The Rebuild...

[Chef Boi RD]

Agreed, but has anyone claimed Gillis to be a genuis?

You need to understand something, the firing of Gillis devastated, Bubbles. He loved the man. Gillis was more than a Genius in Bubbles eyes, he was fire, the earth, the air and water to him. The All Seeing.

[Strangelove]

We absolutely DON’T know if Tryamkin will return.

Recent reports indicate he will return to the NHL within the next coupla years.

Either he returns to YOUR Vancouver Canucks or Jimbro trades him for some nice assets.

Not sure why you paint everything in a negative light, it's almost like you had some hidden agenda.

Elmer has traded away basically an entire round of draft picks for Pedan, Pouliot, Larsen and Gudbranson. There’s a decent chance none of those guys are with the organization next season.

Well Pedan was traded for Pouliot and if Pouliot goes (why would he?) we'd get assets back for him right?

Likewise with Gudbranson... if he goes we'd get assets back for him right?

[Chef Boi RD]

Personally i'd rather have Mallet back. The 2nd round Mike Gillis coup! Not sure who the bigger 2nd round steal out of all of the Gillis 2nd round picks - Rodin, Sauve or Mallet?

[Chef Boi RD]

Jared McCann - 5 goals 6 assists 30 Games NHL
Rasmus Asplund - 4 goals 18 assists 32 games Swedish Hockey League
Sam Bennett - 5 goals 11 assists 42 games
Nick Ritchie - 3 goals 8 assists 37 games
Andrew Ladd - 9 goals 9 assists - Signed a 7 year $5.5 Million Cap Hit contract same year we signed Eriksson.
Brockstar - Drafted 23rd Overall
Tryamkin - Drafted 66th overall. 9 goals 15 assists,42 games 109 PIMs. Voted KHL Defenseman of the Month twice
Demko - Drafted 36th overall
Gaudette - Leading the NCAA in scoring 15 goals, 15 assists in 20 games, drafted 149th overall
Pettersen, was leading the SEL in scoring as an 18 year old before WJC's. Bubles wanted Gabe Vilardi
Brent Seabrook - No Statistical Information Required. Bad, very bad.

[Madcombinepilot]

With the team fading fast (for various reasons) These are the moves I would like to see:

1) Trade either Edler or Ericksson. One of these guys has to go this year (I realize that moving either will be tough, but Benning has shown a knack for dumping NTC/NMC type contracts). I think this is the year to move Edler. We have a glut of Defencemen and need room to keep the younger ones. With Edler gone, we can pay and keep Gudbrandson, and move him later if required. I prefer keeping Gudbrandson over edler (this year) as Goober is younger, bigger and plays heavier. They skate the same and pretty much make the same number of mistakes. Goober is near his sustainable peak, Edler is declining. Take picks or a defensive prospect (or both).. we hated to lose Ohlund, but when it's time to go, it's time to go. We got over Ohlund, we will get over Edler. Only 2 guys on this team should be allowed to choose their fate, and they share the same last name.

2) expose Eriksson in the expansion draft. If Jimmy can trade this contract for picks, amazing. I don't think he can, so expose the shit out him. we need we roster spot more than we need this guy.

3) Chaput heads back to Utica and stays there... forever. Dowd has been getting better every game as he learns our system, and plays just fine for a 4th line center. Chaput is expendable. Neither is worth a bag of pucks.

4) Gaunce is killed in a freak revolving door accident at the local Wal Mart.
Seriously, I fail to see the hard on some people have for him. I get that he is sound defensively, but offence goes to die on his stick. In the offensive zone, the play dies 9 times out of 10 with him. He panics (or whatever) in zone. It's a bad pass, worse shot, blocked shot, bad dump in, turnover, puck bobbled... count them next game. He hasn't scored on his own shot in YEARS.
Like Boucher, for whatever reason, the offence does not translate into the NHL. Any asset worth more than a 4th round pick is awesome for both, anything less, both those guys are probably more valuable in the AHL helping Utica with a winning culture (and I believe in that mindset as well)

5) Goldobin has about 2 weeks to prove he has the drive/compete level/motor (whatever you want to call intensity) to stay here and play top 6. You can't get by on skill alone. He is top 6 or bust. We already had a red light/green light Russian player.. we don't have the roster space for another. If Gobby can't show consistency, move him for an asset in this here deep draft. My opinion is he is more valuable as a pick than a pouty player in Utica.

6) Nilsson is moved. He is a servicable backup when he has decent defence in front of him (as proved early in the season when we were healthy). On a rebuilding defence corps, he can't handle it and plays small (as seen lately).. how can a man that large shrink down and expose that much of the upper net?? -- oh wait, it's a lack of confidence. If we don't get a backup in exchange, we pick up a scrub. This season is a write off anyways. Markstromm needs all the starts he can get, unless the plan is to shelter him (marks) to keep from ruining Markstromm from shell shock. (see the Oilers goalie prospects from the last 2 decades). If we are sheltering Marks a bit, then Nilsson is worth the price. It's Coaches call on this as coaches see goalies every day and we don't. Goalies are hard to read because they are so damn quirky.

We need about 28 wins in our last games to realistically have a shot at making the playoffs. I don't see that happening with the injuries we have. Time to start working the phones. I don't believe in tanking (we won't ever draft higher than 3) but I am also realistic.

If on any of these moves we somehow land (through amazing asset management) that defensive guy (read: 'Stud') then that gives us the ability to move Gudbrandson or Hutton as part of that stud trade. If no stud trade and we go into next year with Tanev, Gudbrandson, Hutton, Stetcher, Pouliot, and Del Zotto as our top 6, Biega (I love his compete level!) as 7, and callups of Joulevi, and whomever else is competing at Utica, I am comfortable with that. If there is an upgrade on Hutton or Gudbrandson added in, awesome. Speeds the rebuild process. Plus, Tryamkin might come back. If he does, Hutton will need to be moves in the offseason.

On forward, a top 6 of Horvat, Boesser, Bartschi, Peterson (if ready), Goldobin (if he stays) and Vanek is good. If the Sedins want 1 year deals for 1.5 million (plus incentives) they anchor the third line. A 4th line of Grandlund-Sutter-Gagne is the best 4th line in hockey. Dowd is the filler. Virtanen is a variable. Virts might blossom as the power forward we all drool about, he might play third line with the twins (he still has a couple more years before I pull the plug on him blooming into the second coming of Bertuzzi). Grandlund or Gagne have potential to play up if Goldobin or Petterson fail, but there is still internal competition for top six spots from Dahlin (prolly plays Utica next year with Petterson), Lockwood (after christmas), Gadjovich, Lind, etc to fill in the holes. If there is no Sedins next year (and I think there will be - they deserve the right to choose if they play here or not) we look for some UFA's like we did last year. We won't need 4 new ones next year, but we might need 1 or 2.

[2Fingers]

I commend you Mr. Mad.

Well written.

Agree with most of your write except I don’t think for any reason within the next 2 season will anyone take LE. I am assuming based upon Strange that his last 2 seasons his actual pay goes down but it will allow a bottom feeder to reach the minimum cap.

Edler should be gone ASAP.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Agreed, but has anyone claimed Gillis to be a genuis?

You need to understand something, the firing of Gillis devastated, Bubbles. He loved the man. Gillis was more than a Genius in Bubbles eyes, he was fire, the earth, the air and water to him. The All Seeing.

This adds so much to the discussion.

Will read again !

[Mickey107]

Do not under estimate what this guy can bring. And, even next year.
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdis ... pid=177644
This is just another reason I think we are ready to cut some ties at the end of this year.

[Chef Boi RD]

Here's the thing with Gaudette. If he isn't here at seasons end like a Brock was he's going back to college to become a UFA. We can't lose this guy, his numbers are Pettersen insane. He's gone on record as saying he wants to be a Canuck next season but this is the danger of
drafting college kids. Northeastern is ranked 10th so we have that on our side. It's still 50/50 on what he does

[Madcombinepilot]

Agree with most of your write except I don’t think for any reason within the next 2 season will anyone take LE.

I am thinking that even with his contract, if then next expansion draft rules are the same as the last, he will still be the best player exposed by us. Probably by far. We will be looking to pick up a couple scrubs to meet the minimum exposure requirements.

[Madcombinepilot]

Double post

[rats19]

Double post

Just delete these mcp

[Blob Mckenzie]

Agree with most of your write except I don’t think for any reason within the next 2 season will anyone take LE.

I am thinking that even with his contract, if then next expansion draft rules are the same as the last, he will still be the best player exposed by us. Probably by far. We will be looking to pick up a couple scrubs to meet the minimum exposure requirements.

I dot think they’ll have to pick up any scrubs.

[Mickey107]

Here's the thing with Gaudette. If he isn't here at seasons end like a Brock was he's going back to college to become a UFA. We can't lose this guy, his numbers are Pettersen insane. He's gone on record as saying he wants to be a Canuck next season but this is the danger of
drafting college kids. Northeastern is ranked 10th so we have that on our side. It's still 50/50 on what he does

Yes!!!! It's nerve racking isn't it.
Gaudette & Petersson made a mockery of that summer young gun thing. Gaudette gave Elias a little love tap at the end.
Adam is seeing Brock and Troy playing with more young talent on the way and I'm hoping he'll want to be a part of it.

[Puck]

I'm with you on that Mick. We have to hope that the young guys can see the future and aren't too worried about, for example, the last 5 weeks.

Speaking of moving forward, as far as Benning's renewal goes, why would you not give the guy a couple years to let the team he has been building actually play? The guy has managed to collect some great players and prospects and there will be a few more coming in over the next six months. What would be your rationale to not renew his contract?