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The Official 2011/2012 Armchair GM thread

Big Daddy said:
Seems to me Kessel seems decent in the faceoff circle with Bozak getting kicked out so much.
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Kessel has won 3 of the 8 faceoffs he's taken this season. Not exactly anything to draw any conclusion off of, other than maybe Bozak isn't being kicked out as much as people perceive. Lupul has only taken 21.

As for Bozak's time on the 3rd line - that's harder to judge, since Lombardi is also a centre - but none of the other 3rd liners have more than a handful of faceoffs to their name.
 
Bozak is at 48.9%.  While not stellar its not exactly dismal.  Not bad for a guy with a bad wrist.

edit: Scott Cullen says Bozak went 12-3 on draws Saturday.
 
Corn Flake said:
Bozak is at 48.9%.  While not stellar its not exactly dismal.  Not bad for a guy with a bad wrist.

edit: Scott Cullen says Bozak went 12-3 on draws Saturday.
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In 7 of his last 9 games he's been at 50% or better. And in 4 of those he was over 60%. His early season numbers where he had that bum wrist really hurt that number, but other than that he's been pretty solid in that department.
 
Concerning the notions surrounding the second line.... They have lost toi, cw made this point already but especially MacArthur and it shows with his raw stats but to me Grabbo and Kulemin are coming along fine and Mac will probably follow suit. Some of the drop in production is understandable...

this year after 17 gp      last year after 17 gp
MacArthur 6g 2a 8p -1    7g 9a 16p +2    ( three fewer games ) 
Grabovski 5g 5a 10p +2  4g 9a 13p +3
Kulemin    2g 4a 6p -1    5g 5a 10p -1

Kessel, at this point last year, had 8g 4a 12p -4 and Phaneuf didn't even make it to game 17 but had 0g 4a 4p -6 by game 11 when he was injured. Lupul wasn`t here but is playing pretty well this year too.

The Leafs have only had their starter play 5 games and a period out of 17. Considering some of this and my opinion of their recent play ( lousy though in the context of opposing teams adjusting and the Leafs internal changes to their plan of attack ) I`m not really all that concerned for their success, they`ll need to address Reimer at some point if he`s not coming back soon but the rest of this relatively young team seems fine as a work in progress to me. They aren`t winning the cup this year barring a true hockey jeebus miracle so I`m just going to enjoy the ride to the 13-14 season when their time should be coming. It would be nifty to see them in the playoffs and they have a shot at it but there really is a larger goal.
 
I still don't think he will move Staal, but I think some changes are planned in Carolina.

@ice_chip Chip Alexander
Rutherford called loss to Habs a "very bad game." He said, "I have a lot of ideas in my head right now but no conclusions."

Other than Staal, do the Canes have anyone else that might interest us?  I've always liked Tuomo Ruutu, he is a 50-60 point guy who hits everything in site but he is a pending UFA this summer and even if we did re-sign him, his style of play makes me fearful that he things might go bad sooner rather than later.
 
Erndog said:
Other than Staal, do the Canes have anyone else that might interest us?  I've always liked Tuomo Ruutu, he is a 50-60 point guy who hits everything in site but he is a pending UFA this summer and even if we did re-sign him, his style of play makes me fearful that he things might go bad sooner rather than later.
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Other than Skinner, Ward and Staal (neither of which are likely to be moved), the only interesting pieces in Carolina that aren't rookies are 3rd and 4th liners and maybe McBain (who is also struggling this season). I mean, it's no surprise they're struggling - that's an ugly looking roster.
 
Busta Reims said:
Erndog said:
Other than Staal, do the Canes have anyone else that might interest us?  I've always liked Tuomo Ruutu, he is a 50-60 point guy who hits everything in site but he is a pending UFA this summer and even if we did re-sign him, his style of play makes me fearful that he things might go bad sooner rather than later.
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Other than Skinner, Ward and Staal (neither of which are likely to be moved), the only interesting pieces in Carolina that aren't rookies are 3rd and 4th liners and maybe McBain (who is also struggling this season). I mean, it's no surprise they're struggling - that's an ugly looking roster.
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I said at the beginning of the year there roster was terrible and some people here pointed out it wasn't that bad save for a couple wingers. 

I left out Skinner and Ward because I think those 2 are more untouchable than Eric Staal at this point but really who knows.
 
Busta, I would also add Tim Gleason to that list.  Actually, I think he'd make a great 2'nd pairing defenceman on the Leafs.

In a Gleason vs. Schenn comparison, I say Schenn>Gleason.  I'm not sure by how much, though.

Does this work for anyone?

To TO: Stall + Gleason

To Carolina: Schenn, Franson, Kadri, MacArthur +2'nd?

 
Staal and Ward are that franchise. I honestly believe Rutherford wouldn't even let a rival GM propose a deal before saying "no" to a deal for either guy. 
 
Floyd said:
Staal and Ward are that franchise. I honestly believe Rutherford wouldn't even let a rival GM propose a deal before saying "no" to a deal for either guy.
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Ok, point taken and accepted.

But do you put Gleason on that level?  My $.02 is that Staal, Skinner, and Ward are the foundations.  I'm likely wrong, but those were my impressions.
 
So last night saw some discussion on Twitter that Jeff Carter has apparently asked for a trade.  Bob Mckenzie even commented on it.  RDS is also reporting it.

It's clear Jeff does not want to be in Columbus.  When he was traded their he didn't report for weeks.  They needed Nash and Arniel and Howson to call him and try and convince him to go.  Carter's injury and Columbus' brutal start clearly hasn't helped the situation.  I'm sure this is a case where there is smoke there is fire.

It wouldn't be the first time a player was traded again a few months into a new season with a new team (i.e. see Kris Versteeg last year).

Anyways...

I think we should make a move for him.  He's a big, strong guy, only 26 years old, has a very reasonable cap hit, versatile (can play center or wing) and should score 30+ for a while. 

Proposal:

To Columbus:  Nik Kulemin, Nazem Kadri, Cody Franson

To Toronto:  Jeff Carter, Radek Martinek, 3rd round pick


Columbus Rationale:  They rid themselves of a guy who clearly doesn't want to be there.  They get 3 players who's respective ages are 24, 21 and 23 and can all slot right in.  They save about $2M in cap space this year, and quite a bit of money long term.  Kulemin can provide 20+ goals, Kadri gives them some depth which they obviously need and Franson helps their very poorous defence.  They shave Martineks $2.2M salary this season (UFA this summer).  For them, this is sort of a 3 for 1 deal.


Toronto's Rationale:  They get the best player in the deal, a guy who can compliment Lupul and Kessel offensively.  Can play center between them, or wing on the 2nd line with Grabs and Mac.  Also provides insurance that IF Grabs leaves this summer as a UFA we can slot Carter in at center.  Carter is already who we WANT Kulemin to be (a consistent 30-35 goal, big power forward type of player).  Carter is only 26, fits perfectly into what we are trying here (Kulemin is 24).  With Martinek, we keep our D depth this season which is important to Burke.  He bides time for Aulie/Blacker.  The 3rd would be in the 61-64 range.


Salaries aren't out of whack.  With Connolly, Reimer and Grabs on or having been on the IR, plus whatever little room we had left (I believe it was around $1.5-2M prior to all these injuries) we should be able to make it work.


Thoughts?



 
If Carter wants out, (his agent is denying he does but who wouldn't want out of Columbus right now  :)  ), I think the Leafs should try hard to get him.

I have never thought he was a franchise center because his passing ability isn't that hot (and therefore, he might not be the ideal center for Kessel). But he'd be a darn good center compared to what we've got on this club.

The issue naturally is what they'd have to give up. I'd have to give that some thought.
 
Well, we know Burke wouldn't give up Kulemin & Kadri for him this summer. Whether that's changed or not, I don't know (though, I have my doubts).
 
cw said:
If Carter wants out, (his agent is denying he does but who wouldn't want out of Columbus right now  :)  ), I think the Leafs should try hard to get him.

I have never thought he was a franchise center because his passing ability isn't that hot (and therefore, he might not be the ideal center for Kessel). But he'd be a darn good center compared to what we've got on this club.

The issue naturally is what they'd have to give up. I'd have to give that some thought.
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Carter isn't a franchise center in the same way Kessel isn't a franchise winger but man, it would be nice to have two forwards of that calibre wouldn't it?
 
Erndog said:
Salaries aren't out of whack.  With Connolly, Reimer and Grabs on or having been on the IR, plus whatever little room we had left (I believe it was around $1.5-2M prior to all these injuries) we should be able to make it work.
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None of these players have been on LTIR, with the exception of Reimer, who only recently qualified for it, nor is that how LTIR works - you don't bank cap space from it. If you haven't used it before the player comes back, you lose it.
 
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