Which of our big three FA's would you be willing to give up?

Squeeven

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Sep 15, 2010
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Unfortunately that dreadful time is approaching this off season where Marleau, Thornton and Boyle will all be UFA's and unless DW pulls some crazy magic out of his *** one or two of three guys that we all love may have to go. So let's just say that we can only re-sign 2 of these guys, which one of these three would you be willing to let walk? For me personally, it would unfortunately have to be Dan Boyle. I love the guy, I really do, he's a warrior and he's got a ton of heart, he's still arguably our best defenseman and he can still put up points but the way I see it we just need Marleau and Thornton more. As we're seeing, they can still dominate and they are the core of our offense. And I think many of you will agree with me when I say that we have more talented prospects on defense than on offense. Guys like Mueller, Acolatse, Abeltshouser, Petrecki (forgive me if I'm missing anyone) may soon be able to replace Boyle but replacing Marleaunand Thornton won't happen for a while. So who would you guys be willing to sacrifice?
 

Arrch

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Apr 11, 2011
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I also reject the premise. Are you taking into account the cap going up?

Buying out Havlat to keep all three of them is also an option, especially if Boyle shows he isn't done yet and our defense needs him.
 

KirbyDots

Registered User
May 10, 2011
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Me three. If the team has a good year I see them taking pay cuts. Also, the cap will most likely be going up so between that and whatever slight pay cuts we get on the big three it should cover the rest of the contracts/ raises due.
 

sr228

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Sep 16, 2007
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They don't have to let anyone 'walk' if they don't want to and it won't really take any kind of magic from DW to retain all three.

The offseason is still (hopefully) over 7 months away and a whole lot can happen between now and then.
 

Barrie22

Shark fan in hiding
Aug 11, 2009
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If i had to truely pick one to leave it would be boyle. This injury to boyle could ne the worst rhong for him and his sharks career. If boyle is gone for a few weeks/months and soneone steps up on defense like demers/braun/irwin it will give the aharks the idea that they can live on without boyle. So boyle will have to accept the sharks offer (which i think will not be more then 5.5 mil a year)
 

Squeeven

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Sep 15, 2010
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Toronto, Ontario
I also reject the premise. Are you taking into account the cap going up?

Buying out Havlat to keep all three of them is also an option, especially if Boyle shows he isn't done yet and our defense needs him.

My bad I actually forgot about the cap. How much will it be going up to? $70 million right? I'm not gonna lie though as much as I love him and want him to stay, I can see Marleau getting a bit greedy and not taking as big a pay cut as what Boyle and Thornton might take.
 

WantonAbandon

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Oct 16, 2011
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With the way the D is playing and Boyle's age, it would have to be Boyle. Since Marleau is playing some of the best hockey of his life, according to the poll there is some hardcore haters on this board....
 

vilpertti

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Jun 18, 2002
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None of them. Cap goes up by $6M anyways, there's room to keep them all with reasonable cap hits. Boyle's will go down a bit more I'd believe, Thornton and Marleau a bit less.
 

zombie kopitar

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I think a reasonable number for all 3 would be between 5-5.5 mil. Maybe that's a bit too optimistic but cap hits under 6 would go a long way.
imo in a perfect situation Jumbo at 3 years 5.5
Patty 3-4 years 5.25
Boyle 2 years 5

But I would not be surprised to see 5 players with even 6mil salaries on the roster next year.

This is a little off topic but I also was thinking how lucky we are to get to watch Jumbo, Couture, and Pavelski all center lines. There are a handful of teams that would kill to have any of those guys on their 1st lines. we get to have one on the ice practically at all times, then all together on the PP. Just a treat :)
 
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WantonAbandon

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Oct 16, 2011
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I think a reasonable number for all 3 would be between 5-5.5 mil. Maybe that's a bit too optimistic but cap hits under 6 would go a long way.
imo in a perfect situation Jumbo at 3 years 5.5
Patty 3-4 years 5.25
Boyle 2 years 5

But I would not be surprised to see 5 players with even 6mil salaries on the roster next year.

There really would be no reason for Marleau and Thornton to sign for that low. Their salaries would likely dip when they are both at the wrong side of 35. They aren't quite there yet. My guess is their next contract will be for two years

Now if the Sharks offer multiple years to Boyle, they could get considerable savings.
 

VanIslander

A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Sep 4, 2004
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The Sharks are winning without Boyle and Matt Irwin is really stepping it up, with Marleau playing the point at times on the powerplay (moving back from the half boards). So Boyle seems like the odd man out.

Six year, 6+ million per for Patty and Joe with NTCs if they like. Let them retire a Shark. They both have years of game in them and if they are long in the tooth toward the end of the next contract and only see Bottom-6 minutes then so be it. San Jose is where they ought to end up and their jerseys be raised side by side in the Shark Tank. Make it so.
 

Pinkfloyd

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Oct 29, 2006
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I think a reasonable number for all 3 would be between 5-5.5 mil. Maybe that's a bit too optimistic but cap hits under 6 would go a long way.
imo in a perfect situation Jumbo at 3 years 5.5
Patty 3-4 years 5.25
Boyle 2 years 5

But I would not be surprised to see 5 players with even 6mil salaries on the roster next year.

This is a little off topic but I also was thinking how lucky we are to get to watch Jumbo, Couture, and Pavelski all center lines. There are a handful of teams that would kill to have any of those guys on their 1st lines, we get to have one on the ice practically at all times, then all together on the PP. Just a treat :)

Marleau and Thornton should both be at 6 mil for two or three years. Boyle should have a low base with easy bonuses that will get him to the same level but on one year deals with a movement clause that benefits him how he prefers. That will help him and the team in terms of utilizing cap space and overages.
 

Gene Parmesan

Dedicated to babies who came feet first
Jul 23, 2009
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The Sharks are winning without Boyle and Matt Irwin is really stepping it up, with Marleau playing the point at times on the powerplay (moving back from the half boards). So Boyle seems like the odd man out.

Six year, 6+ million per for Patty and Joe with NTCs if they like. Let them retire a Shark. They both have years of game in them and if they are long in the tooth toward the end of the next contract and only see Bottom-6 minutes then so be it. San Jose is where they ought to end up and their jerseys be raised side by side in the Shark Tank. Make it so.

Matt Irwin has been an absolute disaster without Boyle. If anyone is stepping up its Demers, Vlasic and Braun.
 

Pinkfloyd

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Oct 29, 2006
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The Sharks are winning without Boyle and Matt Irwin is really stepping it up, with Marleau playing the point at times on the powerplay (moving back from the half boards). So Boyle seems like the odd man out.

Six year, 6+ million per for Patty and Joe with NTCs if they like. Let them retire a Shark. They both have years of game in them and if they are long in the tooth toward the end of the next contract and only see Bottom-6 minutes then so be it. San Jose is where they ought to end up and their jerseys be raised side by side in the Shark Tank. Make it so.

I doubt either player wants to sign a contract that long. It's not what their tendency has been. Jumbo has signed three year deals his entire career. Marleau can has gone anywhere between two and four years. There's no reason to go longer at this point as I doubt either side would be too comfortable with it.

Give both Jumbo and Marleau one more term contract at this level then go to one year bonus contracts as long as they want to play here. It will maximize their ability to be competitive by utilizing the overage available to all teams that have players with bonuses in their contracts.
 

Fistfullofbeer

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May 9, 2011
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Whidbey Island, WA
The Sharks are winning without Boyle and Matt Irwin is really stepping it up, with Marleau playing the point at times on the powerplay (moving back from the half boards). So Boyle seems like the odd man out.

Six year, 6+ million per for Patty and Joe with NTCs if they like. Let them retire a Shark. They both have years of game in them and if they are long in the tooth toward the end of the next contract and only see Bottom-6 minutes then so be it. San Jose is where they ought to end up and their jerseys be raised side by side in the Shark Tank. Make it so.

Don't think so. He has been average at best. Maybe he gets better as the season goes on but he has really been a disaster in our own zone.

Only way I see Boyle not getting re-signed is if we get an FA signing next off-season and/or DW can pull a trade for a PPQB D-man.

As much as I would like one our younger guys to take over Boyle's offensive production I just do not see any of them doing that.
 

sr228

Registered User
Sep 16, 2007
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Matt Irwin has been an absolute disaster without Boyle. If anyone is stepping up its Demers, Vlasic and Braun.

Both Irwin and Demers have looked good on the PP, neither have been good at ES in the last couple of game.

The Sharks are pretty much running with a top D pairing and two bottom D pairings right now.
 

Gene Parmesan

Dedicated to babies who came feet first
Jul 23, 2009
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Both Irwin and Demers have looked good on the PP, neither have been good at ES in the last couple of game.

The Sharks are pretty much running with a top D pairing and two bottom D pairings right now.

Pretty much but the weakest link in the chain has been Irwin. Demers has been a little more reliable at evens as long as he doesn't try to do too much.
 

zombie kopitar

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Jul 3, 2009
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Pretty much but the weakest link in the chain has been Irwin. Demers has been a little more reliable at evens as long as he doesn't try to do too much.

I dont know about that,it seems Demers has a horrid even strength giveaway every game. Irwin isn't always the best in his own end but at least he's not regularly coughing it up down there.

As far as top PP time goes, Braun, Irwin and Demers have all been given a chance up there, and all have shown why we need Dan Boyle. Imo Braun's shot is the best at getting to the net, he just needs to be given that opportunity a little bit more and also not always pass it on the PP cause that's what he seems to be doing.
 

AstroDan

Stars, cars, guitars
Jan 29, 2009
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6
NorCal
I also reject the premise. Are you taking into account the cap going up?

Buying out Havlat to keep all three of them is also an option, especially if Boyle shows he isn't done yet and our defense needs him.

This
 

Gene Parmesan

Dedicated to babies who came feet first
Jul 23, 2009
84,758
2,406
California
I dont know about that,it seems Demers has a horrid even strength giveaway every game. Irwin isn't always the best in his own end but at least he's not regularly coughing it up down there.

As far as top PP time goes, Braun, Irwin and Demers have all been given a chance up there, and all have shown why we need Dan Boyle. Imo Braun's shot is the best at getting to the net, he just needs to be given that opportunity a little bit more and also not always pass it on the PP cause that's what he seems to be doing.

No Irwin gets danced at the blue line and beat to every loose puck and beat on the boards by smaller players despite being a big guy.
 

Timos Death Stare

Seek and Destroy
Aug 9, 2008
3,831
77
CA
All things are possible with a Burish buyout... (I increased the cap by 3mil from 64.3 to 67.3). I really think Burish will get bought out - even moreso than Havlat. If Havlat comes back and has a half decently effective season, I don't see them getting rid of him the following season seeing as he only has one year left. It'd be nice to see Patty and JT take a small discount, but they won't take a huge one like some here want. Too much pressure from the NHLPA when looking at comps and if they continue to play like they have, they don't deserve to take a significant pay cut.

FORWARDS
Tomas Hertl ($1.350m) / Joe Thornton ($6.700m) / Brent Burns ($5.760m)
Patrick Marleau ($6.500m) / Logan Couture ($6.000m) / Martin Havlat ($5.000m)
Raffi Torres ($2.000m) / Joe Pavelski ($6.000m) / Tyler Kennedy ($2.350m)
Matt Nieto ($0.925m) / Andrew Desjardins ($0.750m) / Tommy Wingels ($1.200m)
James Sheppard ($0.872m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Marc-Edouard Vlasic ($4.250m) / Justin Braun ($1.250m)
Matt Irwin ($1.000m) / Dan Boyle ($5.500m)
Brad Stuart ($3.600m) / Jason Demers ($2.250m)
GOALTENDERS
Antti Niemi ($3.800m)
Alex Stalock ($0.688m)
OTHER
Buyout: Adam Burish ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $67,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $67,744,000; BONUSES: $590,833
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $146,833
 

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