The NHL Thread

[slaw]

And 3 days into # Babwatch.....they whack him.
10 years and never out for f the first round

sports is ruthless

Thing is, when you're a nice guy and everyone likes you, you can buy yourself more time. When you're a jerk and no one likes you, well, let's just say that when your time comes, no one is going to give you the benefit of the doubt or much care about helping you out.

[Demographic Shift]

And so begins BabWatch....

And 3 days into #BabWatch.....they whack him.

Guy had a track record and knew the game.

He also has gone 10 years and never out of the first round and he lost the ear of his best players.

sports is ruthless eh?

[Demographic Shift]

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. He was a prick 26 years ago when he was at the University of Lethbridge and I'm pretty sure he still is one.

I think the players, Mathews, Marner, Nylander and Reilly, have tuned him out.
It happens to every coach.
Hell Chicago moved on from Joel Quenville who won multiple cups for them.
If Joel can be let go..so can Babcock who hasn’t been out of the first round in 10 years.

[slaw]

And so begins BabWatch....

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. He was a prick 26 years ago when he was at the University of Lethbridge and I'm pretty sure he still is one.

[Demographic Shift]

And so begins BabWatch....

[Demographic Shift]

Guys do you think the stars can do better for this season?

They played well enough to beat Nashville and then went 7 with the eventual Cup winning Blues.
They added Pavelski for depth and then got Corey Perry for snarl in the playoffs and some scoring.
And whoever Roope Hinz is..he seems to be able to put it in the net. Radulov must be on something as he’s getting better as he gets older. They have enough guys who can score that some of the pressure comes off Seguin and Ben.

So....If Bishop holds up in net ..the stars are going to a very tough out.

[magnusss]

Guys do you think the stars can do better for this season?

[Demographic Shift]

I guarantee you that if there was any inkling that Laine might sign for 7/50, that particular deal would have been done no later than mid-September. I don't think Laine's agent would let him sign at that term for less than about 7/65. (You can certainly put forward the argument that that would be an overpay, but I'm not certain I would agree with you on that - not with that Marner deal out there.) And even with all of their wheeling and dealing, the Jets are up against the cap, so that would have made it difficult if not impossible to get Connor signed.

A trade is certainly possible at the end of this year, but I am pretty sure that the Jets would have held on to some of their defensive depth if the endgame wasn't to try to get Laine on board for the the Scheifele-level term.

For that matter, I think the Jets would have held on to some of their defensive depth if they had any inkling that Byfuglien was thinking of retiring, but that's another story (as is my likely-unpopular-belief that Byfuglien is not a good fit for the team as it has been built anyway, especially at that price).

Your closer than me to all things Jets...so will go with your thoughts on Laine...
He is a hell f a shooter....Brett Hull good.

whats the rumour mill on Dustin B?

My first thought was he ballooned up to 290 over the summer....the other is that he has a substance problem and he is working hard on it but isn’t ready yet..he may never be ready....

Whats the view from portage and main?

[TheWaterboy]

Or..like Trouba they trade him.

Seems like they coulda done both deals 7 for 50ish
Laine thinks he is worth more..Jets say no.
All of a sudden the Jets need defensemen (who doesn’t?) .Laine might get you a provorov or maybe sergachev...

I guarantee you that if there was any inkling that Laine might sign for 7/50, that particular deal would have been done no later than mid-September. I don't think Laine's agent would let him sign at that term for less than about 7/65. (You can certainly put forward the argument that that would be an overpay, but I'm not certain I would agree with you on that - not with that Marner deal out there.) And even with all of their wheeling and dealing, the Jets are up against the cap, so that would have made it difficult if not impossible to get Connor signed.

A trade is certainly possible at the end of this year, but I am pretty sure that the Jets would have held on to some of their defensive depth if the endgame wasn't to try to get Laine on board for the the Scheifele-level term.

For that matter, I think the Jets would have held on to some of their defensive depth if they had any inkling that Byfuglien was thinking of retiring, but that's another story (as is my likely-unpopular-belief that Byfuglien is not a good fit for the team as it has been built anyway, especially at that price).

[Demographic Shift]

Connor got paid a premium over his current value because the deal was long-term and he's growing and developing as a player. He has the potential to be a regular 40-goal scorer in his prime and has shown established chemistry with Schiefele.

Laine's deal is a bridge deal, similar to what Trouba's was. It's a salary-cap-friendly (for now) bet-on-yourself contract, with the understanding that the if he hits the open market a couple of years from now, we're looking at an AAV of 8.5 or 9 mil easily, if not a Marner-esque 10+. And it may well be the Jets paying that money to Laine; even if Byfuglien decides not to retire, his current deal will be off the Jets' cap by then, I think, and the Jets will also be past the one 10 mil year in Wheeler's amusingly zigzag-structured contract. The Jets may have other contract headaches by then, but if Laine's play is even 75% of his small-sample-size first five games this year (but consistently), there is no question his contract will be the top priority for the Jets.

Or..like Trouba they trade him.

Seems like they coulda done both deals 7 for 50ish
Laine thinks he is worth more..Jets say no.
All of a sudden the Jets need defensemen (who doesn’t?) .Laine might get you a provorov or maybe sergachev...

[TheWaterboy]

Winnipeg bet bigger on Connor than Laine...Laine might not be long for the Peg....

The rest of the deals look fair for both player and team ...

Connor got paid a premium over his current value because the deal was long-term and he's growing and developing as a player. He has the potential to be a regular 40-goal scorer in his prime and has shown established chemistry with Schiefele.

Laine's deal is a bridge deal, similar to what Trouba's was. It's a salary-cap-friendly (for now) bet-on-yourself contract, with the understanding that the if he hits the open market a couple of years from now, we're looking at an AAV of 8.5 or 9 mil easily, if not a Marner-esque 10+. And it may well be the Jets paying that money to Laine; even if Byfuglien decides not to retire, his current deal will be off the Jets' cap by then, I think, and the Jets will also be past the one 10 mil year in Wheeler's amusingly zigzag-structured contract. The Jets may have other contract headaches by then, but if Laine's play is even 75% of his small-sample-size first five games this year (but consistently), there is no question his contract will be the top priority for the Jets.

[Demographic Shift]

13 days till training camps begin to open up.
Still not a peep out of all those RFAs.
Wonder who blinks first.

My guess is Boeser in Vancouver signs first.

• Brayden Point..... 3 Years 6.8M
• Mikko Rantanen. 6 Years 9.3M
• Matthew Tkachuk.3 Years 7.0M
• Brock Boeser. 3 Years 5.9M
• Charlie McAvoy. 3 Years 4.9M
• Kyle Connor. 7 Years 7.2M
• Patrik Laine. 2 Years 6.8M
• Zach Werenski 3 Years 5.0M
• Travis Konecny 2 Years 4.6M.
• Mitch Marner 6 Years10.8M.
  *]Sebastian Aho 5 Years 8.6M.

Heres the final tally....

Leafs spend big on Marner but he had two good point years to back it up...Think he is good for 80 or 90 points again this year.

Colorado goes all in on Rantenen...Rantenen put up one year of really good scoring stats...Colorado seems very confident he can do this consistency.

Winnipeg bet bigger on Connor than Laine...Laine might not be long for the Peg....

Brayden Point gave a pretty good hometown discount for a run a the Cup this year... He like Marner got 90 odd points last year but he had 41 goals.. 41 goal scorers are few and far between.... especially when they are 23

McAvoy is criminally underpaid.

The rest of the deals look fair for both player and team ...

[Demographic Shift]

Puck drop is a day away....

In the west I like Vegas.. Colorado ...Dallas
In the East its Tampa...Da Leafs... Caps and yet again the Boston Bruins....

[Demographic Shift]

make the salaries match, trade Tkachuck for Marner.

Please.

If I am in Calgary...in a heartbeat...
If I am in Toronto...not so much...

[DanH]

Marner re-signs for 10.9M, 6 years. Not great on AAV, but the term is the key. Staggered from Matthews, and the AAV is at least in the realm of manageable. Mostly just glad it is done. Will be interesting to see what the Leafs do to fit a roster now - running short of 23 players is a real possibility.