NHL Expansion Questions

[Sabresfansince1980]

I made a joke post in the Seattle thread about giving 10-12 players contracts that expire and make them UFAs in 2021, so that Seattle would be wasting their time selecting them. In all seriousness though, I would give the three most important "fringe" players contracts like that. Girgensons, Larsson, and McCabe would all get two year contracts next summer, so that they all hit UFA in the summer of 2021. Work out the handshake agreements about extensions before hand, and re-sign them after the expansion draft. They won't leave when the team finally is a legit contender.

 

[Djp]

I made a joke post in the Seattle thread about giving 10-12 players contracts that expire and make them UFAs in 2021, so that Seattle would be wasting their time selecting them. In all seriousness though, I would give the three most important "fringe" players contracts like that. Girgensons, Larsson, and McCabe would all get two year contracts next summer, so that they all hit UFA in the summer of 2021. Work out the handshake agreements about extensions before hand, and re-sign them after the expansion draft. They won't leave when the team finally is a legit contender.

I’d be shocked to see all 3 onnthus team in June 2021.

McCabe is an RFA in June. He likely gets a 4-5 yr contract.

I only see one of Girgs/larsdon kept. It’s a money game. Do you sign one of them for $2M or more per or gi withcheaoer under $1M player when the team will be tight to the cap come 2021 off season

 

[OldSchool RinkRat]

Honestly I think realistically the ideal scenario is Seattle taking Hutton. I'm not sure what the goalie class will be like that year but if it's anything like the Vegas one there won't be much worth talking about. Hutton will be 35 but might still be an attractive piece for a backup at the very least. I love the guy but I really don't want to lose any of our skaters.

Hutton will be a UFA at the time of the next Expansion draft so unless he is signed to an extension before the expansion draft he wouldn't count as our Unprotected Goalie. The Sabres will have to sign someone else in order to have a Goalie eligible for the expansion draft, but no matter what happens it will definitely be a weird situation come expansion draft time if no other Goalie is signed for the 21-22 season.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I’d be shocked to see all 3 onnthus team in June 2021.

McCabe is an RFA in June. He likely gets a 4-5 yr contract.

I only see one of Girgs/larsdon kept. It’s a money game. Do you sign one of them for $2M or more per or gi withcheaoer under $1M player when the team will be tight to the cap come 2021 off season

Why would you be shocked at those three staying on the team? None of them will command a high cap, and none of them have certain replacements waiting to take over their roles. We all hope that Guhle, Samuelsson, or a future draftee can come along and take a LD spot, but that's far from a sure thing. Only Asplund looks to be a checking line FW with the potential to fill a bottom six role, and again that's hoping.

If players do come along and bump any of those three out, it won't be before 2021, so two year deals serve a dual purpose - making them useless selections for Seattle, and giving Botterill flexibility in case what you expect to happen, actually happens. I don't see a problem.

 

[Djp]

Why would you be shocked at those three staying on the team? None of them will command a high cap, and none of them have certain replacements waiting to take over their roles. We all hope that Guhle, Samuelsson, or a future draftee can come along and take a LD spot, but that's far from a sure thing. Only Asplund looks to be a checking line FW with the potential to fill a bottom six role, and again that's hoping.

If players do come along and bump any of those three out, it won't be before 2021, so two year deals serve a dual purpose - making them useless selections for Seattle, and giving Botterill flexibility in case what you expect to happen, actually happens. I don't see a problem.

4th line forwards are easy to get. Buffalo has a bunch of forwards in tochester in

Asplund
Nylander
Smith
Olofsson
Oregan
Malone
ogilvie
Along with Wilson, Sobotka, Elie, and berglund

Other pkayers being pushed down like Rodrigues

If buffalo is considered a top 8 nhl team then players wanting a cup will look at buffalo on a low contract.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

Larsson and Girgensons will be on low contracts. Probably around 2.5 mil aav.

 

[Reddawg]

Been thinking about this subject quite a bit today, trying to project who we will end up protecting and who will ultimately be exposed. It really screws us up having Seattle start in 2021...if that weren't the case we wouldn't have to protect Dahlin, Pilut, Olofsson or Asplund.

As it looks, I can't figure out if we're going with the 7-3 method or the 4-4 method.

For 7-3, we would protect Eichel, Skinner (assuming we sign him), Reinhart, Mittelstadt and some combination of Nylander, Olofsson, Asplund and Thompson

I have a feeling that we'll probably go the 4-4 route in order to protect Dahlin, Montour, Risto and Pilut...which would leave Seattle free to take their choice of one of the kids.

 

[Icicle]

Been thinking about this subject quite a bit today, trying to project who we will end up protecting and who will ultimately be exposed. It really screws us up having Seattle start in 2021...if that weren't the case we wouldn't have to protect Dahlin, Pilut, Olofsson or Asplund.

As it looks, I can't figure out if we're going with the 7-3 method or the 4-4 method.

For 7-3, we would protect Eichel, Skinner (assuming we sign him), Reinhart, Mittelstadt and some combination of Nylander, Olofsson, Asplund and Thompson

I have a feeling that we'll probably go the 4-4 route in order to protect Dahlin, Montour, Risto and Pilut...which would leave Seattle free to take their choice of one of the kids.

This would be a reason to trade Risto and replace with the few RD youth we have within

Leaves McCabe as an attractive option though

 

[Aladyyn]

Been thinking about this subject quite a bit today, trying to project who we will end up protecting and who will ultimately be exposed. It really screws us up having Seattle start in 2021...if that weren't the case we wouldn't have to protect Dahlin, Pilut, Olofsson or Asplund.

As it looks, I can't figure out if we're going with the 7-3 method or the 4-4 method.

For 7-3, we would protect Eichel, Skinner (assuming we sign him), Reinhart, Mittelstadt and some combination of Nylander, Olofsson, Asplund and Thompson

I have a feeling that we'll probably go the 4-4 route in order to protect Dahlin, Montour, Risto and Pilut...which would leave Seattle free to take their choice of one of the kids.

One of these is not like the others.

I honestly don't expect us to have enough good players to worry about expansion. Should be pretty straightforward.