NHL Off-Season thread:Down goes Kane! (2 Viewers)

[Fat Nick]

Alex Prewitt ‏@alex_prewitt

Can confirm the Holtby arb numbers reported by @TimWharnsby: $8 million ask for the goaltender, $5.1 million offer by the Capitals.

Love me some Holtbeast but this sounds like he may be trying to force a longer deal out of the Caps.$8 million per puts him 2nd,I doubt they pay that.Hopefully they settle for longer term in the $6 range.

An $8M 1-year deal is a no-win for the Caps. If he plays up to his $8M contract, he'll want even more come renegotiation. If he doesn't, you're out a lot of money and probably just had a bad year. Admittedly it's better than $8M for multiple-years, but still...I'd be fine with a $6M 3-year deal.

 

[Foosball God]

8 million isn't an absurd amount for Holtby to be asking for. He has numbers to back himself up. I don't think he signs for less than 7 if it is a multi-year deal.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Puck Daddy on Holtby's value: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/how-much-is-braden-holtby-really-worth---trending-topics-212310399.html

 

[tom22406]

How the NHL arbitration works for those interested.

NHL salary arbitration is a tool available to settle some contract disputes. The player and team each propose a salary for the coming season, and argue their cases at a hearing. The arbitrator, a neutral third party, then sets the player's salary.

Most players must have four years of NHL experience before they are eligible for salary arbitration (the term is reduced for those who signed their first NHL contract after the age of 20).

The process is used by restricted free agents, because it is one of the few bargaining options available to them.

The deadline for players to request salary arbitration is July 5, with cases heard in late July and early August. A player and team can continue to negotiate up until the date of the hearing, in hopes of agreeing on a contract and avoiding the arbitration process.

Teams can also ask for salary arbitration. But a player can be taken to arbitration only once in his career, and can never receive less than 85 per-cent of his previous year's salary. There are no such restrictions on the number of times a player can ask for arbitration, or the size of the salary awarded.

A decision must be made within 48 hours of the hearing. When the decision is announced, the team has the right to decline, or "walk away" from the award. If the team exercises this right, the player can declare himself an unrestricted free agent.

The evidence that can be used in arbitration cases:

• The player's "overall performance" including statistics in all previous seasons.
• Injuries, illnesses and the number of games played.
• The player's length of service with the team and in the NHL.
• The player's "overall contribution" to the team's success or failure.
• The player's "special qualities of leadership or public appeal."
• The performance and salary of any player alleged to be "comparable" to the player in the dispute.
  
• Evidence that is not admissible:
  
• The salary and performance of a "comparable" player who signed a contract as an unrestricted free agent.
• Testimonials, video and media reports.
• The financial state of the team.
• The salary cap and the state of the team's payroll.

 

[AcerFC]

Well based on that, I expect Stepan to get a whole lot of money and im not sure the rangers can pay him.

 

[Parmcat]

This will make the Leafs sucking even more entertaining to watch.

Lou's a solid addition....

Now, who is going to play the role of Brodeur, Neidermayer and Stevens?

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Semin signed a 1-year deal with Montreal for just $1.1MM

great pickup for them.

 

[AcerFC]

I was listening to Sirius and the Seattle no bid makes a little more sense. They dont want an expansion. They are holding out for a relocation, preferably the Coyotes who got a 2 year reprieve in their stadium situation

 

[Fat Nick]

Semin signed a 1-year deal with Montreal for just $1.1MM

great pickup for them.

When he feels like showing up, he's an all-star...at that price, he's a bargain even if he only shows up for 50% of the games.

 

[QuizGuy66]

If I was a Leafs fan, I'd be worried about this move.

C'mon it's not like they hired Sather.

Anyway Leafs are my new 2nd favorite team for now.

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

I was listening to Sirius and the Seattle no bid makes a little more sense. They dont want an expansion. They are holding out for a relocation, preferably the Coyotes who got a 2 year reprieve in their stadium situation

Gotta think a relocation would be a more inexpensive option.

-QG

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I was listening to Sirius and the Seattle no bid makes a little more sense. They dont want an expansion. They are holding out for a relocation, preferably the Coyotes who got a 2 year reprieve in their stadium situation

Gotta think a relocation would be a more inexpensive option.

-QG

there's three different arena plans in Seattle. none of them are going to be inexpensive. I don't see wealthy people behind these plans looking for the "cheap" way.

there are only so many teams available and I'm sure they'd take whatever they could get. they just don't seem far enough along in Seattle yet given they can't agree on where to build or how to fund the new arena they need.

 

[QuizGuy66]

I was listening to Sirius and the Seattle no bid makes a little more sense. They dont want an expansion. They are holding out for a relocation, preferably the Coyotes who got a 2 year reprieve in their stadium situation

Gotta think a relocation would be a more inexpensive option.

-QG

there's three different arena plans in Seattle. none of them are going to be inexpensive. I don't see wealthy people behind these plans looking for the "cheap" way.

there are only so many teams available and I'm sure they'd take whatever they could get. they just don't seem far enough along in Seattle yet given they can't agree on where to build or how to fund the new arena they need.

500m expansion fee plus the arena seems materially more expensive

-QG

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

I was listening to Sirius and the Seattle no bid makes a little more sense. They dont want an expansion. They are holding out for a relocation, preferably the Coyotes who got a 2 year reprieve in their stadium situation

Gotta think a relocation would be a more inexpensive option.

-QG

there's three different arena plans in Seattle. none of them are going to be inexpensive. I don't see wealthy people behind these plans looking for the "cheap" way.

there are only so many teams available and I'm sure they'd take whatever they could get. they just don't seem far enough along in Seattle yet given they can't agree on where to build or how to fund the new arena they need.

500m expansion fee plus the arena seems materially more expensive

-QG

what if they wait and the Coyotes don't leave Phoenix? Then they have an arena with no tenant.

the money they saved won't be a big help to them in that scenario.

IMO, the Yotes don't make sense to stick in Glendale but they could still stay in the Phoenix market. It would be huge for them if they land local kid Auston Matthews in the lottery to go with Strome, Domi, Duclair, etc.

 

[Parmcat]

Semin signed a 1-year deal with Montreal for just $1.1MM

great pickup for them.

Best bongo player in the NHL

 

[Billy Bats]

Seattle, the city council, isn't agreeing to any arena deal without a guaranteed team to occupy it. The arena deal they have in place is only for a guaranteed NBA team which seems dead, so it's assumed they'll try and re-work that deal for an NHL tenant.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Seattle, the city council, isn't agreeing to any arena deal without a guaranteed team to occupy it. The arena deal they have in place is only for a guaranteed NBA team which seems dead, so it's assumed they'll try and re-work that deal for an NHL tenant.

that's just one of the 3 arenas being discussed though. Chris Hansen wants an NBA team first and they have funding lined up to build an arena downtown if that happens, but there were also groups trying to build an arena either in Tukwila or Bellevue but they are having trouble coming up with the funding.

Make no mistake: The three Seattle-area groups not only lack arenas but also the financial wherewithal to meet the NHL’s asking price of $500 million for an expansion franchise.


Chris Hansen and Victor Coleman in Sodo couldn’t come to a financial arrangement where they felt comfortable paying that fee alongside the arena’s $500 million price tag.

Tukwila arena builder Ray Bartoszek scoured Seattle and elsewhere in recent months seeking additional investors. From what I’ve heard, those courted wanted to know how a billion-dollar pledge toward hockey and an arena would prove profitable and they weren’t satisfied with the answers.

In Bellevue, they’ve had longtime NHL and NBA “power broker” Jac Sperling of Colorado offering to gift-wrap them a team-ownership group for months. The problem was finding somebody willing to pay staggering Bellevue real-estate prices to amalgamate land in the city’s Wilburton District and get an arena project launched.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/local-groups-have-work-to-do-before-getting-legitimate-shot-at-an-nhl-expansion-franchise/

 

[RUSF18]

5 year deal for Holtby. $$ will be known soon I'm guessing...

I remember speculating on the likely numbers a couple months ago in this thread but damn if I could find it now.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

5 year deal for Holtby. $$ will be known soon I'm guessing...

I remember speculating on the likely numbers a couple months ago in this thread but damn if I could find it now.

Ben Arledge ‏@ArledgeESPN 22s22 seconds ago

Like the Braden Holtby deal. No way he was going to get anywhere near $8M AAV. $6.1M is fair, and 5 years is a nice length for Washington.

Tim Wharnsby ‏@TimWharnsby 2m2 minutes ago

Holtby's breakdown 15-16 $3m salary & $3m signing bonus 16-17 $7m salary 17-18 $7m salary 18-19 $5m salary 19-20 $5m salary

 

[Billy Bats]

Seattle, the city council, isn't agreeing to any arena deal without a guaranteed team to occupy it. The arena deal they have in place is only for a guaranteed NBA team which seems dead, so it's assumed they'll try and re-work that deal for an NHL tenant.

that's just one of the 3 arenas being discussed though. Chris Hansen wants an NBA team first and they have funding lined up to build an arena downtown if that happens, but there were also groups trying to build an arena either in Tukwila or Bellevue but they are having trouble coming up with the funding.

Make no mistake: The three Seattle-area groups not only lack arenas but also the financial wherewithal to meet the NHLs asking price of $500 million for an expansion franchise.

Chris Hansen and Victor Coleman in Sodo couldnt come to a financial arrangement where they felt comfortable paying that fee alongside the arenas $500 million price tag.

Tukwila arena builder Ray Bartoszek scoured Seattle and elsewhere in recent months seeking additional investors. From what Ive heard, those courted wanted to know how a billion-dollar pledge toward hockey and an arena would prove profitable and they werent satisfied with the answers.

In Bellevue, theyve had longtime NHL and NBA power broker Jac Sperling of Colorado offering to gift-wrap them a team-ownership group for months. The problem was finding somebody willing to pay staggering Bellevue real-estate prices to amalgamate land in the citys Wilburton District and get an arena project launched.

http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/local-groups-have-work-to-do-before-getting-legitimate-shot-at-an-nhl-expansion-franchise/

That sucks, that area wants them some hockey. It seems that Hansen's arena deal is the only one that might work, but he hasn't sounded all too interested in being an NHL owner. You would think there's a marriage possible with the other groups as owners with Hansen's arena, but without an expansion fee in hand I guess it's pointless to even talk to each other.

 

[chet]

If both QC and LV get expansion teams, are they both likely to be in the Western Conference until realignment allows QC to swap with Detroit or someone else?

 

[RUSF18]

All I want to know is if one of them will take on Dan Girardi's contract.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

If both QC and LV get expansion teams, are they both likely to be in the Western Conference until realignment allows QC to swap with Detroit or someone else?

if they tried to move Detroit back. not sure that would go over very well.

I'm not sure they are going to expand, but if they do, then they could wind up with 8 4-team divisions which would theoretically keep all teams in close proximity to one another.

could put Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa in one division.

Then Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit or something.

NYR, NYI, NJ, and PHI in another

Tampa, Florida, Carolina, Capitals maybe in another.

etc.

 

[RUSF18]

6 years, $6.5MM AAV for Stepan.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

6 years, $6.5MM AAV for Stepan.

pretty good deal for the Rangers

 

[Fat Nick]

5 year deal for Holtby. $$ will be known soon I'm guessing...

I remember speculating on the likely numbers a couple months ago in this thread but damn if I could find it now.

Ben Arledge ‏@ArledgeESPN 22s22 seconds ago

Like the Braden Holtby deal. No way he was going to get anywhere near $8M AAV. $6.1M is fair, and 5 years is a nice length for Washington.

Tim Wharnsby ‏@TimWharnsby 2m2 minutes ago

Holtby's breakdown 15-16 $3m salary & $3m signing bonus 16-17 $7m salary 17-18 $7m salary 18-19 $5m salary 19-20 $5m salary

Good deal. No issues with that as a Caps fan, and I feel like Holtby should be pretty happy too.

 

[QuizGuy66]

If both QC and LV get expansion teams, are they both likely to be in the Western Conference until realignment allows QC to swap with Detroit or someone else?

I wouldn't be shocked if they keep Quebec in the west until and unless a team like say Florida moves to Seattle. If a team (and of course we mean Detroit or Columbus when we say this) is compelled to move to the Western Conference you can bet the Quebec owners will be made to make some sort of payment to that team to get them to agree to the move. This is not unprecedent as when the Devils came to New Jersey they had to pay Winnipeg for moving to the Campbell (aka Western) Conference.

-QG

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Greg Wyshynski ‏@wyshynski 2m2 minutes ago

Connor McDavid on NBC or NBCSN: Once, vs. Eichel, in March. Philadelphia Flyers on NBC or NBCSN: 18 times.

great job, NBC.

18 Flyers games?

 

[ffldrew]

Greg Wyshynski ‏@wyshynski 2m2 minutes ago

Connor McDavid on NBC or NBCSN: Once, vs. Eichel, in March. Philadelphia Flyers on NBC or NBCSN: 18 times.

great job, NBC.

18 Flyers games?

Comcast rules

 

[QuizGuy66]

If both QC and LV get expansion teams, are they both likely to be in the Western Conference until realignment allows QC to swap with Detroit or someone else?

if they tried to move Detroit back. not sure that would go over very well.

I'm not sure they are going to expand, but if they do, then they could wind up with 8 4-team divisions which would theoretically keep all teams in close proximity to one another.

could put Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa in one division.

Then Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh, Detroit or something.

NYR, NYI, NJ, and PHI in another

Tampa, Florida, Carolina, Capitals maybe in another.

etc.

The "or something" in your example essentially is sticking Columbus back in the Western Conference.

Pittsburgh and Philly getting split up is unlikely (but not impossible) - the Pens won't like that.

Splitting up Boston and Montreal is virtually impossible, though.

Buffalo will not like being split from Toronto.

The Caps would be unhappy but probably couldn't prevent this.

It is a fun exercise to try to make any alignment that seems fair and doesn't mess with the strong rivalries. Basically it's an almost impossible exercise.

The NHL has to be mighty unhappy that Seattle did not submit a bid. A 17/15 east/west natural alignment is not what they had in mind.

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Greg Wyshynski ‏@wyshynski 2m2 minutes ago

Connor McDavid on NBC or NBCSN: Once, vs. Eichel, in March. Philadelphia Flyers on NBC or NBCSN: 18 times.

great job, NBC.

18 Flyers games?

Comcast rules

Didn't think about that but yeah that does make sense regarding Comcast.

This does show how Edmonton's lottery win was truly everyone else's loss.

And barring him having literally Gretzky-lite numbers I think this will be the norm, unfortunately.

-QG

 

[QuizGuy66]

Seeing a deal like Holtby's makes me feel great as a Devils fan that we've gotten Schneider locked up at $6m for so long (nothing against Holtby, just love that we'll have a guy who's probably top-5 for a less than top-5 price for all those years).

Also happy that the Devils got a deal done with Larsson for 6 years and $25m. That's gonna look like a super bargain over the course of the contract as well.

My impression of the Stepan deal for the Rags is it's a shade high but if he's able to keep developing and with the cap surely increasing it'll probably be fine too.

-QG

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Pittsburgh

Montreal, Boston, Quebec, Ottawa

NY Rangers, NY Islanders, New Jersey, Philadelphia

Washington, Tampa, Florida, Carolina

Columbus, St Louis, Chicago, Nashville

Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg

Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota, Las Vegas

Anaheim, LA Kings, San Jose, Arizona

just throwing out another idea.

 

[Foosball God]

I like the idea of just having two divisions in each conference. Division winners get in and then you do the rest of the playoff teams by points in each conference.

 

[RUSF18]

Seeing a deal like Holtby's makes me feel great as a Devils fan that we've gotten Schneider locked up at $6m for so long (nothing against Holtby, just love that we'll have a guy who's probably top-5 for a less than top-5 price for all those years).

Also happy that the Devils got a deal done with Larsson for 6 years and $25m. That's gonna look like a super bargain over the course of the contract as well.

My impression of the Stepan deal for the Rags is it's a shade high but if he's able to keep developing and with the cap surely increasing it'll probably be fine too.

-QG

A bit of a strange stance considering Larsson has been a good defenseman for a half of a season.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

NHL Realignment Project

 

[QuizGuy66]

Seeing a deal like Holtby's makes me feel great as a Devils fan that we've gotten Schneider locked up at $6m for so long (nothing against Holtby, just love that we'll have a guy who's probably top-5 for a less than top-5 price for all those years).

Also happy that the Devils got a deal done with Larsson for 6 years and $25m. That's gonna look like a super bargain over the course of the contract as well.

My impression of the Stepan deal for the Rags is it's a shade high but if he's able to keep developing and with the cap surely increasing it'll probably be fine too.

-QG

A bit of a strange stance considering Larsson has been a good defenseman for a half of a season.

He's also like 22. It's been night and day - a big leap. He also was gonna be UFA in 3 years (7 years in the league) so they've locked him up 3 years beyond that.

I get the Rangers had to keep Stepan - not dissimilar from the Devs having to keep Henrique. More likely than not it'll work out fine but I think it's a bigger risk than what the Devils are doing with Larsson.

-QG

 

[Dickie Dunn]

NHL Realignment Project

Saw this one somewhere today ... don't know if it was one of the ones in that blog:

Metro: BOS, NYI, NYR, NJ

Atlantic: CBJ, PHI, PIT, WAS

Southeast: CAR, FLA, NSH, TB

Great Lakes: BUF, CHI, DET, MIN

Canada East: MON, OTT, QUE, TOR

Canada West: CAL, EDM, VAN, WPG

Southwest: COL, DAL, PHX, STL

Pacific: ANA, LA, LV, SJ

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Red Wings travel the least amount of miles of any team this year (after traveling among the most for two decades) but also have the 2nd most back-to-back games of any team in the league. Screw going back to that old arrangement.

 

[Foosball God]

Would Canadians want all their teams in just two divisions? Seems like they would want to be spread out more for a better chance of playoff matchups and shots at the cup.

 

[Christo]

Red Wings travel the least amount of miles of any team this year (after traveling among the most for two decades) but also have the 2nd most back-to-back games of any team in the league. Screw going back to that old arrangement.

Detroit and Chicago have to get back together so I can laugh at DD on a regular basis.

 

[QuizGuy66]

That last iteration seriously screws the Blues hard.

The more I look at this the more I think either 31 tams or Quebec in the West.

-QG

 

[tom22406]

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired Brandon Sutter and a third-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second-round pick.

http://www.tsn.ca/canucks-acquire-sutter-from-penguins-1.337295

 

[tom22406]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to terms with forward Eric Fehr to a three-year contract, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Jim Rutherford.

The deal runs through the 2017-18 season and has an average annual value of $2 million.

http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=775783&cmpid=pit-twt-penguins

 

[Bill Brasky]

Seeing a deal like Holtby's makes me feel great as a Devils fan that we've gotten Schneider locked up at $6m for so long (nothing against Holtby, just love that we'll have a guy who's probably top-5 for a less than top-5 price for all those years).

Also happy that the Devils got a deal done with Larsson for 6 years and $25m. That's gonna look like a super bargain over the course of the contract as well.

My impression of the Stepan deal for the Rags is it's a shade high but if he's able to keep developing and with the cap surely increasing it'll probably be fine too.

-QG

A bit of a strange stance considering Larsson has been a good defenseman for a half of a season.

He's also like 22. It's been night and day - a big leap. He also was gonna be UFA in 3 years (7 years in the league) so they've locked him up 3 years beyond that.

I get the Rangers had to keep Stepan - not dissimilar from the Devs having to keep Henrique. More likely than not it'll work out fine but I think it's a bigger risk than what the Devils are doing with Larsson.

-QG

would be a great deal had he shown really anything to this point. they should have waited another year or two to see if he's worth a long term deal. bit of a leap at this point.

 

[Bill Brasky]

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired Brandon Sutter and a third-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second-round pick.

http://www.tsn.ca/canucks-acquire-sutter-from-penguins-1.337295

yeah, that Bonino guy is every bit as good as Kesler. this just solidifies it.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired Brandon Sutter and a third-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second-round pick.

http://www.tsn.ca/canucks-acquire-sutter-from-penguins-1.337295

this is an interesting trade.

Sutter has 1 year left before becoming a UFA. He was a key piece in the Jordan Staal trade, but not sure he developed into the 2-way player they were expecting.

Bonino was the key piece in the Kesler trade. Can put up ok numbers in a secondary scoring role, but I assume he fits as a 3rd line C in Pittsburgh. Has 2 years left before becoming a UFA and costs $1.4MM less against the cap than Sutter.

Clendening provides some needed depth on the blue line at a low cost. 2nd round pick is a nice asset to pick up as well.

Pens also used the money they saved to help sign Eric Fehr to a 3-year, $6MM deal to provide some size on the wing.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

would be a great deal had he shown really anything to this point. they should have waited another year or two to see if he's worth a long term deal. bit of a leap at this point

yeah, seemed like a bit of an overpay on Larsson, but I don't think they'll regret that deal too much and it could certainly wind up becoming a bargain.

 

[Bill Brasky]

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired Brandon Sutter and a third-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second-round pick.

http://www.tsn.ca/canucks-acquire-sutter-from-penguins-1.337295

this is an interesting trade.

Sutter has 1 year left before becoming a UFA. He was a key piece in the Jordan Staal trade, but not sure he developed into the 2-way player they were expecting.

Bonino was the key piece in the Kesler trade. Can put up ok numbers in a secondary scoring role, but I assume he fits as a 3rd line C in Pittsburgh. Has 2 years left before becoming a UFA and costs $1.4MM less against the cap than Sutter.

Clendening provides some needed depth on the blue line at a low cost. 2nd round pick is a nice asset to pick up as well.

Pens also used the money they saved to help sign Eric Fehr to a 3-year, $6MM deal to provide some size on the wing.

it's a nice move for the Pens. unless you're crosseyed and have to sell your Sutter game worn jersey now.

 

[JaxBill]

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired Brandon Sutter and a third-round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a 2016 second-round pick.

http://www.tsn.ca/canucks-acquire-sutter-from-penguins-1.337295

this is an interesting trade.

Sutter has 1 year left before becoming a UFA. He was a key piece in the Jordan Staal trade, but not sure he developed into the 2-way player they were expecting.

Bonino was the key piece in the Kesler trade. Can put up ok numbers in a secondary scoring role, but I assume he fits as a 3rd line C in Pittsburgh. Has 2 years left before becoming a UFA and costs $1.4MM less against the cap than Sutter.

Clendening provides some needed depth on the blue line at a low cost. 2nd round pick is a nice asset to pick up as well.

Pens also used the money they saved to help sign Eric Fehr to a 3-year, $6MM deal to provide some size on the wing.

it's a nice move for the Pens. unless you're crosseyed and have to sell your Sutter game worn jersey now.

Seemed to me Brandon Sutter was a lightning rod for Pens' fans criticism.