Well... the Seattle 'superteam' conspiracies about to be out in full force with the amount of talent getting exposed

I don't think he gets selected. Seattle has doesn't need to take on any bloated salaries for bottom six forwards given the choice they will have. They can really be selective and find guys like him for cheaper.

The more I think about it, the more I now think it's Pettersson or DeSmith. Seattle has to choose three goalies and DeSmith will be one of the better back-up/third string for the money.
- Rinosaur

Especially if they take a 10.5m price contract. It would be hard to say no to price. I guess depends how serious those drieger talks are. 1A/1B route I think if they go drieger. Or price with a cheap backup then I could really see CDS being taken which would really put us in a bind.

Especially if they take a 10.5m price contract. It would be hard to say no to price. I guess depends how serious those drieger talks are. 1A/1B route I think if they go drieger. Or price with a cheap backup then I could really see CDS being taken which would really put us in a bind.
- 10inchTerror

Even with Dreidger, DeSmith makes sense for them although I don't know what other backups are available for less than $1M.

This why I kept saying all our guessing will make no sense until we see these lists. Zucker makes no sense for them IMO at this point.

The trade was simply a salary dump.
- Thunderbolt

2 mil for an effective middle six forward isn’t really a salary dump. It’s a dump of a player we erroneously decided not to protect.

This may be an even weirder trade from Toronto though since they exposed him.

Alright, so here is the question that someone else can research and answer regarding possibly having Zucker taken by Seattle. Its not about how many good wingers are out there, but how many good Defensemen are out there that would make taking Petterson a dumb choice?

Is there more better/cheaper choices on D that would make taking Petts a dumb move and thus push them to Zucker (or Tanev for RW's wet dream)?

I don't like the deal... I get the concept of 'get something instead of lose for nothing'... but you are telling me there wasn't any teams willing to pay more?

Or just do the simple thing, that apparently Hextall refuses to do... Float a 2nd or 3rd round pick to Seattle to make them take Zucker.
- Guile

If Hextall had been willing to poney up to get Seattle to take someone, Zucker wouldn’t have been the guy I’d pay them to take since I think you could recoup some value for Zucker in a trade even if some salary had to come back. The guy I would have payed them off for got protected.

And honestly with McCann gone I don’t think we can afford to lose Zucker. We’d have too many holes in the top 9 at that point.

If Hextall had been willing to poney up to get Seattle to take someone, Zucker wouldn’t have been the guy I’d pay them to take since I think you could recoup some value for Zucker in a trade even if some salary had to come back. The guy I would have payed them off for got protected.

And honestly with McCann gone I don’t think we can afford to lose Zucker. We’d have too many holes in the top 9 at that point.
- Victoro311

Zucker is barely worth being in the top 9 the way he has played... and with that cap hit, you can find two 3rd line wingers to replace him.

Zucker is barely worth being in the top 9 the way he has played... and with that cap hit, you can find two 3rd line wingers to replace him.
- Guile

Zucker’s decent enough and just can’t play with Geno. He’s been effective enough relative to his cap hit when playing with Crosby and Carter. The idea behind getting rid of Zucker was to remove the ability for Sullivan to play him with Malkin, but now we kind of have no choice but to hope Sully wizens up.

Zucker’s decent enough and just can’t play with Geno. He’s been effective enough relative to his cap hit when playing with Crosby and Carter. The idea behind getting rid of Zucker was to remove the ability for Sullivan to play him with Malkin, but now we kind of have no choice but to hope Sully wizens up.
- Victoro311

So.... get rid of him and the cap hit then

Yup. The list I posted is official.

I think Pettersson gets taken. Too many better forwards available than Zucker for the money.
- Rinosaur

Pettersson getting taken is best case scenario IMO. I dont know about there being so many better forwards available... are Domi, Gourde/Johnson, Eberle, injured Tarasenko all better that Zucker? I think they are all in a similar class.

I haven't seen all of the protection lists but it's all based on pairs of decisions. What LD are available and what LWs are available? Sounds like Gio, Pettersson and Dunn for sure at LD. Zucker, Domi, McCann at LW. Ebs and Tarasenko at RW. It's more about balancing the overall needs than just which player is better.

I mean if zucker is taken, the only benefit I see is that the only prospects that even have a shot in the nhl are lw. Zohorna, O’Connor, Poulin.

Some of these lists are wacky

I don't think he gets selected. Seattle doesn't need to take on any bloated salaries for bottom six forwards given the choice they will have. They can really be selective and find guys like him for cheaper.

The more I think about it, the more I now think it's Pettersson or DeSmith. Seattle has to choose three goalies and DeSmith will be one of the better back-up/third string for the money.
- Rinosaur

Honestly if I’m Seattle I’d load up on the forwards available. They could have a solid top 9 set of wingers with Tarasenko, JvR, Zucker, Palat or Killorn, Neideritter, McCann, Eberle, etc.

Not a ton of good D though. I could see you bein right with the Petts selection on D.

Zucker is barely worth being in the top 9 the way he has played... and with that cap hit, you can find two 3rd line wingers to replace him.
- Guile

Zucker was still a top 6 forward with his statistics last year. It was just frustrating to watch his deployment and it looked as though he has zero chemistry with Geno but he still produced as a 2LW.

Honestly if I’m Seattle I’d load up on the forwards available. They could have a solid top 9 set of wingers with Tarasenko, JvR, Zucker, Palat or Killorn, Neideritter, McCann, Eberle, etc.

Not a ton of good D though. I could see you bein right with the Petts selection on D.
- j.boyd919

I think they can totally build a balanced team and not be top-heavy anywhere. I think the big contract they will take is Price, so I don't see them taking Tarasenko, Ryjo or Duchene.

I wonder what Landeskog is seeking? Seems like he'd be tough to pass up for Seattle. Really gonna be interesting to see how Francis builds his team. Lot's of good players available. Some bloated contracts too.

I wonder what Landeskog is seeking? Seems like he'd be tough to pass up for Seattle. Really gonna be interesting to see how Francis builds his team. Lot's of good players available. Some bloated contracts too.
- madmike71

TSN said a week ago that he was seeking in the 8-10 mill range annually depending on the term. Colorado was apparently not going above 7.

TSN said a week ago that he was seeking in the 8-10 mill range annually depending on the term. Colorado was apparently not going above 7.
- burgh4life87

Thanks! I've always been a fan of his game. I'm sure the Av's realize Mckinnon will break the bank next year so they have to be cautious.

Although sounds like career threading foot Injuries, but shea Webber wasn’t protected. A lot of money owed to him but if he retires it sounds like a Nashville problem.

Thanks! I've always been a fan of his game. I'm sure the Av's realize Mckinnon will break the bank next year so they have to be cautious.
- madmike71

No doubt. They also have Makar who will make a ton too. I'm just not sure Landeskog is that type of impact player to be worth 8+. He puts up points now in that range, but how much is that due to playing with Rantannen and MacKinnon?

I made an excel list of the players available. This is an AGM's wet dream looking at all the players available. If this team fails to make the playoffs this all falls directly on Francis. There's no excuse with the quality available.

2 mil for an effective middle six forward isn’t really a salary dump. It’s a dump of a player we erroneously decided not to protect.

This may be an even weirder trade from Toronto though since they exposed him.
- Victoro311

I said in the last blog I thought perhaps that Hex, Dubais and Francis might of had a chat or chats. Francis really wanted McCann from the Pens and a Leaf player the Leafs couldn't protect but didn't want to lose. So the Leafs traded for McCann for Francis to take him. Pure speculation on my behalf, of course.

I can’t find the blog criticizing Dubas for not protecting Uber-stud Jared McCann. Anyone got a link?

I said in the last blog I thought perhaps that Hex, Dubais and Francis might of had a chat or chats. Francis really wanted McCann from the Pens and a Leaf player the Leafs couldn't protect but didn't want to lose. So the Leafs traded for McCann for Francis to take him. Pure speculation on my behalf, of course.
- MattStrat

The Leafs were desperate to protect Holl and Dermott. This likely helps them keep Dermott and the defacto player they lose instead is Hallender and a 7th

Hex likely wanted to shed a couple of contracts so how he loses McCann and either Zucker or Petts and gets to keep Blueger

This may have all been prenegotiated among the 3 or just giving Francis 2 obvious choices that he doesn’t need to think about

I wonder what Landeskog is seeking? Seems like he'd be tough to pass up for Seattle. Really gonna be interesting to see how Francis builds his team. Lot's of good players available. Some bloated contracts too.
- madmike71

You gonna waste a pick on a UFA that you might not be able to sign? I dunno if I would if I was Francis. Although I guess they are allowed to talk first to see if he’d sign or will sign.