The only sensible answer is to never again dip into the FA market, if that’s the case I’d be fine with that but we all know that isn’t going to happen. With every 29 yr old, you’re taking on some risk. Some may have more then others, but any contract can blow up in your face at any moment really. I just couldn’t build a team worrying about that.

Yes, age. I conceed to you and the rest of the anti-Karlsson group. Thank you good sir.
- tomburton99

Haven't been around enough to know, but you are for signing Karlsson?

Haven't been around enough to know, but you are for signing Karlsson?
- Pete V

Sup Pete. Hope all is well.

Haven't been around enough to know, but you are for signing Karlsson?
- Pete V

I think the majority of us are concerned about signing Karlsson

If everyone was gung ho about signing Karlsson, Tom wouldn't want to sign him

basically his schtick on this blog these days is just to be a doosh

I think the majority of us are concerned about signing Karlsson

If everyone was gung ho about signing Karlsson, Tom wouldn't want to sign him

basically his schtick on this blog these days is just to be a doosh
- jimbro83

anyone see Kakkos goal in world's!? Wow

anyone see Kakkos goal in world's!? Wow
- rrentz

yeah, we put the link up before, two different angles

AMAZING

anyone see Kakkos goal in world's!? Wow
- rrentz

I wonder if there is any thing he’ll do to change the devils front office mind. All the pundits I’ve been listening to don’t seem to think so

But regardless, we’re sitting pretty getting one or the other and that’s a beautiful thing

I think the majority of us are concerned about signing Karlsson

If everyone was gung ho about signing Karlsson, Tom wouldn't want to sign him

basically his schtick on this blog these days is just to be a doosh
- jimbro83

I'm pretty sure your brother, JRR and myself all have been in on Kalrsson the more and more he's gotten closer to UFA. But you've convinced me. Karlsson, can't have him. Too much risk, not enough reward.

I wonder if there is any thing he’ll do to change the devils front office mind. All the pundits I’ve been listening to don’t seem to think so

But regardless, we’re sitting pretty getting one or the other and that’s a beautiful thing
- Slimtj100

if they are watching this performance he is putting on vs Canada today, they have to think twice

I mean, he is playing against NHL all-stars and he is best player on ice

yeah, we put the link up before, two different angles

AMAZING
- jimbro83

Pretty sweet pass on that goal as well.

I'm pretty sure, your brother, JRR and myself all have been in on Kalrsson the more and more he's gotten closer to UFA. But you've convinced me. Karlsson, can't have him. Too much risk, not enough reward.
- tomburton99

dude, dont even try to make believe you have been engaging in reasonable conversation about Karlsson

you know what you do, you have no ability other to doosh it up, no matter what the topic

dude, dont even try to make believe you have been engaging in reasonable conversation about Karlsson

you know what you do, you have no ability other to doosh it up, no matter what the topic
- jimbro83

I've just said that he's in a group of a dozen guys or less, with multiple Norris trophies. I'm sorry I can't guarentee what he's gonig to do in the future. It's really tough to do that. Does he have an injury history? Yes? Does he produce better than almost every other defenseman currently in the NHL, yes? It's that not what I have been say everytime we discuss Karlsson? I can't use his Norris wins now. So I'm kind pigeonholed into be wrong about him.

The only sensible answer is to never again dip into the FA market, if that’s the case I’d be fine with that but we all know that isn’t going to happen. With every 29 yr old, you’re taking on some risk. Some may have more then others, but any contract can blow up in your face at any moment really. I just couldn’t build a team worrying about that.
- Slimtj100

There's risk with all free agents. However, some have more red flags than others. You have to measure the risks. You can't say that you wouldn't blink an eye at signing him when he is already starting to show cracks in the armor. Tavares contract could very well blow up in the face of the leafs, but there wasn't the red flags with him associated currently with Karlsson. WHen guys like Gomez, Shatty, and Richards don't work out, that's bad luck. Maybe you could say that they had some miles on them and therefore we should have taken warning, but Karlsson currently has one functioning leg. In a world where the cap goes up to 110 million, he would still eat at least 10% of the cap. If you are forced to buy him out after even 5 seasons, his cap hit is over a decade long. When signing someone like that, you pretty be darned well sure it's going to work out. Not only will he cost us cap space if it's a bust, but he also blocks the cavalry of young dmen coming up.

Panarin is a different animal. He has no such red flags and we can sign him to a position where the franchise currently needs answers in the short and long term. It's very well possible that he could be a complete bust as well. However, I would sleep a little easier knowing that we tried to upgrade on a position of need and the fact there is no real red flags that his production will fall off a cliff. Plus, it's easier to hide forwards 5 on 5 and give a ton of power play time to than a defender. It's why I think even today Jagr could make an NHL roster.

If we really want to sign a free agent defender, I would go after an Alex Edler. He's decent offensively, but more importantly he will cost less money and term. If we are contending faster than we thought, he's a reasonable roster defensmen. If he's a bust, he won't be around enough to clog around the prospect pipeline. He also could have value if our prospects take a little longer to get ready than we'd like.

The only sensible answer is to never again dip into the FA market, if that’s the case I’d be fine with that but we all know that isn’t going to happen. With every 29 yr old, you’re taking on some risk. Some may have more then others, but any contract can blow up in your face at any moment really. I just couldn’t build a team worrying about that.
- Slimtj100

But thats just black and white. There are a ton of other variables that go into what FA you will sign and the risk the team is willing to take. You can't just say well if you think the risk on one FA is too much you don't pursue any of them

But thats just black and white. There are a ton of other variables that go into what FA you will sign and the risk the team is willing to take. You can't just say well if you think the risk on one FA is too much you don't pursue any of them
- mdw7413

what's annoying is being labeled "you just dont want Karlsson" when you bring up the injury concern

if you are paying a guy 11 million a year and he misses 1/3 of the games? you are (frank)ed

San Jose paid him 6.5 mil this season, they could handle that cap hit with him missing all those games

There's risk with all free agents. However, some have more red flags than others. You have to measure the risks. You can't say that you wouldn't blink an eye at signing him when he is already starting to show cracks in the armor. Tavares contract could very well blow up in the face of the leafs, but there wasn't the red flags with him associated currently with Karlsson. WHen guys like Gomez, Shatty, and Richards don't work out, that's bad luck. Maybe you could say that they had some miles on them and therefore we should have taken warning, but Karlsson currently has one functioning leg. In a world where the cap goes up to 110 million, he would still eat at least 10% of the cap. If you are forced to buy him out after even 5 seasons, his cap hit is over a decade long. When signing someone like that, you pretty be darned well sure it's going to work out. Not only will he cost us cap space if it's a bust, but he also blocks the cavalry of young dmen coming up.

Panarin is a different animal. He has no such red flags and we can sign him to a position where the franchise currently needs answers in the short and long term. It's very well possible that he could be a complete bust as well. However, I would sleep a little easier knowing that we tried to upgrade on a position of need and the fact there is no real red flags that his production will fall off a cliff. Plus, it's easier to hide forwards 5 on 5 and give a ton of power play time to than a defender. It's why I think even today Jagr could make an NHL roster.

If we really want to sign a free agent defender, I would go after an Alex Edler. He's decent offensively, but more importantly he will cost less money and term. If we are contending faster than we thought, he's a reasonable roster defensmen. If he's a bust, he won't be around enough to clog around the prospect pipeline. He also could have value if our prospects take a little longer to get ready than we'd like.
- 2sticks1puck

There's risk with all free agents. However, some have more red flags than others. You have to measure the risks. You can't say that you wouldn't blink an eye at signing him when he is already starting to show cracks in the armor. Tavares contract could very well blow up in the face of the leafs, but there wasn't the red flags with him associated currently with Karlsson. WHen guys like Gomez, Shatty, and Richards don't work out, that's bad luck. Maybe you could say that they had some miles on them and therefore we should have taken warning, but Karlsson currently has one functioning leg. In a world where the cap goes up to 110 million, he would still eat at least 10% of the cap. If you are forced to buy him out after even 5 seasons, his cap hit is over a decade long. When signing someone like that, you pretty be darned well sure it's going to work out. Not only will he cost us cap space if it's a bust, but he also blocks the cavalry of young dmen coming up.

Panarin is a different animal. He has no such red flags and we can sign him to a position where the franchise currently needs answers in the short and long term. It's very well possible that he could be a complete bust as well. However, I would sleep a little easier knowing that we tried to upgrade on a position of need and the fact there is no real red flags that his production will fall off a cliff. Plus, it's easier to hide forwards 5 on 5 and give a ton of power play time to than a defender. It's why I think even today Jagr could make an NHL roster.

If we really want to sign a free agent defender, I would go after an Alex Edler. He's decent offensively, but more importantly he will cost less money and term. If we are contending faster than we thought, he's a reasonable roster defensmen. If he's a bust, he won't be around enough to clog around the prospect pipeline. He also could have value if our prospects take a little longer to get ready than we'd like.
- 2sticks1puck

Please ----- and I am asking you nicely, PLEASE:

Don't share your logical, well thought-out posts here.

Kakko just added empty netter

what's annoying is being labeled "you just dont want Karlsson" when you bring up the injury concern

if you are paying a guy 11 million a year and he misses 1/3 of the games? you are (frank)ed

San Jose paid him 6.5 mil this season, they could handle that cap hit with him missing all those games
- jimbro83

Its that, its the what happens towards the end of the contract, its protecting a player who might be injured, to me the risk is too high. Also the fact that they have a poop load of young prospects now for defense. Offense to me is way more a priority.

Do NOT buy-out...anyone!!! Smith, Shatty, Staal (good luck with that) can all be traded if Gorton eats half their cap for the remaining two seasons. If you buy any of them out, the savings for the two years is about the same, plus the added dead cap hit for two more years following.

I am sure there's a team that would take Smith for two years at $2M+ per, and/or a Shatty for two years at $3M+ per.

Its that, its the what happens towards the end of the contract, its protecting a player who might be injured, to me the risk is too high. Also the fact that they have a poop load of young prospects now for defense. Offense to me is way more a priority.
- mdw7413

(frank) it, just sign Panarin and Karlsson and win the whole (frank)ing thing!

(frank) it, just sign Panarin and Karlsson and win the whole (frank)ing thing!
- Pete V

Oh yeaaaaaaaaaa

Do NOT buy-out...anyone!!! Smith, Shatty, Staal (good luck with that) can all be traded if Gorton eats half their cap for the remaining two seasons. If you buy any of them out, the savings for the two years is about the same, plus the added dead cap hit for two more years following.

I am sure there's a team that would take Smith for two years at $2M+ per, and/or a Shatty for two years at $3M+ per.
- mames11

both players have 10 team NTC's just to make it even more irritating

Kakko just added empty netter
- jimbro83

Jumped on twitter, f you Brooksie, that is all

(frank) it, just sign Panarin and Karlsson and win the whole (frank)ing thing!
- Pete V

I see TJ PM'ed you