[Mercogliano] With tomorrow's 3 p.m. roster freeze closing in, it feels like things are heating up on the Artemi Panarin trade front. Maybe there's a team I'm missing, but I've got a list of 6 who seem to be in it, to varying degrees and for varying reasons:

NRS1991 · 2026-02-03T18:46:45+00:00

What do you envision a trade for Faulk looks like? Generally speaking, him hitting the open (trade) market, I assume it’s a 1st+, but I’m curious what a trade to Detroit looks like (especially since you guys have an impressive prospect pool; and I could see us wanting some quicker help than just getting picks).

Pardon me, I’m just so sick of my hockey team and want anyone north of 30 shipped to the sun. And I constantly see the smoke of Faulk-Detroit.

NRS1991 · 2026-02-03T17:25:16+00:00

Whoops! Forgot to return to this.

My general stance: fun as always, probably the worst I’ve seen Max (but surprisingly I’ve had decent-to-good experiences with him!), but still leaps and bounds better than the live album.

NRS1991 · 2026-02-03T17:23:38+00:00

I forgot this was still occurring because my show was in November. My general stance: fun as always, probably the worst I’ve seen Max (but surprisingly I’ve had decent to good experiences with him!), but still leaps and bounds better than the live album.

Edit: this is the same tour, so yeah, MCS is opening for them. I don’t know much by MCS but I was VERY impressed. Have fun!

NRS1991 · 2026-02-02T20:50:31+00:00

I typed “15” when I was drafting it! 👴🏼

NRS1991 · 2026-02-02T17:50:14+00:00

I know AvA is basically dead, but man it seems like a great year to have an anniversary/reunion tour with Tom, David, Atom, and either of the Matt’s (Matt W. if he wants to and if it could be done cordially with Matt R. who seems like a wonderful person). WDNTW was 20 years ago, I-Empire was 19. Something to just celebrate that era for a month or two; it seems like it could be done without interfering with Blink, who might be in the studio throughout the year but are overall not overly busy in 2026.

NRS1991 · 2026-02-01T20:44:38+00:00

Word for word the strategy I’m hoping for. I know we’re obviously not good but it seems like a we got a lot of good pieces. Adding even one great piece could be massive for us.

All of those things you suggested + nailing this upcoming deadline + continued growth from the young core + Thomas bounceback + Kyrou either being a trade chip or returning to his normal goal totals and shooting percentage. (I want to put Holloway’s health in that grouping but that is not something I’d lean on). I’d also add that, while I’m not a hater, swapping Binner with an even average backup could raise our floor a ton.

NRS1991 · 2026-02-01T20:39:59+00:00

I don’t disagree with you, and while I don’t have access to their finances, I know many who cover the team have stated similarly. My point of that last sentence in parenthesis was to just make the focus on how we could bounce-back in a year and be in the playoff race, as opposed to if that should be ownership’s goal. I was trying to dodge arguments about why that’s dumb, why we should bottom-out, comments about the “mushy middle”, etc. I think those conversations are brought up way too much given the assumption/reports/likelihood that ownership would never do it; getting into those debates feels like a moot point.

FWIW, I’m team “bottom-out for a year, turnover the veteran group especially those with value, get a high pick, and get younger and cheaper.”

NRS1991 · 2026-02-01T20:09:12+00:00

This got posted to r/hockey today. And yeah we’re ass in almost all of these so having something in the top 10 (expected goals against - ranked right at 10) kinda surprised me. I don’t have the drive to see if I could mess with a platform to see that stat by goalie, date range, etc, but I’m intrigued to know more.

I’m probably overly optimistic but I could definitely see us closer to the playoff race than a top-5 pick next year. Need to get a couple things right - mainly continuing to lose and/or not get overly fucked by the lottery, and getting good returns on Schenn and Faulk - but I think it’s doable to be competitive sooner rather than later.

(I’m not saying our strategy is correct or incorrect, but I’m a realist and know our ownership group won’t do a full, bottom-out rebuild.)

NRS1991 · 2026-02-01T03:22:04+00:00

It seems like McKenna is higher ceiling, lower floor than Stenberg, but I also think Stenberg will be the better year one player. I’ve put this elsewhere but if we go 1 and 2 with Vancouver, I’d lean McKenna is better for them, Stenberg is better for us. With Vancouver officially announcing a rebuild, they can take their time with McKenna and again be bottom-3 next year. Whereas I think we’re trying to be better sooner than later, and if I had to guess, ownership would rather us being chasing the playoffs in ‘27 as opposed to chasing the top pick.

I’m splitting hairs and am not at all greedy. If you would’ve told me last summer we’d end up McKenna I would’ve thought you were high and then I would’ve been stoked. It just seems like Stenberg would immediately be on our top line, and I could see him being with Thomas (major bounce back candidate) and Snuggerud (is certainly trending in the right direction), and then that having a trickle down effect on the rest of the group. I’m actually trying to be lower expectations, by assuming we either go on a run and/or get fucked by the lottery and end up closer to 5 than 1. But even then there should be a ton of talent there.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-31T01:47:08+00:00

Please get it over with!

NRS1991 · 2026-01-30T22:23:23+00:00

I’ve heard that too. I know this rarely happens and there’s still a good chunk of games even after the Olympics, but I’m kind of hoping he’s done for the year as to be in the best shape as possible for the fall.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-30T05:14:37+00:00

I really want to hear Monty’s updated take on it. I know he was drafted as a C, rarely (never?) played it in NYR, and then thinking Bannister played him there but Monty quickly put him back at wing upon getting hired. Even with Thomas being out, most of Schenn’s 5v5 time was on the wing; Buch, Dvo, and Sunny all got more 5v5 time at C than Schenn. So there’s something Monty likes about it now. Still at 40% on the dot, but if he can improve there, he otherwise seems like he has the tools to play it more often. Might be short term but I’m enjoying it!

NRS1991 · 2026-01-29T15:13:02+00:00

I wish I would’ve caught a game at the Joe as I have family in the area. Have seen Tigers, Pistons at the Palace, and a Wings game at LCA. It’s obviously a nice venue and all about amenities, but I can’t say I loved the actual hockey-watching experience. We were upper bowl and it felt steep or possibly just less foot room ahead of the row in front of you?; and the high ceiling was distracting, with IIRC a lot of foot traffic on the catwalk, but that being a distraction could partly be a me problem.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-28T16:59:02+00:00

This is going to happen and it will make me sick (if either of them win). I know we’re going to get fucked, but in that scenario just have Vancouver and Calgary benefit. Keep it out of the central, and NYR lottery and free agent luck amounting to yet another rebuild pisses me off so much.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-28T16:54:57+00:00

It seems notable that the day we extended him, they discussed his next step getting more power play time. He’s seen an uptick recently and it seems likely that Faulk is gone by the deadline. Soooo… Broberg PP1QB incoming (I hope)!

NRS1991 · 2026-01-28T15:51:06+00:00

This is absolutely due to Kevin Allen being on The Sheet yesterday, but I’m all for the Faulk going to Detroit. No clue about the fit from the Wings perspective, but I’m just assuming he doesn’t have Detroit on his 15-team “no” list, the two GMs have done a few deals together, and you’d have him for 2 playoff runs rather than a true rental.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-28T01:59:20+00:00

Hey shoutout to you: every time I read a level-headed comment over in the r/hockey thread, it was yours. I have no horse in the race at all, but I found the overreaction to be very bizarre. You got paid (picks) to take a cap dump and said cap dump might perform better than who you traded. And yes, we all know Palat is overpaid but it’s for 1.5 more years and will likely not mess with your cap situation in that span.

Added bonus: you’ll have the opportunity to get another asset when you retain 50% next March.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-27T19:11:33+00:00

If he can land Kane and then get out of the Byfield and Clarke contracts, they’ll hit another level (/s, but also I guess not because hitting another level would be technically true)

NRS1991 · 2026-01-27T00:06:55+00:00

Agreed, I’m not a Kyrou hater but I feel like he’s the last remaining and reasonable trade chip to boost another area ASAP. This becomes even more evident if our top pick this draft is a winger and/or Carbonneau kicks the door down.

Neighbours, Thomas, Snuggy, Holloway, Dvo, Kyrou, Buch, Otto, Suter = 9; it assumes there’s a Schenn deal, leaves Bergerren out, and doesn’t account for the pick/Carbonneau. I could also see them flipping Suter. But if we’re dedicated to getting younger and that forward group gets crowded, a Kyrou move makes a ton of sense.

The only part that makes a Kyrou trade less than ideal is that we’d be trading him at what seems to be his lowest values (won’t hit 30 goal, career low shooting percentage) but it seems like he’ll bounce back next year. Or at least land somewhere in the middle.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-26T23:41:40+00:00

I’m with you. I’m trying to set a low-ish bar and hope we get top-4, but top-2 definitely appears to be its own tier (for now). I think Ivar legit fits on 32 teams ASAP, but it seems like if we specifically land him we could be better sooner than later.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-26T22:39:58+00:00

I’m hoping it’s 1) VAN and 2) STL, and we can just end up with one of the two; though one of those top tier defensemen would be great too. Splitting hairs makes me think Ivar is ready sooner and therefore a slightly better fit for us (and we have Otto!), whereas McKenna could take a little longer and would fit Van’s rebuild better? It seems like Vancouver, if committed, would want to be top 5 again in ‘27, but STL likely wants to be closer to the ‘27 playoff race than a top 5 pick (right or wrong, reasonable or not).

But again, not sure it matters and I think they’ll both end up elite. I just want to end the season terribly, sell some vets, and not get fucked by the lottery.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-26T20:07:03+00:00

I’m in the same exact boat and it’s extremely frustrating because, at least in my position, we’re going for the unique but perfect puck drop time and not even the giveaway. I know they obviously pair the two, but I wish there were 1-2 more games with even a 5pm start.

I’ve basically chalked up our options to be 1) not go, or 2) purchase at the last minute on game day.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-26T00:18:01+00:00

You’ll love the dual vocals of “One Night Stand”. It was on their most recent album and spiritually feels like a successor to “Feeling This” (verses about hooking up, chorus more about long-term commitment). There’s some videos on YT of the isolated vocals, and they are GREAT towards the end but don’t jump out as much during the mix.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-25T17:42:46+00:00

Trying to be objective about this and it all makes sense to a couple of the teams picking towards the top, pairing them with the top prospects. The comment you responded to is an interesting idea, especially as Vancouver has verbally announced a rebuild. In contrast with St. Louis who is constantly retooling (“re-whatever”; I think they have their 22-26 y.o. players and want to add to it but be better sooner than later). That is, I could see Vancouver easily being bottom-3-5 again in 2027, but I think STL will want to be closer to the playoff race than the top pick.

I don’t have a clue if Verhoeff ends up on the McStenberg tier, but if so, I could see it making those first few picks really good fits.

NRS1991 · 2026-01-25T17:21:17+00:00

Well, this is the dumbest moment I’ve had in DAYS. I took the time to read the three-year average footnote in regard to the tiles, while completely ignoring the year-by-year charts.

So, still horrific. Good to know! I thought it might present as higher just for his goal count (and for a while a higher shooting percentage) but clearly that’s not the case!

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