Speculation: Caps General Discussion (Coaching/FAs/Cap/Lines etc) - 2021 Off-Season Pt. 2

[Langway]

No GM is going to come out and say 'I hate this shitty flake motherf***er. Someone take this bitch off my hands.'

 

[g00n]

I guess you didnt just read the quote from him saying the exact opposite within the last few hours? The Kuznetsov rumor spun up from Elliot Friedmans 31 thoughts where he speculated they were ready to move on from him because they were "running out of patience." From that speculation you can find articles by the boatload on Google. Try searching from "Elliot Friedman Kuznetsov" and go wild.

What's he supposed to say right now? Something that sabotages his chances of trading Kuzy, or poisons the relationship if there's no trade?

The crap GMs and coaches say when they're trying to figure out what went wrong is more reliable than the disinfo and soundbites they lob during negotiations

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I think a 60-70 point season for Kuzy is a reasonable expectation, and would right in line with what $7.8M buys in free agency.

I'd say it's not so much the point totals, it's the attitude I'd be looking at. If he puts up 65 points while looking like he couldn't care less about winning faceoffs or defending, that's not good. He needs to look at what Backstrom does and work hard every shift. I'm not saying he needs to be as good as Backstrom in his own end, he just needs to try and bring his best every shift.

I know how it goes against the type of guy he is, but we could use his best hockey right now. It's the only way for us to contend again with the current core of players.

 

[txpd]

I guess you didnt just read the quote from him saying the exact opposite within the last few hours? The Kuznetsov rumor spun up from Elliot Friedmans 31 thoughts where he speculated they were ready to move on from him because they were "running out of patience." From that speculation you can find articles by the boatload on Google. Try searching from "Elliot Friedman Kuznetsov" and go wild.

I watched that video too. Its true. He never said he was trading Kuznetsov. Who does that? He said Kuznetsov was "hurting the team". He said if Kuzy wasn't going to play at this best, different "decisions would have to be made". Let me rephrase what he said after the playoffs. Kuzy is huring the team and if he doesnt cut it out we are going to make changes. Nowhere in there did I actually say he was trading Kuznetsov but the meaning remains pretty straight forward.

You tell me. Does "hurting the team" means something other than he is hurting the team?

 

[txpd]

I'd say it's not so much the point totals, it's the attitude I'd be looking at. If he puts up 65 points while looking like he couldn't care less about winning faceoffs or defending, that's not good. He needs to look at what Backstrom does and work hard every shift. I'm not saying he needs to be as good as Backstrom in his own end, he just needs to try and bring his best every shift.

I know how it goes against the type of guy he is, but we could use his best hockey right now. It's the only way for us to contend again with the current core of players.

A 60pt season is effectively no improvement at all over this past season.

 

[amjay13]

If they can get anything reasonably close to Kuzy I'd take it. I want him gone badly but they can't move him and not get a 2C back. Love Lars but he is a 3. I'd do Monahan for Kuzy straight up. I realize Kuzy is the superior player when engaged but his value is in the tank right now. Monahan has two years left at 6.125. That clears a little space and likely improves the team given what we've seen out of Kuzy since June 2018.

 

[txpd]

No GM is going to come out and say 'I hate this shitty flake motherf***er. Someone take this bitch off my hands.'

Why not? Isnt it done all the time? I guess I am just remembering McPhee throwing and agent out on his ass.

 

[Langway]

Why not? Isnt it done all the time? I guess I am just remembering McPhee throwing and agent out on his ass.

Maybe in the old days. It doesn't serve any purpose playing anything out through the media. It just deteriorates the situation further and burning bridges without outlets is foolish. They gave him the no trade protection so they sort of only have themselves to blame.

Safe to say they're not giving him away but I have no idea what a face-saving return would be, esp. if they don't want any sort of swap. No one's readily giving up prime futures to take on contracts. Just the opposite so any of these salary dumps have to involve a fairly desperate team and likely one that first must miss out in free agency. The timing quickly becomes problematic.

 

[Corby78]

Didn’t GMGM have a bad reputation with some agents? If memory serves it hurt him a bit in negotiations

 

[Melkor]

If one of those guys scores 50 goals and the other puts up 50 assists, you say no?

There will be no 50 goal seasons from a caps player going forward. You can bet on that.

 

[trick9]

I wonder how they are going to fix the cap situation now that the draft is gone. Makes no sense to trade Dillon or Schultz to picks anymore so they likely keep them or trade them for a cheaper downgrade. Another likely scenario is dumping a guy like Kempny or Hagelin but that’s going to cost assets again. But even that means they are basically bringing back the exactly same team as last season but weaker on few positions.

 

[g00n]

It depends on the competition. Are the other division teams getting stronger, weaker, or staying the same?

If the latter two then running back close to the same team is not a disastrous option.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

To me GMBMs comments mean 3 things:

A). They are interested in trading 92 but the situation isn’t dire enough to just make any move

B). The offers the received were underwhelming and they’re not interested in prospects/picks

C). They’re waiting to gauge UFA center interest before potentially trading him for assets. Could see them look at Danault and if he’s interested then revisit the picks/prospects options



Basically they’re not moving him without his replacement either coming back or being ready to sign

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Sure, they were serviceable but ultimately looked like players that could readily be had from the scrap heap. Very decent cap value in the regular season but nothing remotely special.

The issue here is that a.) 31 GMs know he needs to clear out space and b.) he's under the gun from a time standpoint if he wants to have the flexibility to sign free agents. He can exceed the cap in the off-season or hold off on an offical 8 extension announcement but it's risky getting forced into a corner. He also mentioned that Mantha is a RWer and presumably then Oshie is the 3RW (the later purely my conclusion but I think a logical one). Is that tenable? Is that the reluctant loss to get younger, add space and restructure? It's been alluded to very slightly I think and I wonder...

So who'll be playing 2 LW. I'm assuming you have Ovie at 1 LW and Sheary/? at 3 LW if Oshie is on the right side, and Hagelin at 4 LW. Can Sprong play LW?

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Fill in the 4th guy. The end of the forwards are Sheary and Sprong. Its one of them.

Schultz

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Exactly how I took comments last year. It was one article with no basis that mentioned the caps being done with his antics. No proof no nothing and people here just regurgitated it over and over and spun it up into this crazy thing because he's the current whipping boy. Kuzy ain't going anywhere unless it's an elite player coming back and with his value being a little down right now that very likely isn't happening.

It's got a lot more traction this go around in both the print and and other media formats. The one good thing for having an older team is that he's not influencing or poisoning younger players (except for Samsonov) and the older players will be less tolerable of his on/off ice antics. At the very least, he's on double secret probation.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

I guess you didnt just read the quote from him saying the exact opposite within the last few hours? The Kuznetsov rumor spun up from Elliot Friedmans 31 thoughts where he speculated they were ready to move on from him because they were "running out of patience." From that speculation you can find articles by the boatload on Google. Try searching from "Elliot Friedman Kuznetsov" and go wild.

You know what they say about rumors, the one sure thing about confirming them is when they've been denied.

 

[txpd]

Schultz

We are dumping Dillon, Kempny and Schultz? Alrighty then

 

[Random schmoe]

I wonder how they are going to fix the cap situation now that the draft is gone. Makes no sense to trade Dillon or Schultz to picks anymore so they likely keep them or trade them for a cheaper downgrade.

2022 draft?

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Didn’t GMGM have a bad reputation with some agents? If memory serves it hurt him a bit in negotiations

Would have to think that Bill Guerin might now have a similar reputation when it comes to signing UFAs. In the past year he's jettisoned Eric Staal to Buffalo and just bought out Parise and Suter. I think all three of them had originally signed with Minnesota as they wanted to finish their careers in Minnesota and be closer to their families.

 

[txpd]

Maybe in the old days. It doesn't serve any purpose playing anything out through the media. It just deteriorates the situation further and burning bridges without outlets is foolish. They gave him the no trade protection so they sort of only have themselves to blame.

Safe to say they're not giving him away but I have no idea what a face-saving return would be, esp. if they don't want any sort of swap. No one's readily giving up prime futures to take on contracts. Just the opposite so any of these salary dumps have to involve a fairly desperate team and likely one that first must miss out in free agency. The timing quickly becomes problematic.

That was sarcasm, Langer

 

[BiPolar Caps]

We are dumping Dillon, Kempny and Schultz? Alrighty then

I was responding to who your fourth player might be along with Kempny, Dillon and Hagelin.

 

[Holtbyisms]

So on one hand you're trying to convince me it's very blatantly obvious that BMac says he's trading Kuzy...then in the other you tell me there's no way he's flat out admit he's trading him. Which is it? I get it, everyone who's got anger seeds planted and wholeheartedly believe he was getting moved is disappointed now. Move on, find a way to route for the guy because we all knows he's talented when he's on. The return for a guy like him who's had a down year and ended up in the media for the wrong thing a couple times over the past couple years just isn't going to be there. If BMac pulls something crazy off, solves the cap problem and gets a good return that can contribute in the current window I'll admit I was wrong but logically I ain't seeing it.

 

[Skrudland2Lomakin]

So on one hand you're trying to convince me it's very blatantly obvious that BMac says he's trading Kuzy...then in the other you tell me there's no way he's flat out admit he's trading him. Which is it? I get it, everyone who's got anger seeds planted and wholeheartedly believe he was getting moved is disappointed now. Move on, find a way to route for the guy because we all knows he's talented when he's on. The return for a guy like him who's had a down year and ended up in the media for the wrong thing a couple times over the past couple years just isn't going to be there. If BMac pulls something crazy off, solves the cap problem and gets a good return that can contribute in the current window I'll admit I was wrong but logically I ain't seeing it.

It’s leverage, the moment you admit you’re trading Kuz the moment all value is lost. Teams will lowball you knowing you have to move him by a certain date and that he’s now discontent as you’ve admitted you dislike him.


I’d say there’s a 35% chance he’s on the team next year, and I think the Caps make it clear he’s not moving without the right price. The idea that he can be available but the value has to match will yield better results.


Saw a great breakdown on this being why the Ovie contract isn’t signed yet. Ideally if you’re trying to trade players like Kempny/Dillon/etc. you don’t want the partner to know you’re in dire cap situation. Once Ovie signs every team will know our cap problems and give us garbage offers because we have to take one.

 

[895]

Saw a great breakdown on this being why the Ovie contract isn’t signed yet. Ideally if you’re trying to trade players like Kempny/Dillon/etc. you don’t want the partner to know you’re in dire cap situation. Once Ovie signs every team will know our cap problems and give us garbage offers because we have to take one.

This assumes that all other GMs are too dumb to read capfriendly and put two and two together. If random people on the internet can do it, safe to say it isn't the reason.

Imo the real reason he hasn't been signed is to give some plausible deniability, no matter how small, that they didn't have a wink winl agreement before the expansion draft.

Now no one really believes that isn't true but no one can prove otherwise.