Drag0nDan
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Posts posted by Drag0nDan
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1 minute ago, LGR4GM said:
Cozens cannot start in the AHL this season. NHL or juniors.
So if tage can improve his entire game, he will be good? That is essentially what you are saying.
Haha - i guess so? Playing with a bit of an edge we'll say, I have no idea how he fits in and he was injured last year so he didn't even get a chance to play up under krueger. TT and CM both seemed like they were just gripping their sticks tight and trying to remember what they're supposed to do, instead of just playing hockey.
I think with the amount of UFAs and RFAs cozens probably starts here. I just hope there are players brought in to like, complement them? Not just sign our RFAs and just plug 3 youngsters in and just hope for the best.
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49 minutes ago, SHAAAUGHT!!! said:
Great post. The biggest job for GMKPAP (General Manager Kim Pegula-Adams-Pegula) is to get a proper return on any trades for the players you mentioned in paragraph 2 (Reinhart, Montour, Risto, Casey, Tage) so the team is stronger, not just different.
With regards to which forwards from the AHL may make sense to bring up, I think that depends on how the first 2 lines look after trades and RFA signings happen. I would be ok with Cozens playing with Kahun and Tage/Casey if we are only looking to fill a third line out. But if any of those players are expected to see time on the 2nd line, I don't know if I bring Cozens, Tage, or Casey up without a crazy good camp. I think the guys that win spots out of camp are guys that will fill a need in Krueger's system, and it's hard to consider who that may be with so many question marks on the roster right now...
I think you set a realistic timeline with cozens. You can earn your spot, but you're guaranteed nothing - unlike what they did with casey. If he starts in the AHL, i expect him to center the best line there for 30-40 games, and to essentially play his way onto the big club.
I see Tage making the team outright as a big forward who can shoot. There's a need for a guy like this on the PP as well. If he can play a bit more physical, backcheck a bit more, play more responsibly, he should be fine.
Mittelstadts the one who was looking lost last year and I see him as likely to start in the AHL - the goal being if cozens gets called up, he's now on that top line playing top o-zone minutes. He may also benefit from a shift in position, which will need time at the AHL level. His game needs a lot of seasoning, he was struggling at pretty much everything - struggling with the speed, the physicality, transition, faceoffs, backchecking.
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9 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:
The other bullet we need to consider with Adams with which we've only heard buzz-terms like "blue collar" is the style of player he wants. Just like we saw with GMTM and JBot, it's about your style of player, too.
Reinhart is a good player, Kahun has shown flashes in the NHL. Tage and Mitts and Asplund have potential. None of them are physical that I've seen. Reino forechecks fairly well working the angles and plays the boards well positionally -- but no defenseman handling the puck at his goal line is worried about Reinhart finishing him into the glass. So --- in addition to 2C --- it's about how he stacks his roster to work together. And are all of these players trade chips rather than the kind of player GM Kheevyn wants.
Adams may be satisfied with a Brian Boyle for all we know. Or he might want Malone as the 4C out of Rochester instead of Asplund.
I look at blue collar like - difficult to play against, and hard working. I don't think you need to have more than 1 or 2 guys who are hard hitters, just emphasis on being a tough team to play against.
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10 minutes ago, JohnC said:
I agree that there needs to be a second line caliber of player added more likely through a trade than through the free agent market. However it is done it will most likely be done within the framework of a dollar contract sent out in order to bring in a dollar contract.
For the sake of argument what are our current biggest trade assets? Risto and our #1 pick seem to be our biggest market chips. As it stands it appears that Krueger likes Risto a lot because he adds an element of physicality that the unit doesn't much have. Other than McCabe the unit is staffed with skaters and finesse players. So if Risto is retained then what options does the organization has to build up one of the lines. Why not get a little radical and put together a youth line composed of Cozens-Mitts-and Tage? Is it too young and inexperienced? Probably so. But if Krueger can get it to play with some energy this would be an interesting and maybe even an entertaining option as a trial experiment.
Could always move montour and mitts or thompson if you want to hang onto the 1st (and i think they should)
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34 minutes ago, JohnC said:
Botterill believed in a strategy of drafting and developing in building a roster. His success was predicated on that approach. As it turned out the development process was not fast enough to salvage his job. That is not to say that his strategy was wrong. Are Mittelstadt, Thompson and Cozens ready to make the jump as NHL contributors? I don't know? My belief is if two of the three players do play as contributing third line players then there will be more puzzle pieces and flexibility to work with in order to assemble functioning (goal scoring) lines behind the Jack lines. (I believe that Cozens is going to be a gem but it's going to take at least another year or two to develop into a primary/core player.)
At the end of the season Krueger played Kahun-Johansson-Olofsson as a line. This was a good skating line that was able to generate scoring chances. And because this was such a good skating line it seemed that Kahun and Johansson were each capable of playing the center position. I wouldn't categorize this as a second caliber line but it was in my mind a good third line.
What is evident is that the organization needs to bring in at least one second line forward to create a line that can take some of the scoring pressure off of the Jack line. Getting a second-line center is not an easy task because you have to give up a lot to get that accomplished. If that can't be done then there is still a need to get a second line forward added to the roster.
My preference right now is to have Jack playing on a line with Skinner and Reinhart. I would rather have that one potent line than disperse the wingers on lower lines that will make them less effective.
Yeah - Colorado loads up that top line with Landeskong, mckinnon, rantanen. If johansson is with olofsson and kahun - that basically becomes line 2. Okposo would play on more of that shutdown line with lazar and larsson or possibly asplund? I assume that is the group starting in the defensive zone the most. That leaves you with - cozens mitts asplund thompson. I think there needs to be either a player via trade/fa there because thats a lot of youth on 1 line.
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3 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:
I keep wondering if Kahun was Botterill's idea. Or if Kahun was only acquired so he could shed salary and get Simmonds.
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10 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:
Kahun is going to be protected.
knew i was forgetting something.
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54 minutes ago, JohnC said:
I doubt it. From what it was reported due to the tax law in Russia Pilut could be making nearly twice as much in Russia than he would playing in the NHL. And it is more likely that he will be given a lot more playing time in the Russian league than he would as at best a third pairing defenseman with the Sabres. I like Pilut a lot. He is a good skater and a smart player but he is not better than Joki who has a similar style of game.
In a backhanded way losing a solid to good player like Pilut and not having it more than marginal affecting the unit is a sign that that unit has accumulated a good group of blueliners. A few years ago this unit was bereft a talent. Now it has a solid to good core. That's progress.
Wouldve been nice to lose him for a pick, or as a throw-in on a trade though...
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31 minutes ago, dudacek said:
I don’t know if anyone does because of COVID.
Contracts overall are definitely going to be squeezed significantly by the pandemic. I read a good analysis in the Athletic that said the pot will be reduced by about a third - under a stagnant cap there is about $1.9 million available per open roster spot as opposed to the typical $2.9 million.
How that will manifest itself is not clear.
Granlund signed a three-year deal for an AAV of 5.7 coming off a 69-point year in 2017. He put of 67, 54 and 30 points since and is 28. Zuccarello got 6 per on a 5-year deal last summer as an older but maybe similar-level player.
With a static or downward sloping cap you can try to look at contracts on a scale of cap hit%. I wonder if there will be more players taking shorter term deals to try and cash in on an upward slope instead. I do think there's risk in that - especially going to a team like buffalo who hasn't had much success.
If he's centering reinhart and skinner/oloffson then it might sound a bit more interesting as a player.
This season will be very youth dependent though - what contributions does the team get from casey, tage, cozens and where do they fit? Casey's tough to put on a 3rd line since he doesn't backcheck or play defense well, and isn't strong on the dot. Do we want him starting in the defensive zone? Probably not. If we get the Tage/Casey of the past 2 years too, you can't really put them on jack's line either without essentially making it worse.
Cozens with tage and johansson might work? Again, it can get very draw dependent. If lazar is their d-zone guy, is that line with okposo and larsson/asplund? Where does asplund even fit in? If he's not getting regular ice time he should probably be in the minors rather than being an extra skater here.
Basically if you move reinhart off of eichel's line, who is playing in that spot?
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15 minutes ago, nfreeman said:
I'd like to get a look at Skinner and Reino together too, but I think it's pretty unlikely that neither of them is on Eichel's line.
As for TT and Casey -- I am more optimistic about TT than about Casey. It sounds like, and the numbers indicate that, TT was better in Rochester than Casey was. TT's slapper is also a legit high-end NHL weapon -- something that Casey has not shown he has in his toolbox. I think there is a pretty decent likelihood that TT becomes a good scoring NHL winger, and at least as great a likelihood that Casey washes out.
Yeah - which makes me think CM gets packaged with a montour to try and get a player.
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20 hours ago, nfreeman said:
Interesting. Keep these nuggets coming please!
I will agree that a long-term deal for Hall would be nuts. I'd be more than happy to give him a 5-year deal though (which I think would be the minimum he will accept). I also think it's pretty unlikely that he comes here -- he's been in the NHL wilderness his entire career. I expect he'll go to a contender.
I would also be pretty happy with Granlund.
FWIW, Hall will be 29 in November, while Granlund will be 29 in February. I wouldn't want to give either of them more than 5 years.
As for the forward lines -- I'd like to see Skinner back with Eichel. Skinner shouldn't need Eichel, but I think he does, at least psychologically, and I think RK needs to get more out of Skinner since the Sabres are dying for more offense. So I would go for:
Skinner - Eichel - Kahun
Olofsson - [Granlund/other FNG] - Reinhart
Johansson - Cozens - Ruotsalainen/TT
Asplund - Lazar - TBD
However, I don't expect RK to listen to me, so I expect to see Reino back with Eichel and Skinner back on the 2nd line -- making it all the more critical to find a good 2C.
Agree on Hall... we already have 2 massively overpaid wingers, including skinners that will cost 9 mil well past his prime. And defensemen who will be coming up on pay-days.
Regarding your lineups, I'd really try and get skinner and reinhart together. Put them on PP2 as well. Eichel with Olofsson and kahun should help both of them - if not you always have someone like Tage who could be ready to make a next step. I just look at it like the 2nd PP unit was such garbage, and those 2 anchoring it could help.
I'm hoping both Tage and Casey realize its time to step up and earn their time this year. JB coddled both a bit, and he's gone... so if you want to have a career its kind of on them at this point.
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On 6/16/2020 at 4:48 PM, dudacek said:
This seems like overkill, and is especially surprising given the praise Tayls got from Krueger.
On the other hand, is Victor Olofsson the sole graduate from JBott’s development school?
And was it JB? Or his 4 years playing pro hockey in sweden from age 19-22?
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On 6/18/2020 at 9:41 PM, Curt said:
I don’t think the AHL record played into it all that much. I think it came down to a couple things.
1) There may not even be an AHL season, so why keep these coaches on payroll?
2) Were they developing players and turning them into useful NHLers?
This is how i look at it. Spending money on AHL wins doesn't help grow the mittelstadts of the world. Ideally you want someone like mittelstadt to have like half a season at the AHL level before he comes up. Maybe a full season if he doesn't do well right away. If JB promised him NHL time, that was a big mistake. If getting rid of RoR was to make way for Mittelstadt, that's a criminal mistake.
But at the end of the day - Nylander was a failure. Mittelstadt looks like he'll be a failure. Same with Thompson. Their failure falls on JB, but also on the AHL coaches. Were the scouts all that off on the talent? Or did the coaching staff/development staff fail? Accountability falls on players, but these guys are like 19 and this organization was lacking in leadership.
Cozens seems destined for the same thing as mittelstadt - and I don't see any route where he doesn't end up starting at C. I'm all for him doing it, but he should have to earn it, not get handed a 2/3C spot day 1 out of Juniors.
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16 minutes ago, Taro T said:
'06 Canes. Ward and Gerber both had awful games but the other one would get his head out of his bippy by the time the next game started. Them only replacing their starting 20 for the very last 2 games of the playoffs (and having that "sub" be Eric friggin' Cole) while their opponents were regular MASH wards was the biggest part of their success that year IMHO.
Yeah, but ward won the conn smythe that year so... its hard to say he wasn't considered at least reasonably hot.
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On 6/19/2020 at 6:38 PM, Kruppstahl said:
Kings had plenty of studs. Are you kidding? I loved the makeup of that team.
Drew Doughty? He was the best puck moving horse on the blue line in the league! Plays half the game, shuts everyone down.
And Kopitar? Big, talented guy, contributes offensively, defensively, takes opposing teams 1C away from the game.
Quick at that time was one of the best goaltenders in the league, I can go on.
Jeff Carter was even playing elite level hockey back then.
They had a great team made for playoff hockey with elite level talent on O and D zones.
For what it's worth, I think you do need some elite talent to win the Cup.
Along with a ton of luck, lack of injuries, and about 10,000 other things.
The Cup is the hardest championship to win in N. American team sports, by far.
Hot goalies are big too. Cant remember a team going on a run without solid goaltending.
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On 6/18/2020 at 3:13 PM, GASabresIUFAN said:
TB needs to convince two of Kilhorn, Gourde, Palat and Johnson to waive the NTC and move on so that they can retain Sergachev and Cirelli. It won’t be easy. As to why Johnson might comes here? It’s a fair question and he’ll have other suitors. However his PT has diminished in TB because of Cirelli and Pointe and like JT Miller last year he could really benefit from a change of scenery and an opportunity to play in the top 6 again. We give him that opportunity and have a very talented LW in VO for him to play with. A line of VO, Johnson and Kahun would be very intriguing.
I’m not saying, given our recent history, that this will be an easy sell, but it’s much more likely then TB trading Cirelli in the same division.
Killorn's is a M-NTC, but something tells me buffalos on the NO list ?
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19 minutes ago, Curt said:
I think that’s what his best comparables point towards. Something in the 6.5-7 range on a long term (5+ years) deal. What bargaining power does he have above that of any other RFA?
Why do you think it will be so much? $7-8M?
Because he's giving up UFA years where he may get 8-9 on an open market in his prime. So factoring that in on the average it tends to go up.
Depends on the cap though - as i assume they'd do it as a function of cap.
In any case, with Dahlin and Jokiharju coming up for raises, and being stuck with skinner and okposo's 15 mil combined, how much do you invest in keeping him? Will he help you win a cup in the next couple of years?
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22 minutes ago, nucci said:
No, it's not
Agreed - the lack of depth scoring was and is still a problem.
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12 hours ago, Doohickie said:
He's another one of those, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" players. There's no reason to move him. He improves other players. He's got a good head for hockey and makes a lot of very good plays that go unnoticed unless you really look for them. Now, if he demands a salary out of line with his contributions, then maybe you move him. 2nd in goals and points, 3rd in assists. He's not someone who is easily replaced.
He's going to ask for something in the 7-8 range if you want to lock him up for more than like 3-4 years. If that's the case you'd have to at least consider it right?
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6 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:
No idea is a stupid idea on a gutted team imo. Who is the "core?" Better question for me, IS there a core? There's Eichel and Dahlin and maybe some kids like Cozens who aren't here yet but otherwise does anybody else really matter? Any trade is a good trade if you get a good return.
Pretty obvious nobody'd take Skinner unless you ate a massive amount of contract and a cost cutting organization isn't going to eat players salary to improve their team so pray Skinner goes back to performing at an elte level - even though my cynical gut says worst contract in NHL history by the end of it.
The bigger question is will anybody not under contract now come back? Want to come back? If someone else offers them a deal I'd figure no way. As the rumors now have it JBot apparently tried to bring in other FAs with no success. Adams has no chance of bringing in anybody (unless grossly overpaid, which won't happen) especially on a team that the league is now laughing at (if they weren't already).
The only thing the Pegulas have going for them now is if next season takes place in empty arenas they won't be embarrassed by the half empty arena, the paper bags and the signs calling for resignations, including their own.
This is my thoughts on gutting it. Eichel could fetch the most in a trade, but he's by far the best player we've had here in a very long time. I dont need to look at jersey sales to say that he's #1 by a long shot. Skinner's value is super low... so why move him for pennies on the dollar. Dahlin and Joki are on ELCs, I wouldn't move them when i can likely add years of team control after next year. If they're smart they lock up oloffson for like a 5ish mil cap hit, thats fairly palatable.
Everyone else? I'm listening to offers. Reinhart, Montour, Risto are the big 3. It's probably a bit early to give up on mittelstadt and Thompson - but you can't also go into a season fully expecting them to contribute more than they have. If packaging them in gets you a better return, I'm for it. But this team has like no forward prospects, so its hard to consider moving the ones they do have.
I just have no idea who's ready to come up from AHL, because so few players have come up in the last several years that i just assume they'll suck when they're here. Can Borgen play at the NHL? He's played 2 years at AHL- when else does he get a shot? What about Bryson? 3 year starter in college, played real well last year. Hickey? 4 years. Do we have any forwards who can play?
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On 6/21/2020 at 11:28 AM, Sabre fan said:
Maybe the Pegulas are involved because clearly the people they were paying big money to, and who came highly recommended (as JBotto was) simply were not achieving much of anything or improving the team. This team would be much better if JBotto had left it alone and maybe tweaked some minor moves but this team with ROR, Kane, Lehner in goal and add Skinner and the defense that were brought in and this team would be playoff material.. Clearly both exGMTM and exGMJotto were free to do what they wished as they made moves no hockey person would agree to and make. Truth be told exGMTM was doing better (and had a bette rwin/lose record) then exGMJBotto which i think surprises just about everyone (the Pegulas included)
The team had ROR Kane and Lehner and they stunk. They had eichel and ROR and finished dead last.
Both GMs (GMTM, and JB)
1 -mismanaged the cap
2 - they mismanaged young talent
3- they mismanaged trade assets
4 - both hired the wrong coaches.
That to me, is why they were fired. And if you look at that, its justifiable. The scandella trade was a disaster (the blues traded a 2nd for him and extended him by the end of the year... we got to watch michael frolik play hockey).
Neither GM was ever able to lock up a quality player at a below-market deal in their entire terms. IE David Pastrnak is 6.6 million for 3 more years. Everyones at or above market rate. The core is too expensive, and its not good. Its sad to say, but i'd blow this whole thing up if i could. Reinhart, Risto, Montour would all be out. I'm reluctant to extend a mittelstadt or Thompson beyond a qualifying offer, since neither has proven worth on the ice. Either could also be packaged in a trade at this point.
I'm not even saying tank. Just need to re-evaluate what this team is, and whether under its current construction it can be successful.
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So post-season i was thinking about this... what does this look like?
FWD-Eichel, Reinhart, Skinner (NMC, must be protected), Olofsson, Mittelstadt, Thompson, Okposo
D-Dahlin, Jokiharju, Montour/Risto (still holding out hope they trade one), McCabe, Borgen, Miller
G-Ullmark
The protected forwards are probably not even on the roster, and it doesn't make sense to protect 8 skaters unless they still have both montour and risto - or borgen shows some usefulness. I don't think it matters either way as i think this team will be reshaped a bit before 2020-2021 anyway.
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12 minutes ago, sweetlou said:
I feel GMKA will want to shed a few of the light weight "talent" and get a few more hard working types in the line up. So who is the Core for the next 3 years.
Eichel, Olofsson, Dahlin, and Joker to me are the only untouchables.
Reinhart, Skinner, Kahun, Risto, and Montour are good pieces but also are good chips to trade and build the team he wants.
Cozens, Mitts, and Thompson are prospects but nothing he should rely on.
With having a pretty clean slate to work with this off season, I expect the 20-21 team to look different and definitely have some more toughness.
Skinner's got a NMC with a bad contract. Finding a taker for the contract will be hard enough, let alone making sure he wants to go there. May as well include him in the untouchables... he'll have to be added to the list of protected for the seattle expansion too.
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Just now, Crusader1969 said:
I believe that it came to light that JB knew of the eye issues and did nothing and thats a big reason why he is gone.
Rasmus Dahlin at 20
in The Aud Club
Posted
I always hear the hedman comparisons, then when we play TB all i think is - wow that guy is just... good. He always seems to be making the right plays, great skater, tape to tape passing, and just takes the puck away consistently. Dahlin's improved as the PP quarterback but hedmans on another level at getting your shooters the puck, in space, in the right place for a one-timer.