Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
Whoa, where did Hall come into this equation? Hall wasn't part of any deal. With Hall involved that is a non-starter. We're moving out just short of $14M in salary and bringing in $18M. It is not likely that Hall is going to take much of a step backwards from his current $8M salary. So you have to figure out how you're going to fit $18M in the budget AND resign Gaudreau (which I think is a lost cause). Or are you suggesting Hall in place of Gaudreau? Because we've seen that in Buffalo right now and we know that doesn't work. I would not want to go that route in any shape or form. I'm open to Eichel, just don't think the squeeze is worth the juice.
What extra cap space are you talking about here? Eichel is $10M. Hall is not going to take much of a hair cut on the $8M he is making this year, no matter how badly his numbers look. He isn't going to give Calgary a hometown discount to where he fits in the budget. If that were in the cards I think it would have happened this past summer. I think Hall has his eyes set elsewhere.
The cap space issue actually closes the window, not extend it. We would have to completely retool several areas of the team. We don't have enough quality young cost controlled players to fill out the team in the spots we need bodies. So we're going to have to rely on more guys at league minimum and players that are going to have to punch above their weight class. This is exactly where Milan Lucic's contract is massive anchor and detriment to the team. With these high priced players, you need to squeeze every dollar out of every player contract so you can afford the best middle six possible.
So you're suggesting that Gaudreau is going to be on another line and not with Eichel? What was the use of bringing in Eichel again? Who is Eichel going to play with? You're going to have to throw up a proposed lineup because you've lost me here. We're carving up the depth we have on the top lines to bring in a player who can't get it done in Buffalo, only to give him less talent to work with?
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I included Hall in my reply to the poster we both quoted, so that’s my bad. I said Tkachuk + Monahan + 2021 1st (top 3 protected, goes to 2022 1st if we miraculously win a spot on the lottery), + B prospect for Eichel and Hall (@50%). So Hall at 50% cancels out the cap problem you pointed out.
Next, you said that we would’ve had Hall by now if he really wanted to be here and take a discount. I disagree, because Hall took a while to sign somewhere. It was finally a team, like Buffalo, who has a history of not making the playoffs often as of late and hopes that they could make it by offering a great amount of money for one year. It didn’t work out, now I think Hall looks for some stability at a 25% pay cut, if not more.
My lines would’ve been:
Gaudreau/Hall - Eichel - Mangiapane
Hall/Gaudreau - Lindholm - Dube
Lucic - Backlund - X
X - X - X
You get the gist of it. To land Eichel without giving up our best forward would be a miracle and something that should be done.
The one downside that I do see, and something that you’ve pointed out, is the inability to potentially extend Gaudreau for next season. I would argue that you could probably fit Johnny in if Giordano takes a massive pay cut if he thinks this team has what it takes to win it all in a couple of seasons.
Just my line of thinking. I think we’re a better team with Eichel and Hall over Tkachuk and Monahan.