The NHL Thread

[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.

[Superjudge]

make the salaries match, trade Tkachuck for Marner.

Please.

[Demographic Shift]

All of a sudden when there is a deadline people start to move. Having said that, I don't think Tkachuk is taking $15M/3years out here in Calgary.

Some guys wait it out with an idea of what they will take.... and seeing if they can get a bit more by stretttttttching it out. Teams are the same thinking the players will blink and take a bit less. And so it goes.
.
Matt Tkachuk is Sebastian Aho good and better than Clayton Keller in Arizona who got 8....So maybe the team gets it done for 7 years at or around 60-63M. Love it when guys get their money out the NHL.

To me... the crown jewel in this class is the kid McAvoy in Boston. This is a 10 year Norris level defenseman and he is all of 21.
He and his agent are dealing with one of the most frugal organizations in the league in Boston so it could be tough sledding. .
They got Pasternayk under contract for a while longer at 6M per and thats a sweetheart deal for the Bruins.
I am biased as hell on having as many defensemen as you can get in order to make serious run to the Cup. They are in the middle of it more than anyone who laces them up. I think you need as many as 7 or 8 competent NHL defenseman if your loading up for the Cup run.

Bostons window is still there but its beginning to close as Bergeron and Krecji get older. You can pencil Charlie in on your first pair for a while. This kid is worth Doughty money. 8 years... 80M$. Chara can't play forever and this is the heir apparent to anchor the Bruins blue line for a decade.

Mitch Marner had the Eggs Benny this morning. He is changing it up.

[slaw]

OK and the log jam breaks a bit.. maybe more than a bit.
First guy to sign is not Boesser... its Zach Werenski...

Werenski is a young (22) puck moving defenseman with an outside chance for Norris consideration. He signs with a team ...Columbus ....that had cap space. Its for 3 year term at 5M per year.

The Marner camp is now having a come to Jesus moment. Mitch is good. But not twice as good as a young puck mover in a league constantly looking for defensemen. And theres that Aho benchmark at 8 and the same for Keller in Arizona.

Should be a fun few days to the weekend when camps begin to open.

All of a sudden when there is a deadline people start to move. Having said that, I don't think Tkachuk is taking $15M/3years out here in Calgary.