LeBrun tweeted that the Canes have acquired Center Erik Haula from Vegas for Nicolas Roy. Haula had 2 goals, 5 assists in 15 games for Vegas last year but scored 29 goals in 17-18. Haula has 1 year left on a 3 year/$8.25 million contract. Vegas is in cap hell, $7.5 million over the cap with players to sign.
Canes Acquire Erik Haula
- Thread starter andyt
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Haula suffered a season ending knee injury in November but would have returned for the playoffs had Vegas advanced to the Western Conference Final. The type of injury was never disclosed, it the doctor who performed the surgery had only done it once before. He’s Finnish but spent a year at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, a year in the USHL and 3 years at the University of Minnesota.
TheBigKahuna
Well-known member
Meh. Ok swap of career minor leaguer for career 4th liner, aspiring 3rd liner.
The 29g season was an anomaly. Don't expect that to happen again.
I guess decent deal if Roy was done progressing.
The 29g season was an anomaly. Don't expect that to happen again.
I guess decent deal if Roy was done progressing.
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cmaleski2
Well-known member
I think you are substantially underestimating Haula. We just added an inexpensive potential 20+ goal center for pretty much nothing. The only risk is his health. He is a legit 3rd line guy who can play up.
brassbonanza
Canes Moderator
Solid deal.
TheBigKahuna
Well-known member
I hope so. We will see. But again, that 17-18 season is an anomaly. That entire team played over their heads. I think expecting 10-15 goals is much more realistic.
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
My armchair GM skills are paying off! I mentioned Haula as a potential center acquisition yesterday in the Canes offseason thread, blind squirrel finds a nut!!!
I like Haula as a steal for what the Canes gave up.
StormChaserBH
Well-known member
So to net out the recent activity (ignoring the 5th-7th round picks and assuming a Marleau buyout):
Canes trade DeHaan, Saarela, Roy, and $3.83M cash for Haula, Forsberg, Forsling, and TOR 1st round pick (likely 2020)
Canes trade DeHaan, Saarela, Roy, and $3.83M cash for Haula, Forsberg, Forsling, and TOR 1st round pick (likely 2020)
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
That's a better way to lay it out Bill to see the overall return.
de Haan's injury history and the fact he might have missed the first two months of the season was a risk, Roy and Saarela are both fringe NHL prospects that are soon to be passed over by better prospects in the Canes system and you paid out some cash for a coveted first rounder. You get back a third line center with some offense that scored 29 goals two seasons ago, a backup goalie that can maybe push the young kid in Ned to be better, a tweener defenseman that can be used as an up and down callup guy or seventh d-man and a very valuable second first round pick next year.
cmaleski2
Well-known member
Hard to tell if the Canes are done yet or not. Part of that depends on Justin Williams who needs to make a decision on next season sometime in the next day or 2 so the Canes can plan accordingly. But for purposes of this thread and trade, let's assume that Justin Williams is coming back. Our current forward crop could look something like this if the Canes didn't make any additional moves at forward:
Nino-Aho-Tuevo
Svech-Staal-Williams
Necas-Haula-Martinook
Foegele-Wallmark-McGinn
You can move a number of those wingers around. That's isn't terrible and all members of that 4th line are capable of playing up. None of those guys are 4th line stiffs.
If you are wondering about some of Haula's secondary stats:
* Haula is a plus in the faceoff circle (51.3% last season, 50.5% the season before as Vegas' top faceoff option, 53.9% his last season in Minny, 53.3% the season before that)
* As already noted, once Haula actually was given a chance to play on the PP with Vegas, he was a major contributor
* Haula's Penalty Killing responsibilities we considerably reduced when he moved to Vegas, but he has PK experience (I don't think that the Canes have a real need there)
* Shootout results?
18-19 1 for 2
17-18 1 for 4
Too small a body of work to draw a conclusion, and the way Brindy approaches shootouts I don't think the stats make any difference.
*
Nino-Aho-Tuevo
Svech-Staal-Williams
Necas-Haula-Martinook
Foegele-Wallmark-McGinn
You can move a number of those wingers around. That's isn't terrible and all members of that 4th line are capable of playing up. None of those guys are 4th line stiffs.
If you are wondering about some of Haula's secondary stats:
* Haula is a plus in the faceoff circle (51.3% last season, 50.5% the season before as Vegas' top faceoff option, 53.9% his last season in Minny, 53.3% the season before that)
* As already noted, once Haula actually was given a chance to play on the PP with Vegas, he was a major contributor
* Haula's Penalty Killing responsibilities we considerably reduced when he moved to Vegas, but he has PK experience (I don't think that the Canes have a real need there)
* Shootout results?
18-19 1 for 2
17-18 1 for 4
Too small a body of work to draw a conclusion, and the way Brindy approaches shootouts I don't think the stats make any difference.
*
StormChaserBH
Well-known member
Haula may not be the last Finn we add either... the rumors of a deal involving Puljujärvi (and Gauthier+ on our end) are heating up on the Interwebs
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
Williams coming back or not is definitely the decision maker in regards to having to add another winger and Necas and the camp he has is also a bit of a wildcard in terms of filling out the lines. I guess you could assume that if Necas is not quite ready out of camp that he gets beaten out by another prospect such as Gauthier or Kukkounen for his spot based on what Brindy sees for his style he likes.
I prefer Foegele on more of an offensive line in the top nine after the offense he showed in the playoffs moving forward.
First off, really nice piece of business. Roy was unlikely to move above 4th line duty any time soon and Huala is a proven NHLer on a really reasonable contract. Secondly, he's an upgrade in experience and talent over Wallmark ... both defensively and offensively ... and nicely solidifies Carolina's center situation. I still think we could take another step with a real No. 1 allowing them to shift Aho back to wing, but whatever. Big picture, if we got by just fine with Wallmark as the 3C for the bulk of last year, adding Huala makes you a fair amount better down the middle.
I don't really get the talk about Huala being a 4th liner. He's not. He finished up 2017-18 as the SECOND line center on the Cup runners-up. Yeah, he was buried in Minnesota, but so what? That franchise has been so defense-forward for so long that they barely know what to do with a guy who's a good player in the offensive zone but not quite a first liner. See Niederreiter, Nino for more evidence. Huala has produced points at a healthy clip on every single teams he's ever been on other than the Wild. If Carolina is planning to pair him with Necas on a secondary scoring line I think that's a really good fit. Oh, and apparently he was set to join the Knights in the 2nd round of the playoffs had they gotten past San Jose so his fitness should be a known quantity at this point. Knock the rust off of the guy and he should be good to go.
Welcome to New Finland Mr Huala. The first coffee is on us.
I don't really get the talk about Huala being a 4th liner. He's not. He finished up 2017-18 as the SECOND line center on the Cup runners-up. Yeah, he was buried in Minnesota, but so what? That franchise has been so defense-forward for so long that they barely know what to do with a guy who's a good player in the offensive zone but not quite a first liner. See Niederreiter, Nino for more evidence. Huala has produced points at a healthy clip on every single teams he's ever been on other than the Wild. If Carolina is planning to pair him with Necas on a secondary scoring line I think that's a really good fit. Oh, and apparently he was set to join the Knights in the 2nd round of the playoffs had they gotten past San Jose so his fitness should be a known quantity at this point. Knock the rust off of the guy and he should be good to go.
Welcome to New Finland Mr Huala. The first coffee is on us.
Yeah, that one not only has legs, it's starting to get up and walk around on its own. As a rumor, it's now a toddler.