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Simmonds, provorov, ghost, konecky, I like Vorachek too just overpaid. We have cap problems & the team is a bubble playoff team at best. Most teams up against the cap are cup contenders. It's frustrating right now.
- Williamc5468

You cant fix your team in free agency anymore anyway. They'll be fine with the cap. Who else do you want brought in? Thornton, Oshie?

The biggest thing...that's been brought up and it's true is that they are not winning a cup with Giroux as a 1C. Its not going to happen. So it better be a kid coming up. 1C's SC champions over the last 10 years

E Staal 21
Getzlaf 22
Datsyuk 29
Crosby 21
Toews 22
Krejci 25
Kopitar 24
Toews 25
Kopitar 26
Toews 27
Crosby 28

Average age of the last 11 Cup winning first line centers = 24.5

If anyone thinks they're winning a cup with G-Coots 1 and 2C they are out of their minds

Wow, you know what would REALLY change the complexion of this team in the next 12 months or so?

Adding Lindblom, Sanheim, Morin, maybe Myers at some point. Then some depth guys like Leier and Laughton. They need a true 25-30 point 3C to acquire, probably in a trade, this offseason. That's the only weakness that a prospect won't cover up short-term.

Other than that, Hextall is a patient man, not a reactive one. They came in as a bubble team, still are a bubble team, will remain a bubble team. People have to stop acting so surprised and histrionic that they are one.
- Mononoke

They need a 1C...not a 3C for this team in the near future

Tony Androckitis ‏@TonyAndrock 6m6 minutes ago
GOAL. Sanheim goes coast to coast. Oh my goodness what a series of moves. 2-2 tie game on back to back goals by Travis Sanheim

👀
- PhillySportsGuy

He's next up

They need a 1C...not a 3C for this team in the near future
- Just5

Giroux isn't dead yet, and you don't just acquire a 1C. They need a 3C right now, and that's very doable and needs to be done. Finding Giroux's successor is a little more near distant future and more ambitious in planning. Maybe that person is here; maybe he's not. Maybe we have to trade a defenseman for one of them in 3+ years. But no, it's nowhere near an immediate need.

PSG and I have been talking about our nagging worry of Giroux's decline, or at least trending down stats, and the need for a future 1C for a while. I get it. It's why I wanted to do anything to acquire a top 10 pick for Clayton Keller. A guy this draft who may be in that same type of range, maybe around top 10, but not a top 3 pick that requires heaven and earth to acquire is Martin Nečas.

Giroux isn't dead yet, and you don't just acquire a 1C. They need a 3C right now, and that's very doable and needs to be done. Finding Giroux's successor is a little more near distant future and more ambitious in planning. Maybe that person is here; maybe he's not. Maybe we have to trade a defenseman for one of them in 3+ years. But no, it's nowhere near an immediate need.

PSG and I have been talking about our nagging worry of Giroux's decline, or at least trending down stats, and the need for a future 1C for a while. I get it. It's why I wanted to do anything to acquire a top 10 pick for Clayton Keller. A guy this draft who may be in that same type of range, maybe around top 10, but not a top 3 pick that requires heaven and earth to acquire is Martin Nečas.
- Mononoke

I like that swiss kid. The little bit I've seen of him. But hes a top 5 pick too I believe. If we're talking about winning a Cup, then it's a hole that needs filled and I don't care much about a 3C hole to fill a need to do what to get to the playoffs?

Also please be kind and post sanheim links if you have them.

I like that swiss kid. The little bit I've seen of him. But hes a top 5 pick too I believe. If we're talking about winning a Cup, then it's a hole that needs filled and I don't care much about a 3C hole to fill a need to do what to get to the playoffs?

Also please be kind and post sanheim links if you have them.
- Just5

Nico Hischier is going #2 probably.

You cannot care about the 3C hole all you want, but it's a hole and needs correcting in the immediate to improve the team. They still have to compete and try to be the best team they can while they're not quite a contender. Once they get some real back end help, they could really improve quickly.

1C is not a hole right now. But it has to be thought about for 3-5 years from now.

So is Hak out of his league here or is this on the team?

Giroux isn't dead yet, and you don't just acquire a 1C. They need a 3C right now, and that's very doable and needs to be done. Finding Giroux's successor is a little more near distant future and more ambitious in planning. Maybe that person is here; maybe he's not. Maybe we have to trade a defenseman for one of them in 3+ years. But no, it's nowhere near an immediate need.

PSG and I have been talking about our nagging worry of Giroux's decline, or at least trending down stats, and the need for a future 1C for a while. I get it. It's why I wanted to do anything to acquire a top 10 pick for Clayton Keller. A guy this draft who may be in that same type of range, maybe around top 10, but not a top 3 pick that requires heaven and earth to acquire is Martin Nečas.
- Mononoke

We're the only ones who think about this team in terms of future. Everyone else is just a #firstlevelthinker

So is Hak out of his league here or is this on the team?
- LJF

I like Hak more than others here. He's not getting the most out of the group right now though

Dammit its 5-2 hershey

I like Hak more than others here. He's not getting the most out of the group right now though
- Just5

I thought he did an excellent job last season but seems to be hitting a sophomore slump. He doesn't seem to know what to do to get them playing as a team. But maybe this isn't his fault.

We're the only ones who think about this team in terms of future. Everyone else is just a #firstlevelthinker
- PhillySportsGuy

Realistically, Giroux's 5v5 scoring is nowhere near this bad. He's in a rut. He's not a 1C at 5v5, but he's still capable of scoring like a 2C with strong possession numbers. He's also maybe the best PP player in the league. That value holds for a LONG time. People are too simplistic with their understanding of a "1C." Yes, hopefully that person is your everything at every strength. But you can have one player be your 1C at 5v5, another your 1C on the PP, etc.. We may already have that. But this entire team almost is poor scoring 5v5 and has been for years. It's a wide spread issue covering many players. We need better 5v5 players who can open up the ice more and create.

Nico Hischier is going #2 probably.

You cannot care about the 3C hole all you want, but it's a hole and needs correcting in the immediate to improve the team. They still have to compete and try to be the best team they can while they're not quite a contender. Once they get some real back end help, they could really improve quickly.

1C is not a hole right now. But it has to be thought about for 3-5 years from now.
- Mononoke

most contending teams are 3-5 years away from number one center being a pressing need though. just the nature of the game. things move fast.

i still think coots can be the number three center really well. a good number two center would be so beneficial. granted, they dont grow on trees. but it would make things a lot easier for both giroux and coots.

Realistically, Giroux's 5v5 scoring is nowhere near this bad. He's in a rut. He's not a 1C at 5v5, but he's still capable of scoring like a 2C with strong possession numbers. He's also maybe the best PP player in the league. That value holds for a LONG time. People are too simplistic with their understanding of a "1C." Yes, hopefully that person is your everything at every strength. But you can have one player be your 1C at 5v5, another your 1C on the PP, etc.. We may already have that. But this entire team almost is poor scoring 5v5 and has been for years. It's a wide spread issue covering many players. We need better 5v5 players who can open up the ice more and create.
- Mononoke

i wish it were so for my own selfish reasons, but people thinking that giroux is washed up and that you cant win with him as your best center, i just cant see it.

best center, yes. virtually your only center, no. and its just not fair to ask that of him.

and in my opinion its either him or backstrom for best PP player in the game.

i wish it were so for my own selfish reasons, but people thinking that giroux is washed up and that you cant win with him as your best center, i just cant see it.

best center, yes. virtually your only center, no. and its just not fair to ask that of him.

and in my opinion its either him or backstrom for best PP player in the game.
- stayinthefnnet

Him and Backstrom have just been mirror image players over the years

And they're not going to win the Cup with Giroux being their best center. Maybe will still be their best PP center and best on faceoffs...that's it

Realistically, Giroux's 5v5 scoring is nowhere near this bad. He's in a rut. He's not a 1C at 5v5, but he's still capable of scoring like a 2C with strong possession numbers. He's also maybe the best PP player in the league. That value holds for a LONG time. People are too simplistic with their understanding of a "1C." Yes, hopefully that person is your everything at every strength. But you can have one player be your 1C at 5v5, another your 1C on the PP, etc.. We may already have that. But this entire team almost is poor scoring 5v5 and has been for years. It's a wide spread issue covering many players. We need better 5v5 players who can open up the ice more and create.
- Mononoke

He may be able to shift to the wing eventually if they can find enough good centers. But yeah, PP points still count the same as even strength points. It might be beneficial to use Giroux for the whole two minutes on the PP as well. I would argue they should do it now, but I can understand why people would be apprehensive about that.

They really need to go out and get some skilled guys for the future top 6 though. As of now, they have Konecny and Lindblom as possible options. They need more than that.

Tough one today. Neuvy had to have that one on Marchand shorthanded. He didn"t get a lot of help with the giveaways and penaltys. Even though there guy went down easy Manning can"t be crosschecking. Konecny's turnover at there line ended with G taking a slashing penalty and then Kreji scored. Some bad puck luck as well, Amacs deflection, Belly's two on one shorthanded would of been nice even if he already had one. Simmer usually gets those out but had two chances and couldnt.Ghost will be back in tommorrow and Manning will get a seat. Jakes penalty should not of been 5 as Millar turned away. Gonna be a tough one tommorrow. Hope Ghost can prove Hak wrong.

3 point night for Sanheim 5 mins left

oh none of them on the PP

Bring back Briere???

He may be able to shift to the wing eventually if they can find enough good centers. But yeah, PP points still count the same as even strength points. It might be beneficial to use Giroux for the whole two minutes on the PP as well. I would argue they should do it now, but I can understand why people would be apprehensive about that.

They really need to go out and get some skilled guys for the future top 6 though. As of now, they have Konecny and Lindblom as possible options. They need more than that.
- PhillySportsGuy

I was talking the other day about how Giroux was taken off the PK, which he's great at, to keep him fresh. Well, he's not scoring any more 5v5. Why not use that time he would've PKed and put him on the PP for an extra 30-40 seconds with the 2nd unit? It makes too much sense. It's not an exhaustive role on the half wall. He's averaging almost the exact same amount of 5v5 time this year as last, and the same PP time, but a minute and a half less PK time. Just give him another couple minutes on the PP. It sounds so simple, and given the 2nd unit has been a disaster for a decade (which goes beyond the players IMO), I don't get why they never try it. Move Giroux to that wall, Coots in front, get Dale Weise the hell out of there. Issue?

Bring back Briere???
- jmatchett383

That was a pretty slick backhander. He always show up in the big games

Looked like Lindros was playing hard. Leclair and Renberg were holding him back

Him and Backstrom have just been mirror image players over the years

And they're not going to win the Cup with Giroux being their best center. Maybe will still be their best PP center and best on faceoffs...that's it
- Just5

i think there are lots of improvements that need to be made to the team as a whole for that to happen, but i still have a hard time seeing why grioux cant be the number one on a cup team. hs having a down year at even strength. but i mean the sharks were in it last year with thorton/pavelski as the number one.

Draisaitl.

Please ohhh please. I'll post nudes.