The Official NHL Offseason (Cindy-free Zone) thread

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

So the Jets have extended Claude Noel for 1 year. I'm not sure what to think of that. I don't really agree with the entire 'lame duck' concept for coaches (players aren't 'lame ducks' the year their contract expires, if anything people expect them to play harder). But if you do, does a 1-year extension really change anything? Isn't it basically a transparent "we don't want to hear the lame duck stuff anymore but we still don't really know if we like this coach" contract?

As for Noel himself, I really don't know what to make of him. He is trying to coach a pretty low-talent team, so it's hard to blame him for the teams record. At the same time, he hasn't really done anything obvious from a coaching perspective that has made me think "wow, this guy is good". He has battled with players (Burmi most famously), had terrible special teams, and done nothing novel in terms of any kind of systems. But at the same time, the Jets have come rather close to the playoffs both years and really do have a lot of Turd Fergusons filling the roster.

So....yay?

I pointed this out when Dan Bylsma just signed his 2 year extension.

July of 2008, Michel Therrien signed a 2 year extension. February 2009, he was out of a job.

If ownership is willing to eat a year of salary, he can be gone.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Congrats to the Grand Rapids Griffins winnings the Calder Cup!

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

I guess now that the Calder Cup is in the Calder City, all is right with the world.

Congrats to the home team for first ever hockey championship. This will do wonders for the young Wings prospects. Tatar won the Butterfield trophy as best playoff performer with 16 goals in just 24 games. If he can perform half as well in the NHL for the Wings, we have a player.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Rumored that SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) has offered Bobrovsky $10M

Poor Columbus

[Honolulu_Blue]

The Flyers have announced they are buying out Bryzgalov.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

The Flyers have announced they are buying out Bryzgalov.

I think the Flyers are using the Jump To Conclusions map from Office Space to make their decisions at this point.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Brian Boucher is still active, right?

[Suburban Rhythm]

DOLA

Connecting the dots...

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Rumored that SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) has offered Bobrovsky $10M

Poor Columbus

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

The Flyers have announced they are buying out Bryzgalov.

Bobrovsky to KHL. Bryzgalov to Columbus. Bryzgalov wins Vezina.

[Suburban Rhythm]

TROLA

Found these at HF. Fantastic.

Randy Miller
‏@RandyJMiller
i just called Bryz. He answered phone and said, "Congratulations to you guys," then hung up on me

Randy Miller
‏@RandyJMiller
I phoned Bryz a second time to ask about #flyers buying him out. He said he doesn't want to talk and hung up on me again.

Randy Miller ‏@RandyJMiller 21s
By the way ... I heard Bryz had 4 blowouts last season with Lavy. And I heard players couldn't stand him.

[Coffee Warlord]

And now we see who overpays for Brian Bickell.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Alot of good stuff in here

Player Usage Charts

[Fidatelo]

Trying to understand what I'm looking at, does this link tell me that Claude Noel basically screwed Scheifele by starting him in his own zone and playing him against top players the majority of the time?

Player Usage Charts

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Trying to understand what I'm looking at, does this link tell me that Claude Noel basically screwed Scheifele by starting him in his own zone and playing him against top players the majority of the time?

Player Usage Charts

Yep

But I guess you can take out of that, while facing better opponents, and getting mainly defensive zone draws, he gave up less shots/60 than Jim Slater did against similar competition.

Slater, Miettinen, and Wright (and arguably Antropov) were worse. So he's not the worst on the team!

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Yep

But I guess you can take out of that, while facing better opponents, and getting mainly defensive zone draws, he gave up less shots/60 than Jim Slater did against similar competition.

Slater, Miettinen, and Wright (and arguably Antropov) were worse. So he's not the worst on the team!

Cool, thanks! My interpretation is not that Scheifele wasn't good, it is that Noel didn't do anything to help him build confidence or really have much chance for success in the traditional form (ie points) while trying to make the team.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I try not to use the numbers to base opinion on a player, but more to reconcile what I believe I saw.

I'd bet Noel would say his numbers are because he kept him out of the top 6 to avoid putting pressure on him to need to produce immediately. Playing bottom 6 minutes, not going to see as many offensive zone draws. And similarly, opponents will load up their stars with o-zone faceoffs.

Very much a chicken/egg argument.

[BishopMVP]

What do people think Nathan Horton will get as a UFA? 28 y/o, 2 very good playoff runs, but a middling regular season, and 2 pretty severe concussions in 2011 and 2012.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

What do people think Nathan Horton will get as a UFA? 28 y/o, 2 very good playoff runs, but a middling regular season, and 2 pretty severe concussions in 2011 and 2012.

I think some team will throw money on him. He's got size, can score 30 goals, though the concussions and other injuries are a concern. I could see him getting $5 million a year or so for a decent number of years. I guess it depends a bit on the shoulder as well.

It's a pretty thin crop and he's pretty close to the top of it given his skill set and age.

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

TROLA

Found these at HF. Fantastic.

Randy Miller got destroyed on twitter for his outbursts against Bryz and rightfully so.

[The Jackal]

Sorry I wasn't here to support you earlier EF!

Despite being a Flyers fan I'm not really a trash talker (probably because I wasn't born in Philly...) - but I need a damn stanley cup.

[The Jackal]

I would be ok with an Emery/Mason tandem. I do not want Nabokov.

Very excited for Sunday to get here to see what happens. Please do not trade Couturier, Homer.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I think some team will throw money on him. He's got size, can score 30 goals, though the concussions and other injuries are a concern. I could see him getting $5 million a year or so for a decent number of years. I guess it depends a bit on the shoulder as well.

It's a pretty thin crop and he's pretty close to the top of it given his skill set and age.

That's the feeling I get too, but the media (and Chiarelli/Horton) seem to be implying he'll take a discount and be back. He made $4m this year, and even with Tuukka's raise we can fit him back in at that cap figure - I'd probably go up to $5m/y, especially if the years were 3-4, but 5+ years or >$5m/y and I think he's gone.

Jagr and Ference have been told we won't be re-signing them (I'm guessing Khudobin will be joining them, but maybe he'll re-sign if there's no interest), Kelly and Peverly are probably on the trade block - both solid players, but too high a cap figure to be bottom 6 forwards.

Media's trying to float trade rumors about Lucic, Marchand, and Seguin. I actually wouldn't mind Lucic being traded - yeah he's a great net-front presence, but his backchecking and breakout passes are terrible. Krejci and Horton did 90% of the work on that line. Seguin is the crazy one in my eyes - he doesn't dig in hard enough in the corners, but he's still only 21 and imo there's a really good chance he makes the leap in the next 2 years. He easily led the team in shots in the regular season and tied with Bergeron for the playoff lead even while being dropped down to the 3rd line for much of it - the fact that he had only 1 playoff goal (and Jagr had 0) was just bad luck rather than any severe drop-off in play.

[The Jackal]

Trading Seguin would be pretty silly, what are they floating as what they'd be looking for in return?

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

That's the feeling I get too, but the media (and Chiarelli/Horton) seem to be implying he'll take a discount and be back. He made $4m this year, and even with Tuukka's raise we can fit him back in at that cap figure - I'd probably go up to $5m/y, especially if the years were 3-4, but 5+ years or >$5m/y and I think he's gone.

Jagr and Ference have been told we won't be re-signing them (I'm guessing Khudobin will be joining them, but maybe he'll re-sign if there's no interest), Kelly and Peverly are probably on the trade block - both solid players, but too high a cap figure to be bottom 6 forwards.

Media's trying to float trade rumors about Lucic, Marchand, and Seguin. I actually wouldn't mind Lucic being traded - yeah he's a great net-front presence, but his backchecking and breakout passes are terrible. Krejci and Horton did 90% of the work on that line. Seguin is the crazy one in my eyes - he doesn't dig in hard enough in the corners, but he's still only 21 and imo there's a really good chance he makes the leap in the next 2 years. He easily led the team in shots in the regular season and tied with Bergeron for the playoff lead even while being dropped down to the 3rd line for much of it - the fact that he had only 1 playoff goal (and Jagr had 0) was just bad luck rather than any severe drop-off in play.

I won't profess to know what's waiting down in Providence, but who would be the replacements be?

[Suburban Rhythm]

Penguins extend Kunitz for 3 years, $3.85m per, goes into effect 14-15 season. Slight bump from the $3.725m he is currently making.

Wonder if this spells the end for Dupuis. Shero and his agent have met a few times recently, but I think someone is offering him $4m+ for 4 years, and the Penguins can't match that.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by The Jackal

Randy Miller got destroyed on twitter for his outbursts against Bryz and rightfully so.

I don't understand why any of the Philly media can get upset for what Bryz did to them. They are jerks that just stir up trouble. They whine when the players don't talk to them or give them good lines but when they do, the media twists and takes things out of context.

On a side note, I have spoken to Randy Miller and found out that he grew up on the same street that I did as a kid. No wonder he's always ripping the Flyers...he's a Pens fan...like his other beat writer buddy Panotch.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

I don't understand why any of the Philly media can get upset for what Bryz did to them. They are jerks that just stir up trouble. They whine when the players don't talk to them or give them good lines but when they do, the media twists and takes things out of context.

On a side note, I have spoken to Randy Miller and found out that he grew up on the same street that I did as a kid. No wonder he's always ripping the Flyers...he's a Pens fan...like his other beat writer buddy Panotch.

Still space available on the bandwagon for you!

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Still space available on the bandwagon for you!

I don't think you can fit me under the cap.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Dr. Sak

I don't think you can fit me under the cap.

We'll trade Crosby and Malkin to fit you in.

Then buy you out in 2 years.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Tampa is buying out Vinny Lecavalier. Wow, that's a tough pill to swallow for Tampa. Huge money. He'd look great in red and white!

[The Jackal]

I imagine Toronto/Montreal will make a very strong push for Vinny.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Tampa is buying out Vinny Lecavalier. Wow, that's a tough pill to swallow for Tampa. Huge money. He'd look great in red and white!

Black and Gold baby!!

If only we didn't have Savard's dead-ass dragging our cap space down still (right?)

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Black and Gold baby!!

If only we didn't have Savard's dead-ass dragging our cap space down still (right?)

Savard's contract only hurts them in the offseason (Same for Philly with Pronger).

Teams can be over the cap ceiling by 10% in the offseason.So up to $70.7m this year.

But, they must be cap compliant on the opening day of training camp, $64.3m. And can not stash players on LTIR until the start of the season.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Savard's contract only hurts them in the offseason (Same for Philly with Pronger).

Teams can be over the cap ceiling by 10% in the offseason.So up to $70.7m this year.

But, they must be cap compliant on the opening day of training camp, $64.3m. And can not stash players on LTIR until the start of the season.

Still - it hurts them. Couldn't the dude just fucking retire already - we all know he's never coming back, it's a fucking joke at this point.

Note: My anger shouldn't be taken as disrespect for his medical condition - we all know it's real. But I mean it's just patently obvious he'll never play another shift, so why not just frigging retire already?

[Fidatelo]

Because he keeps getting paid?

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Still - it hurts them. Couldn't the dude just fucking retire already - we all know he's never coming back, it's a fucking joke at this point.

Note: My anger shouldn't be taken as disrespect for his medical condition - we all know it's real. But I mean it's just patently obvious he'll never play another shift, so why not just frigging retire already?

You are allowed to ride that high horse once you turn down over ten million dollars for no reason at all.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Being rumored Letang turned down a deal from Pittsburgh, 8 years in the range of $55m.

So, if that's the case...he's traded by Sunday at the draft.

[Dr. Sak]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Being rumored Letang turned down a deal from Pittsburgh, 8 years in the range of $55m.

So, if that's the case...he's traded by Sunday at the draft.

I just read on twitter from one of the TSN guys that the Pens offered Letang a deal worth over $7 mil per.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Rumor was he wanted $7m+ and a NMC.

Guessing they didn't give him that. I understand from a Pens perspective. If 1/2 the prospects they have on D pan out, they'll have a top 4 that will cost a combined $7m for a few seasons, and would want to move him then.

[Fidatelo]

How could he turn that down? That's cray.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

How could he turn that down? That's cray.

Because if he makes it to UFA after next season, he'll be getting $8m probably

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Because if he makes it to UFA after next season, he'll be getting $8m probably

Assuming he has another strong year and the playoffs were an aberration. That's quite the gamble. Maybe he just hates Cindy! Yeah, I'll go with that for now.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by The Jackal

Trading Seguin would be pretty silly, what are they floating as what they'd be looking for in return?

Haven't even heard anything concrete, likely because it's so far-fetched. Even a trade like the Kessel one (which got us 2 top 10 picks used for Seguin and Dougie Hamilton) wouldn't be a good thing imo because Chara only has a couple more years left at an elite level.

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

I won't profess to know what's waiting down in Providence, but who would be the replacements be?

Defense is fine from the farm... Hamilton, Bartkowski, Krug all got varying degrees of playoff time, and Maxim Chudinov is still out there in Russia. Up front, Soderberg finally came over and I liked what I saw when he played, Ryan Spooner looks very good, and Jared Knight has potential but was banged up most of the season. Khoklachev is likely a couple years away, and same with the other guys who might break out. (Again, I think it's unlikely based on Chiarelli's track record), but trading any one of those 3 (Marchand, Lucic, Seguin) would likely be to free up the cap room to sign Horton and another top 6 winger. I was surprised Chiarelli told Jagr we wouldn't be pursuing him - I had no illusions he would take $1 less to sign here, but if he wanted a fairly cheap 1 or 2 year deal I thought he fit in well here. If we trade Kelly or Peverly, we'd probably sign a veteran PK guy - both seem over-priced at $3m+ for their role, but what's the going rate for players like that now?

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Savard's contract only hurts them in the offseason (Same for Philly with Pronger).

Teams can be over the cap ceiling by 10% in the offseason.So up to $70.7m this year.

But, they must be cap compliant on the opening day of training camp, $64.3m. And can not stash players on LTIR until the start of the season.

Agree with SR here - Savard only costs $4m, so he fits in the difference there. If it was really hamstringing our moves I assume we would just use our amnesty/buy-out on him (unless there's a rule against using it on an injured player?)

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Agree with SR here - Savard only costs $4m, so he fits in the difference there. If it was really hamstringing our moves I assume we would just use our amnesty/buy-out on him (unless there's a rule against using it on an injured player?)

Yep, can't buy out an injured guy. Main reason why MIN is stuck with Heatley. Same for SJ with Havlat.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Damned Swedish thugs

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom assaulted, robbed in Sweden - ESPN

[Young Drachma]

MacKinnon or Jones? Which do you take with the #1?

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

MacKinnon or Jones? Which do you take with the #1?

MacKinnon.

Seguin rumor is we're looking for a top 10 pick and an all-star forward. I guess is some team wants to give us all that, go for it, but it makes no sense. Chiarelli's basically banking on some team trading for Seguin based on him making the leap to franchise player in the next two years while showing no confidence in him actually doing so.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

MacKinnon.

Seguin rumor is we're looking for a top 10 pick and an all-star forward. I guess is some team wants to give us all that, go for it, but it makes no sense. Chiarelli's basically banking on some team trading for Seguin based on him making the leap to franchise player in the next two years while showing no confidence in him actually doing so.

Yeah - no way they're going to get that for him.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

MacKinnon or Jones? Which do you take with the #1?

For Pittsburgh...Drouin.

Although would be nice to corner the market on Cole Harbour boys.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Letang deal done.

$58m over 8 years, $7.25m per. A little above what I was hoping for.

Limited NTC - 15 teams. Still leaves enough wiggle room, if, in a handful of years, all the D drafted in the past 3 seasons are pushing him, with much cheaper contracts.

Overall solid though. Still only at $3.5m next year when the cap dips, this won't kick in until 14-15, when Orpik and a few other contracts expire.

[JPhillips]

Really surprised the Rangers are keeping Richards. That's showing a lot of faith in the new coach.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Really surprised the Rangers are keeping Richards. That's showing a lot of faith in the new coach.

He's only a year away from putting up good stats, and wouldn't be the first small, skilled player whose production Torts hurt. Plus they can always buy him out next year I believe.

Mild surprise with Barkov going 2nd there. Nashville just had their Suter replacement fall into their laps.

Mike Smith 6 year, $5.7m AAV. Not a fan of that, as Tuuka should get at least $1m more. There's at least a one in 3 chance Smith's contract looks terrible within 2 seasons - he had one great year and an average one last year.