GDT: Fall Free Agent Frenzy

[valet]

Bogo Vesey and Simmonds, bold strategy Cotton

#leafsforever

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

There was word earlier in the day that Nate Schmidt was being traded. Swapping a RHD + to get him from Vegas is an ideal scenario for me

That was a trade to Florida for cap savings in the event Pietrangelo signs with Vegas. Sounds like the deal is ready and it's just waiting on Pietrangelo to make his decision. Taking on one of our RHD wouldn't save them much cap. Schmidt probably wouldn't be traded at all if it wasn't a cap clearing move to sign Pietrangelo.

 

[Dirty Dog]

That was a trade to Florida for cap savings in the event Pietrangelo signs with Vegas. Sounds like the deal is ready and it's just waiting on Pietrangelo to make his decision. Taking on one of our RHD wouldn't save them much cap. Schmidt probably wouldn't be traded at all if it wasn't a cap clearing move to sign Pietrangelo.

i would give up a pretty penny to get him. He is a really good top 4 LD on a fair deal. Mitts plus a second!?

 

[Beerz]

i would give up a pretty penny to get him. He is a really good top 4 LD on a fair deal. Mitts plus a second!?

Its a long contract ... takes him to 35 i believe

 

[Dirty Dog]

Its a long contract ... takes him to 35 i believe

He is in his prime right now though. He should be good for the vast majority of that contract.

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

The fact that the Sabres ended free agent weekend with the jewel of the pool and the “#1 destination” Leafs signed signed the Sabres’ garbage in Bogosian, Vesey, and Simmonds, is some beautiful poetry.

Although I only really included Simmonds for the sake of the narrative. While he does seem mostly cooked and it wouldn’t be prudent to sign him at this stage of his career, I have tremendous respect for the way he plays the game. I feel bad lumping him in with those other two.

 

[Buffaloed]

We're signing Pietrangelo too!

 

[Buffaloed]

I think you know what you need to do now

I wasn't here for the Hall signing either.

 

[Djp]

Can we fill the cap to the limit, or must we meet a 1+ million penalty?

According to CapFriendly, we're not splitting. All of the overage is currently attributed to this season.

Buffalo opted to take it this season instead of splitting.

It+ buy out on Hodgdon gives buffalo around $1.8M of dead space.

There was word earlier in the day that Nate Schmidt was being traded. Swapping a RHD + to get him from Vegas is an ideal scenario for me

That would be a bad idea

Is he a RD or LD. I think he plays RD in Vegas which is why he’s getting moved.
Buffalo has long term future depth at LD over RD
Next year is the ED so who gets exposed if buffalo acquires him.

 

[Rasmus CacOlainen]

Was thinking yesterday before I went to bed how annoying already the doom and gloom on this board is. And I wake up to a Taylor Freaking Hall signing. And nearly everyone is optimistic already. Much needed signing for a gazillion reasons. Now find a goalie somehow! An actual NHL goalie, not a random 1B, "maybe he's alright" type.

 

[Woodhouse]

It's not really a surprise that BUF haven't accomplished anything of substance yet, is it? The team remains a hard sell in free agency. Alone, an expiring Staal acquisition won't change the appeal of the club, as they desperately needed to make at least another two shakeup trades before they could maybe start to sway that perception some in their free agency pitches. As the roster stands now, there are still too many returnees and prospects penciled into roles for that to change.

I was pretty stunned at the Hall news. He makes for a great add to the top-six. I guess I underestimated the Krueger-Hall connection as a selling point. My interest's definitely piqued now in regards to the latter point, as this is the type of move that could sway some free agency pitches and help boost their depth.

 

[Buffaloed]

I see a lot of people blame only Botteril for Pilut being gone. Am I remembering wrong or didn’t Krueger not play him very much even when he was called up?

Ex-Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut: 'I did what I felt is best'
Multiple sources familiar with the negotiations told The News that previous Sabres management, led by former General Manager Jason Botterill, declined to meet Pilut’s request for a one-way contract, which would pay Pilut the same amount if he was assigned to the AHL’s Rochester Americans. The sources added the Sabres did not present Pilut with a one-way offer until after the KHL deal was complete. Buffalo will retain Pilut’s NHL rights until he turns 27 years old, sources said.

Inexcusable incompetence by Botterill. It's laughable when you look at the contracts he's handed out to other players that he decided to play hardball with Pilut.

 

[Jim Bob]

We're signing Pietrangelo too!

Is the Pegula PJ headed to Vegas?

 

[Rowley Birkin]

If its Reinhart for futures then you're giving up you're good player for unknowns when you don't need to.

If its Reinhart for an equal player then its not likely to be saving you cap space which was the only reason to trade him in the first place.

It's not as black/white as that & I think you know it.

Lets see what happens. It's not going to be an immediate problem but it will certainly factor in to both VO & Reinhart's current contract discussions imo. Has to.

Particularly so when you assume there is an intention to keep Hall around & it's going to cost more than 8m/per to do that.

 

[Jim Bob]

It's not as black/white as that & I think you know it.

Lets see what happens. It's not going to be an immediate problem but it will certainly factor in to both VO & Reinhart's current contract discussions imo. Has to.

Particularly so when you assume there is an intention to keep Hall around & it's going to cost more than 8m/per to do that.

This could lead to Reinhart getting a two year deal that walks him right to UFA at a minimal cap hit for the next two seasons.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

It's not as black/white as that & I think you know it.

Lets see what happens. It's not going to be an immediate problem but it will certainly factor in to both VO & Reinhart's current contract discussions imo. Has to.

Particularly so when you assume there is an intention to keep Hall around & it's going to cost more than 8m/per to do that.

It will likely result VO not getting a long term deal which isn't the worst thing in the world.

I'm with jc17. If there's a forward forced out by Hall, Olofsson would make some sense. Sam would not, imo.

Of course what would make the most sense is to subtract from our glut of RHD.

 

[Buffaloed]

Larsson's brother posted on Twitter that the Sabres told him that they had no interest in re-signing him and to look elsewhere. He sounded like Larsson was open to returning and it was the Sabres that had no interest in that.

I assume the Sabres had no interest because they were #30 on PK last year. They couldn't bring back the same old LOG. They allowed too many scoring chances from the low slot.

 

[Jim Bob]

I assume the Sabres had no interest because they were #30 on PK last year. They couldn't bring back the same old LOG. They allowed too many scoring chances from the low slot.

It's just interesting that they think that Eakin/Lazar/R2/Asplund are better bottom 6 center options.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

This could lead to Reinhart getting a two year deal that walks him right to UFA at a minimal cap hit for the next two seasons.

JB I think it's possible. Hell in these circumstances I think a 1 year deal might be possible.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

It will likely result VO not getting a long term deal which isn't the worst thing in the world.

I'm with jc17. If there's a forward forced out by Hall, Olofsson would make some sense. Sam would not, imo.

Of course what would make the most sense is to subtract from our glut of RHD.

Yes VO is also a possibility. I figure that Sam would command a bigger salary down the road though. Its probably best to see what their respective contracts look like before making judgment. Also see who spends most time on the top line.

As for RHD - yes they need to ship one of the surplus guys out. But you also need to get a capable 2nd pairing LHD in - the money there is likely to be a wash.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

As for RHD - yes they nerd to ship one of the surplus guys out. But you also need to get a capable 2nd pairing LHD in - the money there is likely to be a wash.

I don't view the bottom half of the defense core being as high a priority as forward depth when building a wining team. The LHD acquisition would need to be a better player than Sam or VO (unlikely) for me to push either of them out in favor of the defensemen.

 

[itwasaforwardpass]

I assume the Sabres had no interest because they were #30 on PK last year. They couldn't bring back the same old LOG. They allowed too many scoring chances from the low slot.

LOG was elite 5v5 and fine at PK before Ralph became head coach.

The special teams deficiencies are on Ralph and or his staff.

 

[sufferer]

Please be in on Nate Schmidt.

 

[Buffaloed]

LOG was elite 5v5 and fine at PK before Ralph became head coach.

The special teams deficiencies are on Ralph and or his staff.

Exactly, and Ralph said he didn't want Larsson back.

 

[Rowley Birkin]

I don't view the bottom half of the defense core being as high a priority as forward depth when building a wining team. The LHD acquisition would need to be a better player than Sam or VO (unlikely) for me to push either of them out in favor of the defensemen.

This is where we differ I guess. But fair points.

I think you can skimp on the bottom pair if you have a strong established top 4 - but I don't think you can cut corners further up than that. Especially not for the sake of wingers who are generally far more easily replaced than C/D.

Ultimately if everything goes to plan I see a top 6 in 2/3 years of Eichel, Hall, Skinner, Cozens, Quinn & maybe one of VO/Sam. There isn't going to be room for both.