I doubt LV moves forwards unless they stop giving away the defenders they drafted. A 5th rounder 2 years from now? Really?

I would put big joe on Skins and Aho's line. Just tell joe to stand in front of the net and clean up the rebounds.
- gocanes0506

What are you thoughts on signing Sharp for two-years as the 3LW? Coming off injury and turning 36 next season would probably keep him under the $4M range. Maybe 2 x $3.75M. Add that to you idea of signing Big Joe and the top 9 wouldn't be bad either.

My big question with Tatar is would he be willing/happy to play third line role with Staal? He would definitely make the Hurricanes much stronger though their top 9.
- BenCase

He has mostly played 3rd line mins in DET. Pair him with Staal and you are looking at a line that most likely ends top 5 in the league in CF%.

Well you could move Howard, if howard would accept, to Arizona. They need 20 million to get to the floor.

I haven't seen much in the line of Detroit considering trading Tatar though.
- gocanes0506

Tatar and Nyquist are their most valuable trade pieces that wouldn't kill the future. Most fans think at least one should be moved but usually never for the right reasons. If Holland wasn't such an idiot I wouldn't trade either and DET was still be a team in the top half of the league but the poor management of this team leads me to think best case scenario is to trade both and to commit to a full rebuild. (See my location )

He has mostly played 3rd line mins in DET. Pair him with Staal and you are looking at a line that most likely ends top 5 in the league in CF%.
- Feds91Stammer

That could be a good move for them then. Him and Staal would definitely make a good lock-down combo.

Looking at the Howard concept, do you think it could include a goalie exchange involved with Tatar trade to help the Wings with cap space? Tatar + Howard for Lack/Ward, PDG/McGinn, Pick? Lack frees up an additional $3M and McGinn/PDG provide a young/cheap bottom six LW.

The Hurricanes will need a reliable guy next year, as they have 17 back-to-backs. I doubt the Hurricanes move on from both Ward and Lack, but I know that some people have mentioned it as an idea.

Howard would provide a good two-year role to allow Darling to develop into a true starter, while giving the AHL/NCAA/CHL prospects time to develop more.

That could be a good move for them then. Him and Staal would definitely make a good lock-down combo.

Looking at the Howard concept, do you think it could include a goalie exchange involved with Tatar trade to help the Wings with cap space? Tatar + Howard for Lack/Ward, PDG/McGinn, Pick? Lack frees up an additional $3M and McGinn/PDG provide a young/cheap bottom six LW.

The Hurricanes will need a reliable guy next year, as they have 19 back-to-backs. I doubt the Hurricanes move on from both Ward and Lack, but I know that some people have mentioned it as an idea.

Howard would provide a good two-year role to allow Darling to develop into a true starter, while giving the AHL/NCAA/CHL prospects time to develop more.
- BenCase

If that pick is a 2018 1st then yes I do that.

To further expand on Tatar his career average TOI is 15:08. So that is a 20+G 40+P guy with a career rel CF of 7% that can produce with 3rd line mins.

Add Duchene / Landskog and retool the 4th line and the Canes are done!
- elaeskimos

Man, that'd be a coup. It'd cost a (frank) tonne, but it'd pretty much fix your entire forward corps. Even without McGinn, DiGi, Saarela and Gauthier yet, you'd still boast a deep and versatile top-9.

Aho- Duchene- Skinner
Landeskog- Rask- Lindholm
Teravainen- Staal- Stemp/Ryan

What are you thoughts on signing Sharp for two-years as the 3LW? Coming off injury and turning 36 next season would probably keep him under the $4M range. Maybe 2 x $3.75M. Add that to you idea of signing Big Joe and the top 9 wouldn't be bad either.
- BenCase

I'll combine a few posts by ya Ben.

Sharp would be a solid veteran addition to the team. Based on his age and coming off an injury, I wouldn't be sold on a 2 year deal. It would have to be a low risk, high reward 2 year deal, like 2 years 6 million total. I would be cool with 1 year 4 million and a gentlemen's agreement that if he returns to 15's numbers we bring him back(sign him mid season even).

On to Zona, supposedly they are looking to get to the floor with dead salaries because they are sucking financially. If so, it furthers my distaste for the commissioner. Move Arizona for gosh sakes, not add another team. Maybe move Zona to Seattle and create a team in Quebec City (keeps from moving for a while). Back on track, Zona will be trying to purchase contracts to make it to the floor. How about Hossa's contract, 1 million actual, almost 5 cap space? How about Franzen from Detroit? He is making half of his cap hit or less over the last 3.
Though Tatar would be a great young addition.

It wouldn't appear that the Hurricanes are looking to move a top four. Pierre LeBrun tweeted around 2 this afternoon that they didn't want to use any of their top 7 D for an offensive upgrade. GMRF apparently wants to use prospects and picks.

Nothing is set in stone, but I wrote about a week ago how moving a top-four D is not an option. Then again, that was before TVR acquisition.
- BenCase

All this GMRF talk makes you sound like Garf and his GMTM shtick.

All this GMRF talk makes you sound like Garf and his GMTM shtick.
- Reveen.

I'll combine a few posts by ya Ben.

Sharp would be a solid veteran addition to the team. Based on his age and coming off an injury, I wouldn't be sold on a 2 year deal. It would have to be a low risk, high reward 2 year deal, like 2 years 6 million total. I would be cool with 1 year 4 million and a gentlemen's agreement that if he returns to 15's numbers we bring him back(sign him mid season even).

On to Zona, supposedly they are looking to get to the floor with dead salaries because they are sucking financially. If so, it furthers my distaste for the commissioner. Move Arizona for gosh sakes, not add another team. Maybe move Zona to Seattle and create a team in Quebec City (keeps from moving for a while). Back on track, Zona will be trying to purchase contracts to make it to the floor. How about Hossa's contract, 1 million actual, almost 5 cap space? How about Franzen from Detroit? He is making half of his cap hit or less over the last 3.
Though Tatar would be a great young addition.
- gocanes0506

Can't disagree on thoughts on Sharp. Don't want to overpay but he could be an affordable pick up and on the one or two year term the Hurricanes need.

Hossa wouldn't be a bad pick up for cap space filler. In a market the size of Phoenix, they've either got to find a way to make it work or move. The stadium issue has been a major problem for too long now. From what I've heard it's located way too far outside Phoenix and the routes to get to it often are filled with traffic. Get the stadium closer to the downtown area, put a decent team out, and the attendance shouldn't be as much of a problem.

Can't disagree on thoughts on Sharp. Don't want to overpay but he could be an affordable pick up and on the one or two year term the Hurricanes need.

Hossa wouldn't be a bad pick up for cap space filler. In a market the size of Phoenix, they've either got to find a way to make it work or move. The stadium issue has been a major problem for too long now. From what I've heard it's located way too far outside Phoenix and the routes to get to it often are filled with traffic. Get the stadium closer to the downtown area, put a decent team out, and the attendance shouldn't be as much of a problem.
- BenCase

This may be the most commented blog in a while.

Since we added TVR, what are we adding to the salary next year for D? 15 million?
Slavin- will want to get him on a 5-6 year deal, Faulk money ~5 million
Pesce and Hanafin will get 2 or 3 year bridge deals to wait for more money (unless they blow the doors off this year) 3 years 3.5 AAV each.
TVR- unless he kills it, 3-4 years 2.5 million, maybe 2.75 (step up the contract worth between year 2 to 3).

That puts us at 14.5- 15 range. Are we really going to spend 21 million on D? A budget team spending 40% of its salary on D? Crazy

Also would live to bring in LV to help pay a king ransom to get Mackinnon. It wouldn't happen though.

This may be the most commented blog in a while.

Since we added TVR, what are we adding to the salary next year for D? 15 million?
Slavin- will want to get him on a 5-6 year deal, Faulk money ~5 million
Pesce and Hanafin will get 2 or 3 year bridge deals to wait for more money (unless they blow the doors off this year) 3 years 3.5 AAV each.
TVR- unless he kills it, 3-4 years 2.5 million, maybe 2.75 (step up the contract worth between year 2 to 3).

That puts us at 14.5- 15 range. Are we really going to spend 21 million on D? A budget team spending 40% of its salary on D? Crazy

Also would live to bring in LV to help pay a king ransom to get Mackinnon. It wouldn't happen though.
- gocanes0506

Their strength is in the D, so I'd say it's smart to keep investing in it. Maybe you only bring back 3 of those 4, and then see Fleury/Bean battle it out for the LHD spot and McKoewn fills the RHD role on third pairing. The good news is GMRF has no shortage of options and talented blueliners.

Say it cost $20 to 22M to sign Slavin ($5-6M), Pesce ($3.5-4M), Hanifin ($3.5-4M), TVR ($2.75-3M), and Lindholm ($4.5-5.5M). They'd have 6 F, 5 D and 1 G. This would put them at $50-52M in salary cap. This doesn't take into account the potential signings of McGinn, PDG, and Ryan this summer and Nordstrom next off-season too.

Most likely 3-4 F will come up from the AHL (so maybe $3M), 1-2 D too ($1.5M). If GMRF can go up to $65M, they'd have about $10M for the remaining 2-3 forwards and back-up goalie. The biggest question really comes back to can GMRF spend above basement IMO.

The other good news is with the amount of forward prospects that are likely NHL ready in next 1-2 years should help keep the bottom 6 costs way down. This might allow them to spend heavier on the D to keep it as their strength.

Their strength is in the D, so I'd say it's smart to keep investing in it. Maybe you only bring back 3 of those 4, and then see Fleury/Bean battle it out for the LHD spot and McKoewn fills the RHD role on third pairing. The good news is GMRF has no shortage of options and talented blueliners.

Say it cost $20 to 22M to sign Slavin ($5-6M), Pesce ($3.5-4M), Hanifin ($3.5-4M), TVR ($2.75-3M), and Lindholm ($4.5-5.5M). They'd have 6 F, 5 D and 1 G. This would put them at $50-52M in salary cap. This doesn't take into account the potential signings of McGinn, PDG, and Ryan this summer and Nordstrom next off-season too.

Most likely 3-4 F will come up from the AHL (so maybe $3M), 1-2 D too ($1.5M). If GMRF can go up to $65M, they'd have about $10M for the remaining 2-3 forwards and back-up goalie. The biggest question really comes back to can GMRF spend above basement IMO.

The other good news is with the amount of forward prospects that are likely NHL ready in next 1-2 years should help keep the bottom 6 costs way down. This might allow them to spend heavier on the D to keep it as their strength.
- BenCase

Backup goalie, at least 2 additional forwards and 1 defender would have to be on ELCs for it to work for us. I still don't see us spending 20+ million on D. I think Slavin's value might be lower because he is unknown and under publicized. It could all change this year but he doesn't have a lot of hype behind his name, lowering his bargaining power some. If he was on a big market we'd see 10 articles a month about how great he is. JMO though. We got Faulk cheap because of the same reason, even though he put up good O numbers.

When will trade for Sabers Reinheart be consummated now they bolstered D? Is Noah getting shipped out?

When will trade for Sabers Reinheart be consummated now they bolstered D? Is Noah getting shipped out?
- Nuck4U

I wasn't aware Reinhardt was available. The last GM Franchise said, we are looking to move anyone in the top 7. Trading prospects and picks for offensive help.

If the Canes reach the play offs this year I'm sure the owner will start spending a bit more. With this quality defense and a little bit more help up front they can be a very good team.

To me the question is:

Who are our top 7 D in the eyes of Ron Francis?

Is Bean #7? Is he a prospect?

To me the question is:

Who are our top 7 D in the eyes of Ron Francis?

Is Bean #7? Is he a prospect?
- BINGO!

That too is a very good question. There definitely can be fluctuation in what one determines the top 7 D in Carolina as.