Free Agency 2015

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Matthias has signed with the leaves for only one year ($2.3M).

That's a fair deal for both parties. Guys here said he'd get a multi-year deal @ closer to $3M, but maybe he wanted to go back to play in his hometown. Boy, the leaves luv to snatch up our former players: MayRay, Magic Mike, Boothy and now Matthias. Hopefully Matthias will respond more like MayRay and Magic Mike rather than Boothy.

[Puck]

Hopefully? Why? Matthias is a decent guy, but I hope he scores about 5 goals.

[KeyserSoze]

I expect that Matthias will have a decent season.

I heard a stat that the VAST majority of his points last year came against Eastern teams...and that he finished well in the double digit minus category (+/-) against the West.

So there's that...plus the fact that he is playing for a long term contract.

I like Matthias, a very effective player when he is on his game...but he just didn't show up on wayyy too many nights, and plays soft as hell for a big dude.

[Diehard1]

I expect that Matthias will have a decent season.

I heard a stat that the VAST majority of his points last year came against Eastern teams...and that he finished well in the double digit minus category (+/-) against the West.

So there's that...plus the fact that he is playing for a long term contract.

I like Matthias, a very effective player when he is on his game...but he just didn't show up on wayyy too many nights, and plays soft as hell for a big dude.

No real issue with losing Matthias, he was a good player for us for about 50% of the season and disappeared for the rest, while being a complete no-show in the playoffs. He did a good job but he's not the type of player you commit long term to when you're on a rebuild.

[vic]

So there's that...plus the fact that he is playing for a long term contract.

Wasn't he doing that this past season?

[the toucan kid]

I expect that Matthias will have a decent season.

I heard a stat that the VAST majority of his points last year came against Eastern teams...and that he finished well in the double digit minus category (+/-) against the West.

So there's that...plus the fact that he is playing for a long term contract.

I like Matthias, a very effective player when he is on his game...but he just didn't show up on wayyy too many nights, and plays soft as hell for a big dude.

No real issue with losing Matthias, he was a good player for us for about 50% of the season and disappeared for the rest, while being a complete no-show in the playoffs. He did a good job but he's not the type of player you commit long term to when you're on a rebuild.

Red Wings prospect. Maybe Shani and/or Babcock think they can unlock him.

[Southern_Canuck]

My guess is they'll attempt to sign Eric Fehr and Matt Bartkowski.

Fehr replaces Richardson and Bartkowski provides lower pairing help, and insurance in case Corrado and Clendening aren't capable.

S_C

So when are they going to get the deal done with Eric Fehr?

HW?



S_C

[Hockey Widow]

My guess is they'll attempt to sign Eric Fehr and Matt Bartkowski.

Fehr replaces Richardson and Bartkowski provides lower pairing help, and insurance in case Corrado and Clendening aren't capable.

S_C

So when are they going to get the deal done with Eric Fehr?

HW?



S_C

LOL. I have no idea if they are targeting him. They already have 8 D men that all would need to clear waivers. So I can't see them trading for or signing another D unless they move one first. Up front, we only have two roster spots available, after Sven signs and only two players that can be safely waived.

Something is most definitely up but I don't have the inside as to what. I was told the Canucks project that a number of serviceable players will be available as main camps break. They also think a handful of decent RFAs may be cut lose after their arbitration hearing. They are looking for ways to cut cup, or be in a position to cut cap, if something comes onto the market they like.

They are also in a different place then last year with respect to not having enough players in the 20-25 year group. They are looking at doing the opposite of what they did last year by trading some of those guys that are aging out, or near to it, in the AHL, with respect to waiver eligibility, and landing 1-2 greener prospects. This they don't see happening until after camp. I don't know what players are in that camp but I imagine it's Grenier, Gaunce, Jensen, Shinkaruk. There is no rush to deal any of them at this point but I think they could be used to either get greener prospects, or low picks, or as add ins in any deal.

Still don't know if they are targeting any of the remaining FA but we already know if they are they need to move cap in order to sign them and Sven. I've been told they would like to make a couple more tweaks before camp but are content to go to camp with what they have. They may not have enough remaining cap, once Sven is signed to carry a 23 man roster, and they are committed for now to carrying 8 D, so they just may be looking to shave a little cap room.

Hearing, and reading, that most teams are in somewhat of a holding pattern until the arbitration hearings start to unfold.

[Southern_Canuck]

LOL. I have no idea if they are targeting him.

Hey, Eric Fehr is a bottom 6 center! Probably thinks he is worth more than NHL teams are offering (made $1.5M last season with Washington), so that is delaying his UFA signing anywhere. He would be a good addition if you could subtract a Canuck winger contract.

They are looking at doing the opposite of what they did last year by trading some of those guys that are aging out, or near to it, in the AHL, with respect to waiver eligibility, and landing 1-2 greener prospects. This they don't see happening until after camp. I don't know what players are in that camp but I imagine it's Grenier, Gaunce, Jensen, Shinkaruk. There is no rush to deal any of them at this point but I think they could be used to either get greener prospects, or low picks, or as add ins in any deal.

Interesting - I could easily see them letting Jensen go for whatever they could get.

S_C

[Dr. Tobias Funke]

My guess is they'll attempt to sign Eric Fehr and Matt Bartkowski.

Fehr replaces Richardson and Bartkowski provides lower pairing help, and insurance in case Corrado and Clendening aren't capable.

S_C

So when are they going to get the deal done with Eric Fehr?

HW?



S_C

LOL. I have no idea if they are targeting him. They already have 8 D men that all would need to clear waivers. So I can't see them trading for or signing another D unless they move one first. Up front, we only have two roster spots available, after Sven signs and only two players that can be safely waived.

Something is most definitely up but I don't have the inside as to what. I was told the Canucks project that a number of serviceable players will be available as main camps break. They also think a handful of decent RFAs may be cut lose after their arbitration hearing. They are looking for ways to cut cup, or be in a position to cut cap, if something comes onto the market they like.

They are also in a different place then last year with respect to not having enough players in the 20-25 year group. They are looking at doing the opposite of what they did last year by trading some of those guys that are aging out, or near to it, in the AHL, with respect to waiver eligibility, and landing 1-2 greener prospects. This they don't see happening until after camp. I don't know what players are in that camp but I imagine it's Grenier, Gaunce, Jensen, Shinkaruk. There is no rush to deal any of them at this point but I think they could be used to either get greener prospects, or low picks, or as add ins in any deal.

Still don't know if they are targeting any of the remaining FA but we already know if they are they need to move cap in order to sign them and Sven. I've been told they would like to make a couple more tweaks before camp but are content to go to camp with what they have. They may not have enough remaining cap, once Sven is signed to carry a 23 man roster, and they are committed for now to carrying 8 D, so they just may be looking to shave a little cap room.

Hearing, and reading, that most teams are in somewhat of a holding pattern until the arbitration hearings start to unfold.

I need to get over it, but it still boggles my mind that they didn't trade Miller away. Hopefully they can get a good asset for Vrbata before his value drops (if Burrows is slotted to be back with the Sedins) or he walks as UFA next summer.

[Meds]

I need to get over it, but it still boggles my mind that they didn't trade Miller away. Hopefully they can get a good asset for Vrbata before his value drops (if Burrows is slotted to be back with the Sedins) or he walks as UFA next summer.

So can we assume you belong in the group of people who heard that Benning said that they had calls for Miller at the trade deadline but he didn't want to move him? Can we also assume that you are among those who simply saw red and completely blocked out the fact that both Benning and Linden said that Lack is viewed by every GM they talked to around the league as nothing more than a very good backup goaltender (and ultimately Benning and Co saw him as such as well)?

Lack and Markstrom are NOT a tandem that you want as your full time goaltending duo right now unless you are tanking for a top-2 pick.

[Dr. Tobias Funke]

I need to get over it, but it still boggles my mind that they didn't trade Miller away. Hopefully they can get a good asset for Vrbata before his value drops (if Burrows is slotted to be back with the Sedins) or he walks as UFA next summer.

So can we assume you belong in the group of people who heard that Benning said that they had calls for Miller at the trade deadline but he didn't want to move him? Can we also assume that you are among those who simply saw red and completely blocked out the fact that both Benning and Linden said that Lack is viewed by every GM they talked to around the league as nothing more than a very good backup goaltender (and ultimately Benning and Co saw him as such as well)?

Lack and Markstrom are NOT a tandem that you want as your full time goaltending duo right now unless you are tanking for a top-2 pick.

Yeah, I am aware of the smear campaign Lindenning tried to put on Lack after they dealt him. I also heard Linden on the radio that Saturday morning acknowledging that they turned own a higher pick for Lack to get him out of the conference. Weird how that would be a concern when they're just dealing a backup, isn't it? A backup who was 10th in the NHL in SV% among goalies with > 40 games played. Benning also said that the Carolina offer was the only "real offer" they got - he must have a very specific definition of "real" - go back and listen to all his comments, he always qualifies that with "real" offer - essentially confirming that there were other offers they didn't consider to be "real".

Also about that BS that they would have picked Brisbois in the second round, come on. That trade was made late Friday night/early Saturday morning before round 2 even started. There is absolutely no way that they could have been sure Brisbois (if he actually was their target) would be available at pick 66, definitely not with the way the draft was going. And even if that were the case, smart asset management would be to trade the same player for a higher pick...and trade down if the opportunity presented itself. If they were that high on Brisbois, why would they chance him dropping to the 3rd round, around where he was ranked by central scouting? Their spin doctoring is pretty easy to see through.

[Dr. Tobias Funke]

And really, you think Carolina actually views Cam Ward as substantially better than Lack? The guy is worse than Miller!

[cfp]

Speaking of goalies....

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nhl- ... -chiasson/

Holtby wants $8mil.

[dbr]

Won't that be glorious - the team sees a huge bargain player go elsewhere because they can't clear cap space at the end of an offseason where they picked the 4x more expensive goaltender, traded Kassian for a fourth liner who makes more than he does, and handed out generous raises to players like Dorsett, Sbisa and Vey in an offseason defined by (otherwise, mostly) sensible contracts and downward pressure on salaries.