[Poll] Hughes’ partner 23/24 season

[Ted Lasso]

1 minute ago, DrJockitch said:

We tend to throw someone in to play over their head and let Q carry them. 
Imagine if we threw a really good d who complements Q. 
Hronek has a great shot and is RHD. Q is an amazing passer. Hronek likes to lug the puck out of the zone, Q does everything and anything to get the puck out at elite level.  Hronek is the closest in talent and compliments Q the best. Only issue is they both lack size but lack of size doesn’t hold Toews and Makar back.  Put the 2 best D together especially since Hronek is our only true RD other than Myers.   We can have a Soucy Cole second pair for a hard shutdown, force everything to the outside pairing that still moves the puck fairly well. 

I like this take, and have all kinds of time for a Hughes Hronek pairing. The Makar Toews example is a good one.

 

Soucy and Cole may have some chemistry from their time in Minny, and there’s also an outside chance Myers bounces back with a player like Cole

[Ted Lasso]

3 minutes ago, Phil_314 said:

So you're saying we should go for another Juulsen or Burroughs instead of a Cole or Soucy?

Depends on the player…think they’d have to have a better pedigree or NHL experience than our current players to take them. 
 

 

2 minutes ago, DrJockitch said:

A step for Woo is getting an NHL preseason game. He made great strides last year and hopefully can get in a smattering of games this year. 
If he blows all expectations away he still probably isn’t a third pairing NHLer this year. 

Fair point - that’s all I expect this year realistically. That we don’t lose him on waivers, and he gets into 10-15 games due to injuries or trades

[Gawdzukes]

1 minute ago, Ted Lasso said:

If Woo takes a step, I’ll be ecstatic. Good 2nd round karma we need for (at least once) using that pick on a defender.

 

Also - great point on premium prospects like Jiricek. I was clearly too cynical to include that as an option, but that would be ideal

 

We definitely could use some good karma. Would be awesome for the amount of them we through away but we definitely deserve some good luck from other areas we got screwed in.

 

I definitely would like to see a big play for a premiere asset. A first and Lekkerimaki for Jiricek, or Nemec, maybe Schnieder, or that caliber of asset. Would be awesome to have that in place and be able to play Willander on the third line for a year or two while Hronek is playing out his 4 or 5 year deal. Then we would have a natural succession plan in place. It would be hard to part with the first rounder though. We are so short on assets as it is but we need to improve on both fronts.

[Ted Lasso]

2 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

 

We definitely could use some good karma. Would be awesome for the amount of them we through away but we definitely deserve some good luck from other areas we got screwed in.

 

I definitely would like to see a big play for a premiere asset. A first and Lekkerimaki for Jiricek, or Nemec, maybe Schnieder, or that caliber of asset. Would be awesome to have that in place and be able to play Willander on the third line for a year or two while Hronek is playing out his 4 or 5 year deal. Then we would have a natural succession plan in place. It would be hard to part with the first rounder though. We are so short on assets as it is but we need to improve on both fronts.

One thing I love that PA said (paraphrasing) is that they won’t trade a first for a 30 year old player. I hesitate on giving up the 24 1st for Pesce, but have no problem trading it++ for a younger stud Defender like Nemec.  

[flat land fish]

11 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

I like this take, and have all kinds of time for a Hughes Hronek pairing. The Makar Toews example is a good one.

 

Soucy and Cole may have some chemistry from their time in Minny, and there’s also an outside chance Myers bounces back with a player like Cole

I think there’s some situations you might want Hughes and Hronek out together for but given both of their abilities to drive play got to think most of their 5 on 5 play they will be anchoring pairings of their own.

[Ted Lasso]

Just now, flat land fish said:

I think there’s some situations you might want Hughes and Hronek out together for but given both of their abilities to drive play got to think most of their 5 on 5 play they will be anchoring pairings of their own.

Yep, I think this is the most realistic deployment and ‘best of both worlds’ scenario. 

 

H&H for the last minute of the period, for example.

[Gawdzukes]

21 minutes ago, Phil_314 said:

So you're saying we should go for another Juulsen or Burroughs instead of a Cole or Soucy?

No no, we should look for players on waivers that can be a number #6, #7, or #8, and possibly play with QH. Possible upgrades on Myers, Juulsen, Wolanin, and Irwin. Other teams have players in similar situations to Woo. Instead of filling our #7 and #8 spots with a player like Woo, Juulsen, Rathbone (blah) or Johanssen, if they can be upgraded we should be active. I think they could. I'd keep Irwin for sure and probably Wolanin, but at the very least look to fill #8 on a waiver claim. It's really the first time in years we have the luxury of doing so.

 

Cole and Soucy will definitely be regulars imo. Their ability to play both sides allows us to target the best of either RD or LD on the waiver.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Gawdzukes

[Pears]

27 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

As far as assets I think the 2024 first and Lekkerimaki should both be on the table for the right player.

Yeah that’s definitely a good starting point for a package to get a Pesce-type player. We don’t have time to wait for prospects like Lekkerimaki and future 1sts to develop we need to get going with this core now. 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

To be honest, wouldn't mind seeing Rick Tocchet get crazy and innovative and trot out a 4 forward group and Quinn as the lone dman throughout the season. Quinn is so smart offensively and defensively, that would be fun to see.

 

But 5v5 defensive partner makes most sense is probably Ian Cole or Noah Juulsen.

[flat land fish]

7 minutes ago, Pears said:

Yeah that’s definitely a good starting point for a package to get a Pesce-type player. We don’t have time to wait for prospects like Lekkerimaki and future 1sts to develop we need to get going with this core now. 

Lekkerimaki would be a handy Boeser replacement when he hits ufa and on a ELC to boot

[Ted Lasso]

3 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

To be honest, wouldn't mind seeing Rick Tocchet get crazy and innovative and trot out a 4 forward group and Quinn as the lone dman throughout the season. Quinn is so smart offensively and defensively, that would be fun to see.

 

But 5v5 defensive partner makes most sense is probably Ian Cole or Noah Juulsen.

4 forwards and Hughes would be a huge innovation in the notoriously copycat NHL. Has that been done before?
 

 

5 minutes ago, Pears said:

Yeah that’s definitely a good starting point for a package to get a Pesce-type player. We don’t have time to wait for prospects like Lekkerimaki and future 1sts to develop we need to get going with this core now. 

I get this reasoning for sure, especially now that contract talks with EP seem to hang in the balance of our short term success.

 

[Pears]

2 minutes ago, flat land fish said:

Lekkerimaki would be a handy Boeser replacement when he hits ufa and on a ELC to boot

True, which is why I wouldn’t be opposed to moving a Höglander type instead. But as of right now another top 4 RD is really the last thing we need and would make everyone feel much more comfortable about our playoff chances this year. 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

3 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

4 forwards and Hughes would be a huge innovation in the notoriously copycat NHL. Has that been done before?
 

 

I get this reasoning for sure, especially now that contract talks with EP seem to hang in the balance of our short term success.

 

Sheldon Keefe did that with the Leafs last season where if they were down, he played Mitch Marner (their best two way forward) on defence while Tavares, Matthews, and Nylander up front.

[DrJockitch]

38 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

4 forwards and Hughes would be a huge innovation in the notoriously copycat NHL. Has that been done before?
 

 

I get this reasoning for sure, especially now that contract talks with EP seem to hang in the balance of our short term success.

 

Fedorov got moved back to D quite a bit one year. 

[rekker]

New partner has to be Tenille. You know, he's captain now. 

[fanfor42]

2 hours ago, flat land fish said:

I think there’s some situations you might want Hughes and Hronek out together for but given both of their abilities to drive play got to think most of their 5 on 5 play they will be anchoring pairings of their own.

Ya but.  H and H together all year will be dominant as a top pair.  With Cole and Soucy available for 2nd pair I vote to go with H and H and drive play and intimidate teams. If they are out with Petey's line or Miller's line they are gonna push the play hard against the opponent.

 

I like that personally.  I don't wanna hedge bets with two guys with that talent level. Go for it.

[mikeyman109]

I think at some point Quinn has to become the guy that can play with a developing partner. Perhaps Juulsen Hirose, Woo or even Wolanin. Whoever it is will need time to develop chemistry with him and changing the other tire every year is not letting them get in the groove together. Either way we get to see him for another bunch of years and thats a good thing.

[Ted Lasso]

3 hours ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

Sheldon Keefe did that with the Leafs last season where if they were down, he played Mitch Marner (their best two way forward) on defence while Tavares, Matthews, and Nylander up front.

Interesting. Our best defensive forward is also our fastest player and is right handed…

[Ted Lasso]

47 minutes ago, mikeyman109 said:

I think at some point Quinn has to become the guy that can play with a developing partner. Perhaps Juulsen Hirose, Woo or even Wolanin. Whoever it is will need time to develop chemistry with him and changing the other tire every year is not letting them get in the groove together. Either way we get to see him for another bunch of years and thats a good thing.

This is why I voted we should acquire an unproven prospect to try as his partner this year. 

Give him 2-3 options of younger guys that could develop their game specifically to compliment him, starting with Juulsen (who looked good there last season), and maybe an NHL ready prospect via trade or waivers (like Korczak).

 

Admittedly though, this is seems like a safe, low-risk/ mid-reward approach…but it capitalizes on having a strong group of D coaches, and takes advantage of Hughes ability to carry a pair

Edited September 12, 2023 by Ted Lasso

[Phil_314]

4 hours ago, Gawdzukes said:

No no, we should look for players on waivers that can be a number #6, #7, or #8, and possibly play with QH. Possible upgrades on Myers, Juulsen, Wolanin, and Irwin. Other teams have players in similar situations to Woo. Instead of filling our #7 and #8 spots with a player like Woo, Juulsen, Rathbone (blah) or Johanssen, if they can be upgraded we should be active. I think they could. I'd keep Irwin for sure and probably Wolanin, but at the very least look to fill #8 on a waiver claim. It's really the first time in years we have the luxury of doing so.

 

Cole and Soucy will definitely be regulars imo. Their ability to play both sides allows us to target the best of either RD or LD on the waiver.

Lol what you described is essentially Juulsen (I don't think Myers and Hughes are a quality fit).  Unless teams like LA or CBJ have RD without waiver exemption (e.g. if they happen to not want Peeke anymore) then maybe they would move someone who would be an improvement on a #6?  But even then I'd say don't keep your hopes up, either they don't pan out or you're just looking for your run of the mill right-handed muscle that can move some and not be a defensive liability but it's probably gonna be slim pickings (highly doubt any well respected prospect will slip through another organization's cracks without them trading them first).  Props to Allvin and the crew if they have such a fine tooth comb to spot a value flyer.