Unofficial 2012/2013 Armchair GM

[Bullfrog]

On its own, that hurts both teams because of lack of replacements. Putting aside any arguments about whether Phaneuf is a top-pairing guy, the fact is he is a top-pairing guy on this team. If he goes, who replaces him?

 

[Champ Kind]

With the Washington Capitals struggles (I really can't believe the way Ovechkin's play has tailed off), is there an opportunity for some sort of deal with Washington?  If the Capitals want to turn it around this season and trade for right-now assets, I wonder if their first round pick this year would be in play (they have a few kicking around from the Varlamov deal, no?).  If they decide they need to tear down and rebuild, would Backstrom be available at a buy-low level?

Watching the Capital stink it up against the Penguins, it was very evident that they need to do something.

 

[Kin]

On its own, that hurts both teams because of lack of replacements. Putting aside any arguments about whether Phaneuf is a top-pairing guy, the fact is he is a top-pairing guy on this team. If he goes, who replaces him?

Well, if we're putting aside arguments of whether or not his top pairing status is a matter of quality vs. necessity then whoever replaces him among the 7 or 8 defensemen on the team will then also become a top pairing defenseman by virtue of necessity.

 

[Kin]

With the Washington Capitals struggles (I really can't believe the way Ovechkin's play has tailed off), is there an opportunity for some sort of deal with Washington?  If the Capitals want to turn it around this season and trade for right-now assets, I wonder if their first round pick this year would be in play (they have a few kicking around from the Varlamov deal, no?).

No. The first rounder they got for Varlamov was used on Filip Forsberg last year. They have an extra second this year, I think.

If they decide they need to tear down and rebuild, would Backstrom be available at a buy-low level?

I find it hard to believe that any team, even a team deciding to tear down and rebuild, would be particularly inclined to trade a 25 year old ppg center. Especially not if he's under a long term, pretty reasonable contract.

Either way though, if Backstrom were available how many teams would be interested in him? That's what would drive the price, not Washington's place in the standings.

 

[bustaheims]

No. The first rounder they got for Varlamov was used on Filip Forsberg last year. They have an extra second this year, I think.

No, the 2nd was in last year's draft as well. They received Boston's pick that the Leafs traded to Colorado for Liles. The Caps eventually sent that pick to Dallas as part of the Ribeiro trade.

 

[Kin]

No. The first rounder they got for Varlamov was used on Filip Forsberg last year. They have an extra second this year, I think.

No, the 2nd was in last year's draft as well. They received Boston's pick that the Leafs traded to Colorado for Liles. The Caps eventually sent that pick to Dallas as part of the Ribeiro trade.

Yeah. I wasn't thinking of that pick but the Vokoun trade but that was a 7th, apparently.

 

[Deebo]

A question on the conditional pick from the Lupul trade.

"Toronto will receive a fourth-round pick if Joffrey Lupul is on the roster for 40 or more 2012?13 season games with the club. If he is not, Toronto will receive a sixth-round pick."

Does IR count as being on the roster?

 

[bustaheims]

A question on the conditional pick from the Lupul trade.

"Toronto will receive a fourth-round pick if Joffrey Lupul is on the roster for 40 or more 2012?13 season games with the club. If he is not, Toronto will receive a sixth-round pick."

Does IR count as being on the roster?

Depends on how they submission to the league when the trade was made was worded. If it says Active Roster, then no. If it's Reserve List, then yes.

 

[Bullfrog]

On its own, that hurts both teams because of lack of replacements. Putting aside any arguments about whether Phaneuf is a top-pairing guy, the fact is he is a top-pairing guy on this team. If he goes, who replaces him?

Well, if we're putting aside arguments of whether or not his top pairing status is a matter of quality vs. necessity then whoever replaces him among the 7 or 8 defensemen on the team will then also become a top pairing defenseman by virtue of necessity.

That's a scary thought though. I have no idea who's even #2 on the depth chart on the Leafs. Liles? Gunnarsson?

 

[Kin]

On its own, that hurts both teams because of lack of replacements. Putting aside any arguments about whether Phaneuf is a top-pairing guy, the fact is he is a top-pairing guy on this team. If he goes, who replaces him?

Well, if we're putting aside arguments of whether or not his top pairing status is a matter of quality vs. necessity then whoever replaces him among the 7 or 8 defensemen on the team will then also become a top pairing defenseman by virtue of necessity.

That's a scary thought though. I have no idea who's even #2 on the depth chart on the Leafs. Liles? Gunnarsson?

I'd assume Gunnar but you're right, it's slim pickings.

 

[Rebel_1812]

With the Washington Capitals struggles (I really can't believe the way Ovechkin's play has tailed off), is there an opportunity for some sort of deal with Washington?  If the Capitals want to turn it around this season and trade for right-now assets, I wonder if their first round pick this year would be in play (they have a few kicking around from the Varlamov deal, no?).

No. The first rounder they got for Varlamov was used on Filip Forsberg last year. They have an extra second this year, I think.

We could always trad for filip forsberg.  He should be a real good forward in a couple years.  What are washington's needs though?

 

[Britishbulldog]

Phaneuf for Stastny... Couldn't hurt either team right now.

My beef is the money allocated to players.  Grabovski has been one of my unsung heroes on the Leafs but is now the highest paid forward and needs to be the game changer everyone is looking for. 

Maybe Nonis can trade Grabovski to Anaheim for Getzlaf so that the Ducks can get older, smaller and have a larger salary to cover.

 

[Erndog]

With the Washington Capitals struggles (I really can't believe the way Ovechkin's play has tailed off), is there an opportunity for some sort of deal with Washington?  If the Capitals want to turn it around this season and trade for right-now assets, I wonder if their first round pick this year would be in play (they have a few kicking around from the Varlamov deal, no?).

No. The first rounder they got for Varlamov was used on Filip Forsberg last year. They have an extra second this year, I think.

We could always trad for filip forsberg.  He should be a real good forward in a couple years.  What are washington's needs though?

No, we can't "always trade for Filip Forsberg."

Forsberg for Morgan Rielly is pretty much fair value.  Want to do that?  Clearly the Leafs wouldn't as they would have just drafted Forsberg in the first place.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

With the Washington Capitals struggles (I really can't believe the way Ovechkin's play has tailed off), is there an opportunity for some sort of deal with Washington?  If the Capitals want to turn it around this season and trade for right-now assets, I wonder if their first round pick this year would be in play (they have a few kicking around from the Varlamov deal, no?).

No. The first rounder they got for Varlamov was used on Filip Forsberg last year. They have an extra second this year, I think.

We could always trad for filip forsberg.  He should be a real good forward in a couple years.  What are washington's needs though?

No, we can't "always trade for Filip Forsberg."

Forsberg for Morgan Rielly is pretty much fair value.  Want to do that?  Clearly the Leafs wouldn't as they would have just drafted Forsberg in the first place.

We can always trade for him just like we can always sign free agents for the exact same dollar amount they elect to sign for elsewhere.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Phaneuf for Stastny... Couldn't hurt either team right now.

I'd go after Ryan O'Reilly instead.

 

[Britishbulldog]

When everyone is healthy, a Brown-McClement-Komarov line could be a real nightmare to play against.

Definitely. If the Kadri/Frattin/Komarov combination wasn't working so well, that would definitely be something I'd want the team to try out.

I just see it as a numbers game, with Lupul and Mac in the lineup, one of them will no doubt take Leo's spot on that line as I don't see either of those or JVR seeing the 4th line.

Fair enough. Unless someone's moved out, that's a likely scenario.

I just hope that with Lups and Mac return the odd men out will be McLaren and Orr, not guys like Steckel, Frattin, McClement or Komarov.

Carlyle loves McClement, so he's not going anywhere.  Komarov lead in hits, so I highly doubt he is going anywhere.  Frattin has been too good to take out, unless he really falls off a cliff in his play.  Steckel who knows?

Blending todays practice lines with your guy's banter I assembled this line up.  Is this close to what you guys were suggesting?

Forwards:
Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
Kulemin - Grabovski - MacArthur
Frattin - Kadri - van Riemsdyk
Brown - McClement/Steckel - Komarov
PressBox - McLaren, Orr

Defence:
Phaneuf - Kostka
Liles/Gardiner - Komisarek
Fraser - Franson
Holzer

Goaltenders:
Reimer
Scrivens

I see Steckel or McClement and Liles or Gardiner as the odd players out.  I don't see how McLaren is in the Leafs plans unless they know something we don't.  Also Gunnarsson isn't there either.

Any NHL teams need a couple of decent dmen, a fighter and a decent 3rd/4th line center?

 

[Erndog]

The Ryan O'Reilly situation is starting to remind me of the Turris/PHX saga in which he eventually gets dealt.

What do you all think of potentially going after him?  At 20 years old he had 55 points and he shows an exceptional 2-way game.  Elite level type of 2-way game for a center.  He's more of a playmaker than a goal scorer but with Kessel (and eventually Lupul) that's probably exactly what they need.

Not sure what he would cost (more than Turris costing the Sens Runbland I am sure)... but this seems like a forward thinking move too me.  Getting a young, potential #1 (or, probably a 2A at the very least) type of center.  Exactly what we are crying for.  Reminds me a little of Patrice Bergeron's skillset.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

The Ryan O'Reilly situation is starting to remind me of the Turris/PHX saga in which he eventually gets dealt.

What do you all think of potentially going after him?  At 20 years old he had 55 points and he shows an exceptional 2-way game.  Elite level type of 2-way game for a center.  He's more of a playmaker than a goal scorer but with Kessel (and eventually Lupul) that's probably exactly what they need.

Not sure what he would cost (more than Turris costing the Sens Runbland I am sure)... but this seems like a forward thinking move too me.  Getting a young, potential #1 (or, probably a 2A at the very least) type of center.  Exactly what we are crying for.  Reminds me a little of Patrice Bergeron's skillset.

I'm on board if Nonis could pull it off. I guess it would ultimately depend on what we'd have to give up, but the type of player we need and what skills O'Rielly brings to the table, seems to be a fit.

It would probably start with Bozak and a 1st rounder, followed by a few other assets I think.

 

[Erndog]

The Ryan O'Reilly situation is starting to remind me of the Turris/PHX saga in which he eventually gets dealt.

What do you all think of potentially going after him?  At 20 years old he had 55 points and he shows an exceptional 2-way game.  Elite level type of 2-way game for a center.  He's more of a playmaker than a goal scorer but with Kessel (and eventually Lupul) that's probably exactly what they need.

Not sure what he would cost (more than Turris costing the Sens Runbland I am sure)... but this seems like a forward thinking move too me.  Getting a young, potential #1 (or, probably a 2A at the very least) type of center.  Exactly what we are crying for.  Reminds me a little of Patrice Bergeron's skillset.

I'm on board if Nonis could pull it off. I guess it would ultimately depend on what we'd have to give up, but the type of player we need and what skills O'Rielly brings to the table, seems to be a fit.

It would probably start with Bozak and a 1st rounder, followed by a few other assets I think.

Bozak is a pending UFA so not sure how much value he actually has.  Especially considering Colorado already has Duchene and Stastny at center. 

Kulemin and a 1st?  Kule seems like the type of player they would like and could work well next to Stastny. 

In an 82 game season, Kule looks like a 35-45 point 2-way forward.  He's fairly cheap too.  The 1st is likely a 6-12 pick. 

O'Reilly will probably be a 65-70 point good 2-way center.

What's the template?  What the Canes gave for J. Staal maybe?  Something *close* to that?  Maybe a tad less because J. Staal had a bit better track record, though he was about to become very expensive to that offsets a bit.

(you can tell I am thinking as I type).

 

[Zee]

The Ryan O'Reilly situation is starting to remind me of the Turris/PHX saga in which he eventually gets dealt.

What do you all think of potentially going after him?  At 20 years old he had 55 points and he shows an exceptional 2-way game.  Elite level type of 2-way game for a center.  He's more of a playmaker than a goal scorer but with Kessel (and eventually Lupul) that's probably exactly what they need.

Not sure what he would cost (more than Turris costing the Sens Runbland I am sure)... but this seems like a forward thinking move too me.  Getting a young, potential #1 (or, probably a 2A at the very least) type of center.  Exactly what we are crying for.  Reminds me a little of Patrice Bergeron's skillset.

I'm on board if Nonis could pull it off. I guess it would ultimately depend on what we'd have to give up, but the type of player we need and what skills O'Rielly brings to the table, seems to be a fit.

It would probably start with Bozak and a 1st rounder, followed by a few other assets I think.

Would you give up a first rounder in this shortened season?  The draft is so close, and Leafs are so close to being a bottom feeder again.  Let's not have history repeat itself.