Speculation: IV. 2014 Stars Offseason Thread: Declaration of Free Agency

[BigG44]

Does stuff for the Sharks TV broadcast I believe.

That would be pretty awesome.

Just think of how much help he'd be to the young wingers.

Hockey boner .....

I just don't want to believe he'll waive until he does ... or he won't waive.

 

[BigG44]

Doesn't sound like CAR wants to trade him and Eric's deal is heavily backloaded.

 

[tjcurrie]

Everyone is talking Spezza, Thornton, and the others who have been in play a bit more in the national media but one name you don't hear often that I think I read first from Heika's coverage early in the off-season was Eric Staal. Might that name have come from someone close to the Stars?

I've had him in my back pocket. Out of all the centers/players being discussed, Spezza is my top choice. If we're including Staal, then it's Staal.

I doubt new GM Ron Francis deals him though. Just my thinking.

 

[Henderson33]

Nothing new from Pagnotta, he has said since the beginning that Thornton is not waiving. But he reiterated his sentiments today.

David Pagnotta @TheFourthPeriod · 1h
Why this Joe Thornton trade chatter keeps popping up is beyond me... The Sharks have not yet approach the Thornton camp about anything.

 

[oconnor9sean]

Let's offer sheet Reilly Smith just cause we can.

The B's are super susceptible to an offer sheet.

 

[Captain Awesome]

I'd be pissed if we got Staal, he's not even close to earning that contract and he's a notoriously slow starter. Considering what we may have to give up to get him I think we'd instantly regret it.

 

[ginblossoms]

I know some things about some of the current and past oiler players, and it aint good (worse than the chronic).

anxiously waiting for "the chris pronger story... and other oiler tales" by tj currie...

 

[Mr Misty]

Let's offer sheet Reilly Smith just cause we can.

The B's are super susceptible to an offer sheet.

That's not the righ way

 

[Cin]

I love seeing Chicago in cap trouble. Mmmmm

 

[defensorfidei]

God I hope St. Louis gets Spezza. I want Statsny more, and that's not to say I don't think Spezza one for one is a better player, I absolutely do. In my mode of thinking though if we can bypass Spezza and get Statsny then use the package we were willing to part with for Spezza to aquire Tyler Myers for instance I think that is a way better deal for our team overall.

 

[brightSTARS]

Chicago, Philly and Boston are screwed with the cap.

One Seabrook please.

 

[Klockis]

God I hope St. Louis gets Spezza. I want Statsny more, and that's not to say I don't think Spezza one for one is a better player, I absolutely do. In my mode of thinking though if we can bypass Spezza and get Statsny then use the package we were willing to part with for Spezza to aquire Tyler Myers for instance I think that is a way better deal for our team overall.

Everything indicates that the Stars is not going for any big name players in FA. Spezza is our best bet.

 

[________]

Renaud Lavoie ‏@renlavoietva 2m
I'm told that the Senators don't have a good offer on the table for Jason Spezza. He won't be traded today if it doesn't change. #tvasports

Ribby won't be coming to Dallas:

Here's a bit more on it

Some more quotes on Ribeiro.

"Mike had some real behavior issues last year with us I felt we could not tolerate going forward," General Manager Don Maloney said. "To his credit, he has been getting help this offseason and obviously would hope he continues. But at the end of the year and all the background checking and what happened, we felt that for us to move forward, we couldn't have him a part of this team."

His previous relationship with coach Dave Tippett seemed to calm any potential worries about how he'd assimilate into this group – on and off the ice.

"We weren't naïve to some of the issues of the past, but we felt it could be manageable and managed," Maloney said. "Obviously, it was a mistake."

 

[defensorfidei]

Everything indicates that the Stars is not going for any big name players in FA. Spezza is our best bet.

I understand but does my train of thought not make sense? I don't get losing the assets we need to package elsewhere. It was one of my main problems with the GMJN 1.0 reign. Yes he made trades but he sent a lot of stuff out that seemed to be able to be packaged for a better return. I trust Nill, but it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Add Marty Havlat to the list of players now in unexpected free agency. Sharks bought him out.

Stransky-Faksa-Havlat line?

It would be enticing if he wasn't so brittle.

 

[Mr Misty]

I understand but does my train of thought not make sense? I don't get losing the assets we need to package elsewhere. It was one of my main problems with the GMJN 1.0 reign. Yes he made trades but he sent a lot of stuff out that seemed to be able to be packaged for a better return. I trust Nill, but it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me.

Arguing that we should add assets without giving any up makes sense, but it isn't especially profound.

 

[defensorfidei]

Arguing that we should add assets without giving any up makes sense, but it isn't especially profound.

I can understand that, and i'm not trying to say i'm some genius. It just strikes me that with two glaring needs that have been addressed specifically by management that we shouldn't be shooting to put all of our eggs in one basket (ie. trading our top end package solely for the 2C)

 

[glovesave_35]

Here's a bit more on it

Some more quotes on Ribeiro.

Without coming out and explicitly stating it, sounds like a substance abuse situation. I always liked Ribs, hopefully he can get his life straightened out.

Add Marty Havlat to the list of players now in unexpected free agency. Sharks bought him out.

Stransky-Faksa-Havlat line?

It would be enticing if he wasn't so brittle.

Even a brittle Havlat would go a long way in helping the Texas Stars repeat.

 

[defensorfidei]

Without coming out and explicitly stating it, sounds like a substance abuse situation. I always liked Ribs, hopefully he can get his life straightened out.

I remember Jay Baruchel saying he based Xavier Laflemme on Ribiero.

 

[Mr Misty]

I can understand that, and i'm not trying to say i'm some genius. It just strikes me that with two glaring needs that have been addressed specifically by management that we should even be shooting to put all of our eggs in one basket.

But how is that different from trading for Spezza and signing Fayne? We can both trade and sign a free agent, but every sign is that we aren't going to be in the Statsny derby once it gets down to the last few teams.

Personally I don't think the defense is going to be addressed without some kind of move to open a spot, and I'm thinking we pick up a 2nd tier center and a backup goalie then stand pat.

 

[Hull Fan]

Well of guys who are overpaid and teams that may want out.

ROR - but if they were going to go that route you'd think they'd have kept Stastny.

Chicago - Sharp is paid fine but Chicago needs cap to tie up the wonder twins. Nick Leddy isn't uber expensive but why bring in Rundblad and what to do with Clendening. See also Brent Seabrook.

Philly - Matt Read and Luke Schenn aren't stars but get paid too much if Philly can't find a taker for Lecavalier they're the next likely guys along with Grossman out the door.

Tampa Bay - Teddy Purcell has been talked about as overpaid for years. Now with Garrison and Callahan, Purcell and perhaps Eric Brewer will probably have to go.

 

[defensorfidei]

But how is that different from trading for Spezza and signing Fayne? We can both trade and sign a free agent, but every sign is that we aren't going to be in the Statsny derby once it gets down to the last few teams.

Personally I don't think the defense is going to be addressed without some kind of move to open a spot, and I'm thinking we pick up a 2nd tier center and a backup goalie then stand pat.

Because Fayne is exactly the 2nd tier defense signing we need to stay away from. Yes hes solid but he is absolutely not going to be the first pair guy that we need going forward. He certainly is no Tyler Myers, or a handful of other guys around the league i would rather see us target. We need a 1D not a 2-4, and its been that way for years now. That was the problem last time we were consistently good, yes we had a good first two lines, but our d was lacking due to the lack of a healthy Zubov and Boucher. I dont see us being tru contenders until we sort that out and to me it is a bigger priority than the 2C.

I will say i get what you're saying, and i can actually see it playing out exactly like you say, but in my humble opinion i don't understand why defense isn't the bigger need for us.

 

[Mr Misty]

Because Fayne is exactly the 2nd tier defense signing we need to stay away from. Yes hes solid but he is absolutely not going to be the first pair guy that we need going forward. He certainly is no Tyler Myers, or a handful of other guys around the league i would rather see us target. We need a 1D not a 2-4, and its been that way for years now. That was the problem last time we were consistently good, yes we had a good first two lines, but our d was lacking due to the lack of a healthy Zubov and Boucher. I dont see us being tru contenders until we sort that out and to me it is a bigger priority than the 2C.

I will say i get what you're saying, and i can actually see it playing out exactly like you say, but in my humble opinion i don't understand why defense isn't the bigger need for us.

Well the market is full of options for getting some 2nd line offense, and is pretty sketchy when it comes to RHD. We have pretty much the same defense we did last season, except Robidas is replaced with Nemeth, and we did make the playoffs with that group. Plus nobody needs to go on a journey of discovery to determine if Gonchar is not terrible because we did that already.

 

[Hemmer Time]

AJ Jakubec said he was told to keep an eye on Dallas as they're a real strong dark horse to get Spezza.

I hope Dallas gets Spezza, I like their prospects/picks.

 

[defensorfidei]

Well the market is full of options for getting some 2nd line offense, and is pretty sketchy when it comes to RHD. We have pretty much the same defense we did last season, except Robidas is replaced with Nemeth, and we did make the playoffs with that group. Plus nobody needs to go on a journey of discovery to determine if Gonchar is not terrible because we did that already.

Which is precisely why i think a trade for D is better than a trade for 2nd line offense. Doesn't make any sense to throw assets at something there is a surplus of rather than something you can't get on the open market.