2024-25 OOTS: Playoff Edition

[UWSaint]

Watching these playoffs can't help but notice the ex-Nucks D-men put together can form a fairly credible (though old) 6 man unit, with 3 lefties and 3 righties to boot.

Forsling Tanev
OEL Chatfield
Schmidt Stetcher

Not that that group's better than what we have now. But speaks to what's plagued this franchise forever - piss poor asset management. The only positive asset to show for this group was a 3rd rounder I believe for Schmidt. Clendening for Forsling is a negative even though the latter didn't play any games for us. And all we have to show for OEL is his crippling buyout penalty with the worst of it to come in the next two years. Sad.

Add in useful forwards like Podkolzin, Pearson, Gadjovich and Dowd.

Fuck me......

Podkolzin may never be more than a 3rd-line big body with some puck skills. Is he more useful than someone like Sasson, O'Connor or Sherwood? Debatable. He's getting noticed because he can make NHL plays on a line with the likes of Draisaitl.

Pearson is older, was older than his competition when Vancouver had him. Useful guy, but not appreciably better than the guys who replaced him.

Gadjovich... stings a bit considering what he can deliver on the bottom-6. Not the same level as Forsling, but definitely a 'one that got away'. He was never that fast, but neither is Boeser.

Dowd is a serviceable player with good size, but would he have really moved the needle if management kept him? The guy's stats read like a decent bottom-six forward. We've seen our bevy of those over the years.

Out of all of the forwards, Gadjovich is the only one who sticks out as a "really wish we still had him" kind of player.

None of these players: Pearson, Dowd, Podkolzin, Gadjovich, would move a needle much. So on that, we agree, Lancer.

Pearson was a useful player that didn't fit the direction of the team and they wanted the salary off the books. I liked the player, but no complaints that they moved on when they did for the asset they received (a backup goalie).

Podkolzin, though, was bad asset management -- not that he was worth any more than what the Canucks traded him for, but that he wasn't all that much worse than what was brought in to replace him. See, for Podkolzin, I think the question whether he is more useful than Sprong, because that's who he was moved to make room for. Answer, yes. Or maybe the question is whether the marginal difference between Heinen and Podklolzin was enough to merit signing Heinen -- signing Heinen was part a PK move, but largely "don't think Podz can move up and down the lineup like we think Heinen can." This one was more debatable ex ante, but in hindsight.....

As for the folks that remain, he is more useful than Sasson, and not as useful as Sherwood or O'Connor, the former who hits, kills penalties pretty well, and has a better knack for scoring, the latter who brings plus speed and is kills penalties very well. But Podz is younger than all and cheaper than Sherwood and O'Connor, there's room for a bit of improvement. The fact is that what's marginally more useful when you are talking about the bottom half of the lineup are margins that don't matter near as much as margins in the top half of the lineup -- presuming you have your PK covered. Teams that are already cap strapped because of buyouts and underperformers should recognize that the differences between a $2.5M player and a guy like Podz is rarely the best use of cap space -- again, so long as you've got your PK covered.

Dowd was no great shakes in Vancouver and was already at UFA age when his half season with Vancouver expired, having never shown much in the NHL -- but he was not resigned to make room for the great Beagle, Roussel, Schaller summer IIRC. So there's that. Again, marginal value? Still, Dowd was likely not extended to make way for that plan; my guess is that he wasn't seen as being worth a one way deal (even if for $1M or less) and the roster spot. Ultimately, though, he became a worthwhile bottom of the lineup center. Good for him.

As for Gadjovich, the guy's never been more than an extra forward in the NHL. He can't skate, he doesn't score, he doesn't kill penalties. He can be a little truculent, so that's fun. But I honestly don't understand how "he got away" when his equivalent is available for free every offseason for league minimum.

[5thhorseman]

So we've let a few players go that are now playing elsewhere in the NHL and that speaks to our poor asset management?

Just over the last 3 years we've signed DeBrusk, Forbert, Sherwood, Blueger, Suter, Soucy, Cole, and Joshua, who were all useful players to us yet were let go by other teams. Does that speak to their poor asset management, or is that just the revolving door that most teams have?

[Lancer]

None of these players: Pearson, Dowd, Podkolzin, Gadjovich, would move a needle much. So on that, we agree, Lancer.

Pearson was a useful player that didn't fit the direction of the team and they wanted the salary off the books. I liked the player, but no complaints that they moved on when they did for the asset they received (a backup goalie).

Podkolzin, though, was bad asset management -- not that he was worth any more than what the Canucks traded him for, but that he wasn't all that much worse than what was brought in to replace him. See, for Podkolzin, I think the question whether he is more useful than Sprong, because that's who he was moved to make room for. Answer, yes. Or maybe the question is whether the marginal difference between Heinen and Podklolzin was enough to merit signing Heinen -- signing Heinen was part a PK move, but largely "don't think Podz can move up and down the lineup like we think Heinen can." This one was more debatable ex ante, but in hindsight.....

As for the folks that remain, he is more useful than Sasson, and not as useful as Sherwood or O'Connor, the former who hits, kills penalties pretty well, and has a better knack for scoring, the latter who brings plus speed and is kills penalties very well. But Podz is younger than all and cheaper than Sherwood and O'Connor, there's room for a bit of improvement. The fact is that what's marginally more useful when you are talking about the bottom half of the lineup are margins that don't matter near as much as margins in the top half of the lineup -- presuming you have your PK covered. Teams that are already cap strapped because of buyouts and underperformers should recognize that the differences between a $2.5M player and a guy like Podz is rarely the best use of cap space -- again, so long as you've got your PK covered.

Dowd was no great shakes in Vancouver and was already at UFA age when his half season with Vancouver expired, having never shown much in the NHL -- but he was not resigned to make room for the great Beagle, Roussel, Schaller summer IIRC. So there's that. Again, marginal value? Still, Dowd was likely not extended to make way for that plan; my guess is that he wasn't seen as being worth a one way deal (even if for $1M or less) and the roster spot. Ultimately, though, he became a worthwhile bottom of the lineup center. Good for him.

As for Gadjovich, the guy's never been more than an extra forward in the NHL. He can't skate, he doesn't score, he doesn't kill penalties. He can be a little truculent, so that's fun. But I honestly don't understand how "he got away" when his equivalent is available for free every offseason for league minimum.

If you divvy up these players between the homegrown vs the trade acquisitions, you can make the argument to have kept the homegrown players - unless management saw things in the players that the fans didn't. Was Gadjovich a 'roid head who kept giving the side-eye and a show of the abs to teammates girlfriends? Likely not, but who among us would know outside of management?

Absent that consideration, I would hope management would move the drafted talent out because they're getting pushed out by younger drafted talent vice outside re-treads. The fact they let the likes of Podkolzin and Gadjovich go doesn't show well on the organization's ability to develop their prospects, but no organization is perfect. Thankfully, neither has taken off since leaving Vancouver.

Even Gaudette and McCann look better now than they did when they left, but given the circumstances of their departure I doubt they would have turned out as well had they stayed. If only management could manage to be on the other side of that scenario, though they may have hit on Mancini.

Overall, though, management hasn't let go of any youngsters who've come back to haunt us.

[UWSaint]

If you divvy up these players between the homegrown vs the trade acquisitions, you can make the argument to have kept the homegrown players - unless management saw things in the players that the fans didn't. Was Gadjovich a 'roid head who kept giving the side-eye and a show of the abs to teammates girlfriends? Likely not, but who among us would know outside of management?

Absent that consideration, I would hope management would move the drafted talent out because they're getting pushed out by younger drafted talent vice outside re-treads. The fact they let the likes of Podkolzin and Gadjovich go doesn't show well on the organization's ability to develop their prospects, but no organization is perfect. Thankfully, neither has taken off since leaving Vancouver.

Even Gaudette and McCann look better now than they did when they left, but given the circumstances of their departure I doubt they would have turned out as well had they stayed. If only management could manage to be on the other side of that scenario, though they may have hit on Mancini.

Overall, though, management hasn't let go of any youngsters who've come back to haunt us.

To have a preference for home grown players, you have to be doing something in the growing process that suggests that player will be better off than the equivalent brought in from the outside. I haven't had that sense -- though I do think that things may be improving. Beyond that, its a question of marginal value and costs for mid-tiered and lower tiered players, and that's one of trends that I've found troubling in the aggregate, even though most individual decisions are defensible (not Lankinen, but I won't recycle my thoughts on that). .

[Nuckertuzzi]

So we've let a few players go that are now playing elsewhere in the NHL and that speaks to our poor asset management?

Just over the last 3 years we've signed DeBrusk, Forbert, Sherwood, Blueger, Suter, Soucy, Cole, and Joshua, who were all useful players to us yet were let go by other teams. Does that speak to their poor asset management, or is that just the revolving door that most teams have?

Generally agree. Most of the forwards weren't worth crying over (that's why I didn't mention them in my post) and fall into the revolving door category of players most teams roll over. At the very least we did get a draft pick for Pods and a backup goalie for Pearson.

That D however. That's a pretty formidable core. In fact, if we didn't have our current core and needed a whole new unit to start next season you can do a lot worse than that. To have only a 3rd rounder as a positive asset to show for that entire group most definitely speaks to poor asset management. Any player that you let walk for nothing is poor asset management. We have a long history of that.

You know what else we have a long history of? No Cups, no success. 55+ years and nothing worthy to show. They're tied together man.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Agree with Tuzzi. For the most part and UW as well. Having said that, Gadjovich scored a beautiful goal the other night. He should have seen it.

I hated to see the team part with Tanev. What a completely asinine move. Beyond dumb.

Forsling bungle was a moronic move.

Schmidt is a headcase and although a solid player- they got a 3rd.

Trading for OEL was a blunderfuck. Like ..... why? A terrible misuse of assets. It's like Mëds loading up his private plane with propane. Not cunning. Current management compounded the problem hiring a coach he hates and coach hates him. Pre-tarded.

Chatfield struggled in his stint here. He really fought his way up through the system and he's earned his stripes. He loks kike he just left the American on Welfare Wednesday, but he's a solid D man.

Stecher- see above. He fuels a lot of rage on this board but it's good to see a local kid punch above his weight.

I'd be curious to know the scouts that recommended these players. High character and giving 200%.

Horsey, ........Tanev, Forsling, Podkolzin and Toffoli were terrible errors.

[Strangelove]

[Megaterio Llamas]

[Nuckertuzzi]

Couldn't believe for karma sake Dallas fans chanting "Otter's better!" Sure enough he let's in a stinker before recovering marvellously.

But then I didn't realize it was a retort to Winnipeg fans chanting "US backup!" Forget karma, have they been watching Hellebuyck??

[Strangelove]

Call Marner for diving there you sons of bitches...

[Megaterio Llamas]

The Florida vs Toronto series hasn't disappointed. It's been fun so far.

[Strangelove]

4-0 Panthers after 2.

Leaves fans boo their Leaves off the ice at the end of the 2nd.

Leaves look like they'd rather be golfing.

Leaves-loving Sportsnet panel is super depressed.

Strangelove is loving it.

[Strangelove]

6-0 Panthers now, lots of Leaves fans heading for the exits with 11 minutes left in the 3rd.

[Megaterio Llamas]

The Toronto boo birds are legend. It's a big part of the losing tradition that is often overlooked.

An uptight, hypercritical media and fanbase is central to the whole leaves thing.

[Strangelove]

The Toronto boo birds are legend. It's a big part of the losing tradition that is often overlooked.

An uptight, hypercritical media and fanbase is central to the whole leaves thing.

Agreed, and man are those boo birds are howling right now!