GHT120 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 1 hour ago, tomh009 said: Byron has very much showed up for the playoffs, though, and it may have secured his place on the roster for next year. He has had a great playoff ... scoring at a better pace than his regular season career (39 pts/82 gm pace versus 33 pts/82 gm) ... but he remains a 4th/3rd line player and I expect his AAV to remain a challenge next season ... which is not to say he is the only challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 6 hours ago, tomh009 said: Byron has very much showed up for the playoffs, though, and it may have secured his place on the roster for next year. Is he worth protecting given his salary and age, over a Lekhonan, or Evans? I wouldn’t. Frankly as much as I dislike him. I’d protect Drouin over Byron in the hope that Drouin can come back and have his usual good streak, and we can actually trade him for something to show in the Sergechev trade. I realize that is a sink cost, but Drouin is like one of those stocks that are doing dogs and I’m the toilet, but should eventually pop, so you can get something back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 6 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said: here is my protection list (7-3-1): Forwards: Drouin, Anderson, Toffoli, Gallagher, Danault, Kotkaniemi, Evans Backs: Petry, Edmundson, Chiarot Goalie: Price Walks: Tatar (UFA), Staal (UFA) Unprotected (Seattle picks one): Byron, Armia (UFA), Lehkonen (RFA), Perry (UFA), Weber, Kulak, Merrill (UFA), Gustafsson (UFA), Allen Exempt: Suzuki, Romanov I agree with your list with the exception of leaving Lekhonan unprotected. He will get picked up and I’d leave Danault who is a UFA unprotected over Lekhonan. If Danaywamta to resign for resonance term and $, AFTER the draft sure. Ditto with Armia. Danault is probably testing free agency anyways. Lekhonan has shown he is solid defensively. Tireless work ethic and has some offence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 Really, the forwards that are guaranteed to be protected: Anderson, Gallagher, Kotkaniemi, Toffoli. Almost certain: Lehkonen. That leaves two spots for some combination of Armia, Danault and Evans. But it only makes sense to protect Armia or Danault if you can extend them, so in that scenario I think they would want to negotiate and sign them before the UFA date in order to have certainty. Evans would likely not get picked by Vegas: he's on an ELC, which is good, but he's very much a depth centre and not that young, so I think the risk is pretty low. (Byron, I didn't intend to suggest that he would be protected, but that in the case he is not picked, he would likely end up playing for the Habs again next year.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 I am ok with leaving both Armia and Lehkonen unprotected at worst we’ll lose one of them, but can resign the other. Evans showed lots up maturity in his game this playoffs. He can provide the defensive play Lehkonen or Armia provide on the PK plus he is decent on face offs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 8 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said: I am ok with leaving both Armia and Lehkonen unprotected at worst we’ll lose one of them, but can resign the other. Evans showed lots up maturity in his game this playoffs. He can provide the defensive play Lehkonen or Armia provide on the PK plus he is decent on face offs I can’t see Danault resigning on a reasonable deal, without testing free agency, so I don’t know why you’d want to protect him. Armia, I’d leave unprotected, but he should be easier to sign. Lekhonan will be picked for sure if he is unprotected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 9 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said: ... Evans showed lots up maturity in his game this playoffs. He can provide the defensive play Lehkonen or Armia provide on the PK plus he is decent on face offs Agreed ... the 4C position certainly seems settled for next season (and if he proves he can play up in the lineup all the better) ... my only concern with Jake is that Evans has a history of concussions, dating back to a rookie tournament game against the Ottawa Senators in 2018. Evans was hit in the head with a stick by Senators prospect Jonathan Aspirot, leaving him motionless for several minutes before leaving the game on a stretcher. Last season in the play-in round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Evans was knocked into the boards by Brandon Tanev and needed help into the dressing room. He missed the rest of the play-in round but returned to play against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 10 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said: I can’t see Danault resigning on a reasonable deal, without testing free agency, so I don’t know why you’d want to protect him. Armia, I’d leave unprotected, but he should be easier to sign. Lekhonan will be picked for sure if he is unprotected. If the Habs are going to. E a cup contender going forward, Danault is needed. there is no equivalent in the UFA market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 9 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said: I can’t see Danault resigning on a reasonable deal, without testing free agency, so I don’t know why you’d want to protect him. Armia, I’d leave unprotected, but he should be easier to sign. Lekhonan will be picked for sure if he is unprotected. I agree about Danault ... it will be interesting to watch ... not certain Lehkonen is more likely to be picked than Armia ... Joel may well be seen as having more untapped goal scoring potential, and bringing a more physical game while still being defensively responsible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomh009 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 10 minutes ago, GHT120 said: I agree about Danault ... it will be interesting to watch ... not certain Lehkonen is more likely to be picked than Armia ... Joel may well be seen as having more untapped goal scoring potential, and bringing a more physical game while still being defensively responsible. Yes, all other things being equal, Armia might be more desirable. But all other things aren't equal: Lehkonen is an RFA (Armia is UFA) so the team has control and some level of cost certainty, making him an attractive option. For the two remaining protected forwards, Bergevin has to make some decisions: sign Armia? sign Danault? Evans injury risk? It makes no sense to protect a UFA unless you have already worked out an extension with him. And Evans' concussion history may make him both less valuable for protection, and less attractive for Vegas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 15 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said: Not entirely certain the point being made above ... but regardless of the depth of the UFA pool at centre the Habs have to be cap-responsible with his contract ... defence is only worth so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalhabs Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 I think Id still look at the possibility to send Price to the Kraken and start a proper rebuild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 30 minutes ago, Dalhabs said: I think Id still look at the possibility to send Price to the Kraken and start a proper rebuild. Considering that Suzuki has proven over two playoff runs that he can be a number 1 centre. KK has shown signs of becoming the number 2, Caufield is showing that he can be a gamebreaker. Romanov is an NHL defenceman. The Habs are generally acknowledged as having a top 5 prospect group in the league, have had a shit ton of draft picks in 2019 and 2020, and will have a shit ton again in 2021.... Why blow the main team up for a proper rebuild? This isn't San Jose who have nothing in the pipeline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHT120 Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 3 hours ago, Commandant said: Considering that Suzuki has proven over two playoff runs that he can be a number 1 centre. KK has shown signs of becoming the number 2, Caufield is showing that he can be a gamebreaker. Romanov is an NHL defenceman. The Habs are generally acknowledged as having a top 5 prospect group in the league, have had a shit ton of draft picks in 2019 and 2020, and will have a shit ton again in 2021.... Why blow the main team up for a proper rebuild? This isn't San Jose who have nothing in the pipeline. Agreed ... if anything, with Price, Weber and Petry still important parts of the core, they may be at the point where some combination of picks and prospects could be used as part of making a significant upgrade on defence or adding another dangerous top 6 winger ... a huge part of expansion draft planning and next years' roster is what they expect of KK next season ... will he become a legit 2C or will he follow the 19-20/20-21 pattern of a strong post-season and a mediocre regular season ... that will be integral to what they do with Danault's contract and/or look for a new 2C/3C ... KK is only turning 20 tomorrow, and has time to develop beyond next season ... but with Suzuki's development, CC's early performance, Romanov's solid rookie season and last fall's additions, the Habs are (IMO) in "now mode" and must factor in both KK's future and near-term in their plans for next season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted July 9, 2021 Author Share Posted July 9, 2021 Teams will publicly release their protected lists on Sunday the 18th. (That seems like a pretty good day to shut down this thread and start up an Expansion Draft Discussion.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted July 10, 2021 Author Share Posted July 10, 2021 If the Habs end up protecting 8 skaters instead of 7 forwards/3 defensemen, I hope they trade for a puck-moving defenseman and protect him over either Weber or Chiarot. Neither of them had a great year, and I'm 99% sure the Kraken would take Allen or Drouin over them anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 Ok, looking at very likely unprotected goaltenders that may be taken by the Kraken besides Allen. Who would you pick? Vanecek Campbell Nedeljovic Hill Driedger DeSmith Or Allen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanpuck33 Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 50 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said: Ok, looking at very likely unprotected goaltenders that may be taken by the Kraken besides Allen. Who would you pick? Vanecek Campbell Nedeljovic Hill Driedger DeSmith Or Allen? I wouldn't be shocked if the Canes keep Nedeljovic. But of the goalies available, Driedger is absolutely at the top of the list in my opinion. Whether they use a selection on him to sign him is another question. Since they HAVE to take three goalies, might as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 Drieger Adin Hill and Vanecek If they don't take Allen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 Don't sleep on Minnesota losing a goalie. The two buyouts allowed them to keep Dumba protected and still keep seven forwards. That basically makes the viable options Carson Soucy or whichever of Cam Talbot or Kaapo Kahkonen (whose name I always type wrong) is left unprotected. The goalie seems more appealing either way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 5 minutes ago, dlbalr said: Don't sleep on Minnesota losing a goalie. The two buyouts allowed them to keep Dumba protected and still keep seven forwards. That basically makes the viable options Carson Soucy or whichever of Cam Talbot or Kaapo Kahkonen (whose name I always type wrong) is left unprotected. The goalie seems more appealing either way. Assuming they protect Kahkonen, does Seattle want to use one of their picks on Talbot? Freidmann on his podcast says Seattle doesn't think they will be Vegas, they think they will be a bubble playoff team in year one, and look to compete in years 3-4. They are likely to go young when possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 1 minute ago, Commandant said: Assuming they protect Kahkonen, does Seattle want to use one of their picks on Talbot? Freidmann on his podcast says Seattle doesn't think they will be Vegas, they think they will be a bubble playoff team in year one, and look to compete in years 3-4. They are likely to go young when possible. I'd rather Talbot than Soucy who's an overpaid third pairing player. Talbot could be flipped for a mid-round pick if need be if there's other goalies they like more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 54 minutes ago, dlbalr said: I'd rather Talbot than Soucy who's an overpaid third pairing player. Talbot could be flipped for a mid-round pick if need be if there's other goalies they like more. Yeah that's one way of looking at it. But if you are gonna have three goalies on the roster don't you also want goalies who are Hill (25 years old), and Vanecek (25 years old) and Dreidger (27)... in three years. they will still be in their prime and one of them is likely your starter. You also are taking 30 players, you don't have to take Soucy. You could grab a guy in Minnesota like Dmitry Sokolov, or Mason Shaw, as one of the guys who is gonna be part of your AHL depth and is 23 years old and on a cheap contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfredoh2009 Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 Thanks for the answers. If they can keep their cap room for a couple of good Ds and the best forwards available, they can go with cheaper options on goal than Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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