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Tootoo and RFA Sound Off

July 27, 2013, 10:42 AM ET [385 Comments]
Ian Esplen
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Follow me on twitter @IanEsplen for talk about hockey, sports and life in general anytime


Tootoo Available?

It’s being rumoured right now that Jordin Tootoo may be available. As I noted in yesterday’s offer Friday blog the Red Wings have about a million dollars left with both Andersson and Nyquist to sign. With Tootoo locked up for two more years at 1.9 million per, he is one of the trade options the Red Wings have on their list.

Tootoo would give Vancouver that “search and destroy” type, character guy for the bottom-six. While his cap hit may be a tad high, that will be reflected in any possible trade. If I’m Gillis, I offer up a fourth-round-pick for him and see what happens.

Would you deal for Tootoo?


RFA Sound Off

Most NHL teams have been off for about two months now, but what ceases to amaze me is the amount of real good RFAs that are still unsigned.

To date, the list includes:

Alex Pietrangelo
Zach Bogosian
Nazem Kadri
Cody Hodgson
Cody Franson
Mikkel Boedker
Marcus Johansson
Gustav Nyquist
Derek Stepan
Adam Henrique


In my opinion, every player on this list should be a player that their teams want to hold on to and build around. Because of that, I see no reason or logic as to why their teams insist on nickel and diming them.

Leafs fans; do you not want Kadri for the next 6-8 years?
Blues fans; do you not want Pietrangelo for the next 6-8 years?
And Devils fans; do you not want Henrique for the next 6-8 years?

The answer to those questions, and any other questions surrounding the above players should be yes.

You’ve drafted the player, you’ve developed the player and now that player is looking very much like the future of your team.

Now I won’t pretend to know each one of these players and the discussions that have gone on between the two camps in the past few months. But right now, from this outsider’s point of view, it sure as heck looks like the future/current stars of the Leafs, Blues, Jets, Sabres, Caps, Yotes, Wings, Devils and Rangers are being treated like dirt and being forced to wait while dumb money has been handed out to mediocre players.

Now to me, that’s not how I would be treating my future stars. Personally, if I’m sure I want a guy for 5+ years. I figure out how to get said player’s name on a contract for 5+ years. And at the very least I’m giving fair value to that player as well.

These player s should be a priority not an after thought.

And shockingly, for the most part, the last five Cup winners tend to agree with me by the course of their actions.

Lucic, Bergeron, Krejci, Toews, Keith, Kane, Doughty, Voynov, Kopitar, Brown, Crosby, Malkin and Letang are all excellent examples. Their teams knew they wanted to keep them – while in some cases the term was only three years – and they paid them fair market value.

I’m sure there was money there to be saved if management decided to go that route, but they chose to have a happy, loyal player rather than one that will be pissed off down the road.

Well that's a wrap.

Ian


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