NHL 2017 Off-Season Thread

[Majingir]

For the 22 teams whose season is over, and the 1 team that's gonna be in existence in less than 2 months, time to talk off-season!

Arguably the most interesting June(off-season wise) since 2000(the last expansion draft). Who'll be traded before the draft? What might some teams give up to protect extra players? Who will Vegas take? Will Kovalchuk be allowed to return, and if so, which team does he end up on(Vegas?!)?

Like all past expansion drafts, I'm sure there'll be guys Vegas wishes they drafted years later. Like the deals we saw so Nabakov,Hasek,Biron weren't taken. Will Vegas accept these offers teams give them to not take a player?

[Majingir]

After the way this season went for the Leafs, I can't wait to see what happens in off-season.

Laich,Michalek,Greening,Robidas are all off the books for the Leafs. Hopefully they re-sign UFAs Boyle & McElhinney. And of course will keep RFAs Hyman,Brown & Zaitsev.

Maybe they'll deal for a dman(JVR+??? for a top line RHD?). Or go after a UFA instead. The expansion draft could play in their favor if one of the teams who could lose a dman finds a better offer from Leafs for him than what that team would give up to protect him in the draft.

Rumors around Leafs is that they might've agreed to a deal with Vegas already. Basically Leafs will give up a dman(Marincin or Marchenko) and draft pick(4th rounder they got from Pens) if Vegas selects Fehr(who Vegas GM knows well from his time in Washington).

So Leafs could shed closer to 20M from all their free agents and that 1 trade. Re-signing their UFA/RFAs could leave them with enough money(factoring in the Lupul/Horton opening day LTIR) to add a top line dman. Even easier to do if it's done through trading JVR. And of course you know the media will further continue down the "Tavares to Leafs" stories. Something which actually could have some life in it and legitimate hockey reasons why it'd make sense for both sides.

[kehlis]

Can we wait for the offseason to start for the offseason thread?

[Majingir]

For non playoff teams it is the offseason. Coaches/GMs have been fired/hired, players being resigned, it's all happening already.

[slickdtc]

Really interested to see what happens with expansion draft. I have a feeling they won't be terrible like most expansion teams are. Well, bad, no playoffs, but not crazy.

I'm also wrong often. It's a talent.

What division are they being added to anyway? I'm assuming the Pacific? The Central is a bloodbath. Give 'em a chance.

[Majingir]

Draft lottery tonight. Would be funny if after all this sucking, the avs don't win it.

Last 2 years I believe the team who won it didn't have the best odds going into the final ball. Leafs had best odds at McDavid going into last ball, and I think Sabres might've had best odds at Matthews.

NHL is probably hoping Vegas wins lottery and Coyotes get #2 pick.

[Kobalt]

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

Draft lottery tonight. Would be funny if after all this sucking, the avs don't win it. Last 2 years I believe the team who won it didn't have the best odds going into the final ball. Leafs had best odds at McDavid going into last ball, and I think Sabres might've had best odds at Matthews.

We have a different meaning of funny

Quote: Originally Posted by Majingir

NHL is probably hoping Vegas wins lottery and Coyotes get #2 pick.

gtfo

Although I wouldn't mind picking Heiskanen over NicoNolan

[slickdtc]

Kobalt... so sorry

I didn't even know philly had a shot at this thing but we're in the top 3. The night just got very interesting.

Ahhh 2nd. Shoot I'll take it