Speculation: Saku Maenalanen - a conspiracy theory

[Finnish Jerk Train]

#conspircy thread is over here guys

Confirmed with Link: - nhl sekrets (#kevnhendson appreciaiton station)

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Saku signs with Jokerit.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Saku signs with Jokerit.

The plot thickens

 

[Helsinki Hurricanes]

The plot thickens

I was about to post how weird it is that his sticks are/were still in Raleigh. Just when you think you can play Scooby Doo and solve conspiracies he goes and signs.

[Insert tinfoil hat]
Could it be that Mäenalanen's situation depended on the Faulk trade? The signing timing could indicate that as it happened right after Faulk trade. There could have been an agreement that if Faulk + McGinn/Wallmark/other roster player is traded he would be signed as a cheap gritty 4th liner/13th forward. Who knows.

 

[Lempo]

Well, ****.

1+1 years, I assume the option is of Jokerit. He's not coming back to us.

Jokerit got his KHL rights in last Nov, "just in case".

https://www.jokerit.com/saku-maenalanen-jokeripaitaan

He tells he waited for the one-way offer from the Canes until the last minute, but it never came.

https://www.jokerit.com/maenalanen-isoin-tavoittein-helsinkiin-haluan-kehittya-hyokkayspelissa

And now he's hinting this is a "for now" solution; he is aiming at returning to NHL (obviously after this contract).

 

[Lempo]

I was about to post how weird it is that his sticks are/were still in Raleigh. Just when you think you can play Scooby Doo and solve conspiracies he goes and signs.

[Insert tinfoil hat]
Could it be that Mäenalanen's situation depended on the Faulk trade? The signing timing could indicate that as it happened right after Faulk trade. There could have been an agreement that if Faulk + McGinn/Wallmark/other roster player is traded he would be signed as a cheap gritty 4th liner/13th forward. Who knows.

Well... he tells he drove from Oulu today. He may plausibly have been expecting a forward being moved giving him a roster spot, or maybe going himself as a plus in the expected Faulk trade.

Which would mean that Canes may have been targeting for a Faulk+ trade for something nice which didn't happen.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

nm

 

[Anton Babchuk]

i doubt it had anything to do with any faulk trade. they just didn't want to give a one-way to a guy who has played 34 "meh" nhl games and didn't have arbitration rights. it goes completely against their mo. they were able to sign gibbons and mccormick to cheap two ways (guarantees of 225k and 150k), so why commit a guaranteed 700k (at the very least) to someone who's not really any better?

they didn't want to end up with a situation where maenalenen gets beat out for a spot and then they wind up paying another one-way salary in the ahl.

 

[Lempo]

nm

Please tell, it's the only way I can learn.

 

[zman77]

 

[A Star is Burns]

i doubt it had anything to do with any faulk trade. they just didn't want to give a one-way to a guy who has played 34 "meh" nhl games and didn't have arbitration rights. it goes completely against their mo. they were able to sign gibbons and mccormick to cheap two ways (guarantees of 225k and 150k), so why commit a guaranteed 700k (at the very least) to someone who's not really any better?

they didn't want to end up with a situation where maenalenen gets beat out for a spot and then they wind up paying another one-way salary in the ahl.

So much this. Like I said recently, I have a hard time working up any give a damn about Saku. He was fine, but we have any number of players in the system that can come up and fill in adequately if needed. Saku needed to be on our terms, or move on. And here we are.

 

[Lempo]

A shame, really. He got others offers when he was the draft-related UFA, and he chose Carolina. I don't know if he's what-iffing hard atm.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

A shame, really. He got others offers when he was the draft-related UFA, and he chose Carolina. I don't know if he's what-iffing hard atm.

Maybe. But if he was worth it he could always be offer sheeted. Less than $1.3m is zero compensation. No takers I’m guessing.

 

[Lempo]

Maybe. But if he was worth it he could always be offer sheeted. Less than $1.3m is zero compensation. No takers I’m guessing.

He could've been. Now he's signed to KHL, he'd have to defect, and NHL and KHL anyway kind of try not signing each others' signed guys.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

He could've been. Now he's signed to KHL, he'd have to defect, and NHL and KHL anyway kind of try not signing each others' signed guys.

That’s what I mean. Because he was in the “free” tier (more than likely), he either preferred Jokerit or he didn’t think he could get a one-way from any team in the league. Probably no “what-iffing” when he was able to go anywhere and still ended up in the KHL.

 

[Lempo]

That’s what I mean. Because he was in the “free” tier (more than likely), he either preferred Jokerit or he didn’t think he could get a one-way from any team in the league. Probably no “what-iffing” when he was able to go anywhere and still ended up in the KHL.

I was suspecting that you were. The stupid confusing imperfect.

 

[A Star is Burns]

In most cases when these guys pout or complain about opportunity or what if, they just aren't that great.

 

[Drivebytrucker]

Was a fan, but I can't believe this guy thought he had done enough to earn a 1 way contrat.

That's crazy talk

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Was a fan, but I can't believe this guy thought he had done enough to earn a 1 way contrat.

That's crazy talk

Amen!

The nerve of these guys looking out for their best interest.

 

[Vagrant]

the truth is that he saw this thread and pulled the pin on the conspiracy theory he had planned and took the best offer available to subdue our efforts to find him out. it was a good try, saku.

 

[Lempo]

Was a fan, but I can't believe this guy thought he had done enough to earn a 1 way contrat.

That's crazy talk

Well. Juuso Riikola of Pens in exactly same situation as Saku said a year back that at 24 you're not coming to NA to play in AHL. But, he still did sign a one year two-way in this May though.

Juuso Riikola - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Saku would've been still waivers-exempt for twenty-something games. Sending him to Charlotte was in the cards.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Well. Juuso Riikola of Pens in exactly same situation as Saku said a year back that at 24 you're not coming to NA to play in AHL. But, he still did sign a one year two-way in this May though.

Juuso Riikola - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Saku would've been still waivers-exempt for twenty-something games. Sending him to Charlotte was in the cards.

 

[pled]

is it a loss or you guys dont really care ?

 

[A Star is Burns]

is it a loss or you guys dont really care ?