t'Official offseason thread

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Captain Obvious says Kris Russell needs a new agent.

Maybe. Maybe his agent misrepresented to his client just how good the offers that came in would be.

Maybe his agent tried to temper his client's expectations based on his play down the stretch, the client ignored it and maintained unrealistic expectations and by the time he came back down to reality the offers had gone from "bad" to "you're lucky if you can avoid a PTO".

Or maybe they're all crazy. A team did almost wind up giving up a first round pick for him after all.

 

[dash]

Maybe. Maybe his agent misrepresented to his client just how good the offers that came in would be.

Maybe his agent tried to temper his client's expectations based on his play down the stretch, the client ignored it and maintained unrealistic expectations and by the time he came back down to reality the offers had gone from "bad" to "you're lucky if you can avoid a PTO".

Or maybe they're all crazy. A team did almost wind up giving up a first round pick for him after all.

Just needed one more win. No wonder Eff Dallas is such a popular phrase on this board.

 

[dash]

Also, it makes me wonder how high the Flames were willing to go to re-sign Russell. Just for fun, let's say they offered him 3.75 million per season on a 3 year deal and he turned it down on the advice of his agent, that's a pretty bad misread of the marketplace by his agent.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If there's one thing about the Kris Russell stuff from Bob McKenzie that you should feel optimistic about dash, it's that it pretty much confirms that Dreger (and Kypreos for that matter) was talking through his ass when he said Russell and the Leafs were close.

I say this because on That's Hockey last night Dreger said the Flames and Gaudreau "aren't talking, aren't close, nothing has shifted at all recently".

 

[dash]

I say this because on That's Hockey last night Dreger said the Flames and Gaudreau "aren't talking, aren't close, nothing has shifted at all recently".

Eric Francis (Calgary Sun hack) the other day called the relationship between Gaudreau and the Flames "acrimonious". Eric must be buying that word of the day toilet paper.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I'll say one thing I worry about for the Flames with Gaudreau, I hope they aren't trying to hold Monahan's contract up as their "this is our ceiling" deal. Gaudreau is already a top 5 forward in terms of offence and there is nothing to suggest he can't get even better. Much as I like Monahan, Gaudreau is much more important to this team going forward.

 

[dash]

I'll say one thing I worry about for the Flames with Gaudreau, I hope they aren't trying to hold Monahan's contract up as their "this is our ceiling" deal. Gaudreau is already a top 5 forward in terms of offence and there is nothing to suggest he can't get even better. Much as I like Monahan, Gaudreau is much more important to this team going forward.

If they can get in the neighbo(u)rhood of 7.25 million AAV on a 8 year deal, I would be okay with that. They should also backload it to pay him more money for the UFA years they are buying as well. The talk is Johnny wants 8 shmill and the Flames are offering 6.5 million, let's split it down the middle.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If they can get in the neighbo(u)rhood of 7.25 million AAV on a 8 year deal, I would be okay with that. They should also backload it to pay him more money for the UFA years they are buying as well. The talk is Johnny wants 8 shmill and the Flames are offering 6.5 million, let's split it down the middle.

It's what's logical and what I figure will happen, but I have a bad feeling BB&T (mostly BB) feel he shouldn't make that much more than Monahan. There is still a perception among NHL GM's that wingers aren't as valuable as centres - in the top 50 salaries by AAV for the upcoming season, only 10 are wingers while 21 are centres despite the fact that exactly as many wingers were in the top 50 in points last season as there were centres (22).

 

[dare2be]

No wonder Eff Dallas is such a popular phrase on this board.

Nah. Eff Dallas is popular here because, well, Dallas.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

So I was at the Jays game on UFA Day and my friend was the one refreshing Twitter and giving updates and when it first broke Bob McKenzie said Backes had only signed in Boston for one year so I hadn't really given it much thought.

I only just now learned it was a fucking 5 year deal with $6 mil AAV and this is now the second-best Wednesday of the summer for me.

 

[forty_three]

Nah. Eff Dallas is popular here because, well, Dallas.

It would really save me a lot of keystrokes if Jeff Carter would just go to Dallas.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Sens signed Bartkowski to a PTO. Pretty meh player but at least he can skate and he's probably an upgrade on Borowiecki.

 

[dash]

Sens signe Bartkowski to a PTO. Pretty meh player but at least he can skate and he's probably an upgrade on Borowiecki.

Mama Bartkowski is hilarious.

 

[esls79]

Sens signed Bartkowski to a PTO. Pretty meh player but at least he can skate and he's probably an upgrade on Borowiecki.

So what you're saying is Borowiecki isn't a top six guy? In value above replacement terms, that probably equates to at least 4-5 extra points in the standing alone.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

So what you're saying is Borowiecki isn't a top six guy? In value above replacement terms, that probably equates to at least 4-5 extra points in the standing alone.

We're talking Borowiecki here. Replacing him with just about anybody will lead to at least a 10 point improvement... in my blood pressure readings.

 

[Duke of Douchington]

The biggest head scratcher for me, is why is there no Ristolainen chatter? Guy is already a Top 10 defenseman (hot take) but we're a month away now and he's got no deal. I get that they have space...but it's been too quiet...

 

[puckhead]

update: only 5 more years until the end of Rick DiPietro's contract



(had it not been bought out, of course)

 

[Duke of Douchington]

For the record, Rick DiPietro is awesome on radio. He has a New York based ESPN gig and even not as a fan of New York teams, it's incredibly entertaining. It's in my daily listen rotation.

 

[forty_three]

update: only 5 more years until the end of Rick DiPietro's contract



(had it not been bought out, of course)

Are they out from under Yashin yet?

 

[dash]

Are they Alt from under Yashin yet?

fixed