GDT: 2024 Summer Free Agency (July 1st)

[le_sean]

Really? So he was winning physical battles? This is such a bad argument.

He was a rookie, nobody knew what he could do and how. That doesn't mean he's Sam Bennett. Scoring goals against a big team absolutely is not a proof of toughness. In his case its more a proof of IQ.

Zegras is just slightly less soft than Caufield.

You’re confusing not being a physical player and being soft. They are not the same, at all.

He’s not going to lay guys out with hits and obviously he’s not going to win every physical battle. But he doesn’t avoid the board play and he doesn’t avoid going to the front of the net to get goals. He’s not soft. You’re just completely wrong.

 

[SOLR]

You’re confusing not being a physical player and being soft. They are not the same, at all.

He’s not going to lay guys out with hits and obviously he’s not going to win every physical battle. But he doesn’t avoid the board play and he doesn’t avoid going to the front of the net to get goals. He’s not soft. You’re just completely wrong.

Right, with that definition, Zegras ain't soft either he's playing with a team that doesn't stand together and has been playing hurt.

This yeah, after the injury, Caufield was certainly very very soft.

There is a big part of softness about not being a player than brings toughness to the equation.

I'm just completely wrong about both of them being soft? I'm not even sure what you are even going on about. Are you trying to say Caufield isn't soft by league standards? This is absurd.

 

[le_sean]

Right, with that definition, Zegras ain't soft either he's playing with a team that doesn't stand together and has been playing hurt.

This yeah, after the injury, Caufield was certainly very very soft.

There is a big part of softness about not being a player than brings toughness to the equation.

I'm just completely wrong about both of them being soft? I'm not even sure what you are even going on about. Are you trying to say Caufield isn't soft by league standards? This is absurd.

Yeah lots of soft 5’7 players make the NHL. Definitely the type of player GMs covet and pick in the 1st round and give long-term contracts to

It’s not my fault if you don’t know the difference between being a physical player and being a soft one.

 

[417]

You’re confusing not being a physical player and being soft. They are not the same, at all.

He’s not going to lay guys out with hits and obviously he’s not going to win every physical battle. But he doesn’t avoid the board play and he doesn’t avoid going to the front of the net to get goals. He’s not soft. You’re just completely wrong.

I don't want Caufield smashing into guys anyway

 

[SOLR]

Yeah lots of soft 5’7 players make the NHL. Definitely the type of player GMs covet and pick in the 1st round and give long-term contracts to

It’s not my fault if you don’t know the difference between being a physical player and being a soft one.

You are making a distinction that doesn't make any difference. I never said he normally shy away from contact (neither does Zegas), when Caufield started the season he was. So much for your argument, your evaluation is predicated on Caufield re-becoming pre-injury Caufield.

 

[le_sean]

You are making a distinction that doesn't make any difference. I never said he normally shy away from contact (neither does Zegas), when Caufield started the season he was. So much for your argument, your evaluation is predicated on Caufield re-becoming pre-injury Caufield.

That’s literally what being soft is. So you’re just changing the definition because you got called on it. Just say he isn’t physical, that’s what you mean.

He doesn’t give up on plays because he might get hit. He’s not Mitch Marner.

 

[Miller Time]

I feel like a Savoie trade was long coming. Benson was clearly superior and replaced him as the token small winger. The Sabres were already soft as hell and didn't have room for another one. They also probably preferred to ship him West in case Savoie ends up as a top-6 player

The league is moving away from small players at the moment. Is it a bad move? We'll see in hindsight

That's the thing with the amateur scouting boards and websites. They don't put near as much value on size as NHL GMs and put way value more on CHL production than them. Savoie is probably lower than 9 on a redraft and this one was seen as kinda poor. Players like Luchanko or Hage would have been drafted way higher in 2022 than they were in 2024

I'm curious on the "league moving away from small players" comment...

Avg height is trending up on the comparative decade front, but average weight has actually been decreasing since the mid 2000's

How Big Are Hockey Players? What 67 Years of Data Reveals.

How big are hockey players? The average NHL player is 6'1 and 199 lbs. However, in the last 20 years, the average weight in the NHL has actually begun to...

goinghockey.com

At the NHL level, last season only 9 of top 20 scorers were taller than 6', 6 of 20 were 6' 5 of 20 under 6'.
Average height is 6'1.... So 11 of top 20 were shorter than average.

11 of 20 were under 200lbs. 2 of 20 @ 200, and only 7 of 20 were over 200.
Average weight is ~200.. so here too, 11 of 20 are lighter than average.


In any case, will be interesting to see if/how well Savoie transitions to the NHL... The competency of Buffalo's internal evaluation will be on full display.

 

[SOLR]

That’s literally what being soft is. So you’re just changing the definition because you got called on it. Just say he isn’t physical, that’s what you mean.

He doesn’t give up on plays because he might get hit. He’s not Mitch Marner.

In your book, not in my book.

Being soft is shying away from physical play PLUS not creating space with the effect of your body on others.

I'm not changing the definition at all lol - I'm going by the actual definition of softness. I player with no sandpaper. My definition is proven by the existence of the opposite.

"He doesn’t give up on plays because he might get hit."

No because he has already computed that Suzuki has to go in the corner instead of him.
That's soft, but that's apparently not obvious enough for some fans to think so. Or every time when he doesn't punish the opposition just a bit, that's also soft. Think Gionta, same height as Caufield, the dude was an annoying / engaging pest in his prime.

Our top 6 needs more sandpaper and more flexibility. "Pure wingers" are anti flexibility. That's what Caufield is, he's our purest of purest winger. Slafkovski is also a pure winger, but he doesn't lack sandpaper, but he doesn't ooze sandpaper either. Zegras doesn't have more sandpaper vs. Caufield, but he's more flexible, he can be used at 4 positions (all forward position and he can play D on the PP).

Demidov looks fine and flexible.
Suzuki has some sandpaper not a ton.
Dach has the body for sandpaper but he's made of glass, he's flexible.
Who's our high sandpaper top 6?

 

[TesseractPrice]

I'm curious on the "league moving away from small players" comment...

Avg height is trending up on the comparative decade front, but average weight has actually been decreasing since the mid 2000's

How Big Are Hockey Players? What 67 Years of Data Reveals.

How big are hockey players? The average NHL player is 6'1 and 199 lbs. However, in the last 20 years, the average weight in the NHL has actually begun to...

goinghockey.com

At the NHL level, last season only 9 of top 20 scorers were taller than 6', 6 of 20 were 6' 5 of 20 under 6'.
Average height is 6'1.... So 11 of top 20 were shorter than average.

11 of 20 were under 200lbs. 2 of 20 @ 200, and only 7 of 20 were over 200.
Average weight is ~200.. so here too, 11 of 20 are lighter than average.


In any case, will be interesting to see if/how well Savoie transitions to the NHL... The competency of Buffalo's internal evaluation will be on full display.

TBH I was mostly basing this on the draft we just had. This was NOT a good one for short dudes. All the shorter darlings like Misa, Poirier, Zetterberg, Kiviharju were drafted very low or not at all

 

[Scintillating10]

Good catch, yeah I hear the Habs are looking for an inexpensive journeyman right D, someone like Jonathan Kovasevic...oh wait....

I could see right shot D from a team looking to move contract. Somebody we could flip at deadline. Good enough would return a first.

Buy Mailloux/Reinbacher more time in minors also. Savard, Barron only natural right shot D we have. Unless Reinbacher has good camp. I wanted Hutson to make NHL start season. I am not a fan of too many rookies on Blueline at same time.

 

[Rapala]

Well who is Roger Hicks? Seems like someone very insignificant

The Habs are always in on every player that needs a good return for his team.

 

[dinodebino]

He was probably the most hated player when he was in the Q, I won’t go to far in details because I don’t think it’s the place to do it but I rarely saw a player with such a bad reputation in the past 10 yrs

It started well before the Q too.

Shooter tutor
Make-a-wish kid
The silhouettes people put against their trees for some reason.
Whacky wavy inflatable flailing arm tube guy.
You
A coworker
Rescue a shein employee
Probably a wal-mart greeter
Youppi
The next person who posts.

Raphael

 

[BigHabs]

1st(CGY)
Armia
Kidney

For

Lemieux
Necas(RFA)


Barron(RFA)
Dvorak
2x2nd picks

For

McGroarty



Caufield Suzuki Slafkovsky
McGroarty Dach Necas
Roy Newhook Anderson
Lemieux Evans Gallagher
Pezzetta RHP

 

[DAChampion]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

 

[Scriptor]

I could see right shot D from a team looking to move contract. Somebody we could flip at deadline. Good enough would return a first.

Buy Mailloux/Reinbacher more time in minors also. Savard, Barron only natural right shot D we have. Unless Reinbacher has good camp. I wanted Hutson to make NHL start season. I am not a fan of too many rookies on Blueline at same time.

Two rookies should make the team regularly every year during a rebuild, but maybe not two D...

 

[CheldishGamibno]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

Absolutely not, why?

 

[Miller Time]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

You know, if nothing KH is/has been working on comes to fruition by mid/late August, and Max wanted to come back to Mtl on a 1yr deal, I'd look at it.

Without any other trades or signings, we have a need for a top 9 winger & secondary scoring... Max, if his recovery continues to progress, could provide both and give us another deadline chip if he stays healthy.

Slaf Suzuki CC
Newhook Dach Patches
Roy Dvorak Armia
Anderson Evans Gally
Pez/RHP (Heineman)

Not going to win a cup like that, but relatively healthy, that's a group good enough to challenge for a WC spot... And if not, possibly 3 UFA to be trade chips.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

No, f*** that loser.

 

[DAChampion]

Absolutely not, why?

Secondary scoring to rise in the standings.

 

[Shutdown]

No because he has already computed that Suzuki has to go in the corner instead of him.
That's soft, but that's apparently not obvious enough for some fans to think so. Or every time when he doesn't punish the opposition just a bit, that's also soft. Think Gionta, same height as Caufield, the dude was an annoying / engaging pest in his prime.

throwing a fit watching the game because F1 is going to the corner while F3 is hanging around the net like some floater

 

[SOLR]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

We don't want to be patio-ready, thanks.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

Absolutely no

 

[shamrun]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

I would rather give the ice time on the pp to our younger players at this point. Prime pacioretty with slaf would have been something though.

 

[GrandBison]

Should the Habs sign Pacioretty?

Now that's a soft player!

 

[Pacciosoftie]

Now that's a soft player!

Yes.