GDT: 1st July 2019 - free agent frenzy

[Chrispy]

From his perspective, sure. I don't blame him personally at all. I'm saying it is disappointing from MY perspective as a fan. In my job I don't have hundreds or thousands of people who are emotionally/financially invested in where I work next year. From my perspective it would be more akin to a manager who just lost a great employee to another organization who was offering more money. I wouldn't blame them but I sure as hell liked having them on my team and am disappointed to see them leave.

All I heard all year was about how this was the best locker room ever and how the guys were so tight. I don't think it is controversial to say that it would have been nice if Aho had come out like William Karlsson and said "I love Carolina and it is important for me to be here long-term." We got pretty much the opposite.

We got that last year, repeatedly, including at the start of the season.

"Canes owner Tom Dundon has said he’d like Aho signed to a long-term contract and Aho said the same Monday.
“Yeah, for sure, definitely,” Aho said. “I like it here. I love living here.”

And that was before he actually tasted success and the post-season in Carolina.

He wasn't getting the offer he wanted from Dundon and Waddell. Now he can get the contract he wants and play where he loves (Carolina). If Carolina refuses, he found a place he will be happy to play (Montreal.)

If the employee you lost came to you and said "this is the offer I have, I'll stay if you can match it" and you/your company decline, they gave you a chance.

Aho didn't refuse to come to the table for a year and sign the first offer sheet he could. He negotiated, he tried, and when he felt he wasn't getting what he wanted he found a way within the system to get it.

 

[Roboturner913]

Still, I kind of get the feeling he will walk next time. He will either be overpaid, or walk.

We don't over pay. Enjoy the next 5, because when he's an FA, he likely won't want to play here unless we are making deep runs year after year, and even then, he will probably stroll over money. We just don't dole out those kinds of contracts. Especially in a year where many will be wanting raises.

If we wasn't willi ng to play in MTL, he wouldnt have signed the sheet.

And to think he had to go to MTL to get what he wanted from us, probably does nothing to breed loyalty . He will probably remember that in 5 years. I would.

So much can happen in five years, that's not even worth worrying about right now. We could win 5 Stanley Cups and make it to where he never wants to leave. Or we could tank and be the worst team in the league and make it so he can't wait to leave.

Look, I'm pretty much the ultimate grudge holder. If somebody does or says something that slights me, it goes right into the memory bank. I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, but I can remember what some prick said to me in high school 25 years ago. But even I'm not dumb enough to let something like that influence my thinking 5 years in the future.

 

[FreshSeabass]

I kinda wish they would just come out and match it today. Screw waiting all the big UFA names are gone anyway.

 

[Canes]

From his perspective, sure. I don't blame him personally at all. I'm saying it is disappointing from MY perspective as a fan. In my job I don't have hundreds or thousands of people who are emotionally/financially invested in where I work next year. From my perspective it would be more akin to a manager who just lost a great employee to another organization who was offering more money. I wouldn't blame them but I sure as hell liked having them on my team and am disappointed to see them leave.

All I heard all year was about how this was the best locker room ever and how the guys were so tight. I don't think it is controversial to say that it would have been nice if Aho had come out like William Karlsson and said "I love Carolina and it is important for me to be here long-term." We got pretty much the opposite.

It's hard to be mad at him because I just think the organization dropped the ball on his negotiations. No, they didn't have to have him signed by July 1st, but they could have had a strong enough offer to not make him rush to sign an offer sheet 3 hours into free agency. People can believe what they want to but I now absolutely believe there was a lot of truth to the rumors of lowball offers.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Dude, none of the other rfa stars have signed.

Now if you criticize them for playing hardball to the point their young star said **** it and signed an offer sheet, sure.

How many of those RFA stars are their teams precisely only franchise player who is then left exposed to this crap. I get that Tampa has like a million stars that it has he luxury of not signing until the last minute. They should have signed Aho to 8 years before the season even ended, goddammit.

 

[Chrispy]

How many of those RFA stars are their teams precisely only franchise player who is then left exposed to this crap. I get that Tampa has like a million stars that it has he luxury of not signing until the last minute. They should have signed Aho to 8 years before the season even ended, goddammit.

He didn't want to sign an 8 year contract.

This offer sheet is actually a lower AAV than what LeBrun reported Aho's 5-year counter to Carolina was.

I wanted to get this done to get a 6th or 7th year. The miscalculation was that Aho had to meet in the middle as an RFA. I think they will learn from this with Svech and Necas.

 

[GoldiFox]

How many of those RFA stars are their teams precisely only franchise player who is then left exposed to this crap. I get that Tampa has like a million stars that it has he luxury of not signing until the last minute. They should have signed Aho to 8 years before the season even ended, goddammit.

Point doesn't want to leave Tampa. Reports are saying that Laine and Kyle Connor are turning away teams approaching them with offer sheets (for now). Offer sheets never happen because players have to want to sign them and opposing teams have to be pretty cocksure to actually send one. In both cases the only plausible explanation, IMO, is that the Canes were being frugal. Aho didn't have confidence in negotiations and wanted a deal done ASAP. Montreal figured they could load up on signing bonuses and sneak a timid offer by Dundon. Two rare conditions meet a willing player and a willing opposing team.

 

[Svechhammer]

How many of those RFA stars are their teams precisely only franchise player who is then left exposed to this crap. I get that Tampa has like a million stars that it has he luxury of not signing until the last minute. They should have signed Aho to 8 years before the season even ended, goddammit.

Only franchise player?

First of all, Svechnikov begs to differ. Svech might be the best player in our system when you factor in long term potential.

Secondly, Aho didn't want 8 years. He didn't want 7 years, and he didn't want 6 years. He signed the 5 year offer sheet because that's what he wanted, to throwing a tantrum over the fact we didn't lock him up long term before then is a glaring misunderstanding of the leverage we had to sign that deal.

 

[Joe McGrath]

How many of those RFA stars are their teams precisely only franchise player who is then left exposed to this crap. I get that Tampa has like a million stars that it has he luxury of not signing until the last minute. They should have signed Aho to 8 years before the season even ended, goddammit.

He didn’t want 8 years goddamnit.

 

[aldamon]

Unless we Skinner it again, we could get a massive return on Aho after year 3 or 4. Maybe after a Cxp win or two he'd stick around regardless, but there's no downside here. Just business.

I just hope these money issues weren't why he disappeared for tail end of the season. Also worried, if you take his agent's quote at face value, that he mopes because not in Montreal. Silly to worry about these things, but why release that statement at all?

 

[My Special Purpose]

Dude, none of the other rfa stars have signed.

Now if you criticize them for playing hardball to the point their young star said **** it and signed an offer sheet, sure.

Offer sheets are usually not a factor. If every high profile RFA got an offer sheet for exactly what they wanted RFA negotiations would never go past July 1

And this is why. They don't work. Montreal isn't getting Aho. All they're doing is setting a comparable for the rest of the league and getting a jab in on Dundon. There are reasons teams don't like doing business this way. It rarely works out the way you want it to.

In both cases the only plausible explanation, IMO, is that the Canes were being frugal.

I don't think frugal is the word. I think stubborn is more accurate. I think a new owner had been told a few times too many that offer sheets didn't happen, to the point that he discounted it completely and played hardball. Aho lost all faith that negotiations would do any good. Hopefully, lesson learned.

We really should have a dedicated thread for this offre hostile. This thread is titled July 1, for heaven's sake. I'll start it.

 

[Stickpucker]

Wonder if we try to bid up Gardnier for the Habs now.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The more I think about this, the more I feel this was a genius move by his agent. Aho gets a 5 year deal like he wanted. Maybe a bit less AAV, but the upfront money / signing bonuses makes it lockout proof which makes up for less AAV.

Should the Canes match, the upfront hurts a little, but the contract is very team friendly in year 3,4,5 which is beneficial to the team when Svechnikov, Necas, etc need new deals.

Should the Canes not match, the cap hit and money is fine for MTL and with that AAV, MTL didn’t have to mortgage the future to get him giving up just those picks.

Gets what he wants without crippling either team in the process.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

The more I think about this, the more I feel this was a genius move by his agent. Aho gets a 5 year deal like he wanted. Maybe a bit less AAV, but the upfront money / signing bonuses makes it lockout proof which makes up for less AAV.

Should the Canes match, the upfront hurts a little, but the contract is very team friendly in year 3,4,5 which is beneficial to the team when Svechnikov, Necas, etc need new deals.

Should the Canes not match, the cap hit and money is fine for MTL and with that AAV, MTL didn’t have to mortgage the future to get him giving up just those picks.

Gets what he wants without crippling either team in the process.

Louder, please, for the people in the back dreaming fever dreams that this will be the ruination of the Canes.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Should i get a Canadiens Aho kit, or a nordiques Slavin kit?

 

[FreshSeabass]

I'm surprised Dzingel made it past day 1 and is still floating around. Maybe teams took notice of his end of season performance.

 

[MinJaBen]

I seriously doubt we'd go down this road, but I'd love for the Canes to see if there could be a deal with Vegas for Gusev. Seems like he wants a short 2 year deal around $4M AAV so he can get to UFA soon as he is older and wants to get one big contract. We could afford that as our last addition for a forward. Plus, being that he is a RHS forward who likes to play on the left, he would pair perfectly with either Svech or TT who are LHS forwards who like to play on the right side.

A Gusev - Haula - Svechnikov line would have a bunch of speed, power and an excellent playmaker who can feed two guys who like to fill the nets.

 

[NotOpie]

LeBrun's report early July 1 was that Aho's offer to Carolina was 5 years, $9.5 AAV. If he wasn't open to negotiation, why would he sign a lower offer sheet?

All signs point to Aho wanting to get this over with.

The $9.5 million for 5 years was in the media before 7/1. That was floated several days, I think, before UFA period started.

 

[Roboturner913]

Should i get a Canadiens Aho kit, or a nordiques Slavin kit?

I mean, why not both?

 

[SlavinAway]

I seriously doubt we'd go down this road, but I'd love for the Canes to see if there could be a deal with Vegas for Gusev. Seems like he wants a short 2 year deal around $4M AAV so he can get to UFA soon as he is older and wants to get one big contract. We could afford that as our last addition for a forward. Plus, being that he is a RHS forward who likes to play on the left, he would pair perfectly with either Svech or TT who are LHS forwards who like to play on the right side.

A Gusev - Haula - Svechnikov line would have a bunch of speed, power and an excellent playmaker who can feed two guys who like to fill the nets.

I like it. Vegas is still in a bind and we have a good working relationship with them. Shouldn't be too expensive to work out a deal.

 

[caniac247]

Moved to the Aho thread

 

[Muuri]

Not that it matters but I read from the Finnish Media the Canes are going to sign another finn, haha. Alex Lintuniemi.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I like it. Vegas is still in a bind and we have a good working relationship with them. Shouldn't be too expensive to work out a deal.

Signed Gusev (or with agreement to sign) plus Clarkson for a draft pick

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

Signed Gusev (or with agreement to sign) plus Clarkson for a draft pick

We dont have the space for that.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Louder, please, for the people in the back dreaming fever dreams that this will be the ruination of the Canes.

Hey, listen, those of us in the fever swamps need something to be furious about now that the angst over the CDH trade debacle has abated. This will do nicely until the next inexplicable act by Dundon and company.