Free Agent "Frenzy" Day

[Madcombinepilot]

Pius signs in St. Louis. 2 years, $4M AAV. Guess Allvin couldn't clear the space.

It is an excellent fit for the player and the Blues, IMO. Doesn't seem like a "win" for Suter financially; I would have thought at that AAV he could have gotten more term, but maybe he is betting on himself. If he scores more that 20 each of the next two seasons, he'll get a raise.

You'd have to think he was offered that from Vancouver before free agency, no?

That's pretty good money for what he brings to the table. It seems like a good fit.

I have no idea how they would have fit that under the cap here; it would have taken some maneuvering.

Would have had to have not let the past management trade for OEL

[Tciso]

A Sea of Defencemen.

^^^^ an ocean of urine ^^^^

Blobby, you don't have to drink the yellow Kool aide. Put the cup down.

[Madcombinepilot]

There will be some trades available later in the summer as teams try and get under the cap.

Be patient, hopefully Allvin doesnt make any mistakes.

[Tciso]

[
I don't think anyone is counting on Cootes to be a 2C any time soon - if ever.

I expect he will be in 4 or 5 years. A few games in year 3. 30 games year 4 as a 4th liner, and 60 games year 5 as a mostly ready 2/3 center. Then, 17 more years as a #2 center (40 is the new 32??? Lol).

Seriously, a #15 pick is expected to be top 6. Cootes will get there. He isn't coming in at 19, but he will come.

.

[Lancer]

[
I don't think anyone is counting on Cootes to be a 2C any time soon - if ever.

I expect he will be in 4 or 5 years. A few games in year 3. 30 games year 4 as a 4th liner, and 60 games year 5 as a mostly ready 2/3 center. Then, 17 more years as a #2 center (40 is the new 32??? Lol).

Seriously, a #15 pick is expected to be top 6. Cootes will get there. He isn't coming in at 19, but he will come.

.

Consensus on this draft was that it was centre-heavy and talent-shallow. No generational talent, and even the "1st-line star/1st-pairing" cutoff in prospects probably stopped between 5 and 10. A lot of prospects tabbed as good 2nd-pairing D and middle-6 forwards leaning towards 3rd liners. I'm not dissing management's pick or the kid himself; it's just a statement on the quality of prospects at this last draft.

If the kid hits as projected, Vancouver looks to have a really good 3C who can help the team contend. If he makes it as a less-speedy, slightly-less-asshole Kesler clone at 2C, then that's found money. I don't think anyone really expects him as the 2C option down the road. If he tops out as a matchup 3C with offensive production, then management done good.

[Lancer]

Ehlers to Carolina. Six years at an AAV of $8.5 million.

Not disappointed he didn't sign in Vancouver. Not that it's a wild overpayment, but just doesn't seem like the right fit for that money. Brock comes cheaper (AAV-wise, but a year longer), and Ehlers doesn't play centre.

We'll see if that's enough for Carolina to get over the hump.

[Hockey Widow]

It is likely the Canucks added the 7th year. They were hard on 40 million and Boeser was hard on 50 million. They had offered a max of 8 per year on a 5 year. To go to 50 million on a 6 year would make the cap to high. So I think once they agreed on cap and once they new they would have to move off of 5 years, taking it to 7 made the cap work for them.

I liked Ehlers but we could not afford him. Besides he is one of several players who rebuked Canucks simply because they wanted to play in the USA. I'm happier keeping Boeser TBH rather than getting Ehlers. I'm also stoked that 3 USA players chose to stay with the Canucks. This bodes well for next July 1st.

[Meds]

Ehlers to Carolina. Six years at an AAV of $8.5 million.

Not disappointed he didn't sign in Vancouver. Not that it's a wild overpayment, but just doesn't seem like the right fit for that money. Brock comes cheaper (AAV-wise, but a year longer), and Ehlers doesn't play centre.

We'll see if that's enough for Carolina to get over the hump.

Ehlers is also a total disappearing act in the playoffs, whereas Boeser has 23 points in 29 games. Ehlers has 21 points in 45 games.

The sample size is only half as big as Ehlers, but that's not an insignificant consideration.

[Chef Boi RD]

At some point we have to see what we have in Raty. This is the year to let him prove himself. A centre may come free into the season. Maybe not. But lets not rush it.

HW, if you listen to the media 2/3 of league are looking for a #2 C. A trade will be damn expensive and any UFA will damn expensive for the foreseeable future.

Canucks are best to do nothing and hope Cootes continues to develop.

Cootes is projected to be 4 years away.....that doesn't bode well for the current roster construction.

4 years? I’ll be senile by then, if not already

[Chef Boi RD]

[
I don't think anyone is counting on Cootes to be a 2C any time soon - if ever.

I expect he will be in 4 or 5 years. A few games in year 3. 30 games year 4 as a 4th liner, and 60 games year 5 as a mostly ready 2/3 center. Then, 17 more years as a #2 center (40 is the new 32??? Lol).

Seriously, a #15 pick is expected to be top 6. Cootes will get there. He isn't coming in at 19, but he will come.

.

Mercer, Benson, Jarvis, Johnston to name a few drafted outside the top 10 have made early impacts in the NHL. Never say never my friend.

[UWSaint]

Ehlers to Carolina. Six years at an AAV of $8.5 million.

Not disappointed he didn't sign in Vancouver. Not that it's a wild overpayment, but just doesn't seem like the right fit for that money. Brock comes cheaper (AAV-wise, but a year longer), and Ehlers doesn't play centre.

We'll see if that's enough for Carolina to get over the hump.

Ehlers is a good player, streaky from game to game but consistent season to season. He'll make some boneheaded plays, but he puts the defense on their heels. His production came despite being on the 2d PP unit most seasons in Winnipeg and not having the kind of ice time that players who regularly get 60 point have.

His deal is Boeser money but minus one year (hence the higher AAV). He's a year older than Boeser, too, so they will be the same age at the end of their contracts -- and one way to look at that is that a larger percentage of the Ehlers contract will be spent in the post-33 yo predict-a-decline years. I, too, like the Boeser deal more for Vancouver than this one. But based on cap space and teammates and style, I like Ehlers in Carolina more than I'd like Boeser in Carolina (if I were Carolina).

It is interesting as the frenzy dies down to observe that the top end contracts for the players who moved clubs (Marner, Ehlers) were relatively reasonable, especially given the projected aggressive cap increases. The head scratchers were those mid-players getting signed for highly suspect AAV or term.

[Blob Mckenzie]

At some point we have to see what we have in Raty. This is the year to let him prove himself. A centre may come free into the season. Maybe not. But lets not rush it.

HW, if you listen to the media 2/3 of league are looking for a #2 C. A trade will be damn expensive and any UFA will damn expensive for the foreseeable future.

Canucks are best to do nothing and hope Cootes continues to develop.

Cootes is projected to be 4 years away.....that doesn't bode well for the current roster construction.

Who projects Cootes to be four years away? First I heard of this.

[Nuckertuzzi]

All projections I've heard/read on Cooties sound remarkably similar to those of Kesler, Hodgson and Horvat. Not so much style of player (tho some comparisons with all three can be made) but rather their realistic expectations in terms of floor and ceiling. All middle six, more likely solid 3C than 2C with 1C unlikely. Kes and Bo reached and played most of their careers at their ceiling. And both started with 4th line duty in their teens a year after their draft. Hodson wasn't too far off if health (and his parents) didn't derail things for him.

I'll take the Kes and Bo projections as a good omen all day long.

[Per]

I liked Ehlers but we could not afford him. Besides he is one of several players who rebuked Canucks simply because they wanted to play in the USA. I'm happier keeping Boeser TBH rather than getting Ehlers. I'm also stoked that 3 USA players chose to stay with the Canucks. This bodes well for next July 1st.

Ehlers is Danish, their country is flatter than Iowa*. The mountains probably scare him.

*highest "mountain" in Iowa: Hawkeye Point, 510 m
highest "mountain" in Denmark; Møllehøj, 170 m

Manitoba was a decent fit, Baldy Mountain is just 832 m, but BC?!
Forget about it.

[Tciso]

At some point we have to see what we have in Raty. This is the year to let him prove himself. A centre may come free into the season. Maybe not. But lets not rush it.

HW, if you listen to the media 2/3 of league are looking for a #2 C. A trade will be damn expensive and any UFA will damn expensive for the foreseeable future.

Canucks are best to do nothing and hope Cootes continues to develop.

Cootes is projected to be 4 years away.....that doesn't bode well for the current roster construction.

Who projects Cootes to be four years away? First I heard of this.

I predict it. Mid round picks typically take about 4 years to make an NHL impact. Cootes looks typical. Maybe he makes an impact in 27/28, but I wouldn't count on it.