Talk to me about the kraken.. granted there have been some injuries, but they’re just not gelling, and are now looking down the barrel of at minimum 4 “top 6” centers in terms of AAV in beniers, wright, Stephenson and Catton over the next couple seasons, with the rest of the group, aside from about half the defense looking pretty middle of the road. Goaltending seems ok. Additionally, it sounds like most of the energy is on the block right now. How can they leverage what they’ve got to bring some cohesion and longer-term sustainability, and also win more games? I’m not asking for a magic change into an immediate contender, just a move in that direction. Just in the armchair here, but I can’t see the vision. *and what besides just buying out Grubi (though would you?)
@aka.nda – I would imagine Stephenson gets shifted to the wing at some point. His possession impacts have been pretty awful early on. Seattle would hope they improve with a move to the wing. So that’s down to three, and Wright is tracking better than Beniers right now. That extension for Matty B is looking Cozens-esque right now. I’m with you that things still seem like they’re in the mushy middle for the Kraken. They’re developing a spectacular pool though, one with far more offensive punch/upside than their current roster has. I think the best thing they can do is what they appear to be planning on doing – start moving out some of the mid-tier F contracts (Gourde, Schwartz, Bjorkstrand, Burakovsky) to make room for prospects as they rise. And yeah, I’m taking that Grubauer buyout. $1.983MM in 2025-26, $3.083MM in 2026-27, $1.683MM in 2027-28 and 2028-29.
To trade Jones now would entail retaining a massive amount of money. In one breath he admits that Jones is a #1 pairing D Man. And in another says the odds that they move him greater than 50%? Huh? The time to move any player like that is in the off season. I’m not paying Jones to play somewhere else, Or I’d just keep him. During the season the die is cast and to make room for a guy like this you have to move out a guy like this. Plus nobody has any Cap Space right now, At least not anybody who he would want to play for anyway who would be in the Playoffs. I also don’t get why Murphy would be harder to trade because of a groin issue and since he’s already back playing why that would impact him playing next year if the Hawks ate some of that money. That makes no sense at all. The Hawks have disappointed on many levels but stop signing stop gap FA’s and let the young guys learn and play and go for the DIFFERENCE MAKING FA’s who can improve their lot! And for Gods sake sign a coach who can grow with these guys. Might have to hit the College ranks. Maybe see if David Carle wants the gig. You can’t expect one of these old retread fossils who get continuously passed around to do it.
@Unclemike – what’s massive? $2-3MM per season? I don’t think it will take any more than that. If they make him a $7MM player, I think it’s a done deal for parties like Columbus and Dallas.
You may think the time to move a player like that is the offseason (and I would agree with you there), but the market for him is quite fervent right now. The chance he gets moved has more to do with actual interest than anything else, and actual interest is high. He’s got all but an official trade request in. They’re not keeping him. It will fracture the room.
It’s also harder to trade a player who isn’t commanding interest on the market. Murphy barely is, considering he’s not fully healthy and that isn’t even a possibility down the stretch. While maybe harder to move contract-wise, teams are far more interested in Jones than they are in Murphy.
While I agree that teams would be more interested in Jones than Murphy I’m not seeing Murphy as worthless. Although if his groin thing needs some kind of major surgery or something. Then I’d wait until after the season and just buy him out. Because at that point he’s worthless as he only has next year left and he’s in the way of young talent that needs to play. Since I can’t watch the games anymore it’s hard to see with my own eyes. If he’s that bad off wave goodbye. I said before if I have to pay down more than 2 million a year on Jones, Then I’m not trading him. I don’t agree that he’ll become a Clubhouse cancer because he never has before. He took the money with greedy arms, He should just shut up and play. They shouldn’t have to cave to his whim because he’s not happy rebuilding anymore. The Jimmy Butler school of pouting shouldn’t be in play here. I’m not paying him to play against me. And to trade him now would be hard unless somebody has an LTIR stash around somewhere. And I want a high draft pick because even if the Hawks have to eat 2 million a year for 5 years or whatever it is that’s 10 million bucks should be worth a decent return. Makes no sense to eat 20 million at 4 million a year for 4 or 5 years or whatever it is. But hey thanks for the shout out Josh and that’s the way I’m leaning. I just don’t think it’ll be as easy to move him as you think but I hope you’re right but only at the right price.
Talk to me about the kraken.. granted there have been some injuries, but they’re just not gelling, and are now looking down the barrel of at minimum 4 “top 6” centers in terms of AAV in beniers, wright, Stephenson and Catton over the next couple seasons, with the rest of the group, aside from about half the defense looking pretty middle of the road. Goaltending seems ok. Additionally, it sounds like most of the energy is on the block right now. How can they leverage what they’ve got to bring some cohesion and longer-term sustainability, and also win more games? I’m not asking for a magic change into an immediate contender, just a move in that direction. Just in the armchair here, but I can’t see the vision. *and what besides just buying out Grubi (though would you?)
@aka.nda – I would imagine Stephenson gets shifted to the wing at some point. His possession impacts have been pretty awful early on. Seattle would hope they improve with a move to the wing. So that’s down to three, and Wright is tracking better than Beniers right now. That extension for Matty B is looking Cozens-esque right now. I’m with you that things still seem like they’re in the mushy middle for the Kraken. They’re developing a spectacular pool though, one with far more offensive punch/upside than their current roster has. I think the best thing they can do is what they appear to be planning on doing – start moving out some of the mid-tier F contracts (Gourde, Schwartz, Bjorkstrand, Burakovsky) to make room for prospects as they rise. And yeah, I’m taking that Grubauer buyout. $1.983MM in 2025-26, $3.083MM in 2026-27, $1.683MM in 2027-28 and 2028-29.
To trade Jones now would entail retaining a massive amount of money. In one breath he admits that Jones is a #1 pairing D Man. And in another says the odds that they move him greater than 50%? Huh? The time to move any player like that is in the off season. I’m not paying Jones to play somewhere else, Or I’d just keep him. During the season the die is cast and to make room for a guy like this you have to move out a guy like this. Plus nobody has any Cap Space right now, At least not anybody who he would want to play for anyway who would be in the Playoffs. I also don’t get why Murphy would be harder to trade because of a groin issue and since he’s already back playing why that would impact him playing next year if the Hawks ate some of that money. That makes no sense at all. The Hawks have disappointed on many levels but stop signing stop gap FA’s and let the young guys learn and play and go for the DIFFERENCE MAKING FA’s who can improve their lot! And for Gods sake sign a coach who can grow with these guys. Might have to hit the College ranks. Maybe see if David Carle wants the gig. You can’t expect one of these old retread fossils who get continuously passed around to do it.
@Unclemike – what’s massive? $2-3MM per season? I don’t think it will take any more than that. If they make him a $7MM player, I think it’s a done deal for parties like Columbus and Dallas.
You may think the time to move a player like that is the offseason (and I would agree with you there), but the market for him is quite fervent right now. The chance he gets moved has more to do with actual interest than anything else, and actual interest is high. He’s got all but an official trade request in. They’re not keeping him. It will fracture the room.
It’s also harder to trade a player who isn’t commanding interest on the market. Murphy barely is, considering he’s not fully healthy and that isn’t even a possibility down the stretch. While maybe harder to move contract-wise, teams are far more interested in Jones than they are in Murphy.
Good read on Murphy’s situation and why his availability is perilous: link to chicago.suntimes.com
While I agree that teams would be more interested in Jones than Murphy I’m not seeing Murphy as worthless. Although if his groin thing needs some kind of major surgery or something. Then I’d wait until after the season and just buy him out. Because at that point he’s worthless as he only has next year left and he’s in the way of young talent that needs to play. Since I can’t watch the games anymore it’s hard to see with my own eyes. If he’s that bad off wave goodbye. I said before if I have to pay down more than 2 million a year on Jones, Then I’m not trading him. I don’t agree that he’ll become a Clubhouse cancer because he never has before. He took the money with greedy arms, He should just shut up and play. They shouldn’t have to cave to his whim because he’s not happy rebuilding anymore. The Jimmy Butler school of pouting shouldn’t be in play here. I’m not paying him to play against me. And to trade him now would be hard unless somebody has an LTIR stash around somewhere. And I want a high draft pick because even if the Hawks have to eat 2 million a year for 5 years or whatever it is that’s 10 million bucks should be worth a decent return. Makes no sense to eat 20 million at 4 million a year for 4 or 5 years or whatever it is. But hey thanks for the shout out Josh and that’s the way I’m leaning. I just don’t think it’ll be as easy to move him as you think but I hope you’re right but only at the right price.
Can’t read it without subscribing but thanks anyway.
with all the draft picks that Pitt has will they use it to overbid for RFAs knowing they can lose draft picks in the process? kinds like ST last year