[GDT] ‘Tis the Dog Days of Summer, Are we Thinging Before Training Camp?

[Eddie]

I'm happy with the way Free Agency was approached for a change.  We didn't spend out way into any holes that will affect our ability to be competitive next year and beyond and give prevent a lot of our promising prospects, like Ratu, Hoglander, Petterson, and all the other young D from having a shot. 

 

Also, i feel there is zero point trading low on some of the surplus parts when they are all coming of pretty terrible seasons, Its just a waste of a potential high value asset. If we can have a bit of a bounce back this year and get more points and performances from Garland, Boeser, Beauvillier etc then we could get some very useful returns at the deadline or next offseason. 

 

I do totally agree with the people saying that we have signed players YET AGAIN with the hope they can outperform their historic ranking in a lineup the exact same way we did with Myers, Poolman, Bonino etc etc and they never have (maybe with the exception of Shenn) . 

 

The truth is that we will likely really struggle again to make the playoffs next year, let alone progress in them as realistically we have a top pair of D who are too similar to play together and then a laundry list of bottom pair D. The hope will be then Hughes, Hronek can stay fit and really carry a pair with larger, older veterans on it, similar to the way it worked with Shenn. 

 

That aside our competitiveness next year all depends on consistency - we haven't had a consistent season from this core since the bubble and if this management group can't get a season of performance from the key players were never gonna do anything. 

 

 

[Ghostsof1915]

Woof, Arf, Bark, bark, bark......

[ilduce39]

The down side of a responsible offseason is that it’s pretty boring.

[Nucker 67]

#3C: Blueger > > Aman

 

D: Soucy > > OEL

D: Cole > > Bear

D (3rd pairing size/grit/experience): Irwin > > Burroughs

 

Upgrades

[aGENT]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

I do totally agree with the people saying that we have signed players YET AGAIN with the hope they can outperform their historic ranking in a lineup the exact same way we did with Myers, Poolman, Bonino etc etc and they never have (maybe with the exception of Shenn) . 

 

The truth is that we will likely really struggle again to make the playoffs next year, let alone progress in them as realistically we have a top pair of D who are too similar to play together and then a laundry list of bottom pair D. The hope will be then Hughes, Hronek can stay fit and really carry a pair with larger, older veterans on it, similar to the way it worked with Shenn.

The difference that I think some folks are missing is that (like Schenn in your example there), the guys we picked up and are hoping to play "over their heads" actually fit the player skill set/tools that we need (not dissimilar to Schenn), to be complementary players to Hughes and Hronek.

 

Instead of the ill fitting, redundant skillset, ill fitting players we have been bringing in - trying to cram square pegs in to round holes -  we actually found round pegs. Even if they're not "contender level" pegs...they're still a better fit than the arguably higher quality square ones we've been cramming in there.

 

By all means, long term we still need to bump guys like Cole and Soucy down a pair if we hope to become actual contenders/have a contending D core. But this is one step in the right direction that at least gives the D FAR better balance and varied, complementary skill sets and tools. I don't think anyone is suggesting it's "perfect" or "done" yet.

[Nucker 67]

With NYR losing Kane and Tarasenko, do you think they would be open to trading Lafreniere (RFA)?

 

Not sure what the cost would be. Maybe (e.g.) one of Garland-Beauvillier and Hoglander ?

 

NYR have a bit of cap space

 

Kuzmenko - Pettersson - Lafreniere

Mikheyev - Miller - Boeser

[KingRaj91]

What do we need to be contending for the cup? I honestly feel like a lot of this depends on the emergence of Podz and Hogz. If they have solid years, we could be going somewhere. I feel like we have a very solid top 9, but are missing a bonafide 3C and another solid top 4 D (someone like Pesce, Tanev). What do the rest of you think? What pieces do we need to compete?

[MaxVerstappen33]

7 minutes ago, KingRaj91 said:

What do we need to be contending for the cup? I honestly feel like a lot of this depends on the emergence of Podz and Hogz. If they have solid years, we could be going somewhere. I feel like we have a very solid top 9, but are missing a bonafide 3C and another solid top 4 D (someone like Pesce, Tanev). What do the rest of you think? What pieces do we need to compete?

No teams are perfect. Especially not Seattle or Vegas. 

 

Vegas basically had a 1/2 of a 1st line and 3 third lines. Seattle was kinda built the same way 

[KingRaj91]

34 minutes ago, MaxVerstappen33 said:

No teams are perfect. Especially not Seattle or Vegas. 

 

Vegas basically had a 1/2 of a 1st line and 3 third lines. Seattle was kinda built the same way 

Agreed. I never found Vegas any good, thought they were a decent team but had no idea they'd win the cup. They have a decent blue line though but I think even with our current roster, we're a lot more than a fringe playoff team.

[MaxVerstappen33]

4 minutes ago, KingRaj91 said:

Agreed. I never found Vegas any good, thought they were a decent team but had no idea they'd win the cup. They have a decent blue line though but I think even with our current roster, we're a lot more than a fringe playoff team.

I agree. But the problem with our team the last couple years is we keep finding ways to under achieve. Our team on paper last year was pretty good too. 

 

Hopefully we can just have a normal season for a change.

 

 

[DrJockitch]

Looking at club looks like still need a deal or two. 
Ideally seems like Myers but for me the biggest problem is the mix of wingers. Especially since will have 2 of Garland, Beau or Hogz in bottom six and not a really physical top 6. 
The added size of the D will help with just how small we are throughout the rest of the lineup but it is still concerning. 
I am a bit concerned with a 3rd line featuring Blueger and 4th with Aman and a stricter system that we will struggle to score consistently. 
PK should be better. PP should be okay with Hronek’s canon if he is healthy. 
Still some work needs to be done. Poor centre depth, poor size and not great speed on wings. Depending on D to play higher up the lineup than have historically.  Is Blueger the next Tim Schaller?  
Still some concerns about the lineup that has lacked killer instinct and ability to win games that matter just getting some spackle and paint. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by DrJockitch

[grandmaster]

Happy with the moves so far. 
 

I think we are one more top 4 defender away from being an actual Cup contender. 
 

Package next year’s first and Garland for a premier player off a rebuilding team like a Cam Fowler. 

[R3aL]

On 6/30/2023 at 6:27 AM, DrJockitch said:

For all the good thing this management group has done we are a fair way into the offseason and need to find half a defensive core, a third line centre and desperately need some size on the wing with every position there filled.  

We also desperately need some penalty killers.

Just feels like Benning all over again filling the bottom part of the lineup through the UFA Market because the NHL assets you have to move are very undesirable.  As usual this leads to overpaying for success that players had for other teams and handicaps a cap situation that is already handicapped by the OEL buyout.

We have done a better job than Benning with the deals we found last year but just wish we would stop Benning our way into these situations.

Well I think our PK personnel actually has improved.

 

We’ve added:

 

Mikehyev

Hronek

Cole

Soucy

Blueger

 

now if Aman / Joshua can step up and Myers can play PK2 we good.

 

first unit PK doesn’t project that bad to me:

Blueger-Mikehyev

Cole/Soucy-Hronek

 

 

 

 

[DeNiro]

15 minutes ago, R3aL said:

Well I think our PK personnel actually has improved.

 

We’ve added:

 

Mikehyev

Hronek

Cole

Soucy

Blueger

 

now if Aman / Joshua can step up and Myers can play PK2 we good.

 

first unit PK doesn’t project that bad to me:

Blueger-Mikehyev

Cole/Soucy-Hronek

 

 

 

 

Miller and Petey will always be number 1.

[DrJockitch]

8 hours ago, R3aL said:

Well I think our PK personnel actually has improved.

 

We’ve added:

 

Mikehyev

Hronek

Cole

Soucy

Blueger

 

now if Aman / Joshua can step up and Myers can play PK2 we good.

 

first unit PK doesn’t project that bad to me:

Blueger-Mikehyev

Cole/Soucy-Hronek

 

 

 

 

That was written before July 1. Still remains true but management did a better job of cobbling lineup together with out long term crippling contracts. 
PK looks a lot better on paper. Team looks a little better on paper. 
Will see how shakes out, this team needs to be more than a little better than last year. 

[R3aL]

8 hours ago, DeNiro said:

Miller and Petey will always be number 1.

I don’t think so. I think they will still PK but I don’t think they’ll be unit 1 staples. But we will see! 

[R3aL]

34 minutes ago, DrJockitch said:

That was written before July 1. Still remains true but management did a better job of cobbling lineup together with out long term crippling contracts. 
PK looks a lot better on paper. Team looks a little better on paper. 
Will see how shakes out, this team needs to be more than a little better than last year. 

I didn’t notice date posted my bad!

 

100% agree there’s a lot of ifs needing to happen for things to go well

[MaxVerstappen33]

On 7/3/2023 at 12:04 PM, NUCKER67 said:

#3C: Blueger > > Aman

 

D: Soucy > > OEL

D: Cole > > Bear

D (3rd pairing size/grit/experience): Irwin > > Burroughs

 

Upgrades

I'm not as confident about Cole vs Bear. Or Irwin vs Burr. But that is more about contract terms than who is better. 

 

Did Bear sign with anyone yet ?

[MaxVerstappen33]

On 7/3/2023 at 8:38 PM, grandmaster said:

Happy with the moves so far. 
 

I think we are one more top 4 defender away from being an actual Cup contender. 
 

Package next year’s first and Garland for a premier player off a rebuilding team like a Cam Fowler. 

We aren't going to get another top defender. That is too difficult. No team is perfect

 

If we somehow landed another top pair d man , we'd have one of the better Ds in the league. But that's why it isn't realistic 

[aGENT]

12 hours ago, R3aL said:

Well I think our PK personnel actually has improved.

 

We’ve added:

 

Mikehyev

Hronek

Cole

Soucy

Blueger

 

now if Aman / Joshua can step up and Myers can play PK2 we good.

 

first unit PK doesn’t project that bad to me:

Blueger-Mikehyev

Cole/Soucy-Hronek

 

 

 

 

Might even see Soucy - Cole on PK1, then whoever we have 3rd pair (Wolanin/Irwin/Hirose) with Hronek on PK2.

 

Hughes-Cole can come out for "PK3"/transition back to offense.

 

Adding Pesce or similar though would be a game changer though.

 

Cole-Pesce PK1

Soucy-Hronek PK2