GDT: Free Agent... Frenzy? aka "Let's get some guys to help Celebrini maybe" | Coverage on NHL Network, TSN, Sportsnet

[BillR10]

Probably pretty close to the same. Celebrini (if he signs) and Smith are better on balance than Hertl on his own without the broken corpse of Couture. Hoffman and Labanc and the lost wings outside of Duclair were mostly trash anyways.

Assuming Cooch isn't healthy and Celebrini signs we're probably looking at something vaguely like:

Eklund - Celebrini- Toffoli
Granlund - Smith - Zetterlund
Kostin - Wennberg- Goodrow
Kunin - Sturm - Graf

Ferraro - Rutta
Walman - Benning
Vlasic - Thompson?

Blackwood
Vanacek

That's still pretty bad, especially on the blueline, but those forward lines are pretty close to "sorta halfway acceptable if you squint really hard and also recognize this is a crap team that's still gonna tank for at least next season"

Probably not enough to win a lot more games, but at least better enough to not get boat raced 10-1 a bunch of times.

I think Graf needs an amazing camp to make the team barring trades. Grundlund, Dellandria and Egor I think will have a look before Graf

 

[mogambomoroo]

Who’s still out there that we’d even want? I don’t see anyone, so I’m glad Grier isn’t planning on signing any more depth players.

I wished a 1-year prove it deal for Boqvist or Brannström. Veteran deal for Schmidt would be a nice too.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I think Graf needs an amazing camp to make the team barring trades. Grundlund, Dellandria and Egor I think will have a look before Graf

I’d like to see Graf dominate the AHL this year if he can. I’m not convinced, but I’d like to see him get big minutes on the Cuda to prove he’s an NHL prospect.

I wished a 1-year prove it deal for Boqvist or Brannström. Veteran deal for Schmidt would be a nice too.

Would you consider either of those “significant”? He didn’t say there would be no more signings, just no more “significant” signings.

 

[mogambomoroo]

I’d like to see Graf dominate the AHL this year if he can. I’m not convinced, but I’d like to see him get big minutes on the Cuda to prove he’s an NHL prospect.


Would you consider either of those “significant”? He didn’t say there would be no more signings, just no more “significant” signings.

I understood it as MG is done with NHL deals, probably goes to sign his RFA deals with couple AHL deals. But hopefully I'm wrong and he signs one of the ones I mentioned.

 

[Juxtaposer]

I understood it as MG is done with NHL deals, probably goes to sign his RFA deals with couple AHL deals. But hopefully I'm wrong and he signs one of the ones I mentioned.

Definitely open to interpretation. I just wouldn’t be surprised if there was a reclamation project sort of signing. Or maybe I would be, considering how bad all the reclamation projects were last season…

 

[The Nemesis]

I think Graf needs an amazing camp to make the team barring trades. Grundlund, Dellandria and Egor I think will have a look before Graf

Yeah, I forgot about the RFAs I should've slotted in Dellandrea and probably Afanasyev up front and Emberson on the blueline.

 

[Alaskanice]

I understood it as MG is done with NHL deals, probably goes to sign his RFA deals with couple AHL deals. But hopefully I'm wrong and he signs one of the ones I mentioned.

I think it means trades are the other avenues.

 

[Patty Ice]

If I'm Grier, I'm hitting up Nashville about Fabbro. They are a bit over the cap at this point. Offer one or two of our other 2020 draftees to go along with Ozzy.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807888643073495233

 

[OrrNumber4]

The way that I think about Graf, the way someone put it to me...if the Sharks had drafted Graf with a late first-rounder in 2021, and he proceeded to have the same profile otherwise, wouldn't he essentially be penciled into a bottom-six role for 2024-2025?

 

[sampler]

So it seems like we will have an entertaining training camp...

Currently a logjam at forward once RFAs are signed. per cap friendly, we will have potentially 18 forwards including cooch if healthy and celebrini if he goes pro.

We wont carry more than 14 on a given night. So, at least 4 will need to be sent down. Who are they? If Cooch is unhealthy, thats one. G Smith? 2. I expect Bordy sent down. 3. Maybe graf? or celly stays at BU?

I wonder if the next move is to go after Necas from Carolina?? they have just 10M in space left with necas and jarvis needing to be resigned as both will require 5+ I would expect. Wonder if Grier can get some more talent via trade?

Either way, we have a logjam at F, so clearly gunna be a lot of competition and a very young, stacked AHL team.

The way that I think about Graf, the way someone put it to me...if the Sharks had drafted Graf with a late first-rounder in 2021, and he proceeded to have the same profile otherwise, wouldn't he essentially be penciled into a bottom-six role for 2024-2025?

I think part of the deal with Graf is that they promised him an NHL look to sign there. Im sure they dont owe him forever, but I would be surprised if they start him in the AHL since he was such a highly saught after college FA and the sharks got him on the premise that he'll get to play in the NHL.

The way that I think about Graf, the way someone put it to me...if the Sharks had drafted Graf with a late first-rounder in 2021, and he proceeded to have the same profile otherwise, wouldn't he essentially be penciled into a bottom-six role for 2024-2025?

I think part of the deal with Graf is that they promised him an NHL look to sign there. Im sure they dont owe him forever, but I would be surprised if they start him in the AHL since he was such a highly saught after college FA and the sharks got him on the premise that he'll get to play in the NHL.

 

[rekrul]

Probably pretty close to the same. Celebrini (if he signs) and Smith are better on balance than Hertl on his own without the broken corpse of Couture. Hoffman and Labanc and the lost wings outside of Duclair were mostly trash anyways.

Assuming Cooch isn't healthy and Celebrini signs we're probably looking at something vaguely like:

Eklund - Celebrini- Toffoli
Granlund - Smith - Zetterlund
Kostin - Wennberg- Goodrow
Kunin - Sturm - Graf

Ferraro - Rutta
Walman - Benning
Vlasic - Thompson?

Blackwood
Vanacek

That's still pretty bad, especially on the blueline, but those forward lines are pretty close to "sorta halfway acceptable if you squint really hard and also recognize this is a crap team that's still gonna tank for at least next season"

Probably not enough to win a lot more games, but at least better enough to not get boat raced 10-1 a bunch of times.

If Vegas and Seattle found fringe players and got enough to be respectable in an expansion draft, it seems there is still enough talent that GMMG's team could find with the promise of playing time, a bit extra $$ for two years term. Its how they got Graf to choose the sharks. Got to think they have some better options than than another crummy year 50pts.

 

[gaucholoco3]

If Vegas and Seattle found fringe players and got enough to be respectable in an expansion draft, it seems there is still enough talent that GMMG's team could find with the promise of playing time, a bit extra $$ for two years term. Its how they got Graf to choose the sharks. Got to think they have some better options than than another crummy year 50pts.

Everyone who is upset about a 50 point season needs to understand this was the most successful and important 12 months in Sharks history.

 

[landshark]

If Vegas and Seattle found fringe players and got enough to be respectable in an expansion draft, it seems there is still enough talent that GMMG's team could find with the promise of playing time, a bit extra $$ for two years term. Its how they got Graf to choose the sharks. Got to think they have some better options than than another crummy year 50pts.

They had clean slates, no baggage. Vegas got to take everyone to school on a new exposure/expansion draft situation, fear ran rampant among GMs for extra protection slots etc. Seattle still had a clean slate to work with and some leverage with a brand new market. Washington state has no state income tax... What's San Jose got going for it really? If you wanted to attract young millionaires that didn't NEED to live there to collect their millions?

 

[rekrul]

Everyone who is upset about a 50 point season needs to understand this was the most successful and important 12 months in Sharks history.

no kidding, 23-24 got them a huge windfall in talent. Now they have a new coach and some youthful talent, we don't need to have a repeat of a opening season 10 game losing streak or get run out of the rink 10-2 every few weeks. Why did they fire the coach if they want to be the worst in the league again? Build some sort of identity, even if its only marginally better. And I would think they could do the really hard work and find a little more talent to build around the upcoming youth.

 

[TheBigDrunkPanda]

I’d like to see Graf dominate the AHL this year if he can. I’m not convinced, but I’d like to see him get big minutes on the Cuda to prove he’s an NHL prospect.


Would you consider either of those “significant”? He didn’t say there would be no more signings, just no more “significant” signings.

Yeah I’m not really sold on Graf being more then a fringe player, hopefully he starts with Cuda and proves us wrong.

Griers doing his normal signing all the stray 3/4 liners now maybe there’s a deal in place with the Rags too

 

[Barrie22]

100 players signed worth 1 billion dollars today.

 

[STL Shark]

Because it’s mid as hell? Bunch of 35 year olds and no real centers isn’t exactly my idea of a good time.


I think Carrier is a tier above those guys.

Nothing about his profile says that though (which is why he got paid comparably to those guys).

 

[Hodge]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807947241111306497

I don't understand why Drury won't just put him on waivers and be done with it. Is he trying to win the Rangers a Cup or not?

 

[weastern bias]

I don't understand why Drury won't just put him on waivers and be done with it. Is he trying to win the Rangers a Cup or not?

When keeping it real goes wrong

 

[STL Shark]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807947241111306497

I don't understand why Drury won't just put him on waivers and be done with it. Is he trying to win the Rangers a Cup or not?

What is he going to realistically spend that cap money on though? The UFAs available don't move the needle and they have enough room right now to re-sign Lindgren ($5M) and Schneider ($2M) while staying under the cap (and upgraded Goodrow to Reilly Smith at the same cap hit). It appears more of a next offseason issue with lots of deals expiring on key guys rather than a this offseason issue.

 

[matt trick]

I had hoped to pick up Trouba. I knew his wife was a Dr., but didn't realize it was residency, or that they had a 9 month old. With that in mind, I'd leave the guy be. He could really help San Jose, but that's complicated enough that I imagine you're better off not getting involved.

 

[matt trick]

Also, I'm fired up on Dickinson, but I think Pitt is going to be bad (maybe 6-10?). They don't look better, pretty close to the cap, another year older, no Guentzel.

San Jose, Columbus, Anaheim, Montreal, and Calgary look pretty poor. After that, I'd say Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Buffalo, Detroit, and Ottawa are the worst.

 

[Jargon]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807947241111306497

I don't understand why Drury won't just put him on waivers and be done with it. Is he trying to win the Rangers a Cup or not?

I definitely don’t want to kidnap him now.

 

[weastern bias]

Like Trouba is the only NHL player who has a family with commitments outside the game

I don't give a f***, kidnap him, kidnap him now

 

[themelkman]

Zero interest in taking Trouba. I think he deserves to stay in NYC as per the trade protections he negotiated.

If teams give guys NMC and NTC they are agreeing to give that player agency over their future and cannot expect them to fold it because “your cap too high we want a shiny toy!!!”