027?

Don’t sleep on Zucc bro

 

[Digitalbooya]

So when do we trade Gus for Shai Buium?

 

[AKL]

So when do we trade Gus for Shai Buium?

Can Shai Buium play 40-50 games per season in the net?

 

[Digitalbooya]

Can Shai Buium play 40-50 games per season in the net?

Probably, but I think we would want him to play on defense.

 

[MNRube]

I don’t hate Boqvist as another 3rd pair option. I think he would do well paired with Brodin if we opt to roll 3 pairs. Just bought out/waived by CBJ

 

[kfan22]

Gus For Laine package maybe other pieces from both sides?

 

[Wabit]

I don’t hate Boqvist as another 3rd pair option. I think he would do well paired with Brodin if we opt to roll 3 pairs. Just bought out/waived by CBJ

6-dmen under contract:
Brodin/Faber
Middleton/Spurgeon
Merrill/Bogo
So Chisholm as an unsigned RFA or Boqvist as a UFA as the 7th (number-wise) d-man?

In theory it sounds okay at first, but looking a bit deeper I'm not interested.

Boqvist is another player that can't stay healthy. I don't think I want to add that to the injury prone Bogo, Brodin and Spurgeon who are already in the d-corps.

 

[57special]

6-dmen under contract:
Brodin/Faber
Middleton/Spurgeon
Merrill/Bogo
So Chisholm as an unsigned RFA or Boqvist as a UFA as the 7th (number-wise) d-man?

In theory it sounds okay at first, but looking a bit deeper I'm not interested.

Boqvist is another player that can't stay healthy. I don't think I want to add that to the injury prone Bogo, Brodin and Spurgeon who are already in the d-corps.

I'd rather call up Hunt and see what he can do. He had a nice year in the AHL. Decent size, skating, all round game. Was clearly the best Dman down in iowa.

 

[MNRube]

I'd rather call up Hunt and see what he can do. He had a nice year in the AHL. Decent size, skating, all round game. Was clearly the best Dman down in iowa.

Spurgeon, Faber, Boqvist, Bogo

Brodin, Middleton, Chisholm, Hunt

Adds depth and upside and a possible solution for our wretched PP2. I also don’t have much faith in Bogosian to repeat last year and I think Chisholm has been overrated around here. Spurgeon & Bogo are both made of glass so adding a cheap RHD with upside makes sense to me.

 

[Wabit]

I'd rather call up Hunt and see what he can do. He had a nice year in the AHL. Decent size, skating, all round game. Was clearly the best Dman down in iowa.

I'd rather callup ROR and see what he has at the NHL level. Maybe he has something, maybe he doesn't?

Hunt was the same as Beckman or Walker when they were called up. Filled a roster spot and was "good" because there were 0 expectations for them. I just see the skills of an AHL quality player in Hunt with no reason to have him in the NHL. No PK or PP skillset, not physical, not an o-zone or d-zone specialist, okay skating, okay passing, a decent shot for a d-man.

Chisholm was a picked up off the scrap heap and is very far ahead of where Hunt is as a player. I don't even see Chisholm as more than a fringe NHL player. But he is a decent/good PPQB, and not a train wreck in the d-zone. So there is a reason to keep him in the lineup until something better comes along.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

I'd rather callup ROR and see what he has at the NHL level. Maybe he has something, maybe he doesn't?

Hunt was the same as Beckman or Walker when they were called up. Filled a roster spot and was "good" because there were 0 expectations for them. I just see the skills of an AHL quality player in Hunt with no reason to have him in the NHL. No PK or PP skillset, not physical, not an o-zone or d-zone specialist, okay skating, okay passing, a decent shot for a d-man.

Chisholm was a picked up off the scrap heap and is very far ahead of where Hunt is as a player. I don't even see Chisholm as more than a fringe NHL player. But he is a decent/good PPQB, and not a train wreck in the d-zone. So there is a reason to keep him in the lineup until something better comes along.

ROR was the worst Dman on the team last year, and that's saying something. ROR hasn't shown PK, PP, physical play, ozone or zone, skating, even OK passing, etc. at the AHL. Hunt was better at pretty much everything and the gap was/is fairly big at this point.

If you think Hunt just has AHL skills, that is fine. But ROR hasn't even shown he has that.

 

[57special]

I'd rather callup ROR and see what he has at the NHL level. Maybe he has something, maybe he doesn't?

Hunt was the same as Beckman or Walker when they were called up. Filled a roster spot and was "good" because there were 0 expectations for them. I just see the skills of an AHL quality player in Hunt with no reason to have him in the NHL. No PK or PP skillset, not physical, not an o-zone or d-zone specialist, okay skating, okay passing, a decent shot for a d-man.

Chisholm was a picked up off the scrap heap and is very far ahead of where Hunt is as a player. I don't even see Chisholm as more than a fringe NHL player. But he is a decent/good PPQB, and not a train wreck in the d-zone. So there is a reason to keep him in the lineup until something better comes along.

Hunt progressed during the year, but never got a chance to play later on due to the Goli/Merrill/ chisholm log jam at #3 LHD. He stood out as the best dman down in Iowa. HUnt is stronger and more physical than Chisholm, and should eventually be a better defender, though i am not sure that is saying much. He is a better puck handler and skater than Hunt, though Hunt improved over the course of last year, and ran the PP for Iowa.

Bringing up ROR over him would be GM'ing malpractice. He simply wasn't as good as Hunt last year. I don't know anyone who thinks that he was. Most average prospects need a couple/few callups from the AHL before they can finally make it. High first rounders like like Rossi and Boldy did, and lower picks usually need more. It's normal...there are freaks like Spurgeon, but they are the exception, not the rule.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

None of the LDs are going to be anything but the 7th anyways, unless they learn to play the right side.

 

[Sweetnut]

Flower and a Iowa D to Vegas for Holtz

 

[Digitalbooya]

Flower and a Iowa D to Vegas for Holtz

 

[Prior]

Bertuzzi is someone this regime has rumored to have interest in for a few years. If he doesn’t re-up and his market doesn’t support term, he may be someone the Wild look at I think.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Schmidt at ~$2-$2.5M and then another bottom 6 forward at ~$2-$2.5M probably wouldn't be the worst thing we could do, if we're not in on anything bigger. Seems like his 30+ point days might be done though.

 

[NHL1674]

View attachment 890114

Nobody would question Vegas for immediately putting him on LTIR. You don't mess around with sword injuries.

 

[AKL]

Schmidt at ~$2-$2.5M and then another bottom 6 forward at ~$2-$2.5M probably wouldn't be the worst thing we could do, if we're not in on anything bigger. Seems like his 30+ point days might be done though.

Personally don't like this approach. We have plenty of guys with bottom of the lineup ability. Get a guy who can at least passably play up the lineup, or let the kids take over. No more money on subpar players.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Personally don't like this approach. We have plenty of guys with bottom of the lineup ability. Get a guy who can at least passably play up the lineup, or let the kids take over. No more money on subpar players.

I did preface with the "if". I would consider something like that "bigger".