GDT: Free Agent Frenzy 2022

[Mess]

That's it? The only Florida move is Tkachuk in and Huberdeau out? Dollars are equally too? Yep, looks like they may have got better...maybe.

Wait, what? The new Tkachuk deal is $3.5M more than what Huberdeau was going to make this year? Weeger out too? #2 dman.

Add to that the loss of Marchment. Giroux and Chiarot are gone too.

Why would you possibly stop your year over year comparison at Tkachuk for Huberdeau.

Oh well, at least they have lots of draft picks left to help them unload Bobrovsky. Wait, what?

Well because I don't believe Florida is or ever was a serious Cup contender only a Pretender that scored a lot of goals and won the President's trophy,

Everybody knows Tampa is the real team to beat in the Atlantic, regardless were they finish in the regular season rankings as they proved by beating both Toronto and Florida on their path to attempt a 3rd straight Cup. Toronto and Florida continue to scorch earth their draft picks annually trying to compete with Tampa for the Cup not each other, and both will eventually pay the piper down the road for mortaging their futures.

I was just commenting the recent trade that Florida has put themselves in a better long-term position have both their young core stars Tkachuk and Barkov under contract for the next 8 years. I'm sure if Leafs had Matthews and Marner locked up for 8 more years beginning next year even at their current Cap hits fans would be excited. That is the real comparable to make between these 2 teams. In terms of core certainty and cost Florida is now in a MUCH better position than Leafs who are heading for a uncertainty in both in the next 2-3 as core contracts expire.

Speaking of Giroux, and then adding DeBrincat and upgrading in net to Talbot, I'm more concerned Leafs better start looking in the rearview mirror at teams like Ottawa for those teams currently below and closing the gap, then I am about Florida even though as I showed they were better than our Leafs in many statistical categories last season.

Not only the Leafs but all the former playoff teams that are declining by their other moves while the bottom is refueling and preparing for a charge, and using those very same high draft picks to refuel their attack.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Where's Gudas at in his career? Would he bring something to our back end that Holl wouldn't?

He would bring being suspended every 2nd game.

 

[WTFMAN99]

He would bring being suspended every 2nd game.

Has he been suspended since 2019 or 20?

 

[conFABulator]

Well because I don't believe Florida is or ever was a serious Cup contender only a Pretender that scored a lot of goals and won the President's trophy,

Everybody knows Tampa is the real team to beat in the Atlantic, regardless were they finish in the regular season rankings as they proved by beating both Toronto and Florida on their path to attempt a 3rd straight Cup.

I was just commenting the recent trade that Florida has put themselves in a better long-term position have both their young core stars Tkachuk and Barkov under contract for the next 8 years. I'm sure if Leafs had Matthews and Marner locked up for 8 more years beginning next year even at their current Cap hits fans would be excited.

Speaking of Giroux, and then adding DeBrincat and upgrading in net to Talbot, I'm more concerned Leafs better start looking in the rearview mirror at teams like Ottawa for those teams currently below and closing the gap, then I am about Florida even though as I showed they were better than our Leafs in many statistical categories. Not only the Leafs but all the former playoff teams that are declining by there over all moves while the bottom is refueling and preparing for a charge,

Agreed. Ottawa and Detroit are both improved. I don't think either is a playoff team this year, but they will each get more points this year and some of those will come from the top teams. Buffalo and Montreal are still weak though.

Of the too four teams, none seem to have improved but it seems like Tampa and Florida have taken the biggest step back of the four...at least of paper.

Florida has a weak D, suspect G and need Tkachuk to compensate for the loss of Huberdeau, Marchment and Duclair. Plus they are still over the cap and that shoe still has to drop. Not to mention Giroux and Chiarot are lost rentals who couldn't get them over the playoff hump.

Tampa lost Palat and McDonough from their playoff team. Big losses.

Boston is declining I think and their D and goaltending are suspect.

The Leafs ..goalies are a crapshoot, but they weren't great last year. Mikheyev out and Janmark in.

Are the Leafs the contender that took the smallest step back in the division?

 

[jaric1862]

This is going to be an extremely unpopular opinion here, but I think one of Simmonds or Clifford should always be in the lineup for the regular season.

 

[CanHeDoIt99]

Agreed. Ottawa and Detroit are both improved. I don't think either is a playoff team this year, but they will each get more points this year and some of those will come from the top teams. Buffalo and Montreal are still weak though.

Of the too four teams, none seem to have improved but it seems like Tampa and Florida have taken the biggest step back of the four...at least of paper.

Florida has a weak D, suspect G and need Tkachuk to compensate for the loss of Huberdeau, Marchment and Duclair. Plus they are still over the cap and that shoe still has to drop. Not to mention Giroux and Chiarot are lost rentals who couldn't get them over the playoff hump.

Tampa lost Palat and McDonough from their playoff team. Big losses.

Boston is declining I think and their D and goaltending are suspect.

The Leafs ..goalies are a crapshoot, but they weren't great last year. Mikheyev out and Janmark in.

Are the Leafs the contender that took the smallest step back in the division?

Yeah the Leafs definitely took the smallest step back. Even if Murray and Samsonov are .900 guys it's better than what they got past jan 1 last year.

Hell Murray could get hurt and they could conceivably get that from Woll/Kallgren. Likely not good enough to go on a run but they can address that at the deadline if that's the case.

 

[WTFMAN99]

This is going to be an extremely unpopular opinion here, but I think one of Simmonds or Clifford should always be in the lineup for the regular season.

It's an opinion.

I like grit and don't like our guys being pushed around as much as the next guy but outside of Simmonds' ability to drop the gloves...nothing else he does or is resembles an NHL player at this point.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

It was a very good hockey trade for both. Though they are major thin on the backend.

Crazy they were able to find that deal...Huberdeau put up massive pts; but adding Tkachuk [+ signing him] is a wicked move ,for soon to be UFAs.

It's still a solid deal for CGY too. They got a star winger and capable Dman (+Prospect and 1st) for a guy who wanted out, and likely to cause issues the longer it went into the year.

Sick trade.

I wish we could work some trickery like this.

 

[CatchyTune]

Robertson-Matthews-Marner
Huberdeau-Tavares-Nylander
Bunting-Kampf-Anderson/Simmonds
Engvall-Jarnkrok-Aube-Kubel

Rielly-Brodie
Muzzin-Subban(any FA RD)
Giordano-Sandin
Liljegren

Murray
Samsonov

You’d play PK Subban over Liljegren? Lilly is way too good to be the 7D

 

[Mess]

If they could move Bobrovsky and replace him with a comparable keeper they'd be fine.

However, we're talking $28mm real.

What asset do you have to included beside Gilooly?

What if rookie and 21 year old Spencer Knight is their long-term answer in net who was drafted 2019 1st round 13th overall?

I think Florida is bracing for a step down and back and could drop 20-22 points in the standings next year.

But this move bringing in 24 year old Tkachuk on an 8 year deal might be playing the long game now and not so concerned about the next couple years as they retool.

Goalie Bob could hold the clipboard if need be and open the player bench door from time to time if need be.

 

[kb]

Really not sure how Calgary comes off top here. I mean two players are pending FA and has N-Trade clause

Tkachuck is 6'4, 24 years old and a power forward

Hub would have wanted near 10 million next year at the age of 30 probably an 8 year extension. That is if he stayed

Florida has an upcoming star in Lundell who is just 19 turning 20
You add someone like Tkachuck with Verhaege, Bennett and Reinhart, that's a very gritty team with offense

I like how Florida realized that they needed a different look. After getting smacked by Tampa and not making through first round last year, they wanted to give the core a shake

This is a very proactive approach. Try something different as opposed to waiting around for your core to come around or figure it out

It's not like Tkachuck himself is a not a star in this league.

Tkachuk is 6'2", 202. So roughly Morgan Rielly with 17 less lbs.

Tkachuk was only going to be staying in Calgary one more season, so that argument about 'one year left' kinda doesn't work. Either way, they were only getting one year. But they get much better for one year, and have the possibility of re-signing both - which was never going to happen with Tkachuk....he would have walked for free anyway.

Those 2 players were both just traded to Calgary, and you are saying Calgary needs to worry about a no trade clause? This is a very confusing statement.

The fact of the matter is, unless Tkachuk matches (or comes close to matching) his career year throughout the length of his contract, this closes any window they had because they have minimal high draft picks until 2026. They are over the cap and their D is horrific.

This was the best move for the Leafs all off-season, and they didn't have to do a thing.

 

[LeafChief]

What if rookie and 21 year old Spencer Knight is their long-term answer in net who was drafted 2019 1st round 13th overall?

View attachment 572050

I think Florida is bracing for a step down and back and could drop 20-22 points in the standings next year.

But this move bringing in 24 year old Tkachuk on an 8 year deal might be playing the long game now and not so concerned about the next couple years as they retool.

Goalie Bob could hold the clipboard if need be and open the player bench door from time to time if need be.

So your big plan is to take a few years off during Barkov's prime and to have a 10 million dollar back-up. Christ - this gets better and better.

 

[CanHeDoIt99]

It's an opinion.

I like grit and don't like our guys being pushed around as much as the next guy but outside of Simmonds' ability to drop the gloves...nothing else he does or is resembles an NHL player at this point.

I think NAK is more of the line of what they're going to go for in terms of toughness on the 4th line. I think there is something to be said for physicality and grit but that physicality and grit has to be able to skate well enough that the combination results in turnovers, drawn penalties, chances etc.

Open to see how it goes at camp - but it's hard for me to see Simmonds making the roster. Hopefully hes spent the summer getting actually leaner and working on keeping some foot speed, because his hands are probably good enough for him to play in a 4th line role. He just hasn't been able to skate.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I think Florida is bracing for a step down and back and could drop 20-22 points in the standings next year.

But this move bringing in 24 year old Tkachuk on an 8 year deal might be playing the long game now and not so concerned about the next couple years as they retool.

That plans sounds a lot better if you have your 1st round picks tbh.

 

[Mess]

Agreed. Ottawa and Detroit are both improved. I don't think either is a playoff team this year, but they will each get more points this year and some of those will come from the top teams. Buffalo and Montreal are still weak though.

Of the too four teams, none seem to have improved but it seems like Tampa and Florida have taken the biggest step back of the four...at least of paper.

Florida has a weak D, suspect G and need Tkachuk to compensate for the loss of Huberdeau, Marchment and Duclair. Plus they are still over the cap and that shoe still has to drop. Not to mention Giroux and Chiarot are lost rentals who couldn't get them over the playoff hump.

Tampa lost Palat and McDonough from their playoff team. Big losses.

Boston is declining I think and their D and goaltending are suspect.

The Leafs ..goalies are a crapshoot, but they weren't great last year. Mikheyev out and Janmark in.

Are the Leafs the contender that took the smallest step back in the division?

Think of the situation big picture though .. If these are once again the top 4 teams in the Atlantic (at least for one more year) then the points could drop or move and could the position, but as long as you qualify for the playoffs then your only talking regular season rankings here. Once the playoffs begin those totals are reset to zero.

Tampa Bay finished 3rd in the Div with 110 points and beat 115 Toronto in round #1 and President's trophy Florida with 122 points in round #2 ..So what if they finished 3rd again?

However that said I think I wouldn't be too quick to put a fork in counting on the demise of the Lightening just yet..

Perhaps people didn't realize but 2019 Hart trophy winner Kucherov only played in 47 games (25 goals 44 assists 69 points) missing nearly 1/2 the year and Tampa still finished with 110 points. If he played the full year he would more then replace the Palet offense 18 goals/49 points on his own perhaps. Brayden Point only played in 66 missing nearly a1/4 as well that is 2 top 3 forwards right there that if healthy make a huge difference.

Didn't Tampa Bay add Nick Paul at the TD in 21 games 5-9-14 points and now re-signed also help replace Palet also? I remember Paul scoring some key playoff goals for Tampa Bay in the playoffs.

As far as Ryan McDonagh goes he is a good Dman, but also aging 33 and produced 4 goals and 26 points, and according to TB reports the organization feels former 1st rounder 6-4/235 lbs 23 year old Cal Foote who was drafted 1st round #14OA in 2017 is ready to take on a bigger role and replace him internally. That is the way things are usually suppose to work where older aging and higher cost players are moved out to let your prospect pool fill from the bottom to replace them on much better cap friendly contracts at only $850k in this case.

 

[LeafChief]

Very surprised to see Sonny Milano still sitting out there. He screams Bunting-like production to me if given the opportunity.

Would love to see Kerfoot and Holl moved for picks and that money used to sign Sandin and two cheap UFA forwards.

 

[Mess]

If they could move Bobrovsky and replace him with a comparable keeper they'd be fine.

However, we're talking $28mm real.

What asset do you have to included beside Gilooly?

People are acting like goalie Bob is a washout and must go for the Panthers.

2021-22 - Florida Panthers - NHL 54 games 39 wins 7 losses 3 OTL SO 3 with a 2.67 GAA and 0.913 sv%.

He won 39 of his 54 starts last year (which was the most of any goalie) and he posted the NHL 4th best +23.4 Goals Saved Above Expected.

He was a big reason they won the President's trophy as best regular season team.

While the $10 mil price tag is ugly, most teams including our Leafs would kill to have their goalie post those #'s

 

[Maplebeasts]

You’d play PK Subban over Liljegren? Lilly is way too good to be the 7D

He's more likely to finish the season on the top pair than play as the #7.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Bob, Lundell for Ned, Bertuzzi ?

 

[Maplebeasts]

Bob, Lundell for Ned, Bertuzzi ?

Why would Detroit take on the Bob contract?

 

[ULF_55]

People are acting like goalie Bob is a washout and must go for the Panthers.

2021-22 - Florida Panthers - NHL 54 games 39 wins 7 losses 3 OTL SO 3 with a 2.67 GAA and 0.913 sv%.

He won 39 of his 54 starts last year (which was the most of any goalie) and he posted the NHL 4th best +23.4 Goals Saved Above Expected.

He was a big reason they won the President's trophy as best regular season team.

While the $10 mil price tag is ugly, most teams including our Leafs would kill to have their goalie post those #'s

Bobrovsky was okay in the playoffs.

A lot better than the Leafs got.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Why would Detroit take on the Bob contract?

Lundell is a pretty great sweetener.

1C upside, at worst a 2C behind Larkin.

 

[notdoneyet]

I just see the league differently from others. If you have the superstars, you are among the elite at least for the regular season.

I don't like Florida odds for the stanley cup but I see zero risk for them missing the playoffs. Barkov-Tkachuk leading the way for your team with Ekblad on the backend guarantees you at least playoffs. They're on their own from there.

Barkov and ekblad are injury prone. Both have a injuries every year

 

[Maplebeasts]

Lundell is a pretty great sweetener.

1C upside, at worst a 2C behind Larkin.

I don't think there's many sweeteners out there that make taking on Bob palatable.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

All i keep thinking about is I want more trade and i think its gonna be happening soon....