News and Notes XXII: Now With More Finnish!

[Ole Gil]

This is such a potentially great lineup to have it sunk by the goalies.

Return is likely going to be underwhelming for many because of Skinners ufa status.

Can't he negotiate an extension with the club he's going to before the trade happens?

 

[What the Faulk]

Which is why I don't understand the rush to trade him. Why not see if he can help you win? Eric Staal was an older pending UFA with a larger contract and still produced a decent return at the deadline after an abysmal year. Either get something good or roll the dice.

 

[Chrispy]

Return is likely going to be underwhelming for many because of Skinners ufa status.

I continue to hope they can identify another 1 year to UFA player for a hockey trade. Simmonds still makes sense, but so could a goalie with a short-term contract left.

Push out a year and see where the new goalie, Darling, and the UFA goalie crop are.

 

[geehaad]

Which is why I don't understand the rush to trade him. Why not see if he can help you win? Eric Staal was an older pending UFA with a larger contract and still produced a decent return at the deadline after an abysmal year. Either get something good or roll the dice.

Because he doesn’t fit in the lineup.

Every time a potential lineup is offered here on HfCanes, he just sticks out like a sore thumb.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

Which is why I don't understand the rush to trade him. Why not see if he can help you win? Eric Staal was an older pending UFA with a larger contract and still produced a decent return at the deadline after an abysmal year. Either get something good or roll the dice.

Picture this:
Canes keep Skinner and are on the playoff bubble come March 1, 2019. They cannot trade him at the TDL because of how bad it would look to the fans so they keep him. We miss the playoffs anyway and he walks for nothing.

I believe that is exactly the scenario DW is trying to avoid. While I agree with you, I don't blame DW either. It's a tough spot.

 

[What the Faulk]

Because he doesn’t fit in the lineup.

Every time a potential lineup is offered here on HfCanes, he just sticks out like a sore thumb.

No he doesn't.

Picture this:
Canes keep Skinner and are on the playoff bubble come March 1, 2019. They cannot trade him at the TDL because of how bad it would look to the fans so they keep him. We miss the playoffs anyway and he walks for nothing.

I believe that is exactly the scenario DW is trying to avoid. While I agree with you, I don't blame DW either. It's a tough spot.

Yeah, that's definitely the worst case scenario, and probably the most likely given which team this is.

 

[MinJaBen]

Keep the rookies to one per line to start the season

Development camp actions and comments by the coach would strongly suggest that is not the plan.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Can't he negotiate an extension with the club he's going to before the trade happens?

After 7/1, sure he can, but why would he? If it’s a team he wants to play on Long term and they have cap space, then it’s a possibility.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Whether we think Skinner fits or doesn’t fit into the lineup, I think it’s clear the Canes intent is to trade him.

 

[GoldiFox]

After 7/1, sure he can, but why would he? If it’s a team he wants to play on Long term and they have cap space, then it’s a possibility.

I would think he would only want to waive his NMC to go to a place that would immediately give him a $40-50 million deal. That eliminates all risk of injury in a contract year. The other option would be that he waives to go to a team that will make him look very good, but that does come with a lot of risk.

 

[Lempo]

Can't he negotiate an extension with the club he's going to before the trade happens?

I would guess that would be considered tampering from the acquiring Club's part. He's under exclusive SPC to Canes and can be extended July 1st by Canes or the acquiring Club after the trade and the transfer of the SPC.

Canes probably could sign and trade him in cooperation with the acquiring Club to the terms agreed by the Club and Skinner but with Canes as the middle man. But I believe officially the Club can't talk to Skinner over the head of Canes.

Canes may be allowed to allow the talks between the prospective trades partner and the player.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Picture this:
Canes keep Skinner and are on the playoff bubble come March 1, 2019. They cannot trade him at the TDL because of how bad it would look to the fans so they keep him. We miss the playoffs anyway and he walks for nothing.

I believe that is exactly the scenario DW is trying to avoid. While I agree with you, I don't blame DW either. It's a tough spot.

If you're prepared to be underwhelmed by a trade now, what will they have missed out on? Is 1 year of Jeff Skinner valueless to the organization?

 

[Dishface]

So we aren't getting that bonafide starter, which means Darling may get 25 games unless we run Lehner/Halak/etc down to the ground.

 

[NotOpie]

I think it depends on how they use the 4th line. If it has players like Martinook and McLovin on it, probably not the best place for Rask. If it’s an offensive 4th line with say Zykov and PDG (or Saarela, or IDK) it could be interesting. 10-12 minutes a night against crap competition.

You underestimate Foegele's offensive ability and over-estimate Phil Di Giuseppe's.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I would think he would only want to waive his NMC to go to a place that would immediately give him a $40-50 million deal.

I’m not sure i agree. The guy already has enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life so I don’t think injuries are his concern. I personally think he’d waive for a playoff team, even if he doesn’t resign. No different than a trade deadline situation.

 

[A Star is Burns]

So we aren't getting that bonafide starter, which means Darling may get 25 games unless we run Lehner/Halak/etc down to the ground.

With the candidates out there, I'd expect him to play more more. Hopefully he greatly redeems himself.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

One aspect to an immediate Skinner trade that could be a factor here is that it would allow Dundon to position the team very close to the floor. If $5 mil is budgeted for a goalie and van Riemsdyk/UFA replacement, and the rest of the 23-man roster is filled out with ELCs and NHL minimum contracts, the team would sit in the $65.5 mil area, with the actual payroll slightly higher. Drop Skinner and the resulting 22-man roster would sit at ~$60 mil for both the cap and payroll.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

So we aren't getting that bonafide starter, which means Darling may get 25 games unless we run Lehner/Halak/etc down to the ground.

Why does everyone seem to think Darling's going to be the backup in whatever duo we cobble together?

He's the starter. If money is the main reason we're keeping him over Ward, then that same reason is why he'll be playing 50-60 games for us next season (barring yet another pisspoor season from him).

I do wonder how much Dundon actually listened to the players/coaches in the exit interviews after last season. There were literally quotes saying "Ward was our rock this year" and discussion about how the team played differently in front of Darling because they didn't trust him, and somehow that amounted to Ward being shown the door.

Ridiculous.

 

[bleedgreen]

They’ve been saying the entire time Darling is coming back. Today’s announcement shouldn’t be a surprise.

 

[geehaad]

Why does everyone seem to think Darling's going to be the backup in whatever duo we cobble together?

He's the starter. If money is the main reason we're keeping him over Ward, then that same reason is why he'll be playing 50-60 games for us next season (barring yet another pisspoor season from him).

Logical fallacy. It’s possible they keep him and he isn’t the starter. It’s even possible they keep him and he doesn’t make the team.

 

[Novacane]

They’ve been saying the entire time Darling is coming back. Today’s announcement shouldn’t be a surprise.

Seriously. It's like every other day someone says the same words in a different way, and the same indignation comes out like it's never been said before. They said the same duo won't be back. Ward is a UFA and Darling has a boat anchor for a contract. Who do you think is more likely to go? Darling even bought a damn house here.

Anyway they've also said that they could bring three guys into camp to battle for spots on the roster. That threat and his downright embarrassing performance this season should be enough motivation for Darling to get it back on track. That's the best we can hope for right now, and that was the most likely scenario from the second the season ended.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Logical fallacy. It’s possible they keep him and he isn’t the starter. It’s even possible they keep him and he doesn’t make the team.

Yeah, if you're still buying the whole "3 goalies competing in camp" tale, I don't know what to tell you.

Clearly, they were hoping to acquire a goaltender that could reasonably be considered a competition (as shown by their attempt at nabbing Grub), but it was going to be a dicey proposition regardless. Now that (allegedly) many of the goalies in an already weak UFA pool are heading elsewhere, it's obvious we're putting all our eggs in the Darling basket for next year, and unlike last year, its without a backup plan.

 

[Svechhammer]

Or... I dunno, they believe that Darling is a hell of a lot better than he showed last year and there are actual tangible things they know they can fix to make him good. I'd rather bank on thinking that can be done than think Ward can start another 60 games next year while we're stuck with payments and a cap hit to a goalie who isn't even on the roster anymore because we cut him.

 

[FlyingSquirrels]

Yeah, if you're still buying the whole "3 goalies competing in camp" tale, I don't know what to tell you.

Clearly, they were hoping to acquire a goaltender that could reasonably be considered a competition (as shown by their attempt at nabbing Grub), but it was going to be a dicey proposition regardless. Now that (allegedly) many of the goalies in an already weak UFA pool are heading elsewhere, it's obvious we're putting all our eggs in the Darling basket for next year, and unlike last year, its without a backup plan.

The backup plan will be Robin Lehner. At least I think so. He had a bad year behind a bad team , but hasn't been a train wreck his whole career.

 

[geehaad]

You’re seeing one potential outcome where more than one exists, and those multiple outcomes exist without necessarily bringing in two additional goalies. Example: Lehner can come in and relegate Darling to a backup. Done and done.

Doesn’t have to be Lehner who is brought in, and it’s possible that Darling doesn’t end up in the backup role either. And just because he starts in one spot doesn’t mean he lasts there.

I find it amazing that you’re convinced Darling is the starter when plenty of other plausible scenarios still exist.