2020/2021 Trade Speculation and Rumours

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Sec214

This is complete garbage. Who cares if the guy logs massive hours on Fornite/gaming with his friends back in Finland. He can do whatever he wants when he's not at "Work". This is old school theorem, today's players are getting into the NHL/Elite hockey programs when most people are starting to grow facial hair whiskers.

Laine lives to put pucks in the net. Ovi when he was younger was the same way. We've never had a player with his caliber of shot, game breaking ability since maybe Iginla but that's a different generation of hockey.

When Iginla came down his strong side, everyone in the dome and at home knew that it could result in a scoring chance.

Laine brings the same threat. He single handedly beat us early in the season with his game breaking ability.

The work ethic and dedication to their craft is night and day between Ovi and Laine. There is no comparison at all and the fact you think Laine had a better shot than Ovi pretty much ends any credibility you may have had. Ovi trains hard, he takes the game seriously. The exact opposite of Patrick Laine. When the league shut down Ovi was finding ice time to keep in shape back home, he was training. Laine said in an interview he did zero training or skating. He was too busy gaming. Laine will never come close to The things Ovechkin has accomplished and it would not surprise me if his game falls off before he even hits 30. Does he have amazing God given talent? Yes, otherwise he never even would have made the NHL but as he ages and continues to neglect giving a crap about putting the time in to care or practice he will fade away to just an average NHL guy. Probably still be useful as a PP specialist but that's about all.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I get that a lot of fans get emotionally attached to long term players but I don't and he's been consistently inconsistent his entire career. When I see an organization that's had little success for over a decade I start looking hard at guys that have been there the longest. Gio can say he won a Norris, was team captain and had a solid run of great play. Backlund like the team over his tenure has consistently oscillated between between good and bad, never good enough to be that 2nd line center of a cup contender and if fans truly want a culture change I can't think of a better place to start. He's much better in a 3rd line role but over $5 million for a 3rd line center is a luxury I'm not sure this team can afford when they are rotating pressbox players in and out of the top 6.

Well, I'd start with Gaudreau, Gio, and/or Monahan first. Mostly for practical reasons (contract terms, potential returns), but also ease of replacement.

Aside from the truly elite players, solid 2/3 defensive centres might be the scarcest quantity in the league...

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

The work ethic and dedication to their craft is night and day between Ovi and Laine. There is no comparison at all and the fact you think Laine had a better shot than Ovi pretty much ends any credibility you may have had. Ovi trains hard, he takes the game seriously. The exact opposite of Patrick Laine. When the league shut down Ovi was finding ice time to keep in shape back home, he was training. Laine said in an interview he did zero training or skating. He was too busy gaming. Laine will never come close to The things Ovechkin has accomplished and it would not surprise me if his game falls off before he even hits 30. Does he have amazing God given talent? Yes, otherwise he never even would have made the NHL but as he ages and continues to neglect giving a crap about putting the time in to care or practice he will fade away to just an average NHL guy. Probably still be useful as a PP specialist but that's about all.

Ovid did have one season where his work ethic was severely criticized. But then the lockout happened, he played KHL, and came back re-energized. Look at this article:

https://nesn.com/2013/05/alex-ovechk...rs-goal-video/

[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I get that a lot of fans get emotionally attached to long term players but I don't and he's been consistently inconsistent his entire career. When I see an organization that's had little success for over a decade I start looking hard at guys that have been there the longest. Gio can say he won a Norris, was team captain and had a solid run of great play. Backlund like the team over his tenure has consistently oscillated between between good and bad, never good enough to be that 2nd line center of a cup contender and if fans truly want a culture change I can't think of a better place to start. He's much better in a 3rd line role but over $5 million for a 3rd line center is a luxury I'm not sure this team can afford when they are rotating pressbox players in and out of the top 6.

I’m not emotionally attached to any one player on this team at this point, maybe Johnny Gaudreau if I had to choose someone. But it’s more about the crest on the jersey and if Gaudreau or Backlund or whoever has to be traded to improve the team, then so be it, I would understand.

In Backlund’s case though, it’s not what I or anyone else thinks, it’s what the coach thinks and like I said, he’s looking like Darryl’s #1 center right now based on minutes played. So it’s more like Backlund is this team’s $5M no.1 center and Monahan is the $6M luxury 3rd line center. Don’t know if this changes or not, but Sutter seems to really like Backlund, so again, I don’t think there’s a chance he gets exposed and I have felt the same way for a long time now.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Ovid did have one season where his work ethic was severely criticized. But then the lockout happened, he played KHL, and came back re-energized. Look at this article:

https://nesn.com/2013/05/alex-ovechk...rs-goal-video/

Fair enough but that is one season. Comparing Laine to Ovi is like comparing Monahan to Crosby. It isn't close.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Fair enough but that is one season. Comparing Laine to Ovi is like comparing Monahan to Crosby. It isn't close.

It was one season at about the experience Laine has now. Point being, Ovie improved his ethic - he was always criticized about his D before then. He got better and more leader-like. Maybe Laine can too.

[genetic_phreek]

Eichel Eichel Eichel. Did it happen yet?

[bubbsy]

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

Eichel Eichel Eichel. Did it happen yet?

Isn't he injured? Not going to be moved till the offseason.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by genetic_phreek

Eichel Eichel Eichel. Did it happen yet?

Eichel is out for the “foreseeable future”. I doubt anyone is trading for him. If he was guaranteed to be healthy after quarantine, sure, but it sure seems like they are talking long term.

[Flamesfan05]

Once again, Treliving ####ed up

Markstrom was not necessary considering so many problems in other areas.

Markstrom is alright but he is not going to fix the problem.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by Flamesfan05

Once again, Treliving ####ed up

Markstrom was not necessary considering so many problems in other areas.

Markstrom is alright but he is not going to fix the problem.

The Flames needed stability in goaltending. Markstrom has had his struggles since coming back from injury but atleast we know who the guy is for years to come. They weren't going to get that with Rittich and whatever other goalie they bring in to be the 1a/b.

That doesn't mean it wasn't the only problem that needed to be fixed. It just means now you can scratch goaltending as an area that needs improvement.

[NewFan]

I think Sutter is telling to GM to trade someone from LA or ANA, who is dark horse like Kipper, but F or D.

[genetic_phreek]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Eichel is out for the “foreseeable future”. I doubt anyone is trading for him. If he was guaranteed to be healthy after quarantine, sure, but it sure seems like they are talking long term.

I know he's out, but if we have him then I could have hope for the future. Right now I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

[1qqaaz]

I have hated the Markstrom contract before it was signed, at the time it was signed, now, and probably in the future. I expected him to put up great numbers (even Vezina worthy) the first 2 years, and then bad numbers in the following 4 years. I criticized the contract because you can't have an $6 million anchor for 4 years.

So far, Markstrom has performed well below my expectations. If he's putting up 90.3% in his prime, what is he going to do at 34, 35, 36 and 37 years old?
He's 31 and his career save percentage is 91%. Does anyone here actually think his save percentage will be higher than that when the contract ends?

The league average this year is only 90.7%. Markstrom stat's are bad. But they're not that far below average. Interestingly, of the top 11 highest paid goalies in the league, only Vasilevsky, Fleury, and Hellebuyck have save percentages that are above league average.
I think the biggest problem is that he shouldn't be playing so much. I still believe that Markstrom can end the season at 91.0%+ with Sutter as coach. But if he's going to do that, he can't continue to play more than 75% of the games.

And I know many of you are going to blame the team's performance for Markstrom's bad save percentage. That's true, and that's while I think it'll improve under Sutter. But Rittich has a higher save percentage playing in front of the same team. There's no reason Rittich should be sitting out for 6 games in a row.

Give Markstrom some rest. I bet his stat's will improve and then I can calm down with criticism for his long contract.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I have hated the Markstrom contract before it was signed, at the time it was signed, now, and probably in the future. I expected him to put up great numbers (even Vezina worthy) the first 2 years, and then bad numbers in the following 4 years. I criticized the contract because you can't have an $6 million anchor for 4 years.

So far, Markstrom has performed well below my expectations. If he's putting up 90.3% in his prime, what is he going to do at 34, 35, 36 and 37 years old?
He's 31 and his career save percentage is 91%. Does anyone here actually think his save percentage will be higher than that when the contract ends?

The league average this year is only 90.7%. Markstrom stat's are bad. But they're not that far below average. Interestingly, of the top 11 highest paid goalies in the league, only Vasilevsky, Fleury, and Hellebuyck have save percentages that are above league average.
I think the biggest problem is that he shouldn't be playing so much. I still believe that Markstrom can end the season at 91.0%+ with Sutter as coach. But if he's going to do that, he can't continue to play more than 75% of the games.

And I know many of you are going to blame the team's performance for Markstrom's bad save percentage. That's true, and that's while I think it'll improve under Sutter. But Rittich has a higher save percentage playing in front of the same team. There's no reason Rittich should be sitting out for 6 games in a row.

Give Markstrom some rest. I bet his stat's will improve and then I can calm down with criticism for his long contract.

I'm going to get flamed for saying this, but I've never been a fan of Markstrom's, and like you, I was less than enthused when we signed him. In fact, I predicted that sooner rather than later, he would become our new whipping boy. To me, he's a guy who's been mediocre his whole career, until he strung together an all-star season (or 2), but there's plenty of goalies who have had great seasons, only to fall off a cliff.

I've put aside my negativity, and decided that I would be gladly proven wrong. For most of this season, he's been our MVP-but he's looked closer to ordinary since coming back from injury, and a few games before. He certainly could use a rest now, and fewer games going forward. Now that Sutter is here, I have faith that our goalies will look great.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Well I for one am glad we have Markstrom. It’s finally stability in net. Plus, goalies are such a crapshoot nowadays that you’re gonna see the ups and downs of one. Just have to ride a hot goalie when they do get hot.

[Hackey]

We sure turn on players quick around here.

If they didn't spend on Markstrom not sure who they should have spent on. Maybe Hoffman? Does Hoffman alone make a bigger difference than Markstrom with Rittich as our number 1 and a real cheap back? Probably not and the same posters complaining now would be complaining about Brad not getting a number 1 goalie.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Hackey

We sure turn on players quick around here.

If they didn't spend on Markstrom not sure who they should have spent on. Maybe Hoffman? Does Hoffman alone make a bigger difference than Markstrom with Rittich as our number 1 and a real cheap back? Probably not and the same posters complaining now would be complaining about Brad not getting a number 1 goalie.

In the off season I thought Toffoli should have been the number one target. Big right shot RW with finishing ability. Something this team has lacked since Iginla left. I don't disagree with the Markstrom or Tanev signings, I just think they could have been re-prioritized. Or maybe we don't go out and sign the layers of crap afterwards (Levio, Simon, Nordstrom)? Or maybe he dumps a roster player that would have opened up the needed cap space if he wanted all three. But I thought Toffoli addressed the biggest need on the team and he whiffed on it.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by New Era

In the off season I thought Toffoli should have been the number one target. Big right shot RW with finishing ability. Something this team has lacked since Iginla left. I don't disagree with the Markstrom or Tanev signings, I just think they could have been re-prioritized. Or maybe we don't go out and sign the layers of crap afterwards (Levio, Simon, Nordstrom)? Or maybe he dumps a roster player that would have opened up the needed cap space if he wanted all three. But I thought Toffoli addressed the biggest need on the team and he whiffed on it.

I won’t disagree that Toffoli would have been a good target, but I do disagree with your belief Treliving ‘whiffed’ on it. Do we know Treliving talked to Toffoli? Do we know Toffoli had any desire to sign in Calgary?

[Monahammer]

Give Rittich the net for a while, marky will come back more motivated and maybe be able to get over some lingering injury if that's part of the problem. He was putrid last night but he was also superhuman in the early season. Hoping with a rest streak he will even out to above average consistency in the last stretch of the season.

Sutter has fixed some things but I still see a split group that isnt that interested in playing for each other some times.

Time to make an example of someone. Make it a good trade but axe someone from the core. They need a really solid shot of reality.