2021-2022 Around The League - Part VII

[Balthazar]

Before I switched to goaler, I was a right-handed defenceman playing the left side. I loved it! I know it sucks trying to get pucks off the boards, but it's amazing/super easy coming into the middle and firing a shot at net.

Yeah it's common for dmen at lower levels.

In the NHL the game is just too fast.Trying to make a quick pass or clear the zone with your backhand is risky business.

 

[EdAVSfan]

Florida needs a RH puckmover then. A legit power play QB. If it were a few years ago I'd advocate for Barrie but he showed he's on a pretty serious decline now.

If they somehow snag Letang, that would be perfect for them.

I don’t know. I don’t look at the Florida defense and think to myself they need more offense from it. They need more 2-way guys IMO.

 

[Balthazar]

I don’t know. I don’t look at the Florida defense and think to myself they need more offense from it. They need more 2-way guys IMO.

If anything they need more Josh Mansons and less Tyson Barries.

 

[EdAVSfan]

If anything they need more Josh Mansons and less Tyson Barries.

Yeah something like that. I’m not sure if they need to go full defensive defenseman type, but they need good competency in their own zone. A little more balance than they have now.

 

[dahrougem2]

Not sure they need Giroux, I think I would get rid of Marchment, Giroux, and Hornqvist to shore up that defensive core. Marchment is a damn awesome player though, he reminds me of a Getzlaf-lite. Might be a one-year wonder, but I would take him here if Avs can't re-sign some of their UFAs.

Marchment = one hit wonder.

Whoever gives him the classic 4x4 contract this summer is going to regret it immediately.

 

[Pokecheque]

Marchment = one hit wonder.

Whoever gives him the classic 4x4 contract this summer is going to regret it immediately.

With scoring inflated all over the league, there will be quite a few regrettable deals handed out.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[ASmileyFace]

With scoring inflated all over the league, there will be quite a few regrettable deals handed out.

Makes me glad the Avs aren't really in a place to handout UFA deals like crazy this season.

 

[Chiarelli]

Disagree with the few posts above mine.

UFA's will get crushed this summer as they have the last couple since covid.

Flat cap for two years, most contenders are pushed right up against it.

Just not enough money to go around. Joe should target his few guys then sit back cuz there will be bargains to be had at the end of FA for solid NHL players.

 

[Pokecheque]

Disagree with the few posts above mine.

UFA's will get crushed this summer as they have the last couple since covid.

Flat cap for two years, most contenders are pushed right up against it.

Just not enough money to go around. Joe should target his few guys then sit back cuz there will be bargains to be had at the end of FA for solid NHL players.

Doubt it--where there's a will there's a way for NHL teams to hand out stupid contracts.

And...have UFAs really been "crushed" the last two years? We didn't see an astronomical rise in salaries but IIRC, guys who wanted to get paid, got paid.

 

[Chiarelli]

Doubt it--where there's a will there's a way for NHL teams to hand out stupid contracts.

And...have UFAs really been "crushed" the last two years? We didn't see an astronomical rise in salaries but IIRC, guys who wanted to get paid, got paid.

Just looking at 2021 there were some bigger deals to Hamilton, Hyman, Grubauer, Coleman (shitty teams overpaying guys IMO).

Here's a few guys I think got squeezed both in term and AAV:

Saad - 5 years, $22.5 million
Barrie - 3 years, $13.5 million
Andersen - 2 years, $9 million
Granlund - 4 years, $20 million
Martinez - 3 years, $15.75 million
Bunting - 2 years, $1.9 million
Perry - 2 years, $2 million


Bunting and Perry you can make a claim that's fair. The other guys I think for sure make more in any other year. These are your B-list players and they will feel the pinch probably the hardest. Top guys will still get paid.

 

[henchman21]

Florida needs a RH puckmover then. A legit power play QB. If it were a few years ago I'd advocate for Barrie but he showed he's on a pretty serious decline now.

If they somehow snag Letang, that would be perfect for them.

if Letang hits the market, I'm betting he lands in Florida.

 

[Pokecheque]

if Letang hits the market, I'm betting he lands in Florida.

I'll be rooting against that for obvious reasons but yeah that would be too good a fit for them to pass up.

 

[SuperJoe]

if Letang hits the market, I'm betting he lands in Florida.

I don't disagree, but last I checked, their cap situation is not very good

 

[Pokecheque]

Just looking at 2021 there were some bigger deals to Hamilton, Hyman, Grubauer, Coleman (shitty teams overpaying guys IMO).

Here's a few guys I think got squeezed both in term and AAV:

Saad - 5 years, $22.5 million
Barrie - 3 years, $13.5 million
Andersen - 2 years, $9 million
Granlund - 4 years, $20 million
Martinez - 3 years, $15.75 million
Bunting - 2 years, $1.9 million
Perry - 2 years, $2 million


Bunting and Perry you can make a claim that's fair. The other guys I think for sure make more in any other year. These are your B-list players and they will feel the pinch probably the hardest. Top guys will still get paid.

Respectfully disagree. Saad got a pretty nice deal for a guy entering his 30s next season and never topping 53 points. He's a complementary scoring winger.

No way was anyone paying big $$$ for Freddy or Barrie. Freddy was coming off a year where he played in only 24 games and before that he was rather uneven for the Maple Leafs. Barrie bounced back okay for the Oilers but he had a disastrous season (at least the first half of it) in Toronto.

I agree they may have gotten more had the cap not stayed flat but not by some massive amount.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Respectfully disagree. Saad got a pretty nice deal for a guy entering his 30s next season and never topping 53 points. He's a complementary scoring winger.

No way was anyone paying big $$$ for Freddy or Barrie. Freddy was coming off a year where he played in only 24 games and before that he was rather uneven for the Maple Leafs. Barrie bounced back okay for the Oilers but he had a disastrous season (at least the first half of it) in Toronto.

I agree they may have gotten more had the cap not stayed flat but not by some massive amount.

Saad highly valued for his experience (few cups) and scored seven goals in ten games last season playoffs.

Experience + recent playoffs gave him a good boost.

 

[Metallo]

Yeah but he's a left side guy through and through. When he plays on the right he struggles. He's the opposite handed TJ Brodie.

Wow I don't remember many NHL RH D that prefer the left side, an oddity for sure.

 

[henchman21]

I don't disagree, but last I checked, their cap situation is not very good

It’s not that bad… one trade solves it all. Either Horny being moved or grabbing Weber’s contract.

 

[Freudian]

Tampa look strong. Checking through the neutral zone limiting the ice Rangers can skate into and if Rangers get the puck deep, Tampa are taking away all passing options through the middle. Rangers needs to just get the puck on net and crash hard, like Tampa does.

 

[flyfysher]

Rangers’ puck handling on passes is sloppy

 

[Avs91]

Rangers’ puck handling on passes is sloppy

Tampa would still look good, but not as good, if the Rangers weren’t playing sloppy af

 

[Goulet17]

You have to give Tampa credit, but at the time, the effort level for NYR seemed incredibly uninspired. They look like they are already booking tee times in their mind (maybe they already did before this game).

 

[Balthazar]

Imagine being up 2-0 in the series and leading 2-0 in game 3 and then about to get eliminated in game 6.

Terrible collapse.

 

[Spleenless Wonder21]

Rare footage of Phil Kessel’s offseason training regimen:

 

[flyfysher]

Imagine being up 2-0 in the series and leading 2-0 in game 3 and then about to get eliminated in game 6.

Terrible collapse.

Inexperience and youth = inconsistency