GDT: Free Agency 2020, Part III - Hockey is back! Regular season to begin January 13th 2021

[KW]

Don't know how reputable this is:

English translation:

Aleksi Saarela's situation is interesting. So far, the man has not signed an NHL contract and P. Sihvonen also concluded that the man will play in the Lock all season. In a week or two, will this matter be resolved? Quite a terrible confirmation would be for spring.
View attachment 377206

I think in this context, this is probably written from the perspective of the team Lukko, and thus the last sentence probably means “Totally awesome confirmation for the spring” (for Lukko, for playoffs, if he doesn’t sign.)

(Vahvistus can also mean “strengthening” but since Saarela is already there, it makes less sense here.)

Unless I’m missing the context.

 

[violaswallet]

Don't know how reputable this is:

English translation:

Aleksi Saarela's situation is interesting. So far, the man has not signed an NHL contract and P. Sihvonen also concluded that the man will play in the Lock all season. In a week or two, will this matter be resolved? Quite a terrible confirmation would be for spring.
View attachment 377206

This would end Saarela’s NHL career so I doubt he does it: he finally is given a chance and then leaves?

Edit: I think we are waiting for the season to be scheduled before signing some of the RFAs who are overseas...why give a signing bonus for a season not player and why worry ?

 

[ShootIt]

Not romanticizing at all - last year's team wasn't a playoff team. Which is why weakening what was a position of relative strength (think our top6 was somewhat overrated but still very solid) doesn't seem like a great idea.
I like the offseason, more or less - no awful signings, D should be better, plus this team finally looks like it has some sort of blueprint. But a playoff team? Not saying it's impossible, but more likely we're on a 80-90 point pace. This looks like a transition year to me. Which would be completely fine, if not for team history and Barkov and Huberdeau's sweet contracts getting closer to expiring.

Offense got worse on paper, defense had some changes and Bob is still our goalie.

TBD how the forwards click and if Wennberg can reclaim his early success.
TBD how guys like Gudas and Nutivaara do. At least Matheson is gone.

What worries me is the depth once injuries occur at forward, not to mention the current strength of our forwards right now.

If we can't score, and Bob doesn't get close to his Vezina caliber, this team is going to suck.
And if Zito can't convince Barkov to stay next offseason then we'll be a bottom dweller again.

Usually am optimistic up until last years blunders. Have yet to see anything to change my mind.

Maybe once the season is set, teams like Tampa will be more willing to dump contracts that have some value but not to them and we can get a guy like Killorn for dirt cheap.

 

[KW]

Offense got worse on paper, defense had some changes and Bob is still our goalie.

TBD how the forwards click and if Wennberg can reclaim his early success.
TBD how guys like Gudas and Nutivaara do. At least Matheson is gone.

What worries me is the depth once injuries occur at forward, not to mention the current strength of our forwards right now.

If we can't score, and Bob doesn't get close to his Vezina caliber, this team is going to suck.
And if Zito can't convince Barkov to stay next offseason then we'll be a bottom dweller again.

Usually am optimistic up until last years blunders. Have yet to see anything to change my mind.

Maybe once the season is set, teams like Tampa will be more willing to dump contracts that have some value but not to them and we can get a guy like Killorn for dirt cheap.

Maybe you don’t know that Zito >>>>> Tallon?

 

[SoupyFIN]

Don't know how reputable this is:

English translation:

Aleksi Saarela's situation is interesting. So far, the man has not signed an NHL contract and P. Sihvonen also concluded that the man will play in the Lock all season. In a week or two, will this matter be resolved? Quite a terrible confirmation would be for spring.
View attachment 377206

Sihvonen is a journalist, "päätteli" means to conclude something.

I haven't seen what Sihvonen has written or said, but that sounds like his (Sihvonen) own speculation, rather than source based.

 

[batting1k]

Offense got worse on paper, defense had some changes and Bob is still our goalie.

TBD how the forwards click and if Wennberg can reclaim his early success.
TBD how guys like Gudas and Nutivaara do. At least Matheson is gone.

What worries me is the depth once injuries occur at forward, not to mention the current strength of our forwards right now.

If we can't score, and Bob doesn't get close to his Vezina caliber, this team is going to suck.
And if Zito can't convince Barkov to stay next offseason then we'll be a bottom dweller again.

Usually am optimistic up until last years blunders. Have yet to see anything to change my mind.

Maybe once the season is set, teams like Tampa will be more willing to dump contracts that have some value but not to them and we can get a guy like Killorn for dirt cheap.

Not sure what you’re expecting out of this year either. Unless everything clicks out of the gate we’ll be a bubble team or slightly worse again.

I think there’s a lot of upside in the guys we added though and our front office is no longer Tallon plus 2 or 3 yes men, but guys with actual hockey, business, and contract experience.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Not sure what you’re expecting out of this year either. Unless everything clicks out of the gate we’ll be a bubble team or slightly worse again.

I think there’s a lot of upside in the guys we added though and our front office is no longer Tallon plus 2 or 3 yes men, but guys with actual hockey, business, and contract experience.

Agreed. Like someone else mentioned, I think we'll be an 80-84 pt team.

We need to give Zito a few years to clean this mess up but he's already done a fantastic job.

OT: Pretty insane that the season is supposed to start in 5 weeks.

 

[ShootIt]

Maybe you don’t know that Zito >>>>> Tallon?

He certainly could be. Not hard to one up Tallon in not giving out terrible deals in FA.
He has had a good start so far, so we'll see how this turns out in the long run.

Not sure what you’re expecting out of this year either. Unless everything clicks out of the gate we’ll be a bubble team or slightly worse again.

I think there’s a lot of upside in the guys we added though and our front office is no longer Tallon plus 2 or 3 yes men, but guys with actual hockey, business, and contract experience.

I was hoping for the team to at least have a good shot to compete for the playoffs before the offseason started.
So far, we lost two offensive minded wingers, added Hornqvist(like the move) and may be relying on guys like Tippett to play big minutes and produce to have a shot at winning games. Maybe it'll pan out, hell, he was drafted high in the draft and has been given years to craft his game to succeed in the NHL.
Think Zito has done a good job so far, and if there is an internal cap his hands are tied.
Maybe Verhaege can be another surprise signing from TB.

I just see teams in desperate need to unload contracts and I hope we are serious considering some moves to get good guys for little to no assets (like the Campbell for Olesz move).

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Offense got worse on paper, defense had some changes and Bob is still our goalie.

TBD how the forwards click and if Wennberg can reclaim his early success.
TBD how guys like Gudas and Nutivaara do. At least Matheson is gone.

What worries me is the depth once injuries occur at forward, not to mention the current strength of our forwards right now.

If we can't score, and Bob doesn't get close to his Vezina caliber, this team is going to suck.
And if Zito can't convince Barkov to stay next offseason then we'll be a bottom dweller again.

Usually am optimistic up until last years blunders. Have yet to see anything to change my mind.

Maybe once the season is set, teams like Tampa will be more willing to dump contracts that have some value but not to them and we can get a guy like Killorn for dirt cheap.

Definitely not a guarantee. Barkov will have 10 playoff games 8 years into his career.

 

[KW]

I don’t understand why so many think this team is worse than last year’s. The lines and d-pairs were already listed and the argument was made specifically for this team. So I won’t repeat that.

My main point is this: most people thought before the start of this past season that, on paper, this team was realistically of playoff-quality. On paper. Just like we’re talking now, on paper, because zero games have been played.

How have we got worse since the on-paper beliefs? By losing Hoff and Dads. And by Tro not panning out/then being traded.

How about the improvements? Getting rid of Matheson, adding Hornquist, improving defense noticeably, improving bottom-6 noticeably. Hornquist covers for Dads. So we have maybe two spots to cover to be at the same “this team can make the playoffs” point, on paper. I say maybe, because really we could argue that it’s one spot, because of the bot-6 and D improvement.

We don’t have ANYONE (Tippett etc.) to be at least a poor-man’s replacement of a Hoff or a Tro? Really? I don’t think so, I think it’s there. I think in fact that on paper, we are at least the same level. And maybe Z will still do something.

 

[Egblad]

I don’t understand why so many think this team is worse than last year’s. The lines and d-pairs were already listed and the argument was made specifically for this team. So I won’t repeat that.

My main point is this: most people thought before the start of this past season that, on paper, this team was realistically of playoff-quality. On paper. Just like we’re talking now, on paper, because zero games have been played.

How have we got worse since the on-paper beliefs? By losing Hoff and Dads. And by Tro not panning out/then being traded.

How about the improvements? Getting rid of Matheson, adding Hornquist, improving defense noticeably, improving bottom-6 noticeably. Hornquist covers for Dads. So we have maybe two spots to cover to be at the same “this team can make the playoffs” point, on paper. I say maybe, because really we could argue that it’s one spot, because of the bot-6 and D improvement.

We don’t have ANYONE (Tippett etc.) to be at least a poor-man’s replacement of a Hoff or a Tro? Really? I don’t think so, I think it’s there. I think in fact that on paper, we are at least the same level. And maybe Z will still do something.

I agree with you. For whatever reason, I don’t think we will be as bad as people anticipate. Tampa was swept in the first round by CBJ. Anything can happen. Maybe this team clicks and actually takes on an identity for once and becomes as good or better than last year’s team. I don’t think you can really do the math people are trying to do to justify why the team is worse. I don’t think it works unless all else stays exactly the same with the same randomness. The team has changed and luck will change too, so that math is automatically bogus.

Nobody knows what will happen. I’m certainly not calling it over before the first game is played.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

It's been over 20 years since we've seen the Panthers surpass their first round opponents. If I can't expect that to happen I can no longer afford to watch. I literally have no reason to believe it's going to start happening now. Good luck y'all.

 

[FrolikFan67]

I actually like having no explicit expectations going into this season. Two years ago was supposed to be the “best team we ever iced” we flopped and was a major blow to the gut. Then we pickup bob, add more pieces up front, added Stralman, etc and there was no way we couldn’t make it now.....just as bad. I never felt as low as a fan as last season. If we expect the panthers to do something then we’re foolish for ever having hope that they’d meet those expectations. They do best when there really isn’t any specific expectation.

only 5 forwards are the same: Barkov, huberdeau, Acciari, Connolly, vatrano

7 forwards are completely new: hornqvist, wennberg, Tippett, denisenko, Verhaeghe, hinostroza, lomberg

I love the fact that over half of that forward Corp and a third of our D is different. The team the last two years has been miserable. Yes we lost goals from dads and hoff, but we still get some from horn and Tippett and Denisenko, we improved the bottom 6, we removed matheson, we added grit to the backend with Gudas, we added grit and energy and compete to the forward corp which is hard to quantify.

As we know, the games not played on paper, it’s played on the ice and I wouldn’t under estimate the new changes. This team desperately needed a change

Edit: oh, and no Mike kitchen

 

[pantherbot]

I'm not hopeful and I see us as a bubble team, but I think at least the effort and intensity should be better. At worst, I'm at least interested to see how this latest iteration will do...I think if we kept the same roster as last year I wouldn't even bother watching.

 

[16Skippy]

Sergachev signs three-year, $14.4 million contract with Lightning


Tampa reached a deal with Sergachev. Now maybe we'll see some Johnson/Killorn action

 

[violaswallet]

Sergachev signs three-year, $14.4 million contract with Lightning


Tampa reached a deal with Sergachev. Now maybe we'll see some Johnson/Killorn action

I don’t want to touch either with the length of the contracts: we need space to re sign some players next year!

 

[Chessarmy]

Bottom line: The team needs to compete NOW if we’re going to have a snowball’s chance in hell of keeping Barkov. If he splits and Huberdeau splits the year after this franchise is done

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

I don’t want to touch either with the length of the contracts: we need space to re sign some players next year!

Who we need to re-sign next year?

 

[violaswallet]

Who we need to re-sign next year?

Wenny, Hinny, Back up goalie, probably Borg

If we do well, Wennberg will be paid...

 

[16Skippy]

I don’t want to touch either with the length of the contracts: we need space to re sign some players next year!

I’m hoping who ever Tampa moves will be dirt cheap or that they will add to dump salary. Since everyone knows they are against a wall.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

Wenny, Hinny, Back up goalie, probably Borg

If we do well, Wennberg will be paid...

Also Stillman, plus we'll have to make the decision on eleven prospects (no big names though).
Speaking of prospects, I wonder if/when we're going to re-sing Saarela, Borg, Monty? Especially with Montembeault, if we're re-signing him, I see no reason for the delay.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Also Stillman, plus we'll have to make the decision on eleven prospects (no big names though).
Speaking of prospects, I wonder if/when we're going to re-sing Saarela, Borg, Monty? Especially with Montembeault, if we're re-signing him, I see no reason for the delay.

They all probably feel they're worth more than they are, I could see it in Saarela's case with how well hes doing in Liiga. Anyway no rush, the season might not start now until closer to February, if at all, based on the latest news. Zito is going to get the best value he can on the contracts.

 

[violaswallet]

They all probably feel they're worth more than they are, I could see it in Saarela's case with how well hes doing in Liiga. Anyway no rush, the season might not start now until closer to February, if at all, based on the latest news. Zito is going to get the best value he can on the contracts.

Saarela will get somewhere between 750K-1M. I’m guessing close to 800K given the Gaudette contract. I could see like a 2 year 950K average backloaded

 

[Dread Clawz]

Saarela will get somewhere between 750K-1M. I’m guessing close to 800K given the Gaudette contract. I could see like a 2 year 950K average backloaded

I agree but he's probably trying to get more which is the holdup.

 

[RogerRoger]

Wenny, Hinny, Back up goalie, probably Borg
If we do well, Wennberg will be paid...

None of these should be expensive. It will still be a flat cap and I don't see any team going out of their way to give a big contract to Wennberg after he shat the bed that hard after getting his big contract.