A team generally doesn't engage in contract negotiations with an RFA and then trade them the same off-season. The reality is that Matt Carle is going to be moved.
A team generally doesn't engage in contract negotiations with an RFA and then trade them the same off-season. The reality is that Matt Carle is going to be moved.
Having 5 mil tied up into a player until he's 42 with no recourse is pretty much a no-movement clause. lol
I would happily, happily take that contract on. Even if Pronger doesn't score a single goal, and didn't have an elite first pass, he is still among the top 5 shutdown d-men in the league, capable of playing 30 minutes per game at a high level. I'd say it won't be until he is 41 that contract looks less than average.
Souray and Kaberle will top the speculation lists.
I would look to the teams that overloaded on defense and see who they have to spare. Carle in Philly. Maybe a Pen. Bieksa/Ehrhoff in Vancouver.
Kubina and Corvo are still out there.
Perhaps more than last week, Burke would move Kaberle for Clowe and Huskins. Their top need to me is a PF on the left and Clowe really fits what Burke likes in a player. I'm still not sure that's the best for the Sharks. We would need to get a top 6 wing or expect Couture to take that role which is a lot for the second line. Defense would look a lot better with
Boyle Murray
Kaberle Vlasic
Wallin Demers
But agree with all your points re Corvo on Kubina ... maybe add Willie Mitchell as a high risk low cost alternative. Would be funny to see Vancouver dump Ehrhoff back to us. (obviously not a likely outcome)
I have always wanted Kubina. He is a solid minute eating d-man, who adds the big point shot- we don't have one, clears the crease (Wallin and Murray do as well, but are inept offensively), he is a winner. If he will take 4 million, we absolutely should consider it. With that said, Setoguchi is a much higher priority for me.
Also, I'd have no problem with White or Hammarlson at 3.0 via offer sheet, but they'd have better have Seto signed if that is the route they are going.
I have always wanted Kubina. He is a solid minute eating d-man, who adds the big point shot- we don't have one, clears the crease (Wallin and Murray do as well, but are inept offensively), he is a winner. If he will take 4 million, we absolutely should consider it. With that said, Setoguchi is a much higher priority for me.
Also, I'd have no problem with White or Hammarlson at 3.0 via offer sheet, but they'd have better have Seto signed if that is the route they are going.
Agreed any of those three would boost our terrible defense lol, but Kubina would be great
I have always wanted Kubina. He is a solid minute eating d-man, who adds the big point shot- we don't have one, clears the crease (Wallin and Murray do as well, but are inept offensively), he is a winner. If he will take 4 million, we absolutely should consider it. With that said, Setoguchi is a much higher priority for me.
Also, I'd have no problem with White or Hammarlson at 3.0 via offer sheet, but they'd have better have Seto signed if that is the route they are going.
All are fine with me, Mitchell is fine with me as well. Frankly I'm ok with Souray too. He's not ideal cap wise, but as a player I think he'd be a decent fit.
The biggest downside to most of the guys that are left in UFA is none of them are great skaters. Decent, but not great.
I'm also kind of leaning towards putting Demers with Vlasic and getting Boyle a superior partner. He's never really had a high skill partner, and I think that would make a huge difference for him. Having a guy back there with a booming point shot that he can rely on defensively to cover his ass when he pinches.
All are fine with me, Mitchell is fine with me as well. Frankly I'm ok with Souray too. He's not ideal cap wise, but as a player I think he'd be a decent fit.
The biggest downside to most of the guys that are left in UFA is none of them are great skaters. Decent, but not great.
I'm also kind of leaning towards putting Demers with Vlasic and getting Boyle a superior partner. He's never really had a high skill partner, and I think that would make a huge difference for him. Having a guy back there with a booming point shot that he can rely on defensively to cover his ass when he pinches.
I'd take Souray at the trade deadline if possible, but I don't think I want to give up the players whose cap hits would make it doable.
kubina has a very similar skillset to blake IMO, so vlasic would likely mesh right away with him. i'd guess right about the 5m/yr he made on his last deal - perhaps a tad less since he's approaching age 35, but i'd expect 4.5+ depending on term.
with McLaren, MacIntyre, and a 13th forward penciled in near league minimum (525k) SJ has 4M to sign Seto and leave some injury replacement space (so ~3.5 tops for seto). that means given the likely range of seto's signing the offseason must be roughly cash-neutral or better from here out.
one of murray or huskins is probably a goner. i'll guess murray since DW's comments make it sound like wallin will play with boyle against the "top opponents"
i still have my fingers crossed that seto comes in at 3.25/yr or below, but if murray is the only piece moving there's not enough salary going out to take on a better player who would assuredly have a higher cap hit (only non-cap assets i wouldn't mind SJ trading are lower level goaltender prospects and those aren't worth too much)
so who is replaceable? mitchell? huskins through free agency or moore? if the total deletions include murray, huskins, and mitchell (the secondary bits looking like McGinn-Couture-MacIntyre/Ferriero-Nichol-McLaren/Moore-Demers/near-minimum reserve D) then there's ~8.25M for seto and vlasic's partner (3.25 for seto and 5 for kubina?)
if it's only murray and mitchell, then the cap hit for vlasic's partner+seto could only be at most ~7M (3.25 for seto would only leave 3.83M... pls no bieksa...)
so i expect either some combo of those pieces moves by trade or if a UFA comes in some combo of those pieces will be dumped for scraps since SJ would be over the cap at that point and GMs would wring DW
I'm also kind of leaning towards putting Demers with Vlasic and getting Boyle a superior partner. He's never really had a high skill partner, and I think that would make a huge difference for him. Having a guy back there with a booming point shot that he can rely on defensively to cover his ass when he pinches.
Excellent point about Boyle. So many times he'll set up a great offensive cycle or opportunity only for it to end up on Murray's stick (or Lukowich's last year). Would be nice to pair him with a d-man that can take advantage of the opportunities he creates.
Would it be possible to offer him 3 million (so the compensation is only a 2nd rounder) + bonuses?
I would like that, but I don't know if it's possible.
not possible. bonuses IIRC only allowed for ELCs, for 1yr deals for 35+ players, or for 1yr deals for veterans (400+GP) who have been injured ("100 or more days on injured reserve in the last year of their most recent contract")
Perhaps more than last week, Burke would move Kaberle for Clowe and Huskins. Their top need to me is a PF on the left and Clowe really fits what Burke likes in a player. I'm still not sure that's the best for the Sharks. We would need to get a top 6 wing or expect Couture to take that role which is a lot for the second line. Defense would look a lot better with
Boyle Murray
Kaberle Vlasic
Wallin Demers
But agree with all your points re Corvo on Kubina ... maybe add Willie Mitchell as a high risk low cost alternative. Would be funny to see Vancouver dump Ehrhoff back to us. (obviously not a likely outcome)
of course he would move kaberle for that, kaberle is a one year rental, he's going back east next offseason.
I don't mind moving clowe, just not for kaberle.
Kubina would be a good fit here, he's been on a lot of crappy teams but did win the cup with boyle(not as productive as boyle though, only 4 assists but did play 20 mins a game). Corvo might come cheaper though, kubina made 5m cap hit in his last contract.
I wouldn't mind mitchell if the price was right, but worry about him missing half the season last year including the playoffs. When he has gone to the playoffs he's only scored 1 goal in 45 games. He's not exactly the puckmoving qb that these other FA's are. But he's a leader and pretty good defensively. I think I'd rather go for someone who can score a bit more though
And there goes the last of the free agent defensemen I had any interest in.
If DW wants to add a decent defenseman now, it will have to be through a trade. This is starting to become a trend with him; pass on the best available players in free agency and then move valuable assets to catch up.
And there goes the last of the free agent defensemen I had any interest in.
If DW wants to add a decent defenseman now, it will have to be through a trade. This is starting to become a trend with him; pass on the best available players in free agency and then move valuable assets to catch up.
The roster is essentially full (especially on D) so whether he trades or signs, he still has to move someone to make room. That's why he does trades, because he gets better value for his assets that way.
I would like to score a D player and a replacement for manny, but either way- the Sharks are contenders.
If we do not improve the D, we have absolutely no shot next season. Don't delude yourself. Our D was taken advantage of last year because it was slow, and unreliable. It is now, undoubtedly, slower, and more unreliable. Our top-6 has not improved either, and it was slow and defensively suspect.
I'm not worried because I know DW is going to make that trade for a defensemen.
