Proposal: NJ/NSH at the draft

[Porter Stoutheart]

I agree that expansion is unfortunately highly likely in the next 3-4 years.

I'm sure Saros probably would love to stay in Nashville (great city that players seem to enjoy), but the NMC is not solely about staying in the current location, but having a say in where you do go if it is time to move on. That's a huge risk on Saros' part to open yourself up to having to move to some still unknown city a few years down the line as part of an expansion draft when nearly every other top player in the league at their position gets that type of protection.

I'd be very surprised if he extended without any NMC, but I guess we'll see...

I think having lived through the "mentorship" cycle with Rinne in Nashville, a city and an organization where both goalies were valued, and wanted to stay, and embraced their respective roles as they evolved... he'll be quite amenable to leaving the door open to recreating that with Askarov (or whichever other young goalie eventually comes along to supplant him).

Of course that is just peanut gallery speculation. But I think if Trotz plays his cards right, he'll have no trouble convincing Saros that his best path to staying in the organization is to extend long term with no NMC. The worst case for Saros is that Askarov does pan out and Expansion comes along and the Preds have to let Saros be picked by Arizona/Houston/Atlanta... but that's at least a few years off, and that's still better security than he'll get if he stands firm on getting an NMC... because then he gets traded 100%, and it will be to a city/organization/tax situation that will be worse for him. Having control in a place he isn't familiar with or excited about probably won't hold THAT much appeal to him, and having lived through the Rinne situation, he has seen that the Preds will do their best to take care of him long term if they are able. He doesn't have kids yet, having a rock solid guarantee of control isn't likely as firmly in his foreground. The Preds historically have been more miserly with those types of clauses than most franchises have been.

 

[Smitty426]

I definitely don’t agree. Nemec will already be overqualified for the role he has next year with Dougie back. That bumps Marino to the 3rd pairing. Luke broke through the rookie wall and put together a fine season. I think they’ll be solid without a single addition, and potentially very good with the right move.

Nemec fits the role you speak of but Marino bounces back I think, which bodes to yiur thoughts. Luke still has a ton to do on his d side of his game. He'll get there but not before next season is over. And as i noted, they'll take a step or two, but to be going deep, that's 2 seasons away pretty easily

 

[Junohockeyfan]

A goalie with one year left on their contract, commanding that kind of return. I had no idea that Saros was in the GOAT conversation, holy.

NJ can always wait til next season and hope he becomes a UFA. You willing to do that?