B17 Apricots
Registered User
- May 18, 2016
- 2,169
- 2,594
Even if you leave out what was in the pipeline at the time, committing that much term to a 55 point 30 year old when you're committed to a rebuild was a bad choice. Wanting to retain him was a great idea, vet presence, scores goals, the off ice stuff, physical attributes... but it had to be on our terms. If he wasnt willing to take a few years, even at a higher AAV than part ways. You have options, plenty of assets to make a trade, pick up a stop gap FA... maybe a long term one pops up. Something like that you gotta have the foresight that opportunities will present themselves so you don't handcuff yourself in the future.
Now we're in similar position with Buch where he's been fantastic. He's reached a new level of consistency and added the penalty killing but unless he's willing to take a fairly short deal you need to make your move. I'd like to keep him, he can be a useful piece going foward but I wouldn't commit long term. As much as I like Buch, and I've been saying for a while he has another level to him, Kakko, Laf and Kravtsov have huge ceilings and are coming along very quickly. Years down the line what happens when some of these kids are ppg players. Fox, Laf, Kakko asking for +8 a year... having money tied up to guys like Kreider + Buch is too risky for me
Hell I'd seriously go ask Kreider if he's willing to waive for Seattle and offer him and TDA
Now we're in similar position with Buch where he's been fantastic. He's reached a new level of consistency and added the penalty killing but unless he's willing to take a fairly short deal you need to make your move. I'd like to keep him, he can be a useful piece going foward but I wouldn't commit long term. As much as I like Buch, and I've been saying for a while he has another level to him, Kakko, Laf and Kravtsov have huge ceilings and are coming along very quickly. Years down the line what happens when some of these kids are ppg players. Fox, Laf, Kakko asking for +8 a year... having money tied up to guys like Kreider + Buch is too risky for me
Hell I'd seriously go ask Kreider if he's willing to waive for Seattle and offer him and TDA