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Forums :: Blog World :: Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: HHOF, Pirri, Latta, Prospects, Alumni and More
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Mononoke
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: I'd do anything to get you humans out of my forest!
Joined: 07.19.2015

Jun 28 @ 5:57 PM ET
Pirri, Latta, Connolly.

Nice band aids, should be cheap, might be able to fill holes.

- Jsaquella


Latta just strikes me as another 4th liner/13th mucker. I want to improve our bottom 6...is he better than White? Probably, but by enough?

Pirri is a poor all-around sheltered player, who, given usage he probably doesn't deserve, can score some. Needs top 6 usage; not a top 6 player. He interests me the least of the 3.

Connolly might be the most interesting. There is the issue of him playing most of his year with the duo of Bergeron and Marchand and not scoring a whole lot in those minutes. The fact that he had good possession numbers with Bergeron -- a god -- leaves me skeptical. But he did have good numbers the year before in Tampa. And he does have a potential 3rd line skillset. Not like he thrills me either, but he's the more interesting buy low project.
nails
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: thread killer, PA
Joined: 02.05.2007

Jun 28 @ 5:58 PM ET
Pirri, Latta, Connolly.

Nice band aids, should be cheap, might be able to fill holes.

- Jsaquella

All well and good.
Gagne and white are gone.
Who else?
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 5:59 PM ET
Latta just strikes me as another 4th liner/13th mucker. I want to improve our bottom 6...is he better than White? Probably, but by enough?

Pirri is a poor all-around sheltered player, who, given usage he probably doesn't deserve, can score some. Needs top 6 usage; not a top 6 player. He interests me the least of the 3.

Connolly might be the most interesting. There is the issue of him playing most of his year with the duo of Bergeron and Marchand and not scoring a whole lot in those minutes. The fact that he had good possession numbers with Bergeron -- a god -- leaves me skeptical. But he did have good numbers the year before in Tampa. And he does have a potential 3rd line skillset. Not like he thrills me either, but he's the more interesting buy low project.

- Mononoke


You add Pirri & Connolly you can role:

10-28-17
Pirri-14-93
21-12-Connolly
78-52-24

That's not too bad. Worry a bit about grit, but that's a solid group. Just a quick & dirty suggestion
stayinthefnnet
Pittsburgh Penguins
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 01.12.2012

Jun 28 @ 5:59 PM ET
I'm not sure. Florida gave him away. Anaheim seems willing to do the same. I'm looking at a short term, 1-2 year band aid that might be able to add some offense on a cheap deal.
- Jsaquella


yeah exactly. this for a young guy who has 20 goals on his resume. in a goal starved league, it just doesnt seem to add up to me for some reason.

i'm with you though. id take a stab at him
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:01 PM ET
yeah exactly. this for a young guy who has 20 goals on his resume. in a goal starved league, it just doesnt seem to add up to me for some reason.

i'm with you though. id take a stab at him

- stayinthefnnet


1 or 2 years, $1.5mm per. If he's not a fit, expose him in expansion draft. Or deal him for a 5th rounder. There would be interest, unless he's a complete assclown or something
stayinthefnnet
Pittsburgh Penguins
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 01.12.2012

Jun 28 @ 6:03 PM ET
You add Pirri & Connolly you can role:

10-28-17
Pirri-14-93
21-12-Connolly
78-52-24

That's not too bad. Worry a bit about grit, but that's a solid group. Just a quick & dirty suggestion

- Jsaquella

very overrated, and it comes in many shapes and forms as it is.
nails
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: thread killer, PA
Joined: 02.05.2007

Jun 28 @ 6:03 PM ET
1 or 2 years, $1.5mm per. If he's not a fit, expose him in expansion draft. Or deal him for a 5th rounder. There would be interest, unless he's a complete assclown or something
- Jsaquella

Maybe the ducks let him go because of expansion draft protection?
Or maybe he actually is an ass clown an wears out his welcome wherever he goes
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:04 PM ET
very overrated, and it comes in many shapes and forms as it is.
- stayinthefnnet


It is, but I still think you need a bit of it.
stayinthefnnet
Pittsburgh Penguins
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 01.12.2012

Jun 28 @ 6:04 PM ET
1 or 2 years, $1.5mm per. If he's not a fit, expose him in expansion draft. Or deal him for a 5th rounder. There would be interest, unless he's a complete assclown or something
- Jsaquella


yeah exactly. i obviously dont know what goes on behind closed doors, but i do wonder if its something like that last part that just makes teams seem to have little interest in reupping him.

how many guys out there who can pot 20 seem to have a hard time either getting more than 2 mil or even a second year's go round? and this is 2 teams in short order. who knows. but a short deal, theres relatively little risk.
Mononoke
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: I'd do anything to get you humans out of my forest!
Joined: 07.19.2015

Jun 28 @ 6:06 PM ET
You add Pirri & Connolly you can role:

10-28-17
Pirri-14-93
21-12-Connolly
78-52-24

That's not too bad. Worry a bit about grit, but that's a solid group. Just a quick & dirty suggestion

- Jsaquella


I think Pirri just isn't a good NHL player is my issue. I think he makes the top 6 a worse all-around unit while scoring no more than Raffl. He's just a guy I don't want. Raffl at center is interesting and I've thought about it before, but I'm not sure they do it. I'd feel so much more comfortable with 12/52 down the middle as our bottom guys.
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:06 PM ET
Maybe the ducks let him go because of expansion draft protection?
Or maybe he actually is an ass clown an wears out his welcome wherever he goes

- nails


Ducks let him go to avoid a big arbitration win & be forced to keep him at $3mm or whatever. But Florida, in the middle of the playoff push, gave him away. Maybe that was Tallon's influence fading or maybe they felt they needed the cap room to add, but Florida got a 5th or 6th rounder.
stayinthefnnet
Pittsburgh Penguins
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Joined: 01.12.2012

Jun 28 @ 6:06 PM ET
It is, but I still think you need a bit of it.
- Jsaquella


i understand. like i said, i just think it manifests itself in different forms. simmonds oozes it. giroux is a scrappy little (frank) more times than not.

then theres that big oaf you just gave a fairly nice chunk of change to on the back end haha

nails
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: thread killer, PA
Joined: 02.05.2007

Jun 28 @ 6:07 PM ET
So are we deciding that konecny isn't making the team?
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:08 PM ET
I think Pirri just isn't a good NHL player is my issue. I think he makes the top 6 a worse all-around unit while scoring no more than Raffl. He's just a guy I don't want. Raffl at center is interesting and I've thought about it before, but I'm not sure they do it.
- Mononoke


That's the concern with Pirri. He is kind of a one trick pony. He's not a good two way player at all, and he's a fairly poor possession guy.
nails
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: thread killer, PA
Joined: 02.05.2007

Jun 28 @ 6:09 PM ET
Ducks let him go to avoid a big arbitration win & be forced to keep him at $3mm or whatever. But Florida, in the middle of the playoff push, gave him away. Maybe that was Tallon's influence fading or maybe they felt they needed the cap room to add, but Florida got a 5th or 6th rounder.
- Jsaquella

The arb stuff makes sense.
And, no reason he couldn't resign with them.
If I had a choice between 1.5M per on a bubble team and 1.25 per on the ducks, I roll with the ducks
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:12 PM ET
The arb stuff makes sense.
And, no reason he couldn't resign with them.
If I had a choice between 1.5M per on a bubble team and 1.25 per on the ducks, I roll with the ducks

- nails


He might. He's just a guy I'd look long and hard at because he can score goals and he'd likely be cheap
nails
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: thread killer, PA
Joined: 02.05.2007

Jun 28 @ 6:14 PM ET
He might. He's just a guy I'd look long and hard at because he can score goals and he'd likely be cheap
- Jsaquella

I dot disagree, but.I would feel better about it if either read or rafle were gone.
Mononoke
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: I'd do anything to get you humans out of my forest!
Joined: 07.19.2015

Jun 28 @ 6:14 PM ET
That's the concern with Pirri. He is kind of a one trick pony. He's not a good two way player at all, and he's a fairly poor possession guy.
- Jsaquella


I'm ok with: Laughton - Cousins - Read ........Leier - ?/PEB - ?/PEB

But I would really love to get a 3C to bump Cuz down, or a 4C to shift PEB over. Even a 3W to bump Read down. Or a middle 6 guy to even shift Raffl to help the bottom. But I want a good possession, all-around guy who can score. Most of the free agents like that are going to be well overpaid, or they are just scorers (even over-performers) but poor possession guys....and they too will get overpaid.

A guy I keep going back to is Teddy Purcell. His buzz just seems nonexistent. He was a very good true middle 6 possession player and scorer in Tampa, went to the stink hole of Edmonton and still put up some underrated possession and ES stats. He was actually the 2nd best behind McDavid in adjusted CF% this year. He's a guy who can decently elevate his linemate's possession stats. He's getting a pay decrease certainly. If he could be had for 2 years at a reasonable cost, I like that addition.
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:16 PM ET
I'm ok with: Laughton - Cousins - Read ........Leier - ?/PEB - ?/PEB

But I would really love to get a 3C to bump Cuz down, or a 4C to shift PEB over. Even a 3W to bump Read down. Or a middle 6 guy to even shift Raffl to help the bottom. But I want a good possession, all-around guy who can score. Most of the free agents like that are going to be well overpaid, or they are just scorers
(even over-performers) but poor possession guys....and they too will get overpaid.

A guy I keep going back to is Teddy Purcell. His buzz just seems nonexistent. He was a very good true middle 6 possession player and scorer in Tampa, went to the stink hole of Edmonton and still put up some underrated possession and ES stats. He was actually the 2nd best behind McDavid in adjusted CF% this year. He's a guy who can decently elevate his linemate's possession stats. He's getting a pay decrease certainly. If he could be had for 2 years at a reasonable cost, I like that addition.

- Mononoke


Purcell is an interesting name, too. I honestly missed his name in the FA list. With all my late draft prep, I admittedly haven't been too heavy into FA.
Mononoke
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: I'd do anything to get you humans out of my forest!
Joined: 07.19.2015

Jun 28 @ 6:20 PM ET
Purcell is an interesting name, too. I honestly missed his name in the FA list.
- Jsaquella


I don't know his market, but he's a guy that, while the other GMs flirt with the popular players, maybe can be swept up. He'll be a positive possession player, can score 35-40+ as a true middle 6 guy (with a lot of scoring at ES), and can improve his linemates' play. I think he's the perfect signing if it's something fair. He's only 30 too, so he's not some over the hill guy, and he adds size to boot.

He's someone who could actually bump Raffl down and help both lines doing it.
Baxter27
Philadelphia Flyers
Joined: 12.03.2007

Jun 28 @ 6:25 PM ET
they can be dealt within the chl (don't believe they have to go through waivers like other players. It would typically be euro rights for euro rights or a euro draft pick. And top end Euros have to be looked after because you don't want your team to be known as one to just dump the Euros because that will close doors on future Euro prospects.
- MrPerfect316


Thanks! Was delusional and hoping he might land with my hometown Rangers.
Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:26 PM ET
I don't know his market, but he's a guy that, while the other GMs flirt with the popular players, maybe can be swept up. He'll be a positive possession player, can score 30-40 as a true middle 6 guy (with a lot of scoring at ES), and can improve his linemates' play. I think he's the perfect signing if it's something fair. He's only 30 too, so he's not some over the hill guy, and he adds size to boot.
- Mononoke


He did kind of crater when he hit Florida, but not a huge sample size.

He's been a good player in past, and probably looking at decent pay decrease. That may well fit better than 20 goals & possession issues from Pirri.

Looking deeper, Pirri is more concerning. Heavy O usage, poor possession numbers, mediocre GF/GA
roenick97
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Canada, MI
Joined: 12.23.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:38 PM ET
You add Pirri & Connolly you can role:

10-28-17
Pirri-14-93
21-12-Connolly
78-52-24

That's not too bad. Worry a bit about grit, but that's a solid group. Just a quick & dirty suggestion

- Jsaquella

The problem for me, Matt Read isn't a 4th line player, nor is he paid as one. Laughton shouldn't be placed on the wing as a solution. That kid should get better in the milldle. I don't think Raffl should be along term fix in the middle, he's best along the boards and isn't the best playmaker in terms of passing. Raffl isn't a nature center. You could move the Bellemare to the wing but I like him best in the middle.

Too much expectation for players to adjust.
Mononoke
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: I'd do anything to get you humans out of my forest!
Joined: 07.19.2015

Jun 28 @ 6:48 PM ET
He did kind of crater when he hit Florida, but not a huge sample size.

He's been a good player in past, and probably looking at decent pay decrease. That may well fit better than 20 goals & possession issues from Pirri.

Looking deeper, Pirri is more concerning. Heavy O usage, poor possession numbers, mediocre GF/GA

- Jsaquella


Yeah, given that he did well through 60 games this year in Edmonton, and the previous handful of years before that, I'm willing to write off his 15 Florida games as SSS with a new team.

Jsaquella
Philadelphia Flyers
Location: Bringing Hexy Back
Joined: 06.16.2006

Jun 28 @ 6:52 PM ET
The problem for me, Matt Read isn't a 4th line player, nor is he paid as one. Laughton shouldn't be placed on the wing as a solution. That kid should get better in the milldle. I don't think Raffl should be along term dix in the middle, he's best along the boards and isn't the best playmaker in terms of passing. Raffl isn't a nature center. You could move the Bellemare to the wing but I like him best in the middle.

Too much expectation for players to adjust.

- roenick97


I don't care about pay scale and I think Laughton is better suited to playing wing. I also think Bellemare is far better suited to wing.
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