GDT: Free Agency Frenzy (July 1st @ 12pm ET)

[AlexModvechkin8]

Sign me up for some more Sprong.

 

[Calicaps]

Sign me up for some more Sprong.

wut?

 

[DukeDog13]

wut?

He's available for likely very cheap.

I'd be down as a third liner but we have more than enough depth there and really need someone for the 2nd line wing.

 

[Kazer]

I don't regret the TJ Oshie deal one bit. We got everything we could have hoped for out of him, he left it all on the ice for us every game, every year. He helped us win a Cup! If he's breaking down now at the finish line, I shake his hand, give him a huge long hug, and say "thanks for everything, you f***ing warrior". I'd sign that deal all over again 10 times in a row.

I agree with all of that - but keep in mind there are plenty of counter examples:
Milan Lucic signed 7 years 6 mil aav at 28 years old (8.2% of the cap when signed) and was putting up 3rd line numbers by his second season and 4th line numbers by the third (and had 4 more years left).
David Clarkson signed 7 years 5.25 aav at 29 years old (8.16% of the cap when signed) and played at a 4th line level for three years before LTIRetiring
Scott Gomez signed 7 years, 7.357 aav at 28 years old (14.63% of the cap when signed) and had a steady decline throughout (and never really lived up to being nearly 15% of the cap)
(and many more - James Neal, Ladd, Leino, Hanzal, etc.)

I would look at Oshie as more of an outlier rather than one you should rely on when signing late 20s forwards to long term contracts.

 

[um]

Sign me up for some more Sprong.

I like me some Sprong but... no blocking Lapierre/McMichael/Protas/Miro/Leonard (In April) please.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

wut?

I'm a Sprong guy. Love his speed and shot. The dude just scores goals. I know he is ass defensively but they could do worse for a spare forward who can put the puck in the net. He's also still only 27 years old. I'm not saying to sign him to term but if they can get him on a 1-year, low AAV deal I'm all for it.

 

[um]

I agree with all of that - but keep in mind there are plenty of counter examples:
Milan Lucic signed 7 years 6 mil aav at 28 years old (8.2% of the cap when signed) and was putting up 3rd line numbers by his second season and 4th line numbers by the third (and had 4 more years left).
David Clarkson signed 7 years 5.25 aav at 29 years old (8.16% of the cap when signed) and played at a 4th line level for three years before LTIRetiring
Scott Gomez signed 7 years, 7.357 aav at 28 years old (14.63% of the cap when signed) and had a steady decline throughout (and never really lived up to being nearly 15% of the cap)
(and many more - James Neal, Ladd, Leino, Hanzal, etc.)

I would look at Oshie as more of an outlier rather than one you should rely on when signing late 20s forwards to long term contracts.

How dare you compare Oshbeast to these scrubs.

Oshie has the heart of a lion.

 

[Kazer]

How dare you compare Oshbeast to these scrubs.

Oshie has the heart of a lion.

Actually, I called Oshie an 'outlier' which roughly translates to 'heart of a lion' in certain dialects.

It's just a risk/reward issue. Oshie delivered incredibly well against that contract. But that doesn't change the fact that it was risky. I will say though that if you're going to take that kind of risk I'd much rather do it on a player the team knows well (like Oshie who had been with the Caps for two full seasons at that point) than a UFA. At least that way you know the player and you know the fit.

 

[895]

I maintain there was no reason to not trade Oshie after 2018 or 2019 other than sentimentality. It's not like trading him would unwin the Cup. And it's not like I'm saying this in retrospect. I said this at the time and it was very unpopular. I'm sure you all remember.

Anyway, I love Oshie.

I feel like I have to say that at the end of every Oshie post because people think I don't.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

I'm a Sprong guy. Love his speed and shot. The dude just scores goals. I know he is ass defensively but they could do worse for a spare forward who can put the puck in the net. He's also still only 27 years old. I'm not saying to sign him to term but if they can get him on a 1-year, low AAV deal I'm all for it.

What's Jake the Snake up to these days. I think he's also a UFA.

 

[HTFN]

I'm a Sprong guy. Love his speed and shot. The dude just scores goals. I know he is ass defensively but they could do worse for a spare forward who can put the puck in the net. He's also still only 27 years old. I'm not saying to sign him to term but if they can get him on a 1-year, low AAV deal I'm all for it.

I agree with you in a vacuum on the player, we're talking about a guy who can eat like 20 scratches and pace for 20 goals... the question is if he's substantially different from Milano or if they both essentially fill the same role for the team. I only really see Sprong working in the same slots they'd fit Milano, and we could go back and forth over whether that's an upgrade but ultimately it's two roster spots to fill one specialized role and we might not even want Milano in there full-time anyway.

I wouldn't bring Sprong back in a way that substantially prevents a guy like Miro from call-up duty and based on the bodies they have I think that's about where it stands right now.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

What's Jake the Snake up to these days. I think he's also a UFA.

Getting his life together, hopefully. Sign him for Hershey and see if they can make him a reclamation project.

 

[Jags]

Getting his life together, hopefully. Sign him for Hershey and see if they can make him a reclamation project.

I wish him well, but I don't want him back here. It's not that I think it's a burned bridge or that he can't earn it, but with recent developments it's been pointed out that we already have a JC on this roster. That means Chychrun has to be the new Jake, leaving no room for the old one.

IF he somehow earns his way back, I suppose he can be JV or Vroom if he's still got wheels. But that's a big IF, all caps. #ALLCAPS

 

[um]

Actually, I called Oshie an 'outlier' which roughly translates to 'heart of a lion' in certain dialects.

It's just a risk/reward issue. Oshie delivered incredibly well against that contract. But that doesn't change the fact that it was risky. I will say though that if you're going to take that kind of risk I'd much rather do it on a player the team knows well (like Oshie who had been with the Caps for two full seasons at that point) than a UFA. At least that way you know the player and you know the fit.

Its wasn't risky. Caps were competing so they opted to give longer term for a lower Cap hit.

I'd say his contract has played exactly as expected. He was great for 4-5 years and we got our cup. Then the last 2-3 years have been not as good, but the team is now rebuilding. We knew this would happen when he signed. It's all pretty simple.

I maintain there was no reason to not trade Oshie after 2018 or 2019 other than sentimentality. It's not like trading him would unwin the Cup. And it's not like I'm saying this in retrospect. I said this at the time and it was very unpopular. I'm sure you all remember.

Anyway, I love Oshie.

I feel like I have to say that at the end of every Oshie post because people think I don't.

Oshie provided great value at the time. 5.75 was a bargain.

You crazy.

 

[Holtbyisms]

I wish him well, but I don't want him back here. It's not that I think it's a burned bridge or that he can't earn it, but with recent developments it's been pointed out that we already have a JC on this roster. That means Chychrun has to be the new Jake, leaving no room for the old one.

IF he somehow earns his way back, I suppose he can be JV or Vroom if he's still got wheels. But that's a big IF, all caps. #ALLCAPS

We've got a "Chick" or "Chicky" not a Jake. Still room.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I maintain there was no reason to not trade Oshie after 2018 or 2019 other than sentimentality. It's not like trading him would unwin the Cup. And it's not like I'm saying this in retrospect. I said this at the time and it was very unpopular. I'm sure you all remember.

Anyway, I love Oshie.

I feel like I have to say that at the end of every Oshie post because people think I don't.

No reason other than the entire culture of the room. Win a Cup immediately trade a heart and soul guy? That’s a classless organization. This isn’t fantasy hockey.

 

[g00n]

Talk about shitty atodaso takes

 

[Lou Sassole]

I tell sales reps and leaders on my team this all the time. Best time to plant Apple Tree = 20 years ago. Second best time = today.

Hindsight is always 20/20. But you learn and move on because there isn’t enough mental energy for doers to dwell on the past. That is a loser mindset. The winner mindset is learn from it and adjust and don’t make the same mistake twice.

management made a decision. I still don’t disagree with it. Who would have predicted COVID, which impacted people in a lot of different ways. Backstrom hip going to shit. Flat salary cap. Could have gone in a different direction. It didn’t. But let’s say GMBM has been planting bushes for short term coverage before he could plant the actual trees. that was done this year starting with Carbery, inserting youth, moving assets where appropriate, and then the moves the last 4 days. LFG!

Riordan was a huge part of the problem, that guy sucks. I'm convinced almost any other coach would've pulled more from our post cup squads that 1st year or 2
I's embarrassing that Kevin was our head coach for a couple years.

 

[Lou Sassole]

He has a good shot. I’ve seen him score with a big slapper walking the line in AZ. The Sens PP often worked it over to him for a one-timer in the right circle. Has a good wrister as well.

I’ll believe Carlson is off PP1 when I see it. But I like the idea of more shots coming from that right side to open up Ovi and whoever is in the bumper (Wilson?).

6th in goals by a defenseman over the last four seasons, so it's gotta be pretty good.

107+ mph good.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Sign me up for some more Bong.

FTFY

*This post was created by new AI chatbot ChatTHC

 

[57special]

I don't really view Duhaime as a match-up 4th liner though. He's been more of a sparkplug, an energy 4th liner. His game is much more about throwing everything out there with reckless abandon on the forecheck (and a fair bit of fighting). He's more of the 4th liner that you put up there to wear down your opponent's D and fire up your team with a big hit. He's much less of the guy you trust against top forwards to get the puck out of your zone and chew up 45 seconds with a keep-away cycle. Duhaime's line got absolutely crushed in their defensive deployments in Minnesota.

That being said, I would love if he can grow into a broader defensive role at even-strength. He's got PK experience (albeit PK and 5v5 defense are two different beats) and he's got good wheels. So it's possible he can develop that aspect of his game.

You've got him nailed almost exactly. He occasionally shows flashes of some really good hands... if he could ever get them to show up on a more regular basis then he'd be a steal. As is, a decent signing, who should be a regular 4th liner, though he has occasionally played up the lineup providing cover for two smaller, offensively minded skill players. He and Chychrun go back to youth hockey, also.

Duhaime is apparently quite the locker room favorite, or at least favorite target.