Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
[NYI] Brian Strait signs 3-year extension ($775k cap hit, one-way)
He's playing on their top pairing and getting over 19 min a night. Hard to suggest that he'll only ever be a bottom pairing guy after what we've seen to date.
Good for Strait. Still bitter that we waived him instead of Lovejoy. Hope he plays great for the Islanders - just not against us.
Top pairing on the Islanders isn't top pairing everywhere else in the league. I could see him developing into a 2nd pairing (on a playoff team) by year 2 or 3 of his contract but he wont be anything more than a solid bottom pairing this year or next.
Top pairing on the Islanders isn't top pairing everywhere else in the league. I could see him developing into a 2nd pairing (on a playoff team) by year 2 or 3 of his contract but he wont be anything more than a solid bottom pairing this year or next.
More importantly, being on the top pairing doesn't mean you are a top pairing guy. For example, the Blues' top pairing over the last two years has been Pietrangelo and Huskins/Colaiacovo/Redden/Cole. The Blues' third pairing has Roman Polak, who could be a #3 probably, and Shattenkirk is on the 2nd pairing, even though he could be a 1st pairing guy
This does illustrate the problem with Shero's team building philosophy. It was not that Pittsburgh had no clue that Strait had talent, they knew. But we now have the deepest defensive talent pool in the NHL. No bad thing, except it has been at the expense of drafting and developing forwards. The idea floated was 'look what Goligoski got us, Neal and Niskanen. We can trade all this surplus for forwards.' The truth is that only at HF do prospects have much value. There have to be spots for them to play and go through the growing pains of developing before you can actually trade them for anything.
So you end up losing guys for nothing like this.
I do not care about losing Strait, the Pens have a lot like him or better in the system which is why he is gone. But I do care about Shero's flawed plan of being so unbalanced in the system to lose guys like this for nothing while having the forward cupboard be pretty bare.
Top pairing on the Islanders isn't top pairing everywhere else in the league. I could see him developing into a 2nd pairing (on a playoff team) by year 2 or 3 of his contract but he wont be anything more than a solid bottom pairing this year or next.
He isn't on our top pairing (MacDonald-Hamonic). But he has outplayed Streit on the 2nd pairing. He is very good partner for a player like Streit. I don't think it's fair to write him off for the next couple years. Everything he has shown so far has been exceptional, and he doesn't have an offensive instinct to throw him off his game.
He isn't on our top pairing (MacDonald-Hamonic). But he has outplayed Streit on the 2nd pairing. He is very good partner for a player like Streit. I don't think it's fair to write him off for the next couple years. Everything he has shown so far has been exceptional, and he doesn't have an offensive instinct to throw him off his game.
It would be pretty rare for a defenseman of Strait's type (positional defensive dman, ok skater, decent first pass) to become a top 4 guy that quickly after breaking into the NHL. Guys like him usually need to gain experience of playing against NHL players every night to get better so it will take him time. I'm not writing him off by saying it's highly unlikely that he becomes a top 4 guy within the next two years (and again I mean top 4 in the sense of a playoff team). 6 games is a very small sample size.
I mean the money is very cheap, but what has he played five or six NHL games?
There was a Newsday article from several days.
Cappy and Brent Thompson (Sound Tigers ex-headcoach), say they did a lot of scout of opposing AHL players during the lockout. They were looking for possible waivers pickups.
I would guess their opinions carried some weight, when deciding whether to offer him a contract.
I mean the money is very cheap, but what has he played five or six NHL games?
I wouldn't put too much weight into this argument, the Islanders (especially the coaching staff) scout the AHL very deeply. This might be one of those guys Snow and Co have been looking at for a while.
Obviously a small sample size, but pretty much all Isles fans can agree this was well deserved. He has played like a top 4 shutdown guy so far. At the worst, he's an everyday #5. Could be a very good contract for the Isles.
Yupp, THANK THE ****ING LORD WE KEPT BEN "IM THE MOST USLESS ****ING PLAYER IN THE NHL" on our roster.... ughhh
This deal is pretty laughable. I guess 6 games gets you 3yr 1-way contract now. Ridiculous.
yeah. i'm with you these contracts being thrown around are outrageous. a little over league minimum to a 25yr old AHL Vet defenseman who's played great and is playing great.
How many 25 year old guys with 18 games experience do you see get 1-way deals? Its laughable but its not so bad at the same time. I wish Strait the best of luck. Always nice to see guys who pay their dues get their chance.
The Leafs have had lifetime AHL-er Mike Kostka up for 6 games and he looks like a guy who'll stick in the NHL. I just hope they're not preparing to offer him a multi-year, 1-way deal after a week
How many 25 year old guys with 18 games experience do you see get 1-way deals? Its laughable but its not so bad at the same time. I wish Strait the best of luck. Always nice to see guys who pay their dues get their chance.
The Leafs have had lifetime AHL-er Mike Kostka up for 6 games and he looks like a guy who'll stick in the NHL. I just hope they're not preparing to offer him a multi-year, 1-way deal after a week
Somewhere in hf archives, are the posts from NYI fans with mini rants aimed at Snow, after both the Frans Nielsen and Andrew MacDonald signings: they hadn't done enough to deserve multi yr deals, what was snow doing
Somewhere in hf archives, are the posts from NYI fans with mini rants aimed at Snow, after both the Frans Nielsen and Andrew MacDonald signings: they hadn't done enough to deserve multi yr deals, what was snow doing
Those guys worked out real well for you guys. Snow is doing the most with the resources he has available but that doesn't mean this move shouldn't be open to criticism, even if the criticism is a tad-bit petty
This does illustrate the problem with Shero's team building philosophy. It was not that Pittsburgh had no clue that Strait had talent, they knew. But we now have the deepest defensive talent pool in the NHL. No bad thing, except it has been at the expense of drafting and developing forwards. The idea floated was 'look what Goligoski got us, Neal and Niskanen. We can trade all this surplus for forwards.' The truth is that only at HF do prospects have much value. There have to be spots for them to play and go through the growing pains of developing before you can actually trade them for anything.
So you end up losing guys for nothing like this.
I do not care about losing Strait, the Pens have a lot like him or better in the system which is why he is gone. But I do care about Shero's flawed plan of being so unbalanced in the system to lose guys like this for nothing while having the forward cupboard be pretty bare.
I think the philosophy is more "we develop Dmen well and are better at picking them late."
Either way I am glad this thing worked out this well for Strait.
How many 25 year old guys with 18 games experience do you see get 1-way deals? Its laughable but its not so bad at the same time. I wish Strait the best of luck. Always nice to see guys who pay their dues get their chance.
The Leafs have had lifetime AHL-er Mike Kostka up for 6 games and he looks like a guy who'll stick in the NHL. I just hope they're not preparing to offer him a multi-year, 1-way deal after a week
There is risk, but it is pretty low risk with a potentially good reward. If he doesn't pan out, the Isles are paying a little over the league minimum for a #7-8 dman. If it does pan out, then the Isles have a $3M or so player for $775k.
This deal is pretty laughable. I guess 6 games gets you 3yr 1-way contract now. Ridiculous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GordieHoweHatTrick
How many 25 year old guys with 18 games experience do you see get 1-way deals? Its laughable but its not so bad at the same time. I wish Strait the best of luck. Always nice to see guys who pay their dues get their chance.
The Leafs have had lifetime AHL-er Mike Kostka up for 6 games and he looks like a guy who'll stick in the NHL. I just hope they're not preparing to offer him a multi-year, 1-way deal after a week
$775K a year really isn't much to a team that's teetering close to the salary floor anyway. I'd rather pay him $775K a year and have him (at worst) be a scratch vs someone who carries a $4+ million cap hit and salary and have them being a scratch.
