Hypothetical situation - protect only 3 players for expansion draft

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

That's right, there's no "win" in wingers.

Oh wait.

But seriously, I have no idea what this guy is trying to say here. Gaudreau isn't automatically less valuable because he's a winger -- if anything, he's more valuable, because skilled, 70-80 point left wingers are so rare.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by dino7c

he has won the Flames plenty of games already...Just the asset value alone, he is obviously the most valuable player on the team and will be paid as such

6th in league scoring in his second season

I think Gio and Brodie are both more important. Bennett and Hamilton have the potential to become more important as well. If Monahan turns into a Selke winner then so does he.

People are using Chicago as an example. IMO it goes Keith>Toews>Kane in order of importance during the cup runs.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by DJones

People are using Chicago as an example. IMO it goes Keith>Toews>Kane in order of importance during the cup runs.

And you can have all three of Keith, Toews, and Kane if you simply protect #7, #23, and #13.

[Alberta_Beef]

Gaudreau, Monahan and Brodie

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by DJones

I think Gio and Brodie are both more important. Bennett and Hamilton have the potential to become more important as well. If Monahan turns into a Selke winner then so does he.

People are using Chicago as an example. IMO it goes Keith>Toews>Kane in order of importance during the cup runs.

exactly, Kane is obviously top 3 on a multiple cup winning team

Hamilton over JG

lol, that is all

[DJones]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

And you can have all three of Keith, Toews, and Kane if you simply protect #7, #23, and #13.

Chicago added another top 5ish winger and it didn't help them when Toews and Keith had a down year.

If someone can be that second top center or can anchor the 2nd pairing I think that helps more in the playoffs. A Malkin or a Seabrook/Hjalmarsson replacement is huge. That's why I wanted another year, if Hamilton and Bennett don't hit that level then you take Gaudreau. But if they do, I'd make that tough choice. Current Gio in a 25 year old body would be a no brainer for me.

Watched Ovechkin get frustrated in the playoffs for 10 years. He just doesn't have enough effect on the game compared to a Toews/Crosby/Kopitar that tilts the ice. Kane is the icing on the cake, he was never the secret ingredient.

[DJones]

Pittsburgh, best winger is on their third line. 2 strong centers, one good defense
Kings, never had a star winger, one strong center, one strong defense and depth
Boston, defense and two strong centers

Chicago is the only team that has won recently that is even remotely based around a winger. Even they have an asterik since they had some illegal contracts so their depth was insane. We would have no way to replicate Seabrook, Hjalmarsson, Sharp, Hossa, ect.

I think Johnny will be a big part of the Flames becoming contenders because the team is built well and supports him but If we have to start from scratch I take the centers and defense everytime.

Edit; Guess I misread the OP. I was thinking if we could only pick three players to start a team with. Not protect and we lose one player.

[RougeUnderoos]

Hypothetically, would this expansion team win the Stanley Cup in its first year, or second?

[dino7c]

you still protect JG every single time in this scenario

Which member of this team would fetch the most on the open market? who is going to be the highest paid player on the team?

[Crumpy-Gunt]

Gaudreau Bennett Brodie.

May turn into Hamilton over Brodie in the future.

[JerryUnderscore]

The question "Which three do you protect" is drastically different from "Which three do you keep to start a new team". When it comes to protection, you need to use strategy more than simply selecting the best three players on the team.

While I agree that Monahan, Bennett and Brodie are the three you would want to start a new team with, Gaudreau will get picked up every time, whereas Bennett might not.

If we're assuming every team can only protect three players, than there's a good chance Vegas will select better centre options than Bennett.

You protect Gaudreau, Monahan and Brodie every time.

[MarkGio]

Can't protect Gaudreau. He's not a team player who comes to camp and he obviously wants to play for an American team and he hates kittens probably

[Hatter]

I'd protect Monahan, Bennett, and Brodie. Losing Gaudreau would be awful, but I think the two centres would be easier to build a team around.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Which member of this team would fetch the most on the open market? who is going to be the highest paid player on the team?

Long term? Bennett and Bennett IMO

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by dino7c

are some of you seriously not protecting Gaudreau? that is bat #### crazy

I'm not sure it is. We have two potential 1st line centres and those are more valuable than 1st line wingers. Brodie is a top pairing dman in his prime on a sweetheart deal.

Not protecting Bennett would be bat #### crazy IMO. I expect him to be our best forward in a couple years.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

I'm not sure it is. We have two potential 1st line centres and those are more valuable than 1st line wingers.

Monahan might be a "first line center" in the playing down low / taking faceoffs sense, but Gaudreau does a lot of the duties end-to-end that usually make centres more valuable than wingers. Kane has been the same way (with Handzus 2013, Richards 2015, Anisimov 2016) - making a line with a "2C" or "3C" into a top scoring line while Toews takes on the tough matchups.

Martin St. Louis had the same effect. These types of playmaking wingers are a rare breed as most offensive wingers, even guys like Perry and Ovechkin, are dependant on setups from their Getzlaf or Backstrom.

Monahan is closer to that Stamkos/LeCavalier... an important piece to his important line, but with an impact more closely tracking with a winger relative to is actual despite being the center.

I would rather have Martin St. Louis than Stamkos or LeCavalier.

Or to compare to the Blackhawks - I would rather have a second line pair consisting of Backlund/Gaudreau than a pair consisting of Monahan/Frolik.

Especially if Bennett is the true top line center.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by DJones

We've watched the oilers for the last 10 years. You don't win games with overrated wingers.

Big difference

[dino7c]

Sam has a lot of work to do to meet the expectations of some of you fans