Talk about an overpay! How exactly did ROR make Buffalo better?

Good luck with that Blues.

That's what Buffalo was pretty much asking, I guess Thompson is the top prospect.
- kwolf68

And per TSN - No salary retained and the Blues will pay for O'Reilly's signing bonus.

Talk about an overpay! How exactly did ROR make Buffalo better?

Good luck with that Blues.
- ArlingtonRob

He will be a great 2nd line center. Blows didn't give up anyone that hurt, at least not this year anyway.

Talk about an overpay! How exactly did ROR make Buffalo better?

Good luck with that Blues.
- ArlingtonRob

Blues gonna Blues?

Blues gonna Blues?
- Marlowe

They are a better team than we are.

They are a better team than we are.
- kwolf68

Truth

Truth
- Assman22

Joking on St.Louis after they made a legit statement to compete is hilarious. YES, the Blues are the Blows, they have no Cups, I get it, but in NO PLANET would I rather have Anisimov over Ryan O'Reilly as my Line 2 center. That said he is paid huge...Blows need to win in next 2-3 years ...then they'll replace Hawks as bottom feeder.

They are a better team than we are.
- kwolf68

Don’t think Hawks are done yet.

They are a better team than we are.
- kwolf68

At this point - vastly

Talk about an overpay! How exactly did ROR make Buffalo better?

Good luck with that Blues.
- ArlingtonRob

Actually
Despite acquiring Ryan O'Reilly and his entire $7.5M cap hit, the #Blues still save $775,000 in cap space this season with the deal seeing as Berglund ($3.85M), Sobotka ($3.5M) and Thompson's ($925K) cap hits are going the other way.

He will be a great 2nd line center. Blows didn't give up anyone that hurt, at least not this year anyway.
- kwolf68

I'll believe it when I see it.

IMO ROR plays to get paid, not to win. Not a difference maker.

Terrific deal for Buffalo.

Except for Drouin, each of your examples had several years experience, and several years of 20+ goals.

Schmaltz has much less experience, and a shorter number of quality games years.
- StLBravesFan

Hmm Horvat had played 3 seasons but only one in which he reached 20 goals and 50+ points. His other 2 were 15/30 (projected) and 15/40. Schmaltz is at 9/38 and 21/52. Not as good goal scoring year one but better points and better goals and points year two. Horvat waited until after his 3rd season and late into the year to sign, and while Schmaltz/the Hawks could do the same but there is a risk - what if he top 70 points? That puts him in the Gaudreau / Pastrnak range.

Also jfyi JT Miller, Zibanejad, and Niederreiter aren't good comparisons unless Schmaltz is getting a smaller bridge first - all 3 had $2.6-2.75m x 2/3 year bridges in there (also had their ELC slide a year or two). Neither Miller or Zibanejad reached 20 goals / 50 until their their 4th and 5th year in the NHL respectfully while Niederreiter reached 20 goals 3 seasons in but not 50 points until his 5th season.

Better comps are Forsberg, Barkov, Huberdeau, Scheifele, Palat, etc. Pretty much go to CapFriendly, select someone like Horvat and then compare this contract option. Schmaltz could get $5-6m x 6 years if they went that route and any could be justifiable based on comps imo.

Don’t think Hawks are done yet.
- Marlowe

LOL...ok. Cant wait to see what they hatch up next.

I'll believe it when I see it.

IMO ROR plays to get paid, not to win. Not a difference maker.

Terrific deal for Buffalo.
- ArlingtonRob

The deal for Buffalo is long term. For St.Louis short. Its a simple hockey trade, though complicated. Considering the trash the Hawks have on their roster, I don't think ROR looks so bad.

The Blows won't win a Cup, they are the blows...but they have far more promise than the Hawks heading into next year.

the blues still have yeo as coach and Allen at goalie.

Don’t think Hawks are done yet.
- Marlowe

Depends on how one looks at it...

Are the Hawks done this offseason? No...

Are the Hawks done competing for Cups in the near term? Yes...

ROR a Blue, LBJ a Laker...and the Hawks just sit here and do nothing!!!😉

the blues still have yeo as coach and Allen at goalie.
- vandymeer23

Good points here.

In a major market and with all this “one goal” BS my expectations as a fan is to be in the playoffs.

After they got waxed by Nashville this organization was “mad” and they got worse. Now it seems they’ve accepted their demise internally and have been caught with a lack of nhl ready prospects. So we get the white Sox approach of signing names people recognize but players long past their prime. None of today’s additions make this team better.

Kunitz is timmonen part 2
Manning is a steaming pile of crap
Ward will take forsbergs spot and with CC’s deal up after next year it would be nice to know if this kid has any chance to be a 1

The 3 cup wins are history. Lately this organization has failed and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. Baring a string of bounce back years and health that winless streak isn’t breaking this year.

So let’s see what Stan does in the trade market.

I’d also begin to wonder when a 2/19/88 start to ponder asking for a trade for a last chance to win. 19/88 wasting prime years as they miss the playoffs......especially 88
- SteveRain

What they did today also reminded me of the White Sox approach. It was a great run while it lasted but they really need to pick a lane here and that lane it to rebuild. Kane is the only one who is still playing at a level that they were playing in the cup years. Saad is still young so there is hope there. Toews is just not the same player whether it due to age or injuries. Keith appeared to slip last year as well. I had hoped this group had one more run in them but it doesn’t look like they do.

Depends on how one looks at it...

Are the Hawks done this offseason? No...

Are the Hawks done competing for Cups in the near term? Yes...
- ArlingtonRob

I agree on both. Think the Hawks won’t be back in the mix for 3 years (my current estimate). This team as it stands to today is probably marginally better than last year (thin margin) and not a playoff team.

Talk about an overpay! How exactly did ROR make Buffalo better?

Good luck with that Blues.
- ArlingtonRob

Buffalo is a jone of a team. ROR is a top line Center. The Blues are pretty stacked at center. That sucks

The deal for Buffalo is long term. For St.Louis short. Its a simple hockey trade, though complicated. Considering the trash the Hawks have on their roster, I don't think ROR looks so bad.

The Blows won't win a Cup, they are the blows...but they have far more promise than the Hawks heading into next year.
- kwolf68

One this we agree...

But ROR makes 7.5M AAV thru 1922-23. That's gonna sting as the years roll by.

I seem to recall something like that too. I am very happy he got another solid, though short, deal with the Yotes. He's got 10 million for 2 and I suspect he'll probably get another 1, albeit smaller, after that.

Hammer, as you said, is the one guy who sacrificed salary and without HIM there are no Cups (or maybe 2 less), even though people like to point to the multi billion dollar core as the "only" reason for Cups.

I think the Coyotes have a legit shot at the playoffs next year, they have a ton of good, young talent.
- kwolf68

You bet he said that. Very HIGH character guy to go along with the skill set. Not sure if he ever felt guilty about the SJ OS, but he sure was key to the 13 and 15 titles, as he was to the one in 10. Was kinda hoping the yotes would be out of it and trade him back here at the 19 TDL. That, being an expiring contract; well, before this new 2yr deal.

He will be a great 2nd line center. Blows didn't give up anyone that hurt, at least not this year anyway.
- kwolf68

Yeah, this is a great move for them and Buffalo. Schenn-ROR-Bozak might be the deepest center chart in the central. Bozak is making too much for his role, but that's okay cause Scheen is making too little. They're going to be a bit top heavy but not so ridiculously that it won't allow them to sign their RFA lower line guys. They didn't have to give up Parayko, Kyrou, or Thomas. If Allen returns to form, they could be very good. Yeo is a joke of a coach though.

Buffalo probably doesn't care about much about Berglund or Sokotka except as stopgaps they can potentially flip this year or next for more assets. Tage is a good young prospect that will be right in line with Eichel and Mittelstadt for their centers plus a 1st in a draft where they have two other centers already is pretty nice.

What they did today also reminded me of the White Sox approach. It was a great run while it lasted but they really need to pick a lane here and that lane it to rebuild. Kane is the only one who is still playing at a level that they were playing in the cup years. Saad is still young so there is hope there. Toews is just not the same player whether it due to age or injuries. Keith appeared to slip last year as well. I had hoped this group had one more run in them but it doesn’t look like they do.
- jhawk159

I think they are setting it up to blow it up. Rocky said in Crains that if they don’t come out well to start the season things will change and “all good things come to an end” or very close to that. Don’t think he only meant management/coaching.