Around the League 24-25

[donlever]

Torts and Kuz?!

It's apparently happening...

Ge your popcorn ready!!!

[Strangelove]

Torts and Kuz?!

It's apparently happening...

Ge your popcorn ready!!!

https://x.com/PierreVLeBrun/status/1885185360063266929

Pierre LeBrun
@PierreVLeBrun

Official trade call still hasn’t happened. Waiting until after Flames game.
But as of now, Flyers are sending Farabee and Frost to Flames in exchange for Pelletier, Kuzmenko, a 2nd RD pick and 7th RD pick

Yeah, Torts will murder him.

[Chef Boi RD]

If that’s the trade, Calgary won by a country mile

[Cornuck]

“We engaged with the Yeti Cooler Company,” Smith Entertainment Group executive Mike Maughan said Wednesday. “They have a unique and strong trademark on ‘Yeti’ and ‘Yetis’ on clothing or other licensed gear… We were not able to come to a coexistence agreement.”

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/ut ... -nhl-team/?

Missed that. Interesting. Still, I'm sure if the HC wanted it, they'd have a legal right.

[Meds]

Kuzmenko on the move again.

Seems management may have been onto something when they shipped him out.

Tocchet not being able to work with him I can’t imagine how he will get along with Torts.

[Blob Mckenzie]

If that’s the trade, Calgary won by a country mile

How so? Two mid 20's guys that are butter soft and pace as 40 point guys.

Torts did some house keeping

[Picker of Cherries]

Canucks went downhill after trading away Kuzmenko, let’s hope it’s a pattern that holds true for Calgary.

[Chef Boi RD]

If that’s the trade, Calgary won by a country mile

How so? Two mid 20's guys that are butter soft and pace as 40 point guys.

Torts did some house keeping

You love Point Robert’s Torts, don’t you?

[UWSaint]

This deal is a strange one, but I see it as the Flyers deciding these guys are not going to be part of their future and so let's clear out a long term obligation and contract uncertainties. Kuzmenko plays out the year, maybe he finds some magic in the top 6 (as he did last season after getting traded to the Flames), and then he's likely gone. And the Flyers face next season without Farabee's $5 million on the books and without an arbitration eligible Frost.

In my mind, Farabee has both the biggest upside and downside in this trade. He made it to the league quickly, and he was productive on a team desperate for offense. He signed his 6 year $30M contract after his second NHL season, the covid all-divisional play season in which he scored 20 goals and 38 points in 55 games. He was only 21 years old at the time of the signing, and he had played all of 107 NHL games. His defensive game was heavily criticized -- but he was so young and had shown himself to be capable of scoring at a 30 goal pace. Surely there's even more there, right?

The contract wouldn't actually kick in until after he played his final ELC season, which represented a step back (17 goals, 34 points, 63 games). And while playing on the contract, the first season he was under a half point a game; last year a respectable but still modest 22 goals and 50 points. This year? His numbers aren't really better than Kuzmenko's.... And while I don't watch a ton of the Flyers (more this year to watch Michkov), I don't think Farabee's solved the 200 foot game problem, though I see the Calgary media is full of his "potential" here. (I don't see it).

What can you expect of Farabee? It seems that the hopes of a 30-35G, 70 point guy who can play on a top line are now pretty unreasonable. He's turning 25 next month, he still might crack some code. But for now, reasonable expectations are a 40 point, second-third line type, paid at $5 million, not particularly good defensively, not a physical presence, but lots of speed. I think he's got the potential to be scrappier and more annoying, but he'd almost need to reinvent himself. I don't think you pay more for players of his type in free agency (but you will still pay a few million), so the contract is not a deal. If he hits, Calgary made a great deal. If Farabee plays like he's been playing, they just extended the Kuzmenko contract liabilty 3 years. Most likely? Something in the middle. A good complement to a team that has a core. But the Flames don't. So that's a problem.... But given how absent Kuzmenko was this year, Farabee will replace that and more this year. Still, Farabee has never scored more goalis in his career than Kuzmenko did in his first two NHL seasons (yes, last year Kuzmenko scored more than Farabee's best).

I see Frost as being a more complete player, but without Farabee's still-existing though rapidly closing higher ceiling. Some also criticize Frost's defensive play, but I think he's pretty good defensively. I might compare him to Pius Suter -- maybe not quite as good as Suter defensively, maybe a little more talent offensively. But in the same general category. Maybe a shade better, maybe not. These guys are valuable complementary players, but again, you have to compare their value to "what's a guy like that worth on the open market?" Pius Suter is going to get you more bank for your buck, but then again, these guys don't always fall through cracks. Still, this is a profile of player that a get wary about in arbitration, where arbitrator awards can start approaching equivalent-player UFA value or even exceeding it. In other words, you get the rights to the player, but maybe this is similarly valued to a rental with a right to negotiate and a team option on an arbitration award. (I expect the Flames to sign Frost to a multi-year deal first, taking advantage of the right to negotiate.)

Pelletier is a throw away. The 7th is a throwaway. The Flyers add a 2nd and a guy (Kuzmenko) who has previously played well after a mid-season trade and can sell to the fan base that the Flyers are still trying to make the playoffs while what they are really doing is clearing some room for this offseason and adding an okay draft asset (mid second rounder).

I think the Flames are probably better for the rest of the season after this deal, but its still a team without a clear identity lacking forwards who are true difference makers. A team of complements, outside of a couple pretty good defensemen and a young goalie who I think is playing a bit over his head but may end up a quality backstop. Yawn -- they seem destined to purgatory.

[Madcombinepilot]

Torts and Kuz?!

It's apparently happening...

Ge your popcorn ready!!!

This will be entertainment!!!

[Hockey Widow]

Weren't Kuzmenko and Michkov line mates in St. Petersburg? Flyers may have made this particular move as a way to see if they can spark Michkov and find some magic between the two.

[donlever]

Kuzmenko plays out the year, maybe he finds some magic in the top 6 (as he did last season after getting traded to the Flames), and then he's likely gone.

Kuz has a history with Michkov (as HW states above).

Michkov and Torts at each other's throats last game.

This will be interesting....

[Topper]

Briere must hate Torts

Though cap dump is a valid excuse

[Tciso]

Kuzmenko plays out the year, maybe he finds some magic in the top 6 (as he did last season after getting traded to the Flames), and then he's likely gone.

Kuz has a history with Michkov (as HW states above).

Michkov and Torts at each other's throats last game.

This will be interesting....

Maybe Kuz was brought in to show Michov how to float better?? Philly seems to have gotten hosed with this trade. Calgary gets deepr with a pair of 3rd liners. Philly gets a 2nd, and a cap dump. I think this trade is perfect (from a Canuck perspective). Neither team really gets better.

[rikster]

This deal is a strange one, but I see it as the Flyers deciding these guys are not going to be part of their future and so let's clear out a long term obligation and contract uncertainties. Kuzmenko plays out the year, maybe he finds some magic in the top 6 (as he did last season after getting traded to the Flames), and then he's likely gone. And the Flyers face next season without Farabee's $5 million on the books and without an arbitration eligible Frost.

In my mind, Farabee has both the biggest upside and downside in this trade. He made it to the league quickly, and he was productive on a team desperate for offense. He signed his 6 year $30M contract after his second NHL season, the covid all-divisional play season in which he scored 20 goals and 38 points in 55 games. He was only 21 years old at the time of the signing, and he had played all of 107 NHL games. His defensive game was heavily criticized -- but he was so young and had shown himself to be capable of scoring at a 30 goal pace. Surely there's even more there, right?

The contract wouldn't actually kick in until after he played his final ELC season, which represented a step back (17 goals, 34 points, 63 games). And while playing on the contract, the first season he was under a half point a game; last year a respectable but still modest 22 goals and 50 points. This year? His numbers aren't really better than Kuzmenko's.... And while I don't watch a ton of the Flyers (more this year to watch Michkov), I don't think Farabee's solved the 200 foot game problem, though I see the Calgary media is full of his "potential" here. (I don't see it).

What can you expect of Farabee? It seems that the hopes of a 30-35G, 70 point guy who can play on a top line are now pretty unreasonable. He's turning 25 next month, he still might crack some code. But for now, reasonable expectations are a 40 point, second-third line type, paid at $5 million, not particularly good defensively, not a physical presence, but lots of speed. I think he's got the potential to be scrappier and more annoying, but he'd almost need to reinvent himself. I don't think you pay more for players of his type in free agency (but you will still pay a few million), so the contract is not a deal. If he hits, Calgary made a great deal. If Farabee plays like he's been playing, they just extended the Kuzmenko contract liabilty 3 years. Most likely? Something in the middle. A good complement to a team that has a core. But the Flames don't. So that's a problem.... But given how absent Kuzmenko was this year, Farabee will replace that and more this year. Still, Farabee has never scored more goalis in his career than Kuzmenko did in his first two NHL seasons (yes, last year Kuzmenko scored more than Farabee's best).

I see Frost as being a more complete player, but without Farabee's still-existing though rapidly closing higher ceiling. Some also criticize Frost's defensive play, but I think he's pretty good defensively. I might compare him to Pius Suter -- maybe not quite as good as Suter defensively, maybe a little more talent offensively. But in the same general category. Maybe a shade better, maybe not. These guys are valuable complementary players, but again, you have to compare their value to "what's a guy like that worth on the open market?" Pius Suter is going to get you more bank for your buck, but then again, these guys don't always fall through cracks. Still, this is a profile of player that a get wary about in arbitration, where arbitrator awards can start approaching equivalent-player UFA value or even exceeding it. In other words, you get the rights to the player, but maybe this is similarly valued to a rental with a right to negotiate and a team option on an arbitration award. (I expect the Flames to sign Frost to a multi-year deal first, taking advantage of the right to negotiate.)

Pelletier is a throw away. The 7th is a throwaway. The Flyers add a 2nd and a guy (Kuzmenko) who has previously played well after a mid-season trade and can sell to the fan base that the Flyers are still trying to make the playoffs while what they are really doing is clearing some room for this offseason and adding an okay draft asset (mid second rounder).

I think the Flames are probably better for the rest of the season after this deal, but its still a team without a clear identity lacking forwards who are true difference makers. A team of complements, outside of a couple pretty good defensemen and a young goalie who I think is playing a bit over his head but may end up a quality backstop. Yawn -- they seem destined to purgatory.

Always enjoy the quality of your posts Mr. Much Smarter than Me, but to put it simply its a couple of JAG's for a couple of JAG's....(Just A Guy)

Take care....