Pretty simple question, do you see him being re-signed, traded or left unsigned into free agency?
I want to keep him, but I'm less and less confident he will remain with the club after the lengthy deals everyone else got.
Please don't get rid of Big Sexy, Sherman.
Unless he asks for something crazy (like Jeff Finger money) I'd love to see him get another contract here. He is a bit slower than I'd like but he plays his size and is defensively sound. A very solid third pairing guy who doesn't look lost with #4 minutes.
I don't see why we would let him go or trade him. He's not some valuable trading chip, he's a pretty big part of our defense and he should be fairly cheap to retain.
They better keep him... Hes our only big/shutdown right handed NHL defender besides EJ. Barrie & Elliott are both offensive right handed defenders, which is also why I can't really see them both playing on the roster at the same time. Which ever one loses out will be the one traded in the not to distant future.
Gaunce will also probably be traded if he does not start forcing his way past any of the left handed shutdown guys on the roster as well. Especially if he starts to realize they are not going to give him any kind of real shot as it's looking right now.
Take grooming out of the equation, and the time it will take to get these guys to develop, I think long term, our core is:-
Johnson, Siemens, Wilson, Elliott, Barrie, Gaunce. I actually thought Rutkowski would be in that group to be honest though. Throw in one of O'Byrne, O'Brien for veteran experience and we should be ok, because there is enough choice there for one or two players to not live up to expectation, but us still remain strong from within.
I WOULD still love to see us bring in a quality puck moving defensemen.
Take grooming out of the equation, and the time it will take to get these guys to develop, I think long term, our core is:-
Johnson, Siemens, Wilson, Elliott, Barrie, Gaunce. I actually thought Rutkowski would be in that group to be honest though. Throw in one of O'Byrne, O'Brien for veteran experience and we should be ok, because there is enough choice there for one or two players to not live up to expectation, but us still remain strong from within.
I WOULD still love to see us bring in a quality puck moving defensemen.
To me that's not a core. It's Johnson and five question marks. We have no way of telling what our core is going to be in lets say 3yr.
I think it will also have to do with how our prospects continue to develope.
I agree with the OP though. With the contacts that are on the books now I would have to say I don't think we will resign him.
Why do you think so? It seems like management believes our current core of defensemen, which includes O'Byrne. They will try to keep him for sure.
(Personally I don't have faith on this defense, we need to get better, because it's terrible currently. Our top-pairing is just weak, we could use one top-pairing defenseman and one other top-4 defenseman.)
I hope they find a way to keep him, because he's very good at his job, is big and can fight, and will never command that much money.
Unfortunately, he's one of only three guys that I can see on the team that have any sort of value, and would open up a spot for an impact player the Avs want to bring in. There's an outside chance maybe McGinn or Downie could be traded if another team insisted, but it's doubtful IMO.
Stastny - UFA in two years. Could be traded if they need to make a change
ROB - UFA next off season. Could be traded if they need to make a change
Wilson - Just signed a three year deal as an RFA. Could possibly get traded if a team asks for him
McGinn - Just brought in, comes cheap, and provides just what the Avs needed
Downie - Same as above
Jones - Just re-signed for four years. Not going anywhere for at least two
Lando - Not a chance
O'Reilly - Highly unlikely
Duchene - Highly unlikely
PAP - Just signed for four years as a UFA. Going nowhere for at least 2-3 years.
Hejduk - Retiring an Av
EJ - Highly unlikely
Zanon - Just signed as a UFA. Staying until at least the 2013-14 trade deadline
Hejda - Only a year into his four year deal, and contract won't be that appealing. Unlikely to be traded for another year
SOB - Just signed a 3 year deal instead of becoming UFA. Staying for at least two.
Hunwick - Just signed a 2 year deal instead of becoming UFA. Staying until at least 2013-14 deadline.
Varly - Staying for at least the remaining two years on his deal
Giguere - Just added a year to his deal. Likely retiring an Av in a couple years
The rest are either 4th liners or prospects. The 4th liners won't add much value in a trade, and neither they or the prospects will open up a spot for someone coming the Avs way to make an impact.
Strange, but for being so young the Avs have some bold commitments to some guys already. We're getting to the point where roster spots aren't just available any more on this team. To get some guys we have to move some guys that have at least marginal talent.
I'd like to keep him since he's been great for our PK, but I think he's a goner.
We've got Hunwick, Johnson, Zanon, Hejda, O'Brien, and Wilson already signed for the next two years (most of them 3). That makes a full 6 d-men already even before O'Byrne or any of our prospects who will hopefully be competing for spots within the next 2 years.
If O'Byrne survives the trade deadline, I can't see how he re-signs here. I'd much rather have him than Hunwick or O'Brien, but I think the front office feels otherwise.
I'd like to keep him since he's been great for our PK, but I think he's a goner.
We've got Hunwick, Johnson, Zanon, Hejda, O'Brien, and Wilson already signed for the next two years (most of them 3). That makes a full 6 d-men already even before O'Byrne or any of our prospects who will hopefully be competing for spots within the next 2 years.
If O'Byrne survives the trade deadline, I can't see how he re-signs here. I'd much rather have him than Hunwick or O'Brien, but I think the front office feels otherwise.
People are looking too much into contract signings. Sure a lot of them just signed, but they also realize that hockey is business and if the right trade comes about or they start sucking, they'll be shipped out. We resigned these guys to create competition as a short term stop gap. If they see O'Bryne is our future shut-down pairing, they'll keep him.
Really hope the Avs keep ROB, he has really developed his game since coming here and is one of the less appreciated defensive defensemen in the league.
I think we'll trade him part of a package for a better player.
He is a good bottom-pair capable of #4 minutes if needed, so I think he should be kept over Hunwick at least.
I think we have to see SOB next season and see if he smartens up enough to not be a too big of a liability and then make a judgement between the two. Although I feel it's more like SOB vs. Wilson vs. Hejda, not SOB vs. O'Byrne.
