Around The League 2018-19 Offseason edition

[DerekDevils30]

I definitely would've paid Carlson 8mil. Good deal for both sides

I would too. 8 million isn't bad at all especially with the cap continuing to go up

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

 

[Oneiro]

and who will that be, exactly?

you make it seem like top pairing DMen grow on trees

Yup. They don't.

Which is why you don't pay top pairing money to someone who isn't a top pairing D.

You think Carlson is on the level of Ekman-Larsson? Because he isn't.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Yup. They don't.

Which is why you don't pay top pairing money to someone who isn't a top pairing D.

John Carlson is a #2. It is insanity to state otherwise.

 

[Oneiro]

You've read them both already but hardly insanity:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Todd...-pursue-John-Carlson-in-free-agency/159/93103

Buyers such as New Jersey Devils: Beware of John Carlson This Summer

Carlson just won the cup on a d corps. that allowed Trotz to put him in positions to succeed with Orlov and Niskanen eating up some of the tough minutes. That protection doesn't exist in NJ neither do we have a PP that features a 50 goal scorer. This would be the toughest situation in his career, easily.

Cordell's points about not being a play driver and not being the matchup guy - those are what make him a piss poor top pairing guy on OUR team.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

yeah why would we look at stats/facts when I can read 2 opinion pieces

Carlson was one of the better ES point producers in the league but sure he only produced because they have Ovechkin

 

[Triumph]

yeah why would we look at stats/facts when I can read 2 opinion pieces

Carlson was one of the better ES point producers in the league but sure he only produced because they have Ovechkin

ES points are by D are valued, at best, accurately by the market. My suspicion is they are overvalued. Meanwhile, the Devils don't have the big shot on the power play which is how Carlson thrived on the PP.

Thankfully it's all moot now, but Carlson's not worth $8M on this team and certainly not for that term. It was never going to be a good fit, at least not how this team is drafting.

 

[JrFischer54]

The Caps were unwilling to give him to the Isles unless they gave up a #1 (which would've been a big overpay) because they would be solving one of the biggest problems of a division rival. Also there was the Orpik cap dump involved that allows them to keep Carlson. Trading a #1 for Grubauer would've been a bad mistake, particularly with how things shook out. Lou didn't make that mistake which hurts your whole "Lou is terrible now" narrative.

I’m glad lou learned from his epic mistake of #9 for Cory. Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks.

 

[NJDevs26]

 

[MadDevil]

So are the Leafs hoping they can score their way to a deep playoff run, or are they planning on trading Marner or Nylander if they land Tavares?

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

So are the Leafs hoping they can score their way to a deep playoff run, or are they planning on trading Marner or Nylander if they land Tavares?

they basically have to trade one of the young guns if they sign him

 

[NJDevs26]

It wouldn't be the worst plan in the world to overload on offense and try to trade into D help since they're not going to be able to sign it or acquire it otherwise.

 

[Nubmer6]

It wouldn't be the worst plan in the world to overload on offense and try to trade into D help since they're not going to be able to sign it or acquire it otherwise.

Sounds Islander-esque.

 

[NJDevs26]

Sounds Islander-esque.

Except they didn't actually try to trade for D help lol, at least pre-Lou. Other than the one offseason where they got Boychuk and Leddy as cap dumps the last minute.

 

[MadDevil]

It wouldn't be the worst plan in the world to overload on offense and try to trade into D help since they're not going to be able to sign it or acquire it otherwise.

True. They'd kind of be following the Pens model with two elite centers and whichever of Nylander/Marner stays playing the Kessel role. Flip one of them for a good defenseman and they might be in business.

 

[SKNJD9]

Looks like, SJ,DAL and Toronto are locks to be meeting with JT. Boston is believed to be the 4th. 5th is a mystery.

 

[SKNJD9]

Tampa or Nsh believed to be the 5th team per staple.

 

[nugg]

Looks like, SJ,DAL and Toronto are locks to be meeting with JT. Boston is believed to be the 4th. 5th is a mystery.

Ray has become secretive, maybe Louesque even, so maybe it's us

 

[Stephen Gionta]

I am shocked the Devils aren't one of the teams meeting with Tavares. Absolutely shocked.

 

[SKNJD9]

I am shocked the Devils aren't one of the teams meeting with Tavares. Absolutely shocked.

With the type of guy JT seems to be I'm not. He doesn't seem to want to go to a NYI rival.

 

[Comparison Ford]

I am shocked the Devils aren't one of the teams meeting with Tavares. Absolutely shocked.

i’m not shocked at all, it’s a two way street in free agency

 

[Goptor]

I'm dumbfounded with these contracts. I'm not sure if the agents are doing their best or if there is collusion within the NHL.

Salary cap has increased significantly, USD has had inflation, yet the NHL salaries have decreased. I cannot remember a UFA hold out unsigned past the first week of free agency despite it being a regular occurrence in the other sports. It just seems so strange.

Carlson at $8 mil, Ekman-Larsson at $8.5, even Shattenkirk went at $6 last year. Mobile defensemen are the most sought after players in the league right now and these guys are not even close to Suter($12m), Weber ($14m), Subban ($10/$11m at UFA ages), or Seabrook ($9). Even Christian Ehrhoff got up to $10m for a season.

 

[MadDevil]

It's entirely possible Shero talked to Tavares and he straight up told him he wasn't interested in signing with us. And that's fine.

 

[Emperoreddy]

It's entirely possible Shero talked to Tavares and he straight up told him he wasn't interested in signing with us. And that's fine.

Why you shouldn’t hang your hopes on free agency.

“Local” boy Carlson never even made it to market , and JT isn’t even meeting with us.

 

[BomaLightDevils]

In my opinion it seems like a lot of people in here think we can be a cup contender if we sign one of the top free agents! And then we just need to trade severson or santini for a even better puck moving D man!

What we don't want to do is spend our cap on wrong people because we don't have the patience to build the franchise back up the right way.

After one hell of a season I think the right way to go is proceed as we are with the same guys. Maybe add a D and a forward and let's go on from here. Let the guys build on last year and create even more chemistry with each other.

Let's save all those dollars till next year when the real offseason gets important. Then we are also closer to see which players would need what kind of money.