GM: Steve Stringer
Coach: Paul MacLean
Last season: 24th overall. Did not make playoffs.
Ins and Outs
(Season 12 to Season 13)
In: Matt Duchene (free agent), Jonathan Huberdeau (free agent), Nazem Kadri (free agent), Tomas Zaborsky (free agent), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (free agent), Cody Eakin (free agent), Olli Malmivaara (free agent), Jonas Holos (free agent), Robert Hagg (free agent),
Out: Evgeny Malkin (free agent), Jordan Staal (free agent), Tomas Jurco (free agent), Teuvo Teravainen (free agent), Luca Sbisa (free agent), Stanislav Galimov (trade), Christian Dvorak (free agent), Travis Konecny (free agent), Andreas Eder (trade)
Potential Lineup
Nazem Kadri/Matt Duchene/William Nylander
Brandon Saad/Jonathan Huberdeau/Tomas Zaborsky
Brad Marchand/Elias Pettersson/Pierre-Luc Dubois
Calvin Thurkauf/Cody Eakin/Curtis Lazar
Hampus Lindholm/Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Rasmus Ristolainen/Jonas Holos
Jake Muzzin/Olli Malmivaara
Alex Nedeljkovic/Mackenzie Blackwood
Three Questions
1. How much will the Guinness Chuggers improve? That’s like asking how much better did Cinderella look after getting out of her work clothes. The Chuggers are a stone cold babe now. Being weak and having a low payroll for a season paid off in a big way for the Irish club, especially after their friends 165 km to the north dumped four superstars into the free agent pail. In Websim, Dublin could grab as many players off waivers as they could carry away in one trip. All other teams had to resign themselves to bidding on the players Dublin didn’t want. So Matt Duchene, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jonathan Huberdeau – all high end players – became Guinness Chuggers one morning. But even before that windfall of talent, Dublin had done pretty well in free agency, coaxing offensive wizard Nazem Kadri, Jonas Holos, Cody Eakin and Tomas Zaborsky to the team. The result, as far as Dublin fans are concerned, is an instant rebuild and a torrent of hope and excitement. Even with Mike Hoffman making $6.9 million on the farm club in Amsterdam, where Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere are also playing, the pro lineup looks as strong as any in the league. This Cinderella story will have Dublin going from worst to … who knows? First is not out of the question.
2. Where might they stumble? Matt Duchene, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brad Marchand have a season left on their contracts. If those guys decide to test the free agent market a year from now, then Season 13 may be Dublin’s prime opportunity to strike. That’s a lot of pressure, but Dublin now has experience throughout the lineup, so they should be able to cope. Everywhere in the lineup except one place, that is: goalie. The main puck-stopper in town has yet to stop a EURO League puck. But he is a player management really loves. They drafted Alex Nedeljkovic second overall and promptly signed him to an extension that could keep him in Guinness land for at least 5 seasons. As Nedeljkovic, 24, progresses and improves through playing, he can’t get any better in the main save percentage attributes. He’s already a 100 in SHO and in SP with a 99 in Hockey Sense. Look for some impressive stats from kid right out of the gate. But don’t forget, his experience rating is currently as low as it can get. Please give Nedeljkovic a break if he fails to hug the post on that shot from the bad angle, or if he kicks out a rebound right onto an opposing forward’s stick blade. Nedeljkovic gives Dublin a glimmering build block in what they are building.
3. Can you try to describe how the team will play? Their style, so to speak? Dublin should excel in all aspects. Most of all, expect Harlem Globetrotter-like puck movement. Most Chuggers are really good puck handlers and they generally will move at a very fast pace up and down the ice. They have good size in the back but not among the forwards. Opposing teams won’t have all day to put plays together in front of Dublin’s young goalies because Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake Muzzin and Olli Malmivaara will be doing bulldozer impressions in the slot. Look for the top forward line to think goals, goals and more goals when you play them. Nazem Kadri, Matt Duchene and Willliam Nylander are not exactly one-dimensional, but they do think offense before anything else comes to mind. The Jonathan Huberdeau line is a little more balanced and the third line features future superstars Pierre-Luc Dubois and Elias Pettersson trying to put plays together before linemate Brad Marchand gets sent to the penalty box.
Rose’s Focus
“I know classical music. Don’t try to beat me in any upcoming classical music trivia contests because you will lose by a lot. I also know that to win a championship in this league, you need outstanding defensemen. I am looking at the crew Dublin has at the blueline and I’m trying to decide if they have the goods or not. I believe Hampus Lindholm will come to be known as a great defenseman this season. He is 29 and in Season 12, he led all EURO defensemen in blocked shots and takeaways. With a much better offense up ice this year, I expect his point total and plus/minus to shoot up. Having fellow Swede Oliver Ekman-Larsson as a defense partner might actually reduce Lindholm’s defensive stats because OEL will take care of things on his side and leave no cleanup work for Lindholm, but overall, they should both have a banner season. Oh, and by the way, did you know that Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony, in C minor op 17, first performed in 1873, uses folk melodies from Ukraine? I didn’t think so.”
