GM: Martin Sayle
Coach: Ken Hitchcock
Last season: 1st overall. In playoffs, defeated Stockholm; defeated Dublin; lost to Helsinki.
Ins and Outs
(Season 15 to Season 16)
In: Erik Forssell (free agent), Alexander Weiss (free agent), Tyson Barrie (free agent), Zach Aston-Reese (free agent),
Out: Simon Hjalmarsson (free agent), Victor Hedman (free agent), Kevin Shattenkirk (free agent), Patrick Kane (free agent), T.J. Brennan (free agent), Cody Hodgson (free agent),
Potential Lineup
Johnny Gaudreau/Auston Matthews/Marko Dano
Boone Jenner/Anton Lundell/Cedric Paquette
Anthony Beauvillier/Erik Forssell/Joakim Hillding
Alex Newhook/Michael McLeod/Nils Höglander
Jacob Trouba/Dougie Hamilton
Seth Jones/Nikita Voles
Alexander Weiss/K’Andre Miller
Jonas Korpisalo/Ville Husso
A Question
The Tridents were the best team in the league for most of last season but they seemed to run out of gas a couple strides from the finish line, getting swept in the Northern Conference finals by Helsinki. An OT goal in Game One of that series by Austin Wagner seemed to really deflate Copenhagen. This year’s team has only two changes in it from last year. That sort of sparse tinkering is what we have come to expect from GM Martin Sayle once he managed to get his Lamborghini of a team built and on the road to three Cups and counting. The Hero of All Germany, Swedish-born Erik Forssell, has replaced Swede Simon Hjalmarsson as center of the 3rd line and German Alexander Weiss takes Kevin Shattenkirk’s spot on the blueline as K’Andre Miller’s partner. The rest of the team is the same as we saw last year, with the Auston Matthews-Johnny Gaudreau-Marko Dano line leading the offense. As a team, the Tridents were tops in the league at getting shots on goal and also best at limiting shots on their own net. They had the top powerplay units in the league, and – of course – the best penalty killers. That’s not too far from perfection. Their most important players are mainly just past their 30th birthdays, so we are looking at a legitimate Cup contender for this year and next, and knowing Sayle, longer than that. The only issue they could have is the fact they are right up against the salary cap.
Rose’s Focus
“I specialize in looking ahead. Back in Season 8, when Auston Matthews was named Rookie of the Year, I foresaw that he would someday score 53 goals, 112 points and have 87 giveaways en route to winning the EURO League Player of the Year Trophy seven seasons later. Look it up on your Google machine if you don’t believe me. Matthews was great last season and he’s only 28. He’s the kind of player you might want to keep around. But his $7.4 million contract expires at the end of this season. Then it’s big time big decision time for Copenhagen GM Martin Sayle. If Matthews demands, say, more than $9 million to stay with the team, then Sayle might have to downgrade at another position. But here’s a wacky thought: Unlike most teams that at the top of the standings in any league, Copenhagen has good future assets. Would the GM consider trading Matthews to acquire a guy who will win another Player of the Year Trophy seven years from now? Someone with PO ratings near Matthews’ 92 rating who could spur his talented young teammates toward more Cup runs? Auston Matthews Jr., in effect? The Tridents have five forwards with high PO ratings aged 25 or younger, and highly regarded 23-year-old K’Andre Miller on defense. While prospect goalie hopeful Devon Levi looks like he will enter the league with disappointing attributes, forward Ridly Greig and defenseman Kevin Korchinski should get very good ratings and bring the forming nucleus to at least eight star-level players. Copenhagen will focus on winning the Cup this year. If they win it, I won’t be too surprised. For me, there is more suspense in what will happen with Matthews long-term.”
