GDT: Free Agent Frenzy - July 13th

[JojoTheWhale]

50 MM for Kevin Hayes and then they built the franchise around him.

The whole league is mediocre old white dudes desperately clinging to a gate receipt league that 149 people outside of Canada care about in the 10 months there are no playoff games. 5 teams went out and hired a dozen Twitter nerds at bargain basement salaries and kicked their asses in a multi billion dollar industry. You could have bought a TI-83 and won 3 Cups in a year that started with a 2.

 

[freakydallas13]

Hell, before the fever of the day, I swear 90% of this board staunchly supported tanking & were against signing Gaudreau to a huge long term deal.

So you’d think a hell of a lot more posters would be happy they stayed out of huge contracts and from trading a first rd pick to dump salary.

I don't know what you think tanking is, but having no 2nd round pick until 2025 ain't it.

Unfortunately, Deslauriers doesn't PK, he's rarely played it and when he does it's about a minute per game.
And that identity is out of date by two decades.
The one good thing is if they find a real 4LW they can bury him at a cap cost of $750K or so until they decide to buy him out.

I also don't think Attard needs to learn in the AHL, 3 years in a top college program and 15 NHL games is a lot more experience against men than the CHL until you're 20.

You know it's a good signing when Deadhead of all people is talking about buying him out 12 hours after the team signed him.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Remember the time Matt Cooke was given the highest percentage of cap contract of his career by Fletcher when he was 34 and had to be bought out a year later?

To be honest I am not sure Hextall or Holmgren had anything to do with that.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

For as much shit as I give NHL coaches, at least their job is hard. They have to motivate players and manage personalities. They’re the ones that have to answer media questions no matter how shitty something went.

You can keep an NHL front office gig for decades simply by eating your own face off less than 80% of the time. And if you cross the 80% line, that just means you’re a Senior Advisor now.

 

[deadhead]

Fletcher didn't give Voracek $8.25M for 8 years. He got it down to $5.25M by swapping for Atkinson.
Voracek's deal, like Hayes deal, was predicated on the cap continuing to escalate.

But the real problem was trying to buy your way into staying competitive - partially b/c Patrick was a flop - if he was a legitimate 2C in 2019-20, Hayes is never signed . . .

"Where they fell like a row of dominoes"

[doubt anyone here knows the songwriter of that lyric]

 

[Beef Invictus]

Remember the time that Fletcher gave Vanek 6.5 million a year, he underperformed that cap hit badly, and he had to be bought out because the Wild were (as usual) pressed against the Cap?

Lake Tahoe did that I guess

 

[Beef Invictus]

Fletcher didn't give Voracek $8.25M for 8 years. He got it down to $5.25M by swapping for Atkinson.
Voracek's deal, like Hayes deal, was predicated on the cap continuing to escalate.

But the real problem was trying to buy your way into staying competitive - partially b/c Patrick was a flop - if he was a legitimate 2C in 2019-20, Hayes is never signed . . .

"Where they fell like a row of dominoes"

[doubt anyone here knows the songwriter of that lyric]

Yes I remember how he moved two of the team's best transition players and they promptly spent all of the following year getting butchered by their inability to get up ice, all so we can have enough cap space to sign more dreadful players while keeping the new guy on the books for a year longer.

 

[deadhead]

He was worth it his first season, then fell off at 32, one of those "win now" gambles.
We just saw teams sign a half dozen of those deals the last couple days.

Yes I remember how he moved two of the team's best transition players and they promptly spent all of the following year getting butchered by their inability to get up ice, all so we can have enough cap space to sign more dreadful players while keeping the new guy on the books for a year longer.

Oh you mean Voracek, who has been a liability 5x5 the last two seasons once he tuned out AV. Talk about an overpay.

 

[Magua]

I'd love to know the internal workings of today. I put the chances of Dave Scott and Paul Holmgren not feverishly desiring Gaudreau at LMAO%. While the advisors and chairman have given Fletcher enough rope to hang himself -- and I hear gurgling noises -- he knows he desperately needs a good season, even if his voiced expectations are constantly being scaled back. It behooved everyone to get Gaudreau.

I don't buy the futures/cap argument, given how carelessly and myopically they've already spent on lesser pieces. Lord knows I prize picks and optionality, but a 2024 late 1st and some spare piece like a Ratcliffe should not hold them back on this path they've set out. They've already made their bed. As we see, a team like Chicago just totally pivoted, but this isn't that either. Does Chuck Fletcher really just believe this team is actually good adjacent, and they are priming for 2023-24? Is that the simplest answer?

I'm a big believer in striking while the rebuild iron is hot. There's a time to maximize all things of value and get a jumpstart. The next GM of the Flyers will have an unmitigated disaster on his hands. Rebuilds don't have to be scary, Mr. Meltzer, but this is shaping up as the monstrous kind.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Remember the time Fletcher signed Ryan Carter and kept him on the roster for 50-60 games a year despite the fact that he sucked? Being in cap hell all the time will have that effect I guess.

You know, it's getting easy to tell why Minnesota never went anywhere.

 

[deadhead]

The fortunate thing is they're not in bad shape to initiate a rebuild with 4 1st rd picks the next three years, at least 2 will probably be top 10 picks. They can also peel off a number of contracts the next two years, maybe they'll have to retain a little on one or two, but once you have some extra cap room, it's not a big deal to retain or take a bad contract back if you're working on a 3 year horizon.

I don't get uptight about the 2nd rd picks, they're not that hard to recover, say you make a Provorov deal, retain a million or more and a team will send an extra pick back, so you throw in a 4th and they give a 2nd. When you're wheeling and dealing in a rebuild, it's not hard to stockpile picks.

But if you look at any playoff roster, the majority of key players are 1st rd picks, most top players are top 10 picks.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Imagine not just being like “you know what? This guy friggin sucks” after his display today.

Imagine having such a burning desire to be a contrarian that you can’t even make that statement on today of all days.

 

[FlyerNutter]

I can find solace in today.

They didn’t sign Gaudreau, a move that in my eyes just helps delay the inevitable, and would continue the charade of contention.

Fletcher came through today, for me anyway. He ensured this team will struggle next season for wins. I believe it was O’Connor that said something similar to the following a few months back - “if Fletcher is as bad as we think he is, then those of us that want a rebuild need not worry”.

What hurts is the picks given out for TDA, but this tank is generally on track. I just pray he’s let go before doing more damage with future picks, he will not survive a season even close to last year. That’s exactly what’s coming.

They aren’t committing enough to a rebuild, I won’t see that as long as Fletcher is here at the very least - but I’ll take another top 5 pick. Every loss, whether on the ice or as we saw today - helps brings the cleansing closer.

So be it.

 

[deadhead]

What hurts is the picks given out for TDA, but this tank is generally on track. I just pray he’s let go before doing more damage with future picks, he will not survive a season even close to last year. That’s exactly what’s coming.

If TDA keeps his nose clean, he should recoup those picks in a year, two years of good behavior will raise his value substantially.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Remember the time Fletcher signed Havlat for 6 years at 5 mil per and had to trade him two years in as he underwhelmed, and the Sharks eventually bought him out? And how he was traded for an even more expensive and even more disappointing Heatley?

Fletcher really knows how to strike while the iron is a lump of shit. All on his own, too. Since this kind of thing has always been what he does.

 

[flyerslducks]

I can find solace in today.

They didn’t sign Gaudreau, a move that in my eyes just helps delay the inevitable, and would continue the charade of contention.

Fletcher came through today, for me anyway. He ensured this team will struggle next season for wins. I believe it was O’Connor that said something similar to the following a few months back - “if Fletcher is as bad as we think he is, then those of us that want a rebuild need not worry”.

What hurts is the picks given out for TDA, but this tank is generally on track. I just pray he’s let go before doing more damage with future picks, he will not survive a season even close to last year. That’s exactly what’s coming.

They aren’t committing enough to a rebuild, I won’t see that as long as Fletcher is here at the very least - but I’ll take another top 5 pick. Every loss, whether on the ice or as we saw today - helps brings the cleansing closer.

So be it.

I agree. The tank is on track but it sucks that we now have to ‘recoup’ the assets and picks by trading players instead of just adding to our pile. it is what it is now. I have to believe tHat there is no way fletcher survives yet another negative season.

I don’t like okaying the what if card but it really hurts to see us piss away so many players careers. It would’ve been awesome to see gaudreau with couts. Hell, maybe we could’ve fit giroux into the Capp too if we didn’t go after hayes, risto, and tda. I wonder if we never screwed our cap up and we had assets, would g leave if he knew we had a plan to go all in this free agency or at least resign with us? Oh well, f*** you fletcher

If TDA keeps his nose clean, he should recoup those picks in a year, two years of good behavior will raise his value substantially.

That’s if our management allows us to rebuild. If they do and fletcher gets fired before the trade deadline, which should happen cus we willl be awful again this year….then jvr, tda next year, provorov next year, Laughton, and anyone else should be traded for futures, prospects, or young players

 

[Beef Invictus]

Hey! Remember that time Chuck traded a 2nd round pick for Kobasew for no good reason at all?

COVID Bubble did this

 

[Beef Invictus]

Who else remembers when Fletcher traded Leddy for famous bust Cam Barker? That dastardly Dave Scott must have ordered it.

 

[GKJ]

50 MM for Kevin Hayes and then they built the franchise around him.

The whole league is mediocre old white dudes desperately clinging to a gate receipt league that 149 people outside of Canada care about in the 10 months there are no playoff games. 5 teams went out and hired a dozen Twitter nerds at bargain basement salaries and kicked their asses in a multi billion dollar industry. You could have bought a TI-83 and won 3 Cups in a year that started with a 2.

When Kevin is named captain, I will fully jokerify

 

[Beef Invictus]

Did you all know that Fletcher once signed Nystrom for 3 years and he sucked really badly so they traded him a year later?


I can't help but notice that, maybe, just maybe...the rest of the league realizes that if left to his own devices Fletcher will screw himself over and then need to be bailed out, and they've realized this can be very profitable for them. And so they all insist on extracting large service fees for fixing his mistakes.

I wonder if I've established thoroughly enough that Fletcher has a rich history of bad moves, and this is who he has always been; he is not being held hostage by advisors who serve beneath him. I'm even leaving the more obvious ones off for the most part.

 

[Beef Invictus]

When Kevin is named captain, I will fully jokerify

I don't know what will happen to me but I assume it will resemble Fleshblob from Akira.

 

[GKJ]

I don't know what will happen to me but I assume it will resemble Fleshblob from Akira.

Sir I have no idea who that is

 

[Beef Invictus]

Sir I have no idea who that is

 

[mja]

So you think they should have traded a first (or more, Chuck alluded) to dump JVR’s contract. Got it.

Or you think they shouldn’t have, & also shouldn’t have traded a 2nd for DeAngelo, yet something tells me you’d still be complaining about not getting Gaudreau (even though they wouldn’t have been able to afford him, regardless).

I see you've come back from the ledge. You were almost there, you were almost getting it! But no. You continue to be the victim trapped in an abusive relationship who keeps making excuses for their abuser.

I'm very much on the record as wanting to ride JVR's contract out this year, and if we can move him with retention at the deadline, then great, and also that alas we're not in the right spot (thanks a ton, Chuck) to sign Gaudreau to a big deal. So ultimately, that part of all of this is probably for the best.

But this is an unmitigated disaster. They have no plan. They're just throwing shit at a wall and hoping it sticks. They have absurd amounts of money tied up in older middling players with term. They have some young talent but are incapable of living with the ups and downs that comes with the territory because they're trying to win now, and respond by overloading the roster with plugs with term. They have no cap space and have traded away a shit ton of draft picks with Chuck at the helm. In other words, they've decided to move forward with the worst of all possible options.

You know how they could have freed up cap for Gaudreau and have it be a good fit? Trade Laughton for Colorado's 1st instead of extending him, and slide in an ELC in his spot. 2.1M saved, an extra first to play with, and a young guy gets a chance to develop. Keep Ghost and pass on Risto. 600K saved, and holding onto a 1st, 2 2nds, and a 7th. Move Robert Hagg for a pick and slide in a guy on an ELC in his spot. An extra mid-round pick to play with. Pass on DeAngelo and a 7th, slide in a guy on an ELC. 4.2M saved, and holding onto a 2nd, a 3rd, and a 4th, and a young guy gets a chance to develop. Keep NAK, pass on Deslauriers. 800K saved and we're not committed to a 31 year old goon for the next 4 years. Finally, bridge either Provorov and/or Farabee. At least an extra 2M in cap space to play with. Voila!

So, we could have had this:
Gaudreau, Ghost, NAK, 2 firsts, 3 2nds, a 3rd, a 4th, another mid round pick, and possibly some extra cap space.

But instead Chuck did this:
Laughton, Ristolainen, DeAngelo, Deslauriers. And we're capped out.

 

[deadhead]

I see you've come back from the ledge. You were almost there, you were almost getting it! But no. You continue to be the victim trapped in an abusive relationship who keeps making excuses for their abuser.

I'm very much on the record as wanting to ride JVR's contract out this year, and if we can move him with retention at the deadline, then great, and also that alas we're not in the right spot (thanks a ton, Chuck) to sign Gaudreau to a big deal. So ultimately, that part of all of this is probably for the best.

But this is an unmitigated disaster. They have no plan. They're just throwing shit at a wall and hoping it sticks. They have absurd amounts of money tied up in older middling players with term. They have some young talent but are incapable of living with the ups and downs that comes with the territory because they're trying to win now, and respond by overloading the roster with plugs with term. They have no cap space and have traded away a shit ton of draft picks with Chuck at the helm. In other words, they've decided to move forward with the worst of all possible options.

You know how they could have freed up cap for Gaudreau and have it be a good fit? Trade Laughton for Colorado's 1st instead of extending him, and slide in an ELC in his spot. 2.1M saved, an extra first to play with, and a young guy gets a chance to develop. Keep Ghost and pass on Risto. 600K saved, and holding onto a 1st, 2 2nds, and a 7th. Move Robert Hagg for a pick and slide in a guy on an ELC in his spot. An extra mid-round pick to play with. Pass on DeAngelo and a 7th, slide in a guy on an ELC. 4.2M saved, and holding onto a 2nd, a 3rd, and a 4th, and a young guy gets a chance to develop. Keep NAK, pass on Deslauriers. 800K saved and we're not committed to a 31 year old goon for the next 4 years. Finally, bridge either Provorov and/or Farabee. At least an extra 2M in cap space to play with. Voila!

So, we could have had this:
Gaudreau, Ghost, NAK, 2 firsts, 3 2nds, a 3rd, a 4th, another mid round pick, and possibly some extra cap space.

But instead Chuck did this:
Laughton, Ristolainen, DeAngelo, Deslauriers. And we're capped out.

Or conversely, if you're gonna do that, since you're playing so many guys on ELCs, keep Ghost and trade him this summer with one year left (though why aren't there rumors out of Zona?), don't sign Gaudreau, use that cap room to retain half on JVR and garner some assets. Now you're young and bad, with lots of picks and cap room.

That is, if you're gonna suck, be young and rich.