We are now inside of a month before the expansion draft kicks off the NHL’s wheeling and dealing season for the offseason. Figuring that trades would precede the June 18-20 event, I think we can officially declare it one month away.
Ron Francis started early in filling what I think was the team’s greatest need when he traded for and signed Scott Darling. But he still has work to do. The Monday Coffee Shop and a few of the daily posts this week focused on the Hurricanes’ free agent decisions internally.
This week’s Thursday Coffee Shop pairs with today’s Daily Cup of Joe on Jaccob Slavin’s next contract and has polls that go more in-depth on the possibility of re-signing Jaccob Slavin early. In addition, the last two polls and the discussion questions start to look forward to Ron Francis options to add another difference-maker or two to the current Carolina Hurricanes roster.
Carolina Hurricanes polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ for each poll response.
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Carolina Hurricanes discussion questions
1) Of the increasing number of player names being bandied around as possibly available both here at Canes and Coffee and other NHL news sources, which 2-3 players excite you most and why?
2) What are your thoughts on Cory Fogg’s idea of completing matching deals for defense partners Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce? Do you think it is important to offer them the same deal out of respect? Do you prioritize re-signing one over the other? Or are they just two separate deals altogether?
Go Canes!
1) Duchene. While I wasn’t a fan based on the asking price, I do like adding him if GMFR can work some of his magic and get a top-center for picks/prospects. I think it is a long shot, but I also think that Sakic has learned he isn’t going to get what he wanted. Duchene is still 25/60 center.
Eberle. Another 25/60 player. Canes could use a RW almost as much as a center.
Hanzal. While not the scorer, he is a big center who gets time on special teams.
2) I agree with Cory–or almost. I would sign them “together” but would be willing to offer Slavin a little more money based on his scoring and additional ice time last season. That being said, I am on record as stating that I think over next 8 years both will make the case for being the best 2-way D-man in Raleigh. Pesce showed some offensive prowess the last month or so of the season. I think starting this season both will put up 6-10 goals and 35-40 points every season. Defensively, I believe they are already equal. Signing both should be near the top of RF’s list.
ct’s ideas regarding signings aren’t bad. Duchene is a scorer, fast, and very good on faceoffs. Not sure his defensive game is up to snuff, but I would live with it. My problem with him is the assets we would have to give up to get him. If we are going for a Colorado guy I would rather have MacKinnon who has all of Duchene’s attributes but is all-around a better player. Either way, Duchene or MacKinnon, depending on the deal (what we give up), I’d be happy. Regarding Eberle, he would be a very good acquisition and certainly if that’s the best we can do without mortgaging our future, I’d again be happy to have him. Sorry ct on Hanzal. Not really interested in him.
Who do I have in mind who are better options? I won’t say better, but will say other options. If we are going just for a wing I would try to get Anderson from Columbus. Would come cheaper and has all the attributes we are looking for (scoring, speed, size, youth, and defense). At center I would go for Johnson (Tampa Bay) or Kuznetsov (Washington) just because they would come cheaper yet give us all the attibutes we are looking for.
Regardless of whether RF settles on one of ct’s options, one of mine, or somebody else’s (puckgods, miller’s, fogger’s, tenin’s, etc.), I’m a Caniac and will support whatever changes are made. One thing I am sure of in all this is RF (and probably most of the other contributors to this site) knows AT LEAST AS MUCH about this than I. If not, our next topic will be who do we replace RF with.
As far as the two defensemen are concerned, sign them both to identical contracts. These two are keepers and their talent levels are pretty much the same. Slavin may have a slight edge in talent, but not enough to make it appropriate to give a whole lot of money over what you pay Pesce. Remember, in my household $250,000 is a WHOLE LOT OF MONEY.
Several good options. The thing for me is I would not be willing to trade one of our 4 young D to get a forward, not worth it. That was why I was originally looking UFAs because we would not loose a very valuable D. I think good D are harder to find then forwards unless they are Matthews/McDavid level. Still hoping for cap stressed or expansion draft stressed teams to give some offers without loosing a D.
1/ [insert any Top-6 Forward here]. I’m in the camp that prefers ANY upgrade, not necessarily a Center, where the price is either (a) in futures and prospects and/or in a bottom 6 forward and NOT a defenseman, (b) a reasonably aggressive UFA contract, or (c) a salary dump (ie, TT/Bickell for futures). It’s going to come from a team that has Cap or Expansion Draft issues or a team in or going into rebuild-mode that wants to stock their prospect pool (ie., what RF has done in CAR) or a team with a bad contract.
For example, what if WAS went crazy and paid us to take Ovechkin so they could rebuild around someone else. Would anyone complain all that much? (Maybe, but it would be fun to watch, and we could use a little grit and nastiness. Just saying). Or what if Eric Staal came back now and not as Captain? Almost unthinkable, but might also be very cool. Or Zetterberg from DET for a bunch of futures?
More players than we realize are probably available. Given the Expansion Draft, I think almost anything is possible this summer.
2/ Agree with ctcaniac, and would be perfectly fine (and maybe prefer) signing them both to long term. Even though Slavin may have more offensive upside, Pesce is more of a “banger” and we’re going to need that too, especially in the playoffs.
OK, Matt… I’ll bite…WHAT DO YOU THINK IS OVER-SPENDING?
And, why is getting a real player AUTOMATICALLY OVER-SPENDING?
Starting your questions with the implication that EVEN GETTING an upgrade is over-payment is disingenuous…and kinda Pisses me off.
If that wasn’t your intention, then consider the REMOTE POSSIBILITY that RF actually might spend what it takes to get what we need!
Certainly having over 18M in capspace and using next to nothing is UNDER SPENDING AND CHEAP… if 8-10M isn’t used to upgrade the forward lines, then WRITE OFF ANOTHER YEAR – forget the playoffs…
The Canes currently have over $27 million in cap space, more than enough to spend the $8 million or so to upgrade the forwards and the $2 or $3 million they’ll need to spend to bring in a veteran defender.
Over-spending is paying $5.5 million a year for 7 years for a 30 year old Andrew Ladd who put up all of 31 points this season. Paying highly and getting your money’s worth is paying $6 million a year for 7 years for a Milan Lucic and his 50 points a season. The jury’s still out on a similar contract for Kyle Okposo. The point is that all of these guys are power forwards and that game deteriorates rapidly once it starts its decline. So you have to pick your battles carefully there.
I realize this is a forward upgrade thread, but maybe it makes sense to focus on an early pick-up of another top 6 d-man, specifically one with some offensive up-side. This may not go over good in this forum but someone like DelZotto in Philly. He had a tough year this past year with injuries but he has speed and skill and would definitely upgrade the blue line corps. Somehow the Canes need to get more offense from the blue line. Slavin, Pence, Hanifin – all have potential to get better offensively but they may not be there quite yet. Picking up a free agent defenseman opens up the door to packaging draft picks and one of the young future defense studs (and maybe a depth player) to obtain a scoring forward.
Tenininumee–thanks for taking us in another direction. I would like to see these threads go for several days. Good idea about adding a D-man early. However, I am not sure offensive upside will make a big difference. There seems to be a ceiling for D scoring around 40 goals. I didn’t check every team, but it appears that Nashville had the most goals from D at 42. Carolina was respectable at 34. Faulk is going to get 15+ every year. I think Slavin and Pesce have upside. Still I think adding a Right D makes tons of sense. I really like Quincey or Hunwick. Canes should be able to get one for 3 years/$5.5 million.
Thanks to dmiller, I have been reading up on what the numbers guy say, and they make a pretty good case for splitting up the top players both from a scoring standpoint and defense standpoint. So I can see: Slavin/Quincey-Hunwick, Fleury/Pesce, Hanifin/Faulk. Of course, Slavin and Pesce are back together on PK and Hanifin and Faulk get most of the PP time.
Talking about a 5-6 defenseman, I think Quincy would be a fine signing. Glad you brought up his name.
General comment is that we need to add 20 goals and 50 points to be a playoff team. Where it comes from is immaterial. Ideally we’ll add a Top 6 forward (I’m with you dmilleravid), a replacement for Stempniak (who I think we lose in expansion), and probably a 3C. My sense is Wallmark is currently tabbed for the 4C role and that we’ll need a 4th line winger (probably a battle between PDG, McGinn, random checker, surprising like Warren Foegele, or they could bring a guy like Stalberg back.
The cast of characters was well known even this spring – Duchene, Landeskog, Eberle, Tyler Johnson, Palat, Strome, Drouin, maybe even Michael Grabner. Recently even Nino Niederreiter and Charlie Coyle’s names have surfaced. Frankly, I’d be happy with Landeskog, Johnson, or one of Strome or Drouin (both of whom will probably cost a pretty penny). I’d be elated with either Niederreiter or Coyle. All of those guys would fit into our Top 6.
However, I don’t think we get enough fire power from the back end by adding an offensive defenseman, especially considering he’s likely to be a #6 and not see a ton of minutes. I would expect all of Slavin, Pesce and especially Hanifin to improve on their point production from last season.
As far as new contracts are concerned we cannot look at this in isolation. All of Slavin, Pesce, Hanifin, and Lindholm will be RFAs next season. Lindy will have arbitration rights. Personally, I’d like to see us start with Slavin and Lindholm and get them both locked up, hopefully for something around $4.75 million a year for 5 or 6 years. I’d bridge Pesce and Hanifin for two years (maybe 3 for Hanifin) and try to use Lindholm’s current contract as a benchmark. I think ultimately you end up with Pesce at around $4 million, maybe a little less and Hanifin at something near $5.5 million (as I think he ultimately lives up to his 1st pairing, all around stud defenseman pedigree).
Good insights. I have said the Canes have two equal priorities: 1) Make the playoffs; 2) Keep the core.
As far as 1) Darling addresses all the concerns states as “with league-average goaltending Carolina makes the playoffs;” and I take the easy path and say the teams needs to score 235 goals to increase playoffs from likely to highly likely. So another 25-goal scorer, and it shouldn’t matter if it is winger of center.
Then 2)–as you mention the RFAs next year, then Skinner and Aho in 2019 will mean spending money. That will be easier if 17-18 increases attendance and includes the playoffs.