Ryan Wilson: Your Questions My Answers Your Questions My Answers

First

ALC_h_l

Sometimes alcohol is the answer!!!

I hate the summer with it's no hockey...

I have to admit that I'm a little perplexed with the Kucherov situation in TB, as they sit right now they 11F-6D-2G signed and 8.5M in space, I'm guessing they're waiting/trying to do something with Bishop but their putting themselves in a tough spot if another team gets froggy, you would think that with 8.5M to work with that getting Kucherov signed and out of danger would be priority #1 then clear space if needed after the signing. As far as their future, I'm guessing they know they're going to lose 1 of Johnson, Palat or Drouin so this will be an audition season for the 3 to fight for the 2 potential spots, unless they somehow find a way to get all 3 to take below market deals.

Time for GMRF with the Canes to offer Kucherov an 8M per offer sheet!!!

I think blaming Edmonton for tanking Yakapov's value is a little unfair because Yakapov bares part of the blame as well. I know it's easy to point the finger at such a poorly run organization but it isn't like Yakapov has been playing lights out hockey throughout his career and they're still burying him in the bottom 6, if the kid wasn't such a complete trainwreck on the ice I'm sure even a franchise like Edmonton would give him more of a chance, I mean Hall, RNH, Eberle, Draisaitl and McDavid all were given the opportunity to play major roles at a young age but all of them actually produced and played well.

I get the concern about NJ's center position and how it may effect Hall's play/production but I think there's a good chance that Hall could have the same type of effect on a player like Henrique that Kessel had on a player like Bonino or even Bozak. Sometimes it's more about fit and chemistry than it is about the actual talent level of the linemates. We've seen it time and time again in Pittsburgh where players like Kunitz & Dupuis flourished with Crosby and ended up being the perfect compliments even though the skill sets were nowhere close and we saw it again last year when Kessel performed better with Hagelin & Bonino than he did with Crosby or Malkin.

Time for GMRF with the Canes to offer Kucherov an 8M per offer sheet!!!
- rocheccw

Intriguing, but no.

Time for GMRF with the Canes to offer Kucherov an 8M per offer sheet!!!
- rocheccw

I think teams like Calgary, Buffalo, Winnipeg or even maybe an Anaheim make much more sense than a team like Carolina. Teams like Calgary, Buffalo, Winnipeg all have the cap space to make a move like that and should compete for a playoff spot with that type of acquisition so the picks they lose would likely be later picks which wouldn't hurt nearly as much as a team like Carolina who could realistically still be in the lottery mix even adding a player like Kucherov. Potentially losing the #1 overall pick is a pretty big risk for a team like Carolina as compared to teams that would be risking a 1st round pick in the 20+ range.

If I were Buffalo I would have thrown an 8M offer sheet at Kucherov long before I gave Okposo a 6m/year long tern deal. Same with Calgary and giving Brouwer 4.5M.

I think you commented on every single NHL team except one.

Jaydogg,

The Hurricanes had 86 points and picked 13th overall last year... Even if they do miss the postseason, they should be in about the same spot.

Unless you think think that

Jeff Skinner- Victor Rask - Nikita Kucherov
Sebastian Aho - Elias Lindholm - Teuvo Teravainen
Andrej Nestrasil - Jordan Staal - Lee Stempniak
Phil Di Giuseppe - Joakim Nordstrom - Victor Stalberg

Ron Hainsey - Justin Faulk
Jaccob Slavin - Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin - Ryan Murphy

is worse than

Kris Versteeg - Eric Staal - Elias Lindholm
Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Phil Di Giuseppe/Chris Terry
Joakim Nordstrom - Jordan Staal - Andrej Nestrasil
Brad Malone - Jay McClement - Nathan Gerbe

Ron Hainsey - Justin Faulk
J.M. Liles - Jaccob Slavin
Noah Hanifin - Brett Pesce

I did not understand the mechanics of the Matt Murray comments. How does not signing him help protect him from the Vegas Draft?

No Dale Weise talk...

No Dale Weise talk...
- YuenglingJagr

Why would anyone talk about Seabiscuit?

Why would anyone talk about Seabiscuit?
- PepinoPamplemousse

My goal has become to find a Sex and the City line combination

Intriguing, but no.
- PepinoPamplemousse

Really???

Your not interested in adding a 23yo who scored over 60pts the past 2 years to a team with scoring issues?

8M is a lot, & term would likely be in the 6-8 year range, but the Canes had exactly one player over 50pts last year.

So the Canes had 86 points...you don't think adding Kucherov, Teravainen, & Stempniak to their young core won't get them into the playoffs?

The draft pick cost could be offset by actually making the playoffs for years to come.

Canes need scoring, & TB needs cap help for next year. Maybe RF will call Yzerman and ask what he can do to help.

I think teams like Calgary, Buffalo, Winnipeg or even maybe an Anaheim make much more sense than a team like Carolina. Teams like Calgary, Buffalo, Winnipeg all have the cap space to make a move like that and should compete for a playoff spot with that type of acquisition so the picks they lose would likely be later picks which wouldn't hurt nearly as much as a team like Carolina who could realistically still be in the lottery mix even adding a player like Kucherov. Potentially losing the #1 overall pick is a pretty big risk for a team like Carolina as compared to teams that would be risking a 1st round pick in the 20+ range.

If I were Buffalo I would have thrown an 8M offer sheet at Kucherov long before I gave Okposo a 6m/year long tern deal. Same with Calgary and giving Brouwer 4.5M.
- jaydogg1974

I would agree with that. Doesn't make sense for a team that might be in the lottery to make that move. Though Buffalo/Calgary may be close to tapped out on extra cap space. Didn't a lot of the rumors out of calgray include us taking back Wideman as a cap dump.

If I'm tampa and some one offers Kucherov 8 million a year then its an interesting return. Should come in as 2 1st, a 2nd, and 3rd.

Jaydogg,

The Hurricanes had 86 points and picked 13th overall last year... Even if they do miss the postseason, they should be in about the same spot.

Unless you think think that

Jeff Skinner- Victor Rask - Nikita Kucherov
Sebastian Aho - Elias Lindholm - Teuvo Teravainen
Andrej Nestrasil - Jordan Staal - Lee Stempniak
Phil Di Giuseppe - Joakim Nordstrom - Victor Stalberg

Ron Hainsey - Justin Faulk
Jaccob Slavin - Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin - Ryan Murphy

is worse than

Kris Versteeg - Eric Staal - Elias Lindholm
Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Phil Di Giuseppe/Chris Terry
Joakim Nordstrom - Jordan Staal - Andrej Nestrasil
Brad Malone - Jay McClement - Nathan Gerbe

Ron Hainsey - Justin Faulk
J.M. Liles - Jaccob Slavin
Noah Hanifin - Brett Pesce
- PepinoPamplemousse

I actually think Carolina played way above their talent level last season and wouldn't come anywhere close to duplicating those results again with the same team so I'm starting the bar much lower than last seasons 86pts and 13th pick, you see the players more than I do so maybe I'm just undervaluing the talent on the team but I don't see the first roster listed being an 86pt team, which even though it landed them the 13th pick last year was only 8-9 pts better than Arizona and Calgary who picked 6 & 7, basically them losing 16 times in OT was the difference between picking 13th and possibly picking in the top 5 or 6. Going off of 35 wins(which was 25th in the league and would have landed them the #6 pick without the OT loses) I just don't see enough improvement to think they will be much better than that this year without again finding a way to rack up a ton of points by getting games to OT before losing.

Hate seeing the Rangers make a good move. That Brassard trade makes zero sense for Ottowa.

Really???

Your not interested in adding a 23yo who scored over 60pts the past 2 years to a team with scoring issues?

8M is a lot, & term would likely be in the 6-8 year range, but the Canes had exactly one player over 50pts last year.

So the Canes had 86 points...you don't think adding Kucherov, Teravainen, & Stempniak to their young core won't get them into the playoffs?

The draft pick cost could be offset by actually making the playoffs for years to come.

Canes need scoring, & TB needs cap help for next year. Maybe RF will call Yzerman and ask what he can do to help.
- rocheccw

I'm all for adding Kucherov, I just don't think Francis goes the offer sheet route. I do, however, think he'll definitely call Yzerman about him.

I actually think Carolina played way above their talent level last season and wouldn't come anywhere close to duplicating those results again with the same team so I'm starting the bar much lower than last seasons 86pts and 13th pick, you see the players more than I do so maybe I'm just undervaluing the talent on the team but I don't see the first roster listed being an 86pt team, which even though it landed them the 13th pick last year was only 8-9 pts better than Arizona and Calgary who picked 6 & 7, basically them losing 16 times in OT was the difference between picking 13th and possibly picking in the top 5 or 6. Going off of 35 wins(which was 25th in the league and would have landed them the #6 pick without the OT loses) I just don't see enough improvement to think they will be much better than that this year without again finding a way to rack up a ton of points by getting games to OT before losing.
- jaydogg1974

1) Learn to use punctuation.

2) Guys like Lindholm actually underproduced last season based on the amount of offense they created.

Hate seeing the Rangers make a good move. That Brassard trade makes zero sense for Ottowa.
- Victoro311

I thought the Rangers gave up the 2nd in the trade at first... WTF is Ottawa smoking

I thought the Rangers gave up the 2nd in the trade at first... WTF is Ottawa smoking
- Guile

Owner is slowly going bankrupt.

Mika needs a raise soon. Brassard is paid less thank his AAV.

Owner is slowly going bankrupt.

Mika needs a raise soon. Brassard is paid less thank his AAV.
- PepinoPamplemousse

But still... Mika is controlled for his next contract, and they gave up the higher pick for the younger player who is nearly as good as Brassard?

But still... Mika is controlled for his next contract, and they gave up the higher pick for the younger player who is nearly as good as Brassard?
- Guile

Mika probably has arbitration rights and needs a raise next year.

Brassard's AAV is higher than his actual salary. But yeah it's a very stupid trade.

I'm all for adding Kucherov, I just don't think Francis goes the offer sheet route. I do, however, think he'll definitely call Yzerman about him.
- PepinoPamplemousse

I agree GMRF picks up the phone instead of the offer sheet. That route always comes back to bite you in the buttocks!!!

Canes also have a lot of good prospects that could become good NHL players as RFA in the near future. So I don't want him to go that route either, but give TB a call!!!

I would offer our 1st, rags 2nd, & devils 3rd, for Kucherov, & listen to any counter offer.