Speculation: Free agent frenzy day- Who do we sign?

[_Del_]

Crombeen isn't really an enforcer. He's willing to go, which is needed, but it'd be nice to have someone willing to go with any weight class.
Engelland is beef for the blueline. He's not terrific, but not many bottom pairing dmen are. I like his willingness to drop with anybody -- we don't really have much snarl on the backend after losing Morris and Klesla. Maybe his presence would be enough to help get Stone and Murphy playing their size. He likes going for the big hits, which is good and bad. He can also play forward a la Biz, but without the sideshow. As a 6-7 D, I'd be thrilled to replace Schlemko with him for the heavy games. Nothing against Schlemko, but he has a very redundant skill set with this group.
If we could use Schlemko to pick up Kelly and then grab Engelland, we'd already be a much less passive group than we had last year.

 

[_Del_]

Just looked. Engelland has the same agent as Vitale. Maybe we can get a group discount

 

[rt]

I just meant I like Engelland a whole hell of a lot more as a 13F than a 7D.

Anyway, the Habs failed to qualify Ryan White. He's 26yrs old, RHC, >50% FO, top PKer (3rd among forwards in MTL) on a top PK team (MTL was 4th in PK% in the NHL). Legit pest. Will fight and run around. He's not big, has injury issues, and isn't a plus skater. I like him for the 4th line C, though.

 

[Naych_PHX]

I know he's kinda old, 33, but Derek Mackenzie is a player Id look at after Vitale.

 

[KG]

I hope Halpern finds a job somewhere. The old goat put in good effort here.

 

[Howler Scores]

"@cmorganfoxaz: It appears Radim Vrabta will not re-sign with the #Coyotes and will become a UFA at 9 a.m."

 

[rt]

I know he's kinda old, 33, but Derek Mackenzie is a player Id look at after Vitale.

It's not his age that's a deterrent. He's a great 4C and he'd fit in well. It's just that Maloney spent much of the first part of last season talking about needing a RH FO specialist as a situational need. He made a lot of having satisfied that need when he signed Halpern. Gagner is RH but he's sub 50% on FOs. The appeal of Vitale, White, Winchester, and Hall is that not only are they energy guys who can PK and win FOs at a high clip, but they are also right handed.

 

[Muppet]

"@cmorganfoxaz: It appears Radim Vrabta will not re-sign with the #Coyotes and will become a UFA at 9 a.m."

Goodbye Vrby Your twisted wrister will always have a spot in my hockey heart.

 

[Howler Scores]

Sounds like nothing will happen today.

 

[rt]

Sounds like nothing will happen today.

He keeps saying nothing "big" and nothing "major". We never expected that. I think he's saying don't hold your breath for Iginla, Vanek, or Moulson. None of us were. Something smaller like Milan Michalek may not be out of the question.

 

[Mosby]

The UFA market for goalies is littered with ex-Yotes. Bryz, Khabibulin, LOL, Greiss, Monty, CJ, Leneveu.

Pretty weak crop overall. Outside of CJ, Monty, and Peters, I am not interested in any other names.

I suspect we'll have our new goalie in 2 hours time.

 

[Howler Scores]

He keeps saying nothing "big" and nothing "major". We never expected that. I think he's saying don't hold your breath for Iginla, Vanek, or Moulson. None of us were. Something smaller like Milan Michalek may not be out of the question.

Ha, I guess in my world, Milan would be big. So less then big using that standard is like them saying we wont even get a new janitor this year.

 

[Howler Scores]

Interest with Hemsky per @SportsnetSpec

 

[Llewzaher]

What is our internal cap?

 

[Kaizen]

$55-57m according to McLennan.

 

[Howler Scores]

What is our internal cap?

@azc_mclellan · 10m

#Coyotes currently have about $52.4 million tied up in salary. Budget will be between $55-57 million. So, at best, $4.6 million to use.

So enough for one wing at 3-3.5 and one backup goalie.

 

[Muppet]

Free Agency is officially open. Here we go.

 

[Mosby]

FWIW, Eklund says Hemsky close to signing in AZ.

 

[_Del_]

I'll take all the skill on the roster that we can get at the moment, but setting aside durability concerns for the moment, do we really need to add another pass-first guy like Hemsky?

 

[Jakey53]

So enough for one wing at 3-3.5 and one backup goalie.

I thought it was around 60-62.

 

[Howler Scores]

I thought it was around 60-62.

I guess they include room for call-ups and potential trades down the road.

 

[_Del_]

Or that the money they are throwing at Ribiero factors somehow

 

[Mosby]

CJ signs with the Islanders

 

[Muppet]

Dammit Ochocinco. Narrows it down to Montoya, which I'm okay with.

 

[Mosby]

Dammit Ochocinco. Narrows it down to Montoya, which I'm okay with.

Dreger says CJ got $1.3 mil per. Jesus Christ NYI. Good on CJ though.