who is the flyers dano ?
- Winning

Konecny, Sanheim or Provorov, in all probability

McKenzie just said that Saad was looking for $6.5mm over 6 years and the Hawks suspected there was an offer sheet out there.
- Jsaquella

That doesn't help O'Reiley with his 8M$ goal

I know we can both point to examples that will prove our points, so I am honest enough to not acknowledge that others who see it differently have merit in those opinions

I just truly believe in team sports, it's not always as simple as rolling out the most talent -- as an NBA fan, I would think that a team like the Spurs would embody that, whereas a team like Sacramento, with the exception of a five or six year window, has never been able to get out of its own way
- AllInForFlyers

It's always about talent

Winning tradition is irrelevant

McKenzie just said that Saad was looking for $6.5mm over 6 years and the Hawks suspected there was an offer sheet out there.
- Jsaquella

$6.5...OK. Yeah, they couldn't pay that

Of course, I do distinctly recall saying that the "why" they wouldn't be able to pay something like that was gonna be the salaries they dropped on Toews/Kane, but it's gonna be like that

They had to know that, going in, that teams around the league weren't going to give them all day to get their fiscal house in order

I agree, but I do think Saad is a 1st line talent. Dano could be a special player, but Morin and Tropp are mid tier guys. I guess they decided getting a known quantity in Dano beat 1st, 2nd & 3rd as comp
- Jsaquella

He's more a Scott Hartnell than a guy who does any of the driving on a line, tho. That's valuable, yes. The flat-lining of salary cap growth seems to have GM's scared poopless.

Sam Hinkie needs to learn that!

- MJL

If the Sixers signed Aldridge, Butler and Patrick Beverly, they would still suck because they sucked before

Like when the celtics sucked for 5 years then got Garnett and Allen and immediately won the championship

It's always about talent

Winning tradition is irrelevant
- PhillySportsGuy

It's about how the team works around a singular talent.
Almost every great team in team sports has at least one upper level talent. it's up to the rest of the team to fill in the gaps and gel together with that talent.

I guess. Dano is a really good young player, and Anisimov is a good middle six, but to give up Saad for that package...plus that doesn't really help the Hawks cap situation much at all
- Jsaquella

More to come

He's more a Scott Hartnell than a guy who does any of the driving on a line, tho. That's valuable, yes. The flat-lining of salary cap growth seems to have GM's scared poopless.
- Tomahawk

Rumors that an OS was coming in the 6.5M range

Leight!!!!!!

I'm not one of those people who feels that Saad is the second coming of jesus... Chicago did get back some good/young/cheap pieces. But it is surprising to see these RFA's get dealt instead of given the keys to the bank vault. Sure makes the league a more interesting place.
- Tomahawk

Quality young player who is only going to get better. He's just 22.

If the Sixers signed Aldridge, Butler and Patrick Beverly, they would still suck because they sucked before

Like when the celtics sucked for 5 years then got Garnett and Allen and immediately won the championship
- PhillySportsGuy

Badly missing the point.

It's always about talent

Winning tradition is irrelevant
- PhillySportsGuy

That's just not true -- I'm surprised you would say that, tbh

Rick Nash didn't become a better player when he left Columbus, and they didn't have more talent after they moved him and Derek Brassard and Jake Voracek, and Carter bailed on them

They became a better team when they brought in guys like Brandon Dubinsky and Anisimov and Nick Foligno, who had never been exposed to being losers like the Jackets had been

so does anyone wanna rehash that horrible primeau for brind'amour trade?

Badly missing the point.
- MJL

What is the point?

$6.5...OK. Yeah, they couldn't pay that

Of course, I do distinctly recall saying that the "why" they wouldn't be able to pay something like that was gonna be the salaries they dropped on Toews/Kane, but it's gonna be like that

They had to know that, going in, that teams around the league weren't going to give them all day to get their fiscal house in order
- AllInForFlyers

Begs the same question as the Hamilton deal. That's the best they could do?

He's more a Scott Hartnell than a guy who does any of the driving on a line, tho. That's valuable, yes. The flat-lining of salary cap growth seems to have GM's scared poopless.
- Tomahawk

Seems to me that Columbus throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. I'd love to have Brandon Saaw. He's a Left Wing player, 20 goal scorer, 22 years of age and normally does the dirty work on a line. We could use all of this. My issue is, the Jackets have these things in more pricey players in Hartnell and Clarkson. I believe Nick Foligno can play the same type of game.

He's more a Scott Hartnell than a guy who does any of the driving on a line, tho. That's valuable, yes. The flat-lining of salary cap growth seems to have GM's scared poopless.
- Tomahawk

To a degree, yes. I'm not stunned by this, especially after Hamilton, because it was always a possibility. To get 4 1st rounders, a team would have to offer over $7.2mm in AAV(or close to it IIRC), but a $65.mm offer sheet is just a 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

If I'm a team that thinks it's close and has that much space, I'd toss a sheet at a guy like Saad or Hamilton and be happy to forfeit that small amount in compensation to land them.

Don't pay attention for a day and deals go down

That's just not true -- I'm surprised you would say that, tbh

Rick Nash didn't become a better player when he left Columbus, and they didn't have more talent after they moved him and Derek Brassard and Jake Voracek, and Carter bailed on them

They became a better team when they brought in guys like Brandon Dubinsky and Anisimov and Nick Foligno, who had never been exposed to being losers like the Jackets had been
- AllInForFlyers

A better team by a small margin but yes, overall better.

so does anyone wanna rehash that horrible primeau for brind'amour trade?
- JoeRussomanno

What is the point?
- PhillySportsGuy

In any sport it's not just about collecting talent. It's about collecting players that are a fit and compliment each other to form a team, not just a collection of talent.

That's just not true -- I'm surprised you would say that, tbh

Rick Nash didn't become a better player when he left Columbus, and they didn't have more talent after they moved him and Derek Brassard and Jake Voracek, and Carter bailed on them

They became a better team when they brought in guys like Brandon Dubinsky and Anisimov and Nick Foligno, who had never been exposed to being losers like the Jackets had been
- AllInForFlyers

Interesting that you left out the most important player who contributed to their turnaround

To a degree, yes. I'm not stunned by this, especially after Hamilton, because it was always a possibility. To get 4 1st rounders, a team would have to offer over $7.2mm in AAV(or close to it IIRC), but a $65.mm offer sheet is just a 1st, 2nd & 3rd.

If I'm a team that thinks it's close and has that much space, I'd toss a sheet at a guy like Saad or Hamilton and be happy to forfeit that small amount in compensation to land them.
- Jsaquella

And Ron Hextall doesnt have a single sheet to give.

In any sport it's not just about collecting talent. It's about collecting players that are a fit and compliment each other to form a team, not just a collection of talent.
- MJL

I think you're missing the point

He's more a Scott Hartnell than a guy who does any of the driving on a line, tho. That's valuable, yes. The flat-lining of salary cap growth seems to have GM's scared poopless.
- Tomahawk

and going back to last week or so....
if it flat lines again and the players vote down the escalator, anyone at the 71M cap is in trouble.