GDT: Free Agent Frenzy 2020

[Hischier and Hughes]

woah woah, nobody is allowed to attack Fitzgerald yet!

even if we werent on Schmidts list, maybe hes a near 30 year old signed for five who they didnt think was that great. I know plenty of people who think Nate is overrated

but I will say this - entering next year with Murray on your top pair is not a good thing, especially in this current market. We gotta come away with another player for the defense. otherwise when Murray goes down you have Will Butcher playing 20+ atoi... YUCK

I wont hop off the Cernak train until hes signed or traded. Hes the size Fitz wants and a great defender. I dont need impeccable offense and transition game from every defender. Sergachev is an obvious one too but I doubt they move him first.. unless they simply cannot afford him but can afford Cernak, which doesnt seem likely

 

[Hisch13r]

I think we have enough to get Sergachev without having to include Ty Smith

Will they trade him is another story though

I'd give up more in value if it meant keeping Smith

 

[Eggtimer]

Sergachev is only 22 months older than Smith is and he's already played 228 NHL games and won a Cup.

I’m not saying who is better , I am saying we cannot afford to offer up our best D prospect that’s just starting this entry level contract.
I’d try a variety of different options before I’d move Smith .

 

[Patrik26]

so thats that.

Sounds to me like McCrimmon is not quite sure Lehner will be ready whenever the season starts.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I think we have enough to get Sergachev without having to include Ty Smith

Will they trade him is another story though

We definitely do but I don’t think Tampa is interested in picks, even if it’s a 1st round pick.

I do however think they would be willing to add a ready prospect on a ELC that they won’t have to protect during the expansion draft. It would be a double whammy for them... save some $$ and get a kid who they don’t have to protect, meaning they can protect more "important" players.

Sergachev is also blocked by Hedman and McDonagh on the left side, meaning they might value Cernak a little more because of playing style and the position he plays on the blueline. The Bolts wouldn’t be as balanced if they were to lose Cernak instead of Sergachev, even if Sergachev is the better player but having balance sometimes outweighs talent.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

We definitely do but I don’t think Tampa is interested in picks, even if it’s a 1st round pick.

I do however think they would be willing to add a ready prospect on a ELC that they won’t have to protect during the expansion draft. It would be a double whammy for them... save some $$ and get a kid who they don’t have to protect, meaning they can protect more "important" players.

why not? They have been trading them and trading prospects to get over the hump. While it obviously worked, they are going to need to start building back up the prospect pool and they literally cannot take money back.

 

[JrFischer54]

Agree. Friedman apparently said there was no other good one year offer for Hall. If Friedman is accurate sounds like he did not have much of a choice.

but hall only wants money I thought

 

[Forge]

I agree with some of what you said but trade Ty Smith ??? Ya no.
He’s the last of our prospects besides Holtz that we should ever think about trading.

You're getting sergachev back though

 

[ChicksDigTheTrap]

but hall only wants money I thought

It was an easy decision since it sounds like he only got one good offer.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

why not? They have been trading them and trading prospects to get over the hump. While it obviously worked, they are going to need to start building back up the prospect pool and they literally cannot take money back.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather move our 1st round pick but I don’t see Tampa asking for that in return for their 22 year old stud dman.

If they’re willing to take our 1st for Sergachev, that’s fine by me... but if they want Smith, that’s also a deal I’d make in a heartbeat.

 

[beekay414]

Offer our 2021 1st unprotected and Reilly Walsh or something. No need to trade Smith.

 

[OmNomNom]

I'm a bit late to the conversation but...

Imagine this. Hall picks the team that offers him the most money that he thinks will NOT make the playoffs. He signs a 1 year contract hoping to be dealt to a contender at the trade deadline.

This way, he gets the best of both worlds. He gets paid, and he gets a shot at the playoffs and a cup.

Fair point!

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Offer our 2021 1st unprotected and Reilly Walsh or something. No need to trade Smith.

There is a need if the opposing team doesn’t want a pick that will help them in 3 to 4 years.

 

[Hisch13r]

Offer our 2021 1st unprotected and Reilly Walsh or something. No need to trade Smith.

Better off offersheeting at that point. Walsh>3rd round pick

 

[JrFischer54]

I think that’s the analytics group talking. It’s also pretty much what Sakic has done with COL and he’s getting accolades for it. If Nico and Jack turn the corner in two years Fitz will get similar accolades when NJ has cap space to supplement the team.

as you have seen today and recently teams that have zero cap space always have ways to find new cap space. I’m trying to think has a team taken a cap dump and actually done anything with the sweeteners involved? It’s seriously like the rich getting richer and the middle class getting poorer lol

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

Offer our 2021 1st unprotected and Reilly Walsh or something. No need to trade Smith.

Ty Smith can play for the. sooner than later, thats why theyd ask for him

and no way you trade an unprotected 1st!!!!!

 

[beekay414]

There is a need if the opposing team doesn’t want a pick that will help them in 3 to 4 years.

Then screw em. They are pressed for space. No need to give them full value. If they want full value, I'm out. There is literally no reason to trade Ty Smith in our situation. Especially Ty Smith++

 

[beekay414]

Ty Smith can play for the. sooner than later, thats why theyd ask for him

and no way you trade an unprotected 1st!!!!!

Considering the next draft is in full-on question and it's a dman heavy draft, I have no problem sending that pick out for a proven 22 year old top pairing player. Much rather trade that pick than Smith. Period.

 

[JrFischer54]

Listen I’m all for message board talking it’s fun spit balling ideas but even after tonight you guys are really talking about an offer sheet? Come on now wtf. Lol the devils aren’t going to offer sheet anyone and they aren’t going to trade their unprotected first and smith for someone that makes no sense lol.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Ty Smith can play for the. sooner than later, thats why theyd ask for him

and no way you trade an unprotected 1st!!!!!

you do know an offer sheet means we would give up our 1st

right?

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

you do know an offer sheet means we would give up our 1st

right?

Never did think about that, so thanks for the enlightenment though!

Only reason Id want to entertain a deal first is because we can still bottom out with a few injuries

if I have to though I give up an unprotected 1st and 3rd in an instant for Sergachev. but only if I have to

 

[Forge]

I don't think an os gets it done. They just match, go over the cap a bit, and figure that out later.

 

[Guttersniped]

In some of rambling Bolt threads on the main trade board I did pick up a few points:
1) Russian scuttlebutt says Sergachev wants to stay in TB and it would take a huge offer for him to even consider signing a offer sheet. That means he will likely sign some version of their infamous bridge deals unless someone hits him with something crazy and that likely won’t happen. Also, I’m guessing BriseBois will look to move anything else outside of the “untouchables” before moving Sergachev. He would be great to get, I want him too, I just not sure they have to go nuclear option yet.

2) More importantly, TB, like many teams, often takes its sweet time with RFAs and we wouldn’t hear about unsigned offer sheets. Point signed his bridge deal in Sept 23, it could take a while to hear about finalized deals. Don’t expect closure anytime soon.

Vegas had a ticking bomb because of AP. It would benefit Tampa or anyone else who hoped to do a cap deal with NJ and the few other teams with space to do it as quickly as possible before another bogarted that space with a deal. Tampa might not be in that much of a hurry to sign the RFAs but cap relief moves presumably has to be coming sooner.

Then again Lou traded Malakhov to the Sharks on October 1st, slipping under the cap a week before the season started.

https://www.si.com/hockey/news/devils-trade-malakhov-first-round-pick-to-sharks-for-two-players

 

[Ol Dirty Bstrd]

Count me in the camp that does not understand the paranoia about our cap situation in 4-5 years. There are always ways to navigate that. We need to start showing some improvement and insulating our kids with a better (aka winning) environment before worrying about how much we might have to pay them if all goes according to plan. That said, I would be shocked (and pissed) if Fitz is done

 

[Triumph]

I don't think an os gets it done. They just match, go over the cap a bit, and figure that out later.

This is why the only way to do this is to give two offer sheets. You hope they match the first and then you give the second and hope they can't match that one.