2020 Offseason Miscellaneous Thread

[CanadaCanes]

The Athletic had a great piece this morning on the upcoming chaos in the NHL as it relates to the free agent frenzy and the trades to get some teams under the cap enough to sign the players they need and want!

The GM's most consistent trend they are seeing is it’s hard to establish pricing right now. "The traditional price paid, from a free agent to a trade, is out the window because teams are strapped. Budgets are kicking in. You end up doing things you wouldn’t have thought. That’s what’s going on.”

 

[jeffbear]

The Athletic had a great piece this morning on the upcoming chaos in the NHL as it relates to the free agent frenzy and the trades to get some teams under the cap enough to sign the players they need and want!

The GM's most consistent trend they are seeing is it’s hard to establish pricing right now. "The traditional price paid, from a free agent to a trade, is out the window because teams are strapped. Budgets are kicking in. You end up doing things you wouldn’t have thought. That’s what’s going on.”

Chaos favors the bold, but it also favors the prudent. This is the kind of off season where being aggressive in the market could yield some immediate benefits, but being overly aggressive could set you up for a train wreck. I like that Carolina doesn't have a ton of NHL needs right now, and that they have some serious salary issues coming up in 2021. That will serve to keep them on the fringes of the nonsense, I think. And I'm comfortable on the fringes right now.

 

[andyt]

After his last four seasons, Ryan should just be happy if his phone rings at all.

Well, he did have a hattie his first home game back...and 2 more for the rest of the season

 

[andyt]

Pens re-sign goalie Tristan Jarry to a 3 year/$10.5 million contract.

 

[andyt]

The long-rumored Robin Lehner deal is complete. He signs a 5 year/$25 million contract with Vegas. Salary and bonus breakdown isn’t available yet.

Flyers re-sign goalie Brian Elliott to a 1 year/$1.5 million contract. He was coming off a 1 year/$2 million deal.

Coyotes place forward Michael Grabner On waivers for the purpose of buying him out. He had 1 year left on a 3 year/$10.05 million contract but the 2020-21 actual was $3.775 million.

 

[andyt]

Per LeBrun, here is the breakdown on Lehner’s contract.

Lehner contract breakdown:
2020-21, $2M SB and $1M salary
2021-22, $5M salary
2022-23, $6.5M salary
2023-24, $6M salary
2024-25, $4.5M salary

 

[cmaleski2]

There is the example of a contract with low salary next season. I expect to see more of that.

 

[andyt]

There is the example of a contract with low salary next season. I expect to see more of that.

Even the signing bonus is low. IIRC the escrow also starts coming down in the 22-23 season.

 

[andyt]

The LA Kings acquired dman Olli Maatta from the Blackhawks for minor league forward Brad Morrison. Chicago is also retaining about $750k of Maatta’s $4.083 cap hit on a contract that has 2 years remaining. Morrison spent last year in the ECHL, scoring 6 goals in 17 games.

 

[jeffbear]

The LA Kings acquired dman Olli Maatta from the Blackhawks for minor league forward Brad Morrison. Chicago is also retaining about $750k of Maatta’s $4.083 cap hit on a contract that has 2 years remaining. Morrison spent last year in the ECHL, scoring 6 goals in 17 games.

Why tho? Their D sucks with or without Maata and he's not changing anything back there .... as one could see from his stint in Chicago. Even with Chicago chipping in you're paying more than $3 million for a guy who doesn't help much if any, and is getting noticeably slower every season.

 

[jeffbear]

Per LeBrun, here is the breakdown on Lehner’s contract.

Lehner contract breakdown:
2020-21, $2M SB and $1M salary
2021-22, $5M salary
2022-23, $6.5M salary
2023-24, $6M salary
2024-25, $4.5M salary

I still feel like Lehner is criminally under-paid in this deal.

 

[NoMich]

I still feel like Lehner is criminally under-paid in this deal.

Yeah, my initial reaction was: this is a great deal for Vegas. He seems undervalued

 

[SlapShots]

Why tho? Their D sucks with or without Maata and he's not changing anything back there .... as one could see from his stint in Chicago. Even with Chicago chipping in you're paying more than $3 million for a guy who doesn't help much if any, and is getting noticeably slower every season.

I remember when Maata was in juniors playing for the London Knights and I thought he was going to be one of those dominant NHL defenders...

 

[NoMich]

Isn't that crazy? When someone is in a youth league, you just let the numbers and eye test speak for themselves and move them up, right? But when the pro leagues scout a kid, they have to think beyond what they see happening on the ice right now. Is this kid at their ceiling now, or will they continue to physically grow and develop as a player and become a franchise bedrock?

 

[jeffbear]

I remember when Maata was in juniors playing for the London Knights and I thought he was going to be one of those dominant NHL defenders...

I mean, the guy had had some really solid years but I get it ... he was a bright prospect for sure. Big tool kit, good frame, and the offense always looked like it would come for him. Nope ... never did, and his mobility seems to have gotten worse in his mid to late 20s, which is weird. Maybe it's a confidence/decision making problem and can be corrected. I dunno, but he was bad his last year in Pittsburgh and worse in his season in Chicago. That's a heck of a hole to climb out of and LA looks most likely to be thinking he can pull top pairing minutes ... which would mean dragging around Drew Doughty's overrated carcass. Seems like a HUGE ask.

 

[Paulie Walnuts]

Pitt bought out Jack Johnson with 3 years left on his deal.

 

[andyt]

The Pens bought out Jack Johnson. He had 3 years left with a AAV of $3.25 million, $8.25 million actual.

Dallas re-signed Andrei Sekara, 2 years/$3 million

Leafs re-signed Jason Spezza, 1 year/$700k

 

[andyt]

Wild trade forward Ryan Donato to the Sharks for a 2021 3rd rounder. He had 14 goals, 9 assists in 62 games, his first full season in the league. He’s going into the 2nd year of a 2 year/$3.8 million contract.

 

[jeffbear]

Wild trade forward Ryan Donato to the Sharks for a 2021 3rd rounder. He had 14 goals, 9 assists in 62 games, his first full season in the league. He’s going into the 2nd year of a 2 year/$3.8 million contract.

So that deal didn't end up including Dubnyk, eh? That has to be good news for Sharks fans who couldn't have been looking forward to a goalie tandem of Dubnyk and Smith.

 

[andyt]

So that deal didn't end up including Dubnyk, eh? That has to be good news for Sharks fans who couldn't have been looking forward to a goalie tandem of Dubnyk and Smith.

Separate transaction. The Wild send Dubnyk and a 2022 7th rounder to the Sharks for a 2022 5th rounder.