I said the same yesterday on NHL radio... there are no bridge deals for young players thought to be the future cornerstone of a franchise...as was the case recently with Tarasenko and Saad.
- Al

To me t his is the issue, I don't see Saad as nearly the franchise player Tank is. Maybe he will prove me wrong. Good player for certain but a franchise player? I am not sold.

So...I just saw some of the Ducks playoff games while in the local Lou Malnati's --i haven't see Corey Schneider win enough to even stay in Vancouver and after seeing corey crawford on tv tonight, I kinda resent the bull that there are better goaltenders making less $...
and furthermore THERE AREN'T ANY BETTER GOALTENDERS on the TRADING BLOCK...so pointess.
- wiz1901

CC = Rodney Dangerfield (get's no respect)

He'd also be a low risk high reward pick up since his injury has dropped his stock. He's on pace to be ready for next season even if he's 80% healthy he'd still be a massive upgrade over Bickell. He actually plays two way hockey can't really say Bickell does.
- Dabearshawks

Bickell doesn't? If he didn't he'd be sitting right next to Vesteeg in the playoffs. He's able to skate and keep up with all 4 lines, I guess people want to see what they want to see.

My buddy said that Saad was just on 670 the Score and sounded really bummed. After the interview, one of the hosts said:

"Brandon Saad sounded like the most conflicted, shell-shocked and perhaps depressed 22-year-old multi-millionaire I've ever talked to."

If the Engelland deal actually happens I want full credit for being the first to post the idea here (k5). It will mean that Stan read it here and pulled the trigger!
- Kentxo

Done

Looking over my own spreadsheet and thinking about trades.

1) Bickell to Calgary for Deryk Engelland in return ($2.9M) -- net loss of $1.1M
2) Versteeg to Montreal for a few picks -- net loss of $2.2M
3) Sign Kruger for $2.5M
4) Baun stays up at $.853M (Q likes him a lot)
5) Assume plugs like Morin and Tropp are traded or buried in Rockford

This is $70.4M, which gives the Hawks $1M in cap space.

Before everyone says Engelland sucks, let's get Russell… Russell had something like 7 points for CGY in the playoffs, even though he was a -9. If I'm Treliving/Burke, I hold onto Russell over Engelland, yet try to move a D-man because of Dougie Hamilton's arrival and Giordano's return from injury.

I think it's this type of deal that might work, even if Calgary isn't the dance partner. The salary differential between Bickell and the return is only $1M, but we get back a depth D, even though he's still kind of expensive… It's still only $.7M more than Rozsival was payed the last two years.

This way, we also keep Shaw.
- DMChi2010

A) I'm such an ass… quoting myself…

B)

Here's the rain on the parade for 2016-17, just because I need to procrastinate more.

1) Kruger was already signed for term and $2.5M AAV.
2) Bickell and Versteeg were already gone, with Bicks bringing back Engelland ($2.9M).

3) Panarin lights it up and gets ~ $2.6M in bonuses. Teuvo gets his $.5M bonus, too.
4) Seabrook signs for a long-ass time at $6.5M AAV.
5) Anisimov's raise kicks in, going from ~$3.383M to $4.55M AAV.
6) Shaw gets a raise to $2.5M AAV (probably lower than he'd get elsewhere).

With all these things happening, salary-wise, the team adds up to $75.3M, with no breathing room. Does the cap go up $3.9M? Methinks no way in hades.

I think a few things are on the table for "wait and see" for the 2015-16 season:

1) Obviously, does Panarin pan out, kick ass, and earn the $$$?
2) Does Garbutt show flashes of Shaw-ness at cheaper such that Shaw becomes a trade chip at the trade deadline or in the next offseason?
3) Can Danault earn a spot this year and even transition into taking some 4C duties while Kruger slots in at 3C? Can Teuvo transition into being a 3C? If both work out, Kruger becomes expendable…
4) Biggest one in my mind: Does Scott Darling become a true #1? If he does, Crawford gets moved.

Crawford getting moved solves all the cap problems for 2016-17 and allows for Kruger and Shaw to be kept long-term. Then it's all about Dano, Danault, Baun, Teravainen, Panarin, Garbutt, Desjardins, and Daley showing enough to be kept and not flipped for younger, cheaper players...

My buddy said that Saad was just on 670 the Score and sounded really bummed. After the interview, one of the hosts said:

"Brandon Saad sounded like the most conflicted, shell-shocked and perhaps depressed 22-year-old multi-millionaire I've ever talked to."
- Hank3Henshaw

Who said that the anti-hockey Dan Bearstein?

No.

Too little and an insult to Kruger...

I know it is an RFA bridge deal but the want a long brige and I bet Krugs wants security but wante to feel wanted in the pocketbook
- wiz1901

If $3MM is too little, then he has to know he won't get more ($3.5? $4.0?) with the Hawks, and he should have been looking for an offer sheet before now.

Apparently (although we don't know everything that goes on) he hasn't found anyone willing to offer sheet him at $4.0. And he likely won't.

To me t his is the issue, I don't see Saad as nearly the franchise player Tank is. Maybe he will prove me wrong. Good player for certain but a franchise player? I am not sold.
- stljam

While I saw progress like everyone else, I'm not sold either. Agree with you.

Depending on how much cap we can clear Eric Fehr is still available and he'd be a monumental upgrade over Bickell.
- Dabearshawks

My grandmother would be a monumental upgrade over Bickell ... she's been dead for 35 years. Bickell has been brain dead for only 29 years, so there's the experience factor.

Last

I guess Coach Q doesn't know what he's doing by putting him out there with him, and I guess my eyes don't see the samething your eyes do. Which is fine I'm glad he's here he has a certain skill set this small team needs.
- BetweenTheDots

Stupidity and laziness do not comprise a skill set in my world.

Bickell doesn't? If he didn't he'd be sitting right next to Vesteeg in the playoffs. He's able to skate and keep up with all 4 lines, I guess people want to see what they want to see.
- BetweenTheDots

When was the last time you saw Bickell on the PK team? If he could play defensively, you don't think they'd like to have some size on the PK unit??? Come to think of it, Shaw has pretty much replaced him on the PP team, too, because he can't even stay in front of the net despite his size. Where'd you buy those Brian Bickell All Star glasses you're looking through?