Around the League - 2022 offseason thread

[Guttersniped]

One good thing about the Sullivan extension is I got to see a very whiny Pens fan who complains about him non-stop take this extension news very poorly in the main thread.

Half the thread is just their posts lol.

 

[NjDevsRR]

One good thing about the Sullivan extension is I got to see a very whiny Pens fan who complains about him non-stop take this extension news very poorly in the main thread.

Half the thread is just their posts lol.

There’s actually a pens fan who doesn’t like Sullivan? He is gold.

 

[Guttersniped]

There’s actually a pens fan who doesn’t like Sullivan? He is gold.

More than one, never doubt fans’ ability to bitch and moan, but one particular poster is always railing against him.

It’s a combination of blasts from the Devils’ own distant past, the dreaded unacceptable 1st round exits and complaints about Sullivan loving no name scrubs.

 

[NjDevsRR]

More than one, never doubt fans’ ability to bitch and moan, but one particular poster is always railing against him.

It’s a combination of blasts from the Devils’ own distant past, the dreaded unacceptable 1st round exits and complaints about Sullivan loving no name scrubs.

I’ll trade them Ruff for him then.

 

[glenwo2]

We're going to have to pay Jesper Bratt something idiotic to stay.

Sharangovich probably gets traded or resigned to only 2 years next summer so that money gets freed up when Nemec and Luke Hughes go in asking for 8mil+ on their second contracts.

If he proves he's worth the "idiotic" payment, then you do it and never look back.

 

[markog]

If he proves he's worth the "idiotic" payment, then you do it and never look back.

You do it next season before cap goes up huge. Unless he want to wait.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

We're going to have to pay Jesper Bratt something idiotic to stay.

Sharangovich probably gets traded or resigned to only 2 years next summer so that money gets freed up when Nemec and Luke Hughes go in asking for 8mil+ on their second contracts.

The contract for Thompson, even coming off a 38 goal season, is probably an overpay on the part of the Sabres.

Why would the Devils want to do the same thing?

Buffalo is the same organization that awarded Jeff Skinner with his outrageous deal.

 

[My3Sons]

The contract for Thompson, even coming off a 38 goal season, is probably an overpay on the part of the Sabres.

Why would the Devils want to do the same thing?

Buffalo is the same organization that awarded Jeff Skinner with his outrageous deal.

Ottawa paid Norris for a lesser season. I think the ship of team friendly second contracts is leaving the port if it hasn't already sailed.

 

[Goptor]

Ottawa paid Norris for a lesser season. I think the ship of team friendly second contracts is leaving the port if it hasn't already sailed.

Both are centers and get 2-3 mil extra because of position

 

[Satans Hockey]

Wonder if this means we'll get the Devils jersey announcement soon...

 

[My3Sons]

Both are centers and get 2-3 mil extra because of position

I agree centers get paid a premium but $2-3 mil per sounds like a bit much. In any event, centers or not, going rate for a promising center is somewhere between $7 mil per and $8 mil per. Jack may be the most team friendly of these deals since he can at least project to be a top of the league scorer while most of the others are more top of the team type scorers.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

That money wasn't being better spent elsewhere and top 6 centers are almost never available in FA. If they are they are like Nazem Kadri, over 30 and you need to give them 7m+ (for now) and a long term deal anyway if you want to add them and they need to agree to come. Not sure the objection to the Thompson deal honestly. His year last year wasn't a fluke and he's 24...

 

[Triumph]

That money wasn't being better spent elsewhere and top 6 centers are almost never available in FA. If they are they are like Nazem Kadri, over 30 and you need to give them 7m+ (for now) and a long term deal anyway if you want to add them and they need to agree to come. Not sure the objection to the Thompson deal honestly. His year last year wasn't a fluke and he's 24...

It's that last year was a fluke. I think it's fine, because the Sabres don't have a lot of long-term commitments and it's good for the Sabres that someone is willing to commit to the team long-term. I think Thompson will remain a big goal scorer for the foreseeable future, I am just deeply skeptical that he puts up 38 (or even 30) again. But 25 per 82 games? Sure.

 

[Goptor]

That money wasn't being better spent elsewhere and top 6 centers are almost never available in FA. If they are they are like Nazem Kadri, over 30 and you need to give them 7m+ (for now) and a long term deal anyway if you want to add them and they need to agree to come. Not sure the objection to the Thompson deal honestly. His year last year wasn't a fluke and he's 24...

He absolutely deserved to be paid $7m last season.

timing kinda sucks for the Sabres because last year teams treated him like a $1.4m 4th line winger. Now he's going to get treated like a $7m top 6 center. Who knows how he'll adjust.

 

[Guttersniped]

I agree centers get paid a premium but $2-3 mil per sounds like a bit much. In any event, centers or not, going rate for a promising center is somewhere between $7 mil per and $8 mil per. Jack may be the most team friendly of these deals since he can at least project to be a top of the league scorer while most of the others are more top of the team type scorers.

Jack’s deal started after his ELC, Thompson is coming off a 3 year/1.4m bridge deal and has one UFA year.

Jack’s deal is great, the best other contract for a forward coming off an ELC recently is Svechnikov’s 8 year/7.75m. That was bonkers the day it was signed.

Players coming off bridge deals are different and many of them leave their teams. Basically all of them have left Buffalo so Adams is using the good vibes of their last season to prevent that from happening here.

There’s a real chance Buffalo struggle a ton next season, they picked up points at the end of the season in OT games and a soft schedule, and that could color negotiations. Last season ended with a happy locker room.

If he wanted to pay him less it would have fewer years. The players to compare him to are RFAs like Reinhart.

Thompson has only played center for a year, like Reinhart there whose played center at the end in Buffalo but mostly plays wing in Florida. (He plays some C, it definitely adds value to him too.)

I get people being wary about the deal. Thompson doesn’t have a track record with amazing finishing and that was a big part of his season. He’s a real work in progress as a center.

But Buffalo is trying to team build and get younger players who are all in on the team. My guess is they felt Tage, like Tuch, is part of the new wave.

Cozens is up next. He was very vocal in his exit interview about wanting to be in Buffalo and turn it around in 2020-21, while Eichel was imploding and Reinhart & Risto had “don’t want to be in a rebuild” quotes.

Now he was 20, so he didn’t have a choice anyway, but it was actually endearing. It will be very interesting to see how he does this season and what kind of deal he gets for it.

Middelstadt has two years left on his bridge deal so he can remain a question and they can cut bait there.

 

[My3Sons]

Jack’s deal started after his ELC, Thompson is coming off a 3 year/1.4m bridge deal and has one UFA year.

Jack’s deal is great, the best other contract for a forward coming off an ELC recently is Svechnikov’s 8 year/7.75m. That was bonkers the day it was signed.

Players coming off bridge deals are different and many of them leave their teams. Basically all of them have left Buffalo so Adams is using the good vibes of their last season to prevent that from happening here.

There’s a real chance Buffalo struggle a ton next season, they picked up points at the end of the season in OT games and a soft schedule, and that could color negotiations. Last season ended with a happy locker room.

If he wanted to pay him less it would have fewer years. The players to compare him to are RFAs like Reinhart.

Thompson has only played center for a year, like Reinhart there whose played center at the end in Buffalo but mostly plays wing in Florida. (He plays some C, it definitely adds value to him too.)

I get people being wary about the deal. Thompson doesn’t have a track record with amazing finishing and that was a big part of his season. He’s a real work in progress as a center.

But Buffalo is trying to team build and get younger players who are all in on the team. My guess is they felt Tage, like Tuch, is part of the new wave.

Cozens is up next. He was very vocal in his exit interview about wanting to be in Buffalo and turn it around in 2020-21, while Eichel was imploding and Reinhart & Risto had “don’t want to be in a rebuild” quotes.

Now he was 20, so he didn’t have a choice anyway, but it was actually endearing. It will be very interesting to see how he does this season and what kind of deal he gets for it.

Middelstadt has two years left on his bridge deal so he can remain a question and they can cut bait there.

I don't fault Buffalo for signing him long term as long as their internal scouting sees him playing well going forward. His bridge and any past seasons are just that. Even if his shooting percentage falls a bit and he scores in the 30 goal range that's a good player. I'm not critical of it at all. I just maintain that the teams have to be internally scouting a guy and should know if he's part of the core or not. If he is, sign him and don't worry about it. You have to plant your flag somewhere.

 

[Guttersniped]

I don't fault Buffalo for signing him long term as long as their internal scouting sees him playing well going forward. His bridge and any past seasons are just that. Even if his shooting percentage falls a bit and he scores in the 30 goal range that's a good player. I'm not critical of it at all. I just maintain that the teams have to be internally scouting a guy and should know if he's part of the core or not. If he is, sign him and don't worry about it. You have to plant your flag somewhere.

I basically have the same take, I wouldn’t want him here on the same deal, it has risks and the upside can only go so up, but I get why Buffalo did it.

I also assume they have their reasons for being high on this player.

I’m also very pro-locking up your own RFAs, it’s very hard, at best, get better on the UFA market and you mostly get futures for unsigned RFAs. (The Rangers got a much worse RFA for Buchnevich, but not sure that’s a plus.) That’s literally what Buffalo got for the recent RFAs they lost. You have to start building at some point.

They also likely aren’t going to get another forward like him, gargantuan top six scoring forwards aren’t a thing you see much. (Everyone was buzzing about a guy who went 1OA because he might be that.) If he stays healthy and scores goals at reasonable rate I’m confident he retains trade value.

I like the JFresh & Dom (and don’t want to debate that lol), but I disagreed when they dumped on the long term deals Chayka handed out to all his young players way back when. This was Dvorak, Keller and Schmaltz, they were ok with Chychrun and maybe Garland too.

Chayka was schmuck in many ways, but, dudes, they’re Arizona. They need to keep guys with honey. And if those guys just just keep it going, those contracts clearly would end up being just fine (in my mind). And low and behold, Dvorak got a nice trade return, and Schmaltz and Keller deals are just fine now.

 

[HBK27]

I basically have the same take, I wouldn’t want him here on the same deal, it has risks and the upside can only go so up, but I get why Buffalo did it.

I also assume they have their reasons for being high on this player.

I’m also very pro-locking up your own RFAs, it’s very hard, at best, get better on the UFA market and you mostly get futures for unsigned RFAs. (The Rangers got a much worse RFA for Buchnevich, but not sure that’s a plus.) That’s literally what Buffalo got for the recent RFAs they lost. You have to start building at some point.

They also likely aren’t going to get another forward like him, gargantuan top six scoring forwards aren’t a thing you see much. (Everyone was buzzing about a guy who went 1OA because he might be that.) If he stays healthy and scores goals at reasonable rate I’m confident he retains trade value.

I like the JFresh & Dom (and don’t want to debate that lol), but I disagreed when they dumped on the long term deals Chayka handed out to all his young players way back when. This was Dvorak, Keller and Schmaltz, they were ok with Chychrun and maybe Garland too.

Chayka was schmuck in many ways, but, dudes, they’re Arizona. They need to keep guys with honey. And if those guys just just keep it going, those contracts clearly would end up being just fine (in my mind). And low and behold, Dvorak got a nice trade return, and Schmaltz and Keller deals are just fine now.

Yeah, I definitely feel like changing Buffalo's culture and getting guys that want to be there (as you mentioned in your prior post) is definitely in play with this contract. It can certainly be argued that Buffalo could've waited another year since he was already under contract for this upcoming season, but I'm sure it's nice for their young team to see that they're rewarding home grown talent (even though he was acquired via trade). Given the difficultly Buffalo has in attracting UFA's (a combo of the location and being a bottom team for so long), it's smart to lock up guys like this long-term versus risking him getting to UFA sooner.

 

[bossram]

That money wasn't being better spent elsewhere and top 6 centers are almost never available in FA. If they are they are like Nazem Kadri, over 30 and you need to give them 7m+ (for now) and a long term deal anyway if you want to add them and they need to agree to come. Not sure the objection to the Thompson deal honestly. His year last year wasn't a fluke and he's 24...

It sure looks like a flukey season production-wise.

He personally shot at 15% and had on-ice shooting of 11%. His career prior to that is closer to 7-8% individually and 6% on-ice. He's never had a personal shooting percentage more than 11%, even going back to college and the AHL.

This just screams regression. I mean, no doubt he's improved. But I seriously doubt he's suddenly become a top-finisher in the league, when his entire career prior he had never displayed above-average finishing.

 

[My3Sons]

Yeah, I definitely feel like changing Buffalo's culture and getting guys that want to be there (as you mentioned in your prior post) is definitely in play with this contract. It can certainly be argued that Buffalo could've waited another year since he was already under contract for this upcoming season, but I'm sure it's nice for their young team to see that they're rewarding home grown talent (even though he was acquired via trade). Given the difficultly Buffalo has in attracting UFA's (a combo of the location and being a bottom team for so long), it's smart to lock up guys like this long-term versus risking him getting to UFA sooner.

Don't underestimate the value of buy in. It makes a big difference on a developing team. Look no further than the New Orleans Pelicans for how that works. One season removed from being one of the worst teams in the league with Zion Williamson playing to being a playoff team after a historically bad start even with missing Williamson all season. The difference was in the buy in. If Buffalo gets a core of guys that want to be there they will turn it around.

 

[SKNJD9]

 

[MadDevil]

Guerin should be a smartass and try to flip those future considerations in another trade.

 

[Brodeur]

Makes sense for both teams. Minnesota had seven D signed to one way deals, so somebody was going to be an expensive healthy scratch if they had retained everybody. Anaheim's left side was/is looking a little shallow: Fowler, Vaakanainen, Benoit, Mahura. Kulikov should be a decent enough placeholder there.

I wonder if Minnesota uses Kulikov's money towards a free agent forward. Their kinda light on right shot forwards, so maybe an Evan Rodrigues?

 

[My3Sons]

Makes sense for both teams. Minnesota had seven D signed to one way deals, so somebody was going to be an expensive healthy scratch if they had retained everybody. Anaheim's left side was/is looking a little shallow: Fowler, Vaakanainen, Benoit, Mahura. Kulikov should be a decent enough placeholder there.

I wonder if Minnesota uses Kulikov's money towards a free agent forward. Their kinda light on right shot forwards, so maybe an Evan Rodrigues?

I think Johnsson would fit right in on Minnesota. Yup, he should be their priority target.

 

[Bleedred]

Remember when people here wanted to re-sign Kulikov and give him and multi-year deal (Ryan Murray too, who was a healthy scratch all playoffs for Colorado and is a UFA and signed nowhere as of now) ourselves?

Clearly a missed opportunity, as we could have gotten future considerations for him, which could be a pretty big asset.