Looking ahead to the offseason

[dannyb24195]

Buyout/Voided Contracts

Ryan Malone - Contract voided
Teddy Purcell - Contract bought out

Malone contract gets voided due to legal incident, Purcell gets bought out like Vinny. Too much money for too much inconsistent

RFA's

Cody Kunyk - Re-sign, 1 year $900,000 - 2 way deal
Alex Killorn - Re-sign, 3 years $7.5 mill - cap hit $2.5mill
J.T Brown - Re-sign, 1 year $1.25 mill
Tyler Johnson - Re-sign, 4 years $13 mill - cap hit $3.25 mill
Ondrej Palat - Re-sign, 4 years $13 mill - cap hit $3.25 mill
Richard Panik - Re-sign, 1 year $1 mill
Keith Aulie - Re-sign, 1 year $950,000 - 2 way deal
Andrej Sustr - explained below
Mark Barberio - Re-sign 1 year $1 mill
Anders Lindback - Re-sign, 2 years $4 mill - cap hit $2mill

Yzerman locks up this impressive group of youth.

UFA's

Ryan Callahan - Walks, has to drop his asking price, Yzerman wants him but will not overpay
Sami Salo - Walks
Brian Lee - Re-signs, 1 year $950,000 - 2 way deal
Mike Kostka - Walks
Tom Pyatt - Re-signs 1 year $750,000

I really want Cally in a bolt uni next year but I just don't see it unless the $$$ come down. He's talking 6 plus mill, he's just not worth that and I'm a huge fan of his. If i'm Yzerman I say the best offer is 5 years $25 mill, the same deal that Filppula got last offseason. They are both good 2nd line players so that is what i'm saying to Cally.

Extensions

Ben Bishop, Re-signs, 5 years $27.5 mill - cap hit $5.5 mill (contract starts 2015 - 2016 season)

Get the big man locked up asap!!!

Trades

Kevin Shattenkirk for Brett Connolly, Andrej Sustr and a 2016 4th round pick

Yzerman makes a move for a top 4 dman. The Blues blueline is thick (very thick), Pietrangelo, Bouwmeester, Jackman, Leopold, Polak. I see them moving Shattenkirk, in return they get a young scoring forward which they want as well a very young up and coming defenseman in Sustr.

I like Shattenkirk, undersized but mobile, a good puckmover, kinda reminds me of Dan Boyle. It's good deal for both sides.

FA

Jaromir Jagr - 1 year, $4 mill
Steve Downie - 2 years $5.6 mill - $2.8 mill cap hit
Mark Fayne - 2 years $ 3.2 mill - $1.6 mill cap hit

Bolts need to add some leadership upfront with all this youth. Jagr is a perfect fit in my opinion with his experience and skill. He put up very good numbers with a poor Devils team, I imagine he would put up better numbers here.

Downie, we lose grit in Cally, we need to add some and Downie will provide that. He also provides some much needed toughness for us. Downie best year's came with this organization, he's best friends with Stamkos. I can see a Downie return coming.

Fayne, a solid 3rd pairing dman, a nice mix between puck mover and stay-at-home, he's underrated I think and has just recently has groin surgery so I think he may go cheap on the market so bolts may get a bargain.

Projected Team

Killorn-Stamkos-Jagr
Drouin-Filppula-Downie
Palat-Johnson-Panik/Kucherov
Brown-Thompson-Crombeen

Pyatt-Paquette

Hedman-Gudas
Carle-Shattenkirk
Brewer-Fayne

Barberio

Bishop
Lindback

 

[Todd1a]

This is how it goes boys! Alex killorn traded for Simon despres! Yes Callahan gets resigned 5 years 5.75 per year. Lindback goodbye meet bishops new back up goalie al Montoya. Aulie gone cooper hates him and loves barbs! We all know Johnson and palat are both coming back that's a given. Malone buyout for sure teddy Purcell I think he stays First line palat stamkos Callahan. Drouin val and kucherov 2nd line, 3rd line Purcell Johnson and connolly , line 4 brown Thompson panik. Extras paquette, crombeen. Defense line 1 hedman, gudas line 2 Carle despres line 3 brewer sustr extra barberio. Goalies bishop and montoya

 

[dannyb24195]

This is how it goes boys! Alex killorn traded for Simon despres! Yes Callahan gets resigned 5 years 5.75 per year. Lindback goodbye meet bishops new back up goalie al Montoya. Aulie gone cooper hates him and loves barbs! We all know Johnson and palat are both coming back that's a given. Malone buyout for sure teddy Purcell I think he stays First line palat stamkos Callahan. Drouin val and kucherov 2nd line, 3rd line Purcell Johnson and connolly , line 4 brown Thompson panik. Extras paquette, crombeen. Defense line 1 hedman, gudas line 2 Carle despres line 3 brewer sustr extra barberio. Goalies bishop and montoya

Personally todd i'm not a huge fan of this ^. Has the D improved? We need to get help on the blueline, Despers in, Salo out, how much does that improve our D? You look at mine we add a top 3 dman in Shattenkirk who plays 20 plus mins, plays all situations, a righty shot and a guys who is just entering is prime. Then also get Mark Fayne who can play solid 17-18 mins of hockey, a solid 3rd pair guy, again just entering his prime. I hope we re-sign Cally but i'm sorry anything over 5 per is an overpayment, despite how much I like the player. Yzerman just can't overpay with all this youth coming through, the fact he's got to re-sign Bish and the fact he's got to address the D in a big way.

 

[Todd1a]

Personally todd i'm not a huge fan of this ^. Has the D improved? We need to get help on the blueline, Despers in, Salo out, how much does that improve our D? You look at mine we add a top 3 dman in Shattenkirk who plays 20 plus mins, plays all situations, a righty shot and a guys who is just entering is prime. Then also get Mark Fayne who can play solid 17-18 mins of hockey, a solid 3rd pair guy, again just entering his prime. I hope we re-sign Cally but i'm sorry anything over 5 per is an overpayment, despite how much I like the player. Yzerman just can't overpay with all this youth coming through, the fact he's got to re-sign Bish and the fact he's got to address the D in a big way.

Those players your talking about danny are going to be hard to get. Why yzerman does not trade high draft picks our prospects. I don't see him moving connolly I'd like him to but he is building just like the redwings. the problem with are defense is not skill its checking and moving bodies. I don't see them over hauling the defense I see them just tweaking it. I see Callahan staying cooper and yzerman love his two way hockey game. Money is there for signing these guys his longest contract he has is Matt Carle. Callahan gets 5.5 or 5.8 for a 5 year deal! Now I'm not saying I want it to happen i m just telling you I know it will happen. You kept the core players you really want and replace them with guys you draft. We can't keep every player we like no team can.

 

[dannyb24195]

Those players your talking about danny are going to be hard to get. Why yzerman does not trade high draft picks our prospects. I don't see him moving connolly I'd like him to but he is building just like the redwings. the problem with are defense is not skill its checking and moving bodies. I don't see them over hauling the defense I see them just tweaking it. I see Callahan staying cooper and yzerman love his two way hockey game. Money is there for signing these guys his longest contract he has is Matt Carle. Callahan gets 5.5 or 5.8 for a 5 year deal! Now I'm not saying I want it to happen i m just telling you I know it will happen. You kept the core players you really want and replace them with guys you draft. We can't keep every player we like no team can.

I'm not saying we overhaul the defense but aggressive moves have to be made in order to improve this D. We have to make a move for a top 4 dman, he's dabbled with the likes of Yandle and Edler in the past and the time wasn't right, now the time is right and still even minus a couple of our youth/prospects we still have a boatload of young talent. Connolly was being shipped at the deadline so I think he's gone.

I think most people appreciate what Callahan does, i'm sure Cooper and Yzerman do, i'm sure Glen Sather and Alain Vigneault did but at the end of the day you have to draw a line somewhere. Callahan is talking 6 plus mill, he just isn't worth that as much as you may like that player and experts are saying he will get the figure on the open market. You can't overpay if your Yzerman, you have to improve the D, you have to lock Bish up and you have all this youth coming through and I think Yzerman will recognise this.

 

[Todd1a]

I'm not saying we overhaul the defense but aggressive moves have to be made in order to improve this D. We have to make a move for a top 4 dman, he's dabbled with the likes of Yandle and Edler in the past and the time wasn't right, now the time is right and still even minus a couple of our youth/prospects we still have a boatload of young talent. Connolly was being shipped at the deadline so I think he's gone.

I think most people appreciate what Callahan does, i'm sure Cooper and Yzerman do, i'm sure Glen Sather and Alain Vigneault did but at the end of the day you have to draw a line somewhere. Callahan is talking 6 plus mill, he just isn't worth that as much as you may like that player and experts are saying he will get the figure on the open market. You can't overpay if your Yzerman, you have to improve the D, you have to lock Bish up and you have all this youth coming through and I think Yzerman will recognise this.

I'm with you danny I want to improve are defense! but for some reason I see us paying callahan. Canucks are going to rebuild my target would be go after dan hamhuis in a trade! contract fits perfect 4.5 cap hit for 3 more years! I think yzerman trades for dan hamhuis! trades for michael stone and still resigns ryan callahan. purcell and malone are gone to make the money work. Callahan for 5.5 for 5 years nmc for first 4 years of the deal. purcell buy out malone contract voided cap shape we are perfect for what I just planned.

 

[Bolt Fore]

Danny two more years of Lindback I couldn't stand. I'd have to go back being a Bruins fan ! I'd tell Callahan 5.5 or take a hike. Sustr will be an outstanding D-man in a few years, better than anyone you could trade for. We have two goalies as backup in Ski & Sky. When our rookies mature, they will be tops. We need a healthy Bishop with less games to play ( more rest ) . Malone & Purcell are gone one way or another.

 

[Todd1a]

Danny two more years of Lindback I couldn't stand. I'd have to go back being a Bruins fan ! I'd tell Callahan 5.5 or take a hike. Sustr will be an outstanding D-man in a few years, better than anyone you could trade for. We have two goalies as backup in Ski & Sky. When our rookies mature, they will be tops. We need a healthy Bishop with less games to play ( more rest ) . Malone & Purcell are gone one way or another.

got to agree here I think lindback is done here we got two kids in net that are better! I say stevie gets a free agent back up goalie for bishop. As for callahan it really does not matter we will have a good hockey team with or without him! callahan needs to decide if he wants to be apart of it. He is not getting 6 million plus a year in tampa! if he wants that go play for buffalo then enjoy rebuilding for the next 4 years!

 

[I_Shall_Return]

Danny two more years of Lindback I couldn't stand. I'd have to go back being a Bruins fan ! I'd tell Callahan 5.5 or take a hike. Sustr will be an outstanding D-man in a few years, better than anyone you could trade for. We have two goalies as backup in Ski & Sky. When our rookies mature, they will be tops. We need a healthy Bishop with less games to play ( more rest ) . Malone & Purcell are gone one way or another.

I have to say I totally agree here also. I know what you all are thinking, I have been a supporter of Lindy. However, since the Bolts ruined him by not giving him the repetitions & his confidence & technique has all but disappeared, let him be someone else's trainee! But I do hope our Idiot & Pooper learned from this! Whoever the Bolts get to backup Bishop, they need to play more & give Bishop the rest so he has something left in the tank come playoff time, period!!!!!

 

[I_Shall_Return]

got to agree here I think lindback is done here we got two kids in net that are better! I say stevie gets a free agent back up goalie for bishop. As for callahan it really does not matter we will have a good hockey team with or without him! callahan needs to decide if he wants to be apart of it. He is not getting 6 million plus a year in tampa! if he wants that go play for buffalo then enjoy rebuilding for the next 4 years!

I agree but disagree here buddy. I think the Bolts should make Gudlevskis the backup to Bishop instead of going again to an outsider. He, unlike Lindy, has received the playtime in the under leagues & has displayed really good play style. I think he will turn out well if the Idiot & Pooper give him about 30 starts. This also will give Bishop the rest & muscle rejuvenation he certainly needs. IMO, the Bolts abused him like the Cowboys abused Emmitt Smith!
As far as Cally, I love this player but I can see that the Bolts are and will be trying to change his play style. The Bolts like speed and finesse. They seem to get rid of anyone that has grit. Did you notice during the Bolts short playoffs that Cally wasn't playing like Cally? He's usually camped out in front of the net, has 4-5 hits each game. I believe the Idiot & Pooper are already weakening his play style.
By the way, sorry to say, I don't see where either one (Todd or Danny) is improving the Bolts D. With the above typed, I'd say sharpen your pencils...think about how weak our D truly is & how many SOG they allow per game! C'mon guys, you can do better I've seen it (when it comes to O)!!!!!

 

[dannyb24195]

Danny two more years of Lindback I couldn't stand. I'd have to go back being a Bruins fan ! I'd tell Callahan 5.5 or take a hike. Sustr will be an outstanding D-man in a few years, better than anyone you could trade for. We have two goalies as backup in Ski & Sky. When our rookies mature, they will be tops. We need a healthy Bishop with less games to play ( more rest ) . Malone & Purcell are gone one way or another.

As much as I was impressed with Gudlevskis I think he needs to be in Syracuse next year, he's better of there getting experience rather than playing 1 in 8 up here backing up Bishop, that's just my opinion. Sustr will be good but need to get good now, Sustr is a top 6 man dman that will eventually become a top 4 but we need a top 3 dman like a Shattenkirk who can really boost our blueline.

 

[dannyb24195]

I agree but disagree here buddy. I think the Bolts should make Gudlevskis the backup to Bishop instead of going again to an outsider. He, unlike Lindy, has received the playtime in the under leagues & has displayed really good play style. I think he will turn out well if the Idiot & Pooper give him about 30 starts. This also will give Bishop the rest & muscle rejuvenation he certainly needs. IMO, the Bolts abused him like the Cowboys abused Emmitt Smith!
As far as Cally, I love this player but I can see that the Bolts are and will be trying to change his play style. The Bolts like speed and finesse. They seem to get rid of anyone that has grit. Did you notice during the Bolts short playoffs that Cally wasn't playing like Cally? He's usually camped out in front of the net, has 4-5 hits each game. I believe the Idiot & Pooper are already weakening his play style.
By the way, sorry to say, I don't see where either one (Todd or Danny) is improving the Bolts D. With the above typed, I'd say sharpen your pencils...think about how weak our D truly is & how many SOG they allow per game! C'mon guys, you can do better I've seen it (when it comes to O)!!!!!

I've only got you a top 3 dman that represented USA in the Olympics and is just entering is prime. I also got a top 6 stay at home dman in Fayne whose a pretty solid player better than that guy called Douglas Murray who you so often raved about as a guy who could really help our D.

 

[Todd1a]

As much as I was impressed with Gudlevskis I think he needs to be in Syracuse next year, he's better of there getting experience rather than playing 1 in 8 up here backing up Bishop, that's just my opinion. Sustr will be good but need to get good now, Sustr is a top 6 man dman that will eventually become a top 4 but we need a top 3 dman like a Shattenkirk who can really boost our blueline.

we need a vet goalie because say bishop gets hurt and is out 3 months! then Gudlevskis and vasi are the goalies two rookies pretty much! no way yzerman is going to do that! Gudlevskis and vasi need to be on the crunch playing games! not sitting behind bishop I agree danny. al montoya or jonas gustavsson should be the targets!

 

[Todd1a]

dan hamhuis and michael stone are not upgrades ? connolly to vancover killorn for stone!

 

[Todd1a]

well this could be a problem now ? Bolts want to sign ?12 first-rounder Vasilevskiy, but KHL deal lingers | ProHockeyTalk