Williams will probably come back half way through the season and Ferland only scored 17 goals.

Carolina's forward group is very much a "next guy up" group.
- JohnFergusonJr

Dzingel-J staal-svechnikov
foegele - haula - necas
mcginn-wallmark-martinook

this is atrocious depth up front i dunno what you talking about

Wait.

Did Jake Gardiner just become a solid D?
- Monkeypunk

Depends who he's playing against and with. Gardiner with Pesce on the 2nd or 3rd pair getting 20 minutes a night could be rather effective.

Dzingel-J staal-svechnikov
foegele - haula - necas
mcginn-wallmark-martinook

this is atrocious depth up front i dunno what you talking about
- Lucas.Neilson

And yet, almost all those guys scored 10 or more goals. And as a group, they spend a lot of time in the Ozone, taking shots on net.

And their blueline has a couple guys with 10-20 goal capabilities so not all the goals have to come from the forwards either.

They do things by committee and it works for them.

They didn't go to the ECF by accident. And they had poopty goaltending too.

And yet, almost all those guys scored 10 or more goals. And as a group, they spend a lot of time in the Ozone, taking shots on net.

And their blueline has a couple guys with 10-20 goal capabilities so not all the goals have to come from the forwards either.

They do things by committee and it works for them.

They didn't go to the ECF by accident. And they had poopty goaltending too.
- JohnFergusonJr

just saying i think there is a lot of room for improvement in the F department when they have such strong D - Leafs third line is better than their 2nd by quite a bit. (IMO)

Dzingel-J staal-svechnikov
foegele - haula - necas
mcginn-wallmark-martinook

this is atrocious depth up front i dunno what you talking about
- Lucas.Neilson

Of course the depth looks bad when you're missing a hoe.

Of course the depth looks bad when you're missing a hoe.
- AdamFrench

i just didn't include their first line -its respectable!

Depends who he's playing against and with. Gardiner with Pesce on the 2nd or 3rd pair getting 20 minutes a night could be rather effective.
- JohnFergusonJr

I am a proponent of what Gardiner brings. I'm fine with a high risk offensive d-man.

To me, Gardiner doesn't fit Carolina's model very well. They push the play very well and play a possession game which does suit Gardiner, but they are also very positionally sound and risk averse. With that goaltending, I'm not sure having a guy who commits as many egregious giveaways as Gardiner does is a good idea.

Dzingel-J staal-svechnikov
foegele - haula - necas
mcginn-wallmark-martinook

this is atrocious depth up front i dunno what you talking about
- Lucas.Neilson

Their first two lines are just fine.

Bottom 6 could be better but they also have a great defense....

They should be a good team again this year.

I am a proponent of what Gardiner brings. I'm fine with a high risk offensive d-man.

To me, Gardiner doesn't fit Carolina's model very well. They push the play very well and play a possession game which does suit Gardiner, but they are also very positionally sound and risk averse. With that goaltending, I'm not sure having a guy who commits as many egregious giveaways as Gardiner does is a good idea.
- Monkeypunk

A defenceman that goofs up as much as Gardiner isn’t good for any team.

Their first two lines are just fine.

Bottom 6 could be better but they also have a great defense....

They should be a good team again this year.
- Scabeh

yeah they could use some depth is what I'm getting at - i think their top 2 lines are good - after that its pretty ugly really

edit: J staal - meh

I am a proponent of what Gardiner brings. I'm fine with a high risk offensive d-man.

To me, Gardiner doesn't fit Carolina's model very well. They push the play very well and play a possession game which does suit Gardiner, but they are also very positionally sound and risk averse. With that goaltending, I'm not sure having a guy who commits as many egregious giveaways as Gardiner does is a good idea.
- Monkeypunk

Slavin, Hamilton and Faulk all had 60+ giveaways last year. Gardiner would be in line with them.

Depends how much he plays, who he plays against and who plays with him. 2nd pair, with Pesce beside him, they shouldn't have a problem. Gardiner only really struggled when he was overplayed and that shouldn't happen in Carolina.

yeah they could use some depth is what I'm getting at - i think their top 2 lines are good - after that its pretty ugly really

edit: J staal - meh
- Lucas.Neilson

After they move Faulk for a solid middle-6 forward, it takes another step forward.

yeah they could use some depth is what I'm getting at - i think their top 2 lines are good - after that its pretty ugly really

edit: J staal - meh
- Lucas.Neilson

It really isn't. They had 13 guys with 10 or more goals last year. They'll get Williams back later in the year and brought in Dzingel to replace Ferland.

It only looks ugly on paper but they perform well as a group because of the style they play.

A defenceman that goofs up as much as Gardiner isn’t good for any team.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Again, it depends on what your teams and what risk they can accept. You're absolutely right that he can be a bloody nightmare.

But if your team has trouble generating offense out of the back-end or breakouts from the back-end, and they have a solid goaltender, then a guy like Gardiner is a risk you can accept - because the good will outweigh the bad.

After they move Faulk for a solid middle-6 forward, it takes another step forward.
- MaximumBone

that's kinda my thoughts Garth. (that's you right?) been a while

It really isn't. They had 13 guys with 10 or more goals last year. They'll get Williams back later in the year and brought in Dzingel to replace Ferland.

It only looks ugly on paper but they perform well as a group because of the style they play.
- JohnFergusonJr

lets see what the new season brings - East is looking strong.

Slavin, Hamilton and Faulk all had 60+ giveaways last year. Gardiner would be in line with them.

Depends how much he plays, who he plays against and who plays with him. 2nd pair, with Pesce beside him, they shouldn't have a problem. Gardiner only really struggled when he was overplayed and that shouldn't happen in Carolina.
- JohnFergusonJr

It's possible.

I've always liked to point out that basic stats or even advanced stats aren't prepared to measure the category of giveaway that Gardiner is capable of!

When you weigh those with Mrazek and Reimer in net . . .

But absolutely Carolina has him surrounded with a much more stable D-group.

Depends who he's playing against and with. Gardiner with Pesce on the 2nd or 3rd pair getting 20 minutes a night could be rather effective.
- JohnFergusonJr

gardiner and hamitlon.

the stats guy's wet dream.

also a good forechecking team's wet dream.

that's kinda my thoughts Garth. (that's you right?) been a while
- Lucas.Neilson

Nah, you've got the wrong guy.

So Codi Ceci makes more money this year than Jake Gardner?

So Codi Ceci makes more money this year than Jake Gardner?
- aminnes

Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup.

So Codi Ceci makes more money this year than Jake Gardner?
- aminnes

Yep

Ceci will get 20 more points this season than the broken Gardiner

So Codi Ceci makes more money this year than Jake Gardner?
- aminnes

(frank)in' way she goes.

Issues? All speculation and rumours same as can be said right now for all unsigned RFA’s
- Ross77

disagree. I have not heard anything about MArner and teammates. Laine also had, by a mile, the worst season of the "big name" RFA's compared to expectations. He is also regarded as the most 1-dimensional player.

disagree. I have not heard anything about MArner and teammates. Laine also had, by a mile, the worst season of the RFA's. He is also regarded as the most 1-dimensional player.
- Aetherial

Buy low
Sell high