GDT: Trade and Free Agency Thread - Let the games begin

[hamzarocks]

I don't see how that's different from Kadri, he has 3 more ES points in more minutes despite having better regular wingers and getting more time with Mac and Rantanen than Kerfoot gets with our top-6.

How many 3rd line centers are there that drive offense on their own with guys like Simmonds and Vesey as their main linemates? The ones that do, how much money are they making?

Spezza outscored most of that list at ES in about half the minutes with 4th liners, does that make them all overpaid?

According to Zeke's post above yours he hasn't spent much time with Simmonds or Vesey. His most time has been Mikheyev, Engvall, Kapanen, and then at wing with JT and WN. Those first three players are good enough for a 3c to give near 40ish points imo. He should be able to drive offense with two other speedy players in mikheyev and engvall. I don't blame him exclusively for the lack of finishing, but he is a part of that and if that is our 3rd line this year (probably see Kase instead of Engvall so even better) we need production from them

 

[zeke]

Leo Komarov on waivers. Solid use of $3m in capspace.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Leo Komarov on waivers. Solid use of $3m in capspace.

Has any player been tried to be taken off waivers by all 31 teams? That guy is a critical playoff warrior for the Islanders let's not forget. They don't have any cap problems so they're probably just getting rid of him because of their elite depth.

I wonder how much it would cost to get rid of Boychuk's 6 million if he had an NMC and was chasing the games played record.

 

[IPS]

Leo Komarov on waivers. Solid use of $3m in capspace.

Top line winger one day, waivers the next.

Such is life when you're 34 year old playing a very rough style.

 

[hamzarocks]

Has any player been tried to be taken off waivers by all 31 teams? That guy is a critical playoff warrior for the Islanders let's not forget. They don't have any cap problems so they're probably just getting rid of him because of their elite depth.

I wonder how much it would cost to get rid of Boychuk's 6 million if he had an NMC and was chasing the games played record.

Isles don't have cap problems as they have a lot of expiring money coming off the books the next few years but they might have declining return problems if their players fall down and the defensive system doesn't hold up. Sorokin also could prove to not be the guy they envisioned which would drastically hurt them

Komarov + Hickey expire at the end of this year so they are getting cap relief from those two guys. The biggest issue for the isles is that they need a game-breaking winger to emerge if they want to win the cup. Very difficult for a purely defensive and depth-driven team to win 4 tough playoff rounds. You can win a series or two but it's not likely they can beat the Bolts/Avs or any other high offensive emerging team like that.

They very well could miss the playoffs this season, or they could make it again and go deep. They aren't a team that is easy to get a read on.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Isles don't have cap problems as they have a lot of expiring money coming off the books the next few years but they might have declining return problems if their players fall down and the defensive system doesn't hold up. Sorokin also could prove to not be the guy they envisioned which would drastically hurt them

Komarov + Hickey expire at the end of this year so they are getting cap relief from those two guys. The biggest issue for the isles is that they need a game-breaking winger to emerge if they want to win the cup. Very difficult for a purely defensive and depth-driven team to win 4 tough playoff rounds. You can win a series or two but it's not likely they can beat the Bolts/Avs or any other high offensive emerging team like that.

They very well could miss the playoffs this season, or they could make it again and go deep. They aren't a team that is easy to get a read on.

They need to rebuild/re-sign their entire bottom-4 over the next year. They're unlikely to get better value than Dobson on an ELC or Chara/Greene on league minimum retirement deals. The year after that they also have to find money for a Barzal raise. The same year they have to rebuild/re-sign 5/6 of their bottom 6 who's identity requires paying the right vet grinders on the higher end of what they're worth.

I don't see where the money for a 7+ million dollar scoring winger comes from without downgrading their defense or their "identity lines" bottom-6, they tried a 5M guy with Palmieri and it's pretty clear he isn't enough. I don't see anyone in their prospect pool that's very likely to become a top-4D or high end 3rd liner by next season to fill those roles on an ELC. If Dobson and Wahlstrom fill 2 of those roles, you're going to have to pay them this year or next. Doesn't have to be a big deal but even 2.5-3.5mil is 3-4x what they're spending on them this season.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

I still can't believe they put Leo on Barzal's wing in the playoffs last year

 

[zeke]

Has any player been tried to be taken off waivers by all 31 teams? That guy is a critical playoff warrior for the Islanders let's not forget. They don't have any cap problems so they're probably just getting rid of him because of their elite depth.

They have all sorts of cap problems, are slam bang against the cap even though they've already buried two salaries in Panik and Hickey and have Boychuk on LTIR.

If Leo had any value to anyone, they would trade him, not waive him.

 

[hamzarocks]

They need to rebuild/re-sign their entire bottom-4 over the next year. They're unlikely to get better value than Dobson on an ELC or Chara/Greene on league minimum retirement deals. The year after that they also have to find money for a Barzal raise. The same year they have to rebuild/re-sign 5/6 of their bottom 6 who's identity requires paying the right vet grinders on the higher end of what they're worth.

I don't see where the money for a 7+ million dollar scoring winger comes from without downgrading their defense or their "identity lines" bottom-6, they tried a 5M guy with Palmieri and it's pretty clear he isn't enough. I don't see anyone in their prospect pool that's very likely to become a top-4D or high-end 3rd liner by next season to fill those roles on an ELC. If Dobson and Wahlstrom fill 2 of those roles, you're going to have to pay them this year or next. Doesn't have to be a big deal but even 2.5-3.5mil is 3-4x what they're spending on them this season.

Mayfield will probably come in at 3.5-4M, dobson and Wahlstrom like you you said will be around 3ishM which is about 4.5M above what they make this season.

Keep in mind that this off-season they have 3.5M (Clutterbuck) + 3M (Komo) + 1.375M (Hickey buried amount) + 1M (Salary cap increase) + 1M (Ross Johnson)

That is almost 10M. If 4.5M of that is going to Wahlstrom/Dobson (so about 3M bridges for both) + 2.5M for Mayfield, that still give 3M for Barzal's increase. I doubt Barzal gets 10M with his production not being above 70points or so but at the most, it would be 10M. They have to replace those guys which eats some of the cap space, but the replacements will most likely be their younger end players or vets on 750k contracts like Parise.

They can retain most of their current team but they are not likely to be able to add a major upgrade unless its internal with a guy like Raty pulling an Aho an making the NHl very soon

 

[zeke]

Top line winger one day, waivers the next.

Such is life when you're 34 year old playing a very rough style.

easy to look deep when you stick bad players at the top of the lineup.

 

[hamzarocks]

They have all sorts of cap problems, are slam bang against the cap even though they've already buried two salaries in Panik and Hickey and have Boychuk on LTIR.

If Leo had any value to anyone, they would trade him, not waive him.

How can they have cap problems? The team they have is already locked in for this year. They made their moves and retained who they wanted and managed to be cap compliant. It remains to be seen if the team is good enough (likely won't be enough to win hte cup, but probably make the playoffs and win a round or so)

Most of the dead cap clears this offseason and they 14,855,833 M in cap space according to cap-friendly with an active roster size of 13 players. This year they have 23.

Leafs for comparison's sake this year are at the cap with an active roster size of 22, and next year have 12,885,217 in projected cap space with an active roster size of 14 for the next season

 

[zeke]

How can they have cap problems? The team they have is already locked in for this year. They made their moves and retained who they wanted and managed to be cap compliant. It remains to be seen if the team is good enough (likely won't be enough to win hte cup, but probably make the playoffs and win a round or so)

The dead cap clears this offseason and they 14,855,833 M in cap space according to cap-friendly with an active roster size of 13 players. This year they have 23.

Leafs for comparison's sake this year are at the cap with an active roster size of 22, and next year have 12,885,217 in projected cap space with an active roster size of 14 for the next season

Probably comes down to performance bonus issues. This is why this will now be the 4th contract to a non-player giving them headaches this year - Partial buried hits to Leo, Hickey, Panik, and LTIR for Boychuk.

They're already losing $1.5m in capspace this year due to bonus overages from previous years (leafs by comparison are at $0), and are on the the hook for a potentialy $2.8m in performance bonuses carrying over to next year (Leafs be comparison are only potentially on the hook for $0.4).

They're currently slam bang against the cap even with all those buried deals, and with $2.8m in potential bonuses that could carry over to next year - burying Leo would help cover at least some of the $2.8m in space, though not all of it.

I also wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to make room for a badly needed upgrade on defense. Dobson-Mayfield as a 2nd pair and Chara-Greene as a 3rd pair is likely not gonna hack it.

 

[ACC1224]

How can they have cap problems? The team they have is already locked in for this year. They made their moves and retained who they wanted and managed to be cap compliant. It remains to be seen if the team is good enough (likely won't be enough to win hte cup, but probably make the playoffs and win a round or so)

Most of the dead cap clears this offseason and they 14,855,833 M in cap space according to cap-friendly with an active roster size of 13 players. This year they have 23.

Leafs for comparison's sake this year are at the cap with an active roster size of 22, and next year have 12,885,217 in projected cap space with an active roster size of 14 for the next season

How many times have the Isles used an amateur college backup this season?

 

[GoodNewfieBoy]

I think the only upgrade the Leafs need is an upgrade on Holl. That’s the one position on the entire roster we need to focus on. A top four right handed d man. Any of them going to be available at the deadline ?

 

[mydnyte]

How can they have cap problems? The team they have is already locked in for this year. They made their moves and retained who they wanted and managed to be cap compliant. It remains to be seen if the team is good enough (likely won't be enough to win hte cup, but probably make the playoffs and win a round or so)

Most of the dead cap clears this offseason and they 14,855,833 M in cap space according to cap-friendly with an active roster size of 13 players. This year they have 23.

Leafs for comparison's sake this year are at the cap with an active roster size of 22, and next year have 12,885,217 in projected cap space with an active roster size of 14 for the next season

they are a cap nightmare right now, they cant afford anything this year.
next season even with the 2 great d-man signings and almost 15 mil (to sign 7-8 players)they will still be up against it, and i can see Lou giving Clutterbuck more than he's worth, (i.e. a raise)
Dobson also needs a deal, BUT they need to save all their $$ for Barzal the following season as they will have nothing other than Varlamov's 5m off the books, and will also need to resign Mayfield, who will get a solid raise, or leave.
Barzal will likely get 10+ on a max deal

 

[mydnyte]

How many times have the Isles used an amateur college backup this season?

it will happen the day one of their goalies cant dress, since they cant afford to call one up

 

[Martin Skoula]

Mayfield will probably come in at 3.5-4M, dobson and Wahlstrom like you you said will be around 3ishM which is about 4.5M above what they make this season.

Keep in mind that this off-season they have 3.5M (Clutterbuck) + 3M (Komo) + 1.375M (Hickey buried amount) + 1M (Salary cap increase) + 1M (Ross Johnson)

That is almost 10M. If 4.5M of that is going to Wahlstrom/Dobson (so about 3M bridges for both) + 2.5M for Mayfield, that still give 3M for Barzal's increase. I doubt Barzal gets 10M with his production not being above 70points or so but at the most, it would be 10M. They have to replace those guys which eats some of the cap space, but the replacements will most likely be their younger end players or vets on 750k contracts like Parise.

They can retain most of their current team but they are not likely to be able to add a major upgrade unless its internal with a guy like Raty pulling an Aho an making the NHl very soon

I just keep hearing that guys like Clutterbuck and Martin are crucial to their success, how are you going to replace them for cheaper without downgrading their super elite bottom-6? And that's just to tread water without adding any big pieces. I'm sure they can pull another Johnston out of the AHL, but they have to replace 5 vets. If we had to replace our entire bottom-6 with Brooks and Anderson types, we'd never hear the end of how much our cap problems are ruining the team. How many Parises and Spezzas can you realistically find in 2 offseasons?

 

[LeafChief]

How many times have the Isles used an amateur college backup this season?

This is the response of someone that doesn't understand how the cap works.

 

[zeke]

How many times have the Isles used an amateur college backup this season?

Three times fewer than they've had to eat money and waive baf contracts.

 

[ACC1224]

it will happen the day one of their goalies cant dress, since they cant afford to call one up

I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

[zeke]

I think the only upgrade the Leafs need is an upgrade on Holl. That’s the one position on the entire roster we need to focus on. A top four right handed d man. Any of them going to be available at the deadline ?

Holl is a very good #4 dman.

 

[SprDaVE]

I think the only upgrade the Leafs need is an upgrade on Holl. That’s the one position on the entire roster we need to focus on. A top four right handed d man. Any of them going to be available at the deadline ?

I don't think you'll find one that would be an upgrade and fit under the cap. I don't think the Leafs need to upgrade on Holl either... he's solid. He's got a big reach, isn't inept with the puck and can handle tough assignments to a certain degree.

The Leafs need a LW upgrade... again. Preferably not a broken down pending UFA that doesn't score... again. Mikheyev is a question mark and Ritchie is kinda meh.

 

[zeke]

I'll keep an eye out for it.

while you're there - keep an eye out and see which other teams have procured themselves a cap-free callup like the leafs have, instead of being forced to eat money on bad contracts.

 

[kb]

How many times have the Isles used an amateur college backup this season?

They weren't smart enough to do that like the Leafs did.

It was a brilliant move. But to those who want to bash like normal.....carry on. But it's not a good look.

 

[A1LeafNation]

I don't think you'll find one that would be an upgrade and fit under the cap. I don't think the Leafs need to upgrade on Holl either... he's solid. He's got a big reach, isn't inept with the puck and can handle tough assignments to a certain degree.

The Leafs need a LW upgrade... again. Preferably not a broken down pending UFA that doesn't score... again. Mikheyev is a question mark and Ritchie is kinda meh.

Bunting Matthews Marner
________ Tavares Nylander
Mikheyev Kampf Kase
Engvall Spezza Simmonds
Robertson HoSang

Kerfoot + Ritchie is a 6m winger....damn if only.