Second, you try making an ACGM for a team you aren't a fan of. It's hard.
If I'm Sakic, the big decision seems to be between retaining Saad or Grubauer.
Regarding Landeskog and Makar:
Landeskog is just fantastic and helps form the best line in hockey. Oh, and he's the captain. You sign him for what he wants. $8 mil is generous to the team but he takes a slightly friendly contract to ensure the team remains a cup favorite. He signs for 8 years which should be a few years past the cup window, and will likely be expensive for those last few years. That's the price of success.
I think Makar makes sense to bridge. I've been bridging Elias Pettersson at $7.25 mil, so I put a sight premium on Makar, who plays as a number 1 defenseman on the right side and I think is of around the same level of overall talent. If anything, I think Makar might be slightly better than Pettersson. Different positions and roles entirely, que sera. $7.5 mil, 3 years.
This is my hot take of the day here, but I think Grubauer is propped up to undeserved heights by the absolutely ridiculous defense of the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are built to dominate possession and create the most dangerous chances possible. Sakic has built this team to be the poster child of analytics, so instead of looking at save percentage, he looks at goals saved above expected. Grubauer put up a great number in the regular season, with a +5.2 SAE. In the playoffs, however, he posted a measly -1.9 SAE. Immediately below him is Chris Driedger who posted a -2.8 SAE who is one of the only guys on the list of playoff goalies going to UFA. A player 2 spots above him in Petr Mrazek, at -0.7, seems to available for cheaper based on his lack of Vezina nomination. The biggest surprise on that whole list to me at least is Mike Smith actually outperforming Grubauer at a -1.2 SAE in the playoffs and a huge +14.4 in the shortened regular season.
I'll add Mrazek for cheapness sake and hope that Annunen can steal the backup job from Francouz to save cap space and add another veteran contributor at the deadline.
I'll make a trade with my team that hurts to do but actually suits both teams nicely. Rathbone is a great young defenseman who looks like an Avs D-man (moves the puck up ice and skates like the wind), and hopefully he can split the year with Bowen Byram on the 3rd pair left side. The best part for the Avs is he's expansion exempt. The Canucks take Graves as an established NHL D-Man and receive compensation for Rathbone's upside and the expansion slot he saves the Avs. Canucks have ample room to protect Graves. I noticed Justin Barron in the pipe on the right side. One day soon the Avs will have a happy log jam on the back end again and can look to add up front via trade.
The Avs can add 2 more NHL players if they buy out Nichushkin. Maybe they trade him. I don't know who wants him or how much he'd be worth so I just buy him out.
With that space, I'll do something I wouldn't nor the Avs wouldn't normally do and I'll get Getzlaf to centre the 4th line. He's quite old now for an NHLer at 36, but he can still drop the mitts and provides veteran leadership, which seemed to be lacking at times during the series against the Golden Knights. He also gets a fantastic last dance at another cup with the Avs. He needs to take a huge pay cut to make this work but I feel like it's not out of the question after he just made $66 mil, and has a chance to win a cup with the Avs.
That leaves the team with largely the forward group intact. Newhook would need to take a step, although he has looked very capable of making that step. Byram needs to take a big step as well, but I love the heck out of Bowen. He'll be fantastic sooner than later.
The team lacks warm bodies in the press box but if I'm Joe Sakic I'm much smarter then I currently am and I find a way to negotiate the salaries down. I may have also neglected good prospects because I'm not that familiar with the Avalanche's prospect system. I love watching this team for the way they fly around the ice and I hope they do well next year. Their window is wide open but you can tell things are about to get dicey with a lot of expensive contracts coming due.
You aren't getting Rathbone. But, we'll give you a 2nd for Graves
I'm a knucklehead too, Alien. haha. IMO Graves and Rathbone are quite similar. Think about this trade for a while, while it may not make sense to move Rathbone before he's a known quantity, I think both sides benefit from it
I'm a knucklehead too Alien haha. IMO Graves and Rathbone are quite similar. Think about this trade for a while, while it may not make sense to move Rathbone before he's a known quantity, I think both sides benefit from it
Both teams definitely get something good, but I think the Canucks believe in Rathbone too much. We'd be getting a return better than Graves for them to consider it for sure.
Both teams definitely get something good, but I think the Canucks believe in Rathbone too much. We'd be getting a return better than Graves for them to consider it for sure.
Fair, but that's why I added the pick swap. You might be right. I'm concerned about Bones and Hughes overlap in abilities, not that adding Graves fixes that necessarily.
Fair, but that's why I added the pick swap. You might be right. I'm concerned about Bones and Hughes overlap in abilities, not that adding Graves fixes that necessarily.
If Rathbone becomes as good as they think he can be, it won't matter lol. Think about it this way; I wouldn't blink twice if the Avs offered Byram for Rathbone straight up and the Canucks chose to believe in their guy. If he becomes that good, we get a complimentary partner for him and Hughes and build the defense that way.
If Rathbone becomes as good as they think he can be, it won't matter lol. Think about it this way; I wouldn't blink twice if the Avs offered Byram for Rathbone straight up and the Canucks chose to believe in their guy. If he becomes that good, we get a complimentary partner for him and Hughes and build the defense that way.
I agree with the sentiment. I appreciate your outlook, it's helping mine.
Rathbone for Byram straight up though, no way. Give me Byram all day. Of course, I hope that Rathbone ends up better. But at this point I think that is unlikely at best.
This is one of those posts I'll hopefully check back on to reflect. I'm interested in both of their developments
I agree with the sentiment. I appreciate your outlook, it's helping mine.
Rathbone for Byram straight up though, no way. Give me Byram all day. Of course, I hope that Rathbone ends up better. But at this point I think that is unlikely at best.
This is one of those posts I'll hopefully check back on to reflect. I'm interested in both of their developments
If Rathbone has a big impact next year, the Canucks may choose to build their defense core like this after a couple of years:
One of those UFAs would be signed next offseason and that's a rock solid top-4. If that's their long term outlook, then they have a lot of trust and belief in Rathbone. I think they also value home grown players a little bit more compared to an external one. Pure speculation as to if they'd be that extreme, but they definitely value him a lot.
Personally, I don't think his 3 games or whatever are enough to have any expectations for Rathbone next year. With that said, in those three games he looks like can play a similar playstyle to Heiskanen or Makar. If he becomes half of either of those guys he'll be good enough to build a pairing around with a solid partner.
One of those UFAs would be signed next offseason and that's a rock solid top-4. If that's their long term outlook, then they have a lot of trust and belief in Rathbone. I think they also value home grown players a little bit more compared to an external one. Pure speculation as to if they'd be that extreme, but they definitely value him a lot.
Personally, I don't think his 3 games or whatever are enough to have any expectations for Rathbone next year. With that said, in those three games he looks like can play a similar playstyle to Heiskanen or Makar. If he becomes half of either of those guys he'll be good enough to build a pairing around with a solid partner.
Agree about the future being bright. Man, Pulock in 2022 is my dream. Not sure what we can do with Myers haha. Benning seems to live and die by the guy. Hopefully he somehow turns it around.
Bones played 8 games this year, and I watched them all, despite my better judgement. I've loved him from day 1. His goal was an absolute beauty making an aggressive read from the point. His D-zone coverage needs a ton of work. Reminds me of Hughes in that sense. He is passive in neutral zone transitional defense if he can't make an aggressive read. His offensive upside is huge. Hopefully Brad Shaw can work his magic in the defensive aspects with him, Quinn, and Olli. Although Olli needs a new pair of legs so he can skate, more than anything
Agree about the future being bright. Man, Pulock in 2022 is my dream. Not sure what we can do with Myers haha. Benning seems to live and die by the guy. Hopefully he somehow turns it around.
Bones played 8 games this year, and I watched them all, despite my better judgement. I've loved him from day 1. His goal was an absolute beauty making an aggressive read from the point. His D-zone coverage needs a ton of work. Reminds me of Hughes in that sense. He is passive in neutral zone transitional defense if he can't make an aggressive read. His offensive upside is huge. Hopefully Brad Shaw can work his magic in the defensive aspects with him, Quinn, and Olli. Although Olli needs a new pair of legs so he can skate, more than anything
I agree with your take on Benning's attitude. and it's definitely been both great and terrible for the Canucks lol.
I think more than anything he'll be more confident heading into a defined role with a little bit of a leash from his limited showing. That's how the Canucks have developed all their young players and if they really believe Rathbone is worth keeping around even as a 3rd pairing guy moving forward they will. It's the exact opposite of what the Rangers have down with LaFreniere, Kakko and Kravtsov. I have no doubt they would have been given looks with Pettersson and on PP1 immediately when they made the NHL instead of having to "earn it" on the 3rd line.
I think the Avs can get Landy for little less AAV, same with Saad. Liam O’Brien will never play another game for the Avs. If Getzlaf were willing to do that I would be super down w/a 4th line of him LOC (who is a lock for the 4th line) and Kaut. I’d jumble the lines a bit, but I think you did a very fair assessment. Imo Sakic is going to have a hard line in the sand with Grubauer.
I think the Avs can get Landy for little less AAV, same with Saad. Liam O’Brien will never play another game for the Avs. If Getzlaf were willing to do that I would be super down w/a 4th line of him LOC (who is a lock for the 4th line) and Kaut. I’d jumble the lines a bit, but I think you did a very fair assessment. Imo Sakic is going to have a hard line in the sand with Grubauer.
Interesting, thanks! What's wrong with O'Brien? No good? Getzlaf is random in there, not gonna lie. It would be nice if he could play the Perry role for the AVS.
Interesting, thanks! What's wrong with O'Brien? No good? Getzlaf is random in there, not gonna lie. It would be nice if he could play the Perry role for the AVS.
O’Brien was a late season add for a guy that could fight. He was an odd signing at the time and tbh he just isn’t an NHL caliber player. Imo part of the Avs problem against VGK was, besides the 2nd line completely disappearing with the suspension of Kadri, and dmen who all the sudden couldn’t pass or skate the puck out of their own zone besides Makar and Toews, was an effective forecheck and any semblance of offense from the bottom 6 which would have benefitted greatly from a skilled vet with size like Getzlaf (they tried with Soderberg but that’s not his game).
For me you were 100% right in your analysis on Grubauer. He benefitted greatly from the Avs defensive play and getting into an expensive long term contract with him could be a mistake, he was spectacular in game 2 and game 3, but when they absolutely needed a clutch save in games 5 and 6 it wasn’t there.
O’Brien was a late season add for a guy that could fight. He was an odd signing at the time and tbh he just isn’t an NHL caliber player. Imo part of the Avs problem against VGK was, besides the 2nd line completely disappearing with the suspension of Kadri, and dmen who all the sudden couldn’t pass or skate the puck out of their own zone besides Makar and Toews, was an effective forecheck and any semblance of offense from the bottom 6 which would have benefitted greatly from a skilled vet with size like Getzlaf (they tried with Soderberg but that’s not his game).
For me you were 100% right in your analysis on Grubauer. He benefitted greatly from the Avs defensive play and getting into an expensive long term contract with him could be a mistake, he was spectacular in game 2 and game 3, but when they absolutely needed a clutch save in games 5 and 6 it wasn’t there.
Anyway good analysis.
Right, gotcha. Keep in mind Vegas is probably the best forechecking team in the league. They take shots from all over the ice so you have to capitalize on your rush chances and out goalie them. Tough to do.
Right, gotcha. Keep in mind Vegas is probably the best forechecking team in the league. They take shots from all over the ice so you have to capitalize on your rush chances and out goalie them. Tough to do.
I know but it’s not like COL didn’t play them 8 times in the regular season. Girard, Graves and Nemeth were atrocious with the puck in the series, the regular 1st pass they were all so good with they couldn’t make a pass 10ft without it being off target. Girard in particular just started gripping instead of pushing the play which is their hallmark look at how many times Girard circled back letting VGK set up the forecheck. They are to good to allow that.
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