So we wait two years, wasting the last of Hughes' cheap contract and essentially walk him to free agency with little more than a promise "NOW we'll be better again!" If this team doesn't try to be competitive, there's little reason he sticks around.
We can afford Boeser at even 8M, nevermind less. The cap is jumping to 92-93M next season. That almost covers the OEL/Mikheyev buyouts completely. How we improve the team afterwards is by jettisoning Deharnais and Hoglander who will eat up 5M while contributing practically nothing barring one hell of a resurgence from the latter.
A few weeks back I posted a mock roster when some here claimed improving the defense is impossible without trading Miller or Pettersson.
View attachment 959609
Yes, this means Lankinen walks. Odds are he will regardless because we can't afford 4M+ on a backup. If Boeser does sign for less, you could let Suter go and use that alongside the Silovs cap to maybe fit him in, but realistically, we don't have the luxury to be spending that much money on goaltending.
Now if we get some ridiculous offer for Boeser, I'd, begrudgingly, do it. But if we're looking at a Guentzel package when he wants to stay, I just don't see how that helps us whatsoever. We already can't score, losing Boeser only makes that worse.
That is a good team? Or just a roster collection?
So let me get this right, let the top goalie walk for free, get rid of 3 forwards and two defencemen and replace them with rookies, three players which have 0 to 26 NHL games and two that have never played in the NHL and one AHL guy that has really bad defensive numbers. So when Boeser is 30 yrs old he can retire here?
And you are forgetting replacements for Garland, Soucy, Heinen, Suter, Blueger, Sherwood who will all need new contracts if still here but at the new inflated rates all players will get because other teams have more cap space the next year.
Ya, you better keep Boeser and hope he can score 80 goals. Then I guess jettison Demko the next year too eh?
Then the same core that has lost every season for 7 of the last 8 can ....? What? Be older?
Boeser had season's of 4, 29, 26, 16, 23, 23, 18 & 40. Last year he replaced Horvat, who had scored 30 by January 1 and Kuzmenko who had 39 goals, on the PP, so just maybe his scoring had to do with the PP. Maybe it was the PP that increased his goals numbers and whoever, DeBrusk who is scoring at a career level, will replace him. Maybe it isn't that hard to replace a goal scorer on the PP?
The Hughes thought was a good one BUT the team construction and cap issues make it him or Hughes or Demko or any top 4 dman instead.
The current goal scoring problem is the system of "skate to the red line and give it to the other team then fight for it" or "keep it 200 feet away and play to not lose" hockey.
Boeser is one guy, if they got say, Weeger for him that's a bad move? Or a player of that caliber? Or a couple to top 4 dmen for 8+ mil?
Or is breaking up the country club too much of a risk?
What is there to entice Hughes to re-sign here? The "room"? Forget the money he will be able to write his own ticket where ever he wants and get paid. And he lives with his brothers and parents in the off season. A tight net group and the NJD WILL have the money to pay him AND he won't have to be the captain, just a really good player. At that the team should get a grip on his intentions ASAP and work the phones early and often for the best possible deal. Maybe trading for the 2026 first overall and a couple of younger NHL defencemen that only get 60 points a year for the same 18+mil offers he will get from other teams in 3 years when the cap hits 110 mil.
I do have an idea that could make a difference to this season though.
Trade Boeser to Minny for Jiricek, addresses the RHD issue and saves on the cap for the next 4 OEL years and Gaudreau or Trenin.
IF EP is dealt to Buffalo then Cozens, Peterka, Samulesson and maybe McLeod and/or a 2026 1rst. Might have to throw in Hoglander to get the higher pick. They would fit in under the available cap space of EP's 11.6 + and the space made available by dropping two guys back down to the farm. Cozens as 2nd C or wing with Gaudreau, Pekkera playing with ?
Defence of
QH - Hronek
Samuelsson - TM
Soucy - Jiricek
or any order of lefty rightys
New forwards;
Gaudreau/Trenin, Cozens , Peterka, McLeod
All fit under the cap now and next year, no rentals. Only Jiricek needs a new contract and he is a RFA so a smaller contract.
And the team has cap space to add later.
