Ennis is trade bait for sure. Trade him at the draft and get a defenseman. Fill in the blanks around him for what it will cost. I'm cool with keeping Pysyk but cool with losing him too. Same with Girgs. I wouldn't be that big on free agency just because there aren't that many great options. I expect either Bailey or Fasching up here next season on the 2nd/3rd line. Play that team, get a pick, let's see what they can do after a full year of Dan and the rookies have a full year of learning the NHL game under their belts. Not to mention a full year of Lehner.
- Zschalberg

I see a few problems with "Ennis for a defenseman"
-he's had a poor & injured season... so even if a team wanted him, we wouldn't get full value and that probably means he couldn't get us the guy we want
-his Cap # at 4.6mil is risky to any team that may be close to the Cap
-he'd have to be "protected" in the upcoming expansion draft, which also lowers his value (especially if our trading partner is a team like Anaheim)
*all of these things likely de-valu him to the point where we should keep him- at least for now


Btw...
I saw Ennis & Reinhart out last night on Allen
Didn't talk to them or anything though. They were talking to girls & I didn't wanna come off as a fan boy
Hahaha

There should be no debate about the Calder winner this year. The award is designed to recognize the best rookie in his class, and McDavid is light years ahead of anyone else. The fact that he missed 30 games is completely irrelevant. He's the best rookie in the league by far

Second place Panarin. Third place Gost

If McDavid doesn't win, years from now people will look back and laugh
- AxlRose91

I think years from now...
People will look back & not give a sh!t

I think years from now...
People will look back & not give a sh!t
- jdfitz77

Or look and see he got hurt and say "Oh, that's why"

There should be no debate about the Calder winner this year. The award is designed to recognize the best rookie in his class, and McDavid is light years ahead of anyone else. The fact that he missed 30 games is completely irrelevant. He's the best rookie in the league by far

Second place Panarin. Third place Gost

If McDavid doesn't win, years from now people will look back and laugh
- AxlRose91

saying Panarin is in second contradicts your whole statement. The guy is 24, and on Chicago-a dynasty team, and playing with P. Kane. I'm not saying Eichel deserves it, I really don't care about these stupid awards, but McDavid getting hurt is a factor, you can't be the best rookie this year if you don't play. Can we allow a player to play one game, score two goals and say he finished up the year at a 2 ppg scoring pace? No, of course not. If anybody deserves the Calder it's the kid from Philly.

Michael Russo @Russotrib

#Gophers Forward Hudson Fasching is close to signing with Buffalo, a source says.

A simple phone call to the NHL HQ should clear that up. If that mistake happens there's no excuse for it.
- sskkoo1

Idk that it's that easy
Nothing is set in stone just yet, all they got is an "outline" of what an expansion draft could look like

Hopefully this doesn't screw us
Having to protect Fasching would suck

Michael Russo @Russotrib

#Gophers Forward Hudson Fasching is close to signing with Buffalo, a source says.
- mhp

This could prove to be quite the mistake by Murray if we end up having to protect him

Tough to see the value gained by playing a handful of games this year

Idk that it's that easy
Nothing is set in stone just yet, all they got is an "outline" of what an expansion draft could look like

Hopefully this doesn't screw us
Having to protect Fasching would suck
- jdfitz77

I would HOPE that they only consider a FA type qualification as counting as a year played in professional hockey. If Fasching signs and plays in the last of the Sabres games, that wouldn't technically count as an accrual as a season towards UFA status. Even if that cutoff is 10 games, Buffalo only has 9 left.

This could prove to be quite the mistake by Murray if we end up having to protect him

Tough to see the value gained by playing a handful of games this year
- jdfitz77

It would be an even bigger mistake if he chose not to sign him and he leaves as an FA

It would be an even bigger mistake if he chose not to sign him and he leaves as an FA
- Sabresfan-365

I didn't say "not sign him"
But maybe it would be better to wait until these last few games are over with

This could prove to be quite the mistake by Murray if we end up having to protect him

Tough to see the value gained by playing a handful of games this year
- jdfitz77

100% disagree. This is far from a mistake for Murray imo and frankly it's the right one. Fasching is the one prospect I want to see. I'm not concerned at all that it eats one year of his ELC and if we have to protect him, so be it. Those things sort itself out.

I didn't say "not sign him"
But maybe it would be better to wait until these last few games are over with
- jdfitz77

The player wants to sign his ELC so let's get it done. Far too risky if we don't.

I didn't say "not sign him"
But maybe it would be better to wait until these last few games are over with
- jdfitz77

But then what incentive is their for him to sign? No nhl paycheque this year, he doesnt get closer to any sort of free agency?

I would HOPE that they only consider a FA type qualification as counting as a year played in professional hockey. If Fasching signs and plays in the last of the Sabres games, that wouldn't technically count as an accrual as a season towards UFA status. Even if that cutoff is 10 games, Buffalo only has 9 left.
- stashu

Yeah...
It's just tough to say bc everything seems so up in the air

The player wants to sign his ELC so let's get it done. Far too risky if we don't.
- mhp

If Murray figures him part of the top 6 going forward then protecting him shouldnt be concerning, you'd be allocating that protection slot to your top 6 forwards regardless.

But then what incentive is their for him to sign? No nhl paycheque this year, he doesnt get closer to any sort of free agency?
- Sabresfan-365

Just up his signing bonus whatever would be lost by missing out on playing a handful of games

Just up his signing bonus whatever would be lost by missing out on playing a handful of games
- jdfitz77

Is there not a cap on that?

The maximum combined signing bonus will be limited to 10% of the player's maximum annual compensation in any year.

The player wants to sign his ELC so let's get it done. Far too risky if we don't.
- mhp

Why is it "far too risky" to just wait a couple weeks to sign him?

Is there not a cap on that?
- Sabresfan-365

Does it matter?
We are FAR under the Cap

Edit
To answer your question though...
Any bonuses get averaged in with the remaining years of the contract to form the plates "cap hit" I believe

If Murray figures him part of the top 6 going forward then protecting him shouldnt be concerning, you'd be allocating that protection slot to your top 6 forwards regardless.
- Sabresfan-365

Agreed, and I see Fasching part of the future core of this club. Play him at RW with Eichel moving forward.

Does it matter?
We are FAR under the Cap
- jdfitz77

No i meant there's a cap on how much of signing bonus you can give to an ELC player, and i believe it's significantly lower than what he'd get in performance bonuses and an nhl paycheque.

Why is it "far too risky" to just wait a couple weeks to sign him?
- jdfitz77

Why wait if the player wants to sign his ELC now and wants to get into some games? If you wait you stand the chance of losing him. That's what makes it risky. What incentive is there for the player to sign his contract after the season is over with? You need to look at this from the player's side of it. But if that's your opinion I'm not here to convince you otherwise. Poor management if you decide to wait.

edit- this is the time of year that GM's sign their '14 draft picks so they don't lose them. It's nothing unusual.

No i meant there's a cap on how much of signing bonus you can give to an ELC player, and i believe it's significantly lower than what he'd get in performance bonuses and an nhl paycheque.
- Sabresfan-365

An NHL paycheck for 5 or 6 games?
That's not too significant really

And bonuses could more than cover that

An NHL paycheck for 5 or 6 games?
That's not too significant really

And bonuses could more than cover that
- jdfitz77

"The aggregate of all Signing Bonuses attributable to any League Year to be paid
to a Group 1 Player may not exceed 10% of the Player's compensation for such League Year. "

Why wait if the player wants to sign his ELC now and wants to get into some games? If you wait you stand the chance of losing him. That's what makes it risky. What incentive is there for the player to sign his contract after the season is over with? You need to look at this from the player's side of it. But if that's your opinion I'm not here to convince you otherwise. Poor management if you decide to wait.

edit- this is the time of year that GM's sign their '14 draft picks so they don't lose them. It's nothing unusual.
- mhp

Sounds like what you're saying is that that Fasching MIGHT not want to sign here at all unless he gets to play a few games this season

If that's the case...
Then cya later
I'd trade his ass

It's bad management to let prospects dictate what's best for the organization

I doubt Murray would do that
See Brendan Lemieux