Kraken 2024 Offseason chatter

[The Marquis]

Somehow Stamkos to Nashville seemed obvious.

 

[The Marquis]

Kraken host the Blues on opening night, October 8! Love it!

 

[Fuhrious]

Looks like Toffoli to SJ flipped to "official", 4 yrs @ $6mAAV?

Lindholm to BOS would be a bummer, I was holding out hope Seattle might have a shot at him.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Looks like Toffoli to SJ flipped to "official", 4 yrs @ $6mAAV?

Lindholm to BOS would be a bummer, I was holding out hope Seattle might have a shot at him.

I was too but 7 x 7.75M for Lindholm seems a bit too rich.

 

[dylanmacarthur]

Montour signing is honestly hilarious, and awful, and confirms our speculation that Francis and ownership don't see eye to eye. We're going to keep muddling along trying to "stay competitive" (re: not competitive) while "building for the future" (re: not tanking to get the elite talent we need to become competitive).
A decade of pure mediocrity awaits us.

 

[The Marquis]

Montour signing is honestly hilarious, and awful, and confirms our speculation that Francis and ownership don't see eye to eye. We're going to keep muddling along trying to "stay competitive" (re: not competitive) while "building for the future" (re: not tanking to get the elite talent we need to become competitive).
A decade of pure mediocrity awaits us.

To call signing Montour awful is an absolutely ridiculous take. It might be a high AAV and pay, but “awful” is absurd. You are an angry chap. Find some happiness.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Montour signing is honestly hilarious, and awful, and confirms our speculation that Francis and ownership don't see eye to eye. We're going to keep muddling along trying to "stay competitive" (re: not competitive) while "building for the future" (re: not tanking to get the elite talent we need to become competitive).
A decade of pure mediocrity awaits us.

Quite the opposite. To me a Montour signing signals that he is trying to win sooner than later. And that is what I believe ownership wants.

 

[wewantyoursoul]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807815866182230273

 

[sigma six]

I like the signing, just hope he continues to earn that contract after the first couple of years. Montour was going to get that term and money, so the pressure was on Francis if making a splash was the directive from above.

Also: this poor website, every July 1...

 

[dylanmacarthur]

To call signing Montour awful is an absolutely ridiculous take. It might be a high AAV and pay, but “awful” is absurd. You are an angry chap. Find some happiness.

It's super high AAV and term for a 30 year old under-sized offensive defenseman relying heavily on speed and who's thrived on a rush offense with a high firepower squad surrounding him. Mark my words we'll regret this signing and sooner rather than later.

Thank you for encouraging me to find happiness, it's critical we all do so in these trying times and your concern is touching

 

[Scomerica]

I do worry the backend of that contract becomes an albatross.

Who is left offensively that the kraken can realistically sign

 

[dylanmacarthur]

Quite the opposite. To me a Montour signing signals that he is trying to win sooner than later. And that is what I believe ownership wants.

I think it signals Francis has succumbed to ownership pressure, yes. If our approach was win now we had much better moves we could've made the last few years, so that's why I think this pivot to a big expensive signing of an aging player suggests we've taken an incoherent approach since expansion draft. And now with a mediocre prospect pool we're pivoting to big UFA contracts on veterans.

We all know that won't lead to Stanley Cup competitive team sadly.

 

[The Marquis]

The question right now for me is... "who did we miss?" Who did Francis go after and fail to hit the right number? I do think Montour as a player is a good add. I do think, like others have said that term and money are too high for his age. That said. In 7 years, 7m might feel like 4m does now, so I'm less worried about a 37 year old Brandon Montour. The league is going to have to keep moving that cap up. It's those 9-11m numbers for guys that age that really look rough.

So Montour is the replacement for Schultz. That's a pretty substantial upgrade.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I hoope Montour's game isn't based on his skating.

7 Years and $50M to a 30 year old is quite interesting.
Especially since our biggest problem has been scoring goals.

Also, which defenseman are we trading now?

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Stephenson on a 7 year deal.l
Is Ron going nuts?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807826470917541925

Stephenson's deal

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807827941021081922

7 Years at $6.25 AAV

I guess a problem for the next GM.....

 

[Interior Cascadian]

Stephenson on a 7 year deal.l
Is Ron going nuts?

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807826470917541925

This only makes sense if Ron’s planning to package Gourde in a trade, right? (Laine incoming?)

 

[Scomerica]

I wonder if Larsson or Oleksiak get packaged in a trade for another forward

 

[kihei]

I've been surprised how much interest there has been in Borgen, at least on HFBoards. If somebody is going to go, he may be the guy that returns some value.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

This only makes sense if Ron’s planning to package Gourde in a trade, right? (Laine incoming?)

Could be.
I just don*t like handing out a seven year deal at an $6.25 AAV on a 30 year old.

I wonder if Larsson or Oleksiak get packaged in a trade for another forward

Would need to be a really good one.

Maybe he's in on Marner.

 

[kihei]

I'd love to see...

Larsson - Dunn
Evans - Montour
Oleksiak - Borgen
Dumoulin

Mind, $7.7m is waaaaaaaaaay too much to be spending on a #5/#7 D combo, so I hope Francis has something cooking to at least shed Dumoulin's hit?

That's a pretty good looking D.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I wonder if Larsson or Oleksiak get packaged in a trade for another forward

We need to move a forward piece as well and I am suspecting the two players out maybe Borgen and Tolvy. Could be potentially be for picks or for another forward.

With Beniers new deal, I am pretty sure cap space will be tight and we may not want to re-sign Tolvy. But I am just guessing at this point since obviously I don't know what Ron is thinking.

 

[Interior Cascadian]

This looks like management gave Ron an ultimatum. Very un-GMRF moves today.

 

[Fuhrious]

Yeah thats way more term AND money than I wanted to see go to a guy the level of Stephenson. I'm not an expert on the specific player, so maybe someone can explain to me how that one makes sense...?

 

[The Marquis]

I like Chandler Stephenson a lot. He's been a pest to the Kraken since the very first time the Kraken played the Knights and frankly, I think he's been an underrated part of their successes. He's much more of a pest and pain in the ass than I think he gets credit for.

As for the questions about Gourde. Gourde is good on the wing as well, and has often. I see Stephenson more as a replacement for Wennberg (and an improvement) than a replacement for Gourde.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Yeah thats way more term AND money than I wanted to see go to a guy the level of Stephenson. I'm not an expert on the specific player, so maybe someone can explain to me how that one makes sense...?

Well, Francis talked about playing McCann at wing and finding a way to do so.
So I guess him bringing in a center isn't that much of a surprise.

Though, the term and AAV aren't great at all.

And I guess Wright becomes the ä4C?

Also, JFresh does not like the Stephenson deal and I agree.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807828930293895645