2020 Off-season gameplan

[Thorny]

1 hour ago, thewookie1 said:

Technically similar money to last time at 77mil cap but without the Fleury move we'd be at about 74mil salary.

https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1947808

We probably shouldn't go into the season with both Cozens AND Thompson penciled in on RW. Neither are guarantees and they represent half the total. 

That Risto trade seems less than ideal. I actually think GA's would have a better shot at the playoffs. 

Decent roster though even if the cost is a bit high again. Maybe it does end up better if the goaltending shines. I'd add a RWer before Ryan, though. 

Edited September 24, 2020 by Thorny

[thewookie1]

2 hours ago, Thorny said:

We probably shouldn't go into the season with both Cozens AND Thompson penciled in on RW. Neither are guarantees and they represent half the total. 

That Risto trade seems less than ideal. I actually think GA's would have a better shot at the playoffs. 

Decent roster though even if the cost is a bit high again. Maybe it does end up better if the goaltending shines. I'd add a RWer before Ryan, though. 

Ryan is more or less the most I can get with Calgary fans having fit.

Thompson is either playing or traded and Cozens should start on the wing. I could add Thompson to the Chicago trade and drop the 2nd perhaps but that would still leave us short a RW.

[LGR4GM]

5 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Ryan is more or less the most I can get with Calgary fans having fit.

Thompson is either playing or traded and Cozens should start on the wing. I could add Thompson to the Chicago trade and drop the 2nd perhaps but that would still leave us short a RW.

Thompson at this point is more valuable than a 2nd

[Uncle Rico]

Okposo Buyout possible...Can anyone tell me if his signing bonus was paid for this coming season? I cant find that anywhere. I think we may see an Okposo buyout tomorrow. The reason, if he is not due a signing bonus the buyout would be 1m over 6 years. With the talk of an internal cap, that would free up 5m actual dollar to spend. This would still be a salary cap hit of 4m/5m/2m over the next 3 years, but if they are not spending to the salary cap this can be absorbed. Please let me know if I'm all wet on this! Let me know what you would do with that 5m of actual cash to spend on players.

[dudacek]

30 minutes ago, Uncle Rico said:

Okposo Buyout possible...Can anyone tell me if his signing bonus was paid for this coming season? I cant find that anywhere. I think we may see an Okposo buyout tomorrow. The reason, if he is not due a signing bonus the buyout would be 1m over 6 years. With the talk of an internal cap, that would free up 5m actual dollar to spend. This would still be a salary cap hit of 4m/5m/2m over the next 3 years, but if they are not spending to the salary cap this can be absorbed. Please let me know if I'm all wet on this! Let me know what you would do with that 5m of actual cash to spend on players.

Not happening.

[Curt]

46 minutes ago, Uncle Rico said:

Okposo Buyout possible...Can anyone tell me if his signing bonus was paid for this coming season? I cant find that anywhere. I think we may see an Okposo buyout tomorrow. The reason, if he is not due a signing bonus the buyout would be 1m over 6 years. With the talk of an internal cap, that would free up 5m actual dollar to spend. This would still be a salary cap hit of 4m/5m/2m over the next 3 years, but if they are not spending to the salary cap this can be absorbed. Please let me know if I'm all wet on this! Let me know what you would do with that 5m of actual cash to spend on players.

It doesn’t make much sense financially right now.  Maybe next offseason.  Final season starts to make sense.

As long as Okposo is a decent bottom 6 RW, I probably wouldn’t.  Especially with it being a weak position in Buffalo right now.

[Thorny]

15 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Ryan is more or less the most I can get with Calgary fans having fit.

Thompson is either playing or traded and Cozens should start on the wing. I could add Thompson to the Chicago trade and drop the 2nd perhaps but that would still leave us short a RW.

I'd have him as the 13th man. There is going to be an injury. But I'd like at least one other "sure fire" RWer added, as we only have Reinhart and KO in that category right now. 

2 hours ago, Curt said:

It doesn’t make much sense financially right now.  Maybe next offseason.  Final season starts to make sense.

As long as Okposo is a decent bottom 6 RW, I probably wouldn’t.  Especially with it being a weak position in Buffalo right now.

KO is overpaid but he actually adequately fills a role on the team - and the players that do that has honestly been a rather short list of late. 

Edited September 24, 2020 by Thorny

[Taro T]

3 hours ago, Uncle Rico said:

Okposo Buyout possible...Can anyone tell me if his signing bonus was paid for this coming season? I cant find that anywhere. I think we may see an Okposo buyout tomorrow. The reason, if he is not due a signing bonus the buyout would be 1m over 6 years. With the talk of an internal cap, that would free up 5m actual dollar to spend. This would still be a salary cap hit of 4m/5m/2m over the next 3 years, but if they are not spending to the salary cap this can be absorbed. Please let me know if I'm all wet on this! Let me know what you would do with that 5m of actual cash to spend on players.

Really not sure why people keep wanting to see guys get bought out.  You create dead money off future salary caps for twice the remaining term on the contract.  In this case, you're losing cap room through the '25-'26 season.  Eichel will be late 20's then & Dahlin will be just entering his real prime & they'll have been limiting there spendable money the entire way out to then.

If they NEED the cash or capspace this year, send Okposo & a prospect or pick somewhere that they're trying to stay above the cap floor (even eating some of the salary if absolutely necessary as it's only a 3 year hit rather than 6).  Personally, don't expect they really do need that cash/space, so don't see a reason to cut him lose eating the 6 season cap hit.  Detroit & TO have shown it isn't all that difficult to trade away a bad contract.

My 2 cents.

[Thorny]

If he plays at the level he has been on a checking line, he has a chance to just finish out his contract. It's only 3 more seasons. 

[Shootica]

No reason to buy out Okposo this offseason.  He is productive in his role, we don't need the cap space, and that would just be creating a bunch of dead money and lost cap space in the future.

Keep him and re-evaluate in a year.

[Thorny]

Olofsson - Eichel - Reinhart

Skinner - Staal - Thompson

Kahun - Cozens - XXX

XXX - Lazar - Okposo

 

This is how I think KA probably sees the current lineup. They'll sign someone for the 4th line LW. I do think from what we have heard, they are looking to bring in a defensive C to shift Cozens over to RW, to start, filling the other of the two open F spots. Or, failing that, a defensive RW. My personal hope is that they brining in both that C and that RW, (or, I guess, two defensively strong RWers) so that we aren't penciling in Thompson for anything concrete necessarily, and he can be more of a 13th forward on paper.

They'll need two more additions, and I'm hoping for 3. Three additions adequate for the roles I mentioned is pretty much job-well done (on paper) and a firm pat on the back for the new GM, and an E for Effort. We know Ristolainen is staying so, the D I don't think is too hard to work through:

Dahlin - Jokiharju

McCabe - Ristolainen

XXX - XXX

I think Montour is as good as gone and I think they'd prefer to move Miller as I'm not sure coach likes him and they probably want to spend less on third pair RHD. Two defensively responsible (UFA, I'd guess) vets are probably on the menu for KA. These are the two guys like Samuelsson and Borgen will have a shot to beat out. We'd have to be reasonably happy with the D if KA brings in these two vets as it balances the unit and also doesn't rush along the two just mentioned. 

XXX

Ullmark

..it really sounds like they are after a goalie. Maybe a 1A/B type guy with Linus. 

- - -

I bet you'll get something like 3 of those 5 "XXX"s done in UFA (The bottom pair D and the 4th line LW). They aren't going to trade 8 overall, and they probably concentrate the remainder of their tradeable assets (Montour's rights, Miller, Casey?, prospects, picks) on bringing in guys for arguably the two biggest holes remaining - that checking line C (the Larsson replacement) and a goalie. 

The additional RW I am ardently after is the one move I'm viewing as more of a hope right now than something necessarily in their plans, or something being prioritized. But that's just my thought. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Thorny

[Shootica]

Good thoughts @Thorny, that's pretty much how I see it playing out as well. 

That middle six two way RW probably falls into more of a want than a need, but that would be such a key addition for this team.  I was more confident that we'd pursue that kind of player until I realized that Tage is waivers eligible this season, so I bet the org has him penciled into that spot.

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

Olofsson - Eichel - Reinhart

Skinner - Staal - Thompson

Kahun - Cozens - XXX

XXX - Lazar - Okposo

 

This is how I think KA probably sees the current lineup. They'll sign someone for the 4th line LW. I do think from what we have heard, they are looking to bring in a defensive C to shift Cozens over to RW, to start, filling the other of the two open F spots. Or, failing that, a checking line RW. My personal hope is that they brining in both that C and that RW, (or, I guess, two defensively strong defensive RWers) so that we aren't penciling in Thompson for anything concrete necessarily, and he can be more of a 13th forward on paper, to start. 

They'll need two more additions, and I'm hoping for 3. Three additions adequate for the roles I mentioned is pretty much job-well done (on paper) and a firm pat on the back for the new GM, and an E for Effort. We know Ristolainen is staying so, the D I don't think is too hard to work through:

Dahlin - Jokiharju

McCabe - Ristolainen

XXX - XXX

I think Montour is as good as gone and I think they'd prefer to move Miller as I'm not sure coach likes him and they probably want to spend less on third pair RHD. Two defensively responsible (UFA, I'd guess) vets are probably on the menu for KA. These are the two guys like Samuelsson and Borgen will have a shot to beat out. We'd have to be reasonably happy with the D if KA brings in these two vets as it balances the unit and also doesn't rush along the two just mentioned. 

XXX

Ullmark

..it really sounds like they are after a goalie. Maybe a 1A/B type guy with Linus. 

- - -

I bet you'll get something like 3 of those 5 "XXX"s done in UFA (The bottom pair D and the 4th line LW). They aren't going to trade 8 overall, and they probably concentrate the remainder of their tradeable assets (Montour's rights, Miller, Casey?, prospects, picks) on bringing in guys for arguably the two biggest holes remaining - that checking line C (the Larsson replacement) and a goalie. 

The additional RW I am ardently after is the one move I'm viewing as more of a hope right now than something necessarily in their plans, or something being prioritized. But that's just my thought. 

Excellent post.  I agree with almost everything, although I think they are more likely to bring in 1 defenseman or possibly zero.  I agree that Montour is the most likely to go.

I also think that KA will be quite open to bringing in another top-6 forward if another Staal-like bargain presents itself, and that it's reasonably likely to happen given a wave of NHL cost-cutting.  This would push TT down to 3RW (or lower) and/or push Cozens from C to RW.  They have some positional flexibility with Kahun and Cozens, and I can also see VO playing 3LW if a higher-end LW is brought in.

The 1A/1B goalie is at the top of my wish list, followed closely by another good top-6 forward.

 

[Thorny]

Agree on the goalie of course it just really seems to me like another C is the other thing next - so probably more of "defensive usage" C. 

I can see them going after a top 6 winger like you say though, if opportunity beckons. I just see the C as more of a necessity and I actually think KA recognizes the need. 

[sweetlou]

some more trade ideas

 

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/370592?post_id=1798350

[thewookie1]

22 minutes ago, sweetlou said:

some more trade ideas

 

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/370592?post_id=1798350

Not fond of trading Reinhart to begin with. To add Montour in the Calgary offer is extremely good for them but not us. Bennett is a 3rd Liner who plays well in the playoffs. Hanifin and Montour are about the same.

 

I don’t get the whole love affair for Anderson who got hurt and played awful last year. He only had 1 good prior to that.

[PerreaultForever]

25 minutes ago, sweetlou said:

some more trade ideas

 

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/370592?post_id=1798350

CBJs aren't going anywhere near Mitts if Torts has any say. 

As for the Calgary idea I think it overvalues Sam Bennett. As much as I'd love to ditch Montour and am more than fine with trading Reinhart, I think we lose on that deal. 

[sweetlou]

4 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

Not fond of trading Reinhart to begin with. To add Montour in the Calgary offer is extremely good for them but not us. Bennett is a 3rd Liner who plays well in the playoffs. Hanifin and Montour are about the same.

 

I don’t get the whole love affair for Anderson who got hurt and played awful last year. He only had 1 good prior to that.

Because he is 6'3" 225lbs and would be a beast on Jack's RW.

Josh Anderson Career Stats

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	PPP	SHG	SHP	GWG	OTG	S	S%	FO%
Career	-	267	65	50	115	27	212	4	11	2	3	13	2	621	10.5	35.8
2014-2015	CBJ	6	0	1	1	-1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	0
2015-2016	CBJ	12	1	3	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	9.09	0
2016-2017	CBJ	78	17	12	29	12	89	0	0	0	0	3	0	119	14.29	27.59
2017-2018	CBJ	63	19	11	30	-1	42	1	4	0	0	5	2	188	10.11	41.94
2018-2019	CBJ	82	27	20	47	25	60	3	7	2	3	5	0	230	11.74	31.58
2019-2020	CBJ	26	1	3	4	-8	17	0	0	0	0	0	0	63	1.6	36.84

 

 

[Brawndo]

42 minutes ago, sweetlou said:

some more trade ideas

 

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/370592?post_id=1798350

If I’m trading Reinhart to Calgary  Elias Lindholm better be coming back 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Brawndo

[Thorny]

44 minutes ago, sweetlou said:

some more trade ideas

 

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/370592?post_id=1798350

You know the deal is a spot of trouble for us if the first comment is "Calgary accepts" 😄

[thewookie1]

50 minutes ago, sweetlou said:

Because he is 6'3" 225lbs and would be a beast on Jack's RW.

Josh Anderson Career Stats

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	PPP	SHG	SHP	GWG	OTG	S	S%	FO%
Career	-	267	65	50	115	27	212	4	11	2	3	13	2	621	10.5	35.8
2014-2015	CBJ	6	0	1	1	-1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	0	0
2015-2016	CBJ	12	1	3	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	9.09	0
2016-2017	CBJ	78	17	12	29	12	89	0	0	0	0	3	0	119	14.29	27.59
2017-2018	CBJ	63	19	11	30	-1	42	1	4	0	0	5	2	188	10.11	41.94
2018-2019	CBJ	82	27	20	47	25	60	3	7	2	3	5	0	230	11.74	31.58
2019-2020	CBJ	26	1	3	4	-8	17	0	0	0	0	0	0	63	1.6	36.84

 

 

 I see a guy with about 35 pts twice and one bigger goal scoring year. He scores but doesn’t assist. If Skinner plays with Eichel it won’t work just due to that.

[Thorny]

12 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

 I see a guy with about 35 pts twice and one bigger goal scoring year. He scores but doesn’t assist. If Skinner plays with Eichel it won’t work just due to that.

I'd have at least one playmaker on every line but that would just be Eichel on a Skinner - Eichel - Anderson like. Eichel is our best playmaker and as good of a shot as he has, creating is still his greatest offensive strength. 

He's going to find a way to get his shots, and if Skinner was on his line he'd have to keep shooting, as Skinner works best cashing in on Jack's rebounds. 

Not necessarily advocating for Anderson, just pointing out you can put pretty much anyone who's worthy talent-wise on Jack's RW. And sometimes you can even get away with non-worthy players, for a short time. 

An underrated aspect of having a true superstar is how it should allow you to spread some of the talent out across your lineup. 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Thorny

[PerreaultForever]

Bobby Ryan's apparently going to be bought out. I wonder if he'd be worth taking a chance on with a (relatively) cheap contract? A gamble, but he might have something to prove and add to a 3rd line. 

[thewookie1]

32 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Bobby Ryan's apparently going to be bought out. I wonder if he'd be worth taking a chance on with a (relatively) cheap contract? A gamble, but he might have something to prove and add to a 3rd line. 

I'm torn, it would depend on if he's willing to take a sub-million contract and if he falls off be waived.

What's his analytics like at this point? He's a RW who's lost any semblance of speed so I'd be hesitant. That being said if not signed I'd certainly give him a tryout. 

[Broken Ankles]

41 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Bobby Ryan's apparently going to be bought out. I wonder if he'd be worth taking a chance on with a (relatively) cheap contract? A gamble, but he might have something to prove and add to a 3rd line. 

that's a blutarsky....zero - point - zero