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qc14

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Forum: Washington CapitalsTue. at 12:27 p.m.
Thread: 2023-24 Season Thread
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>All_Knowing</b></div><div>Thanks for the response here - I do agree with pretty much everything you said above.

Kuemper / Bear being moved would be fine if the right deal came (similar mindset with Kuzy - getting a 3rd for him with retention was definitely the right deal).

Caps should 100% be looking to compete - I truly believe they have the right balance of young vs veterans - they just need more skill (easier said than done).

Regarding the players you mentioned - I couldn't agree more with your defender list. For forwards, Marner / Ehlers would be great. Not so high on Zegras. Norris possibly. Reinhart possibly, but doubt he signs with the Caps. Same with Guentzel.
I'd also throw in Keller. I am very curious to see what the Coyotes (UTAH HC) does here. Are they trying to compete? I would offer a very large package for Keller &amp; Schmaltz...
What would that package look like, I'm not sure...but off the top of my head, something like Chesley, McM (or Lappy), Jensen, 2024 1st, 2025 1st, and a 2nd...probably would need more? Idk.

Regarding the left side, I am also not convinced Sandin is the best option here...I will say though, AA has impressed me recently. I think he has played very well and if it continues, I would be fine with him being on the 3rd pair (while playing 2nd pairing minutes in a pinch).

Another thought here...I think it is becoming more and more prevalent that the Caps don't have as much physicality throughout the lineup. Maybe I am used to the old Caps where they were really big and tough, but imo, the defenders aren't physical enough (besides Fehervary). The forwards (besides Wilson and Beck) aren't quite physical either...
Am I crazy to think that signing a guy like Bertuzzi on a 1 year deal wouldn't be a bad thing. Yes he has struggled this year, especially offensively, but his play has picked up recently and TOR isn't the easiest place to play...I think he would fit nicely on a 3rd line with Milano and Lappy, which would move Protas down to the 4th line</div></div>

Unfortunately all of the chatter on Utah (including from Friedman, who IMO is the only reliable source for this kind of stuff) is that they are going to be big players and almost certainly spend to the cap. Not only does it make Keller probably not possible, but I think they will be in on some guys the Caps could be interested in. I agree we need more physicality, and that's honestly why I would prefer an upgrade over NAK (and possibly Malenstyn) -- both of them hit, but don't really have the mean streak that a guy like Hathaway did. I like Bertuzzi fine but he would be in that tier with for me Monahan and Tofolli (or honestly Mantha) where he's a secondary guy who needs to play with top players that we just don't have.
Forum: Washington CapitalsTue. at 11:07 a.m.
Thread: 2023-24 Season Thread
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>All_Knowing</b></div><div>Looking ahead, I have a few high priority questions for this offseason (which imo, it is the biggest offseason in a very long time):

In no particularly order...
1. What do the Caps do with Kuemper?
- High price for a backup...a few options would be trade (with a sweetener and probably retention) or buy-out (which would be costly down the road)…whatever the Caps do, Kuemper should not be back
2. What do the Caps do with their 2024 1st? Use it as a package piece?
- I'd use it in a package to get a young forward (not totally sure who though...)
3. What do the Caps do with Bear?
- Only 1x~2m but every cent counts I'd say.
4. What is the overall need for the Caps?
- I'd say a top 6 forward (maybe 2 at this point) and a top 4 defender (preferably a RHD)
5. Since FA class is pretty weak, what trade options are out there?
- I could see Pesce being a RHD signing (although it might have to be an overpay since WSH might not be a very desired place with an older team looking towards a potential rebuild/retool). Outside of that, I don't see any other FA signings that intrigue me...Maybe Debrusk at the right price? I'm not sure
6. Going off of that, what do the Caps do about their RHDs?
- Jensen / TVR / Bear / Iorio -&gt; who stays, who goes? Is Iorio ready? Imo, I see Jensen traded / TVR on the 3rd pairing / Bear I have no idea / Iorio stays in Hershey one more year to develop more.

Am I missing anything? Please feel free to answer any of these questions - would love to hear other people's thoughts</div></div>

1. I don't see any real urgency w/ Kuemper TBH. Overpaid -- certainly -- but they're in a spot where they don't NEED the dollars and as you said getting out of a contract like that will be a pain no matter how you do it. Shepard has been great in Hershey but looked overmatched in the NHL to me and I don't think he's a goalie-of-the-future type that you need to clear room for. Stevenson I think does have an NHL future but can take one more year in Hershey. If something comes along do it but not a top priority for me.

2, 4, 5. If they're serious about competing, which I think they should be, you need one legit top line forward and one legit top pair defenseman at the minimum. Move that first rounder for the forward. Still has more value than a real contender's first but right in the spot of this year's draft where the quality (supposedly) falls off a cliff. Best case scenario IMO is a playoff collapse leads to Marner or Ehlers finally shaking free. While I'm still lower on Zegras than most, I think he's the type of bet you make if the price is right. PLD? BUF might be looking to consolidate some of their younger pieces as well, although I'm not enamored with any of them. Josh Norris is the one I keep coming back to as making the most sense for all parties. Forward UFA options aren't very exciting beyond Reinhart and Guentzel. Would stay far far away from Stamkos, Lindholm, Stephenson, Marchessault, Monahan, Toffoli. Not convinced by Sutter as an internal promotion, I'd look for another checking UFA to upgrade NAK. I'm making McM, Lappy, Miro available in the right deal as well.

On D, there's still enough quality in UFA even though I'm very annoyed VGK resigned Hanifin. Pesce, Skjei, Walker would be my first choices. Roy, Montour would be nice as well and guys like Tanev, DeMelo, Carrier, Dillon aren't top 2 guys but are great depth options.

3, 6. I think you can find someone who will give you assets for Jensen. I would keep TVR, I don't think they're finding someone better and cheaper in UFA. Bear is in the Kuemper boat for me -- not great but not THE problem and not worth the headache of trying to move. Iorio I think can challenge but hasn't done enough to not have to fight for a spot. I'm also not so impressed with Sandin (and a long-time AA hater) that making the move at LD is beyond the question for me. Get the best guy you can and make the other moves around that guy's handedness

I'm really bummed that BC lost the Natty and Leonard isn't signing, because I think he would have been a massive help next year. I think you're looking at this lineup in an ideal world:

X - Strome - X
Ovi - McM - Wilson
Milano - Lapierre - Protas
Malenstyn - Dowd - X
Miro

Fehervary - Carlson
Sandin - X
X - TVR
AA - Iorio/Bear

Lindgren
Kuemper
Shepard/Stevenson
Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 18 at 2:02 p.m.
Thread: Wings fire Lalonde hire Fedorov
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Lancebmx</b></div><div>Worrying steps back? Nah. He just doesn't have any help. He also matched his point total without powerplay time. The team defense is really bad, he can't do everything. Also he just turned 23, he has alot of time to grow.
As for the drafting. Sorry he didn't hit on every single pick? In 2019, maybe 6 or 7 guys will be NHL regulars from the second round. 2020 probably about the same thing. I'm guessing he should have a crystal ball and know who are going to be hits.
You obviously know nothing of Edvinsson, Kasper, Danielson or ASP. Edvinsson was looking great at the end of the season, be will be on the team next year. Kasper is playing great in the BB AHL, slow start but that's too be expected when coming to North America. Just cause his points don't jump off the board, doesn't mean he isn't playing great. He has exceptional two way play and gives it all every shift. He is likely the best centre in that draft outside of Cooley and Wright. Danielson is another guy that is playing exceptional. Again, really good two way and is also a work horse. He's had a really decent season in the dub this year, especially after being traded. Most people figured he should have made the team this year with how well he played in preseason. ASP had a really good season in Europe and might possibly come over to North America next year. Nothing wrong with his development.
As for the free agent signings. How the **** do you expect them to ice a team if they don't sign free agents? Are some of the contracts great? Probably not, but when do UFA contracts ever look good. Chiarot was literally one of the best defensemen available in his free agent class, probably had to overpay a bit to get him. He also played quite good this year. Perron was a great add. Copp is a good add even though most people don't think so. He starts 2/3 in the defensive zone, hard to produce offense like that. He has been great as a defensive centre. Compher, same as Chiarot, best centre available in free agency. Petry wasn't great but we had a hole to fill and he filled it. He should be more of a depth player now instead of top four.
The fact of the matter is this team has made positive strides and people that understand how this works are fine with what he has done.</div></div>

Concerns with Seider are over his play-driving. I 100% get that he plays insanely tough minutes but at a certain point to be a truly elite player instead of just a good one you have to win those minutes. Pretty funny you use points to back him up while discounting the point totals of top prospects, which by pretty much every analysis are much more indicative of a prospect's chance of success in the NHL than anything else. Danielson had a bad D+1 season, Kasper had an ok D+2, Edvindsson and ASP both had good but not incredible years as well. Do any of them project to be real top of the lineup guys rather than good secondary pieces? I think Edvindsson still does, but that's about it. The point about the 2nd rounders isn't that every NHL team finds all-stars there, but that there's been no "found money" from anything outside the first round by Yzerman so far. Not expected to hit on everything, but you have to hit on some, especially when you have so many 2nd rounders.

With the free agents, once again, nothing wrong with signing veterans. He has consistently chosen either the wrong vets, given them too much money, or both. Almost $11m for Copp and Compher isn't good enough. Chiarot and Petry have been unmitigated disasters, Holl got 3x3.5 and was scratched for a large part of the season. The entire D-corps minus Seider were veterans acquired by Yzerman and made a total of $20m this season, everyone besides Ghost is signed for next year too. Of that group, Ghost and Maata would be an ok 3rd pair on a contender, that's it. Husso 3x4.75 to be below .900 in both years in DET as well.

He could have easily gone bargain shopping in FA to fill out the roster, but purposefully chose to bring in a bunch of mid-market guys in an attempt to improve. Did that work? In a way, yes, they were playing meaningful hockey down the stretch for the first time in a while, and I won't discount that at all. Fact of the matter is it's been 5 years of Yzerman and they just choked away a playoff spot to maybe the worst team in the salary cap era to make the postseason. At some point, questions need to start being asked.
Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 18 at 8:55 a.m.
Thread: Wings fire Lalonde hire Fedorov
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Lancebmx</b></div><div>Why? He has turned this team from a bottom feeder to one battling for the playoffs with one of the best prospect pools in less than 5 years.</div></div>

Getting it out of the way now that yes I know they haven't had any lottery luck. That being said, he's very purposefully created a team that is Larkin, Raymond, Seider, and a whole bunch of expensive, veteran additions. Is that Larkin/Raymond/Seider core good enough to be the 1c/1w/1d on a playoff team, let alone a contender? Maybe. I would say Larkin and Raymond look like it, but Seider has taken worrying steps back since his rookie year.

As for a top 5 prospect pool -- given they have drafted in the top 10 since 2017 (!!!) I sure would hope they do. I would also point out that no one outside of Raymond and Seider from the 2019 and 2020 drafts look like they will be anything more than depth NHL guys, including all 6 (!!!) 2nd rounders. Edvindsson, Kasper, Danielson, and ASP all have no reasons to be super worried about right now, I wouldn't say any are on track to be real stars or look like they have outperformed their draft position.

Of his big vet adds, which have really been hits? Kane rather surprisingly was, DeBrincat was much more good than bad, and Perron has been good value for the money. Giving out almost 11m to Compher and Copp has been disastrous though, and while Walman and Maata have been completely fine every other D addition has been bad.

The fact of the matter is that even in the easiest playoff race in recent memory, this DET team -- that was almost entirely shaped by Yzerman -- came up short to an absolutely awful Washington team. At some point, this team has to start making actual strides