Speculation: Saku Maenalanen - a conspiracy theory

[Lempo]

I posted this on an MB thread but it's our matter really so it should be here. So, Saku Maenalanen, 25 years old unsigned RFA, a Karpat alumnus, didn't sign his two-way QO after one season in NA:

There's shenanigans going on there. He and CAR have some pre-agreed arrangement that's still waiting for pieces to move.

I would guess it's something related to Puljujarvi's roster spot in Oulun Karpat that may or may not open. Sebastian Aho's dad is the GM honcho there, so CAR got the connections (and probably owes for him letting Kuokkanen to come and play in AHL).

Maybe they will let Kuoks go rack up the sweet SML salary if he doesn't make the NHL roster and Canes re-sign Saku.

Waddell said Saku "stays in Finland as of now", but he hasn't signed anywhere which is ludicrous and Waddell still calling the shots would be nonsensical unless it's about Canes applying their team control to a player who in reality is for all intents and purposes *their* player.​

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[Anton Babchuk]

??? this seems completely ridiculous. the most likely explanation is that maenalanen wants more money than the hurricanes are offering him.

 

[Lempo]

??? this seems completely ridiculous. the most likely explanation is that maenalanen wants more money than the hurricanes are offering him.

Him wanting a one-way deal I can buy. That falls under 'more money'. But surely he would see that Canes are quite stacked in bottom-6 forwards and tight on cap to hope for higher NHL salary.

I wonder if they extended his QO beyond July 15 and if it still is in effect, so there's no massive hurry for him to sign.

He btw should be waivers exempt until after 2 years (1 now) or 60 NHL games (has 43 now), which is a consideration for accepting two-way deal.

 

[MinJaBen]

The problem with this speculation or theory is that I can’t see a reasonable set of moves that would give him a spot in the lineup. Without that, I struggle to see why this would be a plan of managements vs just signing him to a two-way deal and sending him down until needed. It seems that the most likely reason he’s not here is that he doesn’t agree with the contract offer or with his options in the organization.

 

[Canes]

Kuokkanen want return a Karpat

 

[A Star is Burns]

He likely wants more money and/or role than we are willing to offer him. I highly doubt it's more complicated than that.

 

[robbieberns]

There’s really no spot for him on this team, so unless he wants to sign a 1 year league minimum 2 way deal, I don’t think Carolina is even that interested in bringing him back.

 

[Hinterland]

Kind of unfortunate because he's a good 4th liner at least. Efficient hitter with a solid technique. Always liked the guy. He should play in the NHL.

 

[Vagrant]

the thing that's really confusing is that the liiga and khl seasons have already started and some teams have played 6-7 games at least. the fact that he hasn't signed is curious. it is almost like he's waiting for something to happen, but whether that's on our side or on karpat's side is hard to say. JP might have absorbed his roster spot/money? perhaps he's waiting for that situation to resolve, but to have no team at this point is strange indeed.

 

[Roboturner913]

guy obviously has talent....if the Canes are stashing him in Finland they're smart to do so.

Of course, I don't know why in the world he'd ever want to play in non-hockey market Carolina when he could simply play in hockey mecca Montreal instead.

 

[Lempo]

the thing that's really confusing is that the liiga and khl seasons have already started and some teams have played 6-7 games at least. the fact that he hasn't signed is curious. it is almost like he's waiting for something to happen, but whether that's on our side or on karpat's side is hard to say. JP might have absorbed his roster spot/money? perhaps he's waiting for that situation to resolve, but to have no team at this point is strange indeed.

Karpat noted on summer that they had put a roster spot and a number in budget aside for JP specifically. He was a big catch marketing-wise, but at the same time they tried to be very open about that he necessarily won't be staying for the season.

IF JP gets moved, Karpat has the roster spot and the money. SM again is a full history Karpat guy who is hard to see playing elsewhere in the Liiga (he'll play where he gets to play of course).

Karpat have a stacked-up organization, but they sure would like an NHL cred guy to substitute JP... though funnily, young Kuokkanen may be more media sexy choice for Karpat than Maenalanen. HAho noted on his marketability as an own junior for Karpat when allowing him to stay another year in NA after the London year. HAho did publicly say that if he doesn't make the Canes roster they will demand him back as per the transfer agreement, but that didn't happen in the end. Canes wanted Kuoks in AHL. What they agreed with the Canes org then, we don't know.

What I don't see is 25-yo tweener SM risking missing a season playing $1M or $0.

 

[Lempo]

guy obviously has talent....if the Canes are stashing him in Finland they're smart to do so.

Of course, I don't know why in the world he'd ever want to play in non-hockey market Carolina when he could simply play in hockey mecca Montreal instead.

He should threaten to sign with Montreal.

 

[ookhaab]

He wants Marner money!

 

[bleedgreen]

He can obviously find a job outside the nhl so it’s been very curious how quiet the whole thing has been. I think he’s a cut above a lot of our fourth line options so I think he’s worth holding onto. I don’t think Kooks is a fourth line player anyways. All very interesting.

It feels like we’ve got him waiting for something. Problem is we can wait forever. We’ve been doing it with Faulk for over a year. His must feel something is imminent since the FEL has already started.

 

[Lempo]

He can obviously find a job outside the nhl so it’s been very curious how quiet the whole thing has been. I think he’s a cut above a lot of our fourth line options so I think he’s worth holding onto. I don’t think Kooks is a fourth line player anyways. All very interesting.

It feels like we’ve got him waiting for something. Problem is we can wait forever. We’ve been doing it with Faulk for over a year. His must feel something is imminent since the FEL has already started.

Waddell publicly speaking on behalf of a supposed RFA saying that "he's staying in Finland as of now" strongly suggests to me that SM is staying in Finland at the behest of and in explicit agreement with the Canes organization. If he was a free-free agent that Canes may or may not sign he would be doing his own representating to the public.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Waddell publicly speaking on behalf of a supposed RFA saying that "he's staying in Finland as of now" strongly suggests to me that SM is staying in Finland at the behest of and in explicit agreement with the Canes organization. If he was a free-free agent that Canes may or may not sign he would be doing his own representating to the public.

To me that sounds like he’s saying “I’m not giving this guy a contract”, with “as of now” just being polite way of saying if he wins MVP in Finland the situation will be different next year.

 

[Lempo]

To me that sounds like he’s saying “I’m not giving this guy a contract”, with “as of now” just being polite way of saying if he wins MVP in Finland the situation will be different next year.

I see that, but in that case it's not for Waddell to say what the unsigned player is to do in his sabbatical, ie. specifically to stay in Finland (where he btw is currenlty practicing but not playing with Karpat).

Saku as a fringe NHLer could quite well be seeking more lucrative employment in SHL or the Swiss league, or the KHL... if it was up to him. Instead, he's staying put in Finland while the seasons have started.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

To me that sounds like he’s saying “I’m not giving this guy a contract”, with “as of now” just being polite way of saying if he wins MVP in Finland the situation will be different next year.

he was given a qualifying offer, so we know for sure he was offered a contract at some point. they may have let the qualifying offer expire and are offering him less, but it's hard to believe there's no offer period for him at this point from the hurricanes.

as someone who follows the khl it's not unusual to see guys sign 10-15 games into the season after teams start to struggle and panic and start increasing their offers. wouldn't be surprised to see that with saku if he doesn't want to take a two-way nhl deal. last year for instance gilbert brule didn't sign for sibir until late october even though he's one of the top players in the khl. this year rob klinkhammer didn't sign for avangard until 8 games into the season.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

he was given a qualifying offer, so we know for sure he was offered a contract at some point. they may have let the qualifying offer expire and are offering him less, but it's hard to believe there's no offer period for him at this point from the hurricanes.

as someone who follows the khl it's not unusual to see guys sign 10-15 games into the season after teams start to struggle and panic. wouldn't be surprised to see that with saku.

No doubt, I wasn’t looking that deep into it. We likely didn’t budge on a number, and they probably said “well, for that number we’d rather just stay in Finland.” And Waddell can now say “for now he’s staying in Finland.”

“Not giving this guy a contract” was probably sloppily worded, mostly just mean that talks have broken down and Saku is staying in Finland. “For now” likely means nothing, in the sense that he is currently in Finland.

Lempo may very well be right but it would be a shot in the dark, I don’t think Waddell has said anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

In the preseason, I prefer a conspiracy theory over these rational explanations even if it goes against my natural instincts.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

In the preseason, I prefer a conspiracy theory over these rational explanations even if it goes against my natural instincts.

What, because it’s interesting and keeps the fans interested and talking?

Conspiracy: BBA is Tom Dundon. The signs are all there.

 

[MinJaBen]

What, because it’s interesting and keeps the fans interested and talking?

Conspiracy: BBA is Tom Dundon. The signs are all there.

We've seen Dundon's wife...she's no hotwife.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

What, because it’s interesting and keeps the fans interested and talking?

Conspiracy: BBA is Tom Dundon. The signs are all there.

If I was Tom Dundon, I wouldn't be on this board wasting time with you guys. I'd be taking as many of you as possible to the cleaners with some bad auto loans.

 

[Lempo]

If I was Tom Dundon, I wouldn't be on this board wasting time with you guys. I'd be taking as many of you as possible to the cleaners with some bad auto loans.

You are in the Lounge thread talking us out of buying a new Tesla, Tom.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

You are in the Lounge thread talking us out of buying a new Tesla, Tom.

It's because I hate Elon Musk. I'm a billionaire and hate other arrogant billionaires.