GDT: Free Agent Frenzy

[ShanahanMan]

Yzerman refused media availability today. That’s pretty telling.

 

[Chris Langlois]

Yzerman refused media availability today. That’s pretty telling.

Did he actually? Do you know this? Or maybe he isn't doing an interview yet because he isn't done yet? Who knows but let's not make things up.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Did he actually? Do you know this? Or maybe he isn't doing an interview yet because he isn't done yet? Who knows but let's not make things up.

You’re replying to the board’s biggest troll.

I'll wait and see what he does via trades now but so far I'm extremely unimpressed this is supposed to be the year we take a big step forward and instead we did nothing because Yzerman was to scared to hand out money to star players and insists on spending all that money on garbage players on 2-3 year deals. Like at least bring back spring ffs

Star players? Who?

 

[Henkka]

Let insane people believe in conspiracies.

Is there some development camp videos to watch?

Can't just read anymore about this whine-fest. My own salary cap limit for other people's whining like babies - is full.

You’re replying to the board’s biggest troll.

Star players? Who?

It's funny how he have now 2.5M in cap space, when taking the oncoming RFA deal in account.

So it's kind of the Kane bonuses left fit to this year or, going straight after a 6.5M player instead of Kane.

Maybe we lost Chandler Stephenson, the STAR player and his 7-year, 6.25M deal on this free agency.

Yzerman should get fired, instead of signing Kane, and missing Stephenson.

"7-year contract for a 30-year old" seemed to be the most common deal at this free agency. Wasn't Abdelkader a model contract for that?

Lots of buyouts coming after 5-6 years for those guys.

 

[Pavels Dog]

This is pretty spot on. The sad reality is that we aren't even through this rebuild, and it looks like we need already need to rebuild again. This rebuild has been smoke and mirrors for a few years. Yes Detroit has improved every year, but it hasn't been organically. Literally any team at the bottom of the league could have singed Copp/Perron/Ghost/or any other veteran player and gotten out of the bottom and still not made the playoffs.

You say this but seem upset that Yzerman didn’t sign middling players to 3-8 year contracts in order to block every prospect forever.

 

[RRhoads]

I'll wait and see what he does via trades now but so far I'm extremely unimpressed this is supposed to be the year we take a big step forward

With about 14M increased cap hit for two of our players, I did not expect this year to be big leap forward.

 

[Ulysses31]

not upset wasnt a bit splash in UFAs, walman trade seems baffling tho, figured there was a good reason he was dealt and IMO UFAs they acquired aint it

 

[RRhoads]

not upset wasnt a bit splash in UFAs, walman trade seems baffling tho, figured there was a good reason he was dealt and IMO UFAs they acquired aint it

I think Walman being dealt made Kane possible.

 

[Henkka]

All the long-term deals made, for the oldest players at contract ends:

G Juuse Saros, 30-year old, 8-year extension, 7.74M. 37-year old at end of the deal.

RD Chris Tanev, 34-year old, 6-years, 4.5M. 40-year old at end of the deal.
LD Jaccob Slavin, 31-year old, 8-years, 6.5M. 38-year old at end of the deal.
RD Brandon Montour, 30-year old, 7-years, 7.0M. 37-year old at end of the deal.
LD Brady Skjei, 30-year old, 7-years, 7.0M. 37-year old at end of the deal.
RD Matt Roy, 29-year old, 7-years, 5.75M. 36-year old at end of the deal.
RD Brett Pesce, 29-year old, 6-years, 5.5M. 35-year old at end of the deal.
LD Nikita Zadorov, 29-year old, 6-years, 5.0M. 35-year old at end of the deal.

C Chandler Stephenson, 30-year old, 7-years, 6.25M. 37-year old at end of the deal.
C Elias Lindholm, 29-year old. 7-years, 7.75M, 36-year old at end of the deal.
C Sean Monahan, 29-year old. 5-years, 5.5M, 34-year old at end of the deal.

RW Jonathan Marchessault, 33-year old. 5-years, 5.5M, 38-year old at end of the deal.
F Steven Stamkos, 34-year old. 4-years, 8.0M, 38-year old at end of the deal.
RW Sam Reinhart, 28-year old. 8-years, 8.625M, 36-year old at end of the deal.
LW Jake Guentzel, 30-year old. 7-years, 9.0M, 36-year old at end of the deal.
RW Tyler Toffoli, 32-year old. 4-years, 6.0M, 36-year old at end of the deal.
LW Jake DeBrusk, 27-year old. 7-years, 5.5M. 34-year old at end of the deal.

Also not sure if that earlier Mark Scheifele deal is any more smarter than these free agency deals.

C Mark Scheifele, 31-year old. 7-years, 8.5M, 38-year old at end of the deal.

 

[DoMakc]

I understand that it is just first day and there is still time to do business, but what is possible now, since almost everybody is signed, trades?

From how I see it there are several issues still not addressed:

- At lease one, maybe two Top 4 defensemen are missing. It looks like the plan A was Trouba and there was no Plan B. Maybe Johansson is supposed to be one now. I think that Roy or Walker contracts were reasnoble and they should have done one of those instead of Gustafsson
- On the other hand we still have a lot of bad defensemen
- At least one Top 4 is missing, I hope Fabbri is not counted as one. Maybe Mazur or Berggren are, but this does not seem like Yzerman's approach
- There are still way too many defensively challanged forwards - team defense is still going to be an issue
- There still be a line which is going to be created as "not playing on tpo lines and cannot defend" which will require a lot line matching

It is still possible to trade for somebody like Ehlers or Buchnevich, maybe also getting rid of somebody like Fabbri in process in oder to improve team defense and have lines with purpose. I'm not sure there is a plan how to improve D.

 

[DamonDRW]

Lots of buyouts coming after 5-6 years for those guys.

I think it is going to happen way sooner. Yesterday reminded me of that year when Ladd, Eriksson, and Okposo signed their contracts.

 

[Ulysses31]

I think Walman being dealt made Kane possible.

i don't see that at all, they have over 20 mil in cap still n spent 2mil on a d-man who was a lateral move at best

 

[Henkka]

I understand that it is just first day and there is still time to do business, but what is possible now, since almost everybody is signed, trades?

From how I see it there are several issues still not addressed:

- At lease one, maybe two Top 4 defensemen are missing. It looks like the plan A was Trouba and there was no Plan B. Maybe Johansson is supposed to be one now. I think that Roy or Walker contracts were reasnoble and they should have done one of those instead of Gustafsson

I'm not sure there is a plan how to improve D.

There has been rumours about Ekblad, Faulk etc. other right-haded defencemen since.

Let Yzerman talk and negotiate. He'll find a way.

 

[Henkka]

I think Walman being dealt made Kane possible.

That's what happened. We would be going over the cap with Seider & Raymond deals, if Walman is still there.

To avoid going over the cap, would be doing short-term deals for those both. Bridge another, maybe Raymond.

Yzerman wisely used the only big money for Kane, and making that 2.5M bonus slide possible, to open cap space (from next year). And opened 3.4M cap space with Walman, and also opened 2.0M of cap space with getting rid of Kostin, already at the last deadline.

So all in all, he had to open 7.9M of cap space.

 

[Ulysses31]

That's what happened. We would be going over the cap with Seider & Raymond deals, if Walman is still there.

To avoid going over the cap, would be doing short-term deals for those both. Bridge another, maybe Raymond.

Yzerman wisely used the only big money for Kane, and making that 2.5M bonus slide possible, to open cap space (from next year). And opened 3.4M cap space with Walman, and also opened 2.0M of cap space with getting rid of Kostin, already at the last deadline.

So all in all, he had to open 7.9M of cap space.

thats not correct, all that would be possible with walmn instead of gustafsson

 

[Henkka]

thats not correct, all that would be possible with walmn instead of gustafsson

Better improve the team, with cheaper and better player. Also good mentoring fit for young swedes.

Walman was not a fit on special teams, because there was more need for a PP QB. There was so many multiple factors like Walman's advanced stats, or behind the scenes things, and bad special team fits to current core, that everybody should understand why he is gone.

 

[norrisnick]

This is pretty spot on. The sad reality is that we aren't even through this rebuild, and it looks like we need already need to rebuild again. This rebuild has been smoke and mirrors for a few years. Yes Detroit has improved every year, but it hasn't been organically. Literally any team at the bottom of the league could have singed Copp/Perron/Ghost/or any other veteran player and gotten out of the bottom and still not made the playoffs. Does anyone actually think the core of this team is good enough to compete with teams like Toronto/Boston/New York/Carolina? Or any of the western teams? If so, I'd love to hear that argument. If not, how does Detroit realistically add the elite talent needed to compete with those teams? Free agency clearly isn't going to work. Drafting (outside of the top 6) has been mediocre at best since Yzerman took over. A franchise player isn't just going to appear out of nowhere. It might be a hot take, but the organization isn't any closer to a Stanley Cup now than they were when Yzerman took over. Sure the team is better, but the end goal is the same distance away.

Yes. Half the core hasn't made the show yet. Amused to see some judge it already. Doubly so to think that Carolina of all teams has some untouchable powerhouse roster.

 

[RRhoads]

i don't see that at all, they have over 20 mil in cap still n spent 2mil on a d-man who was a lateral move at best

They never had 20M in cap space. They had about 12-13M in cap space after Seider and Raymond before they shipped Walman.

 

[Ulysses31]

Better improve the team, with cheaper and better player. Also good mentoring fit for young swedes.

Walman was not a fit on special teams, because there was more need for a PP QB. There was so many multiple factors like Walman's advanced stats, or behind the scenes things, and bad special team fits to current core, that everybody should understand why he is gone.

that makes more sense

 

[Henkka]

Seems to be Carolina lost

- LW Guentzel (1.47 point per game player)
- RW Teräväinen (3rd best scoring forward)
- LD Brady Skjei (best scoring defenceman)
- RD Brett Pesce (Top4 defenceman)
- W Stefan Noesen (7th best scoring foward)

And signed
- LD Shayne Gostisbehere
- RD Sean Walker
- RW William Carrier
- C Tyson Jost
- LW Eric Robinson

Remaining 14M cap space will go 100% for Necas & Jarvis + 1 RFA.

 

[Snuggs]

Open the draft thread, so far with whats happening, Red Wings and Yzerman will be picking top 5 and moving players at the TDL for assets.

 

[Snuggs]

I understand that it is just first day and there is still time to do business, but what is possible now, since almost everybody is signed, trades?

From how I see it there are several issues still not addressed:

- At lease one, maybe two Top 4 defensemen are missing. It looks like the plan A was Trouba and there was no Plan B. Maybe Johansson is supposed to be one now. I think that Roy or Walker contracts were reasnoble and they should have done one of those instead of Gustafsson
- On the other hand we still have a lot of bad defensemen
- At least one Top 4 is missing, I hope Fabbri is not counted as one. Maybe Mazur or Berggren are, but this does not seem like Yzerman's approach
- There are still way too many defensively challanged forwards - team defense is still going to be an issue
- There still be a line which is going to be created as "not playing on tpo lines and cannot defend" which will require a lot line matching

It is still possible to trade for somebody like Ehlers or Buchnevich, maybe also getting rid of somebody like Fabbri in process in oder to improve team defense and have lines with purpose. I'm not sure there is a plan how to improve D.

Outside of drafting and selling fans on an endless rebuild, idk what's going on anymore. I've lost cabin pressure.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I understand that it is just first day and there is still time to do business, but what is possible now, since almost everybody is signed, trades?

From how I see it there are several issues still not addressed:

- At lease one, maybe two Top 4 defensemen are missing. It looks like the plan A was Trouba and there was no Plan B. Maybe Johansson is supposed to be one now. I think that Roy or Walker contracts were reasnoble and they should have done one of those instead of Gustafsson

You can’t assume we would get Roy/Walker for 1:1 copies of those deals. Add 1 year or 1 mil to be sure. Still like them?

 

[DoMakc]

You can’t assume we would get Roy/Walker for 1:1 copies of those deals. Add 1 year or 1 mil to be sure. Still like them?

Roy is from Michigan, so I'm not sure that the valid assumption, but also think 6x7 would be fine by me. Walker got 3,6x5, i wouldn't have any issues with 4,5-4,75x5.

 

[DoMakc]

Outside of drafting and selling fans on an endless rebuild, idk what's going on anymore. I've lost cabin pressure.

Use oxygen mask