Official off-season thread

[panzerporter]

One of the funnier stretches on the board this season was when Chuck was dead wrong about Talbot being competent enough to fill in as a starter when Hank went down to injury. Even when it became obvious to even the casual follower of hockey that Cam was more than up to the job Chuck was still posting nonsensical save % comparisons and repeatedly telling the rest of us that he's not starter material. Probably sat on the edge of his seat during games hoping Cam would shit the bed so he could race to his computer and say I told you so.

 

[chuckd3534]

Swing and a miss Panzer...but we are used to that...LOL. I freely admitted I was wrong about Cam. He was awful at first, but then settled into his role and played really really well and helped us finish 1st. So much so that I think there is a market for us to trade him this summer. Good for him so he can get a shot at being a # 1 somewhere. I have ZERO issue admitting I was wrong about Cam after his poor start...ZERO.

And you and I are on the same page Prod...I have no issue giving Mac a shot as well. I would do it in more of a 7th dman role with a solid vet brought in to play the 6th spot until we know if Mac can do it, but overall we agree on giving Mac a shot. Boyle out and a cheaper vet brought in to be the 6th dman and Mac in as the 7th dman who clearly gets a chance to play a good amount of games. The top 5 does not get touched. That's how I'd play the D.

My point on Mac has nothing to do with you actually...it has everything to do with the rest of the guys who mention Chara, say things like oh with Mac here no one will get hit from behind again, or no one will do anything dirty against us again, or no one will get hurt because Mac is here to police that. I'm sorry but I find that all comical. Your opinion on how we should play the D is very sound and logical Prod. You said leave the top 5 alone. You said sub Mac in for Boyle. Nothing crazy there, even if we disagree very slightly on how we'd put Mac in.

 

[theProdigy223]

Right, but remember, if you want to go true vet at 6 and Mac at 7, rather than Mac at 6 and Hunwick type at 7, that vet 6 is going to cost up to a mil more than a 600k Hunwick. That mil could be a big difference in getting a right wing that's worth something, especially if part of Boyle's hit remains on the books after a buyout.

 

[chuckd3534]

If we can go from 4.5 for Boyle down to 2 mill +/- for a vet 6th dman I think we'd be okay. But of course the cap plays into it. If the difference means no R shot top 9 winger then yeah I hear you, but I don't think it will.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

It's not being dramatic at all, I'm trying to make a point and you keep getting hysterical and pulling out bits and pieces you don't agree with.

Nobody disagrees that offense was the problem in the losses. But how do you expect to improve the offense and get that right wing without making changes on D? If you know of a way please walk me thru it because I don't see it.

Without nhlnumbers in front of me so these numbers are ballpark, we have MSL coming off at 5.6, Hunwick at 600k, and Shep with a pro rated hit at about 200k. That's 6.4. Cap going up 2m, so we have roughly 8.5m in space. Staal has a 2m raise, Zucc has a 1m raise, Stepan gets a 3m raise. That's 6 right there, leaving 2.5m. Say Fast and Miller get combined .5. That's 2 million left for your right wing difference maker, and we haven't even discussed Hagelin yet who you hope to resign. So how does the cap work?

That's what brings me to subbing McIlrath for Boyle. McIlrath is the only right shot in the system who can take that over. Not to mention the things he brings that this team lacks. All of a sudden we have a few million dollars more to get a RW whos actually worth something, instead of resigning MSL for a million which is probably what we'd end up with otherwise.

It's not about talking defense for the sake of talking defense, it's about taking a slight step back on D, which was a strength, in order to improve the weakness up front.

you forget that there is a possibility Hags is off the team

 

[mrmel29]

It's not being dramatic at all, I'm trying to make a point and you keep getting hysterical and pulling out bits and pieces you don't agree with.

Nobody disagrees that offense was the problem in the losses. But how do you expect to improve the offense and get that right wing without making changes on D? If you know of a way please walk me thru it because I don't see it.

Without nhlnumbers in front of me so these numbers are ballpark, we have MSL coming off at 5.6, Hunwick at 600k, and Shep with a pro rated hit at about 200k. That's 6.4. Cap going up 2m, so we have roughly 8.5m in space. Staal has a 2m raise, Zucc has a 1m raise, Stepan gets a 3m raise. That's 6 right there, leaving 2.5m. Say Fast and Miller get combined .5. That's 2 million left for your right wing difference maker, and we haven't even discussed Hagelin yet who you hope to resign. So how does the cap work?

That's what brings me to subbing McIlrath for Boyle. McIlrath is the only right shot in the system who can take that over. Not to mention the things he brings that this team lacks. All of a sudden we have a few million dollars more to get a RW whos actually worth something, instead of resigning MSL for a million which is probably what we'd end up with otherwise.

It's not about talking defense for the sake of talking defense, it's about taking a slight step back on D, which was a strength, in order to improve the weakness up front.

Thank you prod. A voice of reason and not hysterics

 

[kreidertime]

You have to understand Chuck's thinking. He is willing to completely destroy the future for 10 to 15 years if the team can win one cup. If they do or don't, during those 10-15 years of misery, he won't be here. He'll root for some other team when they completely suck because they traded all their prospects and picks. He can't grasp the concept of trading for the present and future. Much like the Blackhawks did when they tore some down but built some up so they took a one year hit to be good for another 5-6 years. He doesn't get it and probably never will get it. Both he and Al are so f'n gullible that they think every coach we have doesn't make mistakes in personnel and systems.

 

[Ranger71]

The Blackhawks were top-5 pick awful for 2-3y Dump, which is a bad comparison. The Rangers will never be that bad so dealing 3 or 4 late 1sts for high level guys really was something that needed to be done. We still have enough prospects to jump into the mix to help go for a Cup in this 4-5y window.
As for McIlrath, if he shows he's able to fill in next year as the spare then perhaps use him against certain teams here and there. I just doubt he even gets to that point, much less a regular. Hopefully he can so we can say we got some value out of the pick. Skjei seems like he's really on the cusp, maybe a half year in Hartford.

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Still gullible to believe every pick works out. Tell me oh wise one, how did making huge deadline deals work out of the Kings.. Oh wait they won two cups.... So great one.. What coach out there is perfect? Please tell us that coach who never makes mistakes. You loved torts hire... Then you loved AV who was going to bring that exciting offense, now he is an idiot too because his team lost game 5 and 7 at home. Meanwhile you are missing games to watch the NFL Draft.

 

[chuckd3534]

All you can do is laugh Al. Dump LOVED the Yandle deal, now he is whining and crying about it. Dump is on the 37 year plan, when he actually watches the games and isn't sleeping or watching the NFL draft that is.

And well said 71. Dump has said for years F the Hawks and Pens because all they did was suck to get top 3 picks. He has whined and cried about that and said the NHL should stop that. Now he is talking about the Hawks as the model...funny sh*t.

Our system is awesome is all we hear despite all the rankings showing otherwise. This kid is great and that kid is great. McIlrath is now Chara. NOW the system sucks overnight. Now we need to change 1/2 the team.

We all know in here that he has no clue what he is talking about, but we humor him anyway...we love our dumpy...LOL.

 

[theProdigy223]

6 years, 5.5m hit for Petry on his extension. Talking heads all saying his open market value was even more.

Puts those Girardi-Staal contracts in perspective...that's just the going rate these days

 

[chuckd3534]

I always thought the contracts of G and Staal were good value. Top 2 or 3 dmen are hard to come by. And to me Petry is a 4 or 5 dman, and not as good as G or Staal, so I like those deals even more now. We got very good value there IMO.

 

[theProdigy223]

Agreed. Staal and G are both better dmen than Petry. Although I feel that 71 is about to come and set us straight

 

[Disturbed]

Not to mention McDonough at $4.7m........

 

[chuckd3534]

And Yandle at 2.6 and Klein at 2.9. Our D is locked up with good deals for us.

 

[Ranger71]

Agreed. Staal and G are both better dmen than Petry. Although I feel that 71 is about to come and set us straight

Hahaha..i'm here!It's all in the eye of the beholder..and salary cap. The Yandle Klein deals are great value.

 

[kreidertime]

Who cares about the Yandle deal when it's got one year left and he'll get 6 for 36 next year. Exactly the reason you trade him for the most you can get back to fix the farm which Sather has destroyed with his reckless trades the past 2 years.

 

[chuckd3534]

OR as a team trying to actually win the cup, you take full advantage of the huge plus Yandle's cap hit is for a cap tight team, and if by some slim chance we stink at the trade DL you flip him then to fix the farm.

We know how you operate though dump. You loved the Yandle deal, now you are knocking others who liked it and knocking Sather for making it, and you want to flip him to "fix the farm" which you now think is awful after years of sucking it off.

You now want to fix the farm, change the team drastically, play two rookie dmen in the top 6, and I guess build for 2018 and beyond when Hank is 36.

Why we love our dumpy....

 

[mrmel29]

Big Mac is coming

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

Where are all these great prospects going to play...oh wait..they are playing on lines 3 and 4. As nice as Hags and Fast are..they are a dime a dozen, yes our farm is depleted, one reason is because the Big Club, you know the one that really counts, has been using the good ones, Kreider and ...well Kreider. You getting hot and bothered because you saw a clip of Duclair scoring a goal didn't you, come on admit it.

If Cheryponov didn't die and the Hugh Jessiman, Bobby Sanguinetti (how ever you spell that kids name) and now McIlrath actually were somewhat near a first rounder then this wouldn't be an issue, we would have cups galour...but alas we don't, we have plenty of two way forwards who are undersized. We have to hope this new Russian kid (you remember Grachev and all his hype) can come over to the states and actually play some North American hockey

 

[mrmel29]

Big Mac is coming

I'll take the coaches that see him all season words over someone who sees the kid play once or twice

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

I'll take the coaches that see him all season words over someone who sees the kid play once or twice

Yes...and no...what are they going to say, naw the kid is slow for the next level he will not do anything special....

Granted its Jeff Beuk that is saying it but then again, the NHL has changed since Beuk played

 

[theProdigy223]

"There's a heart and soul guy," Gernander said of McIlrath. "If you watched the way he finished the game, finished the
season, he has made great progress. He played hard right to the end, some big hits, and they were all clean. He
certainly was a presence, someone to be dealt with, in all three series with his physical play. But he didn't take himself
out of position.
"He was solid defending. I think he was a plus-player in every series. He did a great job. You want to talk about
positives, there's one. He has worked as hard as he could for as long as he has been here to get a playoff opportunity as
a key player, a go-to guy and he rose to the challenge."

-That is spectacular to read.

 

[Messiah717]

With one championship in 75 years I don't want to hear about the farm anymore.

 

[theProdigy223]

AV was on Michael Kay yesterday, said (1) the team has to get bigger and (2) there were a "couple" of guys on the pack who had very good years and are ready for the next step.

The writing is on the wall...he's coming...

 

[BigDaddyAl1973]

so is winter....
(shall be interesting to see who gets this reference)

 

[mrmel29]

so is winter....
(shall be interesting to see who gets this reference)

Al, your going to love him when he's up here

 

[chuckd3534]

And by all means I think he should be coming. I only say you cannot just hand him the 6th dman spot. Let him come on up and be in the mix, and if he earns that spot, or more PT, then awesome. I hope he earns it. That would be great for the team.

 

[mrmel29]

And by all means I think he should be coming. I only say you cannot just hand him the 6th dman spot. Let him come on up and be in the mix, and if he earns that spot, or more PT, then awesome. I hope he earns it. That would be great for the team.

Chuck, I have looked into my crystal ball and you are becoming a big mcilreith fan.

 

[Ranger71]

How may different ways are we going to spell McIlrath?