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RWJC

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Everything posted by RWJC

  1. To quote you, good sir: “Our defense especially (though the F group has had a questionable mix as well) has been a dog's breakfast”
  2. Thankfully, this pup just ate up the remains of Benning’s D plan
  3. Some folks reacting as though there isn’t the opportunity to upgrade the position into the season if need be. It’s a concern, but I think maybe a tier or two lower on the priority list? Wouldn’t be surprised to see a vet G PTO in camp that gets signed to a 2 way. Halak? Jk Martin is a decent enough back up for the time being. Let Silovs slowly marinate a bit more. We’re going to need him fully prepared as a starter and in top form when Demko signs elsewhere in 3 years time (or is traded prior to). Regardless, any money spent now should be directed towards a legit 3rd line defensive C who is strong on face offs, imho
  4. Martin is the better option imho https://ca.yahoo.com/sports/news/maple-leafs-sign-veteran-martin-jones-to-bolster-goaltending-depth-181823519.html Maple Leafs sign veteran Martin Jones to bolster goaltending depth The Toronto Maple Leafs have onboarded a veteran goaltender with a dubious statistical record in recent seasons. The Toronto Maple Leafs added goaltending depth on Wednesday by signing Martin Jones to a one-year contract worth $875,000. Jones comes to the Maple Leafs after a rough season with the Seattle Kraken that saw him produce a .886 save percentage in 48 games. The 33-year-old is in the middle of a rough stretch of his career, as his save percentage has topped .900 just once over the last five seasons. His GSAA since 2018-19 (-49.49) ranks dead last amongst all NHL netminders. While those numbers are not inspiring in the slightest, the signing is understandable from the Maple Leafs' point of view as the team had a complete lack of depth between the pipes before bringing Jones aboard. Prior to the signing, the team's third goaltender options behind Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll were total wild cards like Dennis Hildeby, Vyacheslav Peksa, and Keith Petruzzelli — a trio with no NHL experience and a combined 36 games at the AHL level. While the deal with Jones is reportedly a one-way contract, the fact that Jones was still available in August at this price is a solid indicator that he is likely to clear waivers if Toronto wants to stash him in the AHL as their third goalie. Not only can Jones provide insurance in case Samsonov or Woll get injured, the team also has a layer of protection against Woll faltering. The 25-year-old looked promising last season, but he remains relatively unproven with just 11 NHL games under his belt. If last year's strong work across the AHL and NHL levels don't translate to quality production in 2023-24, the Maple Leafs have another option. Signing Jones is unlikely to help Toronto reach a new level, but he raises the team's floor by a tiny margin. He may have been arguably the NHL's worst goalie in recent years, but he is an NHL goalie, which is more than can be confidently said about other options outside of their top duo. If 2023-24 goes the way the Maple Leafs hope this is the sort of signing likely to be forgotten. If things start to go sideways, there's a chance they'll be glad they have Jones.
  5. Totally agree, but he could have potentially served as a means to an end in terms of helping ship out a contract and in the interim added much needed NHL quality depth. anyway, made my points about Dumba. I’m not a fan of his by any means, more so a fan of trying to create real, not hypothetical, depth and value where and when we can. This team can’t rely on maybes to improve…they need to have the soldiers required to elevate while pacing the introduction of future talent. Regardless, excited to see how this reformed D corps pans out and especially that it presents a bit of a grittier back end.
  6. I agree, but if the intention is to dump salary in anticipation of other future acquisitions/contract extensions, then Garland is a prime candidate for a trade. Beau has this year left on his deal so both him and Myers combined free up 10.15 mill for next year. If we aren't in playoff contention, both will absolutely be moved. Trade Garland instead and that number balloons to 15.15 mill of available space. Add Pearson and that's 18.4. That's a lot of room but I imagine extensions between EP and Horny will chew up 6.5 - 7.5 mill of that, leaving us about 11 - 12 mill to play with. Thats decent but not enough for what we might require, especially when you'll have 11 roster spots to fill out of it! It doesn't account for LTIR, bur regardless its still actually a bit worrisome, imho. My big concern is that although this D is improved, it's still not deep enough to survive a couple untimely injuries and that alone could cost us a playoff position this season. I'm a bit hesitant to count on Hronek being the answer (health wise) to balancing our D until we see how he fares after a good chunk of games early into the season. If we have to play any extended amount of games with our 5+6's being AHL call-ups, we could be in trouble. I realize that the future is fluid and there will be opportunities to fill/solidify as the season progresses, but we always seem to jeopardize our chances early on. Having another vet Dman who has proven they belong at the NHL level in some constant capacity is great insurance, especially if it adds to freeing up the space we'll need going into the next 3 seasons. As it stands, the way we are proceeding I think there's a lot of hope that our young players will step up and in this season. Yes we need room to facilitate that. But our primary concern right now should be extending two major pieces in EP and Horny and that involves icing a competitive team. If that's the case, it's going to be adamant that we either support the roster with experience while trying to find a way to mine production from cheaper contracts or at least have a surplus of them that we can depend on. Again, still a little murky in those areas. https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/canucks
  7. It was tongue in cheek, but I’ll humour you. a 1 year expiring 4mill deal that could be dealt at the deadline for a pick but meanwhile adds depth in the RD position in exchange for a 3 year remaining contract at 4.95 per, with no restrictive clauses, in a position where we already have a glut of personnel that we are already trying to accommodate. basically Garland for a 3rd round pick is what it might end up as. I’d take that if we’re still going to try and accommodate Hogs, Podz, Pearson, Mik amongst whom we already have
  8. I think we could swing a deal with Arizona now with Garland for Dumba.
  9. The NHLPA has preemptively vetoed any Ballard trade on behalf of their Goaltender members… Darth Ballard shows no mercy.
  10. At this point we actually need him. I agree with you, plus we’re already paying the bonus so if I was Aqua I’d want to see us hold him to deadline and get as much use out of him as possible for the money, albeit in a lessened role
  11. Fair points, but our revised type of D system being applied by Tocchet, Gonchar and Foote would seem to lend very well to a player like Dumba. In fact, it’s absolutely his wheelhouse IF he maintained a more defined defensive game. That’s entirely possible. Players move around and have to adjust to new systems. Dumba will perhaps be moving on from the only team he’s played for, but in that time he hasn’t escaped having to adjust to different coaching, systems and linemates. If you’re comparing Dumba that way, the same could be said for any of the free agents being brought in this year. We have a couple new short term contract Dmen now who were signed to those deals because they will inevitably bide time for some prospects to season. If we’re going that route then again, Dumba fits the timeline as we see whom out of the prospects can step up and stick. It doesn’t throw anyone into an immediate position of responsibility when they might not have yet matured to that point in either their physical game or mental maturity. There is no better way to potentially ruin a prospect than to adorn them with too much expectation/pressure too soon. We have some solid Dmen in the pipeline now…we can afford to really gauge their readiness with a revamped development system. No need to rush anyone. We have reestablished that luxury (to a degree). There will be turnover with this D corps over the next couple seasons so either way any of the prospects are going to have to adjust somehow once they come up. Myself, I’d rather see them learn the intermediate steps in the A and really build an internal foundation that prepares them for a long term career up top if and when they can make the jump. Eg. Jett Woo - He’s a candidate for a look now because we have dedicated a few years of resources into him and prepared him for the next step. It’s up to him now to rely on that experience and see if he can make the adjustment into the level of being a potentially regular call up. That would be awesome to see. It would be an example that we can invest into and produce talent internally. Anyway. for cheap, despite all the hate, where we are positioned right now and with who is behind the bench, Dumba could be a cheap and promising stop gap investment. I don’t see a downside, just a waiver transaction if required. And if not Dumba, then I’m happy to wait until he’s ready and give Bear another chance with a 1 year deal. Hell, even a Caleb Jones. Same thing. 1 year deal. Regardless, we still need some depth on the back end that has reasonable NHL level experience. We can integrate prospects in via piecemeal placement when the injuries occur. It’s the best way to affect longterm readiness as Dmen generally take longer to acclimate to the speed of the NHL game and especially some of the familiar F.
  12. Totally. I’m just thinking short term while we reconstruct because we can’t afford to lose many games early in the season again if we expect to push for playoffs without inducing burnout
  13. Well there are a few folks pencilling in Hirose in a bottom pairing role already. If that’s the case, then distilling that means some in the fanbase here believe the other 5 D round out a satisfactory lineup. Not pointing fingers in any way, I would LOVE to see Hirose crack the lineup permanently going forward, but for this club to really take another step upwards, Hirose would be considered a 7/8 as it’s way too early to rely on him in a starting role. Sooo, if that’s the case, who or what else is available that can shore up the D that doesn’t come with an acquisition cost? Not much. Hence the Dumb(a) consideration. Trade would obviously be a preferred route with our glut of F assets, but having the luxury of operating/trading from a better position (exactly why we bought out OEL) is prime time positioning. This is why I’d take a run at Dumba…his presence on the roster gives us alternatives. It’s why we traded for a guy like Dermott. Unfortunately injury never allowed that to pan out. Given Dumba’s history the same could happen to him as well. But at least with Dumba we wouldn’t be sacrificing a pick for a future LTIR candidate. That’s just my rationale for it.
  14. I agree with that, 3rd line C is a must add. That said, ppl thinking our D corps is sufficient enough as is might be in for a rude awakening because it’s still mid level. Yeah it’s an upgrade from what we had previously for this club, but I’d argue it’s still mid to lower level of the pack in terms of the NHL playoff quality across the board. Just not good enough, and Demko and especially Silovs (!) deserve stronger insulation. Also, can’t imagine Dumba taking a league min deal at all. I think he’ll come in around 2.5 - 3.25 somewhere, and at that price hopefully not with us. I’d do as much as 1.75 for him on a one year, maybe even stretch up to 2 for a two year with no trade protection, but that’s it. The question I think is who has had played as many NHL games in a variety of situations as he has and can still be potentially had for pennies on the dollar in contrast? That list isn’t strong. Not saying Dumba is a saving grace by any means, but for what his price point might be, the quality and dependability level of the names below him whom are still available as UFA is a major drop off. https://www.spotrac.com/nhl/free-agents/defenseman/ufa/available/
  15. I’m all for picking up Dumba on a 1-2 year show me deal. Don’t think he’d go for that, but considering how many D games we lose to injury each season, I think a Dman with his experience could benefit from a change of scenery and can be positioned on any 3 lines depending on necessity at the time. He could reclaim some value and become a decent trade candidate at deadline (likely return a 3rd round pick) or if he just falters all season he could be waived. The cost of acquisition is simply a disposable contract, should we clear some W cap space. Folks write him off because he’s stagnated and doesn’t deliver on his current contract value, but giving him an opportunity to get his game back is a no lose proposition. I’d argue he’s not in the way of any prospects at this time, barring maybe Juulsen but he’s no longer a prospect in my eyes, because none have enough games under their belt yet to have proven anything consistently. They will inevitably get their time when injuries arise, but the best way to do that is to slot them in with an experienced NHLer. Hirose looks like he could become the real deal but I fear his sample size is just too small yet to be able to determine his status, and he’s likely out best option in emerging Dmen. If we want to stabilize the D, while also enabling any prospects when injury occurs, Dumba remains an intriguing insurance depth opportunity if he can be had at low cost. If anything, I think as fans what we should remember is we are still actively restocking the cupboard, and picking up a serviceable Dman with some pedigree and contribution from his game does present an opportunity to monetize. Again, if he improves his defensive stat lines and can contribute offensively - which he could very well do on a PP1/PP2 beside QH or Horny - he could become a shrewd pickup/ trade piece. Have to always consider how to accumulate picks.
  16. Apparently he has a pending contract in place with someone but is waiting for thing to shake out via trade…maybe TO? There is talk that it’s with us too. Pure speculation/don’t quote me for a source but read it somewhere from a legit published pundit last week.
  17. Are you kidding? He put on a Laffs jersey. He’s immediately a HHOF shoe-in. Not to worry though, Eklund has us pursuing a TO top pairing Dman…so we could be getting Reilly!
  18. Question is what is it going to cost us to retain Pesce if he’s holding out for a UFA payday? Can we even afford it without having to eat on Beau, Garland and potentially BB6 contracts just to make it work. Makes Pesce even more of an expensive purchase. That said, we’d be spending serious $ on D again but with much better quality and composition.
  19. Hurricanes “Not Close” On Extension Talks With Pending UFAs July 26th, 2023 at 4:35pm CST • By Josh Erickson Today was a ceremonious day for the Carolina Hurricanes organization, locking in franchise center Sebastian Aho to the richest deal in franchise history. Don’t expect groundbreaking extensions for any other Hurricane hitting the open market in 2024, though. General manager Don Waddell told reporters, including the North State Journal’s Cory Lavalette today, that the team “isn’t close” on extensions with any of their other pending UFAs. This rather consequential list includes, first and foremost, long-rumored trade target defenseman Brett Pesce. It’s long been believed that Carolina would trade Pesce sooner rather than later if an extension wasn’t in the cards, and Waddell confirmed that that was the case today. It’s fair to wonder whether his quote today increases Pesce trade speculation in the coming days, especially since little is known about the list of teams who’ve called the ‘Canes about Pesce’s services. Moving out Pesce with haste would free up more space for the Hurricanes to pursue Erik Karlsson, who they’ve also been connected to on the trade market for many weeks. Bringing in Anthony DeAngelo for his second stint in a Carolina jersey also seems like a targeted backup plan if Carolina trades Pesce but fails to nab Karlsson, the 2023 Norris Trophy winner, in a trade from the San Jose Sharks. Pesce isn’t the only notable Hurricane headed for unrestricted free agency next summer, however. On offense, Teuvo Teravainen and his five-year, $27MM deal signed in 2019 are set to expire. While he had arguably his worst season in a Hurricanes jersey last year, registering just 12 goals and 37 points in 68 games, he’s been one of Carolina’s top scorers for the better part of the previous half-decade. That being said, he’s also destined for a reduced role next season, with the addition of Michael Bunting in the team’s top six and Seth Jarvis likely to surpass him on the team’s depth chart. It makes sense why the Hurricanes wouldn’t want to pay Teravainen what he believes he’s worth, especially at this stage without any clear evidence of a permanent decline. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him hit the UFA market for the first time next July. There’s also the matter of fan-favorite depth forward Jordan Martinook, a vital locker-room fixture with the team who’s had a tumultuous season in Raleigh. Placed on waivers (and cleared) before the season started to create some salary cap flexibility, Martinook would go on to play a pivotal depth role for Carolina in 2022-23. His 21 assists and 34 points in 82 games were both career highs, and he notched a remarkable 12 points in 15 playoff games as the Hurricanes marched on to the Eastern Conference Final yet again. Entering the final season of a three-year, $5.4MM contract signed in 2021, Martinook’s stock is at an all-time high. If there is an extension to be had here, don’t expect it to come before the New Year. Finally, at least among the significant roster pieces headed for free agency next year, Pesce’s defense partner remains without a contract past 2024. Brady Skjei is now in the final season of a six-year, $31.5MM contract, and he’s had a rather up-and-down tenure with Carolina since they acquired him via trade in 2021. He’s been inconsistent defensively over the life of his contract but has settled into posting solid second-pairing numbers for the Hurricanes, at least from an offensive standpoint – he registered a career-high 18 goals last year after posting 39 points in 82 games the year before. While an effective player, he’s also not worth the $5.25MM per season they’re paying him – at least not for Carolina’s needs. With multiple high-end defense prospects on the way, it again shouldn’t be a surprise that the Hurricanes aren’t chomping at the bit to extend him. Rounding out the list of pending UFAs for Carolina in 2024 are forwards Brendan Lemieux and Stefan Noesen, defenseman Jalen Chatfield, and goalie Antti Raanta. DeAngelo is also slated for unrestricted free agency in 2024 as well. All of those players were either signed to one-year deals this summer or have sub-$1MM cap hits.
  20. Treliving still poaching Nux. Guy needs a restraining order served.
  21. Better yet, let’s put the #3 jersey back on Juice and pair him with QH! Also, never realized his middle name was Francesco.
  22. SACRILEGE! BLASPHEMY! Repent thou, foul demon, in the name of our lord and saviour, Jonah GODjovich!
  23. I’m surprised no one is talking about the jersey numbers, and one specifically, for this coming season… Soucy wearing #7 Cole wearing #28 Blueger wearing… #53!
  24. Well, that’s why we’re seeing wholesale changes when it comes to this club and how it’s managed. The roster performed because of bumps, but the makeup wasn’t/isn’t sufficient for longterm, continual success. Bad mix of talent. New systems play often requires new blood. Methinks we’re on the right track now, at least in terms of developing a playoff-ready roster that won’t wilt come physical hockey.
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