Rumor: 2023-2024 Trade Rumors and Free Agency: Offseason Edition

[redacted]

Aren't they all 30 (except PLD)?
Too old to win a Cup...

That's twisting that whole debate. The debate has never been that you can't have some players over 30 and win a Cup... nor that players over 30 can't contribute to winning a Cup. Because it is quite clear players over 30 can have a role, even major ones in winning. The argument has been around core players. Once the core gets old, you can't win Cups with them. Part of that is regression. Part of that that excess contract value deteriorates and thus depth on the team suffers. Old cores simply don't win Cups all that often. As a whole teams that are older, don't win Cups that much either. That doesn't mean you don't have 2-3-4 guys that are older on the team.

If you get a center over 30, they need to be playing at a high level and show they are still capable of the role. Ideally you're not tied into them for too long, but if they look like they'll still be an impact level player for 2-3 years, it's fine. To me a guy like ROR is a huge avoid as he is on a very clear downturn. But Schiefele... if you're talking a pure 1 year solution, he's about as talented and productive of a guy as you can expect.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

If they really wanted to shore things up down the middle, Ross Colton would be a nice JTC replacement as well.

I think Ivan Barbashev would be a good fit as well.

 

[Gumballhead]

I think Ivan Barbashev would be a good fit as well.

Is he playing center? I have avoided most all Vegas playoff games. If he's a full time center then maybe just maybe he's worth the inflated contract he's for sure going to get. I think he'd cost too much of that Landy money.

I'm hoping we can pick up Kiviranta and Miles Wood, players like that. As far as dollars go, it would be smart to spend on useful bottom 6 guys we can count on for a few years and maybe swing hard for a 2C via trade. Eller can be resigned and play Compher's role. I think we are in pretty good shape for retooling the bottom 6 with quality Bednar types, but getting a 2C will require some creativity and cap magicks.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I think Ivan Barbashev would be a good fit as well.

Too expensive IMO. He's gonna get the same $5-6M JTC is about to get.


Colton is still an RFA, I feel like you could get him for similar money to what JTC was just making, 3-4 years and $3-4M.

 

[ABasin]

If you get a center over 30, they need to be playing at a high level and show they are still capable of the role. Ideally you're not tied into them for too long, but if they look like they'll still be an impact level player for 2-3 years, it's fine. To me a guy like ROR is a huge avoid as he is on a very clear downturn. But Schiefele... if you're talking a pure 1 year solution, he's about as talented and productive of a guy as you can expect.

The Avs are in a bit of a tough spot here. They really can't go and spend Landeskog's LTIR salary on more than a 1 year contract, in and of itself. They can't sign a 2C for multiple years, with Landeskog's salary slot in mind. The captain may come back after another year of rehab (I personally doubt it, but we'll have to see). They'd have to solve that longer term 2C problem another way, which is likely via a salary/player being jettisoned (likely Girard or Toews).

However, if a longer term 2C option doesn't present itself early this offseason, Schiefele could be a nice one to target, as it eats up Landeskog's salary for that one single season, then the Avs re-assess Landeskog, and they go after that 2C next offseason.

There's downside here also. Not sure there will be enough trade chips to get both Schiefele and another 2C next offseason. Schiefele would likely cost them a 1st+, and Toews may be gone via UFA also.

Lots of possibilities and moving parts.

 

[redacted]

Is he playing center? I have avoided most all Vegas playoff games. If he's a full time center then maybe just maybe he's worth the inflated contract he's for sure going to get. I think he'd cost too much of that Landy money.

I'm hoping we can pick up Kiviranta and Miles Wood, players like that. As far as dollars go, it would be smart to spend on useful bottom 6 guys we can count on for a few years and maybe swing hard for a 2C via trade. Eller can be resigned and play Compher's role. I think we are in pretty good shape for retooling the bottom 6 with quality Bednar types, but getting a 2C will require some creativity and cap magicks.

He’s on the wing

 

[Gumballhead]

He’s on the wing

That's what I was thinking but I wasn't sure. He'd be a luxury we can't afford.

 

[ABasin]

Totally off the cuff question here, but when a player signs a contract with a partial NTC, are the details of the teams in question made public?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but wanted to make sure. Thx.

 

[Gumballhead]

The Avs are in a bit of a tough spot here. They really can't go and spend Landeskog's LTIR salary on more than a 1 year contract, in and of itself. They can't sign a 2C for multiple years, with Landeskog's salary slot in mind. The captain may come back after another year of rehab (I personally doubt it, but we'll have to see). They'd have to solve that longer term 2C problem another way, which is likely via a salary/player being jettisoned (likely Girard or Toews).

However, if a longer term 2C option doesn't present itself early this offseason, Schiefele could be a nice one to target, as it eats up Landeskog's salary for that one single season, then the Avs re-assess Landeskog, and they go after that 2C next offseason.

There's downside here also. Not sure there will be enough trade chips to get both Schiefele and another 2C next offseason. Schiefele would likely cost them a 1st+, and Toews may be gone via UFA also.

Lots of possibilities and moving parts.

I think the front office is probably viewing things as if Landy might not play again and can approach the offseason that way. I don't think they viewed the trade deadline that way because I think they really thought Landy would be back, but at this point the smart play would be to act like you have that cap space going forward and deal with Landy's return when/if it happens. You can't burn a prime year from Mack and Makar and possible Toews' final year just because you are afraid of 2024. Even with the one year cap space there will be, as you said, lots of moving parts. We'll find out just how clever this front office is pretty soon.

 

[redacted]

Totally off the cuff question here, but when a player signs a contract with a partial NTC, are the details of the teams in question made public?

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but wanted to make sure. Thx.

Usually the details hit the cap tracking sites. What doesn’t hit are the lists submitted. Those usually happen yearly and only the privy parties have access to.

 

[Ceremony]

On the subject of MacKinnon and Miller being arseholes and the sprinkling of ITK we have around here, it's also worth pointing out that MacKinnon is much better than Miller so he's actually worth putting up with.

 

[redacted]

I think the front office is probably viewing things as if Landy might not play again and can approach the offseason that way. I don't think they viewed the trade deadline that way because I think they really thought Landy would be back, but at this point the smart play would be to act like you have that cap space going forward and deal with Landy's return when it happens. You can't burn a prime year from Mack and Makar and possible Toews' final year just because you are afraid of 2024. Even with the one year cap space there will be, as you said, lots of moving parts. We'll find out just how clever this front office is pretty soon.

I’d say by the Avs’ previous actions, they’ll approach this as a one year thing and leave room for Landy the year after.

 

[ABasin]

Usually the details hit the cap tracking sites. What doesn’t hit are the lists submitted. Those usually happen yearly and only the privy parties have access to.

Thanks, Hench. A quick follow up, if you don't mind:

Can a player with a multi-year NTC give a list of (say) 10 teams they won't be traded to - in the first year of the NTC/contract - then change the list a couple of years later? Within that same contract?

Or do they get to make one list up front, and live with it?

 

[redacted]

Thanks, Hench. A quick follow up, if you don't mind:

Can a player with a multi-year NTC give a list of (say) 10 teams they won't be traded to - in the first year of the NTC/contract - then change the list a couple of years later? Within that same contract?

Or do they get to make one list up front, and live with it?

It is yearly… so the lists tend to change.

 

[ABasin]

I think the front office is probably viewing things as if Landy might not play again and can approach the offseason that way. I don't think they viewed the trade deadline that way because I think they really thought Landy would be back, but at this point the smart play would be to act like you have that cap space going forward and deal with Landy's return when/if it happens. You can't burn a prime year from Mack and Makar and possible Toews' final year just because you are afraid of 2024. Even with the one year cap space there will be, as you said, lots of moving parts. We'll find out just how clever this front office is pretty soon.

I don't think the Avs would operate that way. Not saying it's absolutely the wrong approach.

Seems more likely to me that they'd work with the one year Landeskog's injury has given them, and that's it.

 

[Pokecheque]

If they can snag Scheifele as a rental I think that'd be a really good get. Any sort of long-term deal would be problematic but as a one-year stopgap he'd be almost ideal.

 

[Gumballhead]

I’d say by the Avs’ previous actions, they’ll approach this as a one year thing and leave room for Landy the year after.

You would tend to think so, and it's certainly likelier, but I think maybe they learned their lesson. We need a little "WWPLD?"

 

[ABasin]

You would tend to think so, and it's certainly likelier, but I think maybe they learned their lesson. We need a little "WWPLD?"

Eat fat snake.

 

[Gumballhead]

I don't think the Avs would operate that way. Not saying it's absolutely the wrong approach.

Seems more likely to me that they'd work with the one year Landeskog's injury has given them, and that's it.

I am hoping something happens that gives them a reason to. Like acquiring a center with term or who they can extend, a player who fits in perfectly and is worth the potential cap headache down the road if Landy comes back. Also the cap has to be going up by some decent amount by NEXT offseason, right? That's another variable that might thicken the tightrope a bit. It's going to be a compelling offseason for the Avs.

Eat fat snake.

YES. I almost add EFS that to the acronym but I didn't want to further obfuscate it.

 

[Hasbro]

Columbus, Minnesota, St. Louis, Washington, Winnipeg.


Definitely a few teams we'd have to outbid. Columbus and St. Louis in particular will be tough competition.

After blowing up their roster, do you think the Bagel Shredders will be spending assets to bring in big ticket vets?

 

[UncleRisto]

Eat fat snake.

WWBFSE?

 

[expatriatedtexan]

WWBFSE?

PL.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

After blowing up their roster, do you think the Bagel Shredders will be spending assets to bring in big ticket vets?

If you're talking about St. Louis... Yes without a doubt they will be.


They aren't rebuilding or retooling. They have 3 1st round picks this year and as Seravalli said in the article, they almost certainly won't be using all 3 picks. They're going to use those draft picks to try and add a guy or two that gets them back into the playoffs next year.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

You're fooling yourself if you think MacK is universally liked by everyone.

The narrative about Miller is exaggerated. Is is disliked by some? Absolutely. But you don't need to be liked by everyone to be a leader or respected. He's not a bad teammate, he's demanding and he's an asshole... but that isn't uncommon in hockey. Not in the least.

There’s video of players rolling their eyes at Miller, like ‘here we go again’. I think he’s arrogant and he’s not good enough to pull it off.

MacK takes responsibility when the team loses. He owns it. He said he ‘hadn’t won shit’ before the Avs cup run. People ask him about being compared to Crosby and he says he’ll never be as good as Sid. MacK is a hothead, a competitor, but he’s got a selflessness to him.

I don’t know how people can’t see the growth of him from a leadership perspective from 4/5 years ago.

I don’t see hardly any resemblance between Miller and MacKinnon aside from the fact that they both run hot sometimes.

 

[Pokecheque]

Eh, J.T. Miller is definitely not the biggest jerk to find success in the NHL, though I do think he's a little more than the average jerk you might find on any given team. Not so much that you can't build a winner around him, but that personality mixed with the rampant dysfunction already in the Canucks organization just wasn't a good mix (I also agree with Henchy that Horvat was a lousy choice for captain).