Paul McCann: Seven More Years of #ArvyHustle

David. Freaking. Poile.

Wow.
I'd say 6-7M would have been what he got considering most of that contract is UFA years.
4M?
That's just beyond words impressive.


If Poille was in Edmonton McD would have signed for 8.5M

Lot of bang for the buck with this signing.

David. Freaking. Poile.
- Predsboro

Is there even a debate that he's the best? He's literally built that team from scratch, just amazing. Maybe an all time great if he can get a cup or two with this group

And next season, no free agents of note to worry about signing. Saros is the only one getting a small raise, and that's it.

Johansen will sign on his B-Day 7/31 book-it !
Paul...happy to vote for you, but how bout a little more "buzz" and answer a question from time to time.

Watson, 3 years 3.3 mil Not bad

Love the Watson signing at that price too.

I wonder if Fisher is really going to retire. You have to give it one more year when you are that close to the Cup.........right?

Seems kind of risky for a guy with one good season (esp when you look at the drop off he had in the playoffs), but if it works out this is an amazing deal!

I wonder if Fisher is really going to retire. You have to give it one more year when you are that close to the Cup.........right?
- VopatsRash

Hopefully another year for Fish. He is the captain and they need him in the locker room.

With what Poile has done so far, he could easily give Johansen $8MM x 5 years, and still have plenty of room to sign Fisher this year for $2MM. Then, he's still got room to make deadline deals, trades, or even get ready to re-up with Ellis in a couple years for a couple million more than he makes now, and the same with Saros if he pans out as the long-term #1 goaltender.

This team is set up for a 4-5 year run. I hope they can close the deal at least once, because they have such a good combo of talent & value right now, it's almost ridiculous. In the early playoff runs for the Preds, I thought Trotz was the hero and Poile was the guy who might not last. But I see now that Poile had some financial shackles from the older ownership & the team he really wanted to build didn't jibe with the Trotz coaching style. It's clear he is a solid GM. We are luck to have him in Nashville.

Seems kind of risky for a guy with one good season (esp when you look at the drop off he had in the playoffs), but if it works out this is an amazing deal!
- cuethenoise

I agree, needs to show more than just one year for that kind of money.

Don't forget y'all need to find an AWAY goalie for the Finals next year with some of that cap space y'all think you've got...

Don't forget y'all need to find an AWAY goalie for the Finals next year with some of that cap space y'all think you've got...
- gk911

The cap space is there. It isn't a dream. Look at Cap Friendly or any of the others. Rinne played fine in the Away games in the first 3 series. The Penguins exposed the 3rd D pair, and the weakness of the reshuffled Centers with Johansen out. Laviolette had less to work with in terms of matchups there.

I take your point that Rinne was not as good on the road, but his worst games also came late in the playoff run. He played fine on the road early. Having Saros as a guy who can start 25 games during the season might save some wear & tear. And might also give the Preds a good spot starter in the playoffs or certain situations like that. Then, about the time Saros is ready to step up into the full time starter role, Rinne will be retired, or play a back-up role for a reduced salary.

Trust me, the Preds are fine from a Salary Cap standpoint.

Don't forget y'all need to find an AWAY goalie for the Finals next year with some of that cap space y'all think you've got...
- gk911

I don't know, Rinne seemed to do pretty good in the United Center ...

#SWEEP

Again...last time I checked, sweeping a team, is the same as winning a game 7 in double secret overtime in the first round...neither gets you a Stanley Cup ring around your finger. So we beat Preds in Round 1 in 2010, and 2015...who cares. That's nothing to brag about. You gotta finish to hoist the Cup. Pressure increases each round. And whether you like it or not, Rinne folded in Pittsburgh...not just in my eyes, but in many other fans around the league, who see it objectively. And regardless of the D pairings, it's still a GREAT D in front of him. But you have to have great goaltending to win in the Finals, and if you don't have great goaltending, it sure as heck better be TIMELY goaltending. Rinne was not timely. Look...I was pulling for the Preds to win the Cup, and will do so next year if our Hawks bow out early, (which is entirely possible given our horrendous cap situation, and geriatric defense). I could be wrong, but so could y'all. And move on from sweeping us in the first round, cause you have ZERO Stanley Cup championships to date. Hawks have 6 championships, and 3 of those on Preds watch....booyah!

Poile

And move on from sweeping us in the first round, cause you have ZERO Stanley Cup championships to date. Hawks have 6 championships, and 3 of those on Preds watch....booyah!
- gk911

I'm happy to move on from sweeping Chicago. In fact I rarely mention it, even though it was a big moment in the Preds' less than 20 year history, compared to over 90 years for the hawks. So, expect Preds fans to move on from the sweep talk about the same time Hawks fans move on from talking about 6 championships. 3 of those were won when there were like 8 or 10 teams in the league, 60-80 years ago. And at least a couple of them, the Hawks had to win two 5-game series to get the cup. That's no comparison to what it takes to win the cup in the past 20-30 years. And yes, 3 championships in the past 7-8 years is an impressive feat. In any era, for any team. Can't take that away from the Hawks. But the Hawks wouldn't have any of those cups if they didn't suck so bad for the 10 years before the recent run of success, and end up getting to draft Kane, Toews & others at the top of the board.

Chicago is at the back end of this run. The Preds have approached building their team differently. And either can work - but I don't expect the Preds to ever be in the kind of salary cap jail the Hawks are in. In fact, if it wasn't for the salary cap lifeline the Hawks will get for Hossa this year, they would be in even worse shape. If they don't get hot in the next couple of years and challenge for another cup, it could be a long while before Chicago fans taste the late rounds of the SC playoffs again.

I'm happy to move on from sweeping Chicago. In fact I rarely mention it, even though it was a big moment in the Preds' less than 20 year history, compared to over 90 years for the hawks. So, expect Preds fans to move on from the sweep talk about the same time Hawks fans move on from talking about 6 championships. 3 of those were won when there were like 8 or 10 teams in the league, 60-80 years ago. And at least a couple of them, the Hawks had to win two 5-game series to get the cup. That's no comparison to what it takes to win the cup in the past 20-30 years. And yes, 3 championships in the past 7-8 years is an impressive feat. In any era, for any team. Can't take that away from the Hawks. But the Hawks wouldn't have any of those cups if they didn't suck so bad for the 10 years before the recent run of success, and end up getting to draft Kane, Toews & others at the top of the board.

Chicago is at the back end of this run. The Preds have approached building their team differently. And either can work - but I don't expect the Preds to ever be in the kind of salary cap jail the Hawks are in. In fact, if it wasn't for the salary cap lifeline the Hawks will get for Hossa this year, they would be in even worse shape. If they don't get hot in the next couple of years and challenge for another cup, it could be a long while before Chicago fans taste the late rounds of the SC playoffs again.
- holycow_75

Very good, as your comments always are.

And as far as a long time ago for the NHL, well there were four teams, three teams, six teams, eight teams before finally settling on the "Original Six" in 1942 which lasted for 25 or so years.

So yes, basically six teams in the NHL for 'ye olde Hawks. Four of the six teams in the league went to the SC finals every year - pretty decent odds in those days. Plus, teams could pay whatever salaries they wanted; they owned the players and could do with them as they please. What a difference it is today with 31 teams, free agency, a salary cap, etc.