2016-'17 Lineup

[pi2000]

So when do we want to start a sign Kulikov thread?

 

When he's not a minus player.   

 

Just kidding, he's been very good.    He seems to get beat badly once every few games or so... hopefully that's just a product of him adjusting to the system/partners.

 

If you sign him, the problem becomes who do you protect in the expansion draft?   Assuming you protect Risto, McCabe, and Kuli... plus Bogo automatically uses a spot, that means you can only protect 4 forwards... well, 2 actually be Okposo automatically uses a spot and O'Reilly will be protected.

 

pick 2:

 

Kane

Moulson

Ennis

Gionta

Foligno

Girgensons

Larsson

Carrier

Grant

Deslauriers

 

I'd go with Larsson and either Ennis or Moulson depending on how the season plays out... IMO it's a two horse race between those two to prove who's more valuable to this team.   I know, I know Moulson's getting long in the tooth, but depending on his production he may prove irreplaceable on the PP for the next 2 seasons or so until somebody else can fill that role. 

[LGR4GM]

I thought we dispelled the Bogo protection myth.

 

As to the list. I protect Larsson and Kane.

[rakish]

snip

 plus Bogo automatically

snip

 

 

They had to shut down general fanager for such lies.

[LGR4GM]

If I can keep 3 then I am protecting Larsson, Kane and either Zemgus or Foligno, maybe Ennis.

[Thorner]

If I can keep 3 then I am protecting Larsson, Kane and either Zemgus or Foligno, maybe Ennis.

If we are protecting 4 D, you can only select 2 from the list. If we aren't, it's 7 forwards that can be protected, so you'd choose 5 from that posted list.

[pi2000]

I thought we dispelled the Bogo protection myth.

 

As to the list. I protect Larsson and Kane.

 

The trade may have voided the NMC, but how do we know for sure?  (sorry if this has already been confirmed)

[LGR4GM]

The trade may have voided the NMC, but how do we know for sure? (sorry if this has already been confirmed)

Tim Murray said so in an interview.

[pi2000]

Tim Murray said so in an interview.

 

OK. 

 

A this point I'd still lean towards 4 and 4... but need to see how the season plays out, just too many unknowns. 

[Randall Flagg]

I'm not a huge Bogosian fan, but it would be tough to leave him unprotected, likely making him the obvious best choice available (assuming we go 7 Forwards) and leaving us with right handed depth of Risto and Franson and Nelson. No guarantees we could get Shattenkirk to come here, or anything even close to a guarantee.

[qwksndmonster]

When he's not a minus player.   

 

Just kidding, he's been very good.    He seems to get beat badly once every few games or so... hopefully that's just a product of him adjusting to the system/partners.

That's not a product of him adjusting, that's a product of being an NHL defenseman.

[WildCard]

That's not a product of him adjusting, that's a product of being an NHL defenseman.

Well said

[Drunkard]

After watching Kulikov (while still probably not even 100% due to injury) so far this season I think I'm starting to change my opinion. If he is willing to sign an extension for fair money before the deadline I wouldn't be opposed to extending him and then either exposing Bogosian or going the 8 plus a goalie route. The fact that we can only lose one player plus the fact that Eichel and Reinhart are exempt lessens my worries about losing a forward. I'd prefer keeping our top 4 D.

 

Kulikov Ristolainen

McCabe Bogosian

 

That looks like a pretty solid top 4 with youth on their side. I'd be happy with that top 4 to start next season provided we find a suitable partner to pair with Gorges on the 3rd pair (assuming Vegas takes a forward) and we focus on building the pipeline for defensemen to develop and fill in when injures occur.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Drunkard

[LGR4GM]

I'm not a huge Bogosian fan, but it would be tough to leave him unprotected, likely making him the obvious best choice available (assuming we go 7 Forwards) and leaving us with right handed depth of Risto and Franson and Nelson. No guarantees we could get Shattenkirk to come here, or anything even close to a guarantee.

I would personally protect 4 defenders, McCabe, Risto, Kuli, and Bogo. 

[pi2000]

That's not a product of him adjusting, that's a product of being an NHL defenseman.

 

He was beaten very very badly on a few plays where he was completely flat footed, and those plays lead directly to breakaways.     That happens to all NHL defensemen occasionally, but not every other game.     

 

After watching Kulikov (while still probably not even 100% due to injury) so far this season I think I'm starting to change my opinion. If he is willing to sign an extension for fair money before the deadline I wouldn't be opposed to extending him and then either exposing Bogosian or going the 8 plus a goalie route. The fact that we can only lose one player plus the fact that Eichel and Reinhart are exempt lessens my worries about losing a forward. I'd prefer keeping our top 4 D.

 

Kulikov Ristolainen

McCabe Bogosian

 

That looks like a pretty solid top 4 with youth on their side. I'd be happy with that top 4 to start next season provided we find a suitable partner to pair with Gorges on the 3rd pair (assuming Vegas takes a forward) and we focus on building the pipeline for defensemen to develop and fill in when injures occur.

 

I'm sorry, I can't take another year of Josh Gorges.    He hasn't been terrible, and he makes some heady defensive plays, but if this team wants to take another step next season he has to be replaced with someone who can skate at the pace of today's game.   

[qwksndmonster]

He was beaten very very badly on a few plays where he was completely flat footed, and those plays lead directly to breakaways.     That happens to all NHL defensemen occasionally, but not every other game.     

 

 

I'm sorry, I can't take another year of Josh Gorges.    He hasn't been terrible, and he makes some heady defensive plays, but if this team wants to take another step next season he has to be replaced with someone who can skate at the pace of today's game.   

Gorges is a fine third pairing defenseman.  Not every player needs to be a burner.

 

And I see what you mean with Kulikov, I thought you meant getting beat in a more general sense.

[pi2000]

Gorges is a fine third pairing defenseman.  Not every player needs to be a burner.

 

And I see what you mean with Kulikov, I thought you meant getting beat in a more general sense.

 

Right, on second thought, I could live with him as a third pairing guy who sees limited minutes.... for one more season.  

[Thorner]

The trade may have voided the NMC, but how do we know for sure?  (sorry if this has already been confirmed)

  

Tim Murray said so in an interview.

I'm not so sure we ever got confirmation one way or the other.

 

It may potentially be a moot point, looking at the top 4 Drunkard posted. I may be tempted to protect Bogosian either way, given that, A - That top 4 looks pretty good, and B - our right side is a barren wasteland after Bogosian. Expensive contract aside.

[pi2000]

  

I'm not so sure we ever got confirmation one way or the other.

 

It may potentially be a moot point, looking at the top 4 Drunkard posted. I may be tempted to protect Bogosian either way, given that, A - That top 4 looks pretty good, and B - our right side is a barren wasteland after Bogosian. Expensive contract aside.

 

It's a catch-22... if you leave Kulikov or Bogo unprotected there's a 99.9% chance that player gets picked in the draft... meaning you don't lose any forward depth, or Ullmark.    

 

If you protect 4-D, you're going to lose a quality depth forward or Ullmark.    

 

If it had to be decided today, you have to protect 4-D, as there just isn't enough quality depth at the position to make up for losing one of the top-4.... but that situation may look completely different 8 months from now. 

[TrueBlueGED]

Bold prediction: the number of people worried about losing Bogosian in the expansion draft will decrease when his annual 20 game hiatus is upon us :p

 

Honestly though, anyone have a guesstimate as to what Kulikov will command? He's making $4.3M right now, so I doubt he takes a pay cut. Upper 4s over 4-5 years? He won't have the offensive numbers of somebody like Goligoski, so mid-5s would seem high to me.

[Iron Crotch]

Bogosian, Kulikov, and Gorges all have no points on the season. Gorges will never be much of an offensive threat, but the other two need to chip in offensively here and there as guys making north of $4.3 million per. Personally, I don't like Bogosian's contract. If someone wanted him in the expansion draft, buh-bye.

[LGR4GM]

I don't care if we lose Ullmark. We won't anyway.

[jsb]

If we continue to get the 2nd half of last season and the first few games this year Bogosian, we need to protect him. If we get TrueBlueGED's Bogo, then we have to decide which forward we'd rather keep.

[TrueBlueGED]

So if Bogo is out longish term, I have no idea what we're going to do. Despite my dislike for his game, we really are in a tough spot without him. I have a hard time seeing Nelson or Franson picking up his minutes, so one of Kulikov/Gorges/McCabe is going to have to play their off hand side. My initial thought was that Kulikov-Risto get put together to lug huge minutes, think 27+, then Gorges-McCabe pick up most of the rest, with scraps for Nelson-Franson.

 

But honestly, that 3rd pair is a catastrophe. I think the better option is for Kulikov-Risto huge minutes, then balance out the rest with Gorges babysitting Nelson defensively, and McCabe using his skating to help cover for Franson.

 

Not gonna be pretty either way.

[LGR4GM]

And in another thread there is a poster advocating not signing Kulikov. This pace is interesting.

[Randall Flagg]

Kuli doesn't have points right now, but he's had a HUGE impact on this team's offense. We cannot afford to let this guy go with what we have left available.