Jeremy Laura: Svechnikov mic’d up

I have always liked Svechnikov and wanted him to take the next step and stick around. Cool video.

That being said, I'm fairly confident he's not going to be protected for the expansion draft and, just looking at what else (i.e., not much) Detroit is going to have available, I think he's the most likely candidate to get claimed by Seattle.

I have always liked Svechnikov and wanted him to take the next step and stick around. Cool video.

That being said, I'm fairly confident he's not going to be protected for the expansion draft and, just looking at what else (i.e., not much) Detroit is going to have available, I think he's the most likely candidate to get claimed by Seattle.
- Sven22

Very possible on expansion. Detroit doesn’t have a lot of contracts to deal with. I’d like him to stick around, but no clue if Yzerman is making any “deals” with Seattle

Bertuzzi had back surgery

https://www.prohockeyrumo...dergoes-back-surgery.html

Very possible on expansion. Detroit doesn’t have a lot of contracts to deal with. I’d like him to stick around, but no clue if Yzerman is making any “deals” with Seattle
- Jeremy Laura

Well you can never rule out the unexpected with Yzerman, but I feel like if he were going to make a deal with Seattle it would either be to:

1) Keep them from selecting an unprotected player Detroit would really like to keep, or

2) Bribe them to take a contract Detroit would really like to offload.

Regarding the first scenario, I just don't think Detroit has enough high-end talent or high-ceiling "potential late bloomers" to justify trading assets to protect extra players. After you protect Larkin, Bertuzzi, Vrana, Fabbri, Hronek, Stecher and arguably Rasmussen there's really no one else left that it would really sting to lose. And you've still got three slots left! (Namestnikov, Erne, and Cholowski I think will be the picks here.)

Regarding the second scenario, again, I'm not sure we have any contracts that Yzerman would be desperate enough to unload that it'd be worth paying valuable assets to make that bribe. Panik maybe, but that's a contract I don't think Seattle would have any interest in. Nielsen maybe.

Well you can never rule out the unexpected with Yzerman, but I feel like if he were going to make a deal with Seattle it would either be to:

1) Keep them from selecting an unprotected player Detroit would really like to keep, or

2) Bribe them to take a contract Detroit would really like to offload.

Regarding the first scenario, I just don't think Detroit has enough high-end talent or high-ceiling "potential late bloomers" to justify trading assets to protect extra players. After you protect Larkin, Bertuzzi, Vrana, Fabbri, Hronek, Stecher and arguably Rasmussen there's really no one else left that it would really sting to lose. And you've still got three slots left! (Namestnikov, Erne, and Cholowski I think will be the picks here.)

Regarding the second scenario, again, I'm not sure we have any contracts that Yzerman would be desperate enough to unload that it'd be worth paying valuable assets to make that bribe. Panik maybe, but that's a contract I don't think Seattle would have any interest in. Nielsen maybe.
- Sven22

And this is the new reality. I’ve tried to stay wide open to how Yzerman works, but I’ve been wrong several times now. He’s so “stealth” in his dealings, even with multiple other teams, that nothing gets out. any scenario where I would be sure Yzerman would or wouldn’t do something, those are pretty much gone. He’s his own GM. Even with deadline negotiations. He could have moved Bernier for a low pick. As with Drouin in TB, he would rather squash the deal than get ripped off (it seems). When teams come back to the table, they know he has the ability to walk away. I just can’t guess any more where he’s at.

Reports that the Caps my look to shot Kuznetsov. They do need to shed some salary. Maybe he is Seattle bound?

Reports that the Caps my look to shot Kuznetsov. They do need to shed some salary. Maybe he is Seattle bound?
- DRW1991

It’s tough to know what is pure speculation here. It’s been a down year for K, and he’s been in trouble. Some rumors are just ridiculous “what if” click bait. It’s always possible, but they would want something significant in return

Reports that the Caps my look to shot Kuznetsov. They do need to shed some salary. Maybe he is Seattle bound?
- DRW1991

It’s tough to know what is pure speculation here. It’s been a down year for K, and he’s been in trouble. Some rumors are just ridiculous “what if” click bait. It’s always possible, but they would want something significant in return

It’s tough to know what is pure speculation here. It’s been a down year for K, and he’s been in trouble. Some rumors are just ridiculous “what if” click bait. It’s always possible, but they would want something significant in return
- Jeremy Laura

Down year. Caps only have ~9m in cap space and need to resign Ovi and Samsonov. Something has to give. Can't wait for all the crazy speculation this year.

I want absolutely no part of Kuznetsov's contract. Four more years at $7.8m per is really bad value for what he is, which is a 28-year-old forward who is good but not that good offensively, always been terrible defensively, and is very likely in decline.

(Also, by most accounts, kind of a jerk.)

Would he immediately be Detroit's second-best center? Yes, easily. But unless you expect the rebuild to take at least four more years that contract is an albatross.

I want absolutely no part of Kuznetsov's contract. Four more years at $7.8m per is really bad value for what he is, which is a 28-year-old forward who is good but not that good offensively, always been terrible defensively, and is very likely in decline.

Would he immediately be Detroit's second-best center? Yes, easily. But unless you expect the rebuild to take at least four more years that contract is an albatross.
- Sven22

Oh I agree completely. If Seattle thinks they can compete with what Vegas did year one, he has to be on their radar.

Down year. Caps only have ~9m in cap space and need to resign Ovi and Samsonov. Something has to give. Can't wait for all the crazy speculation this year.
- DRW1991

https://www.capfriendly.c.../players/evgeny-kuznetsov

The more I chew on this, the more I like having this to think about. He has a modified no trade (15 team) that changes to 10 team after 21/22. Honestly, 7.8 M isn’t bad for a top center. He’s not impossible to move by a long shot.

Washington, like Pittsburgh and Chicago, is a few player retirements away from rebuild. Do you move a sub 30 center while his value is up? Keep rolling with this man. You did a nice job, especially in this insane environment. CBJ needs centers badly. Would Seth Jones want to go to Washington? What do the caps do at center? Roslovic? Nothing is off the table in this crazy upcoming offseason.

Thanks for this, it’s actually been a nice break from some headaches. That was a really nice take

Oh I agree completely. If Seattle thinks they can compete with what Vegas did year one, he has to be on their radar.
- DRW1991

It looks like Seattle has to take near 50M in the expansion draft. They also have to refund any signing bonuses that were already paid. Ownership may not want to take on a bunch of up front cash. They just finally became official (took a while to make that last payment).

https://www.capfriendly.com/players/evgeny-kuznetsov

The more I chew on this, the more I like having this to think about. He has a modified no trade (15 team) that changes to 10 team after 21/22. Honestly, 7.8 M isn’t bad for a top center. He’s not impossible to move by a long shot.

Washington, like Pittsburgh and Chicago, is a few player retirements away from rebuild. Do you move a sub 30 center while his value is up? Keep rolling with this man. You did a nice job, especially in this insane environment. CBJ needs centers badly. Would Seth Jones want to go to Washington? What do the caps do at center? Roslovic? Nothing is off the table in this crazy upcoming offseason.

Thanks for this, it’s actually been a nice break from some headaches. That was a really nice take
- Jeremy Laura

It's a matter of opinion, but I'm not sure I'd call Kuznetsov a "top center."

The biggest problem is that his defense is bad. Like, really really bad. Like in contention for flat-out worst in the league bad. He puts up points at a respectable rate for a 1C but the clown show in the D zone drops his overall value back to earth tremendously IMO.

Still averages out to being a decent player overall, don't get me wrong. He's an elite passer, on a team that can make very good use of that particular skill. But I'm not convinced he's a better all-around player than Larkin, who is also not what I'd consider a top center.

Sucks for Bert, but I take a positive away from this because now we at the very least know what's going on with him. The shady "upper body" for most of the season has been kind of frustrating.

As for K....I think the Wings need a 2-way C more than an elite passing, one way center. Seeing Veleno play makes me think the Wings can wait for the right player. What about offering $4.5M x 4 for Danault if he gets to FA? RNH will be too pricey and will have a bidding war. Krejci would be fun for 2 years. Same with Getzlaf and Stasny, but they will re-sign where they are at.

Depending on the price for Kuznetsov, Yzerman should take a serious look at it. Wings are not likely to fill the 2nd line center position in this draft and unless they win the lottery in 2022 (or are high enough to get Lambert) they might not be able to fill it again in 2022. Not likely to get a top playmaking center on the UFA market either which would leave trades.

Wings have needed a playmaking center since Datsyuk left and Kuznetsov would fit the bill imo. Put Kuznetsov with Vrana (we already know they have chemistry) and/or Zadina and let him feed them goals. This would also take major heat off Larkin which might help him get his offense back on track.

Bertuzzi - Larkin - Fabbri
Vrana - Kuznetsov - Zadina
Namesnikov - Veleno - Raymond or Berggren
Smith - Rasmussen - Erne Extra: Panik and Svetchnikov (if not picked by Seattle)

Martinek(UFA) - Seider
Oleksiak(UFA) - Hronek
DeKeyser - Lindstrom Extra: Cholowski

Greiss, Bernier

Not a perfect roster but a big improvement for sure.

Sucks for Bert, but I take a positive away from this because now we at the very least know what's going on with him. The shady "upper body" for most of the season has been kind of frustrating.
- Datsyuks_Dangle

You’re completely right. I’d written a few times that it was clear they were going the rehab route. Back and knee surgeries in hockey are sometimes the start of a lifetime of more surgeries. It’s tricky. Thank goodness things have come a long way. I worked in a factory with a guy who had part of a cadaver spine infused to his own. (He’d had broken vertebrae). A family member is getting spinal fusion, and that’s a loaded one for sure. I guess they just wanted to be absolutely sure they had to go the surgery route.

As for K....I think the Wings need a 2-way C more than an elite passing, one way center. Seeing Veleno play makes me think the Wings can wait for the right player. What about offering $4.5M x 4 for Danault if he gets to FA? RNH will be too pricey and will have a bidding war. Krejci would be fun for 2 years. Same with Getzlaf and Stasny, but they will re-sign where they are at.
- HenryHockey

Oh for sure, there’s not really a spot I can see in Detroit for him. Seattle, CBJ, maybe even the Isles as Trotz had a really good relationship with him. Seeing Veleno it’s clear he still needs reps. He played wing for most of his time in Europe. Fabbri was actually playing well at center early on. Ryan wants to come back for another year. Namestnikov/Rasmussen/Glenny (if he comes back) all decent (Glenny outstanding for PK/draws). We lost a lot with losing the Fabbri line, they were clicking