2017/2018 Trade Speculation and Rumors

[Mattman]

You aren't going to win games with out scoring goals, and I don't care how many "offensive" defensemen you have, you still need your forwards to be leading that category.

This idea that in order to be a successful team you can pass with a mediocre defensive core. Pittsburgh did it without Letang and Daley a few years ago, stacked offense and Fluery in net. Devils made it to the finals in 2012 with a bunch of mediocre guys on defense, backed by Marty Broduer playing out of his mind.

Vegas
Offense - Lethal
Defense - Solid with no "superstars"
Goaltending - Out of this world, Elite

Washington
Offense - Strong, Solid bottom 6, Ovechkin
Defense - Solid on all pairings, quiet playmaker Carlsson
Goaltending - Elite

Tampa Bay
Offense - Stamkos, Kucherov, Point, Palat, Johnson, etc..
Defense - Probably the most stacked D in the League
Goaltending - Elite (but any of Tampa's struggles link back to shaky goaltending)

Winnipeg
Offense - Fast, strong, skilled = sexy
Defense - Offensive contributors, smart defending
Goaltending - Elite

A constant on each of these teams is a forward group that scores, with help from the defense, and a goaltender that is consistent, with help from the defense.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by RichKlit

Is there any truth to the whispers that Haminic is going to be a factor in Tavares decision to sign in Calgary?

You are from the east (Toronto area). You've worked all your career in NY City.
you are up for a huge payday wherever you go. In the right scenario you might not even have to move. So do you give all that up to play in Calgary ebcause your buddy plays there?

Calgary will have to be the best money offer. The only team that has a shot at a discount is the Isles. I suppose maybe the Leafs as well, but "coming home" is overrated as a selling point. Stone really wanted to play in Calgary and the Flames still paid at least market value to him (maybe more).

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Mattman

You aren't going to win games with out scoring goals, and I don't care how many "offensive" defensemen you have, you still need your forwards to be leading that category.

This is true. Hamilton led the league in goals by a defenseman with 17. Only 9 goals ahead of the guy in 50th place.

Defenseman don't score much - you do need goals from your forwards.

[theslymonkey]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

This is true. Hamilton led the league in goals by a defenseman with 17. Only 9 goals ahead of the guy in 50th place.

Defenseman don't score much - you do need goals from your forwards.

It's not about D scoring. It has more to do with first pass ability. Hamilton is very valuable but a team really only needs one of those on the third pairing. If he can step up his shut down game, great. But I'm more concerned with the D's ability to move the puck up the ice. Hartley did that, GG didn't. I'm glad they're both gone, but Hartley at least used his D to their potential. His system sucked and wasn't sustainable, but it was effective while it lasted.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

You are from the east (Toronto area). You've worked all your career in NY City.
you are up for a huge payday wherever you go. In the right scenario you might not even have to move. So do you give all that up to play in Calgary ebcause your buddy plays there?

Calgary will have to be the best money offer. The only team that has a shot at a discount is the Isles. I suppose maybe the Leafs as well, but "coming home" is overrated as a selling point. Stone really wanted to play in Calgary and the Flames still paid at least market value to him (maybe more).

Selling the Flames short but I get what you are saying.

Again a few factors could be at play here.

1- he wants to play in his home country but wouldn’t mind being away from the insane fishbowls in Toronto and Montreal.
2- he wants to play on a team that can win soon and win for a while. The Flames have Gaudreau, Monahan, Tkachuk, Hamilton all under 25 signed or under team control for at least 3 years. Brodie, Hamonic, Backlund are all around the same age as Tavares.
3- cap structure the Flames likely do not need to pay a player $10M+ until Gaudreau needs a new contract. The current roster is locked in at cap hits under $7M and a good chance Tkachuk will fall in and around the Monahan-Gaudreau numbers.
4- Market. Flames are a passionate market with a small town appeal (compared to other nhl cities) could work for or against the Flames.
5- buddy/reference- Hamonic can be a reference for the organization. Perhaps Hammer says it has been night and day better how he has been treated?

Chances are still slim at the end of the day

[Toonage]

Gord Miller was on the radio the other day (I picked this up from Twitter, don't know what station) but he suggested that Buffalo could make a play for Tavares and the reasons he outlined were far and way more, well, reasonable than anything Calgary could come up with.

- Playing near home without the scrutiny
- Uncle is/was a local star with the lacrosse team
- Up and coming roster
- Will draft 1OA and get elite defenseman
- Buffalo willing to spend big $$$

This references it, but doesn't have all the quotes from Miller

https://frshockey.com/nhl/islanders/...vares-suitors/

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Gord Miller was on the radio the other day (I picked this up from Twitter, don't know what station) but he suggested that Buffalo could make a play for Tavares and the reasons he outlined were far and way more, well, reasonable than anything Calgary could come up with.

- Playing near home without the scrutiny
- Uncle is/was a local star with the lacrosse team
- Up and coming roster
- Will draft 1OA and get elite defenseman
- Buffalo willing to spend big $$$

All of that beats "likes hanging with Hamonic"

Either Buffalo will suddenly have the best centre depth in the league or ROR becomes available in that case.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Gord Miller was on the radio the other day (I picked this up from Twitter, don't know what station) but he suggested that Buffalo could make a play for Tavares and the reasons he outlined were far and way more, well, reasonable than anything Calgary could come up with.

- Playing near home without the scrutiny
- Uncle is/was a local star with the lacrosse team
- Up and coming roster
- Will draft 1OA and get elite defenseman
- Buffalo willing to spend big $$$

This references it, but doesn't have all the quotes from Miller

https://frshockey.com/nhl/islanders/...vares-suitors/

Also:

- One of the lighter travel schedules in the league.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Either Buffalo will suddenly have the best centre depth in the league or ROR becomes available in that case.

I joke about ROR being a future Flame but I honestly believe his time in Buffalo is up regardless. I think he's saying the right things now but I'm sure he wants a change and I'm sure Buffalo would like to move that contract so they can look at Tavares.

I'm also interested in how much local chatter he's been given by guys like Loubardias. Means nothing ultimately, but he (and the morning crew - who are also plugged in to management albeit in a small way) have brought up his name.

[bax]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Gord Miller was on the radio the other day (I picked this up from Twitter, don't know what station) but he suggested that Buffalo could make a play for Tavares and the reasons he outlined were far and way more, well, reasonable than anything Calgary could come up with.

- Playing near home without the scrutiny
- Uncle is/was a local star with the lacrosse team
- Up and coming roster
- Will draft 1OA and get elite defenseman
- Buffalo willing to spend big $$$

This references it, but doesn't have all the quotes from Miller

https://frshockey.com/nhl/islanders/...vares-suitors/

These are decent points, but Tavares has publicly said that winning is the most important piece for him. For that reason alone I don't think he would sign in Buffalo- a team that has been in perpetual rebuild for how long now?

To counter those points:

-Is playing near home a big deal for him? I guess only he knows that.

-Similar to the Calgary point about having his buddy Hamonic- I don't see why this would factor into his decision at all.

-Up and coming roster is a nice way to say the team has sucked for a long time and hasn't been able to get any better.

-Edmonton drafted 1st overall 3 times in a row and nobody wanted to sign with them.

-Every team making a pitch to Tavares will be offering big $$$. He will get that anywhere he goes.

[Yrebmi]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Gord Miller was on the radio the other day (I picked this up from Twitter, don't know what station) but he suggested that Buffalo could make a play for Tavares and the reasons he outlined were far and way more, well, reasonable than anything Calgary could come up with.

- Playing near home without the scrutiny
- Uncle is/was a local star with the lacrosse team
- Up and coming roster
- Will draft 1OA and get elite defenseman
- Buffalo willing to spend big $$$

This references it, but doesn't have all the quotes from Miller

https://frshockey.com/nhl/islanders/...vares-suitors/

Really? Those reasons seem to me just as slim as Calgary if not more so.
1st - proximity. Ok might be a factor. Will having a "star" uncle increase scrutiny? lol ok probably not.
2nd - Uncle? Lacrosse? I doubt that is any better than Hamonic
3rd - Ok, but does adding one unproven but likely star defense fix that roster?
4th - Calgary should be just as willing to spend.

[Toonage]

Play close to your family for the same amount of money you can make anywhere but without being mobbed by Toronto media?

Seems to make some sense.

No better or worse than "make the same money but get to hang with Hamonic"

[Love]

Buffalo with Tavares, Dahlin and Eichel would be frightening

O’Reilly, Risto, Okposo, Reinhart, Mittelstadt supplementing them too. Wow.

1 more solid d-man away. Maybe Alex Nylander is a potential trade chip

Lehner though...

[Love]

double post

[theslymonkey]

Originally Posted by Love

Buffalo with Tavares, Dahlin and Eichel would be frightening

O’Reilly, Risto, Okposo, Reinhart, Mittelstadt supplementing them too. Wow.

1 more solid d-man away

Lehner though...

They have the assets to trade for a real goalie. Lehner is a backup.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Selling the Flames short but I get what you are saying.

Again a few factors could be at play here.

1- he wants to play in his home country but wouldn’t mind being away from the insane fishbowls in Toronto and Montreal.

Except that rumour makes no sense. He doesn't want to play in a city under a microscope or with the media constantly around but he wants to play in Canada? Impossible. No matter where you play in Canada compared to the U.S it is a media circus. One of these rumours and possibly both cannot be true.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Play close to your family for the same amount of money you can make anywhere but without being mobbed by Toronto media?

Seems to make some sense.

No better or worse than "make the same money but get to hang with Hamonic"

Buffalo is Edmonton east though and already paying Eichel $10M per. Teams are going to struggle with multiple $10M players.

I just think the fact Buffalo has missed the playoffs and just finished last will hurt their chances.

Other markets like San Jose will be tougher competition imo. Sharks have an older core but tons of cap space and make the playoffs pretty much every year.

Buffalo is similar to Vancouver. Promising young roster but haven’t made any strides so it is risky going there cs just staying on the Island.

If we are talking east teams closer to NY then the Devils have a shot. Play with Hall, they have some other nice pieces and he can probably keep his current home in the area. They also have a boat load of cap space.

Florida Panthers could also be intriguing and are rumored to be big spenders this summer

[Toonage]

The counterpoints are fair. I just found it interesting that Buffalo could be considered in the mix and the points seemed to make sense to me.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Except that rumour makes no sense. He doesn't want to play in a city under a microscope or with the media constantly around but he wants to play in Canada? Impossible. No matter where you play in Canada compared to the U.S it is a media circus. One of these rumours and possibly both cannot be true.

Calgary vs Toronto/Montreal are completely different.

Burke said as much in his recent media availabilities.

We have a small media team that treats players better than Toronto or Montreal that have 5-10x the media after practices and games.

You have to see the difference from Toronto to Calgary when it comes to the media circus. It is very easy to differentiate the two markets

[Roof-Daddy]

I just hope that if Tavares doesn't sign in Calgary he at least stays out east.

San Jose, Vegas, St. Louis, Nashville and especially Vancouver. Stay away from them JT.