The Official 2026 Off-Season Thread: Revenge of the Nerds
- Thread starter MindzEye
- Start date
axlsalinger
Well-known member
LeafGm
Well-known member
Mats Zuccarello is another one—frustrating to see him sign for 1 year/$1M while we were throwing major term & dollars at 4th liners.
Maybe he specifically wanted to go to LA and wouldn’t have come here. But still frustrating to see a couple of guys who are well-rounded players and who combined for over 100 points last year only cost 1-2 year deals and about $2.5M less in AAV than Roslovic & Sissons.
hockeylover
Well-known member
I don't think this is a new philosophy from most of the people who are complaining at all.
This is a consistent complaint about approach to free agency for like the last two decades I've been posting here is to just aim for higher.
I can see they big game hunted on D! Fantastic.
I can even sorta squint and see they big game hunted on Bob even if I totally disagree with them.
I think they aimed pretty low for the forwards personally.
This is a consistent complaint about approach to free agency for like the last two decades I've been posting here is to just aim for higher.
I can see they big game hunted on D! Fantastic.
I can even sorta squint and see they big game hunted on Bob even if I totally disagree with them.
I think they aimed pretty low for the forwards personally.
zeke
Well-known member
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Yup. It would be very hypocritical for me to pretend I love what they did. Basically everything they did, I've vocally hated for years. It doesn't mean I'm right, but I try to not be hypocritical!
Most 1st overalls don’t get to play with Matthews or Nylander all season on a playoff(ish) calibre team. He should be 55-60 points at a min if he gets PP1 time
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Stolarz is definitely a goner. If Arty gets some games in and shows he can stick, maybe during the year. If not, then next offseason.
Not sure about McCabe. I think they might like him since he’s good and sort of a D version of the forwards they just signed. But he’s probably itching to trade him and add his own guy.
I mentioned the two year thing the other day. Those six guys going ufa in two years make a combined $19m+. And there’s next to no chance any will be here for 2028. So the stage would be set to just add McDavid to this group, or plan b Werenski. But we still didn’t have to give these deals out. Arvidsson signed for two years. There are still unsigned guys out there who would do the same.
I’ll give them this, though. They didn’t just chase every rando and sign whoever said yes. It seems like they carefully targeted these guys specifically and “got their man” by overpaying in each case. These are actually their first choices out of the group. All we can do is hope they are the smartest guys in the room and that it pans out.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
View: https://x.com/i/status/2073064685113430131
An even bigger x factor than McKenna is this guy being vintage Matthews. If he's that guy, this is a playoff lock, even if a whole bunch of other stuff goes wrong.
My biggest concern is that bob sucks dick and they're too afraid to sit him because he demands to be played, like what happened in Florida last year. That's the ultimate bear case. They're kind of locked into Bob, I have a feeling they're gonna play him regardless, so he better be average.
Hoss
Well-known member
pages and pages of negative nelly's here. jeebus.
All saying the same thing, relax guys. We have had ZERO goaltending for over a decade plus, and we get a stanley cup winning vet to go with our goalie that we liked but can't play too much... so we get a guy who knows how to train and plays all the time. The criticism is silly.
and all of the fourth liners all do something we have been crying for as well, and what always shows up in the play offs for third and fourth liners. Guys who can skate, forecheck and can pop in goal based on the turnovers.
So much negativity
All saying the same thing, relax guys. We have had ZERO goaltending for over a decade plus, and we get a stanley cup winning vet to go with our goalie that we liked but can't play too much... so we get a guy who knows how to train and plays all the time. The criticism is silly.
and all of the fourth liners all do something we have been crying for as well, and what always shows up in the play offs for third and fourth liners. Guys who can skate, forecheck and can pop in goal based on the turnovers.
So much negativity
hockeylover
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LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
Playoffs are a lock regardless. I don’t know what you’re concerned about.
Bob can’t sink them. The team in front of him didn’t turn out to be the best it could’ve been after July 1, but it’s still very good. But who knows, maybe Chaykes ruins it with a Rielly dump or Knies trade.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
Lock is aggressive unless Matthews is 50+ goal Matthews. Should still be a playoff team, but there is some downside risk that you can't rule out. Plus they don't play in the Pacific
View: https://x.com/i/status/2072783358627574229
hockeylover
Well-known member
we spent 16 million bucks on just the bottom 6 two days ago.
i'm not going to pretend i wasn't hoping for better use out of that money. if anyone has an issue with that, you can ignore me.
i'm not going to pretend i wasn't hoping for better use out of that money. if anyone has an issue with that, you can ignore me.
hockeylover
Well-known member
kinda thought the metro would be a bit lower compared to the atlantic.
LeafOfFaith
Well-known member
I think you’re vastly underrating what McKenna, Raddysh, healthy Knies, Hiller, no Benoit/Myers/Domi/Danza/bums is going to do for the team. It doesn’t hinge on if Matthews reverts to beast version. We’re annoyed by the depth choices and prices but they still improve the team. If health permits, we’ll finish 4th or 5th at worst.
Preston
MBow30 alt account
No I'm aware of how good they can be. Tremendous upside, and should be solidly in the playoffs. You're just underrating the amount of downside risk there is in some of their players.
hockeylover
Well-known member
No one here is upset with Raddysh, we're all very pumped for McKenna, we're all excited for no Berube, we all love getting rid of Carlo, Benoit etc.
Some people don't believe in Bob at 3x7m and think 20m could've been spent better. That's all anyone's complaining about and I think it's totally fair.