Rumor: Juuse Saros Signs 8 Year / $7.74 AAV Contract

[Armourboy]

I think you wait and see what Askarov does in the playoffs and kind of see how you feel about it then. It may end up being as simple as waiting til the TDL to see how Askarov does coming back and just getting what you can.

If you can make a decent deal at the draft you do it, but the dreams of getting anything all that good are over. At best you get the Ekholm deal, and I'm not even sure you get that.

Only thing I can say for sure, Saros isn't a guy I'm giving anything more than 4 years and basically view him as a stop gap/backup for Askarov.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I know he's not the only one to blame but seeing how Saros has been outplayed by three different goalies during the playoffs this year, do you keep him around & ultimately sign him to a big extension?

Or do you call NJD in the summer and ask for their 10th pick?

I still need to see 2 things:
1) What kind of contract does Saros want
2) How does Askarov handle the AHL playoff run

Because in the case of 1), I'm looking around the league, and there are lots of teams - even contending teams - who aren't happy with their goaltending. This cuts both ways - there may be more of a market than Just New Jersey. But then at the same time you've got Colorado doing ok with crappy goaltending, Edmonton likewise, Saros is better than what some really good teams are running out there - and I don't see this season's playoff failure by the team as having much to do with Saros. Our team just isn't very good, unfortunately. Saros would still be a good starting goalie for us for several more years, relative to the general NHL population overall. But how much is that worth contract-wise? It's not worth a mega-contract above $7.5M with trade protection clauses. It probably is worth something like 6x$6M with no clauses. So I'm going to have to balance out his contract ask vs. the trade market vs. everything else before I decide. (And of course, we'll never know his ask - right up until the day he signs something).

And then on 2), I'm just not sure we can afford to hand over a starter's job to Askarov yet if we trade Saros. I'm not sure if he's even ready for a platoon with Lankinen (or some other stop-gap veteran UFA signing or trade throwback guy). Trading Saros and then having Askarov crash and burn would be a huge disaster for the franchise moving forward. I would play this one very conservatively. The pressure is NOT on us to decide this issue today (or any time this off-season). The Coyotes are moving to Utah, which might punt the Expansion conundrum down the road a wee bit. We can still afford to be patient if Askarov isn't ready. Saros is still signed through next season.

I don't get the sense that Trotz is a patient GM, however. So far he has been the antithesis of conservative as a GM. I can definitely see him being frustrated by this poor playoff showing and wrongly assigning blame to the goaltending, when instead it is much more of an overall team failure. So I could definitely see him jumping headlong into a risky scenario like trading Saros for a #10 pick.

 

[herzausstein]

Im at the point where if some GM gives us a reasonable offer we take it but after this season and these playoffs....i dont think we are even going to get a reasonable offer. It is going to be a bunch of lowball offers.

So we will sit on him and play him and likely use him as an own rental or extend him

 

[Preds Partisan]

I'm still of the same opinion that I don't want the Preds to sign Saros for the length/dollars that he can ask for and probably get. I care less about the return on a possible trade at this point than just making sure they don't try to ride Saros into the sunset. These playoffs have nothing to do with my opinion on this matter.

 

[ShagDaddy]

I know he's not the only one to blame but seeing how Saros has been outplayed by three different goalies during the playoffs this year, do you keep him around & ultimately sign him to a big extension?

Or do you call NJD in the summer and ask for their 10th pick?

If New Jersey is the trade partner, I’d prefer the Preds put together a package deal like Saros, Novak and Glass for Holtz and Mercer.

 

[Southstarpreds]

If New Jersey is the trade partner, I’d prefer the Preds put together a package deal like Saros, Novak and Glass for Holtz and Mercer.

Mercer is a hell of a player, that would be sweet !

 

[Roman Yoshi]

Mercer is a hell of a player, that would be sweet !

Mercer is a great player, but this series is showing me how weak we are on the blueline and how much more size we need. I want Nemec.

 

[wmupreds]

Mercer is a great player, but this series is showing me how weak we are on the blueline and how much more size we need. I want Nemec.

There's no way they give us Nemec. I don't think we have anything that will get him but certainly not for Saros.

 

[ShagDaddy]

Mercer is a great player, but this series is showing me how weak we are on the blueline and how much more size we need. I want Nemec.

The Canucks have scored 1 goal, 2 goals and 4 goals ( they held them to 1 goal in 57 minutes during that game).

While I’ll agree that they need some help on the blue line, this team’s weaknesses is lack of good scoring depth. They have one scoring line that gets torched when they’re forced to defend. The opposing team can put out a shutdown/possession line against the Preds top line to neutralize them and then the Preds have nothing.

If you want to see just how bad the forward depth is on the Preds roster, all someone has to do is look at the second power play unit. Zuckerberg, Sissons, Beauvillier and Novak. Do any of those four forwards scream scoring threat?????

 

[Armourboy]

The Canucks have scored 1 goal, 2 goals and 4 goals ( they held them to 1 goal in 57 minutes during that game).

While I’ll agree that they need some help on the blue line, this team’s weaknesses is lack of good scoring depth. They have one scoring line that gets torched when they’re forced to defend. The opposing team can put out a shutdown/possession line against the Preds top line to neutralize them and then the Preds have nothing.

If you want to see just how bad the forward depth is on the Preds roster, all someone has to do is look at the second power play unit. Zuckerberg, Sissons, Beauvillier and Novak. Do any of those four forwards scream scoring threat?????

Well Novak did but he has ran and hid in this series or more Brunette has forced him to hide in this series.

Based on the ice time we've seen even if we got past this series we weren't going very far. Top line would have been out of gas by the 2nd round imo.

 

[ShagDaddy]

Well Novak did but he has ran and hid in this series or more Brunette has forced him to hide in this series.

Based on the ice time we've seen even if we got past this series we weren't going very far. Top line would have been out of gas by the 2nd round imo.

If you were the HC, would you give Novak more ice time during this series?

 

[Armourboy]

If you were the HC, would you give Novak more ice time during this series?

Dunno, hard to say. Bigger issue isn't really just Novak, most of the team is at 10 minutes outside of the 1st line and Sissons.

 

[ShagDaddy]

Dunno, hard to say. Bigger issue isn't really just Novak, most of the team is at 10 minutes outside of the 1st line and Sissons.

You mentioned Novak specifically. Have you seen anything from him that leads you to believe he actually deserves more ice time?

 

[Scoresberg]

The Canucks have scored 1 goal, 2 goals and 4 goals ( they held them to 1 goal in 57 minutes during that game).

While I’ll agree that they need some help on the blue line, this team’s weaknesses is lack of good scoring depth. They have one scoring line that gets torched when they’re forced to defend. The opposing team can put out a shutdown/possession line against the Preds top line to neutralize them and then the Preds have nothing.

If you want to see just how bad the forward depth is on the Preds roster, all someone has to do is look at the second power play unit. Zuckerberg, Sissons, Beauvillier and Novak. Do any of those four forwards scream scoring threat?????

I think both areas are our weakness. The scoring depth is a real issue but so is the defensive depth.

I'm almost more worried about our defensive depth as I don't see a quick-fix down there in the near future. Acquiring Pesce during FA would be a fantastic start and would lock down the right side for a few years. Molendyk is coming but he's 19 and pretty much our only NHL talent in the pipeline.

Whereas for our scoring depth, I think acquiring a piece or two (or re-signing Zucker) and f***ing giving our 1st round draft picks and other younger offensive talent some room to shine would go a long way. I agree with you, the Beauvilliers or the Sherwoods of the world are not ever going to cut it. But also, acquiring offensive depth is generally easier through FA than defense.

 

[Dadof5boys]

If New Jersey is the trade partner, I’d prefer the Preds put together a package deal like Saros, Novak and Glass for Holtz and Mercer.

I don't think the Devils do Mercer and Holtz for that package. Saros for Holtz that leaves Novak and Glass for Mercer? Glass is a bust and Novak hasn't been the same since signing his extension. Swap our Glass for one of prospects on the Ads and they might consider it. Mercer and Holtz for Saros, Novak and L'Heureax? And they surely don't move Nemac for that package.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I don't think the Devils do Mercer and Holtz for that package. Saros for Holtz that leaves Novak and Glass for Mercer? Glass is a bust and Novak hasn't been the same since signing his extension. Swap our Glass for one of prospects on the Ads and they might consider it. Mercer and Holtz for Saros, Novak and L'Heureax? And they surely don't move Nemac for that package.

We likely overrate goalie value quite a bit around here, but Saros is worth more than Holtz pretty easily. Tomasino put up almost as many points as Holtz did in half the games, and I don't think Tomasino probably has significant value at this point either.

 

[Soundgarden]

Yeah, no interest in Holtz.

 

[Dadof5boys]

Yeah, no interest in Holtz.

It’s about the peak we’ll get maybe a 2nd added in for Saros at this point. Mercer is something that was rumored to be the hold iup for Fitzgerald acquiring a goaltender at the deadline. And we have some delusional fans that think that Saros is worth Byfield+. At this point, you just have to try to get the best assets possible. I would dream for Casey and Holtz, and I’d be ecstatic for Holtz and the 10th, more realistically though it’d be Holtz and Pegs 2025 2nd, and maybe a b prospect . Markstrom and Omark could possibly be on the market driving down returns.

 

[Armourboy]

It’s about the peak we’ll get maybe a 2nd added in for Saros at this point. Mercer is something that was rumored to be the hold iup for Fitzgerald acquiring a goaltender at the deadline. And we have some delusional fans that think that Saros is worth Byfield+. At this point, you just have to try to get the best assets possible. I would dream for Casey and Holtz, and I’d be ecstatic for Holtz and the 10th, more realistically though it’d be Holtz and Pegs 2025 2nd, and maybe a b prospect . Markstrom and Omark could possibly be on the market driving down returns.

Only way Trotz takes a 2nd is if he knows Saros isn't coming back and he just wants to get something for him.

 

[Dadof5boys]

Only way Trotz takes a 2nd is if he knows Saros isn't coming back and he just wants to get something for him.

It’s Holtz + a 2nd

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

It’s Holtz + a 2nd

That seems like poor value for us. Holtz is inferior to Tomasino, who can't even get consistent playing time (and may well be outta here).

I'd rather see if we can do a deal with Ottawa or LA or someone. Fitzgerald balked at the ask near the deadline, whined about it to the media, I don't want to gift him a goaltender now.

 

[ShagDaddy]

That seems like poor value for us. Holtz is inferior to Tomasino, who can't even get consistent playing time (and may well be outta here).

Holtz is not inferior to Tomasino.

 

[herzausstein]

Holtz is not inferior to Tomasino.

Holtz - 19G 15A 34P 110 NHL games
Tomasino - 23G 47A 70P 148 NHL games. Heck just last season... 7G 13A 20P 40 NHL games.... over half of Holtz career production in about 1/3 the time.

Holtz might not be inferior to Tomasino but he hasnt shown to be superior to Tomasino just that he is on a team that gives him a much longer leash that wont send him down to the AHL.

Holtz is more of what we already have. Pass

 

[glenngineer]

As much as I’d like to improve up front, we’re not going to get what we need from moving Saros.

I’d suggest a different approach and try to improve our depth on the blue line and target a guy like Brandt Clarke and maybe LA would throw in a first or second in the deal. It gives us a RHD with a higher ceiling than what we currently possess. That’s just me though.

 

[Soundgarden]

I'd love Clarke, but he's like Nemec in NJ, doubt they move him for Saros. I think a top 10 pick is the best we can get for him tbh.