Speculation: 2025-2026 Offseason Thread 4 - all these trades and all we got was this lousy thread!

[LightningStrikes]

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I'm not gonna be fully worried until after the draft, but its looking like we are just running it back...

What could possibly happen at the draft to turn the tide for us?

 

[atlanticobserver]

I feel like JBB might be cooking offer sheets

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Left field move. Tuch sign and trade to Washington. Me pulling out of my ass again. Prove me wrong Buffalo.

 

[More 2004]

make it him sleeping in bed, with a dream bubble of him signing mcd at 40 to an extension and a big ol' rictus on his kisser

Can you make an AI generated image of JBB asleep in bed or something

BET

 

[Flat Ronnie]

It would be interesting to hear why on earth he would choose DC of all places.

 

[RussianGuyovich]

i bet buffalo gets better than a 5th just to piss us all off.

 

[Doctor Congo]

I mean, the Captials are probably blabbing all about it and that's why they're the favorite. If we do anything it'll be all "oMg TaMpA!!" at the last minute when Buffalo accepts our negotiation offer

 

[Flat Ronnie]

I mean, the Captials are probably blabbing all about it and that's why they're the favorite. If we do anything it'll be all "oMg TaMpA!!"

I think we gotta stop this narrative that nobody EVER knows what we're doing. Its way overblown. Agents and other GMs talk, even if ours doesn't. These reporters know when teams are sniffing around.

To me, its more concerning that we're rarely mentioned as being in the mix for a lot of these big names anymore. Either that or these big names dont want to come here. Neither of those is promising.

 

[atlanticobserver]

BET
View attachment 1258699

Now make one of McDavid dreaming about cooper

 

[Todd1a]

 

[Doctor Congo]

I think we gotta stop this narrative that nobody EVER knows what we're doing. Its way overblown. Agents and other GMs talk, even if ours doesn't. These reporters know when teams are sniffing around.

To me, its more concerning that we're rarely mentioned as being in the mix for a lot of these big names anymore. Either that or these big names dont want to come here. Neither of those is promising.

The Lightning name only ever gets lopped in a long list several other teams checking in on a guy because the player agent leaked it or in the case of Guentzel, Carolina expressly telling everyone in order to drive the price up.

I mean if you can tell me one credible rumor our own beat reporters have broken before it's happened, I'll shut up and apologize. Crap like "Hedman closing in on extension" after JBB verbalizes the intention or "Lightning were never going beyond 6x6 with Raddysh" after it's over doesn't qualify as new information

 

[CupsOverCash]

My first reaction to that is that they probably don't want to play against him in Tampa. I guess we didn't care if we played against raddysh.

 

[HagelsBagels25]

The real question it seems now based on the last few days is just when is the trade protection on most of these guys is up. If they don’t expire and are just no move trade throughout the contract start talking to them about moving. This is no good and we are cooked.

Based on puckpedia I see about kuch and Paul as about the only ones of value to trade. Maybe it’s time for kuch to leave. This team is rotten and it won’t be fixed. Amazing how Washington basically won a cup got old and still retooled to be competitive and we can’t do anything. It’s too bad.

 

[TheSchmidt]

If Tuch goes to Washington, I think I'll officially throw my name in the hat for the retool/rebuild.

I dont see what other impact forward we could add to make a difference. We dont have the assets for big trades the way this current market is forming. I think the Carlson and some scrubs reality is approaching.

I hope im wrong, but I think we're probably done.

Our best bet if we’re still trying to compete is go for guys that might be undervalued (Frost), a cap dump we pray we can get a couple years out of (Hertl), or a depreciating asset we bank on bouncing back (Pettersson).

Teams appear to be taking a year off of prospect hugging and offering actual quality that can beat our quantity type offers.

Not what everybody wants to hear after getting their hopes up for Larkin or Tuch, but that seems to be the realistic scenario unless something is brewing that hasn’t made it public.

 

[SaucerpassfromKuch]

The real question it seems now based on the last few days is just when is the trade protection on most of these guys is up. If they don’t expire and are just no move trade throughout the contract start talking to them about moving. This is no good and we are cooked.

Based on puckpedia I see about kuch and Paul as about the only ones of value to trade. Maybe it’s time for kuch to leave. This team is rotten and it won’t be fixed. Amazing how Washington basically won a cup got old and still retooled to be competitive and we can’t do anything. It’s too bad.

Next offseason Point, Cirelli and Cernak will have M-NTC's, 16 team trade lists

 

[HagelsBagels25]

Next offseason Point, Cirelli and Cernak will have M-NTC's, 16 team trade lists

Okay so next offseason I want point and Cernak gone then. Keep Cirelli as the 3C at 6.25. Or just move all 3, I think this next season will be very telling from the perspective of “we’re so cooked”

 

[DFC]

I mean.... the WHOLE TEAM has trade protection. We are absolutely baked into this

That's how you get AAV down. And it's not like NHL trades in 2026 are ever player for player. It's always player for futures.

Our only chips are prospects and late picks. '28 1st?

 

[DFC]

It would be interesting to hear why on earth he would choose DC of all places.

Money, I think. Washington will probably give him the moon, planning for post-Ovy.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

Our best bet if we’re still trying to compete is go for guys that might be undervalued (Frost), a cap dump we pray we can get a couple years out of (Hertl), or a depreciating asset we bank on bouncing back (Pettersson).

Teams appear to be taking a year off of prospect hugging and offering actual quality that can beat our quantity type offers.

Not what everybody wants to hear after getting their hopes up for Larkin or Tuch, but that seems to be the realistic scenario unless something is brewing that hasn’t made it public.

If that us our only option, then I'm 100% on board with the rebuild. No sense taking those risks, especially if they come with term.

 

[RSchmitz]

Would laugh my ass off if Buffalo got actual value back for Tuch in a sign and trade.

 

[Felonious Python]

That’s all ChatGPT I only asked for a pic of JBB sleeping in his office lol.

Not even ChatGPT could hallucinate JBB sleeping.

 

[Major4Boarding]

I feel like JBB might be cooking offer sheets

Sheet.

Best we could do is a 2nd rounder next draft and sign for max $4.7M

Mainboarder M88K posted this chart. Needs a bit updated with all the 1st rd'ers that flew around since but the idea is as such

 

[RSchmitz]

So Tuch for 8x10.5 to Washington

A tad more than I would have liked, 9.5 from us probably beats that in total take home pay.

Now that the #1 target is off the board and you look around, gotta hope JBB has something creative up his sleeve

 

[DistantThunderRep]

Okay so next offseason I want point and Cernak gone then. Keep Cirelli as the 3C at 6.25. Or just move all 3, I think this next season will be very telling from the perspective of “we’re so cooked”

This season you wanted yourself gone and you couldn't even get that right.