Rumor: 2019 Free Agent Boredom Part IV

[henchman21]

So Keller just signed an 8 year deal for 7.15 AAV

High for what he has done, but I can't help but believe that becomes an absolute steal of a contract.

 

[McMetal]

So Keller just signed an 8 year deal for 7.15 AAV

Keller probably isn't on the same tier as Rantanen and Marner, but it's hard not to hope that this is the first domino to fall...

 

[henchman21]

Keller probably isn't on the same tier as Rantanen and Marner, but it's hard not to hope that this is the first domino to fall...

It is also for a year in the future too. He's not really of the group that was going to miss camp and there wasn't a real rush here to get it done.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Keller’s AAV looks high based on the season he just had but they probably saved themselves a lot of money by doing it now instead of after a full season of CK feeding Kessel.

It’ll look fine after a year or two. Still think they should have been able to knock 500k or so off the AAV but it’ll be fine.

 

[henchman21]

Keller’s AAV looks high based on the season he just had but they probably saved themselves a lot of money by doing it now instead of after a full season of CK feeding Kessel.

It’ll look fine after a year or two. Still think they should have been able to knock 500k or so off the AAV but it’ll be fine.

I think the tricky part on the AAV is the full term, getting harder and harder to get on these ELC players. To me, completely makes up for the higher than it should be AAV and some.

 

[McMetal]

It is also for a year in the future too. He's not really of the group that was going to miss camp and there wasn't a real rush here to get it done.

Ah, didn't realize this was a year early. That's too bad, almost got my hopes up that this would begin the wave of RFA signings before camp.

 

[Ivan13]

High for what he has done, but I can't help but believe that becomes an absolute steal of a contract.

It's an amazing deal.

 

[Avs_19]

Chris Johnston says Gardiner is in Colorado* right now and expects him to sign a short-term deal and be in a training camp next week.

*(He's training in Vail with other NHL players)

(Johnston never mentioned the Avs)

 

[Pokecheque]

Responding to the bold: when did you join Leafs management? I don't know your real name, but I figured someone with such a job would be too busy right now to argue on a Colorado Avalanche forum. Joking aside, you don't know what you're claiming to know. What you're giving me is your opinion presented as irrefutable fact. For all we know, they signed Ceci for the specific purpose of trading him, but have now found nobody wants to give up assets for him. Maybe they just mis-read the market. Or maybe they signed him intending to keep him, but now realize they can get Gardiner back and have decided to move Ceci. Also, Babs is not the GM - Dubas clearly has no issue making moves Babs would not approve of - he traded Zaitsev, Marleau and Brown, and let Hainsey go in free agency.

As for your last paragraph, I don't understand why you're not getting it. If the Leafs are paying us to take him, you'd still not want him even if he's going to play for the Eagles? Do you have a personal vendetta against Ceci or something, or do you think he's so bad that he would ruin the Eagles chances of success? I understand you thinking it's unlikely he's even available. I also understand you thinking Ceci is a bad player. What I don't understand is your opposition to the fantasy scenario of the Leafs giving us a valuable asset to take his contract.

I think I get it just fine, this is just a "fantasy scenario" I simply cannot suspend my disbelief over. And I have a very vivid imagination.

But please, tell me the last time a team signed a player to a one-year deal only to flip an asset to dump that contract roughly two months later before said player played a single, solitary game. I don't have to be in Leafs management to be certain that this is not going to happen. If it does, hey, you get my avatar for one month of either this season or next season, your choice.

I don't have a vendetta against Cody Ceci, and not sure why you're even bringing that up. He is by most every metric, a terrible, awful, no-good defenseman. He can't defend at all (there's video evidence of this, go look it up) and is virtually worthless for zone exits/entries. The one thing he is good at is shooting, and the Avs already have a guy who is astoundingly good at shooting and not much else in Kevin Connauton (and Connauton is better than him defensively). He's also not really worth having in the minors as he'd just get in the way of players we'd all rather see get ice time and/or a chance to make the team.

I should also mention that the Leafs will be starting the year without Travis Dermott, so they actually need Ceci to play. He's projected to be on a pairing alongside Morgan Rielly, who has somehow gotten the short end of the stick in terms of defensive partners virtually his entire career and put up insane numbers.

Ceci will play the year with the Leafs, and either be dealt at the deadline or leave at season's end to sign elsewhere. Anyone who gives him anywhere close to his present salary will almost assuredly regret it.

 

[Pokecheque]

High for what he has done, but I can't help but believe that becomes an absolute steal of a contract.

We'll see. He's an amazing talent, but if he remains a perimeter guy like he was this last season, they'll come to regret that contract. Nice to see though that the new owner is stepping up when need be.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[UncleRisto]

Calgary adding Zac Rinaldo on a PTO is so Calgary, because it's way awful.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Chris Johnston says Gardiner is in Colorado* right now and expects him to sign a short-term deal and be in a training camp next week.

*(He's training in Vail with other NHL players)

(Johnston never mentioned the Avs)

Jesus Christ my weeen just started to stand up straight after reading the first few words of that post.

Come on Joe. Take a trip up into the mountains and fly him back to Denver on a PJ.

 

[lonelybadger]

Where did Johnston say this?

 

[RockLobster]

Chris Johnston says Gardiner is in Colorado* right now and expects him to sign a short-term deal and be in a training camp next week.

*(He's training in Vail with other NHL players)

(Johnston never mentioned the Avs)

I should seriously be handing out a perma-ban for this post...

 

[Pokecheque]

Calgary adding Zac Rinaldo on a PTO is so Calgary, because it's way awful.

No matter how many ways a team gets out-skated and out-skilled, there will always be a contingent of fans and executives who conclude the team lost because it wasn't tough enough.

 

[ArWKo]

Chris Johnston says Gardiner is in Colorado* right now and expects him to sign a short-term deal and be in a training camp next week.

*(He's training in Vail with other NHL players)

(Johnston never mentioned the Avs)

 

[UncleRisto]

Oh, I loved that guy in Entourage!

 

[BrickNHL]

Chris Johnston says Gardiner is in Colorado* right now and expects him to sign a short-term deal and be in a training camp next week.

*(He's training in Vail with other NHL players)

(Johnston never mentioned the Avs)

I'm not gonna lie, he had us in the first half

 

[Avs_19]

Jesus Christ my weeen just started to stand up straight after reading the first few words of that post.

Come on Joe. Take a trip up into the mountains and fly him back to Denver on a PJ.

I should seriously be handing out a perma-ban for this post...

View attachment 252937

I'm not gonna lie, he had us in the first half

I had to do it. Apologies.

Where did Johnston say this?

Gardiner talk starts around the 1:40 mark.

 

[Foppa2118]

Watch Gardiner sign with the Avs now later this afternoon.

 

[Gatorbait19]

I think I get it just fine, this is just a "fantasy scenario" I simply cannot suspend my disbelief over. And I have a very vivid imagination.

But please, tell me the last time a team signed a player to a one-year deal only to flip an asset to dump that contract roughly two months later before said player played a single, solitary game. I don't have to be in Leafs management to be certain that this is not going to happen. If it does, hey, you get my avatar for one month of either this season or next season, your choice.

I don't have a vendetta against Cody Ceci, and not sure why you're even bringing that up. He is by most every metric, a terrible, awful, no-good defenseman. He can't defend at all (there's video evidence of this, go look it up) and is virtually worthless for zone exits/entries. The one thing he is good at is shooting, and the Avs already have a guy who is astoundingly good at shooting and not much else in Kevin Connauton (and Connauton is better than him defensively). He's also not really worth having in the minors as he'd just get in the way of players we'd all rather see get ice time and/or a chance to make the team.

I should also mention that the Leafs will be starting the year without Travis Dermott, so they actually need Ceci to play. He's projected to be on a pairing alongside Morgan Rielly, who has somehow gotten the short end of the stick in terms of defensive partners virtually his entire career and put up insane numbers.

Ceci will play the year with the Leafs, and either be dealt at the deadline or leave at season's end to sign elsewhere. Anyone who gives him anywhere close to his present salary will almost assuredly regret it.

Always improve your team when you can. Doesn’t matter whether a guy’s played 0 or 1,000 games, if you can get someone better, you do it.

Gardiner didn’t seem like a realistic option on July 1 for them, so they went with their next best option in Ceci. But with Gardiner still on the market on Sept. 4, he’s an option again. If signing Gardiner means jettisoning Ceci, they’ll do it if the cost isn’t too high.

 

[Pokecheque]

Always improve your team when you can. Doesn’t matter whether a guy’s played 0 or 1,000 games, if you can get someone better, you do it.

Gardiner didn’t seem like a realistic option on July 1 for them, so they went with their next best option in Ceci. But with Gardiner still on the market on Sept. 4, he’s an option again. If signing Gardiner means jettisoning Ceci, they’ll do it if the cost isn’t too high.

It would still require Gardiner to take a MASSIVE discount to get onto the roster. I still don't see it happening, much less the Leafs once again throwing another asset out there to get someone to take on Ceci, when they've already done so to dump Marleau's contract.

Still...even I'll admit the fact that Gardiner is still waiting around unsigned is something I never would've guessed.

 

[Gatorbait19]

It would still require Gardiner to take a MASSIVE discount to get onto the roster. I still don't see it happening, much less the Leafs once again throwing another asset out there to get someone to take on Ceci, when they've already done so to dump Marleau's contract.

Still...even I'll admit the fact that Gardiner is still waiting around unsigned is something I never would've guessed.

Gardiner clearly has to take a big discount from what he originally wanted. Question is whether it will be with the leafs or not.

Sure it’s not ideal to now have to attach an asset to Ceci to get rid of him, but if you’re a contender like the Leafs, the upgrade from Ceci to Gardiner is worth a 2nd rounder regardless of the Marleau deal.

 

[JLo217]

Watch Gardiner sign with the Avs now later this afternoon.

I'm okay with this.