cross16

Not a player I am a fan of but he's been linked to the Flames in the past and is a center who can provide some offence.

Not a great return for Chicago IMO. Thought they'd get more and as that tweet mentions that Seth Jones trade sure looms large now. Great player add for Ottawa but they better get on an extension soon. Debrincat has the Tkachuk contract where his QO is 9mill next year and then he is UFA the year after. This could be an expensive add for 2 seasons of Debrincat but I also don't think they gave up a ton either.

Great player add for Ottawa at what could be a good price but how boy they better start winning him over and get him to an extension. Thought Chicago would do better than this honestly. This does feel like a bit of a desperation move to save recover after the Seth Jones trade.

Would not appear that Dach is an option

The Avs seem prepared to roll the dice in goal in order to keep their team strong which is a fine strategy for them IMO. I actual think Keumper is a pretty good starting goalie (probably top half in the league) so goalie needy teams should be happy about this. A pretty good gamble from the Avs though. A few years ago there were some that though Georgiev would be the guy over Shesterkin so there is talent there.

Ya there were some whispers that Barzal wasn't happy. Lou doesn't believe in giving young players coming off ELC big long term deals and there were some suggestions that made Barzal unhappy. Possible that the same logic is now impacting Dobson. I'm not sure I'd be wanting to give Dobson a big long term deal, but perhaps he and the Islanders are at a stalemate. That being said I think what is far more likely is Islanders are trying to clear cap or add to their D. Only 12 mill in cap space, only 3 dmen under contract and they have a plethroa of good but not great forwards who all carry big deals. My guess is they are shopping the likes of Nelson, Pageau, Palmari, or Josh Bailey.

I do not believe to be a guess. I do not believe what is out there is a rumor based on what i've heard.

Looks like Sabres trying to weaponize cap space. It was rumored a while ago that their GM was (or maybe still is) a fan of Monahan. NTC's would likely be at play here but something potentially interesting to watch

it is, but the profile didn't change much this season. I just don't have access to a new card.

I would be surprised if legacy wasn't a factor in this. This is why I don't think the silence is a problem, this is a tough decision with a lot of factors going on. I bet in a perfect world, sure he probably wants to be a Flyer but what does he give up to do that? Can they move enough money to afford him? They were 40 points out of the playoffs last year is he really enough to turn that around? Is being close to home worth giving that up? New Jersey enters the picture but a lot of the same debate. They were out of the playoffs by a ton is he enough to turn it around? he is playing for a coach he loves, who is Lindy Ruff? And on top of all of that if Gaudreau stays in Calgary his jersey is getting retired and the record books are going to be re written. That isn't happening anywhere else so what is that worth to him? I would think that would matter quite a bit to him. Another factor in all of this, Lewis Gross the agent. Same guy who had Johnny hold out last time and same guy who had Nylander go overseas trying to get more $ out of the Leafs. The waiting game is part of his MO. I'm still of the belief he returns.

Depends on your criteria. IMO, if you want to be a top 4 dman you can't be so one dimensional and he is. He was great in the role he played last year but that role should not pay the type of money being rumored here.

I don't get this "insulting" offer part at all. Since COVID it's the 2nd largest guaranteed contract (if he were to sign it) in the league beaten only by Alexander Barkov. Even if you want to go back to 2019 the only larger offers are Eirk karlsson and Panarin and i've already shown that this offer is on par with the Panarin deal. There is no indication at all this was a take it or leave it offer, the opposite appears to be true, so this is also a starting offer. But the idea that it's "insulting" is crazy, it's a very good offer.

Hard pass on that Zadarov contract. I wasn't expecting, and honestly don't exactly want him back either, to come back but at that term and dollars no way. That's gonna be a brutal deal for whatever team signs it IMO.

Easily IMO. Mang gets the reputation as a scorer because of the goals but he is a better play driver than people realize. He creates chances at a high end level but the number the last few years show his teammates struggle to bury those chances otherwise I don't think we'd be as concerned. but of course if you try and replace Gaudreau with Mang your not opening up holes down your lineup and creating other issues with is a fair debate. I do think Mang could join that top line though and they'd be pretty successful

Yup Ottawa appear to be making the classic Canadian team error where you push your chips in too early. I mind mean you i'm not sure how great a player your getting at 7 in this draft but definitely don't see Anderson and Dvorak as being 2 pieces you'd want to add at this point if you are the Sens.

Prior to this season, at 5 on 5, they (Lindholm and Tkachuk) spent as much time apart as they did together. Prior to Sutter's arrival they hardly played together. Seems too simplistic to say we know what they are without Gaudreau so it feels like a pretty relevant discussion to me. I don't really agree it's far from the bigger picture because it does involve how we get better. We assume getting better means finding a replacement for Gaudreau on that line but what if that line is actually ok and the getting better becomes on D? 2nd line? I agree there is a bigger picture at play here but I don't think that means that looking at what Lindholm and Tkachuk are without Gaudreau doesn't matter.

That doesn't make any sense. We shouldn't talk about the impact of all 3 of those guys on the line or the fact that there is plenty of reason to believe that line could be very good even without Gaudreau? The point here is that while he is an very good hockey player that line doesn't owe all of their success to Gaudreau.

This is a great point that doesn't get enough talk IMO. The focus is always on what Gaudreau did for those 2 and never about how those 2 helped Gaudreau. I do think Gaudreau mostly stirred the drink but he owes a lot of his season to those 2 guys too. I know Gaudrau already had a 99 point season so the tendency is to say his game was already there but to increase that by 4 goals, 16 points AND have the line perform at a much higher and consistent level than the 2019 season speaks to the impact Tkachuk had on that line. I'm not of the belief the bottom falls out here if Gaudreau walks. It probably makes a cup more unlikely but i'm not sure it changes the odds as much as we think as i'm not sure the odds are that great even with Gaudreau here. I'm a big believer it takes high end talent to win a cup and the Flames needed more even if they can keep Gaudreau. if he walks you are just filling an ever deeper hole now. Possible though and what they do next would be very key.

Yes

I'd rather give Ruzicka the shot to be honest. I know he isn't a RS but develop your own first.

81.5.

Age, consistency, economic environment and size. Panarin was the better bet in all of those categories. I could be wrong, i'm just saying it would really surprise me if he surpasses Panarin's deal.

Well keep in mind the salary cap is basically the same level today that it was when Panarin signed that deal and that also wasn't a flat cap environment. There was more money to be thrown around. Why is the AAV more important than the total dollars? As it stand right now the Flames offer pays him 5.5 million less than the Panarin deal and i'd be shocked if the Flames wouldn't add 500k or so a year to make it basically the same offer. if Johnny wants to beat the Panarin deal than all the power to him because I don't think he is getting it.

I don't think that is fair. Keep in mind the 9.5 is over 8 years for 76 million. A 7 year offer, like Panarins would come out to 10.85 which is only 800K less than what Panarin makes. Also worth pointing out Pananrin was a year younger than Gaudreau when he signed so an 8 year deal for Gaudreau should come with a lower salary at the end of it. it's a very fair offer that is very similar to what Panarin makes and personally I will be very surprised if another team offers him more $ to be honest.

At the end of the day this just comes down to how badly do the Flames feel they need Johnny and what are their plan B. They can ask for an answer all they want but he is driving the bus and I'm not sure I agree the Flames deserve an answer 10 days before a league imposed deadline. He's earned his UFA status and he's earned the right to think about, consdier all angles, find out what he can about other teams/offers and still get back to the Flames in due time. if they feel they can executor a solid Plan B then they should pivot earlier.