Speculation: 2021 Sharks Offseason Roster Discussion part VI

[Sharksrule04]

Or maybe he was a career 12% shooter who was shooting well over 20% for those first 25 games and then crashed back down to earth.

Point is he was still incredibly productive as recent as this past season for 25 games. Suggesting he should be bought out is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen here. If over the next two years he isn’t producing then I’ll entertain that idea. After one slump it’s just not plausible. Even if he regresses to a 20 goal 50 point player I still wouldn’t buy him out. It would be too much dead cap for this team.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Couture is still tradeable IMO. We retain 1.5 mil and Couture at 6.5 mil is something we can probably get a decent return on if they’re willing to part ways. I just don’t think DW can or will.

 

[Hodge]

Point is he was still incredibly productive as recent as this past season for 25 games. Suggesting he should be bought out is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen here. If over the next two years he isn’t producing then I’ll entertain that idea. After one slump it’s just not plausible. Even if he regresses to a 20 goal 50 point player I still wouldn’t buy him out. It would be too much dead cap for this team.

Buying him out now would be dumb but if they buy him out in 2023 it's basically a flat $2 million penalty for eight years. Obviously moving him with 50% retention would be preferable but if that's not possible and the team gets some draft luck and appears to be on the upswing gaining an extra $6 million/year in cap space is worth it.

 

[Bizz]

Out of all the dumb things I've read on this forum over the summer, seeing the words "Couture" and "buy out" in the same sentence has got to be the dumbest.

 

[Bizz]

Lmao "I wanted to have fun again"

he wants to have fun. I want our bottom sixers to not be possession black holes that couldn't score on a backup zamboni driver.

I think we both get what we want here.

 

[one2gamble]

Buying him out now would be dumb but if they buy him out in 2023 it's basically a flat $2 million penalty for eight years. Obviously moving him with 50% retention would be preferable but if that's not possible and the team gets some draft luck and appears to be on the upswing gaining an extra $6 million/year in cap space is worth it.

This entire thought process is mind boggling. People on this forum think 40-60 point forwards are getting bought out when they aren't even over paid for their production. Couture might be a problem in 3 years but he isn't now. I'd trade and retain max 1.5

 

[WTFetus]

Buying Couture out even in 2023 is worse than Kurz’s argument of buying Marleau out.

 

[stator]

I think DW is hoping having not league worst goaltending will make us a wild card team.

I also believe if we still suck, he trades Hertl at the deadline and then blows it up in the off-season for a full rebuild.

I'm thinking DW will steer the same course regardless, and go down with the ship. He seems very set in his ways to me.

 

[seroes]

Buying out Couture might be the worst idea I have heard in a while.

 

[Hodge]

This entire thought process is mind boggling. People on this forum think 40-60 point forwards are getting bought out when they aren't even over paid for their production. Couture might be a problem in 3 years but he isn't now. I'd trade and retain max 1.5

How is $8 million (for six more years) not a huge overpayment for a 40-60 point forward? If he gets even a little bit worse, which is extremely likely based on his age, it's one of the worst contracts in the NHL.

Buying Couture out even in 2023 is worse than Kurz’s argument of buying Marleau out.

Buying out Marleau when he only had two years left on his deal and was coming off a 65 point season is infinitely stupider than buying out Couture coming off a 48 point (pace) season with six years left. And I'm not even suggesting that just saying it might be a decent option in two years if he continues his decline.

Allowing Couture, Vlasic and Karlsson to play out their contracts with the Sharks will prevent this team from competing again for the next decade. LTIRetirement, salary retention trades, buyouts -- everything needs to be on the table to get rid of these contracts over the next few years.

 

[Pavelski2112]

You can't just buyout every single bad contract on the team. Too much dead cap for too long. Retain a couple mil on a trade and you won't be paying it for nearly as long as a buyout.

 

[Hodge]

You can't just buyout every single bad contract on the team. Too much dead cap for too long. Retain a couple mil on a trade and you won't be paying it for nearly as long as a buyout.

Karlsson and Vlasic's contracts are structured in a way that buying them out doesn't make much sense. Retention trades and LTIR are really the only options there. Couture's contract is different which is why a buyout becomes a realistic option starting in 2023.

 

[one2gamble]

How is $8 million (for six more years) not a huge overpayment for a 40-60 point forward?

Because it's 2021

 

[Hodge]

Because it's 2021

Okay if you just want to look at the contracts signed by forwards this offseason Couture is still vastly overpaid compared to what Sean Couturier, Gabriel Landeskog and Taylor Hall got. Even at his peak he was a tier below those players and will be making more than them until he's 38.

 

[Pavelski2112]

Okay if you just want to look at the contracts signed by forwards this offseason Couture is still vastly overpaid compared to what Sean Couturier, Gabriel Landeskog and Taylor Hall got. Even at his peak he was a tier below those players and will be making more than them until he's 38.

I'm not so sure about that. Remember, this is a guy who had 30 points in 24 playoff games in 2016. Hell, he was PPG in the playoffs in 2019 with 14 goals to boot.

 

[Hodge]

I'm not so sure about that. Remember, this is a guy who had 30 points in 24 playoff games in 2016. Hell, he was PPG in the playoffs in 2019 with 14 goals to boot.

It's not a slight to Couture to say he was never as good as a Selke and Hart winner. Couture was a solid low-end 1C/high-end 2C for many years but he's clearly not at that level anymore and we're stuck with him for six more years.

 

[PacificOceanPotion]

Watch Couture go out and have a 60-70 pt season.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Point is he was still incredibly productive as recent as this past season for 25 games. Suggesting he should be bought out is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen here. If over the next two years he isn’t producing then I’ll entertain that idea. After one slump it’s just not plausible. Even if he regresses to a 20 goal 50 point player I still wouldn’t buy him out. It would be too much dead cap for this team.

Soooo... I'm confused by this conversation. Are we supposed to completely ignore that Coutures slump coincided with his injury that he played thru for like 20 something games? I've been a big a critic of Couture as anyone but for me he was far better last season as a leader and as far as toughness by doing everything he could to stay in the lineup despite probably having a broken foot (per EK65 or Hertl, can't remember which). Also it seemed like he injured a shoulder later on too. All this was in the post game in views. I think there would be less of these hot takes from posters if guys actually watched the pressers.

 

[OrrNumber4]

Couture is still a very good player, but some decline is expected. Plus, can he stay healthy?

 

[Bizz]

Watch Couture go out and have a 60-70 pt season.

oh no, can't be optimistic. Couture is literally guaranteed to be a 30 point hasbeen who is due for a buy out soon. Maybe if we packaged him with Eklund and Bedard we could get a 6th instead of a 7th back.

 

[Doctor Soraluce]

Watch Couture go out and have a 60-70 pt season.

Frankly that's pretty much what I expect if he's healthy. Whole team will be looking for redemption.

 

[exchequer]

I think DW is hoping having not league worst goaltending will make us a wild card team.

I also believe if we still suck, he trades Hertl at the deadline and then blows it up in the off-season for a full rebuild.

If the Sharks are *thinking* about being a playoff when the youngsters make it to the NHL, they'd would be better off extending Hertl and trading Meier (who's due for a huge qualifying offer anyways).

 

[Kcoyote3]

I'm a little excited for our lineup this year

Kane-Hertl-Barabanov (if the chemistry holds)
Dahlen-Couture-Labanc (high skill, hopefully doesn't get much defensive deployment)
Balcers-Bonino-Meier (defensive shutdown line, still with offensive pop)
Cogliano-Gambrell-Nieto (typical grind it out 4th line)

If Barabanov and Dahlen can play like top 6ers, it's a good lineup. If they can't then we're in trouble

 

[Gunnin54]

I'm a little excited for our lineup this year

Kane-Hertl-Barabanov (if the chemistry holds)
Dahlen-Couture-Labanc (high skill, hopefully doesn't get much defensive deployment)
Balcers-Bonino-Meier (defensive shutdown line, still with offensive pop)
Cogliano-Gambrell-Nieto (typical grind it out 4th line)

If Barabanov and Dahlen can play like top 6ers, it's a good lineup. If they can't then we're in trouble

Agree 100%

 

[Sharksrule04]

Soooo... I'm confused by this conversation. Are we supposed to completely ignore that Coutures slump coincided with his injury that he played thru for like 20 something games? I've been a big a critic of Couture as anyone but for me he was far better last season as a leader and as far as toughness by doing everything he could to stay in the lineup despite probably having a broken foot (per EK65 or Hertl, can't remember which). Also it seemed like he injured a shoulder later on too. All this was in the post game in views. I think there would be less of these hot takes from posters if guys actually watched the pressers.

100%, I’m fully expecting him to bounce back to his normal 60+ points this season. Couture could easily be traded and have a decent return with minor retention. Maybe the last year or so of his contract could be an issue but I think he will still perform at a high level for the next few seasons.