RFAs this offseason: McTavish, Lundestrom, Leason, Dostal, Helleson, Colangelo, Nesterenko, Lopina, Caulfield, Mysak, Clang
Who do you tender contracts to?
As of today -
Tender:
McTavish (top 6 NHL forward)
Dostal (NHL #1)
Leason (solid 4th line piece)
Colangelo (hopefully 3rd line scoring forward next season)
Helleson (3rd pairing/AHL)
Caufield (AHL middle 6 with NHL 4th line potential)
Clang (need an AHL experienced goaltender, not been fantastic but the Gulls defence is brutal)
Maybe:
Nesterenko
Mysak
Non-tender:
Lundestrom
Lopina
We have seen enough of Lundestrom at the NHL level, he's just not NHL calibre at this point in time. I'm expecting Gaucher to be the 4C next season.
I've not been very impressed by Nesterenko at either level this season, he just doesn't have the skill to be a scoring forward. As the season has gone on it seems he's being used more as a checking forward, if he works on that more then I can see him getting a one year contract to see if he can play that role long term. But if Anaheim view him purely as a scoring forward, then he is as good as gone as there is quite a few options ahead of him by next season for that sort of role IMO.
Mysak has been good recently and putting up some points, but he was really bad basically until the end of December and in and out of the Gulls line up with about the only thing you could say being ok in the defensive zone and not afraid to use the body. Not sure he's NHL quality, but if he continues his production from the last 20 games for the rest of the season, it will be a no brainer to retain him - if only for the chemistry he has with Pasta as Gulls need all the scoring help they can get.
Lopina has been a decent 4th liner for the Gulls, but need to see something more for him to get another contract. I would say most likely not getting tendered at this point, with the chance of getting an AHL contract if he can't get a two way contract elsewhere.
Though, it really depends on which of the prospects we are going to sign in the off-season, I only really see us wanting to sign two (MAYBE three) out of Terrance/Moore/Smith/Francis/Port. I see Terrance as a sure thing, Moore we will want to sign but it's questionable if he will want to, and Smith as an outside bet. I see no chance for Francis (though I hope the organisation supports him in some way) and Port.
We're not really going to have a huge influx of new talent into the Gulls, so that definitely plays into the hands of players that are on the borderline.
I wouldn't be surprised if Buteyets elects to go home, as I think he's permanently ECHL next season unless something drastic happens.