Rumor: AVS Proposals/Rumors/Free Agents & Roster Moves (related topics)

[agentblack]

Is Bogo a possibility ? Id be more willing to spend some assets on a guy like that.
I have no clue how he's being used or his play this year though so...

 

[Foppa2118]

I get using assets to get better but if it just results in finishing with 86 points instead of 85 isn't exactly the best use of them.

What if that hypothetical 86 points gets them into the playoffs, and 85 gets them onto the golf course?

No he's not single handedly ruining the team but the issues he presents effects the roster. Is playing him where and when he shouldn't be helping him or the team? Nobody seemed to care this much about the respect factor when it was Briere.

I agree with the general point you're making, but there also is a bit of difference between Briere and Iggy. Iggy's a HOFer, Briere just had a solid career. Briere also struggled his last couple years before he ended up on the Avs. Iggy's been a consistent 30 goal scorer, and despite his skating and soft defense, he was worth his salary every year of his career up until this year.

It does pose a lot of problems though, especially going into next year roster wise, as to what you do with him in the lineup. He doesn't fit at all on a 3rd line, which seems as though it will be more of a defensive line next year once they add Mikko and potentially another top 6 forward next year.

I think they can make due with him this year, it's next year that has me concerned. I wonder if they'll talk to him in the summer about finishing his career in Calgary, even if it means retaining half his salary.

 

[Freudian]

Avs last three third rounders have been Martin, Wood and Beaudin. I don't know if any of them will ever be a NHLer but I'd rather have either of them than 30 games of Roman Polak.

Avs aren't a good team. They won't be a good team after the trade deadline. They might crawl their way into the playoffs this year but a rental bottom pairing defender will have zilch to do with it.

Roy's talk about how he's not used to missing the playoffs does scare me because of how much damage desperately trying to make it into the playoffs with this group can do. They should be sellers rather than buyers and I don't think it's even on the radar of this front office.

Even a Redmond for a 7th is better than getting Polak for a 3rd.

 

[Bender]

I've been thinking about this for about a week -

Is there any chance Iggy retires this off-season?

My gut says no, because he wanted that third year on his contract. I'm not trying to be a jerk and suggest he retires. But he has been bad this year. His -17 rating is so bad that if you combine all of the other minus players currently on the NHL roster, you only get -15.

If he doesn't retire, where does he play next year?

Iggy has been on the fourth line all year. Assuming the McLeod-Mitchell-Skille line stays together, and assuming the Avalanche add 1-2 forwards to bump Comeau down the line-up, do we really punish Comeau (who's been great) by pairing him on some horrid mish-mash line with Iginla, Grigorenko, and/or Wagner?

Personally, if they bring Skille back (hopefully), I'd rather see this pairing, with the fourth line getting limited ice time:

Thoughts?

He hasn't been on the 4th line all year. He was tried as a top-6 guy to start the year and for the first few months of the season. He's had ample chance to prove he's still a top-6 guy.

Roy's only real hope is to play him with Tanguay on the 3rd line and hope that line can chip in a few here and there and not hurt you too much defensively. Keeping both of those guys out of the top-6 is the only chance we have to have 2 lines that can produce without a bad wheel. Rantanen should be brought up immediately.

Rantanen-MacKinnon-Duchene
Landeskog-Soderberg-Comeau
Tanguay-Grigorenko-Iginla
McLeod-Mitchell-Skille

When they play well...give them a little more icetime, when they don't, play the 4th line more (still think McLeod, Mitchell and Skille should be kept together on the 4th line at all times).

I don't think Iggy retires but the Avs could certainly entertain buying him out after the season if he's adamant about not waiving his NTC. I know I wouldn't want to watch him in our lineup another full season. I doubt Sakic & Roy want to either.

What I DO think happens is that they will trade him back to Calgary. Earlier on in the season, someone mentioned the possibility of moving him in exchange for Denis Wideman...it's pretty much the same contract. I can see that happening if the NHL reduces his suspension. (Can suspended players be traded? Not sure but probably not)

I think it makes sense for both teams. The money is a wash. Wideman can be used on the 3rd pair and play on the 2nd PP. He's not as effective as he used to be. The same can be said about Iggy but at least he gets to finish his NHL career where it started.

Minor picks/prospects on either side to make it work.

 

[CB Joe]

I like that trade for Ottawa. Matt Hunwick now the undisputed #1 defenseman in Toronto.

 

[Foppa2118]

I like that trade for Ottawa. Matt Hunwick now the undisputed #1 defenseman in Toronto.

Haha, craziness. This has to not just be about dumping money, but tanking for a top 3 pick.

 

[AvalancheFan19]

Haha, craziness. This has to not just be about dumping money, but tanking for a top 3 pick.

Doesn't make the Leafs any worse. Phaneuf is bad.

 

[dahrougem2]

I'd like Eric Gryba on this team for the 3rd pairing. Have enjoyed watching him in Edmonton. Knows his role and skates laterally pretty well. Paired with a quick, smart partner like Bigras could make it an effective 3rd pairing.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Today Ottawa wins considering they got the best player but Toronto sheds caps space long term. Depending on how Phanuef holds up, Toronto could be winning this trade in the future by a long shot.

 

[The Kingslayer]

I will say this, if Roy waits too long as he often does to do something the ship will have already sunk.

#1 Rantanen needs to be called up

#2 The defense needs to be figured out, Zads or NHL caliber bottom pairing addition whatever.

If they don't do something soon it will be futile, so I'm a little afraid once they actually do decide to make those changes it will be too late.

Yup I feel Roy will react too late and the ship wouldve sunk by then before he changes something. I hope im wrong.

 

[Balthazar]

Today Ottawa wins considering they got the best player but Toronto sheds caps space long term. Depending on how Phanuef holds up, Toronto could be winning this trade in the future by a long shot.

It's quite incredible that Toronto has been able to get rid of the 3 albatrosses from the previous administration (Clarkson, Kessel and Phaneuf) and now have the cap space necessary to rebuild properly. If I were a Leafs fan I'd jump in joy.

 

[Foppa2118]

Doesn't make the Leafs any worse. Phaneuf is bad.

I'm not a Phaneuf fan but he's a sizeable upgrade on Cowen. I don't see how the Leafs aren't worse this year without him.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

It's quite incredible that Toronto has been able to get rid of the 3 albatrosses from the previous administration (Clarkson, Kessel and Phaneuf) and now have the cap space necessary to rebuild properly. If I were a Leafs fan I'd jump in joy.

Agreed but I wouldn't be surprised if they ruined all this good work by signing stammer to an insane contract.

 

[CobraAcesS]

It's quite incredible that Toronto has been able to get rid of the 3 albatrosses from the previous administration (Clarkson, Kessel and Phaneuf) and now have the cap space necessary to rebuild properly. If I were a Leafs fan I'd jump in joy.

Personally, I think Cowen + Babcock, Lindberg, and 2017 Second Round pick wins the trade for Toronto. Those are the only valuable pieces in the trade IMO.

The rest of the trade is pure cap crap IMO. Phaneuf was maybe valuable if enough of that cap hit was retained. However it wasn't.

Babcock has two years to turn Cowen into something, and hes got a reasonable cap hit for that time period.

Ottawa has internal cap restraints, so Phaneuf eats up more internal salary than he does 'cap' space IMO. Which personally makes it worse than just his cap hit for a team that needs value out of their contracts to fill out a competitive roster.

I'm not a Phaneuf fan but he's a sizeable upgrade on Cowen. I don't see how the Leafs aren't worse this year without him.

I don't think you can count a player contributing at any level for the Leafs as value in this situation. In fact it's probably negative value for Tanknation IMO.

That's not going to be an NHL team for a few years, more of a hockey school who gets to practice by playing in NHL games lol.

What will be funny is when Phaneuf is on that top pairing with Karlsson during Methot's injury periods. That should be a hell of a 14M dollar show haha.

 

[henchman21]

Babcock has two years to turn Cowen into something, and hes got a reasonable cap hit for that time period.

I'll be shocked if Cowen makes it to July.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I'll be shocked if Cowen makes it to July.

Meh, you never know.. If there was just a tiny chance he turns things around before. There is probably now little chance he turns things around. It's more than it was before regardless IMO.

Changing scenery can do a lot for younger players sometimes when it comes to motivation.

 

[henchman21]

Meh, you never know.. If there was just a tiny chance he turns things around before. There is probably now little chance he turns things around. It's more than it was before regardless IMO.

Changing scenery can do a lot for younger players sometimes when it comes to motivation.

The cap credit he can have next season brings more value to the Leafs than he does on the ice.

 

[Balthazar]

Ottawa has internal cap restraints, so Phaneuf eats up more internal salary than he does 'cap' space

Phaneuf's cap hit is 7M but he's going to earn 7.5M next year then 7M, 6.5M, 6.5M and 5.5M.

Total cap hit left (starting next year): 35M
Total salary: 33M

So the "internal" cap hit is 6.6M/year.

 

[InjuredChoker]

Meh, you never know.. If there was just a tiny chance he turns things around before. There is probably now little chance he turns things around. It's more than it was before regardless IMO.

Changing scenery can do a lot for younger players sometimes when it comes to motivation.

changing scenery doesn't change ones brains.

 

[CB Joe]

Yea Phaneuf is hockey dumb but he's also really skilled. He got a lot of hate for his contract but is still a good top 4 defenseman.

 

[JoemAvs]

Avs last three third rounders have been Martin, Wood and Beaudin. I don't know if any of them will ever be a NHLer but I'd rather have either of them than 30 games of Roman Polak.

Avs aren't a good team. They won't be a good team after the trade deadline. They might crawl their way into the playoffs this year but a rental bottom pairing defender will have zilch to do with it.

Roy's talk about how he's not used to missing the playoffs does scare me because of how much damage desperately trying to make it into the playoffs with this group can do. They should be sellers rather than buyers and I don't think it's even on the radar of this front office.

Even a Redmond for a 7th is better than getting Polak for a 3rd.

So Toronto managed to get rid of Clarkson (had to take back Horton but the Leafs really don't care about that money they have to spend to LTIR him), Kessel and Phaneuf and even got decent value back. I can't believe that they did not have to retain anything on that contract.

Their management has improved so much since Burke that I really am starting to get worried that the Leafs could be good in the future.

Add the Oilers turning things around (I mean they have to. Look at that roster) and hfboards could be "fun" in the future. I am not sure that I want to live in that world.

They really sold high on Dion. That contract will look so ugly in a few years and Ottawa of all teams (aside from Arizona probably the most cash strapped) has decided to take on this Albatross of a contract.

Did not see that coming.

 

[CB Joe]

I wonder if the Avs could get Michalek for Stuart. Avs are likely looking to upgrade the bottom pairing anyways and could use the offensive depth. Contracts are almost a wash.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I wonder what makes Toronto more money, a single round of the playoffs. Or sitting at the salary floor for most of the year and still selling out games?

Not that they've really been in the playoffs often enough to worry about this comparison. However talk about an owner ship group who will make a damn killing off of a tank level roster regardless.

Hell they can probably not even worry about using LTIR on Horton now and sit even further below the floor in actual dollars.

I wonder if the Avs could get Michalek for Stuart. Avs are likely looking to upgrade the bottom pairing anyways and could use the offensive depth. Contracts are almost a wash.

Can we potentially LTIR Michalek as well? Because if Toronto made that trade they'd be banking on Stuarts injury issues to save them more money in insured injured contracts.

That would be a much smaller version of Clarkson for Horton lol

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I remember seeing a question about how good Polak is and it hasn't really been answered.


From my viewings of the Leafs this season, I would say this: He's a guy who's very consistent on a night in and night out basis, you always know what you're going to get with him. He's a physical, shut down bottom pairing guy. He knows what he's good at and what he isn't good at and he stays within his limits.


The Leafs have one of the worst GF/A margins in the league at -23, and yet Polak is a +6 on the team. The Leafs used him at points throughout the year with both Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner as a veteran guy that would allow them to do there thing and learn the ropes in the NHL more. He's a good professional. When we brought in Stuart, he was already 34(35?) years old and had shown signs of slowing down before even playing with the Avs. With Polak, he's only 29 right now and wont turn 30 until the end of this season. He's a few years younger then Stuart, and hasn't played nearly as much as Stuart did. He also hasn't suffered the type of injuries that Stuart did.


The Stuart acquisition was a bad one and we all knew it was right away. But with Polak I think he's a better player now then Stuart was when we added him, and he's still at an age where if the Avs want to bring him back, he could be brought in on a 2 year deal or something that would really shore up the Right side for those few years. I think he'd be the perfect guy for Bigras, we wouldn't be asking a lot out of him, we wouldn't be bringing him in hoping he can play in the Top 4 like we did with Stuart either. It would be 3rd pairing duties where he plays 12-14 minutes a night of ES, and a couple of minutes of PK a night.


It would also be a big relief to EJ and Beauch, allowing us to have a competent 3rd pairing would limit those guys minutes by 2-3 a night, especially PK time. I believe he is the perfect piece to add to our Defense. It would give us 3 pairings that work for the first time in years.


Beauch - EJ
Holden - Barrie
Bigras - Polak


That's so much better then having Redmond or Bodnarchuk playing in that role. If a cup contending team like CHI, DAL, WSH, or someone like that offers a 3rd + Prospect or a 2nd for the guy, then ya I dont think the Avs should be outbidding those offers. But if we can get him for just a 3rd or a 4th or a later pick and a Hishon/Siemens then I think the Avs would benefit a lot from the trade.


He's not necessarily someone who would push us over the top and into the playoffs. But it would go a long way having him playing instead of Redmond and his 4-5 huge mistakes every night.

 

[CobraAcesS]

I remember seeing a question about how good Polak is and it hasn't really been answered.


From my viewings of the Leafs this season, I would say this: He's a guy who's very consistent on a night in and night out basis, you always know what you're going to get with him. He's a physical, shut down bottom pairing guy. He knows what he's good at and what he isn't good at and he stays within his limits.


The Leafs have one of the worst GF/A margins in the league at -23, and yet Polak is a +6 on the team. The Leafs used him at points throughout the year with both Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner as a veteran guy that would allow them to do there thing and learn the ropes in the NHL more. He's a good professional. When we brought in Stuart, he was already 34(35?) years old and had shown signs of slowing down before even playing with the Avs. With Polak, he's only 29 right now and wont turn 30 until the end of this season. He's a few years younger then Stuart, and hasn't played nearly as much as Stuart did. He also hasn't suffered the type of injuries that Stuart did.


The Stuart acquisition was a bad one and we all knew it was right away. But with Polak I think he's a better player now then Stuart was when we added him, and he's still at an age where if the Avs want to bring him back, he could be brought in on a 2 year deal or something that would really shore up the Right side for those few years. I think he'd be the perfect guy for Bigras, we wouldn't be asking a lot out of him, we wouldn't be bringing him in hoping he can play in the Top 4 like we did with Stuart either. It would be 3rd pairing duties where he plays 12-14 minutes a night of ES, and a couple of minutes of PK a night.


It would also be a big relief to EJ and Beauch, allowing us to have a competent 3rd pairing would limit those guys minutes by 2-3 a night, especially PK time. I believe he is the perfect piece to add to our Defense. It would give us 3 pairings that work for the first time in years.


Beauch - EJ
Holden - Barrie
Bigras - Polak


That's so much better then having Redmond or Bodnarchuk playing in that role. If a cup contending team like CHI, DAL, WSH, or someone like that offers a 3rd + Prospect or a 2nd for the guy, then ya I dont think the Avs should be outbidding those offers. But if we can get him for just a 3rd or a 4th or a later pick and a Hishon/Siemens then I think the Avs would benefit a lot from the trade.


He's not necessarily someone who would push us over the top and into the playoffs. But it would go a long way having him playing instead of Redmond and his 4-5 huge mistakes every night.

Thanks that's what I was looking for, what's his skating like? Better than Stuart's, the same?