GDT: NHL Free Agent Frenzy 2024

[Balthazar]

Yeah agree with that.

I always liked UPL so I'd do that trade 100%.

Like trading four quarters for a dollar.

Either you fix the goalie issue or you keep going with the Grubauers, the Georgievs and the Kuempers of this world.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Like trading four quarters for a dollar.

Either you fix the goalie issue or you keep going with the Grubauers, the Georgievs and the Kuempers of this world.

You make it seem like Askarov is a guaranteed hit and any other option is just a band-aid. Askarov's not exactly set the world on fire with his play. Has he been good? Yes. Has he been a world beater? No.

 

[LOFIN]

I think I thought during the season trying to pry Askarov from Nashville would be an interesting idea.

Paying the price Trotz is asking, like a 1st + Ritchie? f*** that. Not with the current goalie prices.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Like trading four quarters for a dollar.

Either you fix the goalie issue or you keep going with the Grubauers, the Georgievs and the Kuempers of this world.

Well we did win a Cup with that strategy so....

Lots of teams pays 5m+/yr for goalies and never wins so....

 

[henchman21]

Well we did win a Cup with that strategy so....

Lots of teams pays 5m+/yr for goalies and never wins so....

Lots of teams pay 5+m and win Cups too. Vasi, Bob, Holtby, Crawford, and Quick all won at least one Cup >5m cap hit. Pretty sure MAF was 5m or greater for each of the Pens' wins too (even though he didn't start the last two).

 

[AslanRH]

if you draft all the goalies you don't have to trade for them.
you just have to wait each mediocre one out through some RFA years until the next one is ready.

 

[Balthazar]

You make it seem like Askarov is a guaranteed hit and any other option is just a band-aid.

No. I'm saying that UPL is in line with all the goalies we had since Varly. We'd be swapping for more of the same (ie: goalies that are extremely dependant of how the team plays in front of them).

Askarov has an upside that the others don't have.

 

[AllAboutAvs]

Lots of teams pay 5+m and win Cups too. Vasi, Bob, Holtby, Crawford, and Quick all won at least one Cup >5m cap hit. Pretty sure MAF was 5m or greater for each of the Pens' wins too (even though he didn't start the last two).

Right and that was my point...lots of ways to skin a cat. I, personally don't like to pay 6-7M+ for a goalie. I think it is too much allocated to the position. 5M is not bad though now that the cap is rising .

 

[Balthazar]

Right and that was my point...lots of ways to skin a cat. I, personally don't like to pay 6-7M+ for a goalie. I think it is too much allocated to the position. 5M is not bad though now that the cap is rising .

Korpisalo signed for 4 X 5 last year...

A real starter in his prime these days is going to be 7M+

 

[henchman21]

Right and that was my point...lots of ways to skin a cat. I, personally don't like to pay 6-7M+ for a goalie. I think it is too much allocated to the position. 5M is not bad though now that the cap is rising .

Certainly there are different ways. If you don’t have a great goalie, you need depth. If you don’t have depth, you need a great goalie. Right now Avs don’t really fit into either and that’s the crux.

 

[Balthazar]

Certainly there are different ways. If you don’t have a great goalie, you need depth. If you don’t have depth, you need a great goalie. Right now Avs don’t really fit into either and that’s the crux.

So what you're saying is Askarov's ELC followed by a 3 year bridge would go a long way...

 

[LOFIN]

So what you're saying is Askarov's ELC followed by a 3 year bridge would go a long way...

Look mate, you have believe in the fact that Askarov will be a top goalie in the NHL. Fair, I do too. But that doesn't mean that with his current pedigree, the Avs should be justified to pay the premium that Trotz is asking for him. It's frankly ludicrous that Trotz is asking the equivalent of a top-5 pick for a goalie that has played 3 NHL games. Especially now, when they have signed Saros and Askarov is actually asking out because he knows he won't be the #1 in Nashville.

 

[henchman21]

So what you're saying is Askarov's ELC followed by a 3 year bridge would go a long way...

I don't think Askarov is an elite NHL goalie next year. He's probably at least 2-3 years away, even if he gets there. If he is final bridge year Vasi, yeah he absolutely would help. That is very, very far from a guarantee.

 

[Balthazar]

Look mate, you have believe in the fact that Askarov will be a top goalie in the NHL. Fair, I do too. But that doesn't mean that with his current pedigree, the Avs should be justified to pay the premium that Trotz is asking for him. It's frankly ludicrous that Trotz is asking the equivalent of a top-5 pick for a goalie that has played 3 NHL games. Especially now, when they have signed Saros and Askarov is actually asking out because he knows he won't be the #1 in Nashville.

The asking price is fair.

He was drafted #11 overall at age 18. Now he's 23, NHL ready and has lived up to the hype. He's certainly not worth less than the day he was drafted.

 

[Balthazar]

I don't think Askarov is an elite NHL goalie next year. He's probably at least 2-3 years away, even if he gets there. If he is final bridge year Vasi, yeah he absolutely would help. That is very, very far from a guarantee.

Ritchie's success as a top 6 center in the NHL isn't a guarantee either...and I won't even talk about the 2026 first.

 

[LOFIN]

The asking price is fair.

He was drafted #11 overall at age 18. Now he's 23, NHL ready and has lived up to the hype. He's certainly not worth less than the day he was drafted.

In the sense that goalies are usually never drafted that high (yeah Price I know), I think it is pretty ludicrous. Especially since we've had some pretty mediocre goalies winning the cup lately. Goalies simply aren't that valuable compared to skaters (in terms of assets and cap %). They just aren't.

 

[cinchronicity]

I know nothing about the KHL or Russian goalies.

Can anyone paint a picture of Askarov vs Nabokov in terms of NHL readiness? If the Avs can replace Georgie with Nabokov and not have to pay a ransom for Askarov, isn't that the smarter move? Either would seem to have that 'potential elite' in the NHL moniker. It doesn't guarantee anything from either, when you get down to it.

On a related note, let's take the worst-case scenario: Neither Landy nor Nuke suit up in an Avs sweater again. I think we all agree that Ritchie is a square peg on a round hole Bednar 3rd line. Does it make more sense to try him as a Top-6 winger, or use him as trade bait? He's got his ELC now, so it seems like he is a keeper for now.

 

[dahrougem2]

The asking price is fair.

He was drafted #11 overall at age 18. Now he's 23, NHL ready and has lived up to the hype. He's certainly not worth less than the day he was drafted.

I would call into question Askarov "living up to the hype."

We're entering his +5 season and he is going to be the backup to Saros.

IMO, him living up to the hype would have had him unseating Saros as the starter.

 

[Balthazar]

I would call into question Askarov "living up to the hype."

We're entering his +5 season and he is going to be the backup to Saros.

There's a reason why he's on the trade block and his agent is pressuring the Preds to make a move

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810439580123816371

https://x.com/i/web/status/1810438733398995289

 

[AslanRH]

There's a reason why he's on the trade block and his agent is pressuring the Preds to make a move

because he wasn't going to unseat Saros and he wants more than backup money?

 

[LOFIN]

My hats off to Crosby. One club men are a rarity in any sport. They should be cherished.

 

[henchman21]

Ritchie's success as a top 6 center in the NHL isn't a guarantee either...and I won't even talk about the 2026 first.

Oh I fully know that. IMO at the stage the Avs are at, they don't have the time to wait for a goalie to be good. Whoever it is needs to be better than Georgiev day 1.

I know nothing about the KHL or Russian goalies.

Can anyone paint a picture of Askarov vs Nabokov in terms of NHL readiness? If the Avs can replace Georgie with Nabokov and not have to pay a ransom for Askarov, isn't that the smarter move? Either would seem to have that 'potential elite' in the NHL moniker. It doesn't guarantee anything from either, when you get down to it.

On a related note, let's take the worst-case scenario: Neither Landy nor Nuke suit up in an Avs sweater again. I think we all agree that Ritchie is a square peg on a round hole Bednar 3rd line. Does it make more sense to try him as a Top-6 winger, or use him as trade bait? He's got his ELC now, so it seems like he is a keeper for now.

Askarov is 3-4 levels above Nabokov. Nabokov is a fringe top 20 goalie prospect. Askarov is top 5.

 

[EdAVSfan]

yeah if we’re trading a Ritchie and 1st package, especially with goalie prices how they are, at least let it be a genuine solution.

Who knows? Maybe the Avs go ultra lean next year with a Nabokov-Annunen/other platoon goalie combo.

One thing is for certain. This season, the Avs need to know what they have in Annunen. He needs to be given a chance to demonstrate he can at least be a reliable back up. They need to give him 30ish games. Obviously, under the pretense that he performs and earns more starts. We can’t another 65 game season from Georgiev.

IMO, prob the biggest factor in keeping Bednar’s ice time in check, is to not constantly fall behind in games.

If the avs can score first, get leads, there’s a much higher likelihood of the 2nd-4th lines and 2nd and 3rd pairings getting ice time

 

[henchman21]

I would call into question Askarov "living up to the hype."

We're entering his +5 season and he is going to be the backup to Saros.

IMO, him living up to the hype would have had him unseating Saros as the starter.

He’s not going to even be the backup.