Confirmed with Link: Avs sign Ryan Murray (One year, $2M)

[Avsboy]

Sakic decided to downgrade offense for defense.

Since defense was the problem vs Vegas, that was a smart idea

 

[The Abusement Park]

Well, it's nice to peek in and see that Sakic did something good again. Someone to PK and block pucks that has a brain. Nice.

The issue is that he sacrificed durability for a brain.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Sakic managed to upgrade on Graves for 1m less against the cap, and also picked up Maltsev and a 2nd in the process.

Now imagine what he could do with Compher or EJ

 

[Foppa2118]

Toews won't play 3rd pairing minutes. The man is a horse and plays all situations.

The 5v5 minutes will be relatively close no matter what. Just because Toews would be the third pairing listed, doesn't mean he would get third pairing minutes.

It's based on chemistry not effectiveness. The Avs are so deep on the blueline, they don't have to have a traditional 3rd pair.

 

[El Travo]

One thing this does which I really like is it makes MacDonald/MacDermid/McKeown depth players rather than having a rotating roster spot. Our 3rd pair was very suspect until now.

 

[Foppa2118]

Sakic saw a guy who could play “C”/W, PP, PK, and flashes of chippiness and thought JTC would be the perfect middle 6 player. Obviously that hasn’t transpired and the contract sucks now, but at the time we all understood the contract for the most part.

I think those things were still a question mark at the time, but his contract was basically paying for him to pan out in all the areas you mentioned.

Odd approach for Sakic who is usually a lot more cautious than that. He usually makes you prove it first.

Even at the time it felt like an outlier contract with the four year term. I think most of us were expecting another 1-2 year bridge.

 

[Richard88]

2020-2021 Playoffs:

Landeskog -- Mackinnon -- Rantanen
Burakovsky ---- Kadri ------ Saad
Nichuskin ------- Jost ------- Donskoi
Compher ---- Bellemare -- Soderberg/O'Connor

Toews - Makar
Graves - Girard
Nemeth - Timmins

Grubauer
Dubnyk

----- vs -----

2021-22 Regular Season:

Landeskog ---- Mackinnon --- Rantanen
Burakovsky ------- Kadri ------ Newhook
Nichuskin ---------- Jost ------- Compher
Helm ------------- Maltsev ----- O'Connor

Toews - Makar
Murray - Girard
Byram - Johnson

Kuemper
Francouz

-------

Essentially these are the changes from the playoff roster to now:

Grubauer --- Kuemper ... upgrade
Dubnyk ----- Francouz... upgrade
Graves ------ Murray.... upgrade (if healthy)
Timmins ---- EJ.... upgrade (if healthy)
Nemeth ------ Byram.... massive upgrade
Donskoi ------ Newhook... sideways move
Soderberg ---- O'Connor ---- upgrade
Ranta ---------- Helm ... upgrade
Saad ---------- ????

Other than Saad not being replaced yet we have upgraded at every position on the roster. Presumably Saad will be replaced by the deadline with the extra bit of capspace available. There is admittedly a big caveat in that EJ and Murray and Kuemper have to stay mostly healthy, in the playoffs at least.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I think those things were still a question mark at the time, but his contract was basically paying for him to pan out in all the areas you mentioned.

Odd approach for Sakic who is usually a lot more cautious than that. He usually makes you prove it first.

Even at the time it felt like an outlier contract with the three year term. I think most of us were expecting another 1-2 year bridge.

I mean I remember everyone being stoked at the time of the signing. I don’t remember much negative reception. Obviously things change and his development hasn’t gone according to plan.

 

[AvalancheSpeedsters]

Joe really loves gambling.

*ears perking up* -Evander Kane

too soon? My bad

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Well, it's nice to peek in and see that Sakic did something good again. Someone to PK and block pucks that has a brain. Nice.

True. This was good move for bargain hunting. Let's hope it pans out.

 

[Richard88]

I think those things were still a question mark at the time, but his contract was basically paying for him to pan out in all the areas you mentioned.

Odd approach for Sakic who is usually a lot more cautious than that. He usually makes you prove it first.

Even at the time it felt like an outlier contract with the three year term. I think most of us were expecting another 1-2 year bridge.

I think a big issue at the time for Sakic was that Compher had several other good comparables who got the exact $3.5m x 4 year contract just before he did. It's almost like his agent was waiting for Kerfoot and Brett Connelly to sign first before he did, just so he could get the same contract they did. When Florida and Dubas paid what they did then Sakic didn't have much of a choice as their numbers were very similar and they all were versatile 3rd liners.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

*ears perking up* -Evander Kane

too soon? My bad

You can only gamble if you have money

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I think a big issue at the time for Sakic was that Compher had several other good comparables who got the exact $3.5m x 4 year contract just before he did. It's almost like his agent was waiting for Kerfoot and Brett Connelly to sign first before he did, just so he could get the same contract they did. When Florida and Dubas paid what they did then Sakic didn't have much of a choice as their numbers were very similar and they all were versatile 3rd liners.

These are exactly type of players who will waste your whole cap space. You can't sign legion of 3 mil players. It adds up real quickly.

Keep the key players and pay them well. Then trade/sign new guys who can play on level of these three million guys but for cheaper.

For example, Kerfoots and Comphers of the world are problem. Now Leafs would like to trade Kerfoot.

Donskoi was so so too.

 

[Foppa2118]

2020-2021 Playoffs:

Landeskog -- Mackinnon -- Rantanen
Burakovsky ---- Kadri ------ Saad
Nichuskin ------- Jost ------- Donskoi
Compher ---- Bellemare -- Soderberg/O'Connor

Toews - Makar
Graves - Girard
Nemeth - Timmins

Grubauer
Dubnyk

----- vs -----

2021-22 Regular Season:

Landeskog ---- Mackinnon --- Rantanen
Burakovsky ------- Kadri ------ Newhook
Nichuskin ---------- Jost ------- Compher
Helm ------------- Maltsev ----- O'Connor

Toews - Makar
Murray - Girard
Byram - Johnson

Kuemper
Francouz

-------

Essentially these are the changes from the playoff roster to now:

Grubauer --- Kuemper ... upgrade
Dubnyk ----- Francouz... upgrade
Graves ------ Murray.... upgrade (if healthy)
Timmins ---- EJ.... upgrade (if healthy)
Nemeth ------ Byram.... massive upgrade
Donskoi ------ Newhook... sideways move
Soderberg ---- O'Connor ---- upgrade
Ranta ---------- Helm ... upgrade
Saad ---------- ????

Other than Saad not being replaced yet we have upgraded at every position on the roster. Presumably Saad will be replaced by the deadline with the extra bit of capspace available. There is admittedly a big caveat in that EJ and Murray and Kuemper have to stay mostly healthy, in the playoffs at least.

If the lineup is as we think, I see it as Newhook being the Saad replacement. Compher being the middle six RW Donskoi replacement. And Helm replaces Compher on the 4th line.

What they should be trying to do is add a Saad replacement 2LW, and move out Compher, so that Newhook could be the Compher replacement on the 3rd line, instead of the Saad replacement on the 2nd.

 

[Richard88]

If the lineup is as we think, I see it as Newhook being the Saad replacement. Compher being the middle six RW Donskoi replacement. And Helm replaces Compher on the 4th line.

What they should be trying to do is add a Saad replacement 2LW, and move out Compher, so that Newhook could be the Compher replacement, instead of the Saad replacement.

Yeah without a Saad replacement via trade or UFA then Newhook is his replacement, and Compher replaces Donskoi, and Helm replaces Compher. Hopefully Sakic has a good trade up his sleeve to replace Saad.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Yeah without a Saad replacement via trade or UFA then Newhook is his replacement, and Compher replaces Donskoi, and Helm replaces Compher. Hopefully Sakic has a good trade up his sleeve to replace Saad.

Yes exactly and this sounds bad.

Either way, we will get our winger now or later. I'd be shocked if Sakic wouldn't get one at trade deadline..

 

[Foppa2118]

I think a big issue at the time for Sakic was that Compher had several other good comparables who got the exact $3.5m x 4 year contract just before he did. It's almost like his agent was waiting for Kerfoot and Brett Connelly to sign first before he did, just so he could get the same contract they did. When Florida and Dubas paid what they did then Sakic didn't have much of a choice as their numbers were very similar and they all were versatile 3rd liners.

Yeah but other team comparables don't usually make Sakic pay more for his RFA's than he wants to.

The four years just felt like a weird contract, even at the time. Who else has he given a four year contract to?

It felt like an attempt to gamble on a longer term deal hoping for a bargain AAV if JTC panned out. But he hasn't so far. Which is why Joe doesn't usually give RFA deals like that.

 

[BobRossColton]

Now we acquire another RFA with some potential.

 

[Richard88]

Yeah but other team comparables don't usually make Sakic pay more for his RFA's than he wants to.

The four years just felt like a weird contract, even at the time. Who else has he given a four year contract to?

It felt like an attempt to gamble on a longer term deal hoping for a bargain AAV if JTC panned out. But he hasn't so far. Which is why Joe doesn't usually give RFA deals like that.

The timing was a bit weird. Compher would have walked straight to UFA if you give him a 3 year contract, so Sakic figured it made more sense to extend him for 4 to buy an UFA year. In hindsight what he should have done is insisted on a two year bridge with Compher taking him to a year before UFA.

 

[the_fan]

Now if Sakic can put some kind of a package together which includes JTC going to Boston for Debrusk, the off season will be complete. Debrusk has said he particularly wants to play LW and Boston already has Marchand and Hall on that side. Avs do need a LW who can play on the 2nd line with Kadri and Burakovsky. Make it happen Joe

 

[Puckstop40]

I’d rather we roll with our all time D.

Zanon - Hunwick
Holden - Guenin
Briebrois - Orr’brien

 

[Sea Eagles]

This HAS to make people happy !! What a signing. Not sure what it means for Mcdermid...

Toews - Makar
Girard - EJ
Byram - Murray

Kuemper
Francouz

Holeeeeeee doooooooleeeeeee
Calling it, best defense in the league? By some !

 

[Grackle Party]

I’d rather we roll with our all time D.

Zanon - Hunwick
Holden - Guenin
Briebrois - Orr’brien

With a side of Goloubeeeeef

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Pairings are pretty clearly

Toews-Makar
Murray-Girard
Byram-EJ

That way you have an elite top pairing and then two elite shutdown units that can skate

I dont think that is true at all.


If EJ is healthy and looking good he is definitely playing with Girard. That is a good and well known pairing for the team.


Byram - Murray is likely the 3rd pairing but at the same time I dont think Byram is guaranteed a spot in the lineup every night either. We have some good depth pieces that can push for a spot as well.

 

[Avsboy]

I dont think that is true at all.


If EJ is healthy and looking good he is definitely playing with Girard. That is a good and well known pairing for the team.


Byram - Murray is likely the 3rd pairing but at the same time I dont think Byram is guaranteed a spot in the lineup every night either. We have some good depth pieces that can push for a spot as well.

The pairings might be different (G-EJ is proven and has a nice size balance), but there's no chance Byram doesn't get 82 GP if healthy.