Speculation: Trade Rumors/Speculation Thread Part VI: Do Something

[Ola]

Boyle- Yeah, a real decision is coming on Richards. Quite frankly, looking around the league, I just have an extremely hard time seing how we could replace him.

Does anyone have any ideas on how we could replace Richards?

-The 2014 UFA market is bare. I don't believe in Statsny at all. I mean, if we are to outbid everyone for his service, we are just setting someone up to fail again. PS just aint "that" good.

-In 2015, Toews, Spezza and Krejci are hitting the market. But you just gotta assume that Toews and Krejci are signed before they hit the market. Good teams that want to keep them, they have no reason to move.

Spezza? I mean, Spezza is 32 y/o on July 1, 2015. He is good with the puck, but just screams bad NYR UFA signing at that point of his career.

-Trade? What center -- better than Stepan -- are we going to get through a trade? We are talking about 10-20 names that might fit the mold, it would be darn tough to get one of them.

Bottomline, each team is getting around 12-14m of cap space served to them the coming off-seasons. I suspected that a year ago and now its starting to be reported. We have accumulated a year's growth during the lockout that never showed, the NHL is doing well and the Canadian TV-deal turned out to be over exepectations etc. There is inflation and natrual growth every year.

Teams knew this during the summer we just saw. Philly bought anyone they could. We did -- not -- buy out BR. Toronto gave the career AHLer -- whats his name, Clarkson? -- that contract.

Good luck trying to be a buyer in 2014 or 2015. Half the vets signed for idiotic deals will probably be traded for great returns...

My target for Brad Richards has always been Brian Rafalski. Detroit signed Rafalski to a 5 year 30 million contract in 2007. The cap was 50.3m. Paying Rafalski that money in 07' was like paying someone 8.3m when the cap was 70.2m. Rafalski was 35 y/o. But Detroit had a -- perfect -- role for Rafalski. Had we signed him for 12% of our cap, he wouldn't nearly have been the same success. This is what we gotta target with Richards. To provide him with a perfect role on our PP, a play maker down low (Zucc?) and a right handed option next to him. Find a role for him 5 on 5.

I think its an extremely hard decision to take with BR. If we buy him out, I am not sold on us being able to replace him at all you know. His cap hit is tough, but all of a sudden paying him 6.8m is like paying someone 4.5m today. Overpaying a character vet with a hit of 4.5m today isn't that bad. The big question is IMO if we would have any use of him. A role on the wing or whatever, key piece on a PP?

 

[I Eat Crow]

Richards will be difficult to replace, but how much would his cap recapture penalty hurt if he wasn't bought out? How much will the cap go up? The brass needs to look at the big picture. The problem with depth at center will need to be addressed through trade. You can't count on Lindberg or Miller to be ready for 3rd line duty. Brassard hasn't proven he's consistent enough to take on a top 6 role. You could give Thornton a two year deal to buy more development time for Lindberg and Miller, but if they don't progress, you're in the same situation all over again in 2016.

 

[Vitto79]

Richards will be difficult to replace, but how much would his cap recapture penalty hurt if he wasn't bought out? How much will the cap go up? The brass needs to look at the big picture. The problem with depth at center will need to be addressed through trade. You can't count on Lindberg or Miller to be ready for 3rd line duty. Brassard hasn't proven he's consistent enough to take on a top 6 role. You could give Thornton a two year deal to buy more development time for Lindberg and Miller, but if they don't progress, you're in the same situation all over again in 2016.

it is tough but they have to buy out Richads. Stepan 1 and then I think they have to give it to Brassard at number 2 C. Miller and Lindberg should be able to take a 3rd line C spot next yr but they would sign a vet 4th that can play 3rd. I doubt Boyle is back but maybe

 

[cd211]

its not easy to replace richards, but Stasny is out there and is available this year for sure..

if your not conformable with Brass next year as your 2c (assuming brad being boughtout)

you trade DZ, Brass, + and try and pry Stasny and Barrie

-you get a 1c and take the load off stepan, and you get barrie a rhd with top 4 potential and another PMD


I can also see richards staying tho as well.. with cap goin up theyll take there chances..

other then stasnyUFA class is like Raymond, and Seto as the only ones id take

 

[Vitto79]

Rousell from Dallas seems like a good player and young. What about him and Robidas plus a good prospect or high pick for DZ and Pyatt?

Doesn't really solve the long term RD concern but its fine for this yr

 

[Ola]

Richards will be difficult to replace, but how much would his cap recapture penalty hurt if he wasn't bought out? How much will the cap go up? The brass needs to look at the big picture. The problem with depth at center will need to be addressed through trade. You can't count on Lindberg or Miller to be ready for 3rd line duty. Brassard hasn't proven he's consistent enough to take on a top 6 role. You could give Thornton a two year deal to buy more development time for Lindberg and Miller, but if they don't progress, you're in the same situation all over again in 2016.

I see very few teams getting hit with cap-restructuring to be honest.

Why retire if you can go on LTIR? I wonder if there is a player ever that played like 18 years in the NHL that couldn't go to a doctor and find something wrong with him...

I could bet that these rules never will be used. Pronger is on a +35 and has "retired". Philly will never have him on their cap.

 

[Ola]

its not easy to replace richards, but Stasny is out there and is available this year for sure..

The last three years Stastny has scored 57, 53 and 49 (paced over 82 games) pts.

I doubt he signs for less than 6-7m. I would stay away.

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

The last three years Stastny has scored 57, 53 and 49 (paced over 82 games) pts.

I doubt he signs for less than 6-7m. I would stay away.

He's on pace for 29 goals and 62pts right now. If he keeps that up some team will certainly offer him $6-7 million.

 

[cd211]

you guys look at points a little to much.. i kno its what matters most to win games.. but i want complete players..

krecji and berg have put up 18 and 11pts respectively in the same amount of games richards and stepan have put 17pts.

richards may be better offensivelly... but stepan is by far and away the more complete player.. you need those types of centers..

I would love to get my hands on kessler too but thats a dream.. DZ and brass, fast/lindberg, 1st prob wouldn't get it done..

rather have 2way centers then offensive dynamos.. 2-1 win is the same as a 5-4 win

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

you guys look at points a little to much.. i kno its what matters most to win games.. but i want complete players..

krecji and berg have put up 18 and 11pts respectively in the same amount of games richards and stepan have put 17pts.

richards may be better offensivelly... but stepan is by far and away the more complete player.. you need those types of centers..

I would love to get my hands on kessler too but thats a dream.. DZ and brass, fast/lindberg, 1st prob wouldn't get it done..

rather have 2way centers then offensive dynamos.. 2-1 win is the same as a 5-4 win

Kesler has been a good player but injuries the past few years. no way id deal Del Zotto Brass fast Lindberg 1st for Kesler unless Gaunce, Horvat are in the deal..

 

[JaeTM]

How would you guys feel about parting with M. Staal as opposed to Del Zotto? I know his value takes a hit considering his Carolina flight risk as he hits UFA and his concussion history, but he definitely has more value than DZ does, especially at this point with DZ's healthy scratches.

I'm not sure how valuable he is, and what we could expect to get from dealing Staal, but if it's a much better return than we can get for DZ and DZ can slot in as the #3/4 LD, I'd consider it (the big gamble is having MDZ play at that level consistently though, which I think he showed he can do when Staal was hurt)

 

[eco's bones]

The problem with keeping Richards is that 17-18, 18-19, 19-20 are quite likely to be Chris Drury deja vu and we're going to be stuck with close to a $7 mil cap hit for it which we probably won't be able to buy our way out of.

What the cap ceiling is going to be those years we can only speculate but other teams will have that much more ($6.7 mil per freedom) to lock up their key players or to go shopping on the free agent market or to make deals. We'll have a center closing in on 40 who has already shown signs of slowing down. Cap space is power. To me a kind of equivalent is LL putting off to the last minute the 1st round penalty the NHL imposed on his team for signing Kovalchuk. He didn't have to take Matteau with the next to last pick of the first round a couple years ago but he did and that obstinacy on his part might cost his organization dearly this year.

Richards started off well this year but like the rest of his team his production has slowed down. I don't see him as a 1st line center. At best he's a 2nd line center. The question is what's he going to be like 2 years from now?--3?--5?-6 years from now? The obvious thing is to buy him out--hope he doesn't get injured in the meantime.

 

[Lindberg Cheese]

Boyle- Yeah, a real decision is coming on Richards. Quite frankly, looking around the league, I just have an extremely hard time seing how we could replace him.

Does anyone have any ideas on how we could replace Richards?

-The 2014 UFA market is bare. I don't believe in Statsny at all. I mean, if we are to outbid everyone for his service, we are just setting someone up to fail again. PS just aint "that" good.

-In 2015, Toews, Spezza and Krejci are hitting the market. But you just gotta assume that Toews and Krejci are signed before they hit the market. Good teams that want to keep them, they have no reason to move.

Spezza? I mean, Spezza is 32 y/o on July 1, 2015. He is good with the puck, but just screams bad NYR UFA signing at that point of his career.

-Trade? What center -- better than Stepan -- are we going to get through a trade? We are talking about 10-20 names that might fit the mold, it would be darn tough to get one of them.

Bottomline, each team is getting around 12-14m of cap space served to them the coming off-seasons. I suspected that a year ago and now its starting to be reported. We have accumulated a year's growth during the lockout that never showed, the NHL is doing well and the Canadian TV-deal turned out to be over exepectations etc. There is inflation and natrual growth every year.

Teams knew this during the summer we just saw. Philly bought anyone they could. We did -- not -- buy out BR. Toronto gave the career AHLer -- whats his name, Clarkson? -- that contract.

Good luck trying to be a buyer in 2014 or 2015. Half the vets signed for idiotic deals will probably be traded for great returns...

My target for Brad Richards has always been Brian Rafalski. Detroit signed Rafalski to a 5 year 30 million contract in 2007. The cap was 50.3m. Paying Rafalski that money in 07' was like paying someone 8.3m when the cap was 70.2m. Rafalski was 35 y/o. But Detroit had a -- perfect -- role for Rafalski. Had we signed him for 12% of our cap, he wouldn't nearly have been the same success. This is what we gotta target with Richards. To provide him with a perfect role on our PP, a play maker down low (Zucc?) and a right handed option next to him. Find a role for him 5 on 5.

I think its an extremely hard decision to take with BR. If we buy him out, I am not sold on us being able to replace him at all you know. His cap hit is tough, but all of a sudden paying him 6.8m is like paying someone 4.5m today. Overpaying a character vet with a hit of 4.5m today isn't that bad. The big question is IMO if we would have any use of him. A role on the wing or whatever, key piece on a PP?

Good info, one area of availability not covered is who other teams may buy out, is there a Lecavlier lurking on the market? Not sure who the candidates may be.

 

[howztheglass]

Hmm, i have a trade idea for you bern.

Staal, Stepan, 2014-15-16 first and second round pick for Toews and Keith. Then we trade Toews, Keith, Kreider AND Hagelin for Malkin. After we get Malkin, we can trade Callahan and 2028 3rd rounder for Clowe and Jagr. Also, trade Girardi, Hank and 2018 1st rounder for Bertuzzi, Quincey and Abdelkader (who we move to LD). Then trade Zuccarello for a 5th in 2030 to replenish the prospect pool. Fill every other line in with AHLers and FA scrubs. Lines should look like this.


Clowe-Malkin-Jagr
Pyatt-Brassard-Kristo
Pouliot-Moore-Bertuzzi
Boyle-Miller-Dorsett

Bickel-McDonagh
Quincey-DZ
Abdelkader-Johnson

Talbot

Great team right guys?

Not to beat a dead horse--but the best part of all these trades is that we DON'T even trade DZ whom this whole trend is about--Back to the drawing board.

 

[azrok22]

Not to beat a dead horse--but the best part of all these trades is that we DON'T even trade DZ whom this whole trend is about--Back to the drawing board.

And still end up with MDZ on the right side!

 

[Boruto]

its not easy to replace richards, but Stasny is out there and is available this year for sure..

if your not conformable with Brass next year as your 2c (assuming brad being boughtout)

you trade DZ, Brass, + and try and pry Stasny and Barrie

-you get a 1c and take the load off stepan, and you get barrie a rhd with top 4 potential and another PMD


I can also see richards staying tho as well.. with cap goin up theyll take there chances..

other then stasnyUFA class is like Raymond, and Seto as the only ones id take

Statsny's $12,000,000,000 salary and on his 3-year decline?

Statsny isn't a 1C

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

any chance of Del Zotto and Pouliot to Senators for Zack Smith, Greening and one of Curtis Lazar, Shane Prince, Matt Puempel, Cody Ceci

 

[E-Train]

any chance of Del Zotto and Pouliot to Senators for Zack Smith, Greening and one of Curtis Lazar, Shane Prince, Matt Puempel, Cody Ceci

Don't think from an Ottawa perspective. Don't see them moving Lazar or hometown boy Ceci. Those are the two I'd be most interested in.

 

[Punxrocknyc19*]

or how about Del Zotto and 2ed in 2014 to Blues for Jackman and Dmitrij Jaskin??

 

[OverTheCap]

The problem with keeping Richards is that 17-18, 18-19, 19-20 are quite likely to be Chris Drury deja vu and we're going to be stuck with close to a $7 mil cap hit for it which we probably won't be able to buy our way out of.

What the cap ceiling is going to be those years we can only speculate but other teams will have that much more ($6.7 mil per freedom) to lock up their key players or to go shopping on the free agent market or to make deals. We'll have a center closing in on 40 who has already shown signs of slowing down. Cap space is power. To me a kind of equivalent is LL putting off to the last minute the 1st round penalty the NHL imposed on his team for signing Kovalchuk. He didn't have to take Matteau with the next to last pick of the first round a couple years ago but he did and that obstinacy on his part might cost his organization dearly this year.

Richards started off well this year but like the rest of his team his production has slowed down. I don't see him as a 1st line center. At best he's a 2nd line center. The question is what's he going to be like 2 years from now?--3?--5?-6 years from now? The obvious thing is to buy him out--hope he doesn't get injured in the meantime.

Agreed, Richards isn't playing like a 1st center. He is on pace for 56 points this year which is his worst point production as a Ranger, and it is only going to go downhill from there. The free agent market for centers is pretty thin this year but Thornton, Stastny, and Derek Roy could potentially replace Richards without the worry of cap recapture.

 

[Championship*]

or how about Del Zotto and 2ed in 2014 to Blues for Jackman and Dmitrij Jaskin??

Just horrendous.

 

[theFiGS]

you guys look at points a little to much.. i kno its what matters most to win games.. but i want complete players..

krecji and berg have put up 18 and 11pts respectively in the same amount of games richards and stepan have put 17pts.

richards may be better offensivelly... but stepan is by far and away the more complete player.. you need those types of centers..

I would love to get my hands on kessler too but thats a dream.. DZ and brass, fast/lindberg, 1st prob wouldn't get it done..

rather have 2way centers then offensive dynamos.. 2-1 win is the same as a 5-4 win

This times 1000. Give me a 60 point 2 way center over a 80 point one demential center who shows up when he wants to.

 

[Ail]

This times 1000. Give me a 60 point 2 way center over a 80 point one demential center who shows up when he wants to.

"when he wants to" is pretty often when you are scoring 80 points since that is almost a PPG.

 

[Raspewtin]

Rousell from Dallas seems like a good player and young. What about him and Robidas plus a good prospect or high pick for DZ and Pyatt?

Doesn't really solve the long term RD concern but its fine for this yr

Dallas loves Roussel. For good reason, he does everything for them. Great team player and works hard every game.

And they need Robidas, so they wont deal him for anything short of a big upgrade.

 

[Raspewtin]

or how about Del Zotto and 2ed in 2014 to Blues for Jackman and Dmitrij Jaskin??

That is god awful. If this was Jackman from 10 years ago I'd probably do it.