Offseason

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Hedman gets 8 per year or 8.5 he is not going to take 7.5.

$8.5 million for a dman isn't worth it IMO. Most any dman should get is $7.9, unless they dominate Bobby Orr/Paul Coffey style from back in the day (which never happens anymore). Hedman & Stamkos should realize they're going to get a decent pay day regardless, best give up a million a year (which really isn't that much if you think about it) so they could play for a championship caliber team in their primes, they'll get more than a million in endorsements if they compete for a Cup. If they go to crappy teams like the Maple Leafs or anyone who is dumb enough to overpay players so much, then they'll be forgotten.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I think it would be very challenging for Yzerman to keep both Bish & Stammer, he would have to create a fair amount of cap space to do so (can't see us moving Garrison). At best they would be able to keep one of Bishop or Stamkos and apparently at this point hockeybuzz is reporting the bolts are leaning towards resigning Stamkos and moving Bishop.

I would try to keep Stamkos over Bishop (Bishop is replaceable now because of Vasilevskiy), but I would let Stamkos walk if he asks for something ridiculous like a $9 million per year contract. I know it's hard to say "no" to money, but why ruin your legacy by playing for a team like the Maple Leafs?

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

Anyways, I think Stamkos will come to his senses and re-sign with the Lightning for a reasonable contract ($8.5 mil per year). If goes to the Maple Leafs for more, then he's either selfish or stupid and isn't worth keeping anyways.

You guys got a good young fast & deep team, you guys will be fine for years to come. Hopefully players like Stamkos & Hedman consider that when signing their next contracts.

 

[dannyb24195]

cant become montreal next year if vasy goes down like price did then we got no goalie! elliot for one year helps but then after that then what ? right now yes ive always said he yzerman wants to keep stamkos it's clear he has to move something out to keep him. question is does a team want to help the lightning keep stamkos ?

The purpose of acquiring Elliott is to ease Vasilevski into the #1 goalie role, with Vasy and Elliott you get a 1A & 1B situation who can share the net with Vasy getting the majority of the games. The year after you would think Vasy would be ready to be the guy and then sign a capable backup.

Regarding Stamkos i do think he wants to remain and Yzerman does want to keep him. The issue is can afford Yzerman table an offer an offer that Stamkos is willing to come down to. Yzerman has offered $8.5 mill, i think the max he can afford to go up to is $9 mill, will Stamkos take that? What are Stamkos priorities? Does he want to win or does he want the money? If he wants to win then his best option is here. If he wants the money he can test the waters and get paid elsewhere.

Regarding moving players out the issue is the likes of Callahan, Filppula, Carle, Garrison, Coburn, Bishop they all have clauses and i can't see them willing to move, the only player i see willing to move is Bishop and that is to play for his hometown Blues.

 

[Todd1a]

Anyways, I think Stamkos will come to his senses and re-sign with the Lightning for a reasonable contract ($8.5 mil per year). If goes to the Maple Leafs for more, then he's either selfish or stupid and isn't worth keeping anyways.

You guys got a good young fast & deep team, you guys will be fine for years to come. Hopefully players like Stamkos & Hedman consider that when signing their next contracts.

I think he will but yzerman will end up paying Stamkos 9 to 9.5 per year. That in time could cost us Johnson or palat.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

I think he will but yzerman will end up paying Stamkos 9 to 9.5 per year. That in time could cost us Johnson or palat.

I think you guys got a great team in Tampa, and you guys could achieve great things if you can keep it together.

 

[Todd1a]

I think you guys got a great team in Tampa, and you guys could achieve great things if you can keep it together.

I'm cool keeping Stamkos but if we pay him more they 9 million a year it will become one of the worst contracts in the nhl. Right now kucherov is already looking better then Stamkos and kucherov is only 22 years old. Drouin is starting to look legit we know we are going to pay hedman. I'm fine with moving on from bishop on to vasy I hav faith in both goalies! I just hope we can grab a cup with this core we are so close we just got to get over that last hump. Good luck to the Penguins Thursday I think they will lift the cup.

 

[Bolt Fore]

I just hope we don't give Stammer a long term contract like 7 or 8 years.
Ever since he broke his leg he's not been the same, I don't know if its
confidence or what. I would like to see a 2 year contract and go from there.

 

[Todd1a]

I just hope we don't give Stammer a long term contract like 7 or 8 years.
Ever since he broke his leg he's not been the same, I don't know if its
confidence or what. I would like to see a 2 year contract and go from there.

I fully expect Stamkos to sign a 8 year deal with us or a 7 year deal with another team ! After the blood clot thing he wants to lock up his money.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

One guy I think people should consider regarding free agency is Michael Grabner. Always liked his speed, and we've seen how much of a game changer speed could be.

 

[dannyb24195]

I think Stamkos re-signs here in Tampa for 8 years $72 million which is $9 mill per year. Again Yzerman offered Stamkos an 8 year $68 million deal which I presume Stamkos rejected. I do think Yzerman will come up from his offer but not too much as Yzerman does have leverage based off that the Lightning's postseason run.

 

[Todd1a]

I think Stamkos re-signs here in Tampa for 8 years $72 million which is $9 mill per year. Again Yzerman offered Stamkos an 8 year $68 million deal which I presume Stamkos rejected. I do think Yzerman will come up from his offer but not too much as Yzerman does have leverage based off that the Lightning's postseason run.

I do also I don't think Stamkos wants to go to Toronto they are going to be rebuilding for 3 or 4 more years. I doubt Detroit pays him or wants to go there due to his gm yzerman played there. Montreal ? I doubt it I just don't think he wants to go there. All the contenders but us are capped out! So again Stamkos is using Toronto as leverage vs yzerman and the Lightning. Which yzerman is not going to pay him 10 or 11 per year Stamkos just needs to wake up and accept that. Think we go to 9 maybe if vinik and yzerman really want them they go to 9.5 per year.

 

[dannyb24195]

I do also I don't think Stamkos wants to go to Toronto they are going to be rebuilding for 3 or 4 more years. I doubt Detroit pays him or wants to go there due to his gm yzerman played there. Montreal ? I doubt it I just don't think he wants to go there. All the contenders but us are capped out! So again Stamkos is using Toronto as leverage vs yzerman and the Lightning. Which yzerman is not going to pay him 10 or 11 per year Stamkos just needs to wake up and accept that. Think we go to 9 maybe if vinik and yzerman really want them they go to 9.5 per year.

I don't see Toronto as a realistic option at all they are years away as you say Todd plus they don't have a great deal of cap space ($7.1 mill), unless they move money out via trade (which is going to be hard) or via buyout they are going to struggle to sign Stamkos. I do think Detroit is an option but it all depends on if Datsyuk moves on to the KHL to allow cap space. The dark horse team in all of this in my opinion is Buffalo. They have the cap space to pay Stamkos big, sure there are not there just yet but they are a year or so away in my opinion. They have an impressive group of youngsters that is going to make them competitive for the long haul and could Stamkos get any closer to home without not being in Toronto.

 

[dannyb24195]

With Free Agency just a couple of weeks away, here's what I see happening.

1. Stamkos signs 8 year $76 million dollar deal.

It's getting close to Free Agency but still see Stamkos re-signing, think he wants to be here and will accept less to remain a bolt.

2. Ben Bishop traded to the Dallas Stars for Valeri Nichushkin and Dallas 2017 2nd round pick (turns into 1st if they make the Western Conference Final)

The Stars are in need of goaltending, it was there downfall. If they acquire a goalie of Bishop's ability, they become the best team in the West and possibly in the league.

The Lightning get Nichushkin who is 21 year old RW who has failed to live up to expectation so far but has an abundance of talent. The combination of Nichushkin not living up to expectation and the fact the Stars have a surplus of forwards I think it makes Nichushkin expendable despite his talent level.

3. Resign your FA's

Kucherov signs a 6 year 39 mill deal ($6.5 AAV)
Killorn signs a 4 year 15 mill deal ($3.75 AAV)
J.T Brown signs a 2 year 2.25 mill deal ($1.125 AAV)
Nikita Nesterov & Cedric Paquette signs 1 year deals

4. Buyout Matt Carle

No real explanation needed for this one.

5. Trade Vladdy Namestinkov and Eric Condra

I do like Namestinkov but we are stacked upfront especially after adding Nichushkin. Trade Vladdy for a draft pick or prospect.

I believe the Bolts could get a low end prospect or draft pick for Condra given he's only 2 years left on a $1.125 deal.

6. Free Agency

Sign Carter Hutton to a 2 year $3 million deal ($1.5 AAV)
Sign Marek Zidlicky to a 1 year deal.

7. Extend Victor Hedman & Andrei Vasilevski

Hedman signs 8 year $64 million dollar deal ($8 AAV)
Vasilevski signs 3 year $6.75 million dollar deal ($2.25 AAV)

We need to lock Hedman up, he's our corner stone defenseman. With Vasy being an RFA next year, rather than waiting to next year to sign him, I would try and sign him now so his cap hit won't be as higher.

Team

Drouin-Stamkos-Callahan
Palat-Johnson-Kucherov
Killorn-Filppula-Nichushkin
Paquette-Boyle-Brown

Vermin

Hedman-Stralman
Garrison-Sustr
Coburn-Koekkoek

Zidlicky
Nesterov

Vasilevski
Hutton