Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
I still think even if Gaudreau were to go to FA he will find out there is no takers or fits near his home town. Let's look at the places that always get thrown around.
Philly: They are a disaster. Their key players are all out with injuries to start the year, they lost Giroux, Torts is notorious for being a hard coach for skill players to play for, and they would have to do some crazy deals to make the salary work. Oh yeah, and they suck and will suck because they refuse to admit they need to go full rebuild. Gaudreau wants to win, he isn't going there
New Jersey: They have the cap space but from all of the media takes I have read from there they won't be interested. They need to spend money on starting goaltending, bolstering the D, a number 3 centre, but the main complaint is the team is too small. They have lots of skilled small players, they need size. They are rumoured to be going after a JT Miller trade hard.
NYI: This is not a very good team that even Trotz could not keep overachieving. They are tight on cap and I they look like a team that will toil as a bubble team for years. I don't see it
Boston: Boston needs to face the fact they need to rebuild. They fired an excellent coach who got great milage out of an aging core. Marchand and Bergeron are getting long in the tooth, Hall is Hall, flashes of brilliance and a lot of nights off, and Pasta is rumoured to want out because he can see that team already peaked, they are going nowhere.
I still think it gets done before UFA but even if he makes it there I still think he sees there is no fit for being close to home.
|
This is a good glass-nearly-empty assessment of each team. You missed one...
Calgary: Inconsistent. Never gotten past game 5 in round 2. Sutter only guaranteed for one more year. Only 3 players under contract past 2024 (though obviously RFAs will be around longer): Markstrom (generally good, but on the older side), Coleman (ditto), and Andersson (good). A few good prospects coming, but there is a general pick deficit. Tanev has been amazing, but it's hard to bet on that continuing much longer w/ durability.
On the flip side, there are glass-half-full arguments for each team (including CGY). There are also a few more dark horse teams: WAS, PIT, CAR, CBJ. All a short flight or <8hr drive from Salem.
CBJ is particularly intriguing to me. If they could flip Laine for a D (ideally RHD) they'd be in great shape...not sure who that D is though, and Laine is just such a weird asset..maybe they keep him, too. Sillinger-K Johnson-Jenner-Roslovic is a pretty nice future down the middle. Forsberg might be a better fit there.