Wednesday is the 25th, and the day that teams can start 'talking' with pending UFAs of other teams. The draft is this coming Friday and Saturday. Free agent frenzy starts a week tomorrow July 1st.
I'm still happy that they took Conacher and waived him over getting Rinaldo from Philly which was the counter offer the flyers gave. Bishop for Coutourier actually would have been a fairly even trade looking at it now, even if Coutourier had a bad year.
Bishop has far exceeded anyone's expectations, as let's keep in mind he was a 26yr old career AHL goalie until he came here. He's done very well in Tampa, but I don't think anyone was expecting Vezina-candidate play from. We have Lehner and some other young prospects, and Bishop was only brought in to fill the gap while Anderson was injured. He's good, but I'll take Anderson over him every day of the week and twice on Sundays.
Trade Spezza to TB...hmm.... I'd take Jonathan Drouin and a 1st this year.
The one year also gives the team an option in the case that a guy like Puempel , Prince or Lazar and anyone coming up is better than Hoffman so that the team isn't stuck with too many guys. Also gives Hoffman options. Unsure if he's a UFA next summer based on age, but that also lets him go to KHL if the NHL isn't an option
(all comments are from GMBM, unless otherwise noted as AGMs Pierre Dorion and Randy Lee)
Some notes from the media availability of team management before the pre-draft lockdown.
Spezza
oSpezza and Murray are on good terms through this work to move him; has requested a trade, not like Heatley demanding one
oA few teams showing real interest; a few others kicking the tires
oCan’t get the same sort of player in return; have to look at what best benefits the team now and in the future
oCannot win this deal; "No matter what I get, I won't get enough for Spezza"
oIf an offer comes from a team on the “no” list, BM hopes to be able to at least talk about it with agent and player
oBottom line: we are looking to satisfy both the player and the team
This team doesn’t have a ‘reputation problem’ because of 15, 11, 19
oHeatley just walked in and said “trade me; I’m out of here”
oAlfredsson talked to Swedes in DET and wanted to try something different at the end of his career when he was a UFA not under contract
oSpezza is tired of being the focal point and centre of criticism of every loss/problem with the team; trade request not demand
Hemsky
oCan't get him to come back at the numbers we were offering.It's not about budget it's about what I consider the value of the player to be.
oCouldn't sign him at the numbers they were talking.
oHad nothing to do with a budget but about my philosophy about what you pay certain players.
o"As I told to Steve Yzerman the other day, sometimes you just have to let a player go.Sometimes they just outprice your team. "
oNo interest in Hemsky’s rights so far, but not surprising.
Zibanejad
oZibby *could* grow into being a #1 centre
oWould have to accelerate his development beyond where they expected him to be now
Michalek
oContract offer has been made; 9MM really liked being in Ottawa, a good guy, felt he was treated well, thinks he can still play, proposal has been made.Offer is a shorter term deal.
Macarthur / Ryan
oboth indicated they like playing here, thought they have been treated well, want to negotiate, are among4 guys to work with over the month of July
Turris
oreally good #2C
oclose to being a #1
oone of the best #2, like to leave him there if they can
odoes match up with most C in the league
Gryba and Lehner (RFAs)
oTalks ongoing with both; give and take on both sides of talks; confident deal will be reached
Hoffman
oHoffman is signed to a 2 way; will never clear waivers so 2 way didn't bother either side.If he doesn't make team out of camp, someone will pick him up.
oAGMPD: Have only 2 LW right now (MacArthur, Greening) right now, so a good shot at making the team depending on what happens between now and camp
AGMRL says Prince and Puempel are pushing for spots on the big team
Apparently Hoffman has been signed to a one year 2-way deal. He's probably up for the year, but that 2-way is nice if someone else pushes to make the team over him.
Hemsky put up some numbers when it didnt matter and the pressure was off the team. Plus, he was playing for a contract.
just look at the semis and the finals. would hemsky or spezza have survived in those series? they would be fine regular season players but get into the play-offs, their games don't work. yes, i know he scored a bunch of points in 2007, but not against the Ducks when it got nasty.
Ottawa has to start building a play-off team and forget about the fancy perimeter players.
Hemsky is worth $10 million/3 years. His PPG with Spezza was skewed by a small sample set and a couple of ridiculous multipoint games. He's an over 30, injury prone winger that is streakier than can be. He wanted a raise on his $5 million in his new deal. Good riddance Ales, somebody will surely overpay and give it to you, but I'm glad GMBM is walking away from this one.
And are people really that upset over "losing" DaCosta to the KHL? He hasn't shown enough to deserve a one-way deal and he's getting paid much more to play in the KHL than in Bingo. We haven't lost him as he's an RFA and GMBM will surely qualify him to retain his rights.
So if he goes to the KHL and lights it up, hey great, we can bring him back or trade his rights. If he never gets any better, then we just let him walk and somebody else paid out the costs to develop him. He wasn't likely going to make the roster anyways.
-- Edited by Agent Orange on Tuesday 17th of June 2014 08:47:37 AM
Listening to the radio today, it is the *start* of the buyout period, but not the only day they can happen as it can be any day up to the 30th of the month. I would think we'd see some of the bigger names and players who might be more interesting/appealing to other teams happen fairly soon, so that they can get their chance at landing a new contract when UFA craziness starts.
In other news........
Bob McKenzie tweeted today that DaCo hasn't been able to secure a one-way deal from the Senators (big surprise!) and will likely be looking at the KHL for next season. IMO, he's developed well but he, like JGP, are a 4th-line-centre-at-best type of player when it comes to the Senators. If there could a fit found elsewhere, perhaps he'd bring a mid to later round draft pick in return.
Senators seem to not be coming to terms with Hemsky, as the news is that they offered a 3yr/$10M deal and it was refused. I'm not unhappy about that, as remember he had 7 goals when he got here. Playing with a world of young talent that doesn't play defense, and he had 7G. He's injury prone, he's had perhaps 2 good months, and it looks like the players he was on a line with (9, 19) won't be back either. Cya Ales. Perhaps a trade of rights for a late pick, like Gonchar? We'll see.
Good riddance Ales, somebody will surely overpay and give it to you, but I'm glad GMBM is walking away from this one.