Doogie

He would be a massive upgrade offensively compared to Siegenthaler and he’s taken massive strides defensively this past year so I’d argue yes they could definitely use him. The fact of the matter is Hughes would improve their fantastic D immensely by adding over 50 more points to it. Acquiring a young cost controlled top 10 defencemen wouldn’t be a PR move. Also, my point on Nemec was to counter your point of gutting the team. He’s not on the team so removing him wouldn’t be gutting the team. So no I wouldn’t call it a strawman argument. We could continue to go back and forth on this but like I said initially I wouldn’t trade Hughes. However, if the Canucks did entertain the idea they shouldn’t settle for anything less than what I presented.

I wouldn’t amount this to JUST an expensive PR stunt, he’s only 23 and had 76 points last year. He’s a top 10 defencemen in the league and if he keeps progressing the way he has, could be top 5. Mercer is a winger who can easily be replaced by Holtz, Siegenthaler had 21 points last season. Hughes alone replaces both of their point totals. Nemec, although a 2nd OA, hasn’t proven anything yet. So, no it wouldn’t be a PR stunt. You undervalue what Hughes would mean to a team, just look at what he means to the Canucks.

They wouldn’t be gutting the team, Hughes replaces Siegenthaler and they’ll just need to replace Mercer in the lineup. They’ll just bring up Holtz. The other pieces are either futures or Nemec who isn’t in the line up. Devils are ready to compete now and who knows what’ll ch age in 4 years.

I wouldn’t trade Hughes but if the Canucks decided to do so the minimum I would expect coming back would be: To Devils: Hughes To Canucks: Siegenthaler Nemec Mercer 1st round pick 2nd round pick

Joshua - Pettersson - Kuzmenko Hoglander - Miller - Boeser Mikheyev - ??? - Podkolzin ??? - Aman - ??? Hughes - ??? ??? - Hronek Hirose - Myers Demko Martin I’m not going to dive into where and why I placed everyone in the lineup but from where I see it this is our potential lineup. The ???’s are the positions we need to fill. So, how do we do it and with what players. I feel both Garland and possibly Beauvillier will be moved for cap reasons. These positions can be filled internally or externally (UFA, RFA, Trade).

I think in order to shed cap they’ll have to move Myers, Garland and Beauvillier. I would keep Boeser and see if he can come to camp a completely different player. If Pearson and Poolman are on LTIR to start and assuming we retain 3 million on Myers that gives us approximately 12.1 in cap space and 6.25 million in LTIR space. I think that should be more than enough to bring in a 3C and Top 4D and raises along with RFA signings. I trust management enough to know they’ll figure it out, we’ll be good.

That was my thinking, LA is stacked down the middle and that’s without Turcotte up with the big club. I’m assuming for the right price we could pry Kupari from them, a right shot 3C. I don’t mind moving assets if it improves the team and gets us that much closer to contention. I would rather make a push sooner than later. I think with an improved defence, a right shot 3C and someone like Kolesar/Duhaime/Smith we’ll be a playoff team next season.

I was aim I think this would be ideal, a retention in line with what the buyout cost would be year 4 onwards. I was aiming for heavier and harder to play against players which is why I think Kolesar would be ideal on the fourth. But if Smith is a cheaper option and plays a similar style then I’m all for it. I wouldn’t even mind Duhaime from the Wild.

Going into the off season I’m hoping management could move out Myers, Beauvillier, Garland and OEL (with retention). I’m assuming Pearson will be on LTIR as well as Poolman. With that said, who would you target to fill out the roster/lineup? I’ll start with my targets. Mikheyev - Pettersson - Kuzmenko Hoglander - Miller - Boeser Podkolzin - Kupari - Kravtsov Joshua - Aman - Kolesar Hughes - Schenn/Peeke Gavrikov - Hronek Rathbone - Peeke/Schenn Demko Silvos

In order to clear cap I think Myers, Garland and Boeser are traded at the draft or off season. I expect Hoglander to be in the lineup, the way he’s been playing in Abby he should be back with the big club for next season. Ideally with the right trades and signings and keeping with pair chemistry, we could (I hope) look like this come next season… Kuzmenko - Pettersson - [Beauvillier] Mikheyev - Miller - [Hoglander] Podkolzin - [Compher] - Kravtzov Joshua - Aman - [Kolesar] Hughes - [Livingstone/Schenn] [Graves] - Hronek OEL - [Bear/Schenn]

Love it! Needed a top 4 RHD and went out and got one. I would rather this than wait 3-4 years for a draft pick to develop. Now go out and trade for Peeke, sign Livingstone and Graves, revamp done!

Trade: Andrew Peeke (3 Years) I believe Columbus has come out and said Peeke is a trade candidate. I believe he would flourish under Tocchett and solidify our top pairing alongside Hughes. I would offer… To VAN: Peeke To CLB: Rathbone + Hoglander + 3rd UFA: Jack Livingstone (ELC) I would go hard after Livingstone, a big body RHD who plays well on both ends of the ice. Draft: 1st NYI - Reinbacher/- Pellikka/Simashev Any one of these 3 would bolster the pipeline. UFA: Schenn (2 years) I think he’s great for the young guys, leads by example, great locker room guy and he loves being here. UFA: Graves (5 years) Graves would solidify the left-side, a big body at 6’5” and 220 lbs who plays with an edge, something the Canucks have been missing on the back-end. Buyout: Poolman (4 years) A savings of 2 million per for the next two years but costing us an extra 1 million per for the following two years at which point the cap should see an increase, so it’d be minuscule. Conclusion: I believe Myers is gone next season but rather then after the bonus, management might wait until the TDL to maximize value. The savings from Myers would go to Graves but the collective salaries of Peeke, Livingstone and Schenn should allow us to keep OEL for another two seasons at which point he’s either traded (with retention) or bought out. Hughes - Peeke Graves - Livingstone OEL - Schenn

Trade 1: Horvat for Lapierre + Iorio + 1st + 2nd or Horvat for Morrow + Drury + 1st + 2nd I feel both teams will need to add a piece because of what Horvat brings to the ice and the uncertainty of the picks and players involved. Trade 2: Miller + Schenn for Schneider + Kakko + Goodrow Kuzmenko - Pettersson - Kakko Mikheyev - Goodrow - Boeser Pearson - Lazar - Garland Joshua - Wouters - Studnicka Hughes - Bear OEL - Myers Dermott - Schneider Draft top 5 - Carlsson/Fantilli I would go into next year with a fairly similar lineup to the one above for another Top 5 pick. This will allow our prospects to simmer in the AHL or overseas for a year or two before they enter the fold the following season (24-25). Mind you, I do see a fair bit of roster turnover in terms of Boeser, Myers, Pearson, Garland and OEL over these next two years.

Makes sense and I hope it is a secret hotbed, I’d hate to lose Horvat over Miller.

I doubt it’s Horvat, I’m thinking Miller. Isn’t Miller from Columbus ?

You could but I think until Edvinsson and Nemec come along (if we are talking about this lineup after said trades) then you keep him until next trade deadline. If you’re hoping to just trade him sans these trades I’m all for it.

That was essentially what I was trying to do add a few picks, a right shot defensive 3C, upgrade D and target a player or two another team could do without. You could essentially add to either side of these trades but any trades should look to address our main concerns… a defensive right shot 3C, improve defence, alleviate cap concerns and add picks/prospects.

I thought it was a per contract thing guess I’m wrong, in that case, no retention.

Trade 1: Horvat + Rathbone for Edvinsson + 2023 1st round pick top 5 protected Trade 2: Miller + Hoglander for Nemec + McLeod + 2023 3rd round pick Trade 3: Garland for Lysell + Nick Foligno Trade 4: Boeser for Peeke + Nyquist These trades set up our defencemen for the foreseeable future, we also add a few picks and a right shot 3C. We now have two picks in the first round of the coming draft, the possibility of selecting in the top 5 and securing our 2C for the future. Lineup to Finish Season Mikheyev - Pettersson - Kuzmenko Foligno - McLeod - Nyquist Pearson - Aman - Podkolzin Studnicka - Lazar - Lockwood Hughes - Schenn OEL - Myers Dermott - Stillman 2023/24 Lineup Mikheyev - Pettersson - Kuzmenko Lysell - Bedard/Fantilli/Carlsson - Podkolzin Pearson - McLeod - Karlsson Aman - Lazar - Joshua Hughes - Peeke OEL - Myers Edvinsson - Nemec Dermott Stillman Flame away!!!

Miller + Hoglander for 2023 1st + Nemec + McLeod Horvat + Rathbone for Edvinsson + 1st 2023 Boeser + Bear for Peeke + Nyquist Garland for Lysell + Foligno 2022-2023 Lineup Mikheyev - Pettersson - Kuzmenko Foligno - McLeod - Podkolzin Pearson - Aman - Nyquist Studnicka - Lazar - Joshua Hughes - Peeke OEL - Myers Dermott - Stillman 2024 Lineup Mikheyev - Pettersson - Kuzmenko Lysell - Bedard - Podkolzin Aman - McLeod - Karlsson Studnicka/Joshua - Lazar - Joshua/Lockwood Hughes Peeke Edvinsson - Nemec Dermott - Stillman/Woo Deadline Deals OEL (2.27 Retained) for 1st 2024 (BOS) Myers for 2024 2nd + 2024 3rd

Now with JT Miller signed let’s take a look at potential lineups for the upcoming season. Pearson - Miller - Boeser Kuzmenko - Pettersson - Podkolzin Mikheyev - Horvat - Garland Hoglander - Lazar - Joshua/Lockwood Hughes - Dermott OEL - Myers Rathbone - Schenn Our forward group is deep but the defence is meh. The reason I put Dermott with Hughes is because I feel Schenn could do for Rathbone what he did for Hughes. I don’t like Hoglander on the fourth but if there are no plans to trade a forward for a Defenceman then I guess he’d have to start on the fourth. I honestly believe if there is a trade to be made involving one of forwards (Garland) to improve the defence, it’d come either prior to training camp or shortly before the start of the season. As much as I wouldn’t want to trade Garland, I think he’s the only one that could help improve our defensive shortcomings. What do you think? What’s your opening night lineup?

2022/2023 Lineup Kuzmenko - Pettersson - Boeser Mikheyev - Horvat - Podkolzin Hoglander - Chytill - Pearson/Kravtsov Joshua - Lazar- Lockwood Hughes - Dobson OEL - Klingberg Rathbone/Dermott - Schenn/Poolman Demko Martin How did this happen? Trade 1: Miller + (could possibly add a minor piece) for 2023 1st Lundkvist Chytill Kravtsov (since they aren’t willing to give up Schneider) Trade 2: Myers (50%) retained Dickinson for 2nd round pick (Dallas) Trade 3: 2nd round pick (Dallas) Garland Lundkvist for Dobson Signing: Klingberg at 7.5 million for 6 years (Courtesy Swedish discount) If Kravtsov isn’t ready to play in the NHL send him to the AHL and Pearson can take his place. If he is ready and Hoglander falters replace him with Pearson. If both play well, find a suitor for Pearson after the preseason. At the deadline the Canucks could trade one of Rathbone or Dermott and one of Schenn and Poolman; or keep both for depth for a deep playoff run

I don’t know but, If I were a team trading for him I’d like to know the term and dollar amount he’d be willing to re-sign for or whether it would be a strictly one year rental.

I believe a Miller trade is coming but we’ll have to wait until after he’s eligible to sign an extension which is July 13. JR and Co. probably want 2023 draft picks as next years draft is very deep, they want to see which teams miss out on the big name ufa’s and who improves thereby using that knowledge to extract more from a Miller trade; and like I’ve mentioned before, use his extension eligibility to extract maximum return. I believe this is the approach management has decided to take and it is probably the best approach to a Miller trade. Be patient.

They approached the first day of the draft how I was expecting them, unless a trade required the use of the 15th, stand pat and make the selection at 15th. I don't think they were expecting Lekkerimaki to fall to them but when he did they jumped on it and from a management perspective this could be seen as a home run. I think it was mentioned somewhere management thought it was best to observe the later round to see if they liked any players falling out of the first round and then make smart thought-out trades to add a second or two and maybe move out cap space. I think JR and Co. are playing it safe but smart and I commend them for that; too many times we saw Benning making moves for the sake of making moves. It seems to me JR and Co. have a plan and are going to see that plan through but at their own well thought out pace. As for the Miller trade, I think it's going to happen, but I believe the management group preferred 1st round picks in next years draft (seeing as how next year's draft is VERY deep), in any return for Miller. This is probably why they didn't pull the trigger today for any trade involving a 2022 1st. The team trading for him will now be inclined to include next years pick in any return. If we look at the free agent class this year there are some noticeable names out there, I think the management group sees this and wants to wait to see how the first few days of free agency play out and try to extract more when teams miss out on those big names. Also, Miller is able to sign an extension come July 13 and I believe negotiating an extension will play a key part in the value extracted for a Miller trade.