Quoting: ForsbergForVezina
Gonna just address the big points I disagree with:
I’m still playing Carpenter over Kampf. Helped the PK a lot this season and at 29 (30 next season), I’m not super concerned about his age given the role he’s expected to play. Kampf is better in the faceoff circle, but otherwise, I’m taking Carpy over him every day.
I like Saad up on the top line too, but I have concerns about Kane trying to carry a line with, say, Dach and Nylander. I know splitting up all of the kids isn’t always necessary but Toews and Kubalik can carry a line. I’d be interested in seeing if another year under his belt could help him contribute to that.
I don’t know what Kubalik (and Strome for that matter) will get in free agency, I always tend to worse-case-scenario it. Strome I just put whatever at this point, I think $3.75 MM is what he’s worth. Kubalik is different to me, Panarin was better and had proved it for longer but I used his bridge deal as a comparable and gave Kuby less to compensate for the other factors. To me he’s worth $4-$4.5 million and considering his contract now, he could get it.
Koekkoek is definitely worth that contract and maybe more. His underlying numbers were excellent both this year and last and he can play both sides effectively. Seeing that he’ll almost certainly be cheaper than Maatta and CDH, I think he’s definitely going to be kept, assuming management sees these pros in his game and situation. Between the other two, I don’t know who you move; De Haan is great but his injuries tank his value and Maatta, as much as I like him, is overpaid. Ideally you move one this offseason and many allow the other to get picked in expansion in 2021, that way we can ease our prospects into full duty top 6 time
1) It shouldn't be Carps versus Kampf. Both are similar players, Kampf plays the PK as well, but Kampf is younger so he needs to play to develop more and he's better offensively by quite a bit over Carps. Again, not a Kampf versus Carps argument, both should play but Highmore has earned a spot and he's not a center he's a winger despite what this says on CF. Highmore - Kampf - Carps is a good line. If you're going to sign Fast, which I don't think you should, then Carps is out in favor of Caggs as Caggs is better then Carps. However, you should throw Caggs on the 3rd line instead of Fast.
2) Nylander has shown he can't play against the opponents top lines, he gets hesitant and scared and can't win a board battle to save his life. Nylander is a big liability on the top line and Kubs-Toews-Saad was by far the best line the Hawks had this season. Keep them together and producing and playing 200ft of ice against the opponents biggest and fastest players.
3) You can't compare Panarin to Kubalik. Not only did Panarin play longer, but he was far and away a better player....Panarin is a play maker, Kubalik is a shooter...totally different players. Snipers simply don't earn what playmakers do like MArner, Kane, Panarin. Skinner would be a better comparable to Kubalik and I think pretty much everyone on here and most GMs in the league would agree that Skinner is overpaid. Kubs has one season under his belt, you can't give him a lot of money for 1 season, you sign him for 1 or 2 years on a bridge based on a 1 year of success. Kubalik and the Hawks could say 1 year deal for $3.5M...if he repeats his performance he will get a $5m to $6.5m and if he doesn't that's the risk.
4) I agree except Koekko isn't worth $2M. We need to trade or buyout at least one of Koekko, Maatta or De Haan and likely it will be Maatta. Carlsson has been solid so no reason he can't be played and certainly is better then Seeler. Koekko played well but also had some big brain farts. If he doesn't sign for under $1.5M we need to trade his RFA rights.
5) It's also a very very long shot that the league agrees to a CBO. Now that they are doing the playoffs, very unlikely it's happening. For that reason, signing someone like Fast can't happen, Koekko can't be making $2M and if that's the case trade him, Maatta is gone, and we should pay Kubs between $3.5M and $4M.