Interesting situation we have with Kulich, Wahlberg, Ostlund and Helenius. And no top 3 center positions available.
- TheSabresTaco

Yeah, I wonder what happens there. I mean, you can shift Kulich to wing, Wahlberg will take some time. What to do with the other two is a real question. Do you shift Cozens or Tage to the wing? McLeod? That may be an issue this time next summer I'd guess.

Yeah, I wonder what happens there. I mean, you can shift Kulich to wing, Wahlberg will take some time. What to do with the other two is a real question. Do you shift Cozens or Tage to the wing? McLeod? That may be an issue this time next summer I'd guess.
- QuinnFan

Thats a good issue to have IMO.

Don't know much about him
- Buff36

Fair. Taco said he's a faster and more intelligent player. Sounds about right, I'm just surprised, I thought I would see highlights of him lighting guys up.

I'm always wrong it seems on contracts, but that's my guess. 2x3.5M if he does well? I can't see them offering long term unless he really freaks out, given our center depth. Ostlund, Kulich and Helenius have to get the call at some point. I know many view Kulich as a wing, but Ostlund and Helenius are natural centers IMO.
- QuinnFan

You think they paid that absurd price for a stopgap solution?

Thats a good issue to have IMO.
- DirtyDan

I suppose so, even though none of those guys really look to be top line material.

Then again, we'll see what tomorrow brings. I'm still pretty confident we're picking very high next year and the draft is stacked. We may get our true 1C this upcoming draft if we're top5 like I suspect. If that happens, the new GM should be able to flip some of these centers for wing help pretty easily.

You think they paid that absurd price for a stopgap solution?
- Lunaion

I don't think there's any real plan tbh. I think they did it to try and sneak into the playoffs, nothing more. Come contract time Adams, if he's still in a job, will be trying to play hard ball to salvage some cap space.

As I said, I'm usually wrong on next contracts so let's hope that stays true.

I don't think there's any real plan tbh. I think they did it to try and sneak into the playoffs, nothing more. Come contract time Adams, if he's still in a job, will be trying to play hard ball to salvage some cap space.

As I said, I'm usually wrong on next contracts so let's hope that stays true.
- QuinnFan

Trading for a young 3C and drafting a lower ceiling, close to NHL ready 3C was a curious pair of moves.

Trading for a young 3C and drafting a lower ceiling, close to NHL ready 3C was a curious pair of moves.
- Lunaion

Yeah, I think Adams knows they need to win now to keep his job. Outside that it's just BPA in the 1st round regardless of need. It's just throwing poop at a wall and seeing if it sticks at this point.

Don't hate the BPA strategy, but when you look at the whole of his work, it's really troubling. Not giving Savoie more time, in a lost year, to maximize his return is even a head scratcher. Trading Mitts for Byram straight up instead of holding out for better. Resigning the 4th line last year. The goalie carousel. There's so many things we could've done to improve the roster or future outlook and they simply didn't.

Trading for a young 3C and drafting a lower ceiling, close to NHL ready 3C was a curious pair of moves.
- Lunaion

Trading for a young 3C and drafting a lower ceiling, close to NHL ready 3C was a curious pair of moves.
- Lunaion

Maybe not a great comparison, but Mitts took almost 2 full Presidential terms to become a serviceable 3C. Helenius looks to be not such a doughboy and prolly is close to NHL ready now, but ya never know how long it'll take.

Maybe not a great comparison, but Mitts took almost 2 full Presidential terms to become a serviceable 3C. Helenius looks to be not such a doughboy and prolly is close to NHL ready now, but ya never know how long it'll take.
- LandlordTom

But with Kulich, Ostlund and Wahlberg in the mix as well, we should have some NHL ready centers coming in short order. It's more about the number than just banking on one guy if that's fair. Mitts may not be the best comparison either as he was just very lazy and so his development took insanely long.

Yeah, I think Adams knows they need to win now to keep his job. Outside that it's just BPA in the 1st round regardless of need. It's just throwing poop at a wall and seeing if it sticks at this point.

Don't hate the BPA strategy, but when you look at the whole of his work, it's really troubling. Not giving Savoie more time, in a lost year, to maximize his return is even a head scratcher. Trading Mitts for Byram straight up instead of holding out for better. Resigning the 4th line last year. The goalie carousel. There's so many things we could've done to improve the roster or future outlook and they simply didn't.
- QuinnFan

He got hurt in pre season hockey.. they kept him up just for the rehab. Had they let him keep playing when he got heathier he most likely gets hurt again. And then add in whatever happened when he missed curfew or was late to practice.

He got hurt in pre season hockey.. they kept him up just for the rehab. Had they let him keep playing when he got heathier he most likely gets hurt again. And then add in whatever happened when he missed curfew or was late to practice.
- DirtyDan

He got in 1 game for less than 4 minutes, they never gave him a shot. And if he was injured, why put him in at all? I'll go off that he wasn't injured as he passed his physical and didn't get reinjured throughout the year.

Either way and simply put, we mismanaged a top10 pick and ended up paying dearly because of it. From usage to return, Adams got played like a fiddle and is a prime example of why bad teams stay bad.

Kulich isn't a centerman, as much as they want to force it... good they're getting him to heighten his defensive game but he'll be a winger in the NHL.

I think you can move Thompson back to the wing anytime if one of the above show they have that top 6 C ability, or maybe Cozens takes that over
- DirtyDan

figured this was coming. they're using him as C a lot, so I'm betting they're developing his versatility for the NHL, even though he projects as a winger.

Yeah, I wonder what happens there. I mean, you can shift Kulich to wing, Wahlberg will take some time. What to do with the other two is a real question. Do you shift Cozens or Tage to the wing? McLeod? That may be an issue this time next summer I'd guess.
- QuinnFan

yeah im not looking at it next year, but you gotta think those guys are pushing within the next 3 years, and all 3 guys here are here very long term.

FTFY
- QuinnFan

If McLeod is overhyped then WTF is Connor McDavid er I mean Matthew Savoie.

Sorry I get them confused since they are so similar.

figured this was coming. they're using him as C a lot, so I'm betting they're developing his versatility for the NHL, even though he projects as a winger.
- TheSabresTaco

Didn’t they come out and say they like Kulich as a C?

Go get Zegras

Tuch-Tage-JJ
Quinn-Zegras-Cozens
Benson-McLeod-Zucker
Larry’s, but better.


You can move zegras up to L1 wing and shift Cozens back to 2c if needed and move JJ around.

Flexibility

He got in 1 game for less than 4 minutes, they never gave him a shot. And if he was injured, why put him in at all? I'll go off that he wasn't injured as he passed his physical and didn't get reinjured throughout the year.

Either way and simply put, we mismanaged a top10 pick and ended up paying dearly because of it. From usage to return, Adams got played like a fiddle and is a prime example of why bad teams stay bad.
- QuinnFan

Oft injured small wingers aren't valued.

And its not me telling you this... the league told us this

Didn’t they come out and say they like Kulich as a C?
- ImThatGuy

not that I recall. i know they said it about krebs.

they're definitely using him in rochester as a C though.

Go get Zegras

Tuch-Tage-JJ
Quinn-Zegras-Cozens
Benson-McLeod-Zucker
Larry’s, but better.


You can move zegras up to L1 wing and shift Cozens back to 2c if needed and move JJ around.

Flexibility
- ImThatGuy

I think they can afford it but you're gonna need some cheapos on the Larry and D-Larry lines.

not that I recall. i know they said it about krebs.

they're definitely using him in rochester as a C though.
- TheSabresTaco

So he doesn't develop into Victor Olofsson 2.0

yeah im not looking at it next year, but you gotta think those guys are pushing within the next 3 years, and all 3 guys here are here very long term.
- TheSabresTaco

I wonder if this is just the product of Adams' plan backfiring. He obviously envisioned a team with 4 scoring lines. Now we're going back to a traditional top and bottom 6. Going to be some square pegs going in round holes, but only time will tell. I think it'll be sooner than 3 years for Ostlund and Helenius though.

I'm comfortable that they can create flexibility if they want to.
- TheSabresTaco

You omitted Skinner's BO and ELC Bonus money in your projections ...
'27-'28 BO is $6.4-ish and Bonuses are $2.4-
iah
Can they make it work... Sure. It isn't as easy as you laid out though.

Edit- posted again on error.

And Taco, you are right.. you did include Skinner's projection


My bad

If McLeod is overhyped then WTF is Connor McDavid er I mean Matthew Savoie.

Sorry I get them confused since they are so similar.
- ImThatGuy

Savoie is a solid middle 6 prospect with some star chance still. But he's certainly closer to McDavid than McLeod either way. McLeod is a good teams 4C IMO.