Confirmed with Link: Zach Hyman to Toronto for Greg McKegg

[batting1k]

Eliotte Friedman reporting that Hobey Baker finalist and Panthers prospect Zach Hyman could becomew a UFA

Hyman had 22 goals and 54 points in 37 games in his senior year with the Wolverines, and in addition to being a Hobey Baker finalist, he was also named to the 2014-15 All-Big 10 First Team.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/hobey-baker-finalist-zach-hyman-potential-ufa/

Click to read more...

 

[angry_treefrog]

No big loss.

 

[RainingRats]

I just posted the same thing in prospects thread. It doesn't surprise me. We have too much quality young forward depth to compete with. Same thing that happened with Drew Shore is going to happen with Hyman and possibly others. If you want to make it to the NHL, you're better off going to an organization with little to no depth.

 

[EnforceTheLaus]

Yeah, sucks but really he has to prove himself at the next level. A great year as a senior isn't a sure bet at the pro level.

 

[flpanthers10]

No big loss.

I wouldn't go that far and saying no big loss. I have a feeling we might be kicking ourselves later over this one.

 

[IM Clutcm]

Hope he signs with the Panthers, but I understand if he wants to get on an NHL roster as fast as possible. Wish him all the best either way.

 

[FlaPanthers11]

Real team problems. Nice to have. I already feel like a Blackhawks fan.

 

[JP Mick]

What's the matter Hyman, scared of a little competition??? But seriously, is this just speculation by Friedman? I guess we'll know by mid August.

 

[harv33173]

you know what the nhl has to do something about this. it penalizes teams for good scouting and committing to a college player. it's really unfair to and org. has to be changed!!

 

[Juggernaut27]

Our RW is probably he shallowest spot in the orginization. Especially once Boyes and Jagr are gone in a year or two.

We have a bunch of guys like Jokinen and Pirri that do fine as a 2/3 RW but are probably better utilized on the LW. Leaving Hayes as our only established natural RW.

Grimaldi hopefully takes a spot next year and maybe we get (really) lucky and draft an NHL-ready winger but it seems pretty wide opened from here.

Hopefully just speculation.

 

[Brokin]

Hey Tallon just handed out a max ELC to undrafted Colin Stevens @$925,000. Knight was another guy who went for the big bucks in Calgary but found out the hard way that things can change overnight as far a prospect depth. Hyman is no dummy and I wouldn't blame him in the least for demanding $925,000 (which is top 5 money) just like Knight got from Calgary, and both guys are 5th round draft choices. I think the ball is in Tallon's court on whether he will want to offer him that kind of ELC.

 

[Dread Clawz]

The sky is blue.

Just because he could be a UFA, doesn't mean he will be. We have 5 months to sign him. This happens with every team's college kids.

 

[Ghoste]

The sky is blue.

Just because he could be a UFA, doesn't mean he will be. We have 5 months to sign him. This happens with every team's college kids.

Yeah, plenty of time.

-ghoste

 

[SoupyFIN]

I just don't see how he'd get a better chance with another team. Despite this good year he's having, he's still a marginal prospect and won't see any regular NHL time for at least another 2 years. By then the team could be ready to trade away the current veterans like Jokinen (traded many times, it's more likely that he's traded during this contract than staying) and Bolland (retain 1.5-2M and teams would line up to have him), to make room for youth. + The AHL squad is going to take a hit after this season; Howden should be ready for the NHL, Trocheck as well, Butler and Heatley probably walk. He'd get some big minutes in Portland.

And like Juggernaut already said, our RW depth is really weak. Is there a team with similar/better chance of cracking that position? Seems like a lateral move at best.

 

[batting1k]

I just don't see how he'd get a better chance with another team. Despite this good year he's having, he's still a marginal prospect and won't see any regular NHL time for at least another 2 years. By then the team could be ready to trade away the current veterans like Jokinen (traded many times, it's more likely that he's traded during this contract than staying) and Bolland (retain 1.5-2M and teams would line up to have him), to make room for youth. + The AHL squad is going to take a hit after this season; Howden should be ready for the NHL, Trocheck as well, Butler and Heatley probably walk. He'd get some big minutes in Portland.

And like Juggernaut already said, our RW depth is really weak. Is there a team with similar/better chance of cracking that position? Seems like a lateral move at best.

Agreed. With our RW depth, we're probably his best option.

 

[Android 16]

Is this a legit rumor or is it just a bunch of crap?

 

[batting1k]

Is this a legit rumor or is it just a bunch of crap?

No idea. Seems to stem from one statement made by Friedman. There's not much else that was said.

 

[echlfreak]

Eliotte Friedman reporting that Hobey Baker finalist and Panthers prospect Zach Hyman could becomew a UFA




http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/hobey-baker-finalist-zach-hyman-potential-ufa/

It is a loss. Any budding prospect who is having success that doesn't want to sign in FLA is a loss. This team needs more players to pan out. Thats how CHI, STL and LA turned into powerhouses. They took their lumps and developed players.

San Antonio is first in the AHL west division. So FLA is starting to turn the corner on refilling the cupboard. They need to sign him

 

[Brokin]

What players with marginal NHL talent like Hyman fail to understand by asking for a max contract ala Knight is you price yourself out of call ups to the parent club to show your wares. With Bonus $$$, those contracts can pay close to $4M per season, and unless you are a shoe in to make an impact at the NHL the first couple of years, you will end up playing most of your games in the AHL unless you are totally dominant at that level. Zach will get his contract from someone, but at his age he will become disenchanted and frustrated ala Knight because he will be relegated as "too expensive" for a look see at the NHL level.

I see Rau signed for the max of $925,000 also. A 3rd round pick with similar talent as Hyman except that he plays a grittier game. It looks like this seems to be the going rate for guys who play 4 years at college and have posted above average stats the last few years. It's definitely a crap shoot on a call up as Rau will be competing against guys like Brickley who don't have that kind of contract. All things being equal, who do you think will get the call up to the parent club for injury when the situation presents itself?

 

[batting1k]

What players with marginal NHL talent like Hyman fail to understand by asking for a max contract ala Knight is you price yourself out of call ups to the parent club to show your wares. With Bonus $$$, those contracts can pay close to $4M per season, and unless you are a shoe in to make an impact at the NHL the first couple of years, you will end up playing most of your games in the AHL unless you are totally dominant at that level. Zach will get his contract from someone, but at his age he will become disenchanted and frustrated ala Knight because he will be relegated as "too expensive" for a look see at the NHL level.

I see Rau signed for the max of $925,000 also. A 3rd round pick with similar talent as Hyman except that he plays a grittier game. It looks like this seems to be the going rate for guys who play 4 years at college and have posted above average stats the last few years. It's definitely a crap shoot on a call up as Rau will be competing against guys like Brickley who don't have that kind of contract. All things being equal, who do you think will get the call up to the parent club for injury when the situation presents itself?

Rau is is definitely a different story than Hyman. Rau has consistently posted a PPG pace in each of his 4 years in college whereas Hyman only broke out in his senior year. I think Rau can be serviceable on the 3rd line and his ceiling may even be the 2nd line (won't make it there though) but I wouldn't say Rau is a marginal NHL talent...certainly not compared to Hyman.

 

[Brokin]

Rau is is definitely a different story than Hyman. Rau has consistently posted a PPG pace in each of his 4 years in college whereas Hyman only broke out in his senior year. I think Rau can be serviceable on the 3rd line and his ceiling may even be the 2nd line (won't make it there though) but I wouldn't say Rau is a marginal NHL talent...certainly not compared to Hyman.

What I meant by marginal is their initial first or second year at the pro level. Rau has been pretty much the same guy production wise since he started playing for the Gophers. He has been good from the get go, but certainly not a dominant force at the collegiate level. I think his game is suited for the pro level because he's not afraid to get his nose dirty, but I think if the Cats have a choice of bringing up him or Brickley next year on an injury call-up, I think Brickley gets the call hands down due to his contract. Now a caveat to that would be if Rau is so dominant at the AHL level that Tallon is forced to have a look see. However, I don't see that happening if at all for a few years.

 

[vendetta]

What I meant by marginal is their initial first or second year at the pro level. Rau has been pretty much the same guy production wise since he started playing for the Gophers. He has been good from the get go, but certainly not a dominant force at the collegiate level. I think his game is suited for the pro level because he's not afraid to get his nose dirty, but I think if the Cats have a choice of bringing up him or Brickley next year on an injury call-up, I think Brickley gets the call hands down due to his contract. Now a caveat to that would be if Rau is so dominant at the AHL level that Tallon is forced to have a look see. However, I don't see that happening if at all for a few years.

It will depend on the injury I think...depends what role needs to be filled... also I don't think money will play a part in who's called up anymore... the best, most deserving player will come up... a couple tract difference of a couple hundred thousand won't make any differemce

 

[Brokin]

It will depend on the injury I think...depends what role needs to be filled... also I don't think money will play a part in who's called up anymore... the best, most deserving player will come up... a couple tract difference of a couple hundred thousand won't make any differemce

Brickley's max with bonus $$$ if I remember from Cap Geek was around $800K, where usually a guy who signs at the salary max of $925K maxes out with bonus $$$ close to $4M. This is what kills Knight from being looked at on a call up as a 5th round draft choice. Paying that kind of $$$ to a 5th rounder on a call up for any length of time is unheard of unless you are dominant at the AHL level. Knight has never been dominant and it will remain to be seen if Hyman and Rau folllow in his footsteps.

IMO, Grimaldi is also going to have to be substantially better than Trocheck next year in order to pull ahead of him on the Panther depth chart. Vince's contract with Bonus $$$ is about 25% of Grimaldi's. Of course, shipping Vince out in a trade at the draft would ease that discussion.

 

[SoupyFIN]

Brickley's max with bonus $$$ if I remember from Cap Geek was around $800K, where usually a guy who signs at the salary max of $925K maxes out with bonus $$$ close to $4M. This is what kills Knight from being looked at on a call up as a 5th round draft choice. Paying that kind of $$$ to a 5th rounder on a call up for any length of time is unheard of unless you are dominant at the AHL level. Knight has never been dominant and it will remain to be seen if Hyman and Rau folllow in his footsteps.

IMO, Grimaldi is also going to have to be substantially better than Trocheck next year in order to pull ahead of him on the Panther depth chart. Vince's contract with Bonus $$$ is about 25% of Grimaldi's. Of course, shipping Vince out in a trade at the draft would ease that discussion.

Except the bonuses for rookies are meaningless if they don't spend the entire year with the NHL team, lead the team in scoring, win an award etc. Also a change from the old CBA, bonuses don't count against that year's cap anymore, they carry over to the next year. So all the max rookie ELC contracts only count 925k against the cap.

I'm pretty sure it's more strict too, as to what you can have as the limit to reach those bonuses, unlike with 35+ contracts where you can just have games played (Jagr's contract with NJ for example).

 

[Brokin]

Except the bonuses for rookies are meaningless if they don't spend the entire year with the NHL team, lead the team in scoring, win an award etc. Also a change from the old CBA, bonuses don't count against that year's cap anymore, they carry over to the next year. So all the max rookie ELC contracts only count 925k against the cap.

I'm pretty sure it's more strict too, as to what you can have as the limit to reach those bonuses, unlike with 35+ contracts where you can just have games played (Jagr's contract with NJ for example).

Very good points about performance bonus $$.

"A" Bonus money of up to $850,000 is pretty flexible, highly negotiable, and attainable depending upon your agent and negotiating position. "B" Bonus money up to $2M is off the table unless you are good enough to win a major award ala Huberdeau for the Calder. The team and the league contribute to this bonus.

The $850,000 used to be available to only top 5 overall picks, but I think it is regularly included in just about any college graduate who is in a strong enough position to command it based on their college performance. I don't think you need to play a whole year to reach minimums for certain performance bonus' to kick in. Goals, assists, ice time, plus/minus and other performance based achievements can be low, high, or somewhere in between, although it is common sense that you need the ice time to achieve these milestones.

In any case, you are correct that the overall bonus picture is skewed to reflect a greater disparity than actually exists, but it still doesn't detract from the fact that you can have two or three hundred thousand difference in annual salary and close to $750,000 in "A" bonus money that is attainable if that player is given the opportunity at the NHL level.