GDT: 2014 Free Agent Frenzy (July 1)

[Beerz]

I like the 3 year 30 mill for Iggy idea..... even tho it be a pipe.

 

[TehDoak]

I wouldn't go 4 years with Orpik. 3 would be my max.

I imagine that Orpik will have a few 3 year offers on the table between 10-14 million total.

We are going to have to overpay, plain and simple for any UFA. With zero recapture risk we can always slightly frontload the deal so a 4th year buyout is marginal if his skill decline.

Something like 6-6-5-3 would result in a buyout of 2 years at 1 million each with a cap hit of 3 million in the 4th year and 1 million the next year.

 

[Husko]

Boyle 2 years 10 million
Orpik 2 years 12 million

 

[yahhockey]

I think Niskanen will be overpaid. Perfect timing for a breakout season that may result in a 6mil or higher contract. It may not be as disastrous as the Leafs signing Clarkson but it will be more than any of his other seasons would warrant. I don't mind overpaying a guy in his 30s if he can bring leadership to the team but I'd rather not pay a younger guy too much with high expectations that will never be met.

 

[KennyFnPowers*]

Willie Mitchel would be so awesome on the Sabres young core..

 

[Myllz]

Unless Iginla wants to go earn his money here, then go to a contender at the deadline (which i doubt) I don't see it.

He is likely going to go to a contender.

Yeah I know it's not happening, but it would still be cool to have a Sabres jersey with his name on it.

 

[Jame]

I imagine that Orpik will have a few 3 year offers on the table between 10-14 million total.

We are going to have to overpay, plain and simple for any UFA. With zero recapture risk we can always slightly frontload the deal so a 4th year buyout is marginal if his skill decline.

Something like 6-6-5-3 would result in a buyout of 2 years at 1 million each with a cap hit of 3 million in the 4th year and 1 million the next year.

There's some convoluted CBA rules about contract structure... Not sure if that works... CBA people?

 

[TehDoak]

There's some convoluted CBA rules about contract structure... Not sure if that works... CBA people?

i *believe* its fine as long as no years drop below 50% of the max year. I might be wrong, however

 

[joshjull]

There's some convoluted CBA rules about contract structure... Not sure if that works... CBA people?

CONTRACT VARIABILITY
Front-loaded contracts where the average of salary plus bonuses over the first half of the contract exceeds the cap hit, variability rules apply. Year-to-year variability is limited to 35 per cent of the first-year compensation. If a player earns $10M in Year 1, the contract cannot subsequently increase/decrease by more than $3.5M from year to year. Meanwhile, the lowest year’s compensation cannot be less than 50 per cent of the highest year’s compensation. If a player earns $10M in his highest year, he can never earn less than $5M any other year.
The old 100 per cent rule applies to any other multi-year contract.

 

[MagnumForce2]

I predict at least 1 former Sabre will be signed as a Free Agent by weeks end....pretty bold prediction

 

[Karate Johnson*]

When does the fiesta begin? Is it high noon on Tuesday or at midnight?

 

[haseoke39]

They'll be making tons of offers... and striking out a lot...

i'll throw some offers out there...

Group 1: Very Unlikley but take a swing...
Stastny 7 yrs / 7 mil per
Iginla 3 yrs / 10 mil per

Group 2: Big Offers, Good Fits, but Unlikely
Michalek 5 yrs / 5 mil per
Orpik 3 yrs / 5 mil per
Niskanen 5 yrs / 5.5 per

Group 3: High Offers, Good Fits, Good Chance
B.Boyle 4 yrs / 4.25 mil per
Bolland 5 yrs / 5 mil per
Stralman 5 yrs / 6.2 per
Moulson 5 yrs / 6. per
Ott 5 yrs / 4.5 per
Pouliot 4 yrs / 3.5 per
Stempniak 3 yrs / 3.75 per
Winnik 3 yrs / 3 per
Goc 3 yrs / 2.5 per

Group 4: Low level, roster depth, need to spend somewhere
McClement 2 yrs / 2.1 per
McCormick 3 yrs / 2 per
Glass 2 yrs / 2 per
S.Bernier 2 yrs / 2 per
Skille 1 yr / 1 per

Pretty good list, TBH.

 

[joshjull]

When does the fiesta begin? Is it high noon on Tuesday or at midnight?

I believe its at noon.

 

[haseoke39]

League max to Jarome Iginla with a full NMC so he can pick his spot at the deadline, Buffalo retains half salary.

I mean, you gotta make the offer, right?

 

[Sabrefan99]

Is there such a thing as the league max? I think if Ignia took the max from buffalo, he would inherently put a limit on what teams he could be traded to. Since it's probably safe to assume that cinders are at or near the cap ceiling.

 

[Paxon]

League max to Jarome Iginla with a full NMC so he can pick his spot at the deadline, Buffalo retains half salary.

I mean, you gotta make the offer, right?

It'd be hard to move him at the deadline at half of league max.

 

[jfb392]

Is there such a thing as the league max? I think if Ignia took the max from buffalo, he would inherently put a limit on what teams he could be traded to. Since it's probably safe to assume that cinders are at or near the cap ceiling.

The maximum is 20% of the upper limit in the year the contract is signed, so $13.8m this year.

 

[Sabretip]

They'll be making tons of offers... and striking out a lot...

i'll throw some offers out there...

Group 1: Very Unlikley but take a swing...
Stastny 7 yrs / 7 mil per
Iginla 3 yrs / 10 mil per

Group 2: Big Offers, Good Fits, but Unlikely
Michalek 5 yrs / 5 mil per
Orpik 3 yrs / 5 mil per
Niskanen 5 yrs / 5.5 per

I'm not so sure that Orpik will get that many big offers because of the wear-and-tear and overall mileage on his body. While I don't know if it's a big enough factor for him to accept playing for a doormat, maybe his roots in WNY may play some part in his willingness.

Then again, I'm not sure Murray would view Orpik as a necessity other than perhaps to lend some veteran tutelage to his defense in lieu of re-signing Tallinder.

Group 3: High Offers, Good Fits, Good Chance
B.Boyle 4 yrs / 4.25 mil per
Bolland 5 yrs / 5 mil per
Stralman 5 yrs / 6.2 per
Moulson 5 yrs / 6. per
Ott 5 yrs / 4.5 per
Pouliot 4 yrs / 3.5 per
Stempniak 3 yrs / 3.75 per
Winnik 3 yrs / 3 per
Goc 3 yrs / 2.5 per

Group 4: Low level, roster depth, need to spend somewhere
McClement 2 yrs / 2.1 per
McCormick 3 yrs / 2 per
Glass 2 yrs / 2 per
S.Bernier 2 yrs / 2 per
Skille 1 yr / 1 per

I think that Downie belongs on the list above, if only because he's in the same category of Kaleta/Ott/Girgensons that Nolan would love to have as backup behind the kids when other teams try to intimidate the Sabres. Downie is a decent bottom 6 forward and only 27.

 

[Sabretip]

i really think, Boyle would be in a borderline top 6 role if we got him..

Not so sure about that - if Ennis is defacto # 1 and Hodgson will be on the wing, I don't think slotting Girgensons behind Boyle makes sense, even though I don't think Girgensons should be a # 2 center either.

It's not ideal but I'm anticipating Ennis-Reinhart-Girgensons-Larsson as the 4 centers this season.

 

[flashsabre]

League max to Jarome Iginla with a full NMC so he can pick his spot at the deadline, Buffalo retains half salary.

I mean, you gotta make the offer, right?

Brad Richards as well

 

[joshjull]

Not so sure about that - if Ennis is defacto # 1 and Hodgson will be on the wing, I don't think slotting Girgensons behind Boyle makes sense, even though I don't think Girgensons should be a # 2 center either.

It's not ideal but I'm anticipating Ennis-Reinhart-Girgensons-Larsson as the 4 centers this season.

Keep in mind Boyle can and has played wing as well.

 

[Paxon]

Keep in mind Boyle can and has played wing as well.

Also that, at least in my opinion, Reinhart is as likely to start at wing as he is center. He's the kind of guy who will have no problem taking the NHL adjustments that he first made at wing and translating them back to center, in the event that's what happens.

 

[1TuchAnd1NoTuch]

Gotta offer iggy and Richards 1x10 deals with the idea of trading them at the deadline. Maybe one of them bites

 

[Insomniac99]

Twitter rumors flaring up about Boyle

 

[joshjull]

Twitter rumors flaring up about Boyle

Which one?