JotCast | PHR Live Chat: 12/11/24

PHR Live Chat: 12/11/24

Josh Erickson

1:57

Hey everyone, I'll get started in just a couple of minutes.

John

2:00

Patrick Kane a fit for the Capitals?

Josh Erickson

2:04

I don't love it. His production has been stagnant for much of the season and it's only getting worse. He's gone without a point in his last eight and has only three goals in 23 games on the season. Yes, his 6.4% shooting rate will likely improve as the season progresses, but he's also averaging almost an entire shot on goal per game fewer than last season.

Pure point production had been pretty much been his only redeeming quality the past few seasons with how bad his possession impacts had fallen off a cliff. If that's gone, I'm not sure there's much of a fit for him anywhere.

Should be said that the last thing the Capitals need right now is depth scoring. They've got plenty of it working at a high level with Protas, McMichael, e.g. emerging. The need there would be for a more established top-six talent, which Kane no longer is at this stage of his career.

The trade I'd like to see Washington make is regarding their defensive depth. They could do far better than Alexeyev/McIlrath as a seventh option.

will

2:05

Sabres need a new GM. what can this guy do to undo this mess?

Josh Erickson

2:06

Sabres are controlling majority of shot attempts this season, but they're generating a ton of low-calorie chances and allowing plenty of high-danger ones. At 5-on-5, they're controlling 52.5% of shot attempts but just 49% of overall scoring chances and 48% of high-danger chances.

2:08

Unfortunately, that tends to trend with the type of acquisitions they made this summer. Yes, their overall possession play has improved somewhat and they're playing with more speed throughout their forward lineup, but it hasn't yet translated into the skill to set up high-danger chances. Shows with that horrid power play too. Goaltending hasn't been a concern. I don't expect a goal-scoring explosion anytime soon, either. They're shooting at around league average at 5-on-5.

2:10

I know this sentiment has been echoed quite a bit online by Sabres fans, but this team truly isn't that far away. Simply spending to the cap likely would have alleviated many of their issues and would have allowed currently overpaid players having tough seasons (looking at Dylan Cozens) to fly a bit more under the radar. The pickups Adams made over the summer have largely been good, but too many redundancies and not enough needle-movers.

2:11

It's not about undoing a mess, it's about having the confidence to take the final step. Go out and land Ehlers

2:12

Or something similar. Just need far more of an impact piece offensively.

contracts

2:12

When in 2025 do players in the AHL on expiring contracts have their deals no longer count toward the 50 NHL contract limit for their parent team ?

Josh Erickson

2:13

Assuming you mean players signed to NHL contracts on assignment to their AHL affiliates. Players on AHL contracts don't count against the NHL limit. In that case, they only come off the books when free agency opens on July 1.

deals

2:13

Which teams do you expect to make trades before the upcoming holiday freeze ?

Josh Erickson

2:15

Not a ton. I think most teams with a strong sense of urgency got their moves out of their system over the past couple of weeks. I could see Nashville getting involved again. Not enough time to get a huge splash to come together, but I wonder if they'd look to swap out some talent that hasn't gotten a ton of usage this season (Juuso Pärssinen?)

2:16

The Flames are, somehow, still in the playoff conversation. I wonder if they're anxious to add a forward with Kirkland now out for the year in addition to Mantha, or if they're intent on giving Duehr and Pelletier some more time to make an impact. But considering the latter is averaging like eight minutes per game, I don't imagine that's the case.

Cbj4life

2:17

Did we do good in the trade last week or could we have done better

Josh Erickson

2:21

Quantity over quality-wise, yes. It all depends on if you agree with that approach. I generally don't. That's not to say they didn't get nothing. A first-rounder is always a nice piece, even if it looks like it'll certainly fall outside the top 20 with how things are trending for the Wild this season. Hunt has NHL upside, certainly, but not anywhere close to Jiricek's. With where Columbus is at in their rebuild, I would've liked to have seen them pursue a slightly more polished, higher-ceiling prospect and leave some of the depth draft picks acquired from MIN behind.

Cbj4life

2:21

Are the jackets for real now ????

Josh Erickson

2:24

With how little Jiricek was playing this season and with how little I imagine Hunt will play over the coming months, this move doesn't really change Columbus' outlook for this season at all. I imagine their record will end up about what it's on pace for... 80-85 points. That's certainly higher than a lot of people expected and they deserve credit for it. They're controlling play at 5-on-5 even if they're still prone to giving up a few more high-danger chances than they'd like (who cares, young team).

They're likely more seriously in the playoff conversation if not for their poor goaltending, which is a pretty big accomplishment given everything the past few months have brought. Sounds like Greaves' recall today is performance-based and they'll carry three goalies for a bit. I wonder how that changes things over the next couple of weeks.

goalies

2:25

Do you know if Adam Gajan's so-so play is why UMD has 3 goalies now ? Didn't he go there from the USHL to be the #1 starter ?

Josh Erickson

2:25

He's still played in 12 of 15 games and has (by far) the best numbers out of their three, even if in a vacuum he's been disappointing (.882 SV%, 3.50 GAA). I'm gonna go ahead and not put all of that blame on him.

Dan

2:26

Thanks for doing these! Curious what you're seeing with the Ducks forward progress. Aside from the injuries, has there been any, in your opinion, especially with the young guys? Who do you think reaches their potential? And who doesn't? And when do you see them getting to the playoffs (hopefully soon, as these last handful of years has been painful :))? Much appreciated!

Josh Erickson

2:28

Overall, this team can't score. I'm much more willing to pin that on a coaching issue than a personnel issue. They're generating 20.3 scoring chances per game at 5-on-5, about 1.5 under the league average.

2:29

A lot's been made of Gauthier, and I'm not sure I get it. Yes, 11 points in 26 games doesn't jump off the page, but it's tied for fourth(!!!!) on the Ducks. I certainly didn't expect him to be a star right away. Those who expected it were likely a tad misguided. I think concerns about him are overblown. Expectations were likely a little too high, but I'm still reasonably confident he'll be an impact top-six piece down the line.

2:30

Hard to gauge McTavish this season, he's been battling injuries. As has Carlsson. That, plus having what I think is the completely wrong coach for this team behind the bench (reactionary hires usually are), makes everyone's development hard to gauge.

2:32

Anaheim is fifth-worst in the league right now based on points percentage. Without Dostál playing out of his mind, they're almost certainly bottom-three or bottom-two. There's a while yet before they're thinking about playoffs.

Rob

2:32

I can’t believe the Marco Rossi trade rumors still persist. Do you think Guerin is actually serious about trading him, after the way he’s performed to start the season, especially with EK being out for awhile.

Josh Erickson

2:35

If there are rumors still out there, they're more unfounded than they have been in the past. There hasn't been anything reliably noteworthy about him to come across our desk since the start of the season. But yeah, he's on pace for 70 points and his possession play has been solid. I'd imagine his goal-scoring cools off a bit (he's shooting at 20.4%), but he's established his floor as a second-line guy long-term for sure. Not sure how they trade him and get better considering the limited amount of cap room they'd have to do so.

Rob

2:43

What top six forward do the Wild consider acquiring at the TDL.

Josh Erickson

2:45

Haha – I love how it's already implied that it's a need. Is it that obvious? You're right, of course. One thing I'd wonder... is there a Mikael Granlund reunion up for discussion? He's gotten his swagger back in San Jose and there's obviously organizational familiarity there. Had a career-high 69 points in Minny in 2016-17 and he's on pace to break that this year.

gmm8811

2:46

If Nick Leddy were to waive his NTC, where would be a good fit for him? Faksa? Texier? Saad? Can any of thes guys help someone else more than what St Louis is getting from them?

Josh Erickson

2:50

Even if Leddy waived his NTC right now, not sure if there would be any takers for him. This injury saga has been a little nightmarish. Day-to-day for nearly two months is just downright concerning.

Faksa likely has the highest trade value of the three you mentioned. That cap hit may be steep, but he is on an expiring contract. 54.2% on draws and a guy who can shoulder more ice time than a run-of-the-mill 4C will be appealing to a bunch of teams. If they can't figure out a way to get back into the playoff picture by the deadline, I'd imagine he's gone and would fetch them at least a second-round pick.

Who's Fabio?

2:50

Just wondering if you heard anything about J.T. Miller and confrontations with coach Tocchet?

Josh Erickson

2:51

Nope. Nothing legitimate has suggested Miller's leave is more nefarious than needing a mental reset. He's back at practice and should be playing within a week or so. Tocchet's recently given a few quotes about how he's kept in contact with Miller. I don't think there's anything to that.

Blue seats

2:52

Where do the rangers go from here? Is there any possible trade that would help?

Josh Erickson

2:54

I don't envy the position Drury is in, regardless of whether he put himself there. Things are starting to look up for Zibanejad cautiously. He had five points in his last five games, although I don't have the time to look up how well the Rangers were controlling play with him out there.

2:55

Pretty surprised they weren't interested in taking Fowler back for Trouba. They're asking way too much of Mancini, and I can't imagine they have a bunch of confidence left in Ryan Lindgren. Guess Drury sees a more cost-effective move elsewhere.

Junior

2:56

I get that chl points are often inflated but it feels like Easton Cowan doesn't get enough prospect love based on his consistency. Sure he's not the best player in the CHL skill wise but it feels like he isn't even considered a top 20 prospect still.

Josh Erickson

2:57

Agreed. And to think I was unhappy with the pick for the Leafs at the time. He easily looks like my biggest miss in the time I've been paying legitimate attention to the draft cycle.

will

2:57

does Crosby finish the season with the Pens?

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