Off Season Moves Thread

[willeyeam]

Yeah, I don't really know what trade they could make to get a top-6 winger that wouldn't just create a hole somewhere else. Pouliot could do it, but as of now, he's probably in their top-4 d-men. Sutter+something might be able to do it, but then you need a 3rd-line center.

I think it makes the most sense to try to rehabilitate Bennett (mentally and physically) and see if Kapanen is ready. If neither of those is likely, then they can sign cheap filler like Comeau as a bandaid for the season and then hope they're in better position to make something happen next summer.

Thinking along those lines, does anyone know is Sheary has NHL potential? I've never seen him play, but he keeps putting up points in WBS.

I would imagine the Sutter deal making the most sense. It's easier to get a 3rd line center than it would be a top six winger - plus he turns it on in the playoffs. It's not like there's much scoring from him in the regular season anyways.

ehh 21 goals from our third line center is pretty decent

[shmenguin]

With what...like only one or two of them being on the PP? He produced non-power play goals at a first-line level.

...but he still sucks the life force out of his linemates.

[Defence21]

I've got few problems with Sutter, but I'm in the camp that believes he is the best chip to get a top-six winger. As others have said, the market for third line centers is probably a bit better than top-end players, plus they'll likely cost less. Another idea is to target a veteran stop-gap third line center for a year or two until, hopefully, Sundqvist can step in and fill the hole permanently. I'm all for giving Carl Soderberg a shot this summer, either as a top-six winger or third line center. The guy put up nearly 50 points on an offensively-void Boston team. He's still in his 20s and isn't nearly as widely known as some of the other free agents.

[mikey]

I like Soderberg quite a bit myself...

[Arturs Irbe]

What can they get for Sutter? I doubt too many teams are going to give up a top 6 winger straight up for him. It'll take another piece from the Penguins to make that move. If they go after Taylor Hall for example, they're going to have to include someone like Pouliot. I guess my point is I don't really see him being a center piece of a trade unless it's for someone almost identical in terms of production.

[Craig]

If sutter and pouliot could net you hall...well i guess the front office changes edmonton made would be taking them in the wrong direction.

[Arturs Irbe]

If sutter and pouliot could net you hall...well i guess the front office changes edmonton made would be taking them in the wrong direction.

That's not all it would take obviously, but my point was to get a good top 6 winger, it's going to have to cost more than Sutter. And then at the point if they are getting rid of a ton of assets, I'm not sure it'd be worth it.

[mikey]

At some point or another, the realization that the need for a quality third line center outweighs piling on for a third or even fourth top-six winger...you're just tearing open a bigger hole for a shot at adding ten goals...it'll probably cost you 20+ against...

Perron and Hornqvist are both top-six guys...seems unlikely that Kunitz or Dupuis will rebound, but that could be a rotation #4 between the two of them, if they're both still around...so you're looking for one...and if you move Sutter+Bennett+whatever to get one, it's not going to be a world beater...meanwhile, you now need to another good third line center who plays really good defense, is RHS, and can score 20 ES goals per year...?

Not worth opening up that gash, in my opinion...at least not this year...when Sutter is up and then Sundqvist maybe looks ready, ok, maybe then you consider it...but of course then Sutter will have a little less value because he'll be expiring...but...I don't know..

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I was going to say the same thing is mikey. It's like the people who wanted to trade Martin for a top 6 winger...all it does is weaken another area so we don't really get better

It's like removing a bandaid from one area to another. The area it was removed from is going to suffer.

[Pavel Bure]

Hey when the Pens won the cup in 09 who were their top 6 wingers? Huh? Talbot, Fedotenko, Kunitz, Dupuis. Stop with the "gotta trade for a top 6 guy." Hey GMJR get some guys that can muck and grind and make space for Sid and Geno. Finesse doesn't win, it doesn't, heck even when they had the best winger in the league at the time in Hossa that guy was so defensively responsible and played the right way. I'm over the want of a top 6 guy. Hornqvist and Perron are top 6. Now find someone for each of those lines that flat out just grinds, they don't need to score a lot, 30-40 points is fine, get people that play the right way not the mythical top 6 savior.

[Craig]

Dupuis was a 4th liner/ healthy scratch. I stopped reading there because the basis for your post was already way off. Kunits was basicall a point a game player when he came over and guerin wasva true top 6 forward.

[mikey]

Honestly, the issue isn't grind. Perron and Hornqvist don't do much but grind, in fact. I think that was part of our problem actually. We all - and I mean all - coagulated at the net...we didn't have a shooter from distance. That's what we would need to open up the offense a little bit. A guy who can get the puck in the high slot and be a threat to score that isn't Evgeni Malkin, the carrier himself. We tried to work Blake Comeau into that role because he has a decent shot, but he's not a particularly good player, so it wore out...the sustainability and adaptability long-term is fleeting for fourth line players...

That's what you pursue. Someone who can shoot and have it bore a hole in a goalie from 34 feet...easier said than done...

[Arturs Irbe]

Looking back on it, I wish they would've been able to keep Hossa long term. He gives Toews and Kane space and can create on his own. Plus his back checking ability is second to none for a winger.

[Jim]

Dupuis was a 4th liner/ healthy scratch. I stopped reading there because the basis for your post was already way off. Kunits was basicall a point a game player when he came over and guerin wasva true top 6 forward.

Yeah, that was the second time someone said Talbot played top 6 wing, assuming they meant a lot. I just don't remember him consistently on the top 6. Fill in during an in-game injury or equipment issue or such sure... but I just do not recall enough to consider him even remotely "one of the top 6 wings during the Cup run" kind of thing.

[meow]

Just for Game 7 in 2009. The forwards ESTOI ranks:
E. Malkin 18:07
M. Talbot 17:15
J. Staal 16:12
R. Fedotenko 16:09
C. Kunitz 14:59
B. Guerin 14:52
M. Cooke 14:06
T. Kennedy 13:27
C. Adams 9:26
M. Satan 9:06
P. Dupuis 8:00
S. Crosby 7:59

[mikey]

He did rotate in. In fact, I think Talbot spent the majority of the ECF and SCF as being the RW for Evgeni Malkin opposite Ruslan Fedotenko...Talbot had started the playoffs as the fourth line center...Satan lost his role down the stretch, I also recall dressing 7 D for a spell...as Phillipe Boucher played because someone was pretty beat up...Gonchar...?

[columbia]

That Guerin trade worked out ok, eh? As an aside, that seems like 100 years ago.

[sil]

Yes it was Gonchar. He was kneed intentionally by some other russian player from Washington...I can't remember his name though.....

[sil]

I think Duper was also a healthy scratch at times during the '09 run. He definitely was in 2008.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I miss Talbot

[mikey]

Yes it was Gonchar. He was kneed intentionally by some other russian player from Washington...I can't remember his name though.....

Ah, that's right. Good call.

[Pavel Bure]

Forgot about TGOBG. Although he was still alive at that point. Point is the team didn't have the talent it does now in the top 6 and it didn't need it.

[shmenguin]

That's what you pursue. Someone who can shoot and have it bore a hole in a goalie from 34 feet...easier said than done...

[shmenguin]

I think Duper was also a healthy scratch at times during the '09 run. He definitely was in 2008.

was never scratched in 08. was scratched in 09 in finals since we sucked butt at scoring and needed to make room for satan/sykora to accomodate a sid/geno double shift.

[Morkle]

I would imagine if Chicago wins the cup again - Sharp / Hossa may be available due to the amount of money needed elsewhere for the younger guys.

In reality, it may just be me wishing for Hossa.