This years starting lineup

[Monahan23]

I like that

But Fayne is RHD and Smid is LHD so switch them. And have Colborne on the wing
Glencross - Stajan - Colborne
McGrattan - Bouma - Jones

And don't really want a defensive FWD like Kulemin with JG

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Dogbert

Let's try this:

Baertschi - Backlund - Hudler
Gaudreau - Monahan - Kulemin
Glencross - Stajan - Jones
Bouma - Colborne - McGrattan

Giordano - Brodie
Fayne - Wideman
Russell - Smid

Ramo
Greiss

Spares - Wolf, Byron, Butler

Total payroll of $55.2 million.

Best so far, but not so sure about the Kulemin acquisition. He had a downright awful season. He might be alright on a 2 year contract though.

Also, not enough people including Baertschi.

[Dogbert]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

But Fayne is RHD and Smid is LHD so switch them.

Done.

Originally Posted by Monahan23

And have Colborne on the wing
Glencross - Stajan - Colborne
McGrattan - Bouma - Jones

Colborne won 48.5% of his faceoffs last year. Not stupendous, but still the best among our regular faceoff takers last season. I'd like to give him one last crack at becoming an NHL-level center before moving him to the wing permanently.

Originally Posted by Monahan23

And don't really want a defensive FWD like Kulemin with JG

Kulemin isn't really a defensive forward. He's a talented two-way player who wound up on the Leafs' fourth line because Carlyle hated him.

[Monahan23]

Originally Posted by blankall

Best so far, but not so sure about the Kulemin acquisition. He had a downright awful season. He might be alright on a 2 year contract though.

Also, not enough people including Baertschi.

Agree, rather give the Kulemin spot to Sven or the D.Jones spot to Sven or make McGrattan a scratch, send Wolf to Adirondack and Sven starts

[kyuss275]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

Agree, rather give the Kulemin spot to Sven or the D.Jones spot to Sven or make McGrattan a scratch, send Wolf to Adirondack and Sven starts

Sven still has things to work on. Won't be surprised if he plays most of next year with the heat. That's not a bad thing.

[Monahan23]

Originally Posted by Dogbert

Done.



Colborne won 48.5% of his faceoffs last year. Not stupendous, but still the best among our regular faceoff takers last season. I'd like to give him one last crack at becoming an NHL-level center before moving him to the wing permanently.



Kulemin isn't really a defensive forward. He's a talented two-way player who wound up on the Leafs' fourth line because Carlyle hated him.

I'm just not sure if he's the best fit for JG. Isn't a big body for the front of the net, doesn't have good hands, I think he's more defensive and would rather have Glencross with him if you want Colborne at C. Athough we have a C surplus, he thrived at wing and he's stuck on the 4th line which I don't want.

[robbie111]

Granlund - Backlund - Hudler
Gaudreau - Monahan - Colborne
Glencross - Stajan - Jones
Ferland - Bouma - McGratten

Giordano - Brodie
Russell - Wideman
Smid - Wotherspoon

Ramo
MacDonald

in the pressbox: Byron, Reinhart and Breen.

Team should have lots of compete and buy-in. This is a team that I think will develop very quickly, and be in a playoff hunt in April barring major injuries or goaltending collapse. I also think Ferland is going to surprise in the mini camps and preseason this year if healthy. He has some skill and can add some needed toughness on the 4th line if Westgarth is not signed. I like Granlund and Backlund together to start with as you have 2 centers if one gets kicked out of the faceoff and think it would be an excellent responsible and offensive line. Granlund and Ferland had great chemistry in the AHL so I could see Granlund slotting in at center with Ferland and Hudler if Backlund gets injured. Gaudreau could also slot top line left wing but I'd like to see him sheltered a bit and get a chance to see if he and Monahan and Colborne can build some chemistry. I actually liked the Russell and Wideman pairing when they were together earlier in the season and I also liked Smid and Wotherspoon in the short time they worked together. Byron was excellent this past year and I could see him slotting in and out of the lineup as well as Reinhart. I'd rather have Ortio and Ramo share duties but that's probably not going to happen unless an injury occurs after what Burke said.

[pgsieve]

Glencross, Stajan, Hudler
Gaudreau, Monahan, Downie
Granlund, Backlund, Colborne
Wolf, Bouma, McGrattan

Giordano, Brodie
Russell, Wideman
Smid, Wotherspoon

Ramo
Halak

Extras: Blair Jones and Reinhart

My thoughts:
- Our fourth line will deal with the big problems with Downie playing on the skilled line in case things immediately hit the fan
- I think we are fine on D and Halak adds a solid 1-2 punch with Ramo

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Hudler - Backlund - Vrbata (PHX) (3 years @ 4-4.5m)
Gaudreau - Monahan - Colborne
Glencross - Stajan - Byron
Westgarth - Bouma - McGrattan


Giordano - Brodie
Russell - Wideman
Smid - Greene (LAK) (2 years @ 3.25m per)
Wotherspoon

Ramo
Elliott (STL) (2 years @ 2.5-3m per)

Glad my original post is still looking good. A few changes I would make though is:

1. Sign Vrbata for another year (make it 4.5 x 4 = 18m). Green's contract is fine, he'll be another fine veteran leader. If we have a chance at acquiring Boychuk from the Bruins, I would take him over Greene. But that's if the Bruins want to give him up (their cap space is pretty tight).
2. With the signing of Wolf, replace him with Westgarth. I still wouldn't mind signing Westgarth though.
3. Let Tyler play another year in the AHL, no need to rush him. Let Breen be the 7th D man.
4. With the Blues signign Elliott, I wouldn't be surprised if Treliving goes for Greiss from the Coyotes.
5. Jones would probably replace Byron's spot. I think Jones needs another year to see if he really is a bust or not, the guy really just needs to crash the net more with his size.


Hopefully, the starting lineup (now revised from my original), looks like this:

Hudler - Backlund - Vrbata
Gaudreau - Monahan - Colborne
Glencross - Stajan - D. Jones
Wolf - Bouma - McGrattan
Byron, Westgarth

Brodie - Giordano
Russell - Greene/Boychuk
Smid - Wideman
Breen

Ramo
Greiss

-Flames add 2 RH players in Vrbata and Greene/Boychuk (if I have to choose a player between Greene and Boychuk as part of the game, it's Greene.
-Sign a solid backup that can start if Ramo gets injured again (hopefully not).
-Our 4th line looks very, very solid.

[Monahan23]

Ine is very similar, if Richards is bought out then sign him but I doubt he will be. Unless there is a cheap deal or he's an FA then don't get him.

Without Richards my team looks like this

1. Draft Reinhart, shoud be available and he's the BPA.
2. Let Cammalleri, Butler, Westgarth go
3. Sign Vrbata (4 years at 18mil) another right handed shot
4. Sign Gustavsson (1 year at 1.5mil), lets Ortio develop one more years
5. Trade Wideman with 25% retained to Detroit for a 2015 2nd and 2014 5th
6. Trade the Pittsburgh 3rd for Matt Bartkowski or Adam McQuaid
7. Sign Mark Fayne (3 years at 7.5mil)

Glencross - Backlund - Vrbata
Gaudreau - Monahan - Colborne
Baertschi - S.Reinhart - Hudler
Bouma - Stajan - Wolf/D.Jones
X: Byron and McGrattan

Brodie - Giordano
Smid - Bart/McQuaid
Russell - Fayne
X Cundari

Rämö
Gustavsson

This team is young and big. Our first line is our primary scoring. I'd expect 50 point years out of 2/3 of them. Backlund will continue his development while Vrbata and Glencross will be a good example for the young players. Our 2nd line is an exciting one. Gaudreau has too much talent for the AHL. Gaudreau will get it tonthe front and that's where you'll always find Monahan and Colborne. On the 3rd line you have Baertschi up and should finally have his breakout year. Rookie Sam Reinhart who is NHL ready IMO. He will set up his two scoring wingers ver well. Hudler hoepfully will guide these two like he did to Monahan. Hudler should continue to provide points as well. As we go sown to the 4th line Bouma earned a spot with his compete level. Stajan willprovide leadership and some skill to the 4th line. We'll see who earns the job, Jones or Wolf. Wolf would be nice because he'll beat the s*** out of anyone who touches Gaudreau. Although Jones deserves another chance. Sitting in the presser but getting in A LOT are Paul Byron who earned a spot with his compete levl last year and Brian McGrattan another guy who'll beat the **** out of you if you mess with Johnny.

On D Brodie and Gio have no reason to be seperated. They're a top pairing on a lot of teams. Gio is still the captain. Smid makes us really tough to play against he can play with anyone. He'll be asked to play with either Matt Bartkowski or Adam McQuiad. Two RHD who are young (one is younger) and can play top 4 minutes. On the bottom pair, extended Russell and FA from New Jersey Mark Fayne is a good pair as well. These two players can do it all. Mobile, offensive, breakout, shutdown, hit, block shots and passes. Cundari brings truculence, hard point shot and mobility.

[TheDebaser]

Gaudreau thrived with a big, smart, and talented two way center in college. That's what Monahan is isn't it?

I think his shot with Gaudreau's passing ability will be very dangerous for a long time to come.

[Gaskal]

The mean Greene Breen Machine?

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Yoho

So I guess "future" means who is our present #2 centre to you.


Fixed!

Yeah, I have no problem with having someone like Backlund as our #2 center. My point, however, is that we shouldn't be handing a kid a #1 or #2 C position after the draft. We aren't the Oilers. Not to mention, none of the kids projected to go top 5 (though all good) have any guarantee of being a top center in the league.

So yes, my current future does see Backlund as our #2 center. I'm pretty happy about it too.

[ComixZone]

Trade:
To SJ: 2015 7th round pick
To CGY: Martin Havlat, 2015 3rd round pick

Sign:
Daniel Winnik - 3 years, 9.0M
Joe Colborne - 2 years, 3.0M
Lance Bouma - 3 years, 3.3M
Chris Breen - 1 year, 0.650M
Thomas Greiss - 2 years, 3.5M

Draft:
4th - Sam Reinhart
34th - Ryan MacInnis

FORWARDS
Jiri Hudler ($4.000m) / Mikael Backlund ($1.500m) / Martin Havlat ($5.000m)
Johnny Gaudreau ($0.925m) / Sean Monahan ($0.925m) / Joe Colborne ($1.500m)
Curtis Glencross ($2.550m) / Matt Stajan ($3.125m) / David Jones ($4.000m)
Lance Bouma ($1.100m) / Max Reinhart ($0.618m) / Daniel Winnik ($3.000m)
Brian McGrattan ($0.750m)

DEFENSEMEN
Mark Giordano ($4.020m) / T.J. Brodie ($2.125m)
Ladislav Smid ($3.500m) / Dennis Wideman ($5.250m)
Tyler Wotherspoon ($0.925m) / Kris Russell ($2.600m)
Christopher Breen ($0.650m) /

GOALTENDERS
Karri Ramo ($2.750m)
Thomas Greiss ($1.750m)

BURIED
Shane O'Brien ($1.075m)

[cannon7]

Glencross-Backlund-Hudler
Geaudreau-Monahan-Poirier
Baertschi-Stajan-Colborne
Bouma-Reinhart-Byron
Arnold, Granlund

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Wideman
Smid-Wotherspoon
Breen/Billins/Cundari

Ramo
Ortio

Out: Cammalleri, Butler, Galiardi, D. Jones, B. Jones, MacDonald

That second line is awfully young and inexperienced, but we're bound to rely
heavily on youth to provide offense next season. Slot Bennett or S. Reinhart
or whoever we pick whever it makes sense.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by cannon7

Glencross-Backlund-Hudler
Geaudreau-Monahan-Poirier
Baertschi-Stajan-Colborne
Bouma-Reinhart-Byron
Arnold, Granlund

Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Wideman
Smid-Wotherspoon
Breen/Billins/Cundari

Ramo
Ortio

Out: Cammalleri, Butler, Galiardi, D. Jones, B. Jones, MacDonald

That second line is awfully young and inexperienced, but we're bound to rely
heavily on youth to provide offense next season. Slot Bennett or S. Reinhart
or whoever we pick whever it makes sense.

That roster is likely somewhere between 5 and 7 million below the projected salary floor.

[cannon7]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

That roster is likely somewhere between 5 and 7 million below the projected salary floor.

Whoever we pick at #4, assuming he makes the roster, should be making rookie max which is ~$3.5M with bonuses. But yes, there is some wishful thinking there and D. Jones is likely coming back if only because we can't get rid of him.

[lazypucker]

I remember last summer we had the last player standing game, when are we going to start that this year?

[Fire]

Originally Posted by cannon7

Whoever we pick at #4, assuming he makes the roster, should be making rookie max which is ~$3.5M with bonuses. But yes, there is some wishful thinking there and D. Jones is likely coming back if only because we can't get rid of him.

I thought rookie bonuses (or any bonuses) don't count against the cap until they actually achieve the bonus?

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by Fire

I thought rookie bonuses (or any bonuses) don't count against the cap until they actually achieve the bonus?

Correct for any bonuses.
Then they count against the following year, like Iginla's will for the Bruins