Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Meds]

While I think it would be great to see Johansen sporting the Orca, I would be just as happy to see Benning and Co. pass on him. Sure, he put up 63 points last year, but 20 of them came on the PP, and he led his team in PPTOI by almost 20 minutes.

Now, don't get me wrong, the PP is crucial to success, but Kesler's numbers took a similar dive as our PP waned.

I don't like the idea of going after a guy who is playing hardball after just a single breakout season. The best he's done is 25 points (adjusted) in a season.....until last year.

The only defense I see for the way him and his agent are playing this is that he's young, one the rise, and the Bluejackets are trying to lock him up until he's 30 years old at $5.75M per year when the reality is that by the time he is 25, if he continues to trend the way he is, his market value will probably be closer to $7.5M.

Columbus is mishandling this badly. If they actually believe he's "the guy" that they want to build around, then they should be offering him a shorter term deal at that price that takes him to RFA status again, and then try and sign him long term at a price that is market value, and if he's still being a pain in the ass, trade him.

A 22 year old, 63 point, Johansen who is holding out for big money is probably worth less in trade than a 24 or 25 year old, 70+ point, Johansen who still hasn't reached his ceiling.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Lol. Thumbs down on that trade. He turned down 8 years at $5.75 per year. He either really hates his team, or is an a$$hole. Either way, I don't see his value as a team player.

You're 22. Just play the effing game.

He would be an idiot to sign for 8 seasons and 46 million. The guy will be a stud , why tie yourself up for that long for what amounts to 2nd line money ? The Blue Jackets look like idiots here by playing hardball with their best player. The Jackets offered a 2 year bridge deal for 3 million per year ? Why are they going public ? He would sign a 2 year deal for 8- 9 million in a heartbeat.

BTW I make that trade but it doesn't help C Bus. They won't take 3 future pieces. I could see them wanting Kassian + 2015 1st/Horvat + a 3rd piece like Demko/McCann. Canucks don't have the depth to make this trade and I for one want to see if Kassian has another gear this season.

[Chef Boi RD]

Is HW the Eklund of the CC?

[Arachnid]

Is HW the Eklund of the CC?

Only if you are the Gallagher

[Hockey Widow]

Is HW the Eklund of the CC?

Pretty much, ya.

[Island Nucklehead]

He would be an idiot to sign for 8 seasons and 46 million. The guy will be a stud , why tie yourself up for that long for what amounts to 2nd line money ? The Blue Jackets look like idiots here by playing hardball with their best player. The Jackets offered a 2 year bridge deal for 3 million per year ? Why are they going public ? He would sign a 2 year deal for 8- 9 million in a heartbeat.

BTW I make that trade but it doesn't help C Bus. They won't take 3 future pieces. I could see them wanting Kassian + 2015 1st/Horvat + a 3rd piece like Demko/McCann. Canucks don't have the depth to make this trade and I for one want to see if Kassian has another gear this season.

You got'er, Blob.

I would wager Johansen would take a 2 year, $9M deal no problem. He makes decent money, and he'd still be an RFA after that deal. Negotiating in public is a shitty stick to beat your star player with. How many people in Columbus really give a shit or hold a grudge by November? Like 7 people. So you've just left a seriously bad taste in this kids mouth, and you don't even have a single row of fans that are on board with your tar-and-feather mentality. Retarded.

As for the trade, a big no thanks from me as well. A couple of franchises in different stages, imo. The Canucks need all the prospects they can afford at this point. Just because we're no longer staring into a black hole when it comes to prospects doesn't mean we can throw them away in bulk. Sometimes it sucks being patient, but generally it pays off in the long run.

[ClamRussel]

He would be an idiot to sign for 8 seasons and 46 million. The guy will be a stud , why tie yourself up for that long for what amounts to 2nd line money ? The Blue Jackets look like idiots here by playing hardball with their best player. The Jackets offered a 2 year bridge deal for 3 million per year ? Why are they going public ? He would sign a 2 year deal for 8- 9 million in a heartbeat.

BTW I make that trade but it doesn't help C Bus. They won't take 3 future pieces. I could see them wanting Kassian + 2015 1st/Horvat + a 3rd piece like Demko/McCann. Canucks don't have the depth to make this trade and I for one want to see if Kassian has another gear this season.

You got'er, Blob.

I would wager Johansen would take a 2 year, $9M deal no problem. He makes decent money, and he'd still be an RFA after that deal. Negotiating in public is a shitty stick to beat your star player with. How many people in Columbus really give a shit or hold a grudge by November? Like 7 people. So you've just left a seriously bad taste in this kids mouth, and you don't even have a single row of fans that are on board with your tar-and-feather mentality. Retarded.

As for the trade, a big no thanks from me as well. A couple of franchises in different stages, imo. The Canucks need all the prospects they can afford at this point. Just because we're no longer staring into a black hole when it comes to prospects doesn't mean we can throw them away in bulk. Sometimes it sucks being patient, but generally it pays off in the long run.

...$18M over 2 for one 63pt season? I would like to think you two were being facetious but you're not. We're not talking a superstar here folks. This is a very good young player with upside. Those $numbers are insane. Something in the middle would make more sense, $5.5-6M is fair. Sign the deal then earn the big long one if he's the real deal.

[herb]

...$18M over 2 for one 63pt season? I would like to think you two were being facetious but you're not. We're not talking a superstar here folks. This is a very good young player with upside. Those $numbers are insane. Something in the middle would make more sense, $5.5-6M is fair. Sign the deal then earn the big long one if he's the real deal.

Ummmm pretty sure $9M divided by 2 years equals $4.5M per season, not $18M.

[ClamRussel]

...$18M over 2 for one 63pt season? I would like to think you two were being facetious but you're not. We're not talking a superstar here folks. This is a very good young player with upside. Those $numbers are insane. Something in the middle would make more sense, $5.5-6M is fair. Sign the deal then earn the big long one if he's the real deal.

Ummmm pretty sure $9M divided by 2 years equals $4.5M per season, not $18M.

Ya I thought Blob was talking 2 @9 ...hey I posted that pre-morning coffee, my bad. $9M over 2 makes perfect sense. Perhaps they should airlift Christy in to seal that deal.

[ESQ]

An offer sheet could go as high as $5.046 million and compensation is only a 1st and 3rd.

Hard to imagine Columbus not matching though, unless its a Shea Weber-esque offer sheet designed to bankrupt the team.

[SKYO]

I just think Johansen doesn't want to play there unless they severely overpay him, imo if he were to be traded here he would just want something close to what he wants asap, so 4 years @ $6.5M per ought to do it.

He's 22 now so that would take him to 26, still a RFA, where if he continues his scoring $7M+ he would get easily after that.

[Island Nucklehead]

I just think Johansen doesn't want to play there unless they severely overpay him, imo if he were to be traded here he would just want something close to what he wants asap, so 4 years @ $6.5M per ought to do it.

He's 22 now so that would take him to 26, still a RFA, where if he continues his scoring $7M+ he would get easily after that.

Pretty sure after 7 seasons you are considered a UFA. IIRC it's 7 seasons, or over 27 years of age. He's already done 3, 4 more would put him as a UFA at 26 and in line to make a killing on a 7 year "in my prime" deal.

Columbus would probably want a 2 or 3 year deal, keeping him at RFA after his next deal. Johansen probably wants a 4 year term or longer, and CBJ paying to eat some of his UFA years.

I still don't see how Columbus hasn't figured this one out. Nino Niedereiter just re-upped for $2.6M per. He scored 36 POINTS last year (Johansen had 33 goals). $3M is a slap in the face in a $70M cap world. Even if Columbus has to "overpay" and go to 2-years, $10M, they still own him when it's done and they get him on the ice and scoring goals. 1st year at $4.5, 2nd at $5.5 and it's done. This is a lot of posturing, and a lot of good will is being wasted fighting over 2-3 million... especially for a team with $14M in cap space that is paying Scott Hartnell $4.75, Fedor Tyutin $4.5 and fucking Artem Anisimov $3.3M.

[Tciso]

$3M is a slap in the face in a $70M cap world.

Not for 22 years old! He might be the next big thing. He might be the 2nd coming of Crosby. But, pay your effing dues. If he had 50+points 2 seasons ago followed up by last year, he might be up for $5 per year. But right now, he could easily be a 30 point player next year, and just as easily be over fricking paid. Look at other comparable players at his age. 2 years at $3mil each is fair. And, $32 for 6 is super reasonable if he wants long term, and to be a free agent at the end. Right in line with Ryan O'Reilly, who signed for about the same, over 2 contracts and 4 years. And, who has a lot more NHL time behind hid contracts.

[Island Nucklehead]

$3M is a slap in the face in a $70M cap world.

Not for 22 years old! He might be the next big thing. He might be the 2nd coming of Crosby. But, pay your effing dues. If he had 50+points 2 seasons ago followed up by last year, he might be up for $5 per year. But right now, he could easily be a 30 point player next year, and just as easily be over fricking paid. Look at other comparable players at his age. 2 years at $3mil each is fair. And, $32 for 6 is super reasonable if he wants long term, and to be a free agent at the end. Right in line with Ryan O'Reilly, who signed for about the same, over 2 contracts and 4 years. And, who has a lot more NHL time behind hid contracts.

Tyson Barrie is a year older, and just finished his first full NHL season, and he signed for $2.6M per. Is Ryan Johansen worth $1.5M more than Tyson Barrie? Than Nino Niedereitter (3years, $2.7per)? Fucking rights he is. You thought Zack Kassian was worth $2.5M per... how is Ryan Johansen not worth $4+ at those rates?

Johansen led the Blue Jackets in goals and points, and was PPG in the playoffs. He's the best player on that team, at 22 years old. He scored 15% of Columbus' goals last season, similar to Corey Perry's contribution to Anaheim (16%), better than Patrick Sharp's 13%.

Even the biggest deal Davidson offered, 8 years/$46M, works out to $5.75M per. That's less (comparatively, looking at cap %) than a guy like Jeff Skinner got coming out of his ELC. Davidson knows just as well as Johansen does that last season was not a fluke, that this guy will be a stud, and was always going to be a stud once he grew into his frame at the NHL Centre position.

Again, I don't mind the BJ's playing a little hardball. But if the options are the guy sitting out at $3M, and playing at $4M, I really don't see why you'd shit your pants and throw a fit in the media. For a franchise that desperately needs to build positive momentum from last year, it's absolutely insane that you'd take your franchise player to task over what amounts to peanuts (1.5-2% of cap).

[Todd Bersnoozi]

Boy, Marchand is a pretty good singer, but still h8 him. He's still a gutless little puke.