Montreal Offseason UFA signings /trade predictions

[schwang26]

Kovalev was acquired by trade.

Cammalleri was a ppg UFA when we signed him.

Ok. So there’s one at that was 12 years ago.

 

[schwang26]

You’re right Hossa (multiple times), Sundin, Tavares, Stamkos amongst other top end all said no.

But as Hughes stated publicly & admitted openly to Arpon Basu after l’affaire Redenbacher last summer one of the culture aspects HuGo want to change is to make Mtl a destination top end players will want to come to.

Make no doubt it will take Sun, moon & stars aligning to bait that first one to come to Mtl - the it’ll take a positive experience by that player to get the word out there, that’s it worked out well.

But there is potential for sun, moon & star alignment this summer…Big market / destination US teams are ALL maxed out to cap this summer except Chi - if there ever was a chance to lure a big fish Stamkos might be it this summer

People bring up Draisaitl etc but by 2025 summer many more US teams will free up $, and if there’s real market competition it’s almost a zero probability Habs land the big fish

Gorton from end of season presser:

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love for it to happen, but somehow those teams always manage to fit these guys in. Ever notice the same teams are always mentioned whenever free agents are brought up? Most of these guys have been playing on stacked teams their whole careers. I doubt they’re coming to Montreal to fight for a playoff spot. It’s gonna be through trades and development that they have success. Any FA will be role players. That’s just my opinion.

 

[salbutera]

Ok. So there’s one at that was 12 years ago.

Tavares is the only consistent career close to PPG UFA that has ever signed with a Cdn team in his prime no less.

It’s the reality, players have options as UFA, and Cdn players in particular are not brought up with “star athlete culture” that permeates in the US, so they shy away from spotlight markets which for hockey is every Cdn market

Just look at how much success Habs have had in attracting American UFAs - they eat up the market frenzy & live off it (Gionta, Cole, Petry)

With Utah coming on board and success of Sea it won’t make it any easier for a Cdn markets to attract top end players via trade or UFA

 

[417]

I don't see them going the offersheet route.

It's not their style nor would it be prudent. Imagine we give away a top 10 pick next year.

+ NHL teams seem to treat offer sheets like breaking the rules of the Geneva Convention.

Problem with signing any UFA is that the interesting one are likely do decline in term of offensive contribution by the time the team will want to push and compete. So you need to sign the one that can accept to play a secondary role in 2 or 3 yrs and that wont kill your cap by playing on the 3rd or 4th line.

agreed + we already have Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson for that role lol

 

[schwang26]

Tavares is the only consistent career close to PPG UFA that has ever signed with a Cdn team in his prime no less.

It’s the reality, players have options as UFA, and Cdn players in particular are not brought up with “star athlete culture” that permeates in the US, so they shy away from spotlight markets which for hockey is every Cdn market

Just look at how much success Habs have had in attracting American UFAs - they eat up the market frenzy & live off it (Gionta, Cole, Petry)

With Utah coming on board and success of Sea it won’t make it any easier for a Cdn markets to attract top end players via trade or UFA

And surprise surprise, it was with Toronto. Bottom line is, development and via trade. Those are the ways. Not free agency. Grab some good role players via free agency, but you’re not getting top 6. People need to wake up to reality and look at the history. I admire what Hughes and MSL are trying to establish though.

 

[rahad]

And Stamkos himself, when the rumour was 11-12 M from the leafs............stayed in TB for 8.5M with almost no taxes
Players leave money on the table at times, but just not very often.

I would also leave a little bit of money to stay in Florida and work stress free from Toronto Media. The nice weather and the great beach.....

It has not a hard decision from Stamkos to sign a good deal with Tampa Bay vs the 11-12m from the Leafs.

 

[rahad]

Nothing's stopping us from signing Slafkovsky right now before signing Stamkos. Not too mention all you have to do is tell Slaf when he's won the Richard twice, the Messier once, and of course the cup three times then he too can get double digits in salary. Honestly it could easily help get a discount because you're tangibly showing the players that you will use whatever discount they can give you to get a winner. We can sign all our soon to be RFAs to long term deals and still have the cap space for spending 12m on a star. Whether it's a good idea to put all that cap space into Stamkos or instead getting two players at 6m is of course not as clear cut.

And your out to lunch if you seriously think that if Toronto hadn't signed Tavares that Matthews would have taken a discount. Like come on, he was always going to try to maximize his money.

Multiples superstars player in the league took a small discount to have build a championship team. From Crosby to Stamkos. I'm not saying Matthews would take 3-4m discount. But 1m or 1.5m? It could have helped them sign good bottom 6 player.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Kovalev was acquired by trade.

But he did re-sign, as did Petry after being acquired at the TDL.

 

[Miller Time]

But he did re-sign, as did Petry after being acquired at the TDL.

Re-signing is not the same as attracting a UFA

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Am i losing my mind , WHY are you guys talking about Stammer lmao what am i missing...hello? Is this L'antichambre?

 

[BaseballCoach]

Am i losing my mind , WHY are you guys talking about Stammer lmao what am i missing...hello? Is this L'antichambre?

I dunno.

I believe the Habs have a plan. They will not sign older forwards long-term and they will not break the bank for a single older player and make him the focal point of our re-build.

 

[Scintillating10]

Yes, Habs will sit at $7M, and it very well might involve moving Dvorak’s contract before mid-Aug opening roster freeze

Should try move Price contract in Dadonov type trade. Frees up 5 million this season and 10 million next year.

 

[1909]

Guys like Stamkos or Crosby will play their whole carreer with the team that drafted them.

 

[Saundies]

Guys like Stamkos or Crosby will play their whole carreer with the team that drafted them.

Crosby, I agree. He hates change and will do anything to stay a Penguin. Unless Dubas literally drives over to his house, lights it on fire, and pisses on the ashes, he won't leave.

I honestly think Tampa is looking to move on from Stamkos unless he takes a discount though, which he very well might. If it was a keep-at-all-costs deal, he would have been signed before the year started. I could be wrong but the fact that they've won a cup without him may just make JB look to spend his hypothetical money on building around what they've got.

 

[Habssince89]

Am i losing my mind , WHY are you guys talking about Stammer lmao what am i missing...hello? Is this L'antichambre?

Normally this kind of talk is useless, but Stamkos, while a long shot, is plausible.
Lightning have...
-Declining roster
-No draft picks
-A good chance at missing the playoffs

Habs have...
-The money to pay him
-A young talented team trending up
-His mentor and teammate as head coach
-A great chance at the playoffs next season, especially with Stamkos on board


I could see Stamkos leaving for greener pastures as TB regresses. Whether he chooses MTL is up in the air, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave Tampa for some extra glory in his final seasons.

 

[Sorinth]

Multiples superstars player in the league took a small discount to have build a championship team. From Crosby to Stamkos. I'm not saying Matthews would take 3-4m discount. But 1m or 1.5m? It could have helped them sign good bottom 6 player.

Lots of players do offer a discount, but Matthews was never going to do that. This is a guy who went to Europe rather then the NCAA before the draft because he wanted to be paid.

 

[BLONG7]

I dunno.

I believe the Habs have a plan. They will not sign older forwards long-term and they will not break the bank for a single older player and make him the focal point of our re-build.

They could however, acquire one at the deadline at some point, on a expiring contract to help go deeper in the playoffs......................probably not next year, but the following season.

 

[salbutera]

Should try move Price contract in Dadonov type trade. Frees up 5 million this season and 10 million next year.

Price is owed $7.5M bonus each July 1st 2024 & 2025. No team will take such burden until his bonuses are paid off, which is why he’ll be traded post July 1st, 2025 and before opening day rosters are set in Aug, 2025

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Normally this kind of talk is useless, but Stamkos, while a long shot, is plausible.
Lightning have...
-Declining roster
-No draft picks
-A good chance at missing the playoffs

Habs have...
-The money to pay him
-A young talented team trending up
-His mentor and teammate as head coach
-A great chance at the playoffs next season, especially with Stamkos on board


I could see Stamkos leaving for greener pastures as TB regresses. Whether he chooses MTL is up in the air, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave Tampa for some extra glory in his final seasons.

This is a nice scenario, it would be so nice if that comes true. If that doesn't happen, it's just the way it happens in life in general.

They could however, acquire one at the deadline at some point, on a expiring contract to help go deeper in the playoffs......................probably not next year, but the following season.

We could all agree we have to suffer one more year again not making the PO.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

I would give prime Stamkos 12m any day of the week

Fire up the time machine then.

Normally this kind of talk is useless, but Stamkos, while a long shot, is plausible.
Lightning have...
-Declining roster
-No draft picks
-A good chance at missing the playoffs

Habs have...
-The money to pay him
-A young talented team trending up
-His mentor and teammate as head coach
-A great chance at the playoffs next season, especially with Stamkos on board


I could see Stamkos leaving for greener pastures as TB regresses. Whether he chooses MTL is up in the air, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave Tampa for some extra glory in his final seasons.

Depends how greedy he is and to what extent he is using the Habs to drive up interest from other teams.

 

[Habssince89]

Fire up the time machine then.


Depends how greedy he is and to what extent he is using the Habs to drive up interest from other teams.

Definitely possible as well. Like I said in general I can see Stamkos leaving TB even if it's not for Montreal

 

[Scintillating10]

Crosby, I agree. He hates change and will do anything to stay a Penguin. Unless Dubas literally drives over to his house, lights it on fire, and pisses on the ashes, he won't leave.

I honestly think Tampa is looking to move on from Stamkos unless he takes a discount though, which he very well might. If it was a keep-at-all-costs deal, he would have been signed before the year started. I could be wrong but the fact that they've won a cup without him may just make JB look to spend his hypothetical money on building around what they've got.

Crosby might not have much choice if he wants chance at another cup

 

[CoopersFalls]

I could see Buchnevich being a target. Not much term left and low AAV (6.5)

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I don't see them going the offersheet route.

It's not their style nor would it be prudent. Imagine we give away a top 10 pick next year.

Depends, if it's a big offer sheet resulting in 4 1sts, the habs can push them to start the season after.

I could see Buchnevich being a target. Not much term left and low AAV (6.5)

He would be a very good target, but he has 1 year left and would be 30 when his extension kicks in, if the Habs could.

 

[Andrei79]

Normally this kind of talk is useless, but Stamkos, while a long shot, is plausible.
Lightning have...
-Declining roster
-No draft picks
-A good chance at missing the playoffs

Habs have...
-The money to pay him
-A young talented team trending up
-His mentor and teammate as head coach
-A great chance at the playoffs next season, especially with Stamkos on board


I could see Stamkos leaving for greener pastures as TB regresses. Whether he chooses MTL is up in the air, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave Tampa for some extra glory in his final seasons.

Stamkos isn't a long shot, he's a no shot.

I can't think of a single reason why he would choose Montreal. We would have to offer way more than a southern state for equal money. We'd need to offer ridiculous money/term and that's IF that's what he's looking for, purely cash, which I'm willing to be he isn't. And this management isn't looking for a player like that either. I'm sure he'd rather give TB a hometown discount.