Friedman: Gaudreau negotiations will be put on hold during World Cup

[Gaudreauvertime]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

To be precise, selected to the all star game last year, and to the young star team the year before (and who got to play in the ASG because of injury).

Nor was he, of course, named a first or second team all-star at the year end awards.

He is a great player. He makes the US World Cup team easily. Not so sure he'd make Canada's if he were Canadian. But the cautions about giving a sophomore top end dollars are realistic.

For sure everything has risk. But balanced with the alternative (No Johnny in a few years or really really expensive Johnny) signing him for as long as possible at 7.5-8 is a very good bet, and a calculated risk. Just like there was risk signing Gio to 40 or Monahan for 7 years.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I honestly don't even know why I bothered responding to you.

Just your run-of-the-mill masochism, probably.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Gaudreauvertime

For sure everything has risk. But balanced with the alternative (No Johnny in a few years or really really expensive Johnny) signing him for as long as possible at 7.5-8 is a very good bet, and a calculated risk. Just like there was risk signing Gio to 40 or Monahan for 7 years.

But you yourself don't think he'll get more than 7.35!!! WTF dude, be consistent!

[Gaudreauvertime]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Ekblad is easily better than all of OEL, Brodie, Subban, Letang, Weber, Josi, Burns, Vlasic, Pietrangelo. NOT Duncan Keith though. On my list Ekblad is easily a top 5 defenseman in the league right now. Scoring more than 36 points does NOT make you an elite defenseman. Playing the toughest competition and dominating them does. That's what Ekblad does, and then he goes down to the other end and adds plenty of offense for an elite shutdown defenseman.

As for the rest of your post, you're talking in circles now.

List of Exceptional Status junior players: John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid. These are the only examples we have of guys that had this status who have transitioned to the NHL. I would say that all of them have become superstars without any hesitation.

Phaneuf is an EXAMPLE of what can happen to a guy that everyone is sure to be a superstar. I don't think it's a particularly good comparison, and I never made the comparison in the first place. Know who you're arguing with because I never made any connection between the two.

If a player is already exceptional their first year in the league, do you expect them to progress a lot? No? Then why would you expect Ekblad to be so much better than what he was back then?

I honestly don't even know why I bothered responding to you.

I see you left out Sean Day. Of course he hasn't transitioned to the NHL, and likely never will. You also forgot Spezza.

Anyways, you are free to your opinion on Ekblad, but you are certainly in the minority

[Gaudreauvertime]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

But you yourself don't think he'll get more than 7.35!!! WTF dude, be consistent!

On a 7 year deal. 8 year deal is a completely different animal, especially considering how levered he is with RFA years.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Gaudreauvertime

I see you left out Sean Day. Of course he hasn't transitioned to the NHL, and likely never will. You also forgot Spezza.

Anyways, you are free to your opinion on Ekblad, but you are certainly in the minority

Hah, no, I'm pretty sure you're representing minority opinion around here. My opinion on Ekblad is hardly revolutionary. He's really, really, really good. That's not news.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Ekblad is easily better than all of OEL, Brodie, Subban, Letang, Weber, Josi, Burns, Vlasic, Pietrangelo.

Stop being a Panthers homer. Your east coast bias is showing.

[Knut]

7.00-7.125 was my vote. likely 7.3 - the Treliving Magician bonus

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Ekblad is easily better than all of OEL, Brodie, Subban, Letang, Weber, Josi, Burns, Vlasic, Pietrangelo. NOT Duncan Keith though. On my list Ekblad is easily a top 5 defenseman in the league right now. Scoring more than 36 points does NOT make you an elite defenseman. Playing the toughest competition and dominating them does. That's what Ekblad does, and then he goes down to the other end and adds plenty of offense for an elite shutdown defenseman.

As for the rest of your post, you're talking in circles now.

List of Exceptional Status junior players: John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid. These are the only examples we have of guys that had this status who have transitioned to the NHL. I would say that all of them have become superstars without any hesitation.

Phaneuf is an EXAMPLE of what can happen to a guy that everyone is sure to be a superstar. I don't think it's a particularly good comparison, and I never made the comparison in the first place. Know who you're arguing with because I never made any connection between the two.

If a player is already exceptional their first year in the league, do you expect them to progress a lot? No? Then why would you expect Ekblad to be so much better than what he was back then?

I honestly don't even know why I bothered responding to you.

That's a real stretch. The only he might be better then right now from your list is Piatrangelo and even thats a stretch.

Didn't Tavares just destroy the Panthers in the playoffs last year? Where was Ekblad then? Being a top 5 dman against 2nd liners?

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Stop being a Panthers homer.

Yeah, I'm not. He's definitely better than Vlasic; better defensively than Brodie (by quite a bit) and I'm a big Brodie fan; not as dynamic as Subban offensively, but far more consistent and a better defender; and OEL is primarily an offensive d-man in the style of Karlsson, but isn't overly physical and occasionally gets caught up ice. Out of anyone on that list, OEL is probably the only one that is debatable.

Edit: nice ninja edit adding the east coast bias. You know that I've only lived here 2 years right? Before that I was in California watching every single early AND late game, and I watched plenty of Sharks games in that time.

[Gaudreauvertime]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Hah, no, I'm pretty sure you're representing minority opinion around here. My opinion on Ekblad is hardly revolutionary. He's really, really, really good. That's not news.

He is really really good. But the consensus is that he's not a top 10 defender, let alone top 5.

He's also had a pretty tough time handling Johnny in the past.

[FlamesAddiction]

My prediction is $7.27 million AAV, but anything $7.5 or less is fine by me.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

That's a real stretch. The only he might be better then right now from your list is Piatrangelo and even thats a stretch.

Didn't Tavares just destroy the Panthers in the playoffs last year? Where was Ekblad then? Being a top 5 dman against 2nd liners?

He played against him plenty, and did a good job against him, but Gallant also tried to match Gudbranson up against Tavares a lot in order to free Ekblad up to create offense and not defend the entire time. The strategy didn't work. That's not on Ekblad.

[Gaudreauvertime]

Originally Posted by Bingo

also interesting ...

early returns are 7.3 on average which is pretty close to the Tarasenko contract adjusted to RFA years.

7.3 is .7 off of the Flames bid, and 1.2 off of the Gaudreau offer

Shows you how much an argument can get silly while voting and math shows sanity.

I thought Gaudreau camp was at ~8.0 and Calgary at ~6.5? I'm assuming those were either on 7 or 8 year deals.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Gaudreauvertime

I thought Gaudreau camp was at ~8.0 and Calgary at ~6.5? I'm assuming those were either on 7 or 8 year deals.

Speculation. Learn that word. There is no actual report of any of this happening. It's purely journalistic speculation.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Hah, no, I'm pretty sure you're representing minority opinion around here.

HFboards may not be good for much, but for "majority opinion among (online) hockey fans", it's pretty decent:

http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/sh....php?t=2119461

Ekblad at 18. Behind Josi, Weber, Letang, Giordano, Brodie, OEL, Vlasic, Subban, Burns.

Your opinion is in the minority, at least among that group. You're welcome to your opinion. But it's hardly the majority.

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Edit: nice ninja edit adding the east coast bias. You know that I've only lived here 2 years right? Before that I was in California watching every single early AND late game, and I watched plenty of Sharks games in that time.

There is never not an opportunity to blame East Coast Bias.

[Gaudreauvertime]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Speculation. Learn that word. There is no actual report of any of this happening. It's purely journalistic speculation.

Of course, which is why I asked Bingo. He said the Gaudreau offer was 8.5M. I am seeking clarity, as I recall that it was speculated that Gaudreau's camp was around 8.0M on a long term deal (7-8 years) correct?

No need to be so condescending . . .

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

HFboards may not be good for much anything, but for "majority opinion among (online) hockey fans", it's pretty decent:

http://hfboards.hockeysfuture.com/sh....php?t=2119461

Ekblad at 18. Behind Josi, Weber, Letang, Giordano, Brodie, OEL, Vlasic, Subban, Burns.

Your opinion is in the minority, at least among that group. You're welcome to your opinion. But it's hardly the majority.



There is never not an opportunity to blame East Coast Bias.

You should have just stopped at the bolded. HF opinion is worthless to me.

I did chuckle at your last line though.

[saillias]

Parayko > Ekblad

Fight me

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Gaudreauvertime

Of course, which is why I asked Bingo. He said the Gaudreau offer was 8.5M. I am seeking clarity, as I recall that it was speculated that Gaudreau's camp was around 8.0M on a long term deal (7-8 years) correct?

No need to be so condescending . . .

You're exhausting.