Around the NHL: 2024-2025 Season

[Broken Ankles]

27 minutes ago, JohnC said:

Compare how the Washington Capitals have handled the last couple of years to how our minimalist GM has handled the past couple of years. The Capitals handled it smartly, and it catapulted the team. The Sabres handled it with timidity resulting the team sliding back. As you point out, the opportunities were there for us to advance, however the GM was frozen with fear. His record speaks for itself. 

https://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Brian_MacLellan/281/1

This above is just a trade tracker, which provides a nice view into the work of the Caps GM.  

 PLD for Keumper.  PLD has been a solid 2c.

 On defense, only 2 home grown.  Chykren and Sandin came via trade and Roy as a UFA.    
Magiopane came relatively cheaply. 
Logan Thompson to solidify Goal for two mid level draft picks. 

Roy and Strome are two players with not huge contracts by way of UFA that are paying dividends. 

The return for Hathaway- Bravo. 

I agree, textbook GM’ing that keeps a very small core of Alexander O, Wilson and Carlson together.  
 

[Jorcus]

3 hours ago, Thorner said:

That doesn’t let Adams off the hook at all it’s in line with his points. Accumulating prospects is easy 

It's a lot easier if you have proven vets to sell. I did not really make my point well but a bottom team has to operate in a different way than a top team. There are different kinds of prospects and you have to give up a lot to get one so it's not all that easy. Tampa gambled big last off season and it may or may not end up well for them. They let Stamkos go and traded Sergachev. They have not been a very deep team this year. At one point Girgensons was on the 2nd line. If they wanted to try for another run they had to make trades to get Bjorkstrand  and Gourde. So once again they are all in. They are all interesting moves but we don't really know if it's going to work. 

A lot of people were upset that we gave next years second round pick to get Norris. In my mind who cares about that pick. It's getting to the point short of keeping our lottery pick there just isn't a whole lot of need for marginal chance players around here in the near future. I think we all know we need mature players around here next season. The question becomes what picks prospects do we keep as we attack the problem from the bottom up as opposed to the top down.   

[PerreaultForever]

8 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Kevyn Adams is like a lot people who aren't that smart, nor are they truly idiots, he lacks imagination. 

Definitely true. I'm not convinced he isn't an idiot, but he definitely lacks imagination. He has not found ways to work around his obstacles and he hasn't reacted quickly to problems (and has definitely not seen those problems coming).

[Thorner]

1 hour ago, Jorcus said:

It's a lot easier if you have proven vets to sell. I did not really make my point well but a bottom team has to operate in a different way than a top team. There are different kinds of prospects and you have to give up a lot to get one so it's not all that easy. Tampa gambled big last off season and it may or may not end up well for them. They let Stamkos go and traded Sergachev. They have not been a very deep team this year. At one point Girgensons was on the 2nd line. If they wanted to try for another run they had to make trades to get Bjorkstrand  and Gourde. So once again they are all in. They are all interesting moves but we don't really know if it's going to work. 

A lot of people were upset that we gave next years second round pick to get Norris. In my mind who cares about that pick. It's getting to the point short of keeping our lottery pick there just isn't a whole lot of need for marginal chance players around here in the near future. I think we all know we need mature players around here next season. The question becomes what picks prospects do we keep as we attack the problem from the bottom up as opposed to the top down.   

We’ve lost the plot being in the wilderness for so long. “End up well.” It already did: they are playing competitive hockey into the playoffs.

“Oh no, what are the affects in 3 years?” is a sabres thing. We’ve been conditioned. They have tried to condition fans to think we may harm the future by trying to be too good, now: in reality, they are actively *harming* the future by not finding a way to be good, now 

[Jorcus]

2 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

https://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Brian_MacLellan/281/1

This above is just a trade tracker, which provides a nice view into the work of the Caps GM.  

 PLD for Keumper.  PLD has been a solid 2c.

 On defense, only 2 home grown.  Chykren and Sandin came via trade and Roy as a UFA.    
Magiopane came relatively cheaply. 
Logan Thompson to solidify Goal for two mid level draft picks. 

Roy and Strome are two players with not huge contracts by way of UFA that are paying dividends. 

The return for Hathaway- Bravo. 

I agree, textbook GM’ing that keeps a very small core of Alexander O, Wilson and Carlson together.  
 

 

3 hours ago, Broken Ankles said:

https://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_GM/Brian_MacLellan/281/1

This above is just a trade tracker, which provides a nice view into the work of the Caps GM.  

 PLD for Keumper.  PLD has been a solid 2c.

 On defense, only 2 home grown.  Chykren and Sandin came via trade and Roy as a UFA.    
Magiopane came relatively cheaply. 
Logan Thompson to solidify Goal for two mid level draft picks. 

Roy and Strome are two players with not huge contracts by way of UFA that are paying dividends. 

The return for Hathaway- Bravo. 

I agree, textbook GM’ing that keeps a very small core of Alexander O, Wilson and Carlson together.  
 

Nothing against any of the moves Maclellan has made but Washington is where it is due to the continuing improvement of McMichael and the explosion in the output of Protas the giant. From 6 goals last year to 29 already. That second line with Dubois is as good as any ones right now. Picking up Thompson was a solid move though. They have a lot going on.

[Broken Ankles]

1 hour ago, Jorcus said:

 

Nothing against any of the moves Maclellan has made but Washington is where it is due to the continuing improvement of McMichael and the explosion in the output of Protas the giant. From 6 goals last year to 29 already. That second line with Dubois is as good as any ones right now. Picking up Thompson was a solid move though. They have a lot going on.

Yeah, organic growth is required for a team to jump from #8/9 to leading the conference.  But I would restate my original point about the adds from trade and UFA.  277 points of their total ~620 came from the acquisitions from last two years. That’s 45% of total points. And PLD and Strome are #1 &2 respectively.  Conversely what have Adams acquisitions done?  McLeod, Zucker, Beck, Clifton, Byrum are good for 131.  And most give Adams credit for Zucker and McLeod, but they are 5/6.  
 
And Logan Thompson is second to Helle in goals saved above expected.  Again, for the pittance spent, an amazing ROI.

 
Not to mention a GM gets some credit for their drafting.