My off-sesaon predictions and possible lineup...
Posted 2:52 PM ET | Comments 9
First off, let's see how I did with my off-season move guesses (http://my.hockeybuzz.com/user.php?user_id=19560) and what Sutter did in comparison to my guesses:
1) Trade Matthew Lombardi, Anders Eriksson, Andrej Taratukhin, and 2009 #2 Draft Pick to Florida for Olli Jokinen: FAIL. Ok, so this big trade didn't happen, but that's not to say Sutter didn't try his darndest to get Jokinen because I believe he did, but "the asking price was too much". Ironically, Phoenix didn't have to give up much at all to acquire Oill. I do believe, however, that Sutter picked up a young stud in Mike Cammalleri to fill that same spot with a scoring-centerman with great skating ability. And, at the bonus of ditching Tanguay's salary & keeping Lombardi.
2) Trade Cory Sarich, Wayne Primeau, Mark Giordano, and 2008 #1 Draft Pick to Toronto to Tomas Kaberle & Chad Kilger: FAIL. I'm looking at this months later and realize what a terrible (and impossible) trade this would be. After Sarich's great playoff performance, the importance of our #1 draft pick, and the return of Giordano, I'm glad it never did happen.
3) Re-sign Daymond Langkow: PASS. 4 yrs @ 5 per
4) Re-sign Craig Conroy: PASS. 2 yrs @ 1.05 per
5) Re-sign Stehpane Yelle: FAIL. With all do respect to Yelle, I'm glad Sutter hasn't brought him back. I believe it's time to let some young gunsd like Nystrom & Boyd fill Yelle's defensive offenceman role. I'm glad Nystrom was resigned.
6) Resign Owen Nolan: FAIL. Sutter let Nolan go off to the WIld for more money, but appropriately filled the role with a talented, yet baggage-carrying multi-winger in Todd Bertuzzi; and for less money. Though it's a controversial move, I think it was a fantastic signing by Sutter and will pay off greatly if Bert can stay healthy.
7) Trade Kristian Huselius, Rhett Warrener, Brent Krahn, and 2009 #3 Pick to Buffalo for Jason Pomminville & Nathan Paetsch: FAIL. Though I belive Warrener could still wind up back in Buffalo and Sutter could sign UFA d-man Nolan Pratt which could be a great depth move.
8) Put Marcus Nilson on waivers: PASS. I believe he'll be traded for a low pick or sent down to the minors. I hope Eriksson will follow.
9) Extend Curtis Joseph one more year: FAIL. Looks like Sutter will give McElhinney another shot.
10) Give Assistant Captaincy to Craig Conroy: PASS. I believe Conroy will take Nolan's A and step up as a big dressingroom leader.
4/10 ain't bad, eh?
I believe that with the departures of Tanguay, Huselius, Yelle, Godard, & Hale that Sutter has filled those spots with younger, faster, bigger, and less expensive studs like Glencross, Bourque, & Cammalleri and the re-signings of Nystrom, Conroy, Vandermeer, & Langkow also stregnthen the core of the Flames. Bertuzzi fills the big, veteran player spot that Nolan leaves behind.
So, here're my projected lineups. Let me know what you think!
Thx,
Jamie
CAMMALLERI - LANGKOW - IGINLA
GLENCROSS - LOMBARDI - BERTUZZI
NYSTROM - CONROY - MOSS
BOURQUE - PRIMEAU - BOYD
(PRUST)
REGEHR - SARICH
VANDERMEER- PHANEUF
GIORDANO - AUCOIN
(PARDY)
KIPRUSOFF
McELHINNEY
1) Trade Matthew Lombardi, Anders Eriksson, Andrej Taratukhin, and 2009 #2 Draft Pick to Florida for Olli Jokinen: FAIL. Ok, so this big trade didn't happen, but that's not to say Sutter didn't try his darndest to get Jokinen because I believe he did, but "the asking price was too much". Ironically, Phoenix didn't have to give up much at all to acquire Oill. I do believe, however, that Sutter picked up a young stud in Mike Cammalleri to fill that same spot with a scoring-centerman with great skating ability. And, at the bonus of ditching Tanguay's salary & keeping Lombardi.
2) Trade Cory Sarich, Wayne Primeau, Mark Giordano, and 2008 #1 Draft Pick to Toronto to Tomas Kaberle & Chad Kilger: FAIL. I'm looking at this months later and realize what a terrible (and impossible) trade this would be. After Sarich's great playoff performance, the importance of our #1 draft pick, and the return of Giordano, I'm glad it never did happen.
3) Re-sign Daymond Langkow: PASS. 4 yrs @ 5 per
4) Re-sign Craig Conroy: PASS. 2 yrs @ 1.05 per
5) Re-sign Stehpane Yelle: FAIL. With all do respect to Yelle, I'm glad Sutter hasn't brought him back. I believe it's time to let some young gunsd like Nystrom & Boyd fill Yelle's defensive offenceman role. I'm glad Nystrom was resigned.
6) Resign Owen Nolan: FAIL. Sutter let Nolan go off to the WIld for more money, but appropriately filled the role with a talented, yet baggage-carrying multi-winger in Todd Bertuzzi; and for less money. Though it's a controversial move, I think it was a fantastic signing by Sutter and will pay off greatly if Bert can stay healthy.
7) Trade Kristian Huselius, Rhett Warrener, Brent Krahn, and 2009 #3 Pick to Buffalo for Jason Pomminville & Nathan Paetsch: FAIL. Though I belive Warrener could still wind up back in Buffalo and Sutter could sign UFA d-man Nolan Pratt which could be a great depth move.
8) Put Marcus Nilson on waivers: PASS. I believe he'll be traded for a low pick or sent down to the minors. I hope Eriksson will follow.
9) Extend Curtis Joseph one more year: FAIL. Looks like Sutter will give McElhinney another shot.
10) Give Assistant Captaincy to Craig Conroy: PASS. I believe Conroy will take Nolan's A and step up as a big dressingroom leader.
4/10 ain't bad, eh?
I believe that with the departures of Tanguay, Huselius, Yelle, Godard, & Hale that Sutter has filled those spots with younger, faster, bigger, and less expensive studs like Glencross, Bourque, & Cammalleri and the re-signings of Nystrom, Conroy, Vandermeer, & Langkow also stregnthen the core of the Flames. Bertuzzi fills the big, veteran player spot that Nolan leaves behind.
So, here're my projected lineups. Let me know what you think!
Thx,
Jamie
CAMMALLERI - LANGKOW - IGINLA
GLENCROSS - LOMBARDI - BERTUZZI
NYSTROM - CONROY - MOSS
BOURQUE - PRIMEAU - BOYD
(PRUST)
REGEHR - SARICH
VANDERMEER- PHANEUF
GIORDANO - AUCOIN
(PARDY)
KIPRUSOFF
McELHINNEY
Hey I like the Projected line ups! Thanks for the read.
what do you think about Bert playing your Nucks 8x/yr?
I think that the lines will be jugled around a bit, especially at the start of the season. Still lacking that additional top-6 player that I think Calgary really needs, I wouldn't be surprised if Keenan spreads the offense around and puts Cammalleri on the seond line, as well as double shifts Iginla from time to time, especially late in a game. My predictions for lines that would squeeze the most offense out of this lineup are:BERTUZZI - LANGKOW - IGINLABOURQUE - CAMMALLERI - LOMBARDIGLENCROSS - CONROY - BOYDNYSTROM - PRIMEAU - MOSS(PRUST)REGEHR - SARICHVANDERMEER - PHANEUFGIORDANO - AUCOIN(PARDY)KIPRUSOFFMcELHINNEY I think the powerplay lineups would look something like this:BERTUZZI - IGINLA - CAMMALLERI (Iginla taking the draw)PHANEUF/AUCOINLANKOW - CONROY - BOYD (Conroy taking the draw)GIORDANO/VANDERMEERPenalty Kill:LOMBARDI - NYSTROM REGEHR - SARICH
okay, that didn't work out the way I planned...ah well, you get the idea.
I wrote before that due to previous relationships with the coach, the fact it's a controversial signing and the chemistry exhibited at the olympics that bertuzzi would get a shot at the top. So it would go like: Bertuzzi/Langkow/Iginla (Big skilled forwards)... Cammalleri/Lombardi/Glencross (imagine the speed of this line)... Borque/Conroy/Nystrom... Prust/Boyd or Primeau/Moss. I think your defense schemes are bang on and your goalie is a good guess!! We'll see if it's enough scoring!!
great job buddy
I'm sorry man, but your Kaberle trade is so far off that its almost laughable... in light of the Jeff Finger signing, its really hard for me to criticize the Corey Sarich contract but seriously... 3.6m/yr for a tough stay-at-home guy who probably shouldn't be more than a number 4 or 5 is a seriously dumb idea for a team already saddled with bad contracts to McCabe and Kubina... Giordano looks like Calgary's answer to Ian White and Wayne Primeau is a slow-footed fourth liner... when Philadelphia had an offer of Jeff Carter and a 1st for Kaberle on the table (a top pairing guy and elite puckmover with a cap hit of 4.25/yr) it just makes me cringe to read that you felt you were paying too much in spare parts and a halfway decent pick...
big b is gonna cheap shot someone again....
I'm with Fez on the forward lines, good blog though. I remember reading the first one and thinking that some of those deals just looked a little too complex for them all to come through, but the general feel of the team that you suggested isn't really far off from what I think we've got. Thanks for the retrospective.