College FA's this year? It's always forwards, what about D?
We always here people like Wellman, Da Costa, and Butler being snagged up every year, but has anybody heard of any good FA Defensemen this year? We could get a few good prospects that way this year with our defensive depth gone to **** right now.
I'm hoping we can pick somebody and maybe use our first rounder on a forward depending if we crap the bed for the rest of the year.
There is a thread on this over on the Prospects board Here, I'll read through it right now to see who are garnering the most attention. Looks like Denver has a defender who might be pretty good.
Even if we do sign a few free-agent defenders, I still think we'll end up picking a defenseman with our first round pick.
Supposedly there's a wealth of defenders throughout the mid-first round, which is likely where we'll fall.
Right now, I'd say we're lacking defensive prospect depth, but I'd still say go for the best player available. You can never have enough forward depth.
Makowski is the kid from Denver. The Wild had him in for their Dev camp on a try out. He'd be a solid get, probably won't ever amount to anything great but he should be a solid pro in my opinion. There's also the one defender from the smaller Michigan school who's name escapes me at the moment. However, it seems he is destined to sign with Detroit so that's likely not realistic.
I do really want T.J. Brown in the system, though. I know he's a forward and all but I think he has all the makings to be a strong power forward in the NHL. The Wild also had him at Dev camp so I hope they can get him after the year is over.
The one thing that will be difficult in chasing NCAA UDFAs is that the Wild do have a lot of contracts right now and with all the prospects on the horizon, it may be a bit challenging to juggle all of these decisions to be made. It's likely that a lot of the RFAs in Houston may not be tendered contracts. And there absolutely could be a few that raises some eyebrows.
__________________
After Meaningless Win - 3/29/12 - Game 77 | SoH-"Who knows, that could have cost us a Cup tonight." | Dooohkay
A bit random but who was the kid on team Canada at the WJCs that was an older player that was undrafted to this point? How does that work as far as his rights? Does he have another year of draft eligibility? Of the games I watched, he looked like a strong prospect.
A bit random but who was the kid on team Canada at the WJCs that was an older player that was undrafted to this point? How does that work as far as his rights? Does he have another year of draft eligibility? Of the games I watched, he looked like a strong prospect.
Tanner Pearson, he'll be in the 2012 draft. Probably a 2nd/3rd rounder.
Sweden's Erik Thorell(#28 I think) also has been past over the last couple drafts and played a solid WJC, though he's undersized and doesn't look like much of an offensive player.
Do you believe it would be wise to take a possible late bloomer that highly when he's got a bit more developmental time on his side in comparison to some of the other players in the draft?
Do you believe it would be wise to take a possible late bloomer that highly when he's got a bit more developmental time on his side in comparison to some of the other players in the draft?
Matt Hackett was passed over in 2008, and he looks like a solid 3rd round pick for us. Darcy Kuemper as well. I believe Wayne Simmonds was passed over in 2006 but I'm not going to look up the date cut-off right now. I do think the 2nd round is a tad early, but really by that time any "skilled" player is a risk. Since we don't have a 2nd though that wouldn't be a problem for us, and not sure he'll last till the 3rd.
Back on Thorell, I might as well add that last year he produced in division 1(Sweden's tier 3) at a similar pace to Max Friberg(both slightly over point-per-game). Neither are producing in Elitserien this year.
The one thing that will be difficult in chasing NCAA UDFAs is that the Wild do have a lot of contracts right now and with all the prospects on the horizon, it may be a bit challenging to juggle all of these decisions to be made. It's likely that a lot of the RFAs in Houston may not be tendered contracts. And there absolutely could be a few that raises some eyebrows.
The Wild have 28 players under contract next year. Brodin could be kept in Sweden where his contract would slide, and Granlund needs to be signed, so let's keep it at 28.
We have 15 impending RFAs and 10 impending UFAs. We'll probably bring back about 4-6 of those UFAs as they're mostly Houston vets that we like hanging on to like Peters and DiSalvatore. Of those 15 RFAs, I can see a number of them moved for later picks or as a throw in on another trade. I fully expect Wellman's rights to be moved for picks. A few will be re-signed (like Johnson), and a few could be let go (Endras, Rau, Penner?). We are sitting at 48/50 right now, but I think we'll see at least one defenseman moved at the trade deadline, and not take on any more bodies so we should be 47/50 post-deadline. I expect we hit 7/1 with around 43-45 contracts.
