cross16

Brutal and disgusting. One of the my biggest pet peeves when it comes to sports and society today is how personal we seem to have to make sports. I can understand antagonistic behavior and someone going too far but not sure I would agree that someone just walking down a ramp talking about how his team won is a problem. Recognize perhaps there is a part of this I missed but I just hate that. I was at game 5 in the dome and Oiler fans were in the lobby chanting "we want the cup". I hated it but why shouldn't they get to enjoy their teams' win too? Should I go and punch them out because they are rubbing it in our face? People should be allowed to enjoy sports and home vs away shouldn't matter IMO. it's quite frankly embarrassing and disappointing that we are at this level of our society.

I agree. It's challenging to come up with anything that is semi reasonable because I just don't think the Chychrun pond is one the Flames can fish in. If you Arizona why are you moving him unless you get a blue chip prospect/young player in return? IMO the only prospect in the Flames system that is potentially in that conversation is Wolf. Hanifin only has 2 more years left on his deal so I don't think his value to Arizona is very high. Arizona would likely want to flip him so the argument really would be how much is Hanifin worth via trade if shopped around the league? I would think decent but I don't think you are hitting a home run trading Hanifin so again begs the question of what Arizona is going to gain. Going to flip your best asset for maybe 1 good qualify piece and then a bunch of stuff or maybe 2-3 good pieces? Doesn't add up for me.

This is fair. I actually think they are similar in a lot of ways. Both are elite skaters but both lack the sense/brain power to keep up with their skating. Hanifin is solid enough that you don't "need" to move him but I also don't get why people are so willing to make excuses for him. Hanifin has played this game for a long time and been in the NHL for a long time and at some point you have to recognize than when a player shows you the same limitations again and again it's not an experience thing. Again, this all being said I don't argue that the Flames should move him because I think they need a similar caliber of player (or an upgrade ideally) but I also don't think he is a must keep and I think we need to stop having these conversations about his ceiling. He's at his ceiling IMO. Kylington is a tough one for me because the eye test and analytics aren't lining up. I see a bunch of mistakes and holes in his game (and as I said I think his hockey sense will keep him from improving that much) but he keeps coming out so strongly analytically. I didn't love his playoffs and he still graded out as one of the Flames better dman so as much as I want to deal him for an upgrade it's tough. Flames need to get better in transition and get better with having more puck carries/puck moving dman so to move on from Kylington (who has that skill set) is challenging.

if this is true I think this the type of acquisition the Flames need to target. A player a team wants to get rid off for a certain set of circumstances that could easily change on a new team. Puljujarvi could pop elsewhere and really make a formidable top 9 in Calgary. I'd even be willing to move someone like Kylington/Dube for him.

I do expect some front loading but I don't suspect it will be extreme unless they offset it with bonuses. Tavares deal is front loaded but it's also made up almost entirely of signing bonuses. And that's all i'm saying. I suspect there will be front loading going on but if you don't offset it with bonuses on the back end you are potentially negating some of the 8th year advantage.

I think that would be discouraging to the Gaudreau camp. I think there will be some difference there but again one of the benefits the Flames have is the 8th year. If you lower the salary in that year and make it more buyout friendly you negate that advantage and suddenly a 7 year deal looks a little more attractive. I think there will be some front loading to the deal but I don't think it would be extreme and I would suspect they would want to put some signing bonuses in the last couple years to offer him some buyout protection. It may feel a bit weird to talk "buyout" in reference to Gaudreau but he will be 37 at the end of 8 years.

I'm in the camp that if Johnny makes it to UFA he is gone. I think the whole draw to UFA is much more attractive to the lower/mid tier players around the league, the type of guys that it only takes 1 GM to fall in love with to overpay and get a contract they weren't thinking they would get. In Johnny's case he and his agent know what he is going to get, so I'm not really buying this whole idea that he will be drawn in by the lure of the UFA process. The Flames have a few unique things they can offer that other team's can't. They can offer him an 8th year (which likely means the most total $ he will get), they can offer him a legacy (his jersey is getting retired if he stays), and they can offer him a leadership role if he wants it. If he goes UFA that would tell me that those things are not of interest to him and he just wants to play somewhere else. I'm also of the belief that decision will come sooner than we think because again I'm just not buying this idea that he will want to/need to see what is out there. If the Flames offer him 9.5-10mil AAV on an 8 year deal another club has to give him 11-11.5 mill AAV on a 7 year deal in order to match the total dollars and personally I'm not sure there are many teams lining up to do that.

it is more of a gamble than one of the UFAs though? with the lack of a clear #1 I actually don’t see anything wrong with seeing what you have in Skinner. There is fair reason to believe he can play at the nhl level.

Possible. Could be driven by Pasta. I mean the writing is on the wall for Bruins I think, it's going to take some serious GMing to keep them competitive over the next several seasons.

Would really depend on why Pasta isn't an extension target for the Bruins. i don't think he comes cheaper than Tkachuk so it begs the question of why is he on the market? Might be something there for a Tkachuk - Pasta swap but agian Flames won't save any $ i don't think.

It hinges on Bergeron. if he is done or wants to move on the Bruins are screwed and adding Tkachuk would make zero sense. in the 2023 offseason they have 15 players under contract or RFA, only 1 of which is under 25 and the best center they have is Charlies Coyle. It's a dark future for them right now so moving 4 first round picks would make no sense. If they can hold onto Bergeron for another year or 2 sure but that's not rebuilding. In both circumstances giving up 4 first round picks makes no sense. Stranger things have happened but the logic isn't there for me. They could maybe trade for him but there also isn't much to like for the Flames in that deal.

HNIC crew got a great shot at it. Important to note that because the puck didn't go directly in the net the point of reference is not the crossbar it's his shoulders. From every angle I've seen I don't see how that was above his shoulders. Made sense to review but it was the correct call and honesty i don't even see how it came be controversial. It's an easy call and one they got right IMO.

I think a rebuild may be more likely for the Bruins than them being interested in Tkachuck.

A good coach i think but lots of rumblings that several players don't like him. That follows Cassidy back to his Capital days too. Be interesting to see if he gets a look elsewhere. Boston has been very successful in multiple areas under his watch.

Oilers are in a tough spot with their roster. It's easy to say they need to upgrade goaltending but at the same time Mike Smith is hardly the reason Colorado swept them. I would equate his performance to Markstrom's in the 2nd round. Both goalies had a really poor game, then had flashes of good but mostly avg to below avg play while both were hung out to dry by their team. Are of the free agent goalies available going to change that narrative? Not imo. Seeing what they have in Skinner is not a terrible idea. I think some priority has to be given to Puljujarvi and Yamamoto because one thing the Oilers finally found this season is depth at forward. Once Woodcroft came in and got them playing a more modern style they actually good put out some lines that wouldn't bleed chances and I think that was huge in allowing McDavid to take over games. One of the problems the Oilers have is they don't really have impact players in the pipeline so if they don't bring back Puljujarvi and/or Yamamoto who fills that spot for them? They are back to the same problem where they will have one line and then just have to hope the rest of their lines don't bleed too many chances and goals. If the Oilers want to walk away from Puljujarvi then the Flames should be all over that. They would be smart to look at Kane too provided Kane doesn't want some big contract. It's not easy to find players that can play at McDavid's speed so if you have one you need to look hard at brining him back. They've got some options but again it's such a poorly constructed roster and organization that I don't see an easy path here. Really tough choices ahead for them.

Gonna be tough for them though. Puljujarvi and Yamamoto to sign, 15 players under contract and only 7 mill cap space. 11 if Klefbom is done but even then that’s tight. probably want to move Barrie but I’m not sure that’s gonna be easy.

I don't think there is a team out there giving up 4 first round picks for Tkachuk. Bruins gave up their first this year for Lindholm so do this would be giving up 5 years of first round draft picks. No chance that happens IMO.

That's pretty reasonable honestly. I struggle to see NJ offering more than that. Flames shouldn't take it though.

Not really. Trading an established star for a high pick is the ultimate mystery box challenge. I mean they could draft another Tkachuk right? Just like they've always wanted. There is a lot that goes into picking a player that is outside the team's control so I don't think it's as simple as just "get it right". I don't necessarily have apprehension about trading Tkachuk for the number 2 pick but it should be understood that the odds of you using that pick and getting a player who is as good as Tkachuk are not super high and they are pretty low that you get a player who is better. For that reason, I don't really understand the point behind this. I understand the cap element of this, in terms of moving the salary, but that falls a little flat for me. You are not replacing Tkachuk in FA and even if you want to try you are likely going to wind up paying almost as much (or the same) for an inferior talent or worse contract. If you are talking the number 2 pick plus then ok but I also think we should temper expectations on what NJ would give up in addition to that pick. I don't see NJ giving up the number 2 pick AND more high end prospects.

I don't think the Flames should be offering 10 though. I'm really struggling with the idea that Tkachuk is worth more than Kucherov, Stone and Mikko Rantanen and I think in a flat cap environment for the next 3 years just giving him whatever he wants is really challenging. I think there needs to be an acknowledgment from the player that if you want to play in great markets and for good teams you need to have some flexibility. Now I do understand the Marner contract is what throws a wrench in this but at the same time he signed that in a rising cap environment pre COVID so I think there needs to be some acknowledgment from the player that certain comps just won't work. That is why I mention the idea of differerent lengths. yes yes I know "Tkachuk's don't take discounts" and i won't pretend to know either way but I'm also not really suggesting he takes a discount i'm suggesting that he look at more recent comparable and not chase every single penny he can

While not technically a PPG he was right there. 77 in 80 in in 2019 and then followed it up with 61 in 69 in 2020. There seems to be a theme developing that this pervious season was out of character for Tkachuk but it really wasn't. In a more defensive role and not on the top line he had back to back season of basically PPG play so even if he "reverts to the mean" the mean he has established is one of a top line player. I'm not disputing that he should look long term, I just think there is room for a conversation with a short team deal and then a long term deal in a rising cap. He could probably swing a 3 year 8-9 Mill AVV deal and then still be in position for 7 or 8 year deal with an AAV of 9+ IMO so it does wind up being more money. All i'm saying is I don't think it's as simple as he takes a 1 year deal or a long term deal. There is plenty of room for conversation in between those 2 scenarios.

I really disliked the hit. Very very dangerous and I too was really bothered by the fact he seemed to think he did nothing wrong. I couldn’t believe he and the fans actually were upset that was a major, IMO it should have been 5 and a game. One of the most dangerous hits you can throw imo. If the NHL were serious that should be a 1 or 2 game suspension. But they are weak are this stuff so I’m sure they’ll give him a fine say the penalty was most of the game and call it a day

Because ask Saks pointed out its expected The cap could take a big jump in 2025. I believe the players have repaid their escrow the new TV deals are done so once the agreement to keep the cap flat expires you could see the cap jump as much as 5-10 million I’ve heard. Tkachuk may not get 100pts again but he’s still a PPG player even without this season and a PPG player in his prime entering a market where teams will be flush with cash is a nice situation for Tkachuk. I know we assume Tkachuk is going to want to cash in but the market really isn’t going to allow it. Even if he takes his RFA and goes to the market next year it’s still not a market that sets up well for him maximizing his dollars. Flat cap means if money is his main objective he likely isn’t going to get it from a contending team. So Tkachuk is going to need to balance winning and getting paid because j don’t this this economic situation warranting both. some risk for sure but I can see that being an option for him and his agents. I think more than a few players are going to use that strategy

I don’t think the Flames could meet the price to be honest so it’s hard to even put forward an offer. if I were the coyotes I’m not moving Chychrun without getting at least one blue chip level prospect and I’d want two. Flames can’t fish in that pond.

it's not direct or controversial but this sounds to me like a player who doesn't want to be on this path, and I don't blame him. https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2022/05/01/arizona-coyotes-jakob-chychrun-says-teams-rebuild-tough-him/9599205002/