those are just the big ticket $6m+ guys moving forward......demko will get a hefty contract, Jake could end up beng $4-5+ as could Try. WE don't want to be TO and blow half the cap on 4-5 players and try and wn with filler everywhere else.
All that said, I am thrilled BB is here now on a good deal and thta this core will be together for at least 3 more years
In no way am I happy that a bottom six player is taking up $6m in cap space. However, at the time that was market value for LE and he was a player that JB knew and JB knows his stuff. It is what it is and there's not a whole lot to be done about.........he's a solid bottom 6 fwd and a pretty good penalty killer, and as long as he's capable there I don't see FA being too keen on paying him to play in Utica.
Absolutely, grit and physical play still reign supreme, imo. However, fighting is pretty much gone and players like Hughes are just going to have to learn to deal with slashes, high sticks etc etc etc.
If that builder signed a binding contract for a fixed term and showed up for work every day and did his work, regardless of the quality of the work produced, there's not much a boss could do about it.
It's no one's fault, it's just the way things have worked out. He's got three more years left and if they can't move him or he doesn't retire, he's a member of the team and they will make the best of it. He still adds an important element to the team by playing defensive mins and being solid on the pk. Preventing goals is just as important as scoring them.
or he makes the team, plays his 10-12 mins a night and does his part in getting the team to the playoffs. Not only is it an option, it's the most likely outcome.
Only people who couldn't see the bigger picture of JB's plan. I'm sure they'd move LE if they could, but Sutter and Beagle aren't going anywhere and they're important parts of the lineup
I think he looks exactly what they needed on d. He might "look" sluggish, but he's skated the puck out of trouble at least twice so far and he pretty much seals off every opponent on the boards.