Speculation: Predictions, predictions, predictions...

[The Abusement Park]

They don't have much cap space as it is

They'd find a way.

 

[chet1926]

Not really sure seems like a offseason that could go any direction with the whole Seattle expansion.

1. Donskoi to Seattle. Very well could be Graves but think Seattle will have better options than Graves on defense, and will lean towards a forward.

2. Makar resigned long term big money

3. Graves is traded for picks

4. Kadri is traded for a prospect or picks

5. Landy resigned, 6 years 6.5-7 per

6. Grubauer resigned, 5 years 6M range per

7. Saad is resigned 2 years 5-5.5 per

8. Danault is our big UFA signing, not sure on contract but I know MacK is a fan of Danault so I'm sure he will be advocating for him

9. Compher traded for picks.

10. Lower end defensive UFA dman acquired, not sure who but we will hate it.

11. UFA 3rd liner maybe Coleman?

Team looks like:
92-29-96
95-Danault-20
Nuke-Jost-UFA
LOC-Newhook-whoever earns it in training camp

7-8
EJ-49
Byram-UFA

Grubauer
JoJo/Frank

I don't love it, but just my prediction.

 

[JWK]

All the good players to Colorado

All the bad players to non-Colorado

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Why does everything think Eichel is going to Vegas? That would suck

Because they are in "win now" mode, desperately need offense (not being able to score killed them the last 2 playoffs), and they have the assets to make a deal happen. Trade away MAF to someone that needs a goalie and then use someone like Tuch/Smith/McNabb + Glass + Krebs + a 1st as part of a deal for Eichel, and they make it happen.

Elliotte Friedman said on his podcast today that Vegas is in on Eichel.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Eichel to Vegas
Jones to Dallas
Tarasenko/Coleman to Edmonton
Hamilton to Chicago
Saad to Boston
Stastny/Hakanpaa to Colorado
Monahan to Rangers

Edit: Forgot to add resignings

Landeskog: 8 X $6.7M
Grubauer: 5 X $6M
Makar: 8 X $9.4M
Timmins: 2 X $950K
Jost: 2 X $1.7M

 

[BaconNater]

Hell yeah love the offseason

Vegas addresses their scoring issues by adding another big fish... Seth Jones and Getzlaf

Eichel to ANA
Hamilton to CHI
Kuznetsov to MIN
Danault to WASH
Garland to EDM
Martinez to EDM
Hall to TBL
Sergychev to TOR
Gaudreau to TOR
Marner to CBJ
Samsonov to EDM
Grubauer to WASH
Carter Hart to COL
Lehner to PHI
H Lindholm to CAR
E Lindholm to NYR
Tkachuk to DAL
Landeskog to BOS
Barrie to BOS
Tarasenko to AZ
Risto to VAN
Monahan to NSH
Reinhart to CGY
Evander Kane to CGY
Patrick Laine to NJD
Hyman to PIT
Zadorov to PIT
Coleman/Goodrow/TJ to DET
Malkin to SEA
Stastny to COL
Saad to MTL



Avs miss out on the big dogs queuing a panic move:

RyJo retained to COL

 

[AvsCOL]

That would be so Buffalo to trade another 1C to the west, and get absolutely nothing in return. I really hope Vegas doesn't get him. We know they don't mind taking a big swing. Wish Sakic would do it.

 

[larueskee]

I predict EJ is bought out pretty darn soon.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

I predict EJ is bought out pretty darn soon.

I’d guess he is LTIR’d

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

I predict EJ is bought out pretty darn soon.

And will Ian Cole slide into this open spot, or sign elsewhere?

 

[Andrew Wiggin]

Eichel -> LA or NYR
Jones -> Philly
Danault -> Vegas
Hall -> Botson
Grubauer -> Edmonton
Saad -> LA

The Avs barely make the playoffs with Frankie as their starter, and ultimately don't go very deep into the postseason due to goaltending. Losing Grubauer is going to tank them.

Hell yeah love the offseason

Vegas addresses their scoring issues by adding another big fish... Seth Jones and Getzlaf

Eichel to ANA
Hamilton to CHI
Kuznetsov to MIN
Danault to WASH
Garland to EDM
Martinez to EDM
Hall to TBL
Sergychev to TOR
Gaudreau to TOR
Marner to CBJ
Samsonov to EDM
Grubauer to WASH
Carter Hart to COL
Lehner to PHI
H Lindholm to CAR
E Lindholm to NYR
Tkachuk to DAL
Landeskog to BOS
Barrie to BOS
Tarasenko to AZ
Risto to VAN
Monahan to NSH
Reinhart to CGY
Evander Kane to CGY
Patrick Laine to NJD
Hyman to PIT
Zadorov to PIT
Coleman/Goodrow/TJ to DET
Malkin to SEA
Stastny to COL
Saad to MTL



Avs miss out on the big dogs queuing a panic move:

RyJo retained to COL

Ugh, Danault or Getzlaf would make Vegas even more frustrating to play against.

 

[henchman21]

Avs miss out on the big dogs queuing a panic move:

RyJo retained to COL

I'd love this move. If you can get him at $6m, you can stand his contract... and the guy can bring it in the playoffs. People would bitch and moan during the season where he limps along to 50ish points with 15g... but when the postseason came around he'd win over the whole fanbase.

 

[Balthazar]

People would bitch and moan during the season

Can't be worse than Kadri this season.

Is there any rumor that links Tarasenko to Edmonton? I was wondering where he could end up but that one makes a lot of sense.

 

[BaconNater]

I'd love this move. If you can get him at $6m, you can stand his contract... and the guy can bring it in the playoffs. People would bitch and moan during the season where he limps along to 50ish points with 15g... but when the postseason came around he'd win over the whole fanbase.

Figured he may be a low key interesting option, agree he could be an interesting option but doesn't feel like a Joe move.. but I would welcome the surprise haha

 

[forsbergavs32]

Can't be worst than Kadri this season.

Is there any rumor that links Tarasenko to Edmonton? I was wondering where he could end up but that one makes a lot of sense.

With him limiting himself to the Canes, Isles, Knights and Bruins doubt it. The Blues are trying to send him to Calgary for Tkachuk but the NMC is likely going to screw them.

 

[flyfysher]

Not really sure seems like a offseason that could go any direction with the whole Seattle expansion.

1. Donskoi to Seattle. Very well could be Graves but think Seattle will have better options than Graves on defense, and will lean towards a forward.

2. Makar resigned long term big money

3. Graves is traded for picks

4. Kadri is traded for a prospect or picks

5. Landy resigned, 6 years 6.5-7 per

6. Grubauer resigned, 5 years 6M range per

7. Saad is resigned 2 years 5-5.5 per

8. Danault is our big UFA signing, not sure on contract but I know MacK is a fan of Danault so I'm sure he will be advocating for him

9. Compher traded for picks.

10. Lower end defensive UFA dman acquired, not sure who but we will hate it.

11. UFA 3rd liner maybe Coleman?

Team looks like:
92-29-96
95-Danault-20
Nuke-Jost-UFA
LOC-Newhook-whoever earns it in training camp

7-8
EJ-49
Byram-UFA

Grubauer
JoJo/Frank

I don't love it, but just my prediction.

Where’s Timmins?

 

[chet1926]

Where’s Timmins?

Fighting with the UFA #6 for playing time.

 

[AvsFan29]

Not really sure seems like a offseason that could go any direction with the whole Seattle expansion.

1. Donskoi to Seattle. Very well could be Graves but think Seattle will have better options than Graves on defense, and will lean towards a forward.

2. Makar resigned long term big money

3. Graves is traded for picks

4. Kadri is traded for a prospect or picks

5. Landy resigned, 6 years 6.5-7 per

6. Grubauer resigned, 5 years 6M range per

7. Saad is resigned 2 years 5-5.5 per

8. Danault is our big UFA signing, not sure on contract but I know MacK is a fan of Danault so I'm sure he will be advocating for him

9. Compher traded for picks.

10. Lower end defensive UFA dman acquired, not sure who but we will hate it.

11. UFA 3rd liner maybe Coleman?

Team looks like:
92-29-96
95-Danault-20
Nuke-Jost-UFA
LOC-Newhook-whoever earns it in training camp

7-8
EJ-49
Byram-UFA

Grubauer
JoJo/Frank

I don't love it, but just my prediction.

I like it, but I’d have Danault at 3C and Newhook at 2w/2C and keep Kadri. Kadri has a ton of value at his cap hit. Unless a serious prospect comes back, there’s no point in throwing him away.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

I like RyJo more than most too. Needs retention though. Also even though I’m Burakovsky’s biggest supporter if we’re acquiring RyJo to play on the 2nd line with Burky we better have a stud defensive winger on the other side lol. Landy would actually be an unbelievable fit there but then of course he needs to be replaced on line one.

Retention rarely happens for 4 years though. I doubt we can get him at 6M.

 

[Avs_19]

If people were frustrated with Kadri and thought he needed to up his give a **** meter then I can't imagine the reaction watching Johansen on a regular basis. Just cap retention also isn't enough to get someone to take on his contract. There would need to be sweeteners to go along with it.

 

[henchman21]

If people were frustrated with Kadri and thought he needed to up his give a **** meter then I can't imagine the reaction watching Johansen on a regular basis. Just cap retention also isn't enough to get someone to take on his contract. There would need to be sweeteners to go along with it.

People would be incredibly frustrated... in the regular season. They'd love him in the playoffs, and at this point, I think that matters a hell of a lot more.

 

[dahrougem2]

Just put Nichushkin on a line with Johansen and Burakovsky and he'll make up for their laziness by himself.

 

[henchman21]

A MacK-RyJo-Kadri-Jost rotation would be a pretty solid group. There would be plenty of frustration, but when RyJo is on, he plays like a 1. When Kadri is on, he's a 1 man 2nd line. Jost is well... uhhh.... Jost. It may not work just based on them having to click at the same time in the playoffs, but if they did, that could be a dominant center group through the West before having to face the stronger down the middle East.

 

[Avs_19]

Could Zibanejad be had if the Rangers get Eichel or would that defeat some of the purpose since they'd want both to really compete? I was looking at Backlund too but he's 32 and has three more years at over $5M/yr so I don't see Sakic doing that, even with some retention.

 

[The Kingslayer]

You already took a couple of mine but I'll post my predictions anyways. In no particular order:

1) Vegas trades Robin Lehner, not Marc-Andre Fleury.

2) Having moved Lehner, Vegas makes a huge run at Jack Eichel and acquires him while sending back Alex Tuch and both Cody Glass and Peyton Krebs and a 1st round pick, an offer no other team wants to match.

3) Chicago trades Duncan Keith to Edmonton where a 3rd team gets involved for maximum retention since the Oilers won't send James Neal or Mikko Koskinen back, they'll send Caleb Jones who in turn helps the Blackhawks acquire Seth Jones from Columbus.

4) Calgary acquires Vladimir Tarasenko, Robert Thomas and a 1st round pick for Matthew Tkachuk.

5) Edmonton makes a huge push for Phillip Grubauer when he becomes a UFA and signs him to a 6x6 contract - the same contract they offered Jacob Markstrom last summer.

6) Taylor Hall re-signs in Boston for a lot less than anyone thinks he will.

7) Boston trades Jake DeBrusk out west for virtually nothing because he doesn't fit the "culture" and they trash him on the way out.

8) Los Angeles signs Phillip Danault after striking out on Jack Eichel.

9) Seattle is overhyped by the media after what happened with Vegas in 2017 and actually struggles in year 1 and misses the playoffs entirely.

10) Joe Sakic believes in Tyson Jost as his 3C and Erik Johnson as his 2nd pairing RD and only makes minor tweaks to the team's bottom six and 3rd pairing while signing Petr Mrazek in UFA.

I can see the bolded for sure. My biggest fear is Eichel lands in Minny or Vegas. I want Eichel in Montreal.