Around the NHL 2024-2025

[Brian39]

If a team has a chance and the cap space to acquire a top goalie it's certainly not a bad move to do so. And if you've already got a top goalie, it's probably even harder to let him go, especially over a couple million dollars. It's not like these guys are available very often.

I'm really curious to see what the Rangers do. I think their Cup window closes if they lose Shesterkin.

Panarin is 32 and 2 years left on his deal. Zibanejad and Trocheck are 31 with 4 years left on their deals. Kreider is 33 with 3 years left on his deal. They have a lot of good younger players too, but I have a hard time believing they can contend in the last 1-3 years of those deals without an elite goalie.

There has to be a line in the sand, but I'm having a hard time figuring out a dollar amount that will be such an overpay that it makes them worse than him leaving in the next 3-4 years. I'd love to know exactly what Shesterkin is asking for.

 

[Stealth JD]

If Shersterkin wants more than $11M, I would give him 5-yrs max. Preferrably 4.

$14M x 4 or $13M x 5 would be my BAFO if I'm Drury. He'd be foolish to offer bigger money than $11M on a full 8-yr term.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

If Shersterkin wants more than $11M, I would give him 5-yrs max. Preferrably 4.

$14M x 4 or $13M x 5 would be my BAFO if I'm Drury. He'd be foolish to offer bigger money than $11M on a full 8-yr term.

It's blackmail. Pay me this, or else.

 

[Xerloris]

Marchessault led Vegas in goals, trailed Eichel by just 1 point, and won the Conn Smythe in 2023. He has never been viewed as a truly elite player and he just got $5.5M in UFA (after being a $5M player on a long term deal with Vegas).

Verhaege just led the Panthers in goals in their Cup run and trailed Tkachuk/Barkov by just 1 point. He was also a stud on their run to the Final the year before. He was making $4.1M and those performances got him a $7M AAV extension that doesn't kick in until next season when the cap will be above $90M.

Just using this as an example. I keep seeing people saying oh poor McDavid he wants to win sooooo badly but what I see is a douche bag that wanted money over winning. You can't have the depth to win unless some people take team friendly deals. ( Losing Holloway and Broberg as an example ) So what I see from your post is that you could say These 2 players actually truly did want to win so badly that they took team friendly deals and I would prefer to have these players over a McDavid or Drai and especially a Shesterkin any day. This is not basketball where your star player can technicaly play 90% of the game and control the game. You actually need an entire team in hockey to be competitive.

No point being made against you Brian but just saying something outloud.

 

[Brian39]

If Shersterkin wants more than $11M, I would give him 5-yrs max. Preferrably 4.

$14M x 4 or $13M x 5 would be my BAFO if I'm Drury. He'd be foolish to offer bigger money than $11M on a full 8-yr term.

I assume that those would both be immediate rejections from the Shesterkin camp since they are both $20M+ less than what he already rejected. I do wonder if a 7 year term could make some progress though. If he is looking to get an AAV higher than Panarin's, it would be perfectly reasonable for the Rangers to start shaving term since they could only give Panarin 7 years and he was a couple years younger at the time of signing.

$11.714M x 7 would be just $6M shy of the $88M they offered on an 8 year deal. It would still make him the highest paid active goalie, the highest goalie AAV ever, the highest paid Ranger, and it is plausible that he will still be good enough at 36 years old to get a few million dollars in an NHL with a cap in the $110M range (or a KHL retirement tour). He very likely wouldn't make back the full $6M difference between this deal and the $88M he turned down,. but a $3-$4M deal seems possible. It would be leaving some money on the table compared to the $88M, but it would make him the franchise's highest paid player if that is a goal of his.

$12.15M x 7 would be more total dollars than Price got and would only be $3M shy of the $88M already offered.

 

[Frenzy31]

I merely stated that Binnington, like Swayman, is a headcase; none of you can deny that calling Swayman a headcase without saying Binnington is one as well is a bit hypocritical. Ed Belfour was also a headcase, and I'm pretty sure a lot of die-hard Blues fans (if not every die-hard Blues fan) - as well as many, many fans from other teams - hated him for it.

I just prefer to have no drama with the players on the team I cheer for, you know?

I don’t see it as drama. I think it is reactive and not really planned a head of time. I want players who get pissed when they lose.

To quote Shorsey: “They don’t hate to lose”

I think Bimmer is a Hate to lose guy. I don’t care one way or the other for antics. I care about how you are in the lockerroom. And do you bring your A game on a regular basis.

He was the best player on the team last year. Argueably the best player when we won the cup. While he would have a bad game, he would also come right back the next and shut the other team down.

 

[TheOrganist]

The Binnington contract is probably the best thing Armstrong did during the worst stretch of his GM tenure from summer of 2020-2022. Lot of people bitching about that deal at the time. Aged very well.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Any goalie at 12-13M is stupid.

 

[Fez Whatley]

Any goalie at 12-13M is stupid.

Zackly! That's two Binningtons worth.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Zackly! That's two Binningtons worth.

Or a Binnington and a real bottom-six lineup. Drury is stupid. As much as I love the NYR, they are a poorly run organization.

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Edmonton's pillaged defense not looking so good. Losing 5-0 to the Jets. Skinner pulled.

Four-giev doing what he does for the Avalanche. He's given up 4 goals in about 26 minutes. 14 shots.

 

[BlueOil]

Edmonton's pillaged defense not looking so good. Losing 5-0 to the Jets. Skinner pulled.

Four-giev doing what he does for the Avalanche. He's given up 4 goals in about 26 minutes. 14 shots.

5 goals on 15 now, dude is leaving the entire shortside open all night, love it

 

[PocketNines]

What a frustrating night for Canada's three greatest fan bases:

Toronto loses to archrival in 48 save shutout
Edmonton clowntrounced at home
Vancouver massive choke and OT loss

Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary fans happy


Bonus: that Colorado game, which Barbashev & Eichel dominated

 

[TheOrganist]

Not sure what to make of Vegas this year...offense looks very top heavy and injury prone but the D is still pretty elite, for one more year at least.

 

[Stealth JD]

Sabres are such ass. Just had a lengthy 5-on-3 power-play versus the Kings and could barely mount an attack due to dumb passes and lousy shot selection. I have no idea how they can be as bad as they are with so many years of finishing at the league bottom and drafting high. They've got very little star power as well; with Dahlin and Thompson being a pretty 'meh' top of the roster. Ruff should be a Jack Adams finalist if he can get this squad in the playoff hunt.

 

[DoubleK81]

OZ delay of game penalty on Marchand is the greatest thing i've ever seen.

 

[DoubleK81]

Seeing Tarasenko in a Detroit jersey is disgusting.

 

[BlueDream]

Sabres are such ass. Just had a lengthy 5-on-3 power-play versus the Kings and could barely mount an attack due to dumb passes and lousy shot selection. I have no idea how they can be as bad as they are with so many years of finishing at the league bottom and drafting high. They've got very little star power as well; with Dahlin and Thompson being a pretty 'meh' top of the roster. Ruff should be a Jack Adams finalist if he can get this squad in the playoff hunt.

I didn’t really understand them bringing Ruff back. I know his history in Buffalo but he seems like an over the hill coach at this point.

Not surprised to see them off to a bad start and I think it will be another bad year for them.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Edmonton's pillaged defense not looking so good. Losing 5-0 to the Jets. Skinner pulled.

Four-giev doing what he does for the Avalanche. He's given up 4 goals in about 26 minutes. 14 shots.

Maybe Edmonton is trying to replicate last season with another shitty start?

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Delete

 

[Brian39]

Sabres are such ass. Just had a lengthy 5-on-3 power-play versus the Kings and could barely mount an attack due to dumb passes and lousy shot selection. I have no idea how they can be as bad as they are with so many years of finishing at the league bottom and drafting high. They've got very little star power as well; with Dahlin and Thompson being a pretty 'meh' top of the roster. Ruff should be a Jack Adams finalist if he can get this squad in the playoff hunt.

Kevyn Adams basically undid their first scorched Earth rebuild. They picked 12th and 8th in the first 2 seasons of the playoff drought. Good picks, but not the 'bottom of the league' style rebuild. Then they really tanked and drafted 2nd overall in 2014 and 2015. Then they slightly improved and picked 8th overall in 2016 and 2017.

Now, there was plenty of mismanagement before Adams became GM in 2020. Bad picks, bad development, alienating players, etc. Those 8th overalls haven't panned out as hoped either and that isn't all his fault.

But the fact of the matter is that in 2021 Adams traded both of those #2 overall picks. Those trades are now 3 years old and none of the assets returned have become true difference makers. Tuch has been a good fit, but isn't a star. Krebs hasn't developed as hoped and is on their 4th line. I believe that Levi will be a stud, but he's still growing and likely won't be one this season. The picks they got in the deals are still developing. Both the guys have since won Cups playing top line minutes on their new teams.

This is the 5th season under Adams and I have a hard time believing that there is much more patience for his plan of essentially re-starting the rebuild around the Dahlin/Powers picks. I can't see him lasting beyond this season if the are bad again. That is a team that views itself as ready to make the playoffs and their season is already staring down 'must win' games in the 2nd week of the season. They are 0-3 while two-thirds of the league has played 0 or 1 game. They have the Panthers tomorrow night and then their next game is a national TNT broadcast on the road. What will the panic level be if they lose to Florida tomorrow and enter that game already in a 5 point hole from the playoff cut line?

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

Buffalo is a team I wouldn't mind seeing struggle so we have the opportunity to pillage a good young player from them as they look to shake up an already young core that doesn't appear to be working well together.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Kevyn Adams basically undid their first scorched Earth rebuild. They picked 12th and 8th in the first 2 seasons of the playoff drought. Good picks, but not the 'bottom of the league' style rebuild. Then they really tanked and drafted 2nd overall in 2014 and 2015. Then they slightly improved and picked 8th overall in 2016 and 2017.

Now, there was plenty of mismanagement before Adams became GM in 2020. Bad picks, bad development, alienating players, etc. Those 8th overalls haven't panned out as hoped either and that isn't all his fault.

But the fact of the matter is that in 2021 Adams traded both of those #2 overall picks. Those trades are now 3 years old and none of the assets returned have become true difference makers. Tuch has been a good fit, but isn't a star. Krebs hasn't developed as hoped and is on their 4th line. I believe that Levi will be a stud, but he's still growing and likely won't be one this season. The picks they got in the deals are still developing. Both the guys have since won Cups playing top line minutes on their new teams.

This is the 5th season under Adams and I have a hard time believing that there is much more patience for his plan of essentially re-starting the rebuild around the Dahlin/Powers picks. I can't see him lasting beyond this season if the are bad again. That is a team that views itself as ready to make the playoffs and their season is already staring down 'must win' games in the 2nd week of the season. They are 0-3 while two-thirds of the league has played 0 or 1 game. They have the Panthers tomorrow night and then their next game is a national TNT broadcast on the road. What will the panic level be if they lose to Florida tomorrow and enter that game already in a 5 point hole from the playoff cut line?

Hiring Ruff again is not a very inspiring move. I don’t see that franchise moving forward. Would hurt to be a fan.

 

[Brian39]

Buffalo is a team I wouldn't mind seeing struggle so we have the opportunity to pillage a good young player from them as they look to shake up an already young core that doesn't appear to be working well together.

Yup.

I doubt that Dahlin/Powers ever become available, but I could see Byram, Samuelsson, Tage, and Cozens all potentially being on the table if things go really poorly.

 

[stl76]

I didn’t really understand them bringing Ruff back. I know his history in Buffalo but he seems like an over the hill coach at this point.

Not surprised to see them off to a bad start and I think it will be another bad year for them.

Total and complete head scratcher. No idea what they were thinking.