I dont think it will take long before Sprong or Heinen gets bumped for Hoglander. Even if it just keeps a fire under their asses it makes us deeper and better.Gotta imagine this means they're leaning towards Hoglander back on Pettersson's wing over Sprong.
If he performs near last year, the contract makes him more trade-able IMO.Eh… would have used him as a trade chip. This org has had misses when it comes to signings like Mikheyev and Kuz.
Based on his numbers last year, and the fact he’s slated to start lower in the lineup based on practice lines, I think regression is far more likely.If he performs near last year, the contract makes him more trade-able IMO.
You think he's going to regress to worse than his rookie season?
That's just a bad take lmao.
24 goals and even if he doesn’t hit it again his contract was always going to reflect 24 goals. It’s a fair deal and potentially a great one
Maybe he won’t last long enough, in a Van uniform, for that to be proven true. A larger plan may explain the signing (which does seem early).If he scores 14 goals this year and we sign him next summer his contract would not reflect 24 goals.
He's ten times the forechecker and tight-quarters player that Sprong is and a much better defensive player.His SH% was unsustainable and he’s behind more depth than he was last year.
He’s a poor defensive player and is basically a smaller Sprong with some agitator in his game.
Healthy scratch in the playoffs and we haven’t seen him in an NHL game since then. I have no idea why we would sign this contract right now. It’s basically the Baertschi special.
The more I think about it, it’s getting clearer that management is forecasting out the plan into pretty fine detail into 2025-2026. The two big decisions going into that season are Garland and Demko, and there’s a real world where both of them are not on this team at the end of that period.Hm, interesting
Something’s got to give here. Filling out next year’s team with guys around the minimum (Willander, Bains, Raty, etc.) - the team is ~1.9MM over the cap if you re-sign Brock around 8MM, which seems conservative if he scores a lot again.
The one you look at is Garland, who’d be a pending UFA for 2026. Or, Myers - but NMC. Regardless, it’d likely have to be someone making 3+
They’ve got to be really smart with their cap structure in these OEL buyout years. Willander, Lekkerimaki, Raty - kind of need them all to be ready to go in not insignificant roles next year.