Roster Building XXVI: Picking Our Teeth Off The Ice

[Chrispy]

I haven't looked at the upcoming season RFA's, but I feel like that is where Tulsky will be looking. I feel like we're the only team that sees the value in an offer sheet and isn't afraid to use them.

Did you forget about St. Louis?

 

[baconandbread]

Did you forget about St. Louis?

I'm old, I totally did! Still seems like our most likely route

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I could see us flipping one or both of those picks back to Dallas in the summertime for someone. Dispute the cap increase they are still most likely going to have to cut loose a good player this offseason

 

[baconandbread]

So a quick look at the RFA list...
Bouchard, Dobson, Peterka, Knies, McTavish, Rossi, N.Lunquist to name a few
2025 NHL Free Agents

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

So a quick look at the RFA list...
Bouchard, Dobson, Peterka, Knies, Oettinger, McTavish, Rossi, N.Lunquist to name a few
2025 NHL Free Agents

With the cap increase the next couple years most teams will not be in a cap crunch which will limit the utility of offer sheets

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

#FreeJarvis
#StoneHandsIsNotASecondLine

 

[MyLuckyPuck]

I’d like to add Jeannot at the right price. He had some good stats in NSH before the move to TB and brings some great sandpaper.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

The time to pull out the offer sheet trick is when there's another flat cap period. You never know when that's going to happen again.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Most of that looks good.

But Ekblad isn’t the answer as a Slavin partner anymore. Rather have Karlsson.

Karlsson or (my personal choice) Pietrangelo makes the most sense to me. High cap hit, sure, but expires in just 2 seasons, right at the moment when we need to pay our RFAs.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Dobson is top wishlist for me.

 

[User13452]

I’m a genius… not really…

Once carrier comes back I assume he slides right back onto staal’s line then you got lots of options to move Jarvis around. Assuming everyone is healthy come game 1 I think Roslovic could be the odd man out

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I have a feeling EP40 will be a Cane in the offseason.

 

[Brock Anton]

Dobson is top wishlist for me.

Yep, this should be the #1 target. I imagine Morrow becomes expendable in this scenario and is part of the package, too.

 

[Chan790]

Most of that looks good.

But Ekblad isn’t the answer as a Slavin partner anymore. Rather have Karlsson.

I don't want either. Go get someone we can count on to play the toughest D minutes next to Slavin so we can shelter both of the rookies to start and acclimate them to the NHL at their own respective paces. I expect Nikishin will get to NHL speed and level faster than Morrow, but both will get there by game 1 of the 2026 playoffs. We can play mix and match over the course of the year.

I'm not worried about offense from the D...I expect the kids will provide plenty. They're both talented scorers.

 

[CandyCanes]

Is Dobson actually available? I’ve heard his name a lot here, but haven’t heard the big talking heads mention he’s actually available? The Isles would be crazy to give him up, even in a rebuild.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Is Dobson actually available? I’ve heard his name a lot here, but haven’t heard the big talking heads mention he’s actually available? The Isles would be crazy to give him up, even in a rebuild.

If he does not want to stay he can walk them right to UFA with a 1 year arbitration.

 

[User13452]

So a quick look at the RFA list...
Bouchard, Dobson, Peterka, Knies, Oettinger, McTavish, Rossi, N.Lunquist to name a few
2025 NHL Free Agents

Oettinger is signed long term. Out of everyone on that list the team that would have the most trouble matching a high offer sheet would be Edmonton and Bouchard.

 

[Borsig]

We arent going to play stank as a center... Are we.....

At least he isn't Buried.

 

[baconandbread]

Oettinger is signed long term. Out of everyone on that list the team that would have the most trouble matching a high offer sheet would be Edmonton and Bouchard.

I totally missed the Oettinger signing. With Dallas being so close to the cap, you'd think someone would have to shake loose though. Edmonton. for sure is the easiest target

 

[spockBokk]

They now have Jarvis, Blake, Stankoven, Nadeau and Unger Sorum as smallish right shot forwards.

I could easily see one or maybe both of Nadeau or Unger Sorum traded this summer in packages for roster upgrades

 

[baconandbread]

They now have Jarvis, Blake, Stankoven, Nadeau and Unger Sorum as smallish right shot forwards.

I could easily see one or maybe both of Nadeau or Unger Sorum traded this summer in packages for roster upgrades

Nadeau plays his offside and is a pure sniper...so not Canes material/s Not sure if they still envision Unger-Sorum as a centre, but he's so young and at least a couple of years away

 

[Borsig]

welcome to PP1, Stank.

 

[User13452]

They now have Jarvis, Blake, Stankoven, Nadeau and Unger Sorum as smallish right shot forwards.

I could easily see one or maybe both of Nadeau or Unger Sorum traded this summer in packages for roster upgrades

I’m not trading Nadeau he’s a pure goal scorer the one thing this team will again be chasing in the offseason. Unger Sorum will need at least another year in the AHL so there’s really no rush. Nadeau probably even starts in the Ahl too

 

[Unsustainable]

Marner seems likely, if they keep Marner, Knies is a strong candidate for an offersheet

 

[User13452]

I totally missed the Oettinger signing. With Dallas being so close to the cap, you'd think someone would have to shake loose though. Edmonton. for sure is the easiest target

They only have just over 5 million in cap space next year with only 8 forwards signed. Not sure what they do but I’m sure they’d love to move off Seguin’s 9.8 salary somehow