Matt Karash: Jeff Skinner: The alternative with perspective

locking up almost 12 million for Semin and Ruutu hurts this team a lot. They are decent players and play well for you guys, but seriously over paid. Makes it tough to add depth in the forwards and in the D when you have so much cash locked up in 5 forwards.

you dont trade Skinner, what if boston got rid of bergeron bc they didnt want to deal with his concussions anymore, you dont trade talent like that. You keep skinner, and then you might have to look at buying out one of those 2 or trading them next summer if you need cap flexibility and added d-depth

His style of play lends him to being an injury risk and add to that his multiple concussions and I believe he is destined for a productive but injury shortened career. I say trade him now while he still has high value.

I believe I commented on one of those previous Jeff Skinner blogs. I am on record for being in favor of trading Jeff Skinner. Still to this day, in the middle of the summer, and when training camp rolls around, and as the season progresses will be in favor of moving Jeff Skinner. I am a diehard Canes fan. But the current defensive corp is not going to cut it and is not Playoff tough, ready, and certainly not tested. We can not afford to lose another season as we have some big name players in their respective primes. The time is now to act boldly and improve on the weakest part of the team. If I was JR I would have been working the phones on a trade since the end of last season.

Although I like Skinner as player and person, I think if a trade for a similar aged, top 4 defenseman presents itself, you TAKE it. Defense wins games, and my concern with Skinner is his size, maturity level, style of play and injury problems.

It will also be very hard to live up to his contract, and in a few years people will be calling to buy him out. As another armchair GM, I'd give him one more, make it or break it season with the Canes'. Also my fear is he'll get eaten up in the play-offs by bigger, stronger and meaner opponents.

For me it is all about what we would get in return, at the end of the day it is a business and you have to put your emotions aside. IMO, if the return was a younger Chris Pronger "like" player for about the same money or less then you take that deal. In a perfect world I would send him to Pittsburg if we could get Brandon Sutter and Kris LeTang back (Shero would have to be drunk to do that deal).

I don't know if skinner fits on the team anymore. Is he a 3rd liner, can he play decent defensively? Because of the makeup of the team I say if you can trade skinner for something of equal value that helps this team get better and fits a need then you do it.

Semin might be the most important player on the whole team. You are seriously undervaluing him.

Here's another look of our D (from my perspective)

These are the 6 guys with NHL experience that you could say make the opening night roster.

Pitkanen - Faulk
Gleason - Sekera
Harrison - Komisarek

I really like Faulk and think he can continue growing into a top 2 (high ceiling) or 3. I'm not so sure with Pitkanen anymore... he's been injured so frequently over the last 2 seasons and not in the lineup. You can make a claim that he used to be (maybe still can reclaim his old form, IF healthy) to be a poor man top 2. I believe if he comes back healthy (also in a contract year) he's still really only a 3 or 4 on a Playoff contending team.

Gleason is tough, I feel JR and the coaches think he can play into the top 2 in Carolina. When he plays physical and uses his body he is very effective. But I still think his best days are dwindling down and I think he fits right in as a 3 or 4 in Carolina and a 4 or 5 on a contending team. (think back to the 09 ECF vs Pittsburgh, I still can see Malkin skating right past him going around our net and throwing a back hand that beat Ward up high... as a top 2 in this new division we will being seeing a lot of Malkin, Ovechkin, and the likes, etc). Sekera is projected to be in our top 4 but I'd prefer to see him play as a 5.

I feel that Harrison is a solid 5 and can play a little 4 if needed on our team, but if he was moved to a contender, he would be sitting as a 6 or in the press box on most nights as depth in April and May.

As Matt has said numerous times (and I agree 100%) Komisarek is a reclamation project this year. He's penciled in as a 6 to play with Harrison, but I'm really not sure. I think it is a big risk thinking that he will regain his once dominant form and really solidify our 3rd D pair and PK.

I think a trade of Skinner to Phoenix for either Yandle or OEL has to be examined if you are JR. Phoenix has some depth in the D pool (Gormley) and money wise the contracts esp OEL are similiar. What completes the trade... I'm really not sure. But I think our current D corp is a little over slotted already.

Yandle/OEL - Faulk

Pitkanen - Gleason

Sekera - Harrison/Komisarek

That D corp gives me an optimistic feeling about 13-14.

I'm still not sure we could pull that trade off because we lack a lot of depth in our system (as if last season didn't show that enough). PHX would want a Dman prospect going back, and who do you give up?? Murphy?? I don't think you can send him over in that kind of trade.

Do we offer sheet Pieterangelo??? STL will match any offer. There are really no other top 2 D out there.

Here's another look of our D (from my perspective)

These are the 6 guys with NHL experience that you could say make the opening night roster.

Pitkanen - Faulk
Gleason - Sekera
Harrison - Komisarek

I really like Faulk and think he can continue growing into a top 2 (high ceiling) or 3. I'm not so sure with Pitkanen anymore... he's been injured so frequently over the last 2 seasons and not in the lineup. You can make a claim that he used to be (maybe still can reclaim his old form, IF healthy) to be a poor man top 2. I believe if he comes back healthy (also in a contract year) he's still really only a 3 or 4 on a Playoff contending team.

Gleason is tough, I feel JR and the coaches think he can play into the top 2 in Carolina. When he plays physical and uses his body he is very effective. But I still think his best days are dwindling down and I think he fits right in as a 3 or 4 in Carolina and a 4 or 5 on a contending team. (think back to the 09 ECF vs Pittsburgh, I still can see Malkin skating right past him going around our net and throwing a back hand that beat Ward up high... as a top 2 in this new division we will being seeing a lot of Malkin, Ovechkin, and the likes, etc). Sekera is projected to be in our top 4 but I'd prefer to see him play as a 5.

I feel that Harrison is a solid 5 and can play a little 4 if needed on our team, but if he was moved to a contender, he would be sitting as a 6 or in the press box on most nights as depth in April and May.

As Matt has said numerous times (and I agree 100%) Komisarek is a reclamation project this year. He's penciled in as a 6 to play with Harrison, but I'm really not sure. I think it is a big risk thinking that he will regain his once dominant form and really solidify our 3rd D pair and PK.

I think a trade of Skinner to Phoenix for either Yandle or OEL has to be examined if you are JR. Phoenix has some depth in the D pool (Gormley) and money wise the contracts esp OEL are similiar. What completes the trade... I'm really not sure. But I think our current D corp is a little over slotted already.

Yandle/OEL - Faulk

Pitkanen - Gleason

Sekera - Harrison/Komisarek

That D corp gives me an optimistic feeling about 13-14.

I'm still not sure we could pull that trade off because we lack a lot of depth in our system (as if last season didn't show that enough). PHX would want a Dman prospect going back, and who do you give up?? Murphy?? I don't think you can send him over in that kind of trade.

Do we offer sheet Pieterangelo??? STL will match any offer. There are really no other top 2 D out there.
- CanesJKG

OEL is untouchable, even Skinner wont get that done, you would have to over pay big time for him. Yandle is more realistic since they do have Gormley and Runblad waiting to crack the big club.

For me it is all about what we would get in return, at the end of the day it is a business and you have to put your emotions aside. IMO, if the return was a younger Chris Pronger "like" player for about the same money or less then you take that deal. In a perfect world I would send him to Pittsburg if we could get Brandon Sutter and Kris LeTang back (Shero would have to be drunk to do that deal).
- caniac97

Well you could get Matt Niskanen for a draft pick or prospect.

Lets not get too hasty skinner is a great player and I honestly think they are waiting for Marc staals contract to expire, so I can't really see them doing this trade

Another thing I keep mulling over is Marc Staal. He has two years left on his current deal at a $3.975M CH and $3.875M and $5.4M in salary respectively. He's 26 now and will be an old 28 (January Birthday) when he hits UFA in 2015. With concern to his recent eye injury I believe this season will be telling for his career moving forward. If he can get back as close to his former self prior to the injury I am very interested in bringing him over to Raleigh. It's hard to read eye and head (concussion) injuries as they are very complicated and have taken there tolls on a lot of good players over the years (Bryan Berard, Heatley, Pronger most recently). If he can regain his old form I would wait at least through this season and possibly through his last contract year to see what options present themselves and then possibly pull the trigger.

The Rangers not buying out Brad Richards really put themselves in Cap trouble moving forward. Stephen still needs to be signed for this season, and will get a multi-year deal. I would assume it's between $5-$6M cap a season. Lundqvist, Girardi, and Capt Callahan are UFA's in 2014. Lundqvist will take $7M-$8M per year, Callahan around $6M (similiar to D Brown ext), and Girardi is $5M-$6m per year. My math makes that $23-$26M for 4 players. That should leave them with $11-$14M in cap space to sign, 1 back up tender, Del Zotto and Moore (assuming one or both aren't extended yet this summer), Brassard, Kreider, Zuccarello, and several depth forwards and depth Dmen. All of those things are off if the Rags buyout or trade Richards next summer.

What I would like to see in Carolina by 2015

Yandle/OEL - Faulk
M. Staal - Murphy
any of Gleason, Hurricanes prospect D, grizzled vet, etc.

Another thing I keep mulling over is Marc Staal. He has two years left on his current deal at a $3.975M CH and $3.875M and $5.4M in salary respectively. He's 26 now and will be an old 28 (January Birthday) when he hits UFA in 2015. With concern to his recent eye injury I believe this season will be telling for his career moving forward. If he can get back as close to his former self prior to the injury I am very interested in bringing him over to Raleigh. It's hard to read eye and head (concussion) injuries as they are very complicated and have taken there tolls on a lot of good players over the years (Bryan Berard, Heatley, Pronger most recently). If he can regain his old form I would wait at least through this season and possibly through his last contract year to see what options present themselves and then possibly pull the trigger.

The Rangers not buying out Brad Richards really put themselves in Cap trouble moving forward. Stephen still needs to be signed for this season, and will get a multi-year deal. I would assume it's between $5-$6M cap a season. Lundqvist, Girardi, and Capt Callahan are UFA's in 2014. Lundqvist will take $7M-$8M per year, Callahan around $6M (similiar to D Brown ext), and Girardi is $5M-$6m per year. My math makes that $23-$26M for 4 players. That should leave them with $11-$14M in cap space to sign, 1 back up tender, Del Zotto and Moore (assuming one or both aren't extended yet this summer), Brassard, Kreider, Zuccarello, and several depth forwards and depth Dmen. All of those things are off if the Rags buyout or trade Richards next summer.

What I would like to see in Carolina by 2015

Yandle/OEL - Faulk
M. Staal - Murphy
any of Gleason, Hurricanes prospect D, grizzled vet, etc.
- CanesJKG

cap is expect to go up next season, as well as the season following that, plus they have the option of buying out richards again next summer. Predicting a teams cap space 2 seaons from now is kind of a mute point. If he wants to be a Ranger they will make it work to sign him, he wont b ea cap casuality by then

cap is expect to go up next season, as well as the season following that, plus they have the option of buying out richards again next summer. Predicting a teams cap space 2 seaons from now is kind of a mute point. If he wants to be a Ranger they will make it work to sign him, he wont b ea cap casuality by then


You make a valid point, but what's the fun in playing armchair GM in a salary cap world without speculating on a teams cap situation? I think the lure to play with his brothers and the lack of playing time he may see in the top 4 should McIlrath turn out to be what he is projected to be may open the right door in a season and a half or two to Raleigh. But like I noted earlier in that post, it all depends on his health. If he can't recover and stay healthy I wouldn't touch him if I were JR.

Semin might be the most important player on the whole team. You are seriously undervaluing him.
- StaalsnUrinals

Couldn't agree more!! This guy has been under-rated for years! We always knew he was capable of handling the puck and scoring (against us), but i never realized the complete player he was until i got to see him everyday, WOW!! He does it all, and on both ends of the ice! That's why JR gave him the big bucks, and he deserves it!
As far as Skinner goes, there's no denying his skill/ talent! I don't want to move him unless we're blown away with a deal we can't refuse! Let's face it, if he stays healthy... he can put up the points! We've improved the D somewhat.. and with everybody healthy, the team should look pretty good (with the roster as is..)!
Another defender (ie Hainsey), could make our D pretty good.
JR should have at least one more good deal in him before training camp, IMO!