Offseason Goal: Reinvent the Fourth Line

he will be 36 when the season starts. Can he still skate?

Yes he can. Any other well thought out questions?

I want a 4th line that is big, physical, can kill penalties, and can set the tone. Offensive upside is a slight plus, but with 3 offensive lines, I'm not worried about that today.

Faksa (DAL - RFA) - 6'3, 220lbs. Next contract should be around $3m per. Great bottom 6 C, and at 26, still has some upside. Not overly physical, but physical enough and has that big body that leans on you, which is annoying to play against. Can also slot up on the third line without issue.

Josh Andersson (CBJ) 6'3, 220. Physical player, 2nd most TOI/PK for Tort's forwards. Has put up goals in lower levels, and did have a 27 goal season last year. Was injured this season, which should bring down his trade value and cap hit. Might not get enough ice time on the 4th line to show his true effectiveness as a player.

Brian Boyle (UFA) - 6'6, 245lbs. 35 years OLD. Still one of the best defensive centers, and pkers in the league for his ~1m price tag. Can also line up as a wing. But he's at the end. He can still play semi-physical and will drop the gloves. A good leader.

Austin Watson (NSH) 6'4",205lbs, 28yo, 1y $1.5m left. Available for a 5th round pick. RW/LW. Physical, fights, #4th among Nashville forwards with penalty kill minutes per game. Did put up decent offensive numbers at lower levels.

Barclay Goodrow (TB) - 6'2, 215. Physical, fights, kills penalties, role player. Problem being that TB just overpaid for him at the deadline, and with his low caphit, I dont anticipate them moving him.

Jordan Staal (CAR) - 6'4, 220. 31 years old, $6mx3y left on contract. Would obviously require Carolina to eat $2 - 3m, which they might do. Although its not the name you want to hear, he checks off a lot of boxes.

Ryan Dzingel (CAR) - kind of forgotten about after he signed his 2y x $3.75m contract, including being scratched during the playoffs. Still young enough at 29, he can play C or either W, kills penalties, takes tough assignments, willing to much it up and play gritty, and has some good speed and skill that can easily move up and down the line up. Probably takes a few mid round picks to acquire.

Antoine Roussel (VAN) - Like Dzingel, he's not the prototypical huge 4th line dude I desire, but he plays big. He's coming off a knee injury that led to a rough season, which could mean he's cheap to acquire, especially with Vancouver in cap trouble. An agitator thats annoying to play against.

Sam Bennett (CGY) - a former top pick is on his way out of Calgary. 1y @ 2.55m left, and should come cheap in a trade. Can play all forward positions and in all roles, although the last 2 seasons he's been a bottom 6 winger. Still has upside. Is also a pest and can play physical.

Lawson Crouse (ARI) 6'4, 220. 2y @ $1.53m remaining. Plays big. Also has some skill. Similar to Gauthier, but more polished, but a lower ceiling.

Dump old salaries: Bozak, Stepan, Anisimov, Turris, Sutter

Change-of-Scenery: Kerfoot, Jost

Not really thinking about a Loui Eriksson or Milan Lucic type of terrible contract.

Problem is, how likely are you to get many of those guys? Andersson is probably gettable. The UFAs, sure. Just money.

Faksa? Watson? Goodrow? Staal? Canes named him captain. He's not going anywhere.

Problem is, how likely are you to get many of those guys? Andersson is probably gettable. The UFAs, sure. Just money.

 

Faksa? Watson? Goodrow? Staal? Canes named him captain. He's not going anywhere.

All are attainable. Goodrow and Crouse being the hardest to get via trade. Carolina has too many bottom 6 guys, taking up too much cap space. Dallas and Vancouver need to sign guys and have no cap space. Watson is free.

I am ok with signing a good 4th line center.

Digiuseppe is a RFA, would any team give us a 7th rounder for him?

 

Austin Watson (NSH) 6'4",205lbs, 28yo, 1y $1.5m left. Available for a 5th round pick. RW/LW. Physical, fights, #4th among Nashville forwards with penalty kill minutes per game. Did put up decent offensive numbers at lower levels.

His girl don't count.

His girl don't count.

Yeah, I was shocked Phil didn’t say anything.

Watson was 2nd in the league in fighting majors during the regular season. But that only counts on-ice.

Sign me up for never seeing Lemiuex, Howden and Gauthier having a role here. Plugs with no real upside at this time as others have said. Would love Clifford and even Boyle, can't say I know a whole lot about Grant. Roll out a 4th line that truly serves a purpose other than one the hopefully does something every once in a while. Let the kids develop in Hartford if they're going to develop at all. Start a new breakfast club there. Shut this one down.

How is Gauthier is a ?plug with no real upside?? And you want Boyle and Clifford?

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How is Gauthier is a ?plug with no real upside?? And you want Boyle and Clifford?

 

 

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They've proven they can play at this level. You left off the no real upside at this time and the let them develop in Hartford part as well.

How is Gauthier is a ?plug with no real upside?? And you want Boyle and Clifford?

 

 

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Do u want to explain what is wrong with Clifford and or Boyle? Boyle has made a living of being a very good 4th liner including this season, has been here before, and fills a bunch of needs for cheap with leadership and experience. Clifford is a two time cup winner that’s big, hits hard, and is only 29.

I don't get the Lemieux hate. Guy has played 78 games for us and has put up 9 goals and 24 points and is only 24 years old. He is tough, gritty, he fights and now we have the depth to play him in a more suitable role on the 4th line. Why are we talking about guys like Grant and Clifford? Lemieux is a great fit for the 4th line. Gauthier is 22 years old, huge, and former 1st round pick and has a ton of potential. He's also French Canadian, so is going nowhere with Laffy coming in, but why are we casting him aside? The 4th line is a great place to hone his skills as long as he is playing with guys with some skill and not Greg McKegg. Give these two a useful 4th line center and they're perfect 4th liners. Howden is and option and Morgan Barron may be a good fit there as well.

If this team needs to sign a bigger plus to fight then go ahead but make that guy the spare forward, whoever it may be.

They've proven they can play at this level. You left off the no real upside at this time and the let them develop in Hartford part as well.

He?s played almost 3 full seasons in the AHL, with the last one being a really good season. Almost 200 AHL games, so I honestly dont see what more he can learn there.

He needs to learn how to be an effective player in the NHL, and he can only learn that in the NHL. He?s played 12+4 NHL games. Give him the summer and a full pre-season and camp and I really think he will have a better season than a guy like Clifford would (career-best 21 points in 72 games).

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I don't get the Lemieux hate. Guy has played 78 games for us and has put up 9 goals and 24 points and is only 24 years old. He is tough, gritty, he fights and now we have the depth to play him in a more suitable role on the 4th line. Why are we talking about guys like Grant and Clifford? Lemieux is a great fit for the 4th line. Gauthier is 22 years old, huge, and former 1st round pick and has a ton of potential. He's also French Canadian, so is going nowhere with Laffy coming in, but why are we casting him aside? The 4th line is a great place to hone his skills as long as he is playing with guys with some skill and not Greg McKegg. Give these two a useful 4th line center and they're perfect 4th liners. Howden is and option and Morgan Barron may be a good fit there as well.

 

If this team needs to sign a bigger plus to fight then go ahead but make that guy the spare forward, whoever it may be.

I also have no problems with Lemieux or Gauthier on the 4th line. I'm not sure why the disdain towards them.

Lemieux/Howden/Gauthier as a 4th line is definitely workable IMO. The problem is when your 4th line players like this are getting 3rd line minutes.

We just need to figure out the holes on the top 3 lines so the 4th line can be the 4th line. Pretty simple.

It's hard to know what to think of Gauthier but his future here has zero to do with Lafreniere.

That's why they were openly searching for a fellow Fin to help Kakko feel more comfortable? The franchise rides on Laf now, so they may do any little things that they think may help him get comfortable. He is coming from the Q playing with all his French buddies so having one here to help him feel at home won't hurt.

That's why they were openly searching for a fellow Fin to help Kakko feel more comfortable? The franchise rides on Laf now, so they may do any little things that they think may help him get comfortable. He is coming from the Q playing with all his French buddies so having one here to help him feel at home won't hurt.

Who is "they" and when did this happen, serious question because I don't remember it ever happening other than it being thrown around here?

That's why they were openly searching for a fellow Fin to help Kakko feel more comfortable? The franchise rides on Laf now, so they may do any little things that they think may help him get comfortable. He is coming from the Q playing with all his French buddies so having one here to help him feel at home won't hurt.

The cultural, language, and hockey differences that the two faces aren't remotely similar. Lafreniere is close enough that he can even drive home from New York in less time than the CBJ-TBL game today. Kakko is an ocean away.

Who is "they" and when did this happen, serious question because I don't remember it ever happening other than it being thrown around here?

Though that's what going after Jesse Puljuj?rvi was about and didn't we also try to sign Kapanen? Also bringing in Tikanen to hangout with him when we didn't have any players.

The cultural, language, and hockey differences that the two faces aren't remotely similar. Lafreniere is close enough that he can even drive home from New York in less time than the CBJ-TBL game today. Kakko is an ocean away.

You wouldn't feel a little more comfortable if you went to a new giant city where everyone was watching you if you had somebody there from the same place you were from that you could relate to? It's not far fetched.

You wouldn't feel a little more comfortable if you went to a new giant city where everyone was watching you if you had somebody there from the same place you were from that you could relate to? It's not far fetched.

Sure, but that still doesn't make their situations comparable. That's just a generality. Nothing about Lafreniere implies he needs that.

That's why they were openly searching for a fellow Fin to help Kakko feel more comfortable? The franchise rides on Laf now, so they may do any little things that they think may help him get comfortable. He is coming from the Q playing with all his French buddies so having one here to help him feel at home won't hurt.

I didn't think that really needed to be said...