#2 Center Slot

This was a comment on the Koivu vs Morrison post, but I decided to give it its own fan post.

Why?

Hey J.P., what do you think is the right solution for second line center?

[ducks]

I thought it was long enough and detailed enough to warrant its own post, and I thought it deviated enough from the topic of the post I commented on, as it becomes as much about Brooks Laich as it does about free agency and trades. I also think it would garner more attention this way and potentially create more discussion.
I write about what I see and think we ought to do, but I don’t have time to think of everything. I encourage people to tell me I’m right or wrong, but I ask you to tell me why. I’m very happy for the level of support this team has now and I’d love to see what people think about how to make it better. I don’t think Laich is the ideal #2 center, but I think we could make do with him at least as well as we could with many other players. He’s trained as a center, he’s decently skilled, he can take faceoffs, he would be a foil for Semin in that he’s tough and gritty vs silky and skilled, and he can play defense and all special teams. He’d be that net presence on the second line.
The true test of a good #2 center is if he can step in and be a #1 center (Think Ron Francis 1992, Sergei Fedorov 1994, Evgeni Malkin 2008, and the Flyers centers filling in for Daniel Briere this year). I think Nylander (in 07-08) and Fedorov met this criterion, and I think Koivu and Morrison would meet it next year. I’m not so sure Laich meets it, and I’m in the same boat about Jason Williams. I’m certainly doubtful about Keith Aucoin or Mathieu Perreault until I see it.
Of what we have, Nylander has done it before, but I am unsure of where he stands. Laich is the next best available option.

I don’t see Laich at 53 points at 2C next year…He just is not enough of a playmaker. While I concur that the mark of a good #2 is the ability to be a solid #1 when asked, I think another key hallmark of a 2C is versatility: can play in all situations, is a threat to score as much as dish, and controls tempo (another area where Laich really isn’t well suited for center imo).

Not sure how this would relate to us, but it could leave a trade opening for us with the caveat that we’d have to take on some salary, something I’m not entirely sure we can do a lot of.

That said, I only see two names that pique my interest at all out of their roster that might fit what they’re looking to do, and I doubt they’ll be trading Toews anytime soon, and Dave Bolland at 3.4 is a little pricey for us but might fit a second-line center position. Another young guy – he’s 23 and posted 19/28/47/+19 in the regular season last year, 4/8/12/-1 in the playoffs. I know only what the numbers say, though – can those of you who’ve watched him comment on whether this makes any sense at all?

(Don’t jump me, I’m just floating an idea. Go easy.)

I don’t know too much about Bolland, but he just got signed for five years. What I do know about his is that he was an exceptional player for Dale Hunter in London and he has put up some good numbers as a pro. I certainly wouldn’t be averse to a player of his caliber playing here, as he appears on the surface, but I personally think we need a guy to play for 1-2 years to be a stopgap while we wait for Johansson and/or Gustafsson (and/or Perreault) to be our #2.
The money wouldn’t be the issue in getting him, it would be his term. Any place he goes if he got traded, he want to be there for the duration of the contract. Anyone else on Chicago you like?

Does anyone know anything about Kyle Wellwood?
http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8469581&view=stats

Apparently the Canucks are looking for a defender to replace Ohlund. Wellwood looks like he has the skill to be a #2 center, he’s a restricted free agent, and only made $1 mil last year, meaning he’d be relatively affordable. We like doing business with Vancouver, too, McPhee’s old stomping grounds.

He’s filled in for Sundin, it appears, as a rookie and did well. He also looks like a spare part in Vancouver. Think he’s worth a shot?

I have to wonder, if Koivu returns to the Habs (sounds like he wants to) will they be shopping Plekanec? I imagine he’ll make less than 3 mil after the year he had, so if we could clear up that space (Pothier/Clark, Mo, etc.) he might be a target if the team actually has an interest in a #2 C.

So much for getting Joe Sakic.
I didn’t really think we’d get Saku Koivu, I just thought he’d be a good option. I think he took a discount to get a chance to play with Teemu Selanne. I’d have taken him at 1 year and $3.25 mil, but would he have taken us at that?

I think perhaps Mats Sundin could be a one year stop-gap, but I have no idea how much money we’d pay him. I don’t think it’s in our best interests to pay over $3 million for a one year sub right now, and Sundin doesn’t seem to be the most committed player right now, and at his age, he’s in the same boat as Robert Lang and Mike Sillinger for me. I like Robert Lang, but he’s 38 and coming off an injury. He played very well for us when we had him, but is he worth a shot? At what cost? And how do we get rid of Nylander.

I think Brendan Morrison is now the best fit for us (max $2.5 mil per year). Next up would be Jason Williams (max of $2 mil per). Obviously the best thing to happen would be for Nylander to wake up and play hockey again, but I think we have to assume he won’t.

I agree about the comment on Brooks Laich, that he’s better suited as a winger in our offense and that he’s not really capable of controlling the tempo of a game, or at least he hasn’t proven he can. I do think he’s a capable fill-in at #2 center and could do it for a year if we needed him to. I do not think he’s a capable fill-in at #1 center, hence why I would like us to sign someone or trade for someone. I think if we want to have legitimate aspirations of making the conference final, we need another center.
I think Jason Williams is a slight upgrade over Laich in this department. I think in a pinch he could play the #1 center spot and we’d survive. I don’t think we’d want him to do it for any length of time, though, but he’d be insurance. I think we had insurance that Laich could fill in at #2 center if someone else went down, but what happens if the #1 isn’t available? We’re in trouble.
Brendan Morrison is the best guy I see available to fill our need for a veteran #2 center who can play as a #1 if necessary. He’s played in Vancouver (a McPhee plus), played 4 years at Michigan and got his Econ degree (another McPhee plus), played 2 years there with Knuble and another with Knuble in Sweden during the lockout, when Knuble led the SEL in goals. He’s also played in the Czech Republic and on three World Championship teams. He’s worldly, and I’ve heard nothing but good things about his character. I think he’d fit right in. I also think his term doesn’t go any longer than Knuble’s, and for less money, unless we can move some big contracts (Jose Theodore, Michael Nylander, Shaone Morrisonn, or, and I hate to say it, Chris Clark).

I think we’d have to be pretty sure we’re in trouble to go with Williams. I don’t know who else is out there we’d really want or would be able to afford.

Speaking of possible trades, rumor has it that Chicago needs to dump salary and Byfuglien is a guy they may move. Signed for $3m/year through 2011. His contract is pretty large for the numbers he’s put up but I must admit I’m intrigued. Seems like a lot of possible trades could happen with Chicago, not limited to just him. I could see them being interested in Flash or Mo, for example.

Yeah, McPhee isn’t one to want to just take on salary. It’s not as if the Caps operate in the black, they don’t get the revenue from those luxury boxes, that’s all Pollin’s dough. I don’t see us taking on significant salary, especially for more than one year at this point.
Losing Theo after this season will give us the room to increase Semin’s salary (how much more than $5 mil is he going to get?), but really it’s going to be getting rid of Nylander that will help us lock up Backstrom. I don’t know what we do with Pothier, but I would think Carlson is his permanent replacement after this season. That’ll knock 1.7 mil off our cap # (2.5 mil vs 850K). Theo knocks off 3.7 (assuming we don’t pay more than 850K for a backup goalie). Nylander and Clark are each signed for two more years, making that a bit stickier. If Clark returns to anything close to form, I’d want to keep him. Nylander, though, gums up the works. I’d have to say we have to let him play #2 center and try to bump up his value to trade him, because I could stomach him for 20 games or so and we can either win in spite of him or make up ground later, but we can’t afford his salary and the roster spot right now. But If he actually produces like he’s supposed to, I’m all for that.
Don’t forget we’re eventually going to have to give raises to everyone on the roster of some sort, so I think we’ll get that room when Clark’s contract is up. Erskine’s also making a bit more than I’d have paid him, and he’s got it for another 2 years.
I think Backstrom gets a deal similar to the Sedins, I think he’s on par with them in terms of proven production, unless he has a huge year.
I think Semin probably won’t get much more than the $5 million he’s making now unless he puts up a monster season, which he’s certainly capable of.

Good call on realizing Nylander’s NMC expires after this season. We will dump him after this season if he doesn’t perform again and if we can’t move him now.

As for Theo leaving saving us $3.7 million:
Theodore = $4.5 million
Neuvirth or Johnson = $850,000 or so
4.5 million – 850,000= roughly 3.7 million

I was calculating the difference to see how much more room we’d have. Just because Theo’s gone doesn’t mean we don’t need a backup.

Anyone have an idea what we’d pay Backstrom then, if we’re not using the Sedins as a reference? I figured around $6 mil per would be fair, and the Sedins produced similar numbers to Backstrom, and I’m sure Backstrom wouldn’t mind using them as an example.

                D. Sedin__ H. Sedin___ N. Backstrom
07-08__29-45-74__15-61-76___14-55-69
08-09__31-51-82__22-60-82___22-66-88

Quote from the Washington Post Blog:
“Update from Tarik: I’m told that Marcus Johansson wanted to attend the camp, but prior commitments to Farjestad prevented him from being able to come over.

I’m also told that Anton Gustafsson could play in North America this upcoming season (AHL or NHL). It’s his option. He can also return to Sweden if he doesn’t make the Caps."

This could solve our #2 center problem.

Oh, it’s definitely wishful thinking to think Gustafsson will be our #2, but I can dream.

And you’re right, I think a year in the AHL will do him good.

if we can get Morrison at $2-2.5 for one year, we shuold grab him




wow GMGM is great

How do i end the blue box???