Friedman: Flyers interested in Nicolas Hague

[Hostile Offer]

The Habs are also rumored to be interested in Hague.

I don't know much about Hague but I can't really see a fit for yet another bottom four LHD. I guess his size is very appealing though.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

With the extra picks they have, it’s an obvious fit. Vegas may want actual prospects instead though, after trading so many away.

The Flyers also have to be careful, as that would give them 2 Dmen with arbitration rights, who likely win their cases. So they may have to overpay Hague and York this summer.

There’s lots of interest in Hague right now.

So... would York be available then?

 

[Gregor Samsa]

So... would York be available then?

It’s hard to tell but I doubt York is totally off the table. No clue what type of return he would get in a trade

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

It’s hard to tell but I doubt York is totally off the table. No clue what type of return he would get in a trade

I don't know either.

 

[Ford Prefect]

I sure wish the Flames were in on him too.

God, I miss Mike from Canmore

 

[SnS]

So... would York be available then?

God I hope not.

 

[ponder719]

So... would York be available then?

We're not well managed, so probably.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

It's Pagnotta, so take it for what it's worth, but supposedly Montreal, Pittsburgh, and Detroit are also interested.

 

[Nevins]

Dirt cheap Struble is overpayment considering he wants 4.5 million for a 15 point defenseman. Plus we have plenty of size and more coming from the AHL.

I'm not sure why HuGo thinks a zero offense defenseman is important for us and particularly in todays NHL. We had one in Savard and most of us wanted him gone.

And the majority of Vegas fans aren't impressed with Hague, who is seen as a 6th defenseman.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

A lot of teams will probably be interested in Hague, based on their projections of Vegas' Cap situation, his RFA status, potential offer sheet threats at the 2nd rounder level, and of course... SIZE.

It's not a bad situation actually for Vegas to just maximize asset value here. Matching his offer sheet or turning down a late 1st+ in a trade is NOT going to maximize his asset value to them as a bottom-pair D. They can snag the best bid, then sign somebody who can easily fill that role cheaper. Nice little opportunity for them I guess.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

A lot of teams will probably be interested in Hague, based on their projections of Vegas' Cap situation, his RFA status, potential offer sheet threats at the 2nd rounder level, and of course... SIZE.

It's not a bad situation actually for Vegas to just maximize asset value here. Matching his offer sheet or turning down a late 1st+ in a trade is NOT going to maximize his asset value to them as a bottom-pair D. They can snag the best bid, then sign somebody who can easily fill that role cheaper. Nice little opportunity for them I guess.

... Who in the world is giving a late 1st+ for Nic Hague?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

... Who in the world is giving a late 1st+ for Nic Hague?

Or, who in the world is paying him $4.67M a year and giving up an early 2nd via offer sheet? It's not that different, given many teams see late 1sts this year as somewhat reduced value.

We've had folks on the Nashville board ready to pay our #26 pick for him, for example.

It may well be insane for the player he ACTUALLY is. But I don't think everybody knows the player he actually is? "He's BIG" seems to cloud lots of judgements, even moreso at the NHL level than even the fan level, perhaps?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Or, who in the world is paying him $4.67M a year and giving up an early 2nd via offer sheet? It's not that different, given many teams see late 1sts this year as somewhat reduced value.

We've had folks on the Nashville board ready to pay our #26 pick for him, for example.

It may well be insane for the player he ACTUALLY is. But I don't think everybody knows the player he actually is? "He's BIG" seems to cloud lots of judgements, even moreso at the NHL level than even the fan level, perhaps?

Wait... So somebody's gonna pay a 1st so they don't have to offer sheet him the value of a second, which Vegas appears unwilling to match at far less than the $4.67M threshold?

Huh?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Wait... So somebody's gonna pay a 1st so they don't have to offer sheet him the value of a second, which Vegas appears unwilling to match at far less than the $4.67M threshold?

Huh?

You pay the late 1st in 2025 to beat out the other bids from the myriad teams lining up to bid on Hague. When the worst case bid could be an early 2nd in 2026 via offer sheet. The two might be "equivalent value" in some minds.

This all of course hinges on thinking that Hague is a player worth that range of value to begin with. If you're a Vegas fan, you might not see this. But other teams/fanbases are actually thinking this way.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

You pay the late 1st in 2025 to beat out the other bids from the myriad teams lining up to bid on Hague. When the worst case bid could be an early 2nd in 2026 via offer sheet. The two might be "equivalent value" in some minds.

This all of course hinges on thinking that Hague is a player worth that range of value to begin with. If you're a Vegas fan, you might not see this. But other teams/fanbases are actually thinking this way.

I don't think anybody is confusing Hague's RFA rights as something worth trading a 1st over.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I don't think anybody is confusing Hague's RFA rights as something worth trading a 1st over.

What do you mean? Teams absolutely do see Hague as a late 1st/early 2nd round value player.

Or wait, I don't have NHL GMs on speed-dial. But it has been a very common valuation from the media/fan zone anyway. And if anything NHL GMs lust even more about SIZE than fans do?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

What do you mean? Teams absolutely do see Hague as a late 1st/early 2nd round value player.

Or wait, I don't have NHL GMs on speed-dial. But it has been a very common valuation from the media/fan zone anyway. And if anything NHL GMs lust even more about SIZE than fans do?

I'll eat my hat if he returns a 1st.

Nobody's desperate enough to have Nic Hague that they'll bump a 2nd to a 1st to beat traffic.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I'll eat my hat if he returns a 1st.

Nobody's desperate enough to have Nic Hague that they'll bump a 2nd to a 1st to beat traffic.

It may well not happen, just because there are very very few teams with that draft capital in the current draft. Neither Montreal nor Pittsburgh has a corresponding pick. Nashville and Philadelphia do. Some Nashville fans WOULD sign up. I can't speak for Philadelphia. Who knows what the respective organizational braintrusts would think.

So... you probably don't have to buy the requisite salt and sauce for eating your hat. It probably won't actually work out that way. But teams WILL be a lot more interested in Hague than you seem to think?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

It may well not happen, just because there are very very few teams with that draft capital in the current draft. Neither Montreal nor Pittsburgh has a corresponding pick. Nashville and Philadelphia do. Some Nashville fans WOULD sign up. I can't speak for Philadelphia. Who knows what the respective organizational braintrusts would think.

So... you probably don't have to buy the requisite salt and sauce for eating your hat. It probably won't actually work out that way. But teams WILL be a lot more interested in Hague than you seem to think?

I have no doubt that there will be teams interested.

They're just not tripping over themselves to pay a 1st to make sure nobody else gets him.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I have no doubt that there will be teams interested.

They're just not tripping over themselves to pay a 1st to make sure nobody else gets him.

Do you think a team would offersheet him at $4.67M and a 2nd 2026 compensation level?

EDIT: This thread is about the Flyers being interested in him? They have the 31/32 pick, right? What's the difference between 2025 31/32 and 2026 35-45? If the Flyers want him, there is no difference to them.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Do you think a team would offersheet him at $4.67M and a 2nd 2026 compensation level?

Nah. Hague isn't worth that and Vegas is sitting on about $9.5M in cap with 9 forwards signed.

He can be had for less.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Nah. Hague isn't worth that and Vegas is sitting on about $9.5M in cap with 9 forwards signed.

He can be had for less.

So what do you think he can be "had for", and to whom?

 

[ponder719]

I can't speak for Philadelphia. Who knows what the respective organizational braintrusts would think.

The Flyers' braintrust averages about a third of a brain cell each, so yeah, I'd expect them to eagerly overpay for yet another third pairing guy because big.

 

[FerrisRox]

Do you think a team would offersheet him at $4.67M and a 2nd 2026 compensation level?

EDIT: This thread is about the Flyers being interested in him? They have the 31/32 pick, right? What's the difference between 2025 31/32 and 2026 35-45? If the Flyers want him, there is no difference to them.

No.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

The Flyers' braintrust averages about a third of a brain cell each, so yeah, I'd expect them to eagerly overpay for yet another third pairing guy because big.

Same as Nashville, alas.