Speculation: What’s up with the Preds?

[maplepred]

we cleared out guys and have about $13 million in cap space. We need at least one top six winger. No trade rumors or even free agency rumors really. There is no way Poile will be crazy enough to think our current roster is better than last season, because it’s not.

I wonder if Poile is working on a Laine or Gaudreau deal?? Maybe Hoffman??

There has to be some sort of plan!!

Click to read more...

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

Whats wrong with the preds? The major hard on for goalies and defencemen while completely neglecting the forward position. From what I read in the past, the preds don't make that much money so that would lead me to believe that they’d be looking to be closer to a cap floor. Idk.

 

[Djp]

They also can be used as a retention pass through and get picks/prospects.

There are about a dozen teams who need to move salary if they want yo have 23 players.

So there are a lot of players they can acquire for free.

These deals might need to wait until some actual trades are done and arbitration is done.

 

[Iggys Dome]

I think Hoffman, could see a Laine trade there as well. Theres still a couple months to go before the season starts.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

while completely neglecting the forward position

Pretty sure that’s all what Poile has been addressing, it’s just the moves had not worked out. I mean getting Johansen, Turris, Duchene, and Granlund definitely doesn’t seem like neglecting getting forwards, it just didn’t mesh well at all.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

Pretty sure that’s all what Poile has been addressing, it’s just the moves had not worked out. I mean getting Johansen, Turris, Duchene, and Granlund definitely doesn’t seem like neglecting getting forwards, it just didn’t mesh well at all.

Idk, watching johansen play almost everyone knew his contract was horrible from the get go. Turris was a good sign at the time but just didn’t work out, I never bought into the Duchene hype even when he played for Team canada at the olympics.

I’m just saying, Poile puts more emphasis on goaltending and Defence and there’s nothing wrong with that, recent example is taking askarov instead of a forward. Good draft pick though.

 

[themelkman]

Um COVID related internal financial problems leading to decreased spending money?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

we cleared out guys and have about $13 million in cap space. We need at least one top six winger. No trade rumors or even free agency rumors really. There is no way Poile will be crazy enough to think our current roster is better than last season, because it’s not.

I wonder if Poile is working on a Laine or Gaudreau deal?? Maybe Hoffman??

There has to be some sort of plan!!

Realistically he has about $8.5M in cap space. And likely just 1 roster spot open, that 2nd line LW spot. It was supposed to be for Hall. But that fell through. So now he's biding his time. He'll get a bargain at some point, probably. He can afford to wait, since the market is over-saturated. Whether he picks up somebody from the Lightning, signs Hoffman or somebody else, or just lets the prospects compete for that spot, I don't think it's a worse lineup than last year. Sissons will need to step back up to his old self to replace what we lost in Bonino, but Poile shored up the 3rd pair on D which has been an eyesore for a few years. The main thing really is that the top 4 forwards just have to start playing up to their potential and the coach has to figure out how to make the special teams work. If (still a big "if") they can do all that, then they could be a borderline playoff team again.

I don't think the Preds have the assets to spare to trade for a player of Laine's stature, especially within the division. Poile will either sign a leftover UFA, pick up somebody's cap dump, or audition Tolvanen/Tomasino in the spot.

It doesn't sound like the Preds are indicating any Covid financial issues. They would have signed Hall if he wanted to be here, but he's hoping for more money when he eventually signs a longer term deal. Fair enough. But if he had signed, the Preds would have been shoe-horned right up against the cap again. So the Covid finances weren't an issue. But at the same time, if they can end up a few million under the cap, it can't hurt at this point.

Forsberg ($6M) - Johansen ($8M)- Arvidsson ($4.25M)
XXX - Duchene ($8M) - Kunin (?RFA - $3M?)
Grimaldi ($2M) - Sissons ($2.857M) - Trenin ($0.725M)
Jarnkrok ($2M) - Richardson ($1M) - Cousins ($1.5M)
McCarron ($0.700M) (or Pitlick, or whoever wins it in camp)

Josi ($9.059M) - Ellis ($6.25M)
Ekholm ($3.75M) - Fabbro ($0.925M)
Borowiecki ($2M) - Benning ($1M)
Tinordi ($700k) - Carrier ($0.733M)

Rinne ($5M)
Saros ($1.5M)

Turris buyout ($2M)
Santini buyout ($0.04167M)

TOTAL: $72.99M
CAP SPACE = $8.5M

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Forwards are prob scared to go there. If their goal is to sign a 1 or 2 year deal to get a bigger contract after the cap goes up then Preds is not where you want to go. Not after what Turris, Granlund, etc have shown there. Even Duchene last year. Too many forwards have gone there and got worse. That isnt going to attract UFAs that are looking to wait this flat cap thing out.

So why would Hoffman want to go there and end up like them? Unless Preds are willing to pay him that big deal now. Would have to give him 6 x 7 per year imo. And with the flat cap this year, I doubt they want to do that. Since everyone else is signing for cheaper.

Preds may have to settle on signing the lower tier UFAs. Unless they spend more than what the market is at right now.

 

[triggrman]

I think they wanted to get tougher and better defensively. They did.

As far as financial troubles, haven’t heard of any, most of the owners are in medical businesses. I know before Covid-19 we were sill selling out nightly

 

[Mickey Marner]

There will be a watershed after all the arbitration hearings are through and the remaining teams have a better idea of their available space for free agents.

 

[violaswallet]

I think they wanted to get tougher and better defensively. They did.

As far as financial troubles, haven’t heard of any, most of the owners are in medical businesses. I know before Covid-19 we were sill selling out nightly

Wait the owners are in healthcare? Covid demolished it in the US...major hospital systems has essentially no revenue for multiple months...

 

[triggrman]

Forwards are prob scared to go there. If their goal is to sign a 1 or 2 year deal to get a bigger contract after the cap goes up then Preds is not where you want to go. Not after what Turris, Granlund, etc have shown there. Even Duchene last year. Too many forwards have gone there and got worse. That isnt going to attract UFAs that are looking to wait this flat cap thing out.

So why would Hoffman want to go there and end up like them? Unless Preds are willing to pay him that big deal now. Would have to give him 6 x 7 per year imo. And with the flat cap this year, I doubt they want to do that. Since everyone else is signing for cheaper.

Preds may have to settle on signing the lower tier UFAs. Unless they spend more than what the market is at right now.

I agree here too

 

[triggrman]

Wait the owners are in healthcare? Covid demolished it in the US...major hospital systems has essentially no revenue for multiple months...

The majority of US hospitals are managed out of Nashville

 

[violaswallet]

The majority of US hospitals are managed out of Nashville

In all seriousness this could explain a lot: if the owners got hit here they’re probably suffering financially. Over one quarter this happened: Hospitals and Health Systems Face Unprecedented Financial Pressures Due to COVID-19 | AHA

Even if things aren’t as a bad NY in April again, Covid will our negative pressure on elective surgeries due to safety practices as well as diminished demand due to household economic struggles.

After everything plays out my plan is to test this comparing economic outcomes for owners and spending.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Forwards are prob scared to go there. If their goal is to sign a 1 or 2 year deal to get a bigger contract after the cap goes up then Preds is not where you want to go. Not after what Turris, Granlund, etc have shown there. Even Duchene last year. Too many forwards have gone there and got worse. That isnt going to attract UFAs that are looking to wait this flat cap thing out.

So why would Hoffman want to go there and end up like them? Unless Preds are willing to pay him that big deal now. Would have to give him 6 x 7 per year imo. And with the flat cap this year, I doubt they want to do that. Since everyone else is signing for cheaper.

Preds may have to settle on signing the lower tier UFAs. Unless they spend more than what the market is at right now.

The Preds can probably at least guarantee Hoffman a top-6 spot and PP-1 shifts, plus Duchene. Some of the other teams in the running, well, it's always possible Tortorella will be juggling around players who aren't meeting his stringent requirements, and Boston has some pretty good depth on the wings once they sign Debrusk and everybody is healthy.

But I have no idea if he likes playing with Duchene or not. It's not like Duchene is a very creative pass-first kind of center, so it doesn't strike me that they would have natural chemistry. He might hate playing with Duchene for all I know. I figure that's as likely a pro/con as anything, since it's the most obvious linemate the Preds would want to place him with. Outside of sheer $$$.

If he really wanted to be in Nashville, it would have happened already. They've talked enough that if there was going to be an easy fit, it would have been done basically right after Hall signed in Buffalo. Now Hoffman is waiting on teams who he'd rather play for to sort out their situations. Maybe he comes back to the Preds if those things don't work out. How much can Boston offer after signing Debrusk/Grzelcyk/Chara? Or Columbus after Dubois/Gavrikov? Sounds like he'd rather go somewhere else if he can. Meanwhile, the Preds wait. For now. But not just on Hoffman. They should be looking at Killorn too, or others. I don't think anybody on either side feels any urgency at the moment.

 

[bernmeister]

Whats wrong with the preds? The major hard on for goalies and defencemen while completely neglecting the forward position. From what I read in the past, the preds don't make that much money so that would lead me to believe that they’d be looking to be closer to a cap floor. Idk.

hypothetical:
Vegas won AlexP sweepstakes they really only have to protect him and Shea in exp dr.
Are trying to move MAF he's 7m per x 2.

It's not clear LV has enuf in futures that I want that would work, but let's say they retain 3m per on MAF [who NY does not want] down to 4m.

Would you do a three way?

to NYR
from LV, minimum of
LV 2021 + 2022 1sts + NJ 2021 2nd
Cody Glass
+ something else mutually agreeable from LV

from Preds
NAS 2021 2nd + tomasino


to LV
Deangelo

to Nashville
from Rangers
Buchnevich + Strome
from LV
MAF retained


something like that?
Buch shoots lefty but does either W, proven good enuf to play w/Kreider + Zib,
Strome good facilitator with sniper [Panarin], will fit proportionately to his linemates and is a righty shot C who can slide to RW

in both cases, just want to avoid long term cap, and already give mo mins to Kakko, Krav, Chytil, Gauthier, and Nils L


Vegas adds possible emerging Zubov level RD they can protect in exp dr

Preds
get solid short term net boost, add rfa guys for now, both in mid 20s can be w/team another 4-5 yrs.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

The Preds can probably at least guarantee Hoffman a top-6 spot and PP-1 shifts, plus Duchene. Some of the other teams in the running, well, it's always possible Tortorella will be juggling around players who aren't meeting his stringent requirements, and Boston has some pretty good depth on the wings once they sign Debrusk and everybody is healthy.

But I have no idea if he likes playing with Duchene or not. It's not like Duchene is a very creative pass-first kind of center, so it doesn't strike me that they would have natural chemistry. He might hate playing with Duchene for all I know. I figure that's as likely a pro/con as anything, since it's the most obvious linemate the Preds would want to place him with. Outside of sheer $$$.

If he really wanted to be in Nashville, it would have happened already. They've talked enough that if there was going to be an easy fit, it would have been done basically right after Hall signed in Buffalo. Now Hoffman is waiting on teams who he'd rather play for to sort out their situations. Maybe he comes back to the Preds if those things don't work out. How much can Boston offer after signing Debrusk/Grzelcyk/Chara? Or Columbus after Dubois/Gavrikov? Sounds like he'd rather go somewhere else if he can. Meanwhile, the Preds wait. For now. But not just on Hoffman. They should be looking at Killorn too, or others. I don't think anybody on either side feels any urgency at the moment.

Yeah I think instead of Preds just looking for big names they should add forwards that fit their system. Their top line is set. Now get a center to work with Duchene like Haula. Then add some wingers like Kahun. Hes been good no matter where he played(Hawks, Pens, Sabres). Still mad the Pens traded Kahun for Sheary + at last years deadline. It killed our depth. Kahun can play all both LW/RW and good playmaker as well as being able to finish.

He may want 4 mil but imo thats the type of forward the Preds will be able to get production from. Even if its an overpay right now due to covid, it wont be over time.

So, Haula and Kahun instead of Hoffman for about the same price this year against their cap. Would be better off. Both would help fill out that lineup. Moving others down. And to get more production from Duchene. If they want to keep Duchene at Center...Kahun is a good enough playmaker to help him there. And if theyd rather have Sissons at 3C than Haula then just go after Anthony Duclair. Adding more speed to that lineup.

Duclair and Kahun would be nice additions.

2nd line...

Duclair - Duchene - Kahun

Letting Jarnkrok move down to 3rd line with Sissons. Either Rimaldi or Kunin at RW. Giving them a better 2nd line and 3rd.

 

[Oilers Propagandist]

hypothetical:
Vegas won AlexP sweepstakes they really only have to protect him and Shea in exp dr.
Are trying to move MAF he's 7m per x 2.

It's not clear LV has enuf in futures that I want that would work, but let's say they retain 3m per on MAF [who NY does not want] down to 4m.

Would you do a three way?

to NYR
from LV, minimum of
LV 2021 + 2022 1sts + NJ 2021 2nd
Cody Glass
+ something else mutually agreeable from LV

from Preds
NAS 2021 2nd + tomasino


to LV
Deangelo

to Nashville
from Rangers
Buchnevich + Strome
from LV
MAF retained


something like that?
Buch shoots lefty but does either W, proven good enuf to play w/Kreider + Zib,
Strome good facilitator with sniper [Panarin], will fit proportionately to his linemates and is a righty shot C who can slide to RW

in both cases, just want to avoid long term cap, and already give mo mins to Kakko, Krav, Chytil, Gauthier, and Nils L


Vegas adds possible emerging Zubov level RD they can protect in exp dr

Preds
get solid short term net boost, add rfa guys for now, both in mid 20s can be w/team another 4-5 yrs.

The knights already paid their price for wanting to sign pietro by giving away Schmidt. I have a hard time seeing Vegas that give away by trying to ship off Fleury for 2 years and help the Rangers. The defence on the knights is great as they have theodore and Pietrangelo on the top pairing, I am not sure any of this warrants the knights wanting to give away 2 1sts a second and other scraps for DeAngelo. As for the preds idk, my brain hurts.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

hypothetical:
Vegas won AlexP sweepstakes they really only have to protect him and Shea in exp dr.
Are trying to move MAF he's 7m per x 2.

It's not clear LV has enuf in futures that I want that would work, but let's say they retain 3m per on MAF [who NY does not want] down to 4m.

Would you do a three way?

to NYR
from LV, minimum of
LV 2021 + 2022 1sts + NJ 2021 2nd
Cody Glass
+ something else mutually agreeable from LV

from Preds
NAS 2021 2nd + tomasino


to LV
Deangelo

to Nashville
from Rangers
Buchnevich + Strome
from LV
MAF retained


something like that?
Buch shoots lefty but does either W, proven good enuf to play w/Kreider + Zib,
Strome good facilitator with sniper [Panarin], will fit proportionately to his linemates and is a righty shot C who can slide to RW

in both cases, just want to avoid long term cap, and already give mo mins to Kakko, Krav, Chytil, Gauthier, and Nils L


Vegas adds possible emerging Zubov level RD they can protect in exp dr

Preds
get solid short term net boost, add rfa guys for now, both in mid 20s can be w/team another 4-5 yrs.

Not appealing at all from a Preds POV. We help out Vegas and NYR both by eating a bunch of cap while also giving up our best prospect. In return we get Turris 2.0 (who we'll have to pay after having a "career year"), a goalie we don't need and Buchnevich. It also blows up our cap situation right after Poile pretty well fixed it this offseason. Much rather save the space to try for one impact forward and retain some cap space going forward (and keep Tomasino).

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

The fact they are running the same goalies will be their downfall again this season

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

The fact they are running the same goalies will be their downfall again this season

Saros was playing real well in the second half prior to the shutdown, then was pretty mediocre after the restart (though the whole team was). I think we may see Ingram given a shot if both our goalie stumble badly out of the gates. Shoring up our third pairing and PK will help a bit. Rinne is probably retiring after this season, so probably will be revisited next off-season, either Saros-Ingram or a shorter-erm signing until Askarov is ready.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Preds' ownership is in medical. It WAS in heart and respiratory rehabilitation but they pivoted to Long term occupational health. It should be easy to pivot back.

Also, Preds ownership approved canceling the first monthly payment to season ticket holders.

Either:

a) Preds ownership might be swimming in cash because ownership's projections for company look to skyrocket.

b) Preds are ok and are projecting a short season with prorated salaries. If you are a short cash team, a short season means less cash going out. Thus not so much of a rush to dump contracts. Rush to dump cap since that stays constant.

c) both a) and b)

Either way, the Predds are showing signs of a solid business.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

hypothetical:
Vegas won AlexP sweepstakes they really only have to protect him and Shea in exp dr.
Are trying to move MAF he's 7m per x 2.

It's not clear LV has enuf in futures that I want that would work, but let's say they retain 3m per on MAF [who NY does not want] down to 4m.

Would you do a three way?

to NYR
from LV, minimum of
LV 2021 + 2022 1sts + NJ 2021 2nd
Cody Glass
+ something else mutually agreeable from LV

from Preds
NAS 2021 2nd + tomasino


to LV
Deangelo

to Nashville
from Rangers
Buchnevich + Strome
from LV
MAF retained


something like that?
Buch shoots lefty but does either W, proven good enuf to play w/Kreider + Zib,
Strome good facilitator with sniper [Panarin], will fit proportionately to his linemates and is a righty shot C who can slide to RW

in both cases, just want to avoid long term cap, and already give mo mins to Kakko, Krav, Chytil, Gauthier, and Nils L


Vegas adds possible emerging Zubov level RD they can protect in exp dr

Preds
get solid short term net boost, add rfa guys for now, both in mid 20s can be w/team another 4-5 yrs.

lololololololololololololololololololololooloolololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololoolololololololololololol

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Preds might make out like bandits, not much cap left on most playoff teams and still a bunch of movement that needs to happen.