2020 UFA targets

[ShelbyZ]

Namestnikov would be interesting. His younger brother is currently in Michigan playing hockey and he is also commited to MSU.

IIRC, Namestnikov's got a ton of ties to Detroit. His Dad lived in Detroit for a little while when Vladi was a kid. He and Yzerman knew each other when he was a kid because Slava Kozlov is his uncle and his Dad was close with Larionov, who is now Vladi's agent and still based around Detroit.

 

[saska sault]

I still think we should hold off unless we are getting a real superstar, top line or top pairing player to a market fair deal. We are just slowly emerging from being up against the cap and are rebuilding.. No point continuing to be up against the cap for the fun of it. We have so many young players fighting for spots over the next few years, allow for them to have room to fill those spots through the organization first. If those players need competition or don't meet expectations, then go via free agency.

How many years have the Leafs and Oilers went big in free agency during a youth movement, only to cause them to take 2 extra steps back? Let's not be those teams just because we have the financial capability to do so.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

I still think we should hold off unless we are getting a real superstar, top line or top pairing player to a market fair deal. We are just slowly emerging from being up against the cap and are rebuilding.. No point continuing to be up against the cap for the fun of it. We have so many young players fighting for spots over the next few years, allow for them to have room to fill those spots through the organization first. If those players need competition or don't meet expectations, then go via free agency.

How many years have the Leafs and Oilers went big in free agency during a youth movement, only to cause it them to take 2 extra steps back? Let's not be those teams just because we have the financial capability to do so.

Josi is a very good #1 Dman. As far as "market fair", with all the dead weight coming off this season & next and the following years, we can afford 1-2 good/great players & still have cap room. Josi @ $9-10M x 7 is probably market value. Granlund is underrated & the kids aren't ready to take over yet, even on the 3rd line. So he's a consistent 55pt.+, defensively responsible 2C, smart, fast, vision, etc. Has Amazing 5 on 5 production (better than most 1st line C/W's) Primary Assists & PP are his wheelhouse, 2 areas we really need help in. He's a good bargain if he signs for $6M. Still decent if it's $6-7M with a rising cap.

 

[masta8]

IIRC, Namestnikov's got a ton of ties to Detroit. His Dad lived in Detroit for a little while when Vladi was a kid. He and Yzerman knew each other when he was a kid because Slava Kozlov is his uncle and his Dad was close with Larionov, who is now Vladi's agent and still based around Detroit.

Yzerman also drafted him too. Very interesting player and plays a position that we need more depth in.

 

[saska sault]

Josi is a very good #1 Dman. As far as "market fair", with all the dead weight coming off this season & next and the following years, we can afford 1-2 good/great players & still have cap room. Josi @ $9-10M x 7 is probably market value. Granlund is underrated & the kids aren't ready to take over yet, even on the 3rd line. So he's a consistent 55pt.+, defensively responsible 2C, smart, fast, vision, etc. Has Amazing 5 on 5 production (better than most 1st line C/W's) Primary Assists & PP are his wheelhouse, 2 areas we really need help in. He's a good bargain if he signs for $6M. Still decent if it's $6-7M with a rising cap.

Josi will also be 30, it's always hard to tell how players are going to age... Subban is such a gifted athlete and has gone down hill so fast it seems. Not comparing the two, but it's a crapshoot with how a player will age and having 10 million locked in for 7 years is a huge gamble for a team that wouldn't have turned the corner to contention yet.

 

[wingerdinger]

I know Torey's Uncle, and he's adamant that Torey eats his cereal with water.

mock me all you like but im simply passing on Torey's preference in good faith.

Then he will make less money... Boston like Tampa is on the everyone loses a little system. My guess is he is looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 million less over the life of the contract unless they go 8 years.

Apparently he's willing to take a discount to stay in Boston, but like I said that would just be his and his young settled family's preference.

 

[wingerdinger]

so much depends on the luck of the upcoming draft as well. If we get a top 3 selection we have an excellent opportunity to pick a game breaking offensive force, that would speed up our compete timeline and give incentive to go out a land a big blue chip nhl defensmen.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Josi will also be 30, it's always hard to tell how players are going to age... Subban is such a gifted athlete and has gone down hill so fast it seems. Not comparing the two, but it's a crapshoot with how a player will age and having 10 million locked in for 7 years is a huge gamble for a team that wouldn't have turned the corner to contention yet.

That opportunity cost is well worth a Top 10 #1 2-way Dman. He doesn't even have a lot of hard miles on him, since rookie year 2012: w/563 gp -regular season & 71 playoff gp. Weber was #1 for 1/2 that time frame, Ellis & Ekholm were there since Josi 1st suited up, among others.

I see this is a must "risk". We'd be lucky if he even hits UFA. Any GM with cap or cap maneuverability will be gunning for him, or should be...even the ones that are already "set" on D might throw their name in the hat to improve their team. Imagine a 30 yr. old Doughty hitting UFA, (it's almost as good), but without the physical dominance of DD.

 

[TheMule93]

so much depends on the luck of the upcoming draft as well. If we get a top 3 selection we have an excellent opportunity to pick a game breaking offensive force, that would speed up our compete timeline and give incentive to go out a land a big blue chip nhl defensmen.

Yup. No way the rangers make the moves they did without drafting kakko/hughes.