JotCast | PHR Live Chat: 5/22/24

PHR Live Chat: 5/22/24

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Josh Erickson

1:48

Hi all! We'll get started closer to the top of the hour. Plenty of questions from the queue this morning, so we've got plenty to discuss.

1:50

Have to say, I'm really excited to have the opportunity to start these up weekly again. Overall, we should have a lot more in terms of features/original content coming out over the next few months now that I've got the opportunity to head up PHR full-time.

1:57

Alright, let's get kicking a couple of minutes early. I'll start with the questions that came in earliest this morning, although there were quite a few duplicates/similar topics that I'll group together.

deca guard

1:57

who is detroits best d prospect after edvinsson n asp ? and his ceiling ?

Josh Erickson

1:59

I think it's clearly Albert Johansson. Really solid puck-mover, he's fit right in with Grand Rapids the last two seasons and had three full SHL years before that. I'd be surprised if he doesn't crack the opening night roster – Yzerman hinted as such already earlier in the offseason. He loses his waiver exemption on July 1, I believe.

Needs a new contract, though. Just finished up his ELC and he's now an RFA

2:00

Second-pairing ceiling, though, and likely 25-30 points a season - not necessarily someone you'd want running a power-play unit, although he could surprise me. Especially if they don't re-sign Gostisbehere, I'd target a more offensively-inclined defender in the draft to add to the system.

SCott

2:00

Will the Bluejackets ever get things moving forward?

Cbj4life

2:00

What are the jacket’s waiting for ?? No gm .. are we getting a new coach ? Is upper management clueless on what they want to do

How hard will it be to get rid of Elvis

Carson

2:01

Haven’t heard much on the CBJ GM search - any rumblings on what their short list looks like?

Josh Erickson

2:02

Alright, some CBJ discussion. No real finalists yet for GM... only names that have really been connected are Marc Bergevin (we've covered) and there's been some other speculation about Ken Holland. Not exactly inspiring for a team that desperately needs a culture change to match the on-ice product

2:03

If they were moving on from Vincent behind the bench, you have to think they would've done it by now. Market is dwindling quick

Merzlikins... I'd stay the course with him for one more year and then see. He's got three years left at $5.4MM

2:05

Improved a lot this season after that horrendous 22-23 showing, although he was still slightly below average. I don't see the urgency to move him yet. He doesn't make sense for acquiring teams – there are cheaper UFA options and, if they want to go big-game hunting, plenty of high-profile options on the trade market

based

2:05

Hey Josh, Michkov is a Flyer in next few wks? What does your gut tell you? Reading between the lines I think yes.

Josh Erickson

2:05

I think all parties involved are okay with it, including SKA. It's not like they were using him – they've loaned him out to Sochi for the past two seasons.

2:06

The problem is that due to the lack of a transfer agreement with the KHL, Michkov needs to buy himself out of his contract. The Flyers can't pay SKA directly to terminate the deal.

2:07

So it depends on Michkov and his agent figuring out how to buy out the deal, and from what I understand, it's not a cheap undertaking. I don't know an exact dollar figure, though.

Duck King

2:07

What do you think are the Duck's most likely moves this offseason? Who are they most likely to add? Bonus question: Who do you think they draft 3rd?

Josh Erickson

2:08

They'll be an interesting team to watch. Looking at their depth chart, I think they've got a glaring hole at 3LW – I don't like Max Jones in the top nine. Would rather see him in a fourth-line role. I'd expect them to address that with a short-term UFA pickup, but nothing as high-profile offensively as Killorn last summer.

2:10

Defensively, it depends on what they want to do with LaCombe. I thought they rushed him last year and overused him. I would advocate for having him start next year in San Diego, but if not, then they're probably only making one or two depth signings. If they do opt to shelter LaCombe a bit more, I could see them going for someone (either left- or right-shot) with upward mobility into top-four minutes.

But again, short term. They have plenty of guys coming.

2:12

I'm not sure anybody they take at 3rd overall steps into the NHL immediately next season. The sense is, internally, they're extremely high on Cayden Lindstrom. Personally, I think the hype's gotten out of control on him – I wouldn't take him with a top-five pick.

If Chicago royally screws themselves and passes on Demidov, you just have to do it. I don't care what your positional needs are. He's too good and would be your highest-ceiling forward prospect – a tier or two above Gauthier/Carlsson, I'd say. He's for real.

2:13

If they opt to go with a defenseman, I think they go for Anton Silayev. But this is the least confident I've been in how the top 10 plays out (outside of Celebrini, of course) in quite some time.

2:14

Not what I'd do, by the way. Someone will take Silayev way too high. Just among Ds, I'd rather have Dickinson, Parekh, Buium, Levshunov and even Yakemchuk over him

SpeakOfTheDevils

2:14

Who do the Devils go with Keefe or Woodcroft???

Josh Erickson

2:15

Gut says Keefe. Speculation says Keefe. I think both are roughly in the same B+ tier. Not an elite coach, but good. If you're able to get average goaltending, they'll look like a genius.

gmm8811

2:16

After some previous email conversations I had with Brian Larose about AHL?ECHL salaries, I was shocked by just how little a player makes per week if he's not signed to a 2 way contract. Obviously they have medical benefits but what other benes do clubs supply? If any. Housing? Food? Per diem?

Josh Erickson

2:16

This one requires a little too much research for me to answer on the fly haha. I won't plug up the live chat, but I'll bookmark this and try and get back to you!

M34

2:16

What would you predict the Avalanche doing in terms of roster construction and cap management heading into next season, given the circumstances surrounding Landeskog and Nichushkin?

Josh Erickson

2:17

Believe I saw that Landeskog is meeting with the media later this week. We'll see what he and the team have to say about his status next season. I can't handicap that either way, so maybe come back next week and I'll have an answer for you haha

On Nichushkin, though...

2:18

They can't really do anything. Can't trade him, can't buy him out while he's in the program. Yes, he won't count against the cap to begin the season, but they'll need to save that space for when he's (hopefully) ready to go in November.

So I don't think his situation affects the planning at all. They'll get through the first month of the year without him, and if he exits the lineup again for whatever reason, they'll address it at the deadline

2:19

Landeskog is still a wild card, though. Again, we'll know more next week.

Predators Fan

2:19

What would the Preds have to give up to get Mitch Marner from the Leafs?

Josh Erickson

2:20

I have yet to see many very rational Marner trade proposals out there. All either massively undervaluing or overvaluing him.

2:21

Let's get one thing straight – he has to waive his NMC first. Second, if the Leafs are trading him, they're not gonna do so without allowing him to discuss an extension with the new team (or do a sign-and-trade). I don't think they'd take the decreased value that comes with dealing him away as a pending UFA. At that point, they'd be better off hanging onto him and hoping Berube helps a Game 7 bounce go their way.

2:22

If that's the case, I'd say Saros, Fabbro and two first-round picks or first-round equivalents (Kemell, Wood, etc.)

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