I nominate Carpenter. Assuming Smith is unavailable

Dark horse candidate is The Cat, if he doesn't have 7 goals in the first 3 games.
- mohel

Carpenter only makes $1 mil/yr without the "potential" label. He is what he is.

Smith makes too much $ for whatever he does but, he may not even be able to dress this season.

El Gato starts his $6.4 million AAV salary this year. Let's see if he is worth it.

Nylander out 4-6 months with knee surgery. Same surgery Keith had on his knee
- GPHawksfan

Drag! I know he’s popular board fodder but was rooting for him to figure it out this year.

Hopefully Pope Pius turns out to be a legit top 6 player and this allows someone like Hagel or Kurashev to step up.

Nylander out 4-6 months with knee surgery. Same surgery Keith had on his knee
- GPHawksfan

Whoa - that blows. I know expectations are pretty low for him but this puts the Hawks in a pickle on what to do with him after his ELC expires after the season.

Drag! I know he’s popular board fodder but was rooting for him to figure it out this year.

Hopefully Pope Pius turns out to be a legit top 6 player and this allows someone like Hagel or Kurashev to step up.
- HawkintheD

Ha - good one. I can hear Foley now - "The Pope with a shot and a goal".

Nylander out 4-6 months with knee surgery. Same surgery Keith had on his knee
- GPHawksfan

The deal of the century that keeps on giving. One playoff series where he is pretty much invisible and avoiding contact, and he still winds up injured. LOL.

It doesn't really change anything. They were going to wind up in this spot eventually anyway with a void in the top 6/top 9. Now they have to figure out a winger for both the Toews and Dach lines. Though no Nylander keeps my blood pressure down.

And they have a million defensemen.

Whoa - that blows. I know expectations are pretty low for him but this puts the Hawks in a pickle on what to do with him after his ELC expires after the season.
- EbonyRaptor

He’s not even worth what he makes on his ELC, so seems like a pretty easy decision to me.

Whoa - that blows. I know expectations are pretty low for him but this puts the Hawks in a pickle on what to do with him after his ELC expires after the season.
- EbonyRaptor

Actually, I think this benefits the Hawks. They get to evaluate others in his place. If they find that the others show as much or more potential (not to mention actual production) they can either trade him, or at worst resign him for cheap as his current resume does not dictate much in the way of leverage.

https://twitter.com/NHLBl...tatus/1341775721333702662
Well, who are we going to pick on now?
- Rota's Rooter

Four to six months - that’s the whole season.

Did the injury just happen? Or was it something hanging over from last August?

Too cynical? I lived through Scottie Pippen’s late summer surgery in 1997.

Four to six months - that’s the whole season.

Did the injury just happen? Or was it something hanging over from last August?

Too cynical? I lived through Scottie Pippen’s late summer surgery in 1997.
- StLBravesFan

It says right there in the link (secondary post) that it happened in the playoffs.

I was penciling him in on the first line...in Rockford, so no big loss.

Tough news for Nylander.

The silver lining is that it frees up the glut at forward a bit and/or (as Chunk pointed) out gives rookies a shot to possibly make the team.

As for his expiring ELC, the Hawks could re-sign him on the cheap given he doesn't have much leverage and won't have any better leverage once he's healthy (which is essentially when the Hawks season is over).

Due to minimal leverage, his trade value would also be low.

Ssshhhhh.... no one tell Darth:

Canadiens have signed Michael Frolik. 1/750k

Volkov and Joseph re-sign with the Lightning. Not sure how/why the Bolts keep signing players if they're over the cap by about $7M without Cirelli. They must be really confident that they can free up that space and re-sign their top free agent.

Blackwood signs 3-year extension with the Devils.

Haula signs with the Predators.

My thoughts on Strome $'s.

Assuming QO is ~$2.0 I've heard 2nd round compensation is $2.4 for what it's worth but using round #'s say $2.0.

Let's also assume we're in a world of "no offer sheets" not a stretch by any means.

Two get him to sign for two years you only need to go high enough that a rational mind would not take the one year gamble. To take the one year gamble he's got to be betting on himself to at least double the QO in year two as a UFA, say $4.0-5.0... for two years that would make $6.0-7.0. Stan's "sure thing two year offer" I don't see being higher than $6.0-6.5.

Just how I'm looking at it. Yes he does have a market value but in flat cap with most teams at the cap you have to be really good to get over $4.0 right now. I don't think he's shown to be fast enough or strong enough to be that guy?
- rpeters01

I'm all for the cheaper the better. I just look at his numbers and they are pretty good for a 22 year old hockey player. I get his all around game is lacking but if you are going to pay Kubs $3.8 for being a 1 dimensional player, well.... The other thing is there is a chemistry between he and Cat and don't think the Hawks don't know this. I am all for low balling him but to pay him as a glorified 4th line, low end 3rd line guy, let's just say I'll have to see it to believe it.

Volkov re-signs with the Lightning. Not sure how/why the Bolts keep signing players if they're over the cap by about $7M without Cirelli. They must be really confident that they can free up that space and re-sign their top free agent.

Blackwood signs 3-year extension with the Devils.

Haula signs with the Predators.
- Theo Fox

I think they know more about Kucherov then they are leading on

Tough news for Nylander.

The silver lining is that it frees up the glut at forward a bit and/or (as Chunk pointed) out gives rookies a shot to possibly make the team.

As for his expiring ELC, the Hawks could re-sign him on the cheap given he doesn't have much leverage and won't have any better leverage once he's healthy (which is essentially when the Hawks season is over).

Due to minimal leverage, his trade value would also be low.
- Theo Fox

Is there a glut of potential top-6 (or even top-9) forwards in the system ready to be looked at now?

This was to be Nylander’s year to show he is ready and a top-6 winger going forward. Who replaces him - who in the system is ready to?

It seems that these kinds of injuries always (ok, usually) require surgery, not just rest and rehab. He should have had the surgery back in August.

But - I’m an accountant, not a doctor.

Is there a glut of potential top-6 (or even top-9) forwards in the system ready to be looked at now?

This was to be Nylander’s year to show he is ready and a top-6 winger going forward. Who replaces him - who in the system is ready to?

It seems that these kinds of injuries always (ok, usually) require surgery, not just rest and rehab. He should have had the surgery back in August.

But - I’m an accountant, not a doctor.
- StLBravesFan

Nylander has shown little to no signs he is a top 6 forward on anything other than a really lousy NHL team (OK, maybe you have me there), so this is more of a non-event than an actual loss. And this to a player who avoids contact at all costs. Nice deal, Stan. The fact that he was one of the better options to play opposite Kane pretty much tells you all you need to know about the roster for 2021. Though they have a million defensemen. If this is truly a rebuild they should be dealing Murphy and deHaan now.

Is there a glut of potential top-6 (or even top-9) forwards in the system ready to be looked at now?

This was to be Nylander’s year to show he is ready and a top-6 winger going forward. Who replaces him - who in the system is ready to?

It seems that these kinds of injuries always (ok, usually) require surgery, not just rest and rehab. He should have had the surgery back in August.

But - I’m an accountant, not a doctor.
- StLBravesFan

I'd say Suter on his pedigree and what I've seen of his play. The key with him is how he adjusts to the smaller ice and if he can continue his high end board play without being overly physical about it (more positioning and stick work).

Kurashev in theory, but I haven't seen enough of him to speak confidently.

The guy I'm most intrigued about is Hagel. He seems to really have elevated his game over the last few years. He is strong, smart and goes full bore all the time and has some good offense to his game. I view him as almost a better version of Shaw (conceptually) as someone who can play on any line in almost any role.

I hate putting lines out, but my ideal to start the year (as of right now) would be:

Suter-Toews-Kubalik
ADB-Dach-Kane
Hagel-Walmark-Highmore
Janmark-Kampf-Carpenter/Shaw

Nylander has shown little to no signs he is a top 6 forward on anything other than a really lousy NHL team (OK, maybe you have me there), so this is more of a non-event than an actual loss. And this to a player who avoids contact at all costs. Nice deal, Stan. The fact that he was one of the better options to play opposite Kane pretty much tells you all you need to know about the roster for 2021. Though they have a million defensemen. If this is truly a rebuild they should be dealing Murphy and deHaan now.
- jrsamu

You know if they are under 25 years old let's get rid of them because they are strugging playing against men. So get rid of Nylander, Strome, Debrincat cause he's had a down year, and god help us if Dach struggles this year. Just naming forwards for now.

Is there a glut of potential top-6 (or even top-9) forwards in the system ready to be looked at now?

This was to be Nylander’s year to show he is ready and a top-6 winger going forward. Who replaces him - who in the system is ready to?

It seems that these kinds of injuries always (ok, usually) require surgery, not just rest and rehab. He should have had the surgery back in August.

But - I’m an accountant, not a doctor.
- StLBravesFan

There sort of was a glut at top 6 options.

Centers: Toews, Dach, Strome
Wingers: Kane, Kubalik, DeBrincat, Nylander, potentially Suter

Counting Suter, that's 8 players for 6 spots. With Nylander out, that reduces it to just one player to not play top 6 which is likely Suter but that assumes one of Dach or Strome slides to wing.

This could be where having Dach playing wing at the WJC may not be a bad idea to see how effective he can be.

I'd much rather have Strome at wing given his skating but it's best to have him develop their full time rather than jerk him around as a default center yet experiment with him at wing mid-season.

I'd say Suter on his pedigree and what I've seen of his play. The key with him is how he adjusts to the smaller ice and if he can continue his high end board play without being overly physical about it (more positioning and stick work).

Kurashev in theory, but I haven't seen enough of him to speak confidently.

The guy I'm most intrigued about is Hagel. He seems to really have elevated his game over the last few years. He is strong, smart and goes full bore all the time and has some good offense to his game. I view him as almost a better version of Shaw (conceptually) as someone who can play on any line in almost any role.

I hate putting lines out, but my ideal to start the year (as of right now) would be:

Suter-Toews-Kubalik
ADB-Dach-Kane
Hagel-Walmark-Highmore
Janmark-Kampf-Carpenter/Shaw
- Chunk

I would agree that Suter and Hagel are going to really state their cases to not only crack the Hawks lineup but play top 6. Both are ultra competitive and offensively skilled. Committed on defense, too.

Suter may be worth a shot at the 1st line alongside Toews and Kubalik. I see Suter as >> Kahun and Kahun played top line with Toews and DeBrincat.

Hagel could be a 2nd line option. I think he will be a better version of Caggiula. Like you said, versatile to play any line like Shaw just like Caggiula was able to do.

Is there a glut of potential top-6 (or even top-9) forwards in the system ready to be looked at now?

This was to be Nylander’s year to show he is ready and a top-6 winger going forward. Who replaces him - who in the system is ready to?

It seems that these kinds of injuries always (ok, usually) require surgery, not just rest and rehab. He should have had the surgery back in August.

But - I’m an accountant, not a doctor.
- StLBravesFan

Sorry, I misinterpreted your first sentence. There's a few candidates worthy of middle 6 duty but not so much for top 6 (or say 1st line).

Suter, Hagel, and Kurashev are ones to consider. The way I listed these 3 is also what I perceive to be the order of their readiness to jump to regular NHL duty.

You know if they are under 25 years old let's get rid of them because they are strugging playing against men. So get rid of Nylander, Strome, Debrincat cause he's had a down year, and god help us if Dach struggles this year. Just naming forwards for now.
- BetweenTheDots

Not talking about anyone but Nylander of that group. He showed zero heart as a Sabre and had a chance to reset the clock and expectations when given a break with the talent-hungry Hawks. He proceeded to do pretty much the same with Chicago. Soft, perimeter player who only wants to play on one end of the ice. He has some above average skills

Or is it better to keep beating our heads against the wall and hope the concussion will really not happen.

I think they know more about Kucherov then they are leading on
- BetweenTheDots

Stamkos might not be ready either.

I'd say Suter on his pedigree and what I've seen of his play. The key with him is how he adjusts to the smaller ice and if he can continue his high end board play without being overly physical about it (more positioning and stick work).

Kurashev in theory, but I haven't seen enough of him to speak confidently.

The guy I'm most intrigued about is Hagel. He seems to really have elevated his game over the last few years. He is strong, smart and goes full bore all the time and has some good offense to his game. I view him as almost a better version of Shaw (conceptually) as someone who can play on any line in almost any role.

I hate putting lines out, but my ideal to start the year (as of right now) would be:

Suter-Toews-Kubalik
ADB-Dach-Kane
Hagel-Walmark-Highmore
Janmark-Kampf-Carpenter/Shaw
- Chunk

He did have a couple of seasons with Guelph 5-6 years ago in his yoot. So he may kinda, sorta almost, know what to expect.

Random question about the cap and overage: If a team is over on day one, but needs to place a player on LTIR on day 2 (which would make them cap compliant), what is the penalty for that? Would a team maybe think it is better to go that route than to trade off a player they really don't want to get rid of?