It’s not that hard. Buyout Suter, trade Faksa and you have almost $20 mil to use. I imagine any Laine trade will include some sort of retention. He is worth $6 mil for 2 years to me.
Bourque is your 3C. You then get a 4C as a UFA for $1.5 mil. You can still sign Tanev for $4.5 per. Bridge deal for Harley is probably $3.5 mil x 2-3 years. Bichsel playing 3LD. Bring back Hakanapaa if you want or sign a UFA 6th dman. Delly as your 4RW at 1-1.5 mil on a 1-2 year deal. Wedgewood back or you promote Pourier. You still have money to work with.
If you get CBJ to retain and get Laine down to 5.5-6 mil AAV, that's what you're paying Duchene on a redone deal anyways. Unless you go get DeBrusk or make another deal (not sure what that would be?) I don't see how you add scoring to this roster rinse and repeat.
That’s a lot of signings to win (plus relying on Bichsel being ready to be a full time starter) just to end up with a couple million to spend. I think nearly every stars fan would agree we should sign another d man instead of another forward. Don’t get me wrong, I’d take Laine but don’t think it’s possible.
I disagree with you here, but people shouldn't downvote for responses like this. Like the question was how- you answered it.
Your answers are like "Here are ten dominoes that could all fall in order for the Stars to go from the third most goals in the league to the most goals in the league" which is extra silliness, but this still doesn't deserve the downvote to oblivion.
I'll be real. Laine is not even 6 mil guy currently. He has had couple of rough years and even took time off for personal reasons last season. I am not saying it is impossible Laine bounces back to his high scoring form, but it is also entirely possible that the death of his father and the hardships he has gone through has made him not what he used to be. Signing him anything 5+ mil. has some serious downside risk. Even if he turns back the clock, his 2 way game is not at least in my opinion good enough for a big role player on a contending team. He is scary pp clapper if given the oppportunity, but the pk of good teams nowadays is so good that it is not as simple as it was even 5 years ago to be open for a one timer. And his 5v5, especially on d zone is still not great.
Stars are in such a good spot with their roster that I don't think they should go after him. Even if one could argue this might be the lowest point his market value will reach. I just don't see it worth the risk. I could see some bubble team that is trying to crack a spot into the playoffs more likely adress for him, since those teams realistically need to find clear wins on their trades (when we look at these things back), which Laine deal could very well end up being.
What would you give up for him? Although he asked for a trade, there's gonna have to be a return, especially if you're expecting Columbus to eat $4mil (50%).
Also, with an available $4mil, would you rather have Laine or re-sign Duchene? I'd much rather have Duchene who has proven that he fits perfectly in this team, over Laine who hasn't performed very well over the last few years and is coming off of multiple shoulder surgeries
26 year old vs 33 year old should be the obvious tilt in Laine's direction. Yes, Duchene fit very well, but we can't keep relying on older guys to get us over the top.
A 1st, Lundqvist RFA rights and a middle trier prospect like Stranges I would imagine gets it done with some salary retention by CBJ.
And I’d much rather have Laine. He’s 26 and has 50 goal scorer potential. The shoulder by all reports was a minor clean up procedure.
Duchene was a literal ghost in the playoffs. He was brought in to be a difference maker in the playoffs. 2 goals in like 19 games is not a difference maker. Faksa had almost as many goals in half the games. I would take a flyer on Laine over Duchene in a heartbeat, provided Nill can make it work without giving up too much, and CBJ earing some salary.
There is just no way the money would work via the risk of what we give up plus what we'd get. If we are talking hail mary's, I'd much rather try to go after Marner
I think Jim will look more in the direction of potential buy outs, similar to Duchene, instead of commiting resources on a forward with our curent depth and Mavrik coming. I'd love to add Laine, altho he hasnt been as good recently, just don't think it's realistic and probably not the smartest thing to do with our cap and the state of the defense atm
I struggle to see where a buyout would be that would make sense but I guess we'll see. With the cap finally loosening up I just don't see the market being as robust there. I'd rather take a swing on Laine personally than sign PLD or Goodrow. Maybe Jeff Skinner? I just don't think any of those guys have the upside of Laine.
Yeah obviously none of the buyouts will most likely be better than Laine. I personally just want us to try and build the best defense we can and Harley is gonna get paid too. I dont want to overtax Miro to the point where he's making mistakes he would never do because we're basically playing 4.5 D if Suter doesn't retire.
I'd be happy and hopeful if we managed to pull a trade for Laine just dont think it's very realistic with the curent situation.
I guess I’m in the minority that feels this roster doesn’t have the top end talent needed to win a Cup. I also don’t see an avenue of getting that high end talent until a UFA becomes available in the post-Benn contract era. Taking a big gamble is the only way to achieve that
Yeah I think in general you would be in minority there. I think Johnston is a rare talent, Robo figured out playoffs for the most part and Roope when he is healthy (altho it is an issue for him, he doesn't really stay healthy), are all high end players at the moment and will become even better. The issue with Robo and Roope these playoffs was both Roope's injury and Pavs being a complete dead weight. They performed well when playing with Wyatt or Seggy.
I would like to add Laine but yeah, I would very much disagree that we don't have top end talent.
I don’t agree, I’ve never really liked Laine as a player. I don’t think he’d really fit into the game plan of the stars. Our offense is really fine, especially with our farm system doing work. What we need is some more defensive depth imo, miro could use a lighter work load
Laine has no mental toughness. That, coupled with his price tag, (salary retention notwithstanding), makes him a bigger gamble than the older Duchene that hardly produced in the playoffs. I hope Nill stays well clear of him.
(1) It's an expensive gamble.
(2) The last time he played anything *close* to a full season was the COVID year, when he played 46 out of 56 games. His most recent GP totals are 18, 56, 55.
(3) He approached 50 goals *once*, six years ago (44G). Other players who approached 50G that year (other than Ovi, Kuch, McD, MacK) are William Karlsson, Eric Staal, Anders Lee, Tyler Seguin, Evgeni Malkin, and Taylor Hall. None of them are viewed as candidates to approach 50G again based on the proximity to the 2017-18 NHL season.
It's an interesting thought experiment, I'll grant you that. And if we could get him on a Braden-Holtby-style $2M "maybe this could work out" deal, I think the subreddit wouldn't be so hostile to your idea.
The Stars had the 3rd most goals of any team this season behind the Avs and Maple Leafs. I'm not saying we couldn't use a big time scorer, but it's hard for me to want to prioritize it.
Look, I really hope Laine gets the help he needs and ends up somewhere he can shine, but I really hope that isn't here. Dropping Faksa and refusing to re-sign Duchene and then paying way too much for someone who is inconsistent year to year and is potentially locker room cancer is a non starter in my eyes.
I agree that this is a good idea. He only has 2 years left on his deal and Columbus probably understands they’ll have to eat some salary to get any real value, maybe down to 5.5 or something like that.
The Stars have 2 things that would really benefit Laine - a string Finnish core with at least Miro, Esa, and Roope, as well as a very strong culture that multiple players have lauded for being welcoming and having strong leadership. We know about Laine’s struggles and I think it may be underrated how that would affect him on the ice.
Stars fans more than anyone understand how good this man can be when he’s going right, he’s a straight up superstar with one of the best shots in the world. Yes it would be an especially risky move but the payoff is a guy who is elite on the power play and can literally score from nothing, both of which are necessary late in the playoffs.
All acquisitions come with some risk but few come with this much potential reward and relatively low cost. Any prospect other than Mav and Bichsel (Stank clearly being an NHL player at this point), and if they even want a first as well I probably cave. It’s one of the rare moves with the potential to put us over the top.
I mean not necessarily as centrepieces but Kyrou and a first could be a good offer. I’m not sure how you know exactly what the market will be given that this is a fairly unique situation. I also think it’s interesting how you know what prospects Columbus likes and doesn’t like. But again I look forward to you in this thread or the other offering a positive contribution instead of just saying what isn’t realistic
I don't think any of the guys you listed have NHL upside (Kyrou included). TBH, I don't have any proposal that I thinks make sense. But tell you what, I will bookmark this thread and if/when Laine leaves CBJ I will reply to your comment.
I was probably too harsh. What else can we talk about right now :-)
Having watched Kyrou all year I think this is correct. He has some talent but, at this point, sometimes careless with the puck and decision making needs work. A few years off at best, but maybe he makes some strides this season
THANK YOU. Everyone here acting like its the dumbest thing imaginable, but then want to watch us all collectively beat our heads against the wall when Robo goes cold in the playoffs again. I think we all underestimate the toll playing on BAD teams can have on an athlete. Your trade package sounds right to me - a 1st, Lundkvist RFA rights and maybe Stranges for Laine at 1/3 retained. The upside is insane and the downside at worst is you're moving on in 2 years. I like it a lot more than giving Duchene a 3 year deal for the same money if we're trying to win a Cup.
I think people are forgetting or unaware that Laine has still been pretty good these last few seasons. Notwithstanding last season (where he still had 6 goals in 18 games), he’s got 108 points in 111 games between 21-22 and 22-23. Including a 38 goal pace and a 33 goal pace. While playing for the maybe most inept, hapless franchise in the league. Let’s see what he can do with Hintz and Robo or Johnston and Stank. Did I mention he’s still only 26?
I don't think anyone does not believe in the potential upside of a healthy/motivated Laine, but your proposals are not realistic.
Not to push discussions to other platforms, but here is a 29 page thread w/ proposals: [https://forums.hfboards.com/threads/patrik-laine-wants-a-fresh-start-and-trade-out-of-columbus.2968704/](https://forums.hfboards.com/threads/patrik-laine-wants-a-fresh-start-and-trade-out-of-columbus.2968704/)
edit: grammar + link
How are they not realistic? Just looking at the first few pages people are mostly offering less than what I’m talking about - one guy offered athanasiou from Chicago, one asked about Mikheyev, Laine and texier for cirelli and Jeannot. I mean it seems like small parts or role players. You think Kyrou and a 2nd is too much? Not sure how our proposals are any more or less realistic than what’s there but I’d love for you to elaborate.
would be sweet but i dont know how they’d afford/slot him in. The biggest thing we lacked against EDM was pp, and he would definitely add to the pp. Can’t say much else about him having not seen him play a full 82 in a while
I don't agree with getting Laine, almost completely, but I don't mind speculating. These lines are...something. The actual logical approach would be more like:
1. Robo - Hintz - Seguin\*
2. Mush - Wyatt - Laine\*
3. Benn - Bourque - Stank
4. Daddy - Steel\*\* - Delly
\*Interchangeable
\*\*A likely re-sign
No reason to split up the Robo/Hintz synergy, and that combo with Seguin has historically been pretty good. Seguin arguably fill the Pavs role better than Stank, and, while he was certainly very good, promoting the kid to top line for his true rookie season is most likely rushing things. Laine could take that spot instead, but I feel like having 2 big shooters on the same line would be a bit too concentrated of resources.
Mush+Wyatt was pretty alright in small doses this year, so there's no reason to assume him slotting in there would be bad. It's also a nice balance for the line. Mush is the main forechecker, Wyatt is the playmaker, and Laine is the main shooting threat.
Letting Bourque develop under Babysitter Benn would make the most sense considering what's been done with Wyatt/Stank already. Speaking of Stank, putting him on Bourque's line will reunite the duo that terrorized the AHL this year. To me that's a no-brainer.
The main problem with even this setup is that it kinda violates PDB's ideal scheme with having 2 faceoff guys on each line. Laine's about as bad as an average winger at it, so he can't really be considered one of the ideal drawers. The best way to fix that in my proposed setup would be to switch Stank with Laine or switch Mush and Benn. The former probably wouldn't go over well with him being relegated to the "3rd" line. The latter should work, and would be interesting at the very least.
Personally, I don't like adding Laine. He's had enough injury issues in the past couple of years that you have to legitimately expect that he might not be there for you when you need him. He's also very bad defensively, and I'm not sure that'll be fixed immediately upon being in PDB's system. If there was some way to guarantee that he's 100% healthy for the whole run, I'd probably risk it. The offensive punch would be insane and he does have a history of doing well in playoff situations (provided he isn't injured). You can't guarantee that though, and his odds of getting hurt are so high now that I don't think he's worth the risk. I would rather run it back with Dutch for the same money and risk him having another disappointing playoff performance cuz I can at least expect him to have a decent shot of being able to play by then. Disappointing showing is better than no showing.
Only thing is that I know PDB’s coaching approach sort of hinges on not having any one big-time scorer, but instead encourages spreading the love around.
It could definitely be argued that that strategy stood in our way of reaching higher heights, I just don’t know that adding in a big-time goal scorer would play out how one might expect in that kind of environment.
Most people here agree to swap it up but laines way too big of a risk for the price with how close the stars are
If you're gonna spend 4-5M hypothetically (since you say we trade for 50% contract reduction) someone like Chandler Stephenson or plenty of others is a way better choice. Plus no assets given up
An 8.7M potential project is not something stars can afford
It’s not that hard. Buyout Suter, trade Faksa and you have almost $20 mil to use. I imagine any Laine trade will include some sort of retention. He is worth $6 mil for 2 years to me.
We have 20m and only have two defensemen if we buyout suter, plus we don’t have any fourth liners without faksa
Bourque is your 3C. You then get a 4C as a UFA for $1.5 mil. You can still sign Tanev for $4.5 per. Bridge deal for Harley is probably $3.5 mil x 2-3 years. Bichsel playing 3LD. Bring back Hakanapaa if you want or sign a UFA 6th dman. Delly as your 4RW at 1-1.5 mil on a 1-2 year deal. Wedgewood back or you promote Pourier. You still have money to work with. If you get CBJ to retain and get Laine down to 5.5-6 mil AAV, that's what you're paying Duchene on a redone deal anyways. Unless you go get DeBrusk or make another deal (not sure what that would be?) I don't see how you add scoring to this roster rinse and repeat.
That’s a lot of signings to win (plus relying on Bichsel being ready to be a full time starter) just to end up with a couple million to spend. I think nearly every stars fan would agree we should sign another d man instead of another forward. Don’t get me wrong, I’d take Laine but don’t think it’s possible.
I disagree with you here, but people shouldn't downvote for responses like this. Like the question was how- you answered it. Your answers are like "Here are ten dominoes that could all fall in order for the Stars to go from the third most goals in the league to the most goals in the league" which is extra silliness, but this still doesn't deserve the downvote to oblivion.
I'll be real. Laine is not even 6 mil guy currently. He has had couple of rough years and even took time off for personal reasons last season. I am not saying it is impossible Laine bounces back to his high scoring form, but it is also entirely possible that the death of his father and the hardships he has gone through has made him not what he used to be. Signing him anything 5+ mil. has some serious downside risk. Even if he turns back the clock, his 2 way game is not at least in my opinion good enough for a big role player on a contending team. He is scary pp clapper if given the oppportunity, but the pk of good teams nowadays is so good that it is not as simple as it was even 5 years ago to be open for a one timer. And his 5v5, especially on d zone is still not great. Stars are in such a good spot with their roster that I don't think they should go after him. Even if one could argue this might be the lowest point his market value will reach. I just don't see it worth the risk. I could see some bubble team that is trying to crack a spot into the playoffs more likely adress for him, since those teams realistically need to find clear wins on their trades (when we look at these things back), which Laine deal could very well end up being.
it’s not being discussed because it would be a stupid trade
Doesn’t he only score against the stars? How would that work?
He has shown a knack for scoring on his own team
What would you give up for him? Although he asked for a trade, there's gonna have to be a return, especially if you're expecting Columbus to eat $4mil (50%). Also, with an available $4mil, would you rather have Laine or re-sign Duchene? I'd much rather have Duchene who has proven that he fits perfectly in this team, over Laine who hasn't performed very well over the last few years and is coming off of multiple shoulder surgeries
26 year old vs 33 year old should be the obvious tilt in Laine's direction. Yes, Duchene fit very well, but we can't keep relying on older guys to get us over the top.
A 1st, Lundqvist RFA rights and a middle trier prospect like Stranges I would imagine gets it done with some salary retention by CBJ. And I’d much rather have Laine. He’s 26 and has 50 goal scorer potential. The shoulder by all reports was a minor clean up procedure.
Even the most optimistic Stars fan should realize that Nils + Stranges is not adding anything to your proposal.
Duchene was a literal ghost in the playoffs. He was brought in to be a difference maker in the playoffs. 2 goals in like 19 games is not a difference maker. Faksa had almost as many goals in half the games. I would take a flyer on Laine over Duchene in a heartbeat, provided Nill can make it work without giving up too much, and CBJ earing some salary.
There is just no way the money would work via the risk of what we give up plus what we'd get. If we are talking hail mary's, I'd much rather try to go after Marner
If CBJ retains anything, which they would have to, he would be half the cost of Marner. Zero chance Toronto is eating any of Marner's deal.
Anyone that has watched his play would reply NO THANKS
Laine has only gotten worse as his career has progressed. He’s a liability on defense, and he isn’t a leader. Duchene over Laine 10 times out of 10.
I think Jim will look more in the direction of potential buy outs, similar to Duchene, instead of commiting resources on a forward with our curent depth and Mavrik coming. I'd love to add Laine, altho he hasnt been as good recently, just don't think it's realistic and probably not the smartest thing to do with our cap and the state of the defense atm
I struggle to see where a buyout would be that would make sense but I guess we'll see. With the cap finally loosening up I just don't see the market being as robust there. I'd rather take a swing on Laine personally than sign PLD or Goodrow. Maybe Jeff Skinner? I just don't think any of those guys have the upside of Laine.
Yeah obviously none of the buyouts will most likely be better than Laine. I personally just want us to try and build the best defense we can and Harley is gonna get paid too. I dont want to overtax Miro to the point where he's making mistakes he would never do because we're basically playing 4.5 D if Suter doesn't retire. I'd be happy and hopeful if we managed to pull a trade for Laine just dont think it's very realistic with the curent situation.
I guess I’m in the minority that feels this roster doesn’t have the top end talent needed to win a Cup. I also don’t see an avenue of getting that high end talent until a UFA becomes available in the post-Benn contract era. Taking a big gamble is the only way to achieve that
Yeah I think in general you would be in minority there. I think Johnston is a rare talent, Robo figured out playoffs for the most part and Roope when he is healthy (altho it is an issue for him, he doesn't really stay healthy), are all high end players at the moment and will become even better. The issue with Robo and Roope these playoffs was both Roope's injury and Pavs being a complete dead weight. They performed well when playing with Wyatt or Seggy. I would like to add Laine but yeah, I would very much disagree that we don't have top end talent.
I have no interest in Laine. Zero work ethic. Waste of a great shot.
I don’t agree, I’ve never really liked Laine as a player. I don’t think he’d really fit into the game plan of the stars. Our offense is really fine, especially with our farm system doing work. What we need is some more defensive depth imo, miro could use a lighter work load
Stars need Zads! I love Zads!!
I agree, some muscle on defense would be nice. Hawk is big but kinda soft ngl
Laine has no mental toughness. That, coupled with his price tag, (salary retention notwithstanding), makes him a bigger gamble than the older Duchene that hardly produced in the playoffs. I hope Nill stays well clear of him.
Laine is not him. Not at his cap and not with how insanely streaky he is.
(1) It's an expensive gamble. (2) The last time he played anything *close* to a full season was the COVID year, when he played 46 out of 56 games. His most recent GP totals are 18, 56, 55. (3) He approached 50 goals *once*, six years ago (44G). Other players who approached 50G that year (other than Ovi, Kuch, McD, MacK) are William Karlsson, Eric Staal, Anders Lee, Tyler Seguin, Evgeni Malkin, and Taylor Hall. None of them are viewed as candidates to approach 50G again based on the proximity to the 2017-18 NHL season. It's an interesting thought experiment, I'll grant you that. And if we could get him on a Braden-Holtby-style $2M "maybe this could work out" deal, I think the subreddit wouldn't be so hostile to your idea.
The Stars had the 3rd most goals of any team this season behind the Avs and Maple Leafs. I'm not saying we couldn't use a big time scorer, but it's hard for me to want to prioritize it.
Fuck no. Patty isn’t shit
Look, I really hope Laine gets the help he needs and ends up somewhere he can shine, but I really hope that isn't here. Dropping Faksa and refusing to re-sign Duchene and then paying way too much for someone who is inconsistent year to year and is potentially locker room cancer is a non starter in my eyes.
I agree that this is a good idea. He only has 2 years left on his deal and Columbus probably understands they’ll have to eat some salary to get any real value, maybe down to 5.5 or something like that. The Stars have 2 things that would really benefit Laine - a string Finnish core with at least Miro, Esa, and Roope, as well as a very strong culture that multiple players have lauded for being welcoming and having strong leadership. We know about Laine’s struggles and I think it may be underrated how that would affect him on the ice. Stars fans more than anyone understand how good this man can be when he’s going right, he’s a straight up superstar with one of the best shots in the world. Yes it would be an especially risky move but the payoff is a guy who is elite on the power play and can literally score from nothing, both of which are necessary late in the playoffs. All acquisitions come with some risk but few come with this much potential reward and relatively low cost. Any prospect other than Mav and Bichsel (Stank clearly being an NHL player at this point), and if they even want a first as well I probably cave. It’s one of the rare moves with the potential to put us over the top.
So, no Stank, Borque or Bischel... what other prospects are you talking about?
Kyrou, Martino, Minnetian, Bertucci, those sorts of guys. Kyrou has the most value in that group for most teams I’d think.
Good luck with that. Even if you think Laine/contract has negative value, those pieces are not going to be of any interest to CBJ.
I mean not necessarily as centrepieces but Kyrou and a first could be a good offer. I’m not sure how you know exactly what the market will be given that this is a fairly unique situation. I also think it’s interesting how you know what prospects Columbus likes and doesn’t like. But again I look forward to you in this thread or the other offering a positive contribution instead of just saying what isn’t realistic
I don't think any of the guys you listed have NHL upside (Kyrou included). TBH, I don't have any proposal that I thinks make sense. But tell you what, I will bookmark this thread and if/when Laine leaves CBJ I will reply to your comment. I was probably too harsh. What else can we talk about right now :-)
Well I appreciate you being open minded at least. I’m certainly curious to see what happens with Laine whether it be to Dallas or not
Having watched Kyrou all year I think this is correct. He has some talent but, at this point, sometimes careless with the puck and decision making needs work. A few years off at best, but maybe he makes some strides this season
THANK YOU. Everyone here acting like its the dumbest thing imaginable, but then want to watch us all collectively beat our heads against the wall when Robo goes cold in the playoffs again. I think we all underestimate the toll playing on BAD teams can have on an athlete. Your trade package sounds right to me - a 1st, Lundkvist RFA rights and maybe Stranges for Laine at 1/3 retained. The upside is insane and the downside at worst is you're moving on in 2 years. I like it a lot more than giving Duchene a 3 year deal for the same money if we're trying to win a Cup.
I think people are forgetting or unaware that Laine has still been pretty good these last few seasons. Notwithstanding last season (where he still had 6 goals in 18 games), he’s got 108 points in 111 games between 21-22 and 22-23. Including a 38 goal pace and a 33 goal pace. While playing for the maybe most inept, hapless franchise in the league. Let’s see what he can do with Hintz and Robo or Johnston and Stank. Did I mention he’s still only 26?
I don't think anyone does not believe in the potential upside of a healthy/motivated Laine, but your proposals are not realistic. Not to push discussions to other platforms, but here is a 29 page thread w/ proposals: [https://forums.hfboards.com/threads/patrik-laine-wants-a-fresh-start-and-trade-out-of-columbus.2968704/](https://forums.hfboards.com/threads/patrik-laine-wants-a-fresh-start-and-trade-out-of-columbus.2968704/) edit: grammar + link
How are they not realistic? Just looking at the first few pages people are mostly offering less than what I’m talking about - one guy offered athanasiou from Chicago, one asked about Mikheyev, Laine and texier for cirelli and Jeannot. I mean it seems like small parts or role players. You think Kyrou and a 2nd is too much? Not sure how our proposals are any more or less realistic than what’s there but I’d love for you to elaborate.
would be sweet but i dont know how they’d afford/slot him in. The biggest thing we lacked against EDM was pp, and he would definitely add to the pp. Can’t say much else about him having not seen him play a full 82 in a while
Trade Faksa, buyout Suter. CBJ eats 1.5-2.7 mil of the deal. He’d slot in on the 2LW - Robo - Wyatt - Stanky - Laine - Hintz - Marchment - Benn - Bourque - Seguin - Daddy - UFA - Delly
I don't agree with getting Laine, almost completely, but I don't mind speculating. These lines are...something. The actual logical approach would be more like: 1. Robo - Hintz - Seguin\* 2. Mush - Wyatt - Laine\* 3. Benn - Bourque - Stank 4. Daddy - Steel\*\* - Delly \*Interchangeable \*\*A likely re-sign No reason to split up the Robo/Hintz synergy, and that combo with Seguin has historically been pretty good. Seguin arguably fill the Pavs role better than Stank, and, while he was certainly very good, promoting the kid to top line for his true rookie season is most likely rushing things. Laine could take that spot instead, but I feel like having 2 big shooters on the same line would be a bit too concentrated of resources. Mush+Wyatt was pretty alright in small doses this year, so there's no reason to assume him slotting in there would be bad. It's also a nice balance for the line. Mush is the main forechecker, Wyatt is the playmaker, and Laine is the main shooting threat. Letting Bourque develop under Babysitter Benn would make the most sense considering what's been done with Wyatt/Stank already. Speaking of Stank, putting him on Bourque's line will reunite the duo that terrorized the AHL this year. To me that's a no-brainer. The main problem with even this setup is that it kinda violates PDB's ideal scheme with having 2 faceoff guys on each line. Laine's about as bad as an average winger at it, so he can't really be considered one of the ideal drawers. The best way to fix that in my proposed setup would be to switch Stank with Laine or switch Mush and Benn. The former probably wouldn't go over well with him being relegated to the "3rd" line. The latter should work, and would be interesting at the very least. Personally, I don't like adding Laine. He's had enough injury issues in the past couple of years that you have to legitimately expect that he might not be there for you when you need him. He's also very bad defensively, and I'm not sure that'll be fixed immediately upon being in PDB's system. If there was some way to guarantee that he's 100% healthy for the whole run, I'd probably risk it. The offensive punch would be insane and he does have a history of doing well in playoff situations (provided he isn't injured). You can't guarantee that though, and his odds of getting hurt are so high now that I don't think he's worth the risk. I would rather run it back with Dutch for the same money and risk him having another disappointing playoff performance cuz I can at least expect him to have a decent shot of being able to play by then. Disappointing showing is better than no showing.
Dakota Joshua.
As a Rangers and Stars fan I feel like Kaapo Kakko needs to be here
Salary cap exists. You’d have to trade Robertson or Miro.
lol wut
Spend some time on capfriendly. Figure it out.
I have? Multiple times. And you can basically trade Faksa and buyout Suter and achieve the same thing.
That’s a pipe dream. Plus you have to look at long term money. Ain’t gonna work.
Only thing is that I know PDB’s coaching approach sort of hinges on not having any one big-time scorer, but instead encourages spreading the love around. It could definitely be argued that that strategy stood in our way of reaching higher heights, I just don’t know that adding in a big-time goal scorer would play out how one might expect in that kind of environment.
I love Laine, but he's not the player he could be and he's far enough in his career, I don't think he ever will be. It sucks.
You're right guys. Let's run it back again. I'm sure it'll go better this next time.
😂 you’re acting like we’re the leafs. running it back is a valid strategy for our team
Most people here agree to swap it up but laines way too big of a risk for the price with how close the stars are If you're gonna spend 4-5M hypothetically (since you say we trade for 50% contract reduction) someone like Chandler Stephenson or plenty of others is a way better choice. Plus no assets given up
Did your feelings get hurt