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IBatch

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Everything posted by IBatch

  1. Top pairing guys are making 8 and up now...the ones that get their pay days as UFAs. Carlson is the most recent guy to get his raise. Next year Alex P, Josi, Barrie etc will cement the bar. Hutton wanted over 4 because he was playing the second pairing but not surprisingly nobody signed him for it, because he’s not really a top four NHL defenseman. Not saying part of what your saying isn’t true, we really can’t afford another handcuff and id agree 4.5-5 is about what our team could afford. Gardiners camp could be holding out for more. He’s got the numbers for it. Myers signed at a discount, given he’s a RHD most experts saw him going for 7 plus, but at six he’s still a second pairing guy skill-wise, just like Gardiner. We got lucky because he wanted to be here. We got extremely lucky with Benn, I’m shocked still on that one, an upgrade on Hutton to boot. Alex P will get a big pay raise next year, he’s making 7.5 on an old contract. The days of 4-5 million second pairing guys are very numbered, the better of the bunch making that now will get bumped to 6 plus. If we could lock Gardiner in below five it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world, I have more problems with the side he’s on then the actual player given we have depth there now, but in a way I guess he’d become a medium/short term solution for Edler.
  2. I fixed that yes I’m aware he’s behind O’Reilly as i mentioned earlier in the post but missed a word in the sentence which made it confusing (meant to say that Edler hasn’t had the luxury of playing the second pairing...with these two they could split the load a lot more evenly) ... I just don’t think he’s as defensively poor as some guys on this site make him out to be. He does giveaway the puck an awful lot, but so do other PMD’s, only was a minus the years they blew it up and nothing close to as bad as it was with Edler ... and back then he was ahead of O’Reilly on the depth chart... drives possession Corsi and Fenwick 53-58% the last four years... really sometimes I think people just parrot around whatever a few say, but thanks for not calling him trash because he isn’t. One poster said he was worse then everyone on our L side right down to Brisbois and Sautner...crazy really. I’m not saying we should sign him, but I am saying he’s better then his bad rep gets, as fans of TO might have noticed when he finally missed a stretch of games and their season hit a wall. Under appreciated. Not as good a Myers but not far off either. At least that’s what some pro scouts said about him in head to head comparisons pre-UFA day. I’m not saying he’s great or even good defensively, but he’s definitely not worse then average either. We ran with Hutton last year do people honestly think he can hold a candle to Gardiner? Anyways I read enough crazy things in this thread off to a different one, again at least you aren’t calling him trash so thanks for that.
  3. Possibly but it also depends on the ask. Maybe his camp wants 7 million (Gasp!) and so far no takers. Doesn’t help that he’s a LHD, there is 50% more of those in the league then righties. One fifty point season feeding that offense two seasons ago doesn’t mean he’s going to get much more then 30 on an average team...I’d say he’s done enough it deserve a modest raise, but the markets he market. Kind of surprised given the lack of D in general this year. Dzingel signed for a song, maybe he will too now.
  4. JG had a couple years where he was a minus magnet playing against top competitors when TO blew things up. Nothing different then the many years of Edler getting -39 to - 20, how easily we forget. He’s a good second pairing defenseman with wheels, some size and an offensive skill-set especially passing plays. Some would argue he’s an upgrade on Elder right now, THN would for example have him the second best defender available this UFA season, one spot ahead of Myers (8,9) best ones available, Edler was 17. He’s been TO’s version of Edler for years now, a whipping boy and a goat one playoff series to boot, but the numbers don’t lie, he pushes the play and with better players does just fine 5 x 5. His biggest downfall so far is that when the pressure amps up in the playoffs he hasn’t had the same succes as the regular season. O’Reilly did the heavy lifting, but he was relied on just as much, and TO went through a dreadful patch without him last spring. Could barely keep their heads above water. Which makes you wonder what’s going to happen to them next year without him, much the same as us when Edler is out. The reality is like he’s better suited for second line duty (unlike Edler hasn’t had that luxury here we could provide that for him and he’d still have a decent amount of talent to feed passes to, or get the puck too when he skates it out. The ice tilts the other way when he’s on it, but the plays he gets burned on tend to be noticeable, the same way they are when EK flubs it. Or Edler for that matter. As a semi-long term solution for an aging Edler we could do much worse, and at least until recently he’s been healthy.
  5. Gardiner might take a 5 x 5 deal at this point you never know. TO suffered greatly without him in the lineup down the stretch he’s actually pretty good. Finding .5-1.5 million couldn’t be that hard. Not sure it’s the best choice or the best direction but it would solidify the L side and in a way replace quite a bit of what Edler does. He is a very mobile, and would help give us two PP options. OJ won’t beat him, but I don’t expect him to make it full time for at least one more year anyways. I see OJ getting eased slowly into the lineup for both developmental and physical reasons. Gardiner absolutely would be an upgrade, not sure he’s the right guy or the cap situation is a good fit though.
  6. Think you may be right but it would seem like a waste. Benning downplayed the situation saying it was nothing really, and says he has value to the club and all the right things, which included a possible change of scenery with another guy like him. Someone mentioned Shattenkirk which would be a decent trade given our lack of RHD depth. . He’s better then Motte, Goldobin, Leivo and has the potential to be better then a few others too. If the goal is to win, and if there is no risidual culture issues with his comment (which was entirely accurate and fair) then don’t see why he shouldn’t get a spot on the team...
  7. LE fits only because Rousell is out. Motte would be the guy to get waived when he comes back IF a trade hasn’t already been made by then (which we may have to do anyways to stay under the cap). Schaller gets waived to start the year. Bear and possibly JV are trade bait. Forgot Leivo and Goldobin.
  8. I agree that we are better off just playing him. LE Sutter JV is a good third line, and he’s an excellent PKer. Bear or JV seem like the odd men out, Bear will need to stay healthy and produce before anyone will trade for him, or for us to get a decent return (a second ha ha ) and doubt anyone needs Schaller, see him getting waived, nobody picking him up. Agreed on Sutter too, we play him and hope he stays healthy and has a good year, next off season we trade him, that is unless AG tears it up in the AHL (where he’s definitely starting) and when Sutter gets injured beats him out of a spot. He got better as the season went on (AG). Benning has all sorts of plans and contingencies in place to both deal with Boesers contract and to provide the 3 million or so in cap relief the team likely requires to ice the team of players he has signed. Think both Bear and even JV are possible trades...it speaks volumes that Benning no longer is including him in his untouchables. Personally I was hoping he’d get a chance to play in the top six, now it looks like they plan to either load up two lines or play three scoring lines. Miller can also play the third line center position is Sutter goes down ... that’s where he spent half his time in TB. Must be nice for TGs team, they have lots of line combos and a bevy of middle six players to work with for the first time in a long time. Pearson, Horvat JV or Ferland Horvat Bear or Miller Horvat and on and on. Looks like the team of Granlunds era has come to an end, and now it’s the team of Ferlands, Pearson’s, Miller’s, Bears, Rousells (better 5 x 5 per 60 scoring then Boeser last year) JVs ... a huge upgrade. And much tougher. I think Ferland starts with EP and Boeser Pearson Horvat Miller (ouch). Leaves LE Sutter JV. Where the heck does Bear go? Either him or JV will get traded, maybe before the season starts. Maybe LE goes on the fourth line and Bear starts with Sutter? Gives me a headache trying to figure it out, but in a good way...edit: where the heck do you put Leivo and Goldobin? We gave depth, but wonder if we lose some guys to waivers ... could be LE goes to Utica just to keep one of the guys from getting picked up
  9. Phew. Then stick his ass on a bus, and enjoy the one million in cap savings. Eventually maybe he will retire. I do know that he can’t sign another contract until the term of this one is over, so maybe loaning him to a team in Sweden would be the best move. He’d be happier, we’d get the same one million in relief, and once his contract is over IF he’s still good enough could come back if he wants. Or just play the guy, he’s a good PKer...
  10. Goal is the most fickle position in the league, often a hot goalie wins the Vezina or is a finalist, then is mediocre and sometimes even drops off the face of the earth (Jim Carey). Mason wins the Calder and gets Vezina consideration with I think ten SOs to boot, then barely had a decent career after. Raycroft too. Heck that guy in Buffalo was on his was last season for a while until the other foot dropped. Hammond a few years ago won over 20 in a row to start his career and is nowhere now. That’s why guys like Luongo, Bobrovsky (maybe not so sure), Rinne and MAF are so coveted. Notice I didn’t include Hart winner “best player in the world” bridge deal to brinks truck Price in that mix? Even the best have off years but sometimes the best are only best for a year or two (Thomas) but are very dominant when they are on top, then also fall off a cliff. Hasek was the most dominant for the longest stretch ever, 7-8 years. That’s the bar right there. Probably never be beaten. This year I expect much of the same. A few great goalies will be mediocre, a few mediocre ones will be great. Lehner had an incredible season last year and he’s a career back-up (with demons I know). Markstrom didn’t even rank in the top 31 to start the season given the bevy of back-ups that made the list, this year I’d expect to see him somewhere in the 20’s. It will take a lot more then three months to move him up to top ten, even if he’s playing like one.
  11. Not Rinne anymore, more like 50 games, and Fluery risks injuries too when he plays too much, both those guys will be kept rested and fresh for the playoffs. Gibson is so so good. Wish we had him. Binnington is still a bit unknown but seems like that’s a fair statement at the least he will get the majority of the games. Markstrom was one of the best in our division from December on, and had proven he’s capable of a big work load too. More worried about Demko then him, he’s still unproven and ideally the team is better off if he can steal the job (won’t be easy). We will only keep one of them on the team, the other will get traded if possible before ED...Markström is also working himself into a big or at least modest raise, and is still young for a goaltender. If he plays .920 plus for an entire season we definitely have a top goalie in our division, arguably second best depending on MAFs play (he’s getting older, still very good but also has a history of going up and down and he’s due for a down about right now). Raanta is also a great goalie, he has a hard time staying healthy but if he does then would be up near he top too. Quick seems to be close to done IMO, too many injuries and old battle wounds to stay healthy and isn’t as good as he used to be. Should be an interesting year. Worst case things don’t gel and we miss the playoffs - hopefully we sell if that’s the case at the TDL and play rookies and go full tank mode. Doubt that will be the case, we improved too much while most stood still and a few regressed. We won’t be patsies anymore, even last year we weren’t an easy win.
  12. Not sure what line combos TG is going to use but pretty sure JV is going to remain on the third line...fortunately he should have a better line mate(s) to work with and 2nd PP time could be in the mix too. Won’t be easy to get time to play with Horvat, but injuries or his play could force it. Scoring 20 on the third line would be an awesome achievement for JV or anyone for that matter. Still think he might have it in him for a breakout rather then baby-steps. Ferland and others might also help him use his hitting ability more often which would be great too. edit: also given the way TG uses Sutter, he’s not getting primo Ozone starts ... that makes 20 even that more impressive...
  13. If LE retires wouldn’t we be stuck with his recapture penalty for the money paid out in bonuses though up to that point? If he’s owed only 5 in real dollars it would be 7 million no? Or does it work differently if a player is under a certain age...not sure. Pretty sure this is a pig that no matter how much Leipsic we have is going to stay a pig. We can’t buy him out, impossible to trade without getting a similar bad player back (thank god Lucic is off the market, that leaves Ryan but the actually need him so they can play something in their top six, more cap one year less term, would be a good move if we can swing it maybe) and if we force him to retire by burying him in real Utica we still have to cap hit on his bonuses to clear before he’s off the books for good. Might as well play him, Zepp is correct in saying it would be our PK that would suffer he’s one of the best in the business, plus he’s not the worst guy to move up if someone goes down.
  14. Simple. Trade OJ plus for Bouchard. Problem solved.
  15. That’s great. However you entirely missed the real issue which is the very real cap crunch this team is going to be in two years from now. The OPs trade might be right off in left field, which I agree on, but the main issue is bang on. As a manager how would you propose to fix this? BTW I worked owned a construction company and understand when you need to give sh&t. In fact it’s a daily occurrence in the field and the things that happen their would make government supervisors keel over. Had a three day rule for newbees and a lot wouldn’t make it. That said you don’t want to rule by fear, you want your guys to love you and stand infront of a bus for you. My crew outproduced everyone in my field while I worked as a result. There is a time and place to give it to someone for sure but you need the entire context. In this case Hindustan is brave enough to bring up subjects that are important even if he doesn’t have all the pieces in place he know there is an out point (cap issue in two years). Good on you for being brave enough to hide behind a computer and device and give someone crap and pointing out the obvious. Keep up the good work.
  16. One of the best posts I’ve seen in a very long time. Very deep, and intelligent if we all are sheep and just go with the flow it would make for some very boring discourse and don’t think I’d log on much other then to get some current events etc. I ribbed Bubbles a lot because him and one other I won’t mention just won’t let up on all the picks Benning gave up early on. Logically for each event there was an actual reason (McCaan wasn’t liked at all, huge age gap tweeners missing from the lineup given the contending times, NMC/NTC re-tool mandate, we wouldn’t have EP and Hughes etc etc)....however they were absolutely correct too. We should never have re-signed the Sedins and gone full rebuild then ideally, in some multiverse maybe we’d have McDavid and Mathews etc. Keep up the good work 189 lbs ... we want the same things , a tough team skilled team that competes every night and had a good chance at a cup one day. I see that with team now... Podz, Horvat, Miller, JV, Benn, Myers, Boeser, EP, Demko, Markstrom and a bevy of others (Hogs, Woo, OJ, Lind, JG, Utenan etc) nice blend of skill and grit. Edit: On the Gaurdian. We should start a movement to get him back, or if he’s here already, to announce himself and resume his good work. I bet if people on here were honest, the moment they saw another gaurdian thread they viewed it right away and possibly posted something on it. It took a while for me to get it (at first I thought it was just trolling) but once I did some of those threads were thought provoking and most were entertaining at the least. A lot more fun then “Every one on here has to read this so we can understand something that has really nothing to do with Boeser’s possible contract and nobody does this but Nylanders anyways “. Like it was vital to my CDC existence or something. Also think we need to find that Horvat mega-fan and let him loose for a while. Summers are boring as sh&t anyways, add five or six threads a day makes the scrolling more fun and often they morph into something interesting. Think he was hammered into non-existence given the teasing, he was like the annoying little brother that always had to tag along and wouldn’t shut up. Somehow he became part of the group despite this. Eventually he found friends his own age and once he’s gone you missed him. The CDC is ever changing but always the same, look forward to the next time guys come in a take on these personas and maybe next time the moderators will just let them be. edit: IF Bubbles or anyone else comes out and announces they are the Gaurdian I’m going to laugh so loud. Should make a meme with the Iron Man reveal and use that. Ha ha. Plus one million.
  17. I’d rather trade OJ and JV to EDM for Bouchard. Why would they do this? They need cheap options and this gives them two for a few years at least. Why would we do his? Bouchard paced OJ in every way except he played every game (three years and counting) as a 16 year old, superior plus minus though (plus 30, guys that say London wasn’t good anymore don’t follow them) when OJ was 18 draft plus one, then followed it up with two years in a row as defenseman of the year in the OHL, last year a man among boys. And the best part he’s a RHD projected to become an Alex P or Carlson type in the NHL by many experts. Doubt this would happen as it’s too big of a trade between division rivals but it would be a major coupe for Benning. He’s got size and Uber talented. Rough around the edges still a bit, but easily could slot in to replace Tanev, and eventually a Hughes/Bouchard line would be one of the best in the league. OJs a health risk, missing games every year and his ceiling isn’t as high, although his floor is very good. Suck to loose JV but you have to pay to play, and this would also help our cap out a bit. EDM needs cheaper options and this is a two for one, JV is going to be at least a good third liner, but could still break out...him and McDavid on the same line would be the fastest in the league ..
  18. Not bad... think SJ goalie rank is too high, Jones was way below average last year would swap them with us. Also ARI Goalies are higher then that. Would argue are forwards are higher then SJ too, would swap those too. Would swap Vegas F with CAL although it’s pretty close and move their D (Vegas) down a spot, he’s solid but unremarkable. LAs forwards are too high...they are going to stink it up this year, and 3 for G is only if Quick is healthy. This where I’d put Van F. 3. D. 4 G 3 (if Markstrom continues like he did). On paper at least we are the most improved team in the division. ARI second, adding Kessel was a boon, and Raanta is one of the best when he plays too. Team on the rise. SJ ... well they won’t be as good without Pavelski and Thornton (he may still sign though). Really their fortunes are in EKs hands now, he wasn’t close to 100%, if he is I’d say they have a chance for first, if he’s the same they will struggle to get a wild card spot. Team on a decline. Jones wasn’t that good either, average at best. Overall only locks are Vegas and CAL. The rest is anyone’s guess other then LA and ANA stinking it up big time. Even EDM could surprise.
  19. We don’t have anyone that can fill his role full-time though... love bull-dog but he’s not good enough. That said if we have to trade him wait until the TDL and hope he’s healthy... if not rest him for our own playoff push, if a decent deal comes take it. I agree with this but think it’s one year too early or three too late ha ha. The following year we should absolutely most definitely trade him, for whatever we can get, because he’s not coming back. His money will be needed for EP and Hughes and we will be playing a rookie the following year or a Schenn type just to get under the cap. Same goes for Sutter (next year). However what I see actually happening is we keep both, Benning won’t want the team to be a lottery team either year and his best chance to do that is keep his vets unless AG blows away the competition and Woo does the same (both very unlikely).
  20. The OP has a good point, at this point if we could trade Sutter without retention and get something at all back it’s a good cap dump. Personally I think the boat has long sailed on us getting anything back for him, and the hope of him staying healthy is just that, hope. When he plays he’s valuable to us, playoffs are the goal and we will keep him for that purpose. If he’s healthy we will have a much better chance of making it, again in that scenario Benning keeps him and won’t let him go at the TDL unless AG is having such a stellar year he’s the better option. Even then depth wins cups, he’s still going to keep Sutter. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned is J.T. Miller can also play center...but he’s better off playing in the top six and wasted on the third line. Sutter won’t get traded this year IMO, the following one is more likely IF he goes at all. It’s a contract year and his career depends on staying healthy and a good performance...and there is very little chance he re-signs as we most definitely will be going with AG by then. And we need every nickel of his salary to give raises ... next year i see us moving on from him. A final note on those that still think LE is getting moved. He’s buyout proof right until the end. If he leaves we still have his cap hit. If he retires we still have his cap hit and more. If we loan him to Sweden we get the same relief as we do if he goes to the AHL, or 1 million. The cost of a cap dump would be extremely high, would make Marleau look like a 7th rounder, at least until his last year, then well maybe, just maybe a second and a third. We are NOT getting rid of him without taking on an equally ugly deal. Lucic is worse. Ryan is slightly better, more cap for two years and then we get away on the third year. That’s the only deal I see that’s possible, only because it’s a real cost savings for them. In two years we need to replace Tanev, Edler and re-sign Hughes and EP. This will be the hardest cap issue we are going to have to deal with....funny thing is GMs say if your not bumping the cap and having issues with it your not trying hard enough to win. Bennings going to be trying really, really, really hard in two years .... after three the balloon will burst and the pressure is off, but can’t see how we won’t be playing rookies to make it work, wouldn’t be trading ANY picks for that draft.
  21. Two of my faves that are gone are the Gaurdian, I guess he finally pushed too many buttons, sometimes he said things about the team he liked which led me to think he really loved the team, just couldn’t stand how things were. No filters leads to some fun discussions. Didn’t realize he was banned until a few weeks ago. The other one was some kid Horvat fan who made a hundred or so threads a summer or two ago....one after the other. It was funny, he really just couldn’t help himself despite the ribbings to stop, don’t quite remember his handle (Horvat was in it) and maybe he’s/she’s still here but the threads just stopped which was too bad. I think the regulars myself included are all a little hockey nuts, and big fans of the team - something to remember but easy to forget when ideas don’t match and debates get heated. It does seem more light hearted and fun loving then it’s been in a while, that makes sense too because like it or not a lot of us are also emotionally connected to it. And things are looking up. On antagonists: I come from a family who’s uncles would hit the TV repeatedly, palm slapping it which would shake the rabbits ears and send lines all over the screen with bad calls or a bad goal, or throw thjngs at the TV and scream at it every game ... comedic stuff really. So I get it when a fan becomes disappointed and how that might affect what they say on a given day and that it might not be trolling at all but their god honest opinion on the club, the league, a player etc. Sometimes it’s teasing, and sometimes it really is vitriolic trolling which can get hidden in the mix. Generally though it’s part of the fun, the memes come out and so do the laughs. I’d re-instate the Gaurdian if it was up to me, I didn’t mind his stuff even though some was way out in left field...heck he could be one of my uncles, things get bitter after changing allegiances from the Habs (and give up on a dynasty) to honour a new club in your home province, then living 50 years of heartaches and until recently mostly losing. Would make any fan a little nuts.
  22. Just saw this. Just glad I didn’t post signing Ferland would be a terrible idea or something ha ha. Again given how much some thought he’d go for, Benning did a masterful job this summer.
  23. It’s not the actual proposal what I’m talking about, it was the idea - the OP is correct the math in two years doesn’t add up, for a year at least we will have to run without replacements for some of the guys who’s contracts are up to pay Hughes and EP. That’s the part that doesn’t need some flak, or did you bother reading my entire response. But haters will be haters carry on.
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