Quote:
Originally Posted by SeanCharles
I think something needs to give. The cap will be too tight once everyone is signed and I don't think it's typical of the organization/Treliving to maintain a lack of flexibility for very long.
There are 10 forwards that are guaranteed NHL roster spots on top of essentially being in the lineup whenever healthy in Gaudreau, Monahan, Neal, Tkachuk, Backlund, Lindholm, Ryan, Frolik, Bennett and Jankowski. On top of that there is Czarnik who will likely be given every opportunity to thrive considering how sought after he was.
That leaves 3 forward spots, and essentially only one regular lineup spot, for the likes of Brouwer, Lazar, Hathaway, Quine, Mangiapane, Foo and Dube to fight for with Brouwer holding an expensive 1way contract.
On defence there are 6 established NHL defencemen in Gio, Brodie, Hanafin, Hamonic, Kulak and Stone. Many believe Andersson has dominated the AHL and has nothing left to prove there so it seems natural to pen him into the lineup leaving no room. Others in Prout, Hogstrom, Kylington and Valimaki will have to wait for injuries to get an opportunity on top of one of Kulak, Stone or Andersson will have to sit each night when fully healthy. Kulak and Andersson are developing and Stone has a bigger contract so sitting any of them isn't overly ideal.
Given that we will be right up against the cap it seems difficult to imagine that we won't move out someone that has a higher cap hit in which a younger guy can fill his role.
The players that this most applies to is Brouwer and Stone as I doubt others in Frolik, Bennett or Jankowski would be made available for trade this year. The rest are part of the core, newly aquired or will have lower caps hits so it seems reasonable to narrow it down to these 2 players in particular.
I wouldn't care if we kept Stone as I still think Andersson will get significant icetime to develop but unless Brouwer can be moved somehow I think he will be gone because a little over 7 million to fit in Hanafin, Kulak and Jankowski is doable but will be very tight and minimize roster flexibility.
I do agree however we shouldn't part with additional assets just to get rid of Brouwer.
|
Hathaway, Quine, Mangiapane, Foo and Dube will be in the AHL unless we can trade away Brouwer. Maybe there is a surprise push and Czarnik spends time in the A and Foo or Dube make the squad, but I really don't see that happneing.
Gaudreau-Monahan-Neal
Tkachuk-Backlund-Lindholm
Bennett-Jankowski-Frolik
Lazar-Ryan-Czarnik
Brouwer
Giordano-Brodie
Hamonic-Hanifin
Stone-Kulak
Andersson
Smith
Gillies
That's my guess as to who makes the roster. Ignore the lines because they'll change lots. That leaves one more roster spot and if they don't fill it, then they have flexibility to bring somebody up when there aren't injuries and somebody earns a chance to break into the squad... OR... Valimaki starts the year and Stone-Kulak-Andersson and Valimaki fight for the final two spots... which doesn't make sense for Andersson and Valimaki to spend much time in the pressbox. Maybe Hathaway does stay the team as the 14th forward.
I think there has to be a move at some point before the rosters need to be set. Trelving is in position to wait and see if somebody can push for a spot. Neither Valimaki or Andersson are guaranteed to start in the NHL. Prout is there to either play in the A or take the the 7th spot if the two youn'uns don't earn the spot out of camp.