News: Non Qualified Players

[Forge]

Devils fans -- what am I missing here? Why did McLeod not get qualified? He seems like an ideal bottom 6 center to me?

Apparently they are afraid of the arb award....personally, i wouldn't be surprised if there is some Team Canada fall out fear as well though.

I am somewhat surprised that this happened though, tbh. I feel like he's going to get legit interest across the league as a bottom six center. Think he may have had some trade value for rfa rights if they weren't going to qualify him. Don't think that they'll be able to afford bringing him back if they were afraid arb award....could absolutely see someone do something highly questionable with regards to a contract offer to mikey

 

[MMC]

The following players were not issued qualifying offers and thus will become unrestricted free agents:

PLAYER	POS
Mackenzie Blackwood	G
Jonah Gadjovich	F
Noah Gregor	F
Strauss Mann	G
Evgeny Svechnikov	F

 

[Brodeur]

Devils fans -- what am I missing here? Why did McLeod not get qualified? He seems like an ideal bottom 6 center to me?

As others said, it's his ability to go to arbitration and get potentially get a sizeable raise. Devils already indicated that they'll try to sign McLeod, Bastian, and Boqvist if they can.

It's awhile back now, but I remember when they didn't qualify Devante Smith-Pelly at 840K but ended up signing him for 2 years, 1.35 mil AAV.

 

[MasterofGrond]

No idea if that plays into anything, really not worth bringing it up as it's just speculation.
I went with what I know to be true, if he wins his case NJ would have to walk away of overpay him.

Devils could have afforded anything he would have gotten in arb

I'm anti Mcleod, but this is legitimately surprising to me

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Eight players have not been tendered a qualifying offer, and will now become Unrestricted Free Agents. Those players are as follows:

Nathan Bastian, Jesper Boqvist, Zachary Emond, Jeremy Groleau, Zackary Hayes, Timur Ibragimov, Michael McLeod, Aarne Talvitie.

Wow Mike McLeod seems pretty surprising

He seemed valuable for debs in their playoff run last year, was noticeable and a beast in faceoffs

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Devils could have afforded anything he would have gotten in arb

I'm anti Mcleod, but this is legitimately surprising to me

Maybe they can afford it but why would you want to pay it? They'd likely walk away from anything over 2 and he'd probably get it in arbitration

 

[MasterofGrond]

Maybe they can afford it but why would you want to pay it? They'd likely walk away from anything over 2 and he'd probably get it in arbitration

I'm not sure he would (he scored 4 goals last year), and the team could have kept negotiating with him before then anyway

 

[HABitual Fan]

It is, but those two are also pathetic.

Merkley is going to Europe I believe I saw.

Comtois might be an option, but the Habs have 13 forwards signed and 3 rfas in Newhook, Harvey-Pinard and Ylonen.

Habs also have 9 d.

Habs need to make trades, but they'll probably just go hurr durr and keep all the players and do nothing because that's easier than doing something

If nobody shows interest in Comtois maybe Montreal signs him for Laval. He can try to save his career in a friendly environment and doesn't count against the veteran quota.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Wow. Honestly the UFA class just got so much more interesting to me.

A lot of sneaky good depth players and even some with higher upside then that, just got added into the pool.


Would love to see the Avs come out of tomorrow with one of Geeki/McLeod and Sprong.

Yes please on all 3!

 

[MMC]

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I'm not sure he would (he scored 4 goals last year), and the team could have kept negotiating with him before then anyway

Doesn't really matter, if he leaves he leaves. He's replaceable

 

[MasterofGrond]

Doesn't really matter, if he leaves he leaves. He's replaceable

Agreed! Nobody is more excited about maybe moving on from Mikey than me, trust.

I'm just surprised it's maybe happening

 

[jkrdevil]

Devils could have afforded anything he would have gotten in arb

I'm anti Mcleod, but this is legitimately surprising to me

Not if they want to make a trade for Hellebuyck or another goalie upgrade. Or make another signing elsewhere for $3 million+

If they want to do one of those things then the 4th line is basically limited to having guys make about $1 million each under the cap. You can’t walk away from low arbitration awards (I think $4.5 is the threshold). So a guy getting even a couple 100k more can throw a wrench into the cap. I’m sure they will try to re-sign them, but now if it gets over their number they can just walk away and say no. Plus given the number of players non qualified and your more traditional ufas, replacements are of plenty. It is a buyers market,

 

[GirardSpinorama]

With so many relatively young players not getting QOs, tomorrow is pro-scout heaven for the Avs (and the fact that we have so many roster and contract slots).

 

[Go Wings]

It’s all about arbitration. Teams can’t have depth guys getting half million dollar raises when they need to overpay free agents by millions.

It's funny cause it's true.

 

[KnockHobbler]

He's going back to Sweden for a year, his season was plagued by injuries and needs a reset.

Makes sense. I think he’s got some potential, wouldn’t surprise me to see him in the nhl some day as a bottom 6 player

 

[biturbo19]

Apparently they are afraid of the arb award....personally, i wouldn't be surprised if there is some Team Canada fall out fear as well though.

I am somewhat surprised that this happened though, tbh. I feel like he's going to get legit interest across the league as a bottom six center. Think he may have had some trade value for rfa rights if they weren't going to qualify him. Don't think that they'll be able to afford bringing him back if they were afraid arb award....could absolutely see someone do something highly questionable with regards to a contract offer to mikey

The problem with the Arb rights is really more around the "walkaway" number. A guy like McLeod has the potential to land in that really awkward sweet spot where you're "overpaying" him for what you feel he's worth...but end up stuck with it, because it's not quite high enough to hit the threshold you can just walk away from.


But i also wouldn't be surprised if he ended up...wherever Formenton is. But that's just speculation at this point.


I'm actually more surprised the Devils didn't qualify Bastian. Is he not at least a serviceable 4th line/depth guy? I can't see them running into that awkward arbitration situation with him. Not sure he's got the sort of case McLeod would. But maybe i'm misreading it, or just less paranoid than the Devils brass.

 

[MasterofGrond]

The problem with the Arb rights is really more around the "walkaway" number. A guy like McLeod has the potential to land in that really awkward sweet spot where you're "overpaying" him for what you feel he's worth...but end up stuck with it, because it's not quite high enough to hit the threshold you can just walk away from.


But i also wouldn't be surprised if he ended up...wherever Formenton is. But that's just speculation at this point.


I'm actually more surprised the Devils didn't qualify Bastian. Is he not at least a serviceable 4th line/depth guy? I can't see them running into that awkward arbitration situation with him. Not sure he's got the sort of case McLeod would. But maybe i'm misreading it, or just less paranoid than the Devils brass.

Bastian is great, I think everybody loves him, I would have risked arb for him.

Think we might be banking on our previously expressed desire to have him in NJ moving the needle in UFA. he might not want to play the waivers game again.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

The fear of arbitration and a team that has Beniers, Wennberg and Gourde ahead of him at C.

I have also read talk about last years RFA contract not aligning with what the Kraken wanted to give him.

 

[mouser]

Maybe they can afford it but why would you want to pay it? They'd likely walk away from anything over 2 and he'd probably get it in arbitration

Can't walk away from any arbitration award under $4.5m.

 

[gstommylee]

 

[Fogelhund]

Did any of the 2018 Canadian Men’s Juniors players, who were eligible to receive a QO today do so?

I count McLeod, Steel, Comtois and Mete all not receiving one. Did I miss anyone?

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]

 

[MMC]