Who is the one player (realistically) you would add this summer

[Rebels57]

Thoughts on using Raffl as the 3C? He's been a winger here but has played center in international play. Then there's Veccione; he'll be 26 years old next season. If he has a future in the organization he needs to be up next season.
Giroux-Coots-Konecny
?????-Patrick-Simmonds
Lindblom-Raffl-Voracek
Laughton-Veccione-Weiss or NAK

It would have been tried by now if the organization though it was a viable option. Probably has to do with the system we play.

 

[Magua]

• Jack Johnson 3 years x $5 mil. Veteran top 4 d-man.

• Jay Beagle 3 years x $2.5 mil. Veteran bottom 6 center and PK dynamo.

• Ryan Reaves 2 years x $2 mil. Veteran bottom 6 winger, adds heaviness.

It would be a dream come true.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

• Jack Johnson 3 years x $5 mil. Veteran top 4 d-man.

• Jay Beagle 3 years x $2.5 mil. Veteran bottom 6 center and PK dynamo.

• Ryan Reaves 2 years x $2 mil. Veteran bottom 6 winger, adds heaviness.

It would be a dream come true.

 

[Striiker]

Trade route is the best route this summer. I agree.

You can’t say that without knowing what is/isn’t possible.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Jay Beagle 3 years x $2.5 mil. Veteran bottom 6 center and PK dynamo.

I think 3 years x $2.5M per is too much for Jay Beagle.

He'll be 33. He's on the decline. I don't need a 33 year old, 7 goal, 15 assist 4th line center tied up for 3 years and $2.5M per. He loses another half step, which is very likely, and you've got a guy who's easily replaceable by an AHLer. You need the young Jay Beagles for the 4th line, not the 33-year-old ones at $2.5M.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

From UFA's... given how much term and cap people would cost, and fit on team, and realism of getting them:

Grabner
Brodziak
Winnik

Kempny
Franson
Jerabek

Are the "cheaper" guys who I would be ok with them signing.

Tavares or Stastny would be amazing... but probably pipedreams.

Thornton, Riley Nash, Bozak, Plekanec... would be good/fine on short deals at C. Realistically I think only Bozak or Plekanec are possible. Would be ok with either at 3C... both Flip upgrades.

Perron is really the only top 6 winger I think could be feasible/interesting if not more than a few years. Kane, JvR, Neal, Maroon and Nash are either unappealing or won't happen.

Carlson, Hickey, de Haan and Enstrom are the only kind of "established" Dmen I feel worth anything really in UFA. Carlson is likely impossible. Would only want Enstrom on a ~1 year deal. Cn still play at ~#4 level, but there is a risk he falls off a cliff.

Apple, you're about the smartest guy around here, so I want to ask your opinion:

How would you feel about Kunitz?

 

[Rebels57]

You can’t say that without knowing what is/isn’t possible.

Sure I can. I don't like most of the realistic free agent possibilities. They won't improve the team in any meaningful way.

When I say realistic, i'm excluding Tavares, Stastny, Kane, Carlson, and Green because I don't think Hextall will target any of them. They will get longer terms elsewhere.

 

[Rebels57]

Apple, you're about the smartest guy around here, so I want to ask your opinion:

How would you feel about Kunitz?[/QUOTE]

Why are you beating this drum? He's a scrub and a bum.

 

[boxcar65]

Brandon Manning would be a nice fit.

 

[Ruck Over]

Brandon Manning would be a nice fit.

He already knows the system, plays a heavy game, has that je ne sais quoi, veteraniness. Probably can be signed for a reasonable contract, try to find a decent term and dollar amount.

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

I don’t really see them going for the top tier UFA’s. I think mid to low tier guys are probably where it will be. I just hope it’s guys who can actually contribute in a meaningful way.

 

[baudib1]

I think we should make every attempt to get Tavares but barring that miracle happening, I love the idea of targeting AA in a trade and signing Grabner.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

• Jack Johnson 3 years x $5 mil. Veteran top 4 d-man.

• Jay Beagle 3 years x $2.5 mil. Veteran bottom 6 center and PK dynamo.

• Ryan Reaves 2 years x $2 mil. Veteran bottom 6 winger, adds heaviness.

It would be a dream come true.

For the record, after I hastily posted my anti-Beagle reply, it dawned on me you were being sarcastic.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Yeah, I didn't even read your comments before I posted. Clearly I'm touchy about the Jay Beagle love I've been reading.

 

[Striiker]

Sure I can. I don't like most of the realistic free agent possibilities. They won't improve the team in any meaningful way.

When I say realistic, i'm excluding Tavares, Stastny, Kane, Carlson, and Green because I don't think Hextall will target any of them. They will get longer terms elsewhere.

You may not like the realistic free agent possibilities but you don’t even know of the realistic trade possibilities... so no, you kinda can’t...

1) You don’t know who’s available.
2) You don’t know if anyone who’s available fits our needs.
3) If someone is available, who fits our needs, is the price reasonable?
4) If someone is available, who fits our needs and the price is reasonable, would we get outbid?

 

[Lindberg]

The only thing I can say for certain is that Hextall needs to be making additions and not subtractions at this point. If he wants to sell Simmonds or Voracek and bring back positive assets that is one thing but he shouldn't be taking anymore boat anchors.

 

[Striiker]

Voracek?

 

[tucson83]

the one thing that hextall values more of is centers, im wondering besides JT, is their any centers in fa that are good in faceoffs?

 

[Magua]

Giroux, Coots are two of the best FO guys in the league and taking special teams draws. Patrick is already good and could trend towards elite at the draw. Laughton is not bad too. I’d prefer they not care about faceoffs in evaluating. That’s how we got Boyd Gordon.

 

[Ruck Over]

I don’t really see them going for the top tier UFA’s. I think mid to low tier guys are probably where it will be. I just hope it’s guys who can actually contribute in a meaningful way.

Welp, rubber meets road. In targeting the big ticket UFAs, there's an erroneous thought the acquired player will be can't miss, because you're paying for known talents. (In the macro-sense of the meaning, everything can miss, but less likely to miss.) If it does come down to the mid-tier, which is way more realistic and probable, the chances of missing are far greater. Hextall has not shown the results of doing well with mid-tier, or lower, additions to the team, ergo, trepidation with that category.

 

[Ruck Over]

That’s how we got Boyd Gordon.

Once upon a time, Boyd Gordon was trending for an 82 goal season.

 

[BernieParent]

Other = Karlsson. I am a dreamer.

 

[deadhead]

Welp, rubber meets road. In targeting the big ticket UFAs, there's an erroneous thought the acquired player will be can't miss, because you're paying for known talents. (In the macro-sense of the meaning, everything can miss, but less likely to miss.) If it does come down to the mid-tier, which is way more realistic and probable, the chances of missing are far greater. Hextall has not shown the results of doing well with mid-tier, or lower, additions to the team, ergo, trepidation with that category.

When has Hextall added a mid-tier player?
Filppula was the closest, but he was 32 when added. Basically a TDL throw-in (we got more for Streit than TB did from Pitt) and a 1 year FA signing.
The rest of his additions wouldn't be mid-tier, unless you want to include MDZ and Elliott on short-term deals.

 

[Rebels57]

You may not like the realistic free agent possibilities but you don’t even know of the realistic trade possibilities... so no, you kinda can’t...

1) You don’t know who’s available.
2) You don’t know if anyone who’s available fits our needs.
3) If someone is available, who fits our needs, is the price reasonable?
4) If someone is available, who fits our needs and the price is reasonable, would we get outbid?

My original comment, "Trade route is the best route this summer. I agree" was meant as an opinion. It is my opinion that going the trade route would be best this summer if we decide to improve the team through external acquisition. I don't like the realistic available free agents. Next time i'll include "In my opinion."

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I'd be hesitant on trades. I don't think the team should be giving up its top prospects, and that's what it would take to acquire a real impact player. The only one I'd trade is Morin, and that's out the window now with his knee surgery. It's very unlikely you get a current impact player for Simmonds, as any team acquiring him would be looking to win now, which means they aren't going to make a lateral deal to their current roster.

So I stick with free agency and add to the existing team without giving up the future.