Confirmed with Link: Nick Holden to Vegas, 2 years

Pirate Deadpool

Registered User
Mar 3, 2011
3,112
391
Las Vegas, NV
Sbisa replacement.

Yeah he's up to the task of turning the puck over like Sbisa. I think fans and management had enough of Sbisa. I hope he's not as bad as I've seen from him in the past.
I was hoping to sign Ian Cole or Jack "MF" Johnson, but those guys are too pricey for a bottom pairing dman.
 

BattleBorn

50% to winning as many division titles as Toronto
Feb 6, 2015
12,069
6,017
Bellevue, WA
Yeah he's up to the task of turning the puck over like Sbisa. I think fans and management had enough of Sbisa. I hope he's not as bad as I've seen from him in the past.
I was hoping to sign Ian Cole or Jack "MF" Johnson, but those guys are too pricey for a bottom pairing dman.
Sbisa was the man at the beginning of the season and I think our recency bias and the level of intensity in the Finals are making us think of him more negatively than his play for most of the time he played deserves.

I wish him well. I’d have liked him on a short termer, but he wanted term and I wish him luck in the future.
 

Boris Zubov

No relation to Sergei, Joe
May 6, 2016
17,229
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Back on the east coast
Where does he slot with us?

Hopefully 7D. I find it hard to believe that McPhee is expecting him to be relied on as anything but depth. He's ok in sheltered minutes, but when the Rangers had him playing in a top 4 role, he was a giveaway machine.

I would like to assume that more moves are forthcoming. No way this team's D is set for next year with or without this move.
 

CupInSIX

My cap runneth over
Jul 1, 2012
26,283
18,254
Alphaville
Hopefully 7D. I find it hard to believe that McPhee is expecting him to be relied on as anything but depth. He's ok in sheltered minutes, but when the Rangers had him playing in a top 4 role, he was a giveaway machine.

I would like to assume that more moves are forthcoming. No way this team's D is set for next year with or without this move.

Aside from Karlsson, who would they add? Enstrom?
 

Vegan Knight

Registered User
Feb 16, 2018
5,145
2,701
Hopefully 7D. I find it hard to believe that McPhee is expecting him to be relied on as anything but depth. He's ok in sheltered minutes, but when the Rangers had him playing in a top 4 role, he was a giveaway machine.

I would like to assume that more moves are forthcoming. No way this team's D is set for next year with or without this move.

I think he's the third pair defenseman. No way they are paying 2.2M for a 7D.
 

Vegan Knight

Registered User
Feb 16, 2018
5,145
2,701
That's the going rate for UFAs. Heck they're paying Reaves close to 3m to be the 13th forward.

Maybe, but the cap only went up 6%. If you say that 1.25M was the going rate for 7D before (even though that's high) and if you added double the cap increase on that, 12%, you still only get 1.4M.

I think 2.2M is much more like bottom pairing money and I believe that's where they're planning to play him at the moment and give him every opportunity to keep that spot.

I think Merrill and Hunt are our 7-8D.
Holden and Engelland are our bottom pair.
Schmidt and McNabb are in our top 4.
The other two top 4 spots are up in the air, with Theodore and Miller there now but EK and whoever else in management's hopes.
 

Boris Zubov

No relation to Sergei, Joe
May 6, 2016
17,229
23,142
Back on the east coast
Maybe, but the cap only went up 6%. If you say that 1.25M was the going rate for 7D before (even though that's high) and if you added double the cap increase on that, 12%, you still only get 1.4M.

I think 2.2M is much more like bottom pairing money and I believe that's where they're planning to play him at the moment and give him every opportunity to keep that spot.

I think Merrill and Hunt are our 7-8D.
Holden and Engelland are our bottom pair.
Schmidt and McNabb are in our top 4.
The other two top 4 spots are up in the air, with Theodore and Miller there now but EK and whoever else in management's hopes.

You're gonna find out very quickly why Holden shouldn't be considered anything more than a depth signing. If he does wind up playing a ton of minutes, the team has BIG problems. Before FA started, I was of the mindset that this team needed to upgrade 2 spots on the defense. Holden doesn't fill one of those needs.

McPhee's start to the off season & FA has been a bit questionable, IMO. This along with the Reeves deal really has me scratching my head. I like the Stasny signing, but along with a shaky defense, we also have a lot of goals & points to account for with Perron & Neal both gone. Obviously you usually can't fix all your issues in FA or in one off season, but as it stands now, it feels like we're a weaker team than we were a month a ago.
 
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Aurinko

Registered User
Apr 1, 2015
3,397
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Finland
Nothing stands out in his stats.. has decent +/- , giveaway stats are not great, shot quality great. Quite cheap contract @2M$, considering he does need a new contract in couple of years and probably would like to play well to get it. Should an ok top 6 pickup with a possibility to be top 4.

He is a non drafted, so should perform like a dream here ofc.

edit: he does know how to shoot, but lacks in defense...
 
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CupInSIX

My cap runneth over
Jul 1, 2012
26,283
18,254
Alphaville
I'm not sold on him being a great 3rd pairing option but Gallant should be able to use him effectively. Especially if Engelland is moved to the 3rd pairing with him.
He could fit in well with the run n gun style.
 

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