2025 26 Roster…too Soon

[RememberTheRoar]

Which is ask you why you're lumping Bedard in with Marner? You realize you implied Bedard won't perform in the playoffs right? Like you get that?

Relax.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

It becomes extremely likely he’s the pick if that happens yes.

It’s funny because last year Bertuzzi admitted he knew he was coming to the Hawks long before free agency opened lol. Foligno called him (Sudbury boys)

There’s so much tampering and the nhl doesn’t even care. But I’m gonna guess Davidson tries trading for Marner and just skip the free agency thing, if he has interest in coming here.

Package the RFA rights for Kurashev and Reichel, that will make the Toronto fanbase feel better about all of this haha

 

[Hattrick Kane]

Package the RFA rights for Kurashev and Reichel, that will make the Toronto fanbase feel better about all of this haha

For all of Marner’s faults, that fanbase is about to be in for a rude awakening regarding him.

It’s not easy to make the playoffs with limited talent, and they’re about to lose a major part of their offense. It’s been 10 years, they don’t remember life with a mediocre regular season offense.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

For all of Marner’s faults, that fanbase is about to be in for a rude awakening regarding him.

It’s not easy to make the playoffs with limited talent, and they’re about to lose a major part of their offense. It’s been 10 years, they don’t remember life with a mediocre regular season offense.

Exactly. Seems that extends to some on this board. Hawks will be very lucky if he chooses a rebuilding hawks.

 

[TheFridge]

Relax.

Still doesn't answer the question.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Still doesn't answer the question.

Ya, your “question” is ridiculous. No reason to answer. So again, relax.

 

[TheFridge]

Ya, your “question” is ridiculous. No reason to answer. So again, relax.

Again, not an answer. I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually though.

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Again, not an answer. I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually though.

No, I’ve figured it out already. I said I’m not entertaining your ridiculous question.

 

[EddieTheEagle]

I think Marner signs in San Jose if they offer competitive money.

Up and coming team. Jumbo/Marleau connection. Exciting young forward group. California lifestyle/weather and no pressure.

 

[Drumman44]

I think Marner signs in San Jose if they offer competitive money.

Up and coming team. Jumbo/Marleau connection. Exciting young forward group. California lifestyle/weather and no pressure.

A team with lots of talented young forwards and no defense. It’ll be like old times

 

[Kevin Musto]

I think Marner signs in San Jose if they offer competitive money.

Up and coming team. Jumbo/Marleau connection. Exciting young forward group. California lifestyle/weather and no pressure.

I think so too.

They'll sell him on a Marner-Celebrini-Smith line, and he'll get to play low stakes hockey, making big money in sunny California. Dream lifestyle for a bum.

 

[TheFridge]

No, I’ve figured it out already. I said I’m not entertaining your ridiculous question.

Have you though? What's ridiculous is lumping Bedard in with Marner, as you did. I'm just curious why.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Enough of that or I'm going to have to start handing timeouts.

He’ll do it, I received one for requesting he relieve his mod powers and give them to Musto

 

[CallMeShaft]

He’ll do it, I received one for requesting he relieve his mod powers and give them to Musto

I'd rather have Fiddy as a mod

 

[RememberTheRoar]

Have you though? What's ridiculous is lumping Bedard in with Marner, as you did. I'm just curious why.

Try easing off on saying meatball stuff like this. It shows you’re uninterested in having a good faith discussion.

Marner couldn't hold Bedard's jock strap.

If you want to try again without the biased hyperbole then maybe I’ll stop dismissing your posts.

Bedard is young as f***, we have no idea what he’s going to perform like in the playoffs.

 

[Hawkaholic]

If the hawks sign him it will be critical to add guys who can perform in the playoffs. Marner and Bedard will probably both put up 100+ regular season points together for the next seven years, but you’ll need guys suited for the playoffs around them.

Hopefully Nazar is one of them, he seems like he’ll be. Maybe Frondell/Desnoyers too?

It can work, you just can’t be built like the Leafs. Luckily it seems like the Hawks will have a significantly better defensive core at the least.

I'm sorry, I'm not signing a guy to the biggest contract in the league that isn't part of the solution to winning a Cup, or suited for the playoffs. Thats bananas.

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

I'm sorry, I'm not signing a guy to the biggest contract in the league that isn't part of the solution to winning a Cup, or suited for the playoffs. Thats bananas.

I don’t think he’s getting more than the 14M Drai got which kicks in next year. Rantanen is at 12M but has the 8th year that Marner won’t get.

I’d bet he ends up closer to 13M which has him under Drai, Matthews, and McDavid’s next contract.

With the cap increase I’d imagine Kaprizov has a bigger hit one year later as well.

 

[Hawkaholic]

I don’t think he’s getting more than the 14M Drai got which kicks in next year. Rantanen is at 12M but has the 8th year that Marner won’t get.

I’d bet he ends up closer to 13M which has him under Drai, Matthews, and McDavid’s next contract.

With the cap increase I’d imagine Kaprizov has a bigger hit one year later as well.

OK, let me rephrase. "One of the biggest contracts"

 

[RememberTheRoar]

I'm sorry, I'm not signing a guy to the biggest contract in the league that isn't part of the solution to winning a Cup, or suited for the playoffs. Thats bananas.

Ya, I hear you for sure. It’s a big risk, but it’s really hard to acquire elite talent. If Marner actually wants to come to Chicago, I don’t know if Chicago is in a position to say “thanks but no thanks.”

Bedard needs elite support to grow into the player that he has the potential to be. The third overall pick isn’t providing that elite support next season, and may not for years, if ever.

 

[MHO]

Whether we sign Marner or not, 'The biggest contract in the league' is a fallacy as it's a reflection of WHEN he has become a free agent and not his real cost. Players of his caliber, even while flawed, don't hit the open market often and he is going to hit it while there is a significant cap jump this season, next season, and the season after that.

So if the Leafs re-signed Marner before hitting the open market at $14M AAV while the cap wasn't expected to go up anytime soon, that would be incredibly foolish. But I would urge all of us to look at the whole picture as he certainly won't be the highest paid player in the league after a season or 2 with the cap further increasing.

And with the bulk of the Hawks' roster being on ELC's and bridge deals from RFA for the next 5 seasons, I doubt $14M AAV for Marner would keep them from signing anyone else they want. Also I'd like to see how Marner's game translates in the playoffs on a team with defensemen that can move the puck and execute a breakout. Marner didn't play well and had some bad turnovers but that Toronto team is not built to win a cup as they don't have any real top pair defensemen.

 

[Deputy McRizzy]

Whether we sign Marner or not, 'The biggest contract in the league' is a fallacy as it's a reflection of WHEN he has become a free agent and not his real cost. Players of his caliber, even while flawed, don't hit the open market often and he is going to hit it while there is a significant cap jump this season, next season, and the season after that.

So if the Leafs re-signed Marner before hitting the open market at $14M AAV while the cap wasn't expected to go up anytime soon, that would be incredibly foolish. But I would urge all of us to look at the whole picture as he certainly won't be the highest paid player in the league after a season or 2 with the cap further increasing.

And with the bulk of the Hawks' roster being on ELC's and bridge deals from RFA for the next 5 seasons, I doubt $14M AAV for Marner would keep them from signing anyone else they want. Also I'd like to see how Marner's game translates in the playoffs on a team with defensemen that can move the puck and execute a breakout. Marner didn't play well and had some bad turnovers but that Toronto team is not built to win a cup as they don't have any real top pair defensemen.

Makar and Eichel are also due for new deals the following year. Makar will easily get more, and Eichel will be pretty close as well. Year after that Quinn Hughes is probably getting a better deal.

Now is the time to spend with the cap increase.

 

[BHawk21]

Top 10 in scoring

Kucherov - Paid 9.5 in 2019
Mackinnon- Paid 12.6 in 2023
Draisaitl- Will be 14 in 2025
Pasta- Paid 11.25 in 2023
Marner-UFA
McDavid-UFA in 2026
Kyle Connor-UFA in 2026
Jack Eichel- UFA in 2026
Cale Makar- Paid 9 million in 2021 UFA 2027
Crosby- Paid 8.7 (2 year)

Notable
Kaprizov UFA 2026
Hughes UFA 2027


Marner will be the 5-6th highest paid player by the end of next year. Seems about right.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Ya, I hear you for sure. It’s a big risk, but it’s really hard to acquire elite talent. If Marner actually wants to come to Chicago, I don’t know if Chicago is in a position to say “thanks but no thanks.”

Bedard needs elite support to grow into the player that he has the potential to be. The third overall pick isn’t providing that elite support next season, and may not for years, if ever.

People are too focused on Bedard, and not the Blackhawks. It's like people only care that Bedard becomes a 100pt player, and not that the Blackhawks are a competitive team.

 

[Hawkaholic]

It also seems like the same people that were happy to get Jones in 2021, are more than willing to sign Marner.

 

[x Tame Impala]

People are too focused on Bedard, and not the Blackhawks. It's like people only care that Bedard becomes a 100pt player, and not that the Blackhawks are a competitive team.

I forgot which poster was saying it but in a way it’s almost bad timing we got him when we did. He’s going to be marinating on these bad teams without much forward help. I’m not worried about anything with him or the Hawks trajectory, it’ll all be just fine.