Around The NHL #6 - All About The Teams Not Ours.

[_Del_]

Remember when we were offering to let them turn two of those bad contracts into OEL if only they’d include the correct non-roster assets? Lol.

That's what I don't understand. Even if you think OEL will be an anchor in four years, you're punting the current cap problem for four yrs while you add a top defenseman. Obviously that was Benning's plan.
The fact Benning and fans were having Kesler flashbacks must have made him think he didn't have to step up to the plate. Incredibly dumb.
There was a play available to add a top D and actually clear cap space to let you fill out your roster. You just had to pay the price. And if the price was really only Demko and a first, Benning is an idiot, and so are the fans now reaping what they apparently wished for.
Completely threw away a year of Hughes and Petterson on ELC's that you can never get back.

 

[CLW]

Especially since capable goalies are a dime a dozen atm. Vancouver really tied themselves into knots for no reason.

 

[Grimes]

This is all so hilarious. Meanwhile we just get to keep a top 20 dman in the league and currently are about to roll out a roster the same roster that was top in the division into December but with a much grittier and difficult to play against bottom 6. In a condensed schedule I'm curious how this team can perform if it stays in the same form it is right now. Obviously more moves, especially around goaltending, can happen which makes the team worse off next season, but right now we look better than we did going into the 19-20 season.

 

[RABBIT]

I seriously wonder if he tries to circle back to OEL.

 

[Jamieh]

Montreal has had a great offseason.

 

[Grimes]

What teams in the West got significantly better this offseason?
Calgary
Vegas (if they add Pietrangelo)
Colorado - if you consider Saad a big enough top 6 upgrade.

Anyone else?

Vancouver - considerably worse
Minnesota - look to finally be embracing the tank
Blues - probably lose their top defenseman, but still have some nice adds in Krug and Clifford
EDM - really going to roll the dice on the same goaltending tandem and are missing Klefbom for part of the season. Reshuffle of the bottom 6
Nashville - still a strong team, but a year older and no significant upgrades

Those were the top 8 last year. If we keep the same team and play with more heart and have all-star versions of Kuemper and Raanta we could have a shot. If not start blowing it up around the deadline.

 

[_Del_]

I seriously wonder if he tries to circle back to OEL.

I predicted Wednesday if he struck out on free agency, and he's been way worse than I expected. He might be burning up Armstrong's phone already. BUT we're over the cap now. I doubt we're still offering to take a bad contract and net add to cap. So f 'em.
I do think Armstrong would still like to move OEL. I hope Benning is the one to do something stupid.

Goligoski is obviously a better defenseman, and they don't like OEL's term. Maybe we can get Demko and a first for Goose

In all seriousness, I bet you could get Sutter and a very nice pick or prospect. Maybe Goose and Fish for Sutter and Virtanen. Probably roughly cap neutral. Demers would be a good guy to hold somebody's hand if they are going with young defensemen. We can make a deal that adds Sutter and moves a vet D that nets us a good pick or prospect, I'm sure.

 

[Mosby]

#FireBenning is now trending on Twitter

 

[AZviaNJ]

Devon Toews to Colorado, very nice pick-up for the Avs. They're Kuemper-away from winning the Cup.

 

[XX]

#FireBenning is now trending on Twitter

Gustafsson off the board for $3m, Canucks couldn't be bothered to beat that.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Richardson to Nashville.

 

[moosemeister]

Richardson to Nashville.

Good for him. I hope he does well when he isn't playing AZ.

 

[XX]

Richardson to Nashville.

Him being pushed out while Goligoski, Stepan, Kessel etc.. are still kicking around feels shitty.

 

[_Del_]

Gustafsson off the board for $3m, Canucks couldn't be bothered to beat that.

Gustafsson is the one-dimensional, third pairing guy they didn't want... But he is really good with the puck. Three million short term is exactly what those guys should go for. If you're a one-dimensional defenseman, no matter how wizardly with the puck, that's about all I would give you. Look at how many have gone to crap for one reason or another (injury, coaching, etc) and then they are a complete drag on your team and cap situation.
Washington just gave Schultz $4M WITH term. Coming off a bad season. That's insane to me.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Him being pushed out while Goligoski, Stepan, Kessel etc.. are still kicking around feels shitty.

I get it sentimentally, but we upgraded his position with a younger, tougher player.

 

[_Del_]

Richard is a good utility guy. He looked completely done after he broke his leg. Then bounced back with insane career numbers the year before last which everyone knew he could never replicate. He's turning 36 midseason, and he has a LOT of hard miles on him. He's gritty enough, but with the focus on adding "prickly" to the lineup, you could pretty easily predict he and Hinostroza were done here. As "third line" centers go, I'd rather have him than Turris. Hynes should be happy.

 

[moosemeister]

Him being pushed out while Goligoski, Stepan, Kessel etc.. are still kicking around feels shitty.

Still a chance Goligoski and Stepan are traded.

Kessel is a boat anchor and I can't see us getting rid of him though. Good chance someone takes a flyer on Schmaltz too. Don't lose hope, three more months until the season starts.

 

[_Del_]

Walmark is another guy that could have been a utility guy with a little upside. Half the price of Janmark. Hawks grab both. It's a strange world...

 

[_Del_]

Ferland - Sutter - Eriksson
Roussel - Beagle - Motte
21.5M

vs

Cousins - Larsson - Fast
Verhaeghe - Richardson - Hinostroza
7.9

Second group costs a third of the amount and is better. Moral of the story is don’t give your bottom six term.

So there's that...

 

[TheLegend]

Pietrangelo signs with Vegas.

7 x $8.8M. Full NMC.

Vegas is now ~$7 million over the cap.

 

[XX]

How did nobody beat that?

 

[_Del_]

I think Schmidt is a little overrated by reputation, but he's a great dman. I can't believe he only brought in a third. Toews brought two 2nds. Bailed out Benning

 

[XX]

Good thing Tampa won the cup because untangling that mess is going to be insanely difficult after that trade.

 

[CLW]

I think Schmidt is a little overrated by reputation, but he's a great dman. I can't believe he only brought in a third. Toews brought two 2nds. Bailed out Benning

He had his own skin to save. Lucky break for him when he needed it the most.

 

[XX]

Brayden Point is only owed $3m cash and has no clauses. You could theoretically swing a Hayton+++ trade.