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2016 NHL Free Agency Thread

JamesNorthern

JamesNorthern

Active member
Do we already have one up? Apologies if we do. If not, let's get her started here.

So far I am very please with the additions the 2016 NHL entry draft have brought us. Outside of Gauthier, who still at 18 is somewhat of a longshot in fair expactations to make the club, the rest will continue developing in their respective amateur clubs. My feel on Gauthier is that at the very least he has an opportunity to win a start with the club and they will give him that 10 game audition.

Otherwise, I feel there is a little bit more work to be done in the forward ranks, particularly if we could land either a center but maybe even a winger.
Trade wise, I am not sure if there is any chance we could land RNH, of course, by now my feelings on him are probably quite known - I would very much like that we could land him. However, I am absolutely not ready to part with anybody in return named: Faulk, Slavin, Pesce or Fleury - so I am pretty sure that deal doesn't happen. Not club to club anyway. A three way deal? Even less likely.

On free agency, there are three players I will throw out here as potential short term guys (1-2 seasons):

- Darren Helm
- Jiri Hudler
- Frans Nielsen

The last is my favorite. Not sure though because he is going to get a lot of interest and is looking probably at least for a raise. He's a pretty dynamic, do it all centerman, good around the net and can also make some plays. Not the biggest but not small either. If we could entice him for a 1 year 4-4.5 million contract (or two at 4.5-5 million) maybe just maybe... but if he's looking for more term, which I would think he probably is then that might not fit our agenda (Nicolas Roy development)

Anybody else out there? I left out Okposo because I just don't think we have the budget for what he's looking for. Frans Nielsen? I think there's a chance. Could the great Dane forseeably become a Cane? :)

Thoughts?
 
The Canes have a gaping hole at #1 center at the moment. I'm not quite how that gets fixed or if it gets fixed this offseason or not, but at some point it needs to be addressed. If we don't do anything that puts Rask at #1 center and keeps Jordan at #2 center (#3 center still TBD). Granted Rask continues to grow but realistically he's not a #1 center, at least not yet.

There is no #1 center in the pipeline either. Maybe Nicolas Roy becomes that guy, but that is still 4-5 years down the road.
 
cmaleski2 said:
The Canes have a gaping hole at #1 center at the moment. I'm not quite how that gets fixed or if it gets fixed this offseason or not, but at some point it needs to be addressed. If we don't do anything that puts Rask at #1 center and keeps Jordan at #2 center (#3 center still TBD). Granted Rask continues to grow but realistically he's not a #1 center, at least not yet.

There is no #1 center in the pipeline either. Maybe Nicolas Roy becomes that guy, but that is still 4-5 years down the road.
Click to expand...

I think the Canes may want to circle back to Edmonton and see if Chiarelli is still shopping for a defenseman. You have to believe that Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle and Yakupov are all in play for the right deal. The Oilers were apparently still interested in Shattenkirk...but would they settle for a guy like Pesce or Slavin?

Yakupov's value apparently has fallen so low that the Oilers may have to settle for a 3rd round pick or another team's failed prospect (Murphy)...I see Yak as a guy that would be worth taking a flyer on for the Canes.
 
CanadaCanes said:
I think the Canes may want to circle back to Edmonton and see if Chiarelli is still shopping for a defenseman. You have to believe that Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle and Yakupov are all in play for the right deal. The Oilers were apparently still interested in Shattenkirk...but would they settle for a guy like Pesce or Slavin?

Yakupov's value apparently has fallen so low that the Oilers may have to settle for a 3rd round pick or another team's failed prospect (Murphy)...I see Yak as a guy that would be worth taking a flyer on for the Canes.
Click to expand...

Word is that with them drafting Puljujarvi unexpectedly, that Taylor Hall could be _somewhat_ included in that group.

Out of all their forwards the ones that I would like to see this way in order of pref:
-Draisaitil
-Nugent-Hopkins

-Taylor Hall - not likely at all. In fact least likely. Even with the addition of Puljujarvi
- Yakupov? I would take him either as a throw in to a bigger deal, or a separate deal. No way in hell is he worth Lindholm, not even straight up. But I would send em a decent prospect and say smurphy in return. Trevor Carrick or Roland Mckeown? Even that seems to be giving away to much for the risk. He's still young but you gotta be careful.
 
JamesNorthern said:
Offer them Ryan Murphy and Michal Jordan straight-up for Yakupov.
Click to expand...

Yakupov is a failed first round prospect that plays forward, Murphy is a failed first round prospect that plays defense, Canes need forwards, Oilers need defense...sounds like a Monty Hall Let's Make a Deal of the Day...
 
CanadaCanes said:
Yakupov is a failed first round prospect that plays forward, Murphy is a failed first round prospect that plays defense, Canes need forwards, Oilers need defense...sounds like a Monty Hall Let's Make a Deal of the Day...
Click to expand...

You see what I'm saying? ;)

Maybe we keep Jordan for the coming expansion draft. But Yakupov for Smurphy is a pretty even deal. AND Murphy shoots R. Maybe not THE guy they are looking for, but I agree, couldn't hurt considering both have been mostly 1st round busts.
 
CanadaCanes said:
Yakupov is a failed first round prospect that plays forward, Murphy is a failed first round prospect that plays defense, Canes need forwards, Oilers need defense...sounds like a Monty Hall Let's Make a Deal of the Day...
Click to expand...

Neither Murphy or Jordan are under contract. Murphy is a RFA, Jordan is a UFA.
 
Oh apparently Nielsen is seeking 6 mil per, on 4 years. We were WAY overpaying E. Staal for his production. While 6 million would be over paying for Nielsen (RNH, Hall, Eberle all make this price)? In 4 years will 6 mil be over paying for him? You could get RNH at the same price for the same term (left on his current contract) - but this would require a trade whereas Nielsen is an available UFA. One would cost salary plus asset going back, the other would cost only salary.
The other guy mentioned as maybe being available to allow his team more cap space if Nick Foligno. He's one season away from a breakout year of 71 points, followed by a mediocre one last season. He also has term until the 20/21 season, but at a more affordable rate @ 5.5 mil a season, which if he produces would most certainly be considered a bargain in 4 seasons.
The only issue about this is that he has a NMC and would have veto power on any deal.
Anyway.
 
JamesNorthern said:
Sorry andyt, in case of smurphy, being RFA does this exclude us from being able to be traded?
Click to expand...

No. You can trade his contract rights up until the (presumed) time you fail to offer him a qualifying offer. If they don't qualify him with an offer acceptable under the terms of the CBA, THEN he becomes a free agent and you can't get anything for him.

I figure if the Canes truly want to move Murphy, they'll be able to do so ... as long as they aren't real picky about what they get in return. IMO, he's not worth much. Maybe a 3rd rounder ... maybe a B level prospect. Maybe. Personally, I think he'd be best served to go to Europe and learn how to play a little bit of defense and then come back to the NHL market after a couple of years, a la Brian Rafalski. Otherwise he's just going to go frustrate somebody else.
 
Good call Christer, the Canes should stay far away from that nonsense.

If the Canes do make a play for an upper level UFA forward, which is still a stretch to me, I think they will go after Kyle Okposo pretty hard. He is exactly the kind of player (physical, RW, offensively capable) we could use on what is going to end up being our top line. I don't think we fix the #1 center issue this season:

Skinner-Rask-Okposo
Nordstrom-Staal-Nestrasil/DiGuiseppe
Teravainen-Lindholm-Aho
Bickell-McClement-Nestrasil/DiGuiseppe

If Aho makes the team AND we sign a UFA that is ticketed for a line above line 4, then McGinn is going to be a man without a roster spot again and will likely be on the Charlotte express all season (maybe even splitting time with DiGuiseppe in Charlotte). If we don't sign or trade for a forward then take Okposo out of that lineup, put DiGuiseppe on line 1 and McGinn somewhere. As cool as it would be to see all of that young talent, considering that this team needs to score more goals, that is not a lineup that is going to accomplish that.

Bottom line, unless Ronnie has some slick trade cooking that nets us an elite top line talent, the Canes better be planning on signing a top line UFA on July 1st, because what we have in the org now, while young and pretty exciting, is not a solution for the goal scoring woes that have killed us for a number of years. As much as I would love it to be the case, I don't expect that theoretical 3rd line above is going to explode for 60-80 goals, which would be what we would need from it if our top line ends up Skinner-Rask-DiGuiseppe.
 
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cmaleski2 said:
Good call Christer, the Canes should stay far away from that nonsense.

If the Canes do make a play for an upper level UFA forward, which is still a stretch to me, I think they will go after Kyle Okposo pretty hard. He is exactly the kind of player (physical, RW, offensively capable) we could use on what is going to end up being our top line. I don't think we fix the #1 center issue this season:

Skinner-Rask-Okposo
Nordstrom-Staal-Nestrasil/DiGuiseppe
Teravainen-Lindholm-Aho
Bickell-McClement-Nestrasil/DiGuiseppe

If Aho makes the team AND we sign a UFA that is ticketed for a line above line 4, then McGinn is going to be a man without a roster spot again and will likely be on the Charlotte express all season (maybe even splitting time with DiGuiseppe in Charlotte). If we don't sign or trade for a forward then take Okposo out of that lineup, put DiGuiseppe on line 1 and McGinn somewhere. As cool as it would be to see all of that young talent, considering that this team needs to score more goals, that is not a lineup that is going to accomplish that.

Bottom line, unless Ronnie has some slick trade cooking that nets us an elite top line talent, the Canes better be planning on signing a top line UFA on July 1st, because what we have in the org now, while young and pretty exciting, is not a solution for the goal scoring woes that have killed us for a number of years. As much as I would love it to be the case, I don't expect that theoretical 3rd line above is going to explode for 60-80 goals, which would be what we would need from it if our top line ends up Skinner-Rask-DiGuiseppe.
Click to expand...

A few tweaks I would like to see...Riley Nash over McClement for the fourth line center would be nice. Move Nordstrom down to that fourth line...as much as he showed good chemistry with Jordan and Nesty, he is a nice fourth line guy that can provide a few goals for that checking line. Bickell seems like a nice bottom 6 guy with size that can do some of the heavy lifting. In order to utilize the offense and style of play from PDG, I would like to see him play in the top 9 and not waste away on a fourth line. If Aho makes the team it has to be playing with some skilled guys like Skinner and/or Teravainen! For the amount of money the Canes are paying Jordan, give him a bit more of an offensive minded winger with Nesty to play with and hope for some more offense from the big guy.


Skinner-Rask-Newbie Forward
Lindholm-J. Staal-Nestrasil
PDG-Teravainen-Aho
Bickell-Nash-Nordstrom

McGinn
 
cmaleski2 said:
If the Canes do make a play for an upper level UFA forward, which is still a stretch to me, I think they will go after Kyle Okposo pretty hard. He is exactly the kind of player (physical, RW, offensively capable) we could use on what is going to end up being our top line.
Click to expand...

I would love to see Okposo here, but I fear that he is going to get a number of ridiculous offers, putting him out of our reach. I hope I'm wrong.
 
I did post that paying him (Frans) 6 million a year would be too much, but I am glad that we around here are able to explore full ideas and not get stuck on one thing they don't agree. Its like arguing with the wife getting stuck on a detail. Details are details. If there is a will - there is a way. Nobody said he SHOULD get that much money
:)

And to be honest, um, yeah I would like Okposo too. Duh.

You really think as sought after as he is that we'll be able to intice him AND compete with other offers out there and sign him? I'm not so sure about that... I'm thinking if Okposo is testing the waters from a decent club in the Islanders, he's looking for a big raise and a contenders ticket, nothing less. RF would have to be pretty magical in his overtures to intice Okposo to ignore what will certainly be offers that will blow the best thing we could come up with - out of the water. Especially after a certain Stamkos gets signed - if Okposo is still on the market - and I fully expect him to wait till Stamkos is signed - his value will go up along with the demand in return for his services.

Ok back to reality - nobody will pay that much for Nielsen (the 6 mil/4 years he's apparently looking for) then I think we have a better chance at picking him up at LESS than what he's asking and for less term. There's more chance at getting him, a responsible center too, than us landing an admittedly attractive piece on the wing in Okposo and the climate of over paying for him that will arise.

I think you are also missing the point - if RF can't swing for something more in line with where the team is going (permanent wise) - like acquiring a RNH or other capable #1 center, then you go temporary (1-2) seasons to fill the void with a guy who will give you that play, production and model for the younger guys, stick him on the third line behind Staal and Rask. Is that Nielsen? Maybe. Maybe not. Still as a third line pivot/temporary solution? We could do far worse.

But I would only be ok with that if we could land him at 4.5-5 for one season or 4-4.5 over two. Otherwise, overpaying. He score 71 points the season before last. He was payed short of 3 million for that production. How much were we paying Staal to stink it up here again? Yeah.

Otherwise, Helm and Huddler could work, but I am not sure they are going to bring us what we need.
 
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