Ongoing NHL thread - Part deux

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Johansen would look good in Sabres blue. And we might just be able to squeeze him in under our cap.

 

[Comeds]

I'm going to miss Gorges. Good solid player. From what I hear its just a cap relief move for the Habs. I guess they think Tinordi is ready.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

I know it's never a good thing to be wishing part of your life away but I really wish it was tomorrow already. I'm ready for some free agent mayhem.

 

[forty_three]

Johansen would look good in Sabres blue. And we might just be able to squeeze him in under our cap.

Make him an offer. We'll gladly take your next few first rounders.

The deal will get done. They offered him 3, he wants four. That is not "Waaaay" off. It's an agent manipulating a poor retarded boy at the local newspaper. The money is not an issue, he just wants a longer term.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I'm surprised the Habs are trading Josh Gorges to the Leafs, you would think a lot of other teams would be interested, but I guess the Habs think the Leafs have the best offer

 

[Nasty_Magician]

One thing I find interesting, and it's almost inevitable now, is teams trading within the division. Now with the larger divisions you almost have to suck it up and trade with your rivals.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Blue Jackets: Johansen talks are at an impasse | BlueJackets Xtra

Maybe Spezza will reconsider and come to Columbus...

Oh wait, this is Twatwaffle saying it. So it's all the agent trying to squeeze the team for longer term and Twatwaffle being a willing patsy.

Johansen has to realize that he had a great season and could be a part of a great thing. But he did split last season between clubs and did get benched in the AHL in the playoffs. Now that did seem to motivate him, but take a 3 year deal and do it again this season. He'll get an extension if he does. Look at Bob.

He's better off signing a 2 year deal and then going for the jugular a la Subban.

Will also take this moment to establish that Johansen is my favourite youngster. Adore how he plays the game.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Make him an offer. We'll gladly take your next few first rounders.

The deal will get done. They offered him 3, he wants four. That is not "Waaaay" off. It's an agent manipulating a poor retarded boy at the local newspaper. The money is not an issue, he just wants a longer term.

Forgot he was RFA and not UFA.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

One thing I find interesting, and it's almost inevitable now, is teams trading within the division. Now with the larger divisions you almost have to suck it up and trade with your rivals.

True. I really don't think Vancouver wanted to trade Kesler in the division (or in the conference, for that matter) but what can ya do? You're automatically knocking out a quarter of the league by refusing to deal in-division.

Anyway, I hope the Leafs aren't up to something incredibly stupid for once with this Gorges talk. I could definitely see him rejecting the deal, anyway. Tough switch to make.

 

[forty_three]

He's better off signing a 2 year deal and then going for the jugular a la Subban.

Will also take this moment to establish that Johansen is my favourite youngster. Adore how he plays the game.

It was quite an enjoyable ride this year.

Forgot he was RFA and not UFA.

I think that's the sticking point. CBJ want him to be an RFA at the end of the next deal. His agent wants him to be UFA.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I hope this whole thing with RyJo is just people trying to blow up a story to get hits, it shouldn't be like this - I get that the Jackets want a bridge deal and he doesn't, but I hope this doesn't turn into Ryan O'Reilly

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I hope this whole thing with RyJo is just people trying to blow up a story to get hits, it shouldn't be like this - I get that the Jackets want a bridge deal and he doesn't, but I hope this doesn't turn into Ryan O'Reilly

He's negotiating. I think he's more Kadri (that is to say, realistic) than he is O'Reilly/Subban. Doubt he starts the year holding out.

 

[Cobiemonster]

 

[dash]

DarrenDreger: Leafs expected to make another offer to re-sign Bolland today. I don't see Toronto going beyond 5 yrs or $25 mil. May not be enough.

Stay away Flames, just stay away...

 

[Johnnydollaz89]

I think Boyle is gonna go back to Tampa, probably get a two-year, 5M per deal with them. He listed his top 5, we're on it, but not at 5M do I want him here. Pass.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

DarrenDreger: Leafs expected to make another offer to re-sign Bolland today. I don't see Toronto going beyond 5 yrs or $25 mil. May not be enough.

Stay away Flames, just stay away...

Maybe i'm being incredibly naive, but I don't expect the Leafs to come close to that number. Years maybe, but I think they're off by a million dollars. If they're trading a RFA for Gorges and his $4m cap hit, and then need to re-sign Gardiner and fill 5 forward spots and a backup goalie within $17 million and somehow also appear to be improving your team, they can't push $5m for Bolland.

 

[Otis B. Driftwood]

I know it's never a good thing to be wishing part of your life away but I really wish it was tomorrow already. I'm ready for some free agent mayhem.

I'm with you.

Bring on the chaos!!!

 

[DragonfromTO]

Of course your goalie is always your biggest PK'er. But it helped that the team was facing 4 less shots per game the season before last.

I don't wanna beat a dead horse, I know there are guys who didn't see Reimer as the issue (myself included at one point) and made a good argument via his stats and the general direction of the team at this time last year that he needed better guys in front of him, not to be benched. I just watched too many games get away from him this year when he took the reins, and like I said before I don't think the guys in front of him play with the utmost confidence when he's backing them in net. You said that makes you blame the players not the goalie, and you have a valid argument, but I don't think that's a new issue that only the Leafs deal with; I would put teams like Pittsburgh and Vancouver as having had similar issues recently with a lack of confidence in a goalie that is prone to some pretty basic mistakes and that goalie's play affecting the rest of the team.

Can I ask, do you at least rate Bernier as a NHL starter given that it's almost certain now that Reimer won't be back?

Sort of depends on what you mean by "starter". He still hasn't shown that he can play a full slate of games as what would be considered a "true #1" if that's what you mean.

Without knowing who it is yet I'd guess that Reimer's replacement seems unlikely to match the .911 SV% he put up in a "down" year, or the .915 that Scrivens put up as the backup the prior year. And I don't think that Bernier should be expected to match his .922 from last season, or the .924 that Reimer put up two years ago. I hope I'm wrong, but if I'm not? Bad things man, bad things. Fairly elite goaltending has been pretty much the only thing keeping this team respectable the last two years.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Spec right now is that it's Franson. I don't get this deal one bit.

Grit and compete level!

You don't get this deal? It's much easier to understand when you account for the fact that this management team is full of idiots.

 

[esls79]

Grit and compete level!

You don't get this deal? It's much easier to understand when you account for the fact that this management team is full of idiots.

The head coach isn't the sharpest spoon in the drawer either...