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Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 11:06 am
by UWSaint
What a year to be a free agent... Teams have more cap room than usual thanks to a sizeable cap boost, and yet the pool of available free agents is underwhelming. These are the conditions that get Andrew Ladds paid.... So let's make some predictions, limiting to Sportnet's top 12 list as if April 3...
(1) Marner
(2) Ehlers
(3) Tavares
(4) Bennett
(5) Boeser
(6) Ekblad
(7) Marchand
(8) Nelson
(9) Pionk
(10) Duchene
(11) Granlund
(12) Donato
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 11:08 am
by UWSaint
(1) Marner – Columbus. Fills what they wanted JG to do. Can overpay. Marner gets out of the spotlight.
(2) Ehlers – Anaheim. After missing out on the Marner sweepstakes, Ehlers is the next best option.
(3) Tavares – Toronto. Because they can’t help but put most of the band back together. Takes a pay cut, but not as much as you would think.
(4) Bennett – Carolina. After he beats them up in the Eastern Conference finals, Canes decide they need more truculence.
(5) Boeser – Chicago. Bedard gets a trigger man. I though it would be Minnesota, but they decide to go down the middle.
(6) Ekblad – Anaheim. Needs a top 4 to establish themselves as a contender. Get their man.
(7) Marchand – Toronto. Was he trolling or serious in those post-game interviews? Fits their age requirement for UFAs.
(8) Nelson – Minnesota. Expands their down the middle options. And he subbed for Connor in the 4 nations. So he has to be good, right?
(9) Pionk – Florida. Less money than Ekblad, and as effective.
(10) Duchene – Calgary. After years of taking paycuts, Duchene heads to the highest bidder. That ends up being Calgary.
(11) Granlund – Vancouver. Promises of secondary scoring, 200 foot game, and capable penalty killing…the press release is already written.
(12) Donato – Buffalo. I ask myself – which team is always chasing the wrong thing? That’s where Donato’s going.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 11:44 am
by Megaterio Llamas
UWSaint wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 11:08 am
(1)
Marner – Columbus. Fills what they wanted JG to do. Can overpay. Marner gets out of the spotlight.
(2)
Ehlers – Anaheim. After missing out on the Marner sweepstakes, Ehlers is the next best option.
(3)
Tavares – Toronto. Because they can’t help but put most of the band back together. Takes a pay cut, but not as much as you would think.
(4)
Bennett – Carolina. After he beats them up in the Eastern Conference finals, Canes decide they need more truculence.
(5)
Boeser – Chicago. Bedard gets a trigger man. I though it would be Minnesota, but they decide to go down the middle.
(6)
Ekblad – Anaheim. Needs a top 4 to establish themselves as a contender. Get their man.
(7)
Marchand – Toronto. Was he trolling or serious in those post-game interviews? Fits their age requirement for UFAs.
(8)
Nelson – Minnesota. Expands their down the middle options. And he subbed for Connor in the 4 nations. So he has to be good, right?
(9)
Pionk – Florida. Less money than Ekblad, and as effective.
(10)
Duchene – Calgary. After years of taking paycuts, Duchene heads to the highest bidder. That ends up being Calgary.
(11)
Granlund – Vancouver. Promises of secondary scoring, 200 foot game, and capable penalty killing…the press release is already written.
(12)
Donato – Buffalo. I ask myself – which team is always chasing the wrong thing? That’s where Donato’s going.
Pionk re-signed with the Jets a few weeks ago $7 x 6.
https://puckpedia.com/player/neal-pionk
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 12:24 pm
by JelloPuddingPop
Bettman makes good on his 3rd expansion to Atlanta, and they sign all the UFAs.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 12:51 pm
by UWSaint
Doh.
That's what I get for going off an article from April.
That's a good deal for the player and the team, so long as he doesn't start fading too early in the contract.
Wow. There's some thin pickings at the blue line, aren't there?
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 2:20 pm
by Megaterio Llamas
UWSaint wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 12:51 pm
Doh.
That's what I get for going off an article from April.
That's a good deal for the player and the team, so long as he doesn't start fading too early in the contract.
Wow. There's some thin pickings at the blue line, aren't there?
Yeah, there is Bennett and Ehlers for me, and that's about it. And those two will be very expensive.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 5:06 pm
by Strangelove
Greedy Guts Marner will demand $14M x 7... and get it.
If Bennett (centre) gets there with all his 'intangibles' the bidding war will be insane.
$10M x 7?
Yes, the cap boost will create some of biggest overpayments ever.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 5:34 pm
by Meds
Strangelove wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 5:06 pm
Greedy Guts Marner will demand $14M x 7... and get it.
If Bennett (centre) gets there with all his 'intangibles' the bidding war will be insane.
$10M x 7?
Yes, the cap boost will create some of biggest overpayments ever.
Any GM who pays Bennett $10M x 7 will have his walking papers handed to him within 2 years. Bennett, for all of his 'intangibles', is a 54 point player who just clocked a minus-15 on a contending team. Overpayment for Bennett would be $8M.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 6:34 pm
by Cornuck
Mëds wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 5:34 pm
Overpayment for Bennett would be $8M.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 9:33 pm
by Strangelove
Mëds wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 5:34 pm
Overpayment for Bennett would be $8M.
Agreed.
Still say some GM will offer him $10M this summer though.
(if he hits the market)
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 11:05 pm
by Chef Boi RD
Megaterio Llamas wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 2:20 pm
UWSaint wrote: ↑Wed May 21, 2025 12:51 pm
Doh.
That's what I get for going off an article from April.
That's a good deal for the player and the team, so long as he doesn't start fading too early in the contract.
Wow. There's some thin pickings at the blue line, aren't there?
Yeah, there is Bennett and Ehlers for me, and that's about it. And those two will be very expensive.
Too rich for our blood. The Aqua Bros wouldn’t do it. We will be shopping the bargain basement bins at Thriftys.
Re: Predictions -- where will these UFAs land (1-12)
Posted: Thu May 22, 2025 9:32 am
by Blob Mckenzie
There's only a handful of top UFA. The Aquilinis spend tobthe cap every year. It's management's job to allocate where the $$ are spent.
Mëds is correct on Benny. He will get too much. His body will break down too.
I'm on the same page as UW with regards to Granlund being a solid target.