Still interested if you had to go beyond 3-years and risk losing Laughton or Hagg or Raffl to expansion?
- Tomahawk

Another good point. I keep forgetting the expansion impact

Another good point. I keep forgetting the expansion impact
- Jsaquella

I reckon it ain't gonna be too much fun being a run-of-the-mill UFA these next couple of offseasons.

Read and AMac....Read and AMac. Please.

Of course Vegas will probably just screw us over and take Read and Cousins/Laughton. One of Cuz/Laughton has to get exposed. It's a very possible scenario.

I reckon it ain't gonna be too much fun being a run-of-the-mill UFA these next couple of offseasons.
- Tomahawk

That's why White needs a NMC

I reckon it ain't gonna be too much fun being a run-of-the-mill UFA these next couple of offseasons.
- Tomahawk

Expansion concerns-because Vegas won't be the end of it-and the stagnant cap will not help. I know that the players are likely to exercise the 5% escalator, even with the escrow, but it's not written in stone.

Also they can negotiate a less than 5% increase, according to something Dreger tweeted last week. So that could be a possibility, and maybe the cap actually stays stagnant, instead of going up $1-2mm.

Read and AMac....Read and AMac. Please.

Of course Vegas will probably just screw us over and take Read and Cousins/Laughton. One of Cuz/Laughton has to get exposed. It's a very possible scenario.
- Mononoke

Maybe Hextall flips one for a prospect or as part of a deal to move up

RANDY CARLYLE to be named next Ducks coach!

Way to (frank) up one of my favorite Western teams, Murray. All those great players....what a pity.

RANDY CARLYLE to be named next Ducks coach!

Way to (frank) up one of my favorite Western teams, Murray. All those great players....what a pity.
- Mononoke

Well he did win a Stanley Cup....with a handful of Hall of Famers, tremendous depth and great goaltending, but hey, he will have that now!!!

Maybe Hextall flips one for a prospect or as part of a deal to move up
- Jsaquella

I had that thought too. Still means someone like Cousins would get exposed, but he seems less likely to be taken than Laughton, former first round pick. Laughton isn't viewed as a center anymore apparently, his trade value is higher...if a team fancies Laughton in a trade up, it's a thought. Not sure he is so in demand though. Of course Griffin Reinhart fetched a 16th pick and a 33rd pick in a deep af draft (so bad lol).

RIP War-on-Ice

RIP War-on-Ice
- PhillySportsGuy

Guy who founded it will be wearing a 2016 Stanley Cup ring...nice way to go out

Well he did win a Stanley Cup....with a handful of Hall of Famers, tremendous depth and great goaltending, but hey, he will have that now!!!
- Jsaquella

Yep. In 2006-2007. I'm sure that will be the selling point to the fans: Randy can lead us to a Cup...after all, he has done so before!

Even though all evidence points to him being among the biggest ignoramus coaches in the NHL today. Berube would've been a far better choice, yeesh.

I had that thought too. Still means someone like Cousins would get exposed, but he seems less likely to be taken than Laughton, former first round pick. Laughton isn't viewed as a center anymore apparently, his trade value is higher...if a team fancies Laughton in a trade up, it's a thought. Not sure he is so in demand though. Of course Griffin Reinhart fetched a 16th pick and a 33rd pick in a deep af draft (so bad lol).
- Mononoke

True. I wonder if an expansion team would take MacDonald or Read over a kid like Cousins, if the Flyers were willing to flip them future considerations. Can only lose one player in expansion, so it buys them time.

Yep. In 2006-2007. I'm sure that will be the selling point to the fans: Randy can lead us to a Cup...after all, he has done so before!

Even though all evidence points to him being among the biggest ignoramus coaches in the NHL today. Berube would've been a far better choice, yeesh.
- Mononoke

He had things get away from him in Anaheim, and really had a bad situation in Toronto. Granted he made that bad situation worse, but it's not really an impressive resume outside of winning with Pronger & Niedermayer anchoring the D and having a deep forward group to boot.

I like Chief as an assistant. If another team were to give him a head coaching slot, great. Just don't want it to be my team.

Guy who founded it will be wearing a 2016 Stanley Cup ring...nice way to go out
- Jsaquella

It's really amazing how these guys keep getting scooped up. It's like NHL teams know they need to invest in analytics, but have no idea how to go about it.

Not saying these guys aren't worthy of getting these positions. It's just strange to see every site get shutdown year after year. You'd think an NHL team would go out and find some Stanford nerds who worked at Google for years or something. Just seems like they're like "Those guys run that website. They'll know what to do with these numbers!"

Guy who founded it will be wearing a 2016 Stanley Cup ring...nice way to go out
- Jsaquella

What team did he join? Going to assume it wasn't the Ducks

You'd think an NHL team would go out and find some Stanford nerds who worked at Google for years or something
- PhillySportsGuy

2Real and I declined

It's really amazing how these guys keep getting scooped up. It's like NHL teams know they need to invest in analytics, but have no idea how to go about it.

Not saying these guys aren't worthy of getting these positions. It's just strange to see every site get shutdown year after year. You'd think an NHL team would go out and find some Stanford nerds who worked at Google for years or something. Just seems like they're like "Those guys run that website. They'll know what to do with these numbers!"
- PhillySportsGuy

Just wait until Eklund gets the tap on the shoulder

True. I wonder if an expansion team would take MacDonald or Read over a kid like Cousins, if the Flyers were willing to flip them future considerations. Can only lose one player in expansion, so it buys them time.
- Jsaquella

I think a lot is going to depend on management. If it's some old school guy running the show, I can see them having interest in MacDonald because he's signed for multiple years and he has experience. They may view him as the perfect placeholder.

I imagine the expansion teams will show more interest in long term options/young talent. It's why I think Read wouldn't be attractive.

Just wait until Eklund gets the tap on the shoulder
- stayinthefnnet

He'll end each report with "more to come"

That's the issue in UFA. Right now as a fringe playoff team, a $3.5mm(actually a second) bottom six guy is a luxury they don't need
- Jsaquella

The market could bear that a guy like Helm gets closer to $3 million. They're going to have Streit and Schultz coming off the cap next year. Also, we'll see what Hexy does with MDZ. The way the UFA goalie market sets up the last couple of seasons, I would be surprised whoever is resigned long-term will make much more then Mason is making right now. After Gudas and Schenn are extended, who really on the currently on the roster is going to get a significant raise over the next 3 seasons? MDZ? I think Helm is much more a possibility then Nielsen.

In theory, you have better organizational depth coming over the next 2 seasons to fill out some of the winger positions (Leier, Konency, Lindblom, NAK). Right now, they have very little that can help them at center for the next couple of seasons.

It's really amazing how these guys keep getting scooped up. It's like NHL teams know they need to invest in analytics, but have no idea how to go about it.

Not saying these guys aren't worthy of getting these positions. It's just strange to see every site get shutdown year after year. You'd think an NHL team would go out and find some Stanford nerds who worked at Google for years or something. Just seems like they're like "Those guys run that website. They'll know what to do with these numbers!"
- PhillySportsGuy

I think it's kind of telling. I'm sure that teams do have deeper analysis than what we have access to as fans, but with all the guys who have managed to parlay stats sites or blogs into NHL gigs, there's got to be something to what they are doing.

Maybe it's as simple as teams seeing these guys do good work with the limited access they have and figure that they can really shine with all the tools. The analogy I'd use is a race team scouts a guy driving dirt tracks in a home built car and hires him to drive the stock car with the STP logo on the hood.

2Real and I declined
- Mononoke

I think a lot of it has to do with these sites being a bit of a bridge from old school to new school. These guys have been fans all their life and started a website dedicated to hockey. That's an easier sell than hiring a bunch of geniuses who don't know as much about the sport.

The market could bear that a guy like Helm gets closer to $3 million. They're going to have Streit and Schultz coming off the cap next year. Also, we'll see what Hexy does with MDZ. The way the UFA goalie market sets up the last couple of seasons, I would be surprised whoever is resigned long-term will make much more then Mason is making right now. After Gudas and Schenn are extended, who really on the currently on the roster is going to get a significant raise over the next 3 seasons? MDZ? I think Helm is much more a possibility then Nielsen.

In theory, you have better organizational depth coming over the next 2 seasons to fill out some of the winger positions (Leier, Konency, Lindblom, NAK). Right now, they have very little that can help them at center for the next couple of seasons.
- ravishingone

True. But in a non-win now situation, you could use the opportunity to develop Laughton or Cousins for those roles, rather than make a longer term commitment to a guy like Helm....or maybe see if a guy like Vern Fiddler takes a one year deal for less cash

I think a lot is going to depend on management. If it's some old school guy running the show, I can see them having interest in MacDonald because he's signed for multiple years and he has experience. They may view him as the perfect placeholder.

I imagine the expansion teams will show more interest in long term options/young talent. It's why I think Read wouldn't be attractive.
- PhillySportsGuy

I think you might be undervaluing the business of it. They need to hit a floor first of all, but most importantly, they have to drum up excitement. Getting pieces that could help make a competitive (but not really) team in the early years might be a chief concern for a team in a non-hockey market like Vegas. There's not exactly a rabid fan base there willing to have some excitingly bad first few years. It's why an expansion team there is so risky. Long term business model is what you just described, but these things can spiral out of control....then you have the Thrashers.