~ HFNHL FREE AGENCY 2nd Round 2014 ~ Now WITH Results

[Brock]

Last signing of the FA period.

Matthew Lombardi - San Jose Sharks - 2 years x $1,950,000

 

[Brock]

Please note, all future signings will now go through the agents. The free agency period is now over. My work here is done.

I believe this should open the door for teams to send in their signings of their own prospects to the agents.

 

[MatthewFlames]

Please note, all future signings will now go through the agents. The free agency period is now over. My work here is done.

I believe this should open the door for teams to send in their signings of their own prospects to the agents.

Very well done Brock. Excellent and smooth Free Agency. Thank you!

 

[Dempsey]

The LA Kings match the offer on Craig Smith.

 

[Regal Beagles]

Please note, all future signings will now go through the agents. The free agency period is now over. My work here is done.

I believe this should open the door for teams to send in their signings of their own prospects to the agents.

All hail the Commish and his duties before booty's

 

[Dr.Sens(e)]

Touching on the bolded points...

Our league used to have a very active RFA period where offers weren't matched. The last I can think of is when Claudio (I think that's who it was) didn't match Seabrook and Gleason, but that was more an error than him not matching. People are a little more fiscally responsible now, evidenced by the fact Hossa didn't even get our old max offer of $8M.

That also feeds into the second part...people most definitely over value draft picks here. Especially those of us at the bottom end of the league. The divide in talent and finances is so great it seems the only way to recover from both is to have a bare bones payroll and draft a ton of prospects hoping to get lucky. That's obviously not the only way to go about things but it's turned into a favourite of many GM's.

And to the last point, perhaps people didn't offer MacDonald a 2nd round comp offer because they just figured it would be matched instantly? I know that's why I didn't bother with Voynov, I didn't think it stood a chance so why bother. Just because others feel the same way shouldn't mean these guys sign cheaper long term, which they could have if you or Rob had offered them deals like the Leafs did with Staal or Stralman.

I don't have any real issue with what happened with MacDonald or Voynov. My issue is with the potential to use this process to get them to sign long term cheaper deals, which you could have easily done if you chose to submit your own offer. We may have been asleep with offer sheets but the GM's holding any RFA rights (other than the Leafs and Islanders) missed a big opportunity as well.

Well, sounds like some long-term offers were accepted in place of the QO, where perhaps the QO might have been the better "agent" move, but at the same time, these are players that passed through restricted free agency already, and if the incumbent team is making the best offer around, then it probably makes sense they sign it to a degree. Perhaps we'll clarify this going into free agency next year.

As to your point, on "Why bother because it will likely be matched", this is really a rather cynical view, and one with out a lot of strategic thought. As pointed out already, if you have nothing to lose and all you are doing is raising the salary for teams already up against the cap, then the question should be more like "Why wouldn't you?"

As an example, offering 2nd round comp for a young established young d-man like Voynov makes total sense, because in the end if Kruegs did pass on him, you get a heck of a lot more value back than a 2nd rounder. And there really is no downside, because if the offer is matched, now a competitor just spent $1-$2M more in salary and cap space they can't use for other things.

RFA should be seen as an opportunity to exert pressure on your rivals. Too many teams ignore this, although I do know I've had 2 players signed to offer sheets in the last 3 seasons (Frolik and MacDonald), and I've also signed a player away from the Wings (Nystrom) when Drew chose not to match my offer sheet. And yes, I had also landed Seabrook that way previously, although that was much about his GM being AWOL.

Bottom line is the current system works if you choose to use it.

 

[Canuck09]

Bottom line is the current system works if you choose to use it.

The current system most definitely works as it's laid out to do, I'm not questioning that. My concern is that it's now changing into something that works too well and is ripe for "abuse" by those that choose to try it. I don't think the entire system needs to change I just believe the thinking around what RFA's will do needs to be clarified/solidified...whatever...before more teams start to use the RFA process on good players to reduce salaries.

I'll submit my thoughts later tonight if I get the time to do so.

 

[HFNHLOilers]

I think im one of the boldest here when it comes to RFA offers since i joined ive made atleast 1 RFA a year. Till this year where i was just too against the cap or i probably woulda made a serious pitch for Voynov.

 

[Wildman]

The current system most definitely works as it's laid out to do, I'm not questioning that. My concern is that it's now changing into something that works too well and is ripe for "abuse" by those that choose to try it. I don't think the entire system needs to change I just believe the thinking around what RFA's will do needs to be clarified/solidified...whatever...before more teams start to use the RFA process on good players to reduce salaries.

I'll submit my thoughts later tonight if I get the time to do so.

Jeff, the change we need is push GM to show some interest in improving their team via trade or free agency. I saw only a handful of 14 non playoff teams taking part in free agency. In a real world, general manager are pressured to improve their team and make the playoffs but we actually compensate non playoff team with high draft pick and higher profit with low payroll.

Please don't take me wrong all non playoffs GM (including Islander GM) but we need to add some element of risk so GM does not have a lifetime job security with one team. Maybe forcing GM to take another team if their current team has missed playoffs for 3 years in row.

 

[Hossa]

Jeff, the change we need is push GM to show some interest in improving their team via trade or free agency. I saw only a handful of 14 non playoff teams taking part in free agency. In a real world, general manager are pressured to improve their team and make the playoffs but we actually compensate non playoff team with high draft pick and higher profit with low payroll.

Please don't take me wrong all non playoffs GM (including Islander GM) but we need to add some element of risk so GM does not have a lifetime job security with one team. Maybe forcing GM to take another team if their current team has missed playoffs for 3 years in row.

Maybe not.

 

[MatthewFlames]

Jeff, the change we need is push GM to show some interest in improving their team via trade or free agency. I saw only a handful of 14 non playoff teams taking part in free agency. In a real world, general manager are pressured to improve their team and make the playoffs but we actually compensate non playoff team with high draft pick and higher profit with low payroll.

Please don't take me wrong all non playoffs GM (including Islander GM) but we need to add some element of risk so GM does not have a lifetime job security with one team. Maybe forcing GM to take another team if their current team has missed playoffs for 3 years in row.

To be fair, there was not a lot available in FA. Also GM's are hampered by one of three things: Teams are up against the cap, have no money, or have already signed up players for their teams for next season or made trades to fill voids (two of those three for my Flamettes...)

Since we have improved but not solved the financial situation and half the teams in the league remain in financial trouble I don't blame them for the free agency apathy.

Oh, and annual financial debate... GO (kidding)

EDIT: The race to the 1st overall pick is also probably a factor...

 

[Canuck09]

Maybe not.

Dibs on Canucks or Avalanche!!!

 

[Regal Beagles]

Dibs on Canucks or Avalanche!!!

Nooooooooo!

We like the so cal life. Playoffs it is!

 

[Canuck09]

All FA signings from this thread have been updated online. If I made a mistake please post here.

 

[Dryden]

Players with 0 year contracts still on roster. Will they be removed later?

 

[Canuck09]

Players with 0 year contracts still on roster. Will they be removed later?

I removed all UFA age players today but left RFA because I'm not sure if the list of RFA is accurate or not and don't want people to lose players yet. Will drop the remaining later or you can email simgod any that are safe to drop now.