There is no limited availability of bad NHL contracts. Stop thinking about players and start thinking about contracts. This is a bad contract. Don't offer value for a bad contract. This is the entire point of Money Ball and why ever pro team now has such robust analytics departments working with the GM.
For the Sharks there might be a limited availability of veteran defensemen that can do something on their blue line of worth. Rielly is still productive enough to consider playing with Celebrini. They might not get anyone else on the market.
Hawks do not need any D unless it’s a solid top pairing guy or a defensively responsible 3rd pair.
A few things.
But as we know the choices are very limited right now for defencemen available. We know Rielly, Nurse and Hamilton are available and all fall into the same category. A team like the Sharks is actually worried about hitting the cap floor for the next 2 to 3 years so a player that can still play and have them make the floor over a player in free agency who will want longer term at similar moneyRielly goes from a NMC to a modified NTC in two years right about the same time the Sharks will be handing out big contracts to all their young players. We know they tried to get Hamilton last year and Hamilton refused to go. That leaves Nurse and Rielly. Rielly has a good reputaton in the locker room so I can see the fit.
Returning the favour after Jumbo Joe and Marleau taught the Leafs young core about losing and dissapointing a fan base for 15 years
The Sharks aren't actually worried about hitting the floor. They have 13.5 mil to spend to do that this offseason and next season is when Celebrini and Smith's extensions will kick in. They're going to be fine on that front. They just want someone that can fit what they're doing. They could use someone that knows how to run a PP1 and eat some heavy minutes while their younger defensemen develop. Rielly seems like the most likely candidate since it sounded like he's willing to waive for SJ and the other two have either already declined or allegedly did so.
Pretty unfair to blame those guys, that was baked into the leafs from long before they arrived.
But they are worried about hitting the floor with 11 forwards, 4 d and both goalies already signed and still needing about 16 million so they can make trades during the season as needed. Next year they will need 36 million on top of the 13.5 million to hit the floor. So having a guy like Rielly who can fit what they want and having a 7.5 cap for a couple years makes more sense than paying a UFA for 5 to 7 years.
That's who baked it into them. Look at Carolina and Colorado. Burns is gone from Carolina so now they could win the cup and Burns sunk Colorado this playoffs. Where will the shark playoff jinx go next.
But they're not. They will be carrying a bonus charge next season that is at least going to be 3 million because their potential payout will exceed the bonus overage percentage. They will also be re-signing Graf and Mukhamadullin. That could be in the neighborhood of 5 mil. Most answers to fill the gaps on the blue line and the additional forward or two will also help clear the floor rather easily. They do not need to add 7.5 mil for four years unless that player is a fit. I think Grier likely believes that Rielly is a fit and might move for him but they absolutely do not need him to hit the floor. There are countless solutions to what is barely an issue. Beyond next year, they're paying Celebrini something north of 15 million. They will probably also pay Smith something near 10. If Askarov takes a noticeably positive step next season, he will see a substantial pay increase as well. They are not concerned about the floor when just naturally addressing roster issues with proper fits will do the job.
He was about 18 minutes a game and led the teams defenceman with just about 23 minutes in the Bronze medal game.
Toff won’t waive and Grier wouldn’t ask him to.
Pretty hilarious considering all of them made it further than any of the Leafs' core except Marner, and it took him selling his soul to Satan by going to Vegas.
Nurse and Reilly were basically auditioning to see how they would do with a different team in the WC and they totally blew it lol
The leafs are in dire need of puck moving defensemen.....and Like EVERY leaf fan is clamoring , in fact begging, to trade Reilly and talk about how cooked he is and his visible decline, age and term....and then they come on to the trade section and talk about how his value is higher than other fans are offering.
Don't make it sound like this is a Leaf only thing here, every fan base does it.
