Unofficial 2013-2014 Armchair GM Thread

[Kin]

Assuming that the rumours of Bryzgalov being bought out by the Flyers are true what are folks' thoughts on kicking the tires with him on a shorter term contract?

It would have to be the sort of short term contract where if he doesn't look like he's going to beat the world in training camp the team could walk away from it with very little consequence.

 

[Deebo]

@JoshRimerHockey: Rich Winter, Ilya Bryzgalov's agent has been informed by Paul Holmgren that Bryzgalov will NOT be bought out after Cup Final! #flyers


Wrong again, sports media.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

@JoshRimerHockey: Rich Winter, Ilya Bryzgalov's agent has been informed by Paul Holmgren that Bryzgalov will NOT be bought out after Cup Final! #flyers


Wrong again, sports media.

Was Holmgren wearing a Carter jersey when he said that?

 

[bustaheims]

@JoshRimerHockey: Rich Winter, Ilya Bryzgalov's agent has been informed by Paul Holmgren that Bryzgalov will NOT be bought out after Cup Final! #flyers


Wrong again, sports media.

So, umm, no cap space for the Flyers this summer, then?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

@JoshRimerHockey: Rich Winter, Ilya Bryzgalov's agent has been informed by Paul Holmgren that Bryzgalov will NOT be bought out after Cup Final! #flyers


Wrong again, sports media.

So, umm, no cap space for the Flyers this summer, then?

Briere will be bought out. That should put them right at about the cap, but yeah it means they can't really bring anybody else in. Their roster is somewhat set though. I'm sure they'll try to get rid of Meszaros any way they can, short of buying him out. And Pronger's LTIR can give them some breathing room during the season.

 

[bustaheims]

Briere will be bought out. That should put them right at about the cap, but yeah it means they can't really bring anybody else in. Their roster is somewhat set though. I'm sure they'll try to get rid of Meszaros any way they can, short of buying him out. And Pronger's LTIR can give them some breathing room during the season.

I'm not convinced they'll find a taker for Meszaros without at least eating some of the cap hit. With his injury issues, he might be unmovable - and, if he's not healthy, he can't be bought out either. If they can't move anyone and only buy out Briere, with Pronger on LTIR, they come in less than $1M below the cap once the season starts. They'd still have the bonus cushion to work with, but, that's it.

 

[bustaheims]

FriedgeHNIC: Premature speculation MT @tpanotchCSN: Paul Holmgren: I didn't assure Ritch Winter of anything.  We will do whatever is best for our team.

So, Bryzgalov is being bought out? Maybe?

 

[hockeyfan1]

Assuming that the rumours of Bryzgalov being bought out by the Flyers are true what are folks' thoughts on kicking the tires with him on a shorter term contract?

Meh. I'm not sold on him being able to manage well enough when he's not behind a solid defensive system.

Do we miss Andrew Raycroft that much?

Heavens, no!

 

[Bullfrog]

FriedgeHNIC: Premature speculation MT @tpanotchCSN: Paul Holmgren: I didn't assure Ritch Winter of anything.  We will do whatever is best for our team.

So, Bryzgalov is being bought out? Maybe?

Twitter wins again.

 

[caver]

Philly always has the drama.   

 

[Corn Flake]

@JoshRimerHockey: Rich Winter, Ilya Bryzgalov's agent has been informed by Paul Holmgren that Bryzgalov will NOT be bought out after Cup Final! #flyers


Wrong again, sports media.

So, umm, no cap space for the Flyers this summer, then?

Josh Rimer tends to jump the gun on a lot of these things. Not surprised he doesn't have the story accurate.

 

[Corn Flake]

Clarkson situation reminds me of Bobby Holik, who in his cathegory was the only significant UFA and heavily capitalized on that. We all know how it has ended. Clarkson will be extremely overprized. The Leafs should pass.

True, but Holik had a loooooooooong track record of being the best in the biz as a shutdown centre.  Clarkson has a short track record of being able to put up goals in a limited role. 

Big difference in value.  Plus, you have Iginla and several others who are going to be far ahead of Clarkson in the UFA rankings.

 

[Kin]

Clarkson situation reminds me of Bobby Holik, who in his cathegory was the only significant UFA and heavily capitalized on that. We all know how it has ended. Clarkson will be extremely overprized. The Leafs should pass.

True, but Holik had a loooooooooong track record of being the best in the biz as a shutdown centre.  Clarkson has a short track record of being able to put up goals in a limited role. 

Big difference in value.  Plus, you have Iginla and several others who are going to be far ahead of Clarkson in the UFA rankings.

Yeah, I kind of tend to think that people look back on Holik with an awful lot of revision because he didn't really work out with the Rangers(and even that, I think, is overblown) and they bought him out. People forget that Holik had a pretty good track record of being able to put up 25 goals and 60+ points in the clutch and grab era while, as CF says, being one of the pre-eminent shutdown guys in the game. He was basically Patrice Bergeron.

 

[Champ Kind]

Clarkson situation reminds me of Bobby Holik, who in his cathegory was the only significant UFA and heavily capitalized on that. We all know how it has ended. Clarkson will be extremely overprized. The Leafs should pass.

True, but Holik had a loooooooooong track record of being the best in the biz as a shutdown centre.  Clarkson has a short track record of being able to put up goals in a limited role. 

Big difference in value.  Plus, you have Iginla and several others who are going to be far ahead of Clarkson in the UFA rankings.

Yeah, I kind of tend to think that people look back on Holik with an awful lot of revision because he didn't really work out with the Rangers(and even that, I think, is overblown) and they bought him out. People forget that Holik had a pretty good track record of being able to put up 25 goals and 60+ points in the clutch and grab era while, as CF says, being one of the pre-eminent shutdown guys in the game. He was basically Patrice Bergeron.

Actually, given he was 6'4 and really nasty, he was Bergeron +++. 

 

[Champ Kind]

Kypreos was at it again today, claiming Toronto was "in big time" on Jonathan Bernier.  Really, how does this remotely make sense?

Well, not to state the obvious or anything but the Leafs don't have a goalie on their roster or in their organization that's played a stellar full season in the NHL. If you think that it's within the realm of possibility that the Leafs might consider Bernier to be an upgrade on Scrivens then it's less a matter of making sense and more a matter of how much you want to agree with them.

Understood, but it's also painfully obvious that the goalie they're looking to address this issue with hasn't played any more than the goalie they're looking to replace (or join). 

I'd also say this whole Tim Leiweke factor, where everything Los Angeles has to now become part of Toronto, is way overblown.

As an update, Jeff Blair was talking about this rumour this morning.  Man, I really like Blair.  He and McCowan are the best in the radio biz, in my opinion.  Anyway, the rumoured asking price is the first round pick.  I do not make that trade.  If, however, it's a lesser pick and maybe a middling prospect, then I'd consider it.  But to me, bringing in an established backup and using resources to target front-line talent (centre, defense) is where the resources (ie. the first round pick) should be focused.

 

[Corn Flake]

As an update, Jeff Blair was talking about this rumour this morning.  Man, I really like Blair.  He and McCowan are the best in the radio biz, in my opinion.  Anyway, the rumoured asking price is the first round pick.  I do not make that trade.  If, however, it's a lesser pick and maybe a middling prospect, then I'd consider it.  But to me, bringing in an established backup and using resources to target front-line talent (centre, defense) is where the resources (ie. the first round pick) should be focused.

Oh lord, how many times must we be put through this goalie for a 1st round pick stuff???!!  The horror.... the horror...

 

[Corn Flake]

Yeah, I kind of tend to think that people look back on Holik with an awful lot of revision because he didn't really work out with the Rangers(and even that, I think, is overblown) and they bought him out. People forget that Holik had a pretty good track record of being able to put up 25 goals and 60+ points in the clutch and grab era while, as CF says, being one of the pre-eminent shutdown guys in the game. He was basically Patrice Bergeron.

Actually, given he was 6'4 and really nasty, he was Bergeron +++.

Wasn't he 240 lbs too?

I remember how he used to shut down Sundin and frustrate the heck out of him.  He was one of the few who could actually do it.  That is the Holik I think of when I look back on that contract and think it wasn't that ridiculous in the grand scheme of things.

Funny thing now is, Holik is on twitter and he's really down to earth. Answers questions all the time, puts up some honest observations about players and teams.

 

[Kin]

Understood, but it's also painfully obvious that the goalie they're looking to address this issue with hasn't played any more than the goalie they're looking to replace (or join).

Right, but that's sort of what I mean. Once you acknowledge that the Leafs goaltending situation is imperfect then adding Bernier isn't really a matter of "making sense" but rather an issue of whether or not you agree that he's an upgrade on Scrivens. 

As an update, Jeff Blair was talking about this rumour this morning.  Man, I really like Blair.  He and McCowan are the best in the radio biz, in my opinion.  Anyway, the rumoured asking price is the first round pick.  I do not make that trade.  If, however, it's a lesser pick and maybe a middling prospect, then I'd consider it.  But to me, bringing in an established backup and using resources to target front-line talent (centre, defense) is where the resources (ie. the first round pick) should be focused.

Ok, but consider a scenario where Nonis is fairly sure that the 21st pick in a so-so draft isn't going to be a big draw in terms of landing that front line talent. Heck, imagine a scenario where there's not much in the way or front line talent available at any cost. I mean, if you can't add those pieces then there's no harm in using the first rounder to address another area of concern, even a smaller one, if there doesn't figure to be a prospect you love at #21.

And let's not ignore the back-half of what that trade would mean. If you add Bernier for a first round pick, then you get to shop Scrivens who had a good year last year and is only owed 600,000 or so next year and turn him into something. I don't want to speculate too heavy on what he could fetch but it could easily be a scenario where the Leafs swap Scrivens and their first for, say, Bernier and a pick that's only 15 or so spots down from there or maybe an equivalent prospect who's a little closer to being NHL ready.

I'm not advocating heavily that the team trade for Bernier though. I just think that the way goaltending is so unpredictable these days that it makes sense to constantly have you eyes on potential upgrades and while I agree that in a perfect world the team would add an all-star elsewhere you can't let perfect be the enemy of good.

 

[Champ Kind]

Nik, as usual, your logic makes argument difficult.  However, I have have 'first-round pick for a goalie' fatigiue and am irrationally suggesting I don't want any part of more.

 

[Redleaf]

Understood, but it's also painfully obvious that the goalie they're looking to address this issue with hasn't played any more than the goalie they're looking to replace (or join).

Right, but that's sort of what I mean. Once you acknowledge that the Leafs goaltending situation is imperfect then adding Bernier isn't really a matter of "making sense" but rather an issue of whether or not you agree that he's an upgrade on Scrivens. 

As an update, Jeff Blair was talking about this rumour this morning.  Man, I really like Blair.  He and McCowan are the best in the radio biz, in my opinion.  Anyway, the rumoured asking price is the first round pick.  I do not make that trade.  If, however, it's a lesser pick and maybe a middling prospect, then I'd consider it.  But to me, bringing in an established backup and using resources to target front-line talent (centre, defense) is where the resources (ie. the first round pick) should be focused.

Ok, but consider a scenario where Nonis is fairly sure that the 21st pick in a so-so draft isn't going to be a big draw in terms of landing that front line talent. Heck, imagine a scenario where there's not much in the way or front line talent available at any cost. I mean, if you can't add those pieces then there's no harm in using the first rounder to address another area of concern, even a smaller one, if there doesn't figure to be a prospect you love at #21.

And let's not ignore the back-half of what that trade would mean. If you add Bernier for a first round pick, then you get to shop Scrivens who had a good year last year and is only owed 600,000 or so next year and turn him into something. I don't want to speculate too heavy on what he could fetch but it could easily be a scenario where the Leafs swap Scrivens and their first for, say, Bernier and a pick that's only 15 or so spots down from there or maybe an equivalent prospect who's a little closer to being NHL ready.

I'm not advocating heavily that the team trade for Bernier though. I just think that the way goaltending is so unpredictable these days that it makes sense to constantly have you eyes on potential upgrades and while I agree that in a perfect world the team would add an all-star elsewhere you can't let perfect be the enemy of good.

Agreed. If there isn't a player at the 21st pick that really stands out to the Leaf brass, I'd be happy to see a trade that brings in young Bernier. A scenario could come from it down the road that sees the Leafs with two really solid #1 goaltenders, one of which could be traded for a better player than whats available at 21 of this years draft. Of course, that would be the most positive of outcomes. But I really dont think its too far-fetched to see Bernier become a very good goaltender in the league. And, what's the worst case? Both Reimer and Bernier become busts and the 21st pick this year becomes an NHL superstar? I would think the odds are pretty stacked against that happening.