Hey errbody,

Don't even know if he can be considered a prospect anymore, does this guy even have a chance in hell anymore of doing anything remotely close to good? I didn't know much about him when he was drafted and didn't pay much attention as his career progressed but I just inherited a team with him and I'm wondering if he's even worth holding onto or if I should buy him out for a FA pickup.

What are your thoughts?

Thanks folks.

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@B0ndon

Goalies: If I'm pickin em you best be sittin em!

What kind of quality is left on your FA wire? I can't imagine that there's a lot of interesting names left considering the depth of your league.

The first thing that I think you need to appreciate, is that IF Tlusty makes it as a regular NHLer, it will be in a bottom-6 role. He struggled a bit with injuries and inconsistency last season but I saw flashes of him being a very good third liner over the course of the season.

Second, he's in danger of not making the team if this year's rookie crop leapfrogs him on the depth chart, thanks in large part to Carolina's off-season signings. Here's how I see the lines playing out:

Boychuk - Staal - Stewart
Skinner - Dalpe - Ruutu
Jokinen - Sutter - Larose
Ponikarovsky - Brent - Dwyer

I'm pretty sure about the second line at least starting that way, assuming that Dalpe is in fact ready to make the team.

I think that Stewart is the logical replacement for Cole as the top RW for the team but I can see Maurice using him and Larose interchangeably, depending on who's hot. Boychuk and Samsonov shared duties on Staal's LW last season. If he makes the team, that spot is likely his.

I know that this will annoy a lot of people to see Jokinen on the third line but he was stellar there last year and showed very good chemistry with Sutter at times, which made for three lines that could score.

The fourth line looks set to me, unless...

If one or both of Boychuk/Dalpe don't make the team things can change. I think that it boils down to a competition between Boychuk, Dalpe, Tlusty and Samson for two spots on the team. If Boychuk falters then I would bet on Jokinen moving into the top-six and one of Tlusty or Samson playing LW on the fourth line (Poni moves up to the third line). From a fantasy perspective, I think that this would make a lot of people happy (except Boychuk owners, of course).

Same players involved if Dalpe doesn't make the team but I'm not sure about lines. I assume that the line of Skinner-Ruutu-Larose would be re-united and that one of Poni or Jokinen would play their off-wing on L3.

Anyway, sorry that this was so long-winded. I just wanted to make the point that Tlusty has his work cut out for him to make the team, and that if he does it will be in a bottom-six role (and likely on the fourth line).

I was hoping you would stumble across my thread Krusher, rep coming your way when I reload this was the exact type of insight I was looking for. Appreciate the well thought out response.

You're right, the FA pool really isn't the greatest, but since we have a ton of categories I was thinking of replacing him with somebody that offers up better peripheral stats at least, as if Tlusty isn't even playing and is pretty much considered a bust at this point all he's doing is eating up a roster spot. Plus the buyout cost won't be very much for a guy like him.

Thanks again.

Edit: Bah just realized I have Ponikarovsky too goddamnit haha..

And now that I think about it I probably should have put this thread in the Keeper section. whoops...

__________________
@B0ndon

Goalies: If I'm pickin em you best be sittin em!

Just a heads up, b0ndon. You don't have to buyout Tlusty to get rid of him. He's still minor eligible so all you need to do is to send him to your minor team and then you can release him without incurring a buyout.

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UHL Pittsburgh Penguins

24 Team Fantrax Salary Cap H2H Dynasty League Daily
G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SHP, GWG, SOG, Hits, Blks, FOW
W, GAA, SV, SV%, SO
23 Man Roster - 3C, 3LW, 3RW, 3F, 6D, 1G, 4BN, 4IR
27 Man Minor Team

C- Tavares, Stepan, Hodgson, Shaw, Bjugstad
LW- Ryan, Perron, Downie, Killorn, Rinaldo
RW- Wheeler, Simmonds, Coyle, Frattin, Boyes
D- Pietrangelo, JJ, Bogosian, EJ, Josi, Cowen, Muzzin
G- Lehtonen

F: Granlund, Silfverberg, Jensen, Dalpe, Bowman, Knight, Fasth, JAM
D: Beaulieu, Koekkoek, Gelinas, Pysyk, McCabe, Irwin
G: Nilsson, Nilstorp, Ramo, Berra, Brossoit, Gibson

LOL, awesome, thanks for the info. Carcillo goes clutch! You're getting a nice dose of rep too.

I gotta give that rules section a closer read...

OHH its because he has under 160 games played, by 11 GAMES! solid.

__________________
@B0ndon

Goalies: If I'm pickin em you best be sittin em!

I haven't really followed Tlusty since his days in Toronto but I watched him closely during his time there and I saw nothing to indicate that he'd be a usefull 4th line guy. His focus was entirely offensive and I saw no 'grit' to his game at all. In fact, I'd describe him as a bit of a floater who tends to avoid physical contact (see last years hit and block totals of 36 and 19 respectively in 57 games).

Now maybe Carolina is willing to use up bottom line slots with marginally skilled cream puffs but for the sake of all their fans I hope that's not their plan.

On a different note, do you not see any possibility that Bowman makes the team next year?

Fair point, and I don't even necessarily disagree with you. However, Carolina's fourth line last year often consisted of Boychuk/Samsonov + Bodie + Carter, while the third line was Jokinen + Sutter + Dwyer/Tlusty... so not your prototypical bottom-six. Needless to say, it has been upgraded this off-season.

That said, playing in the bottom-six does not need to be all truculence and testosterone, contrary to the Burkian philosophy. Jokinen is a prime example of how a player can use his skill and defensive abilities to benefit the team, without throwing hits everywhere. Similarly, though now I'm getting off-topic, a guy like Lidstrom can play an entire season without registering ten hits. Just something to keep in mind...

Tlusty's defensive game has come a long way since his Toronto days but it still might not be enough to make the team.

Sorry, I forgot to comment on Bowman. Unless he has somehow taken a big step in readiness over the course of the summer (highly unlikely), I don't see a place for him on the Canes just yet.

I see Samson or Tlusty being the first call-up for a checking role. For Bowman to get into the mix, I think that he would need one of Boychuk or Dalpe to fail AND to be more effective in the top-six than guys who could be promoted from within (like Jokinen, Larose and even Ponikarovsky, who could at least fill in for a game or two in case of injuries). I just don't see that happening this year.