2022 Free Agency

[Captain Canuck #12]

I'm pretty sure Rutherford's plan is not to trade our overpriced depth players in order to turn around and sign any of the top, overpriced UFA's.  There's a reason why he and Allvin have only talked about signing undrafted European and collegiate free agents.

[DownUndaCanuck]

Realistically we need top-4 defencemen and a 3C, especially if we trade Miller.

 

Amongst defencemen, guys like Ristolainen and Zadorov are the big ones. Big, strong defencemen who can play shutdown-hockey and play alongside Hughes. I wanted Zadorov in the last off-season because he's a big, mean guy which we lacked (before Schenn's return).

 

Ristolainen would probably cost us 6M but he's having an off-year, maybe could talk him down to 5.5M?

 

Trade Miller for Schneider + 1st then sign Ristolainen and suddenly we trade a top line center for two top-4 defencemen (plus a good pick).

 

There's plenty of good possible 3Cs to replace some of Miller's minutes but we're going to have to jiggle the cap. Guys like Viktor Rask, Rakell, Strome, Janmark, Paul and Cousins are all out there to be had for anywhere between 2-5M. With Luongo's dead cap coming off the books plus another trade here or there (Poolman for a pick?) we could easily squeeze one in.

 

Boeser - Pettersson - Garland

Podkolzin - Horvat - Hoglander

Pearson - Janmark (etc.) - Dickinson

Highmore - Lammikko - Motte

 

Hughes - Ristolainen

OEL - Myers

Schenn - Schneider

Rathbone

 

IMO a much more balanced team than we currently have which is very forward/top heavy and lacking on the blueline and all it costs us is a Miller trade and 2 UFA signings, plus we end up with a 1st + pick for Poolman.

[aGENT]

6 hours ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

Realistically we need top-4 defencemen and a 3C, especially if we trade Miller.

 

Amongst defencemen, guys like Ristolainen and Zadorov are the big ones. Big, strong defencemen who can play shutdown-hockey and play alongside Hughes. I wanted Zadorov in the last off-season because he's a big, mean guy which we lacked (before Schenn's return).

 

Ristolainen would probably cost us 6M but he's having an off-year, maybe could talk him down to 5.5M?

 

Trade Miller for Schneider + 1st then sign Ristolainen and suddenly we trade a top line center for two top-4 defencemen (plus a good pick).

 

There's plenty of good possible 3Cs to replace some of Miller's minutes but we're going to have to jiggle the cap. Guys like Viktor Rask, Rakell, Strome, Janmark, Paul and Cousins are all out there to be had for anywhere between 2-5M. With Luongo's dead cap coming off the books plus another trade here or there (Poolman for a pick?) we could easily squeeze one in.

 

Boeser - Pettersson - Garland

Podkolzin - Horvat - Hoglander

Pearson - Janmark (etc.) - Dickinson

Highmore - Lammikko - Motte

 

Hughes - Ristolainen

OEL - Myers

Schenn - Schneider

Rathbone

 

IMO a much more balanced team than we currently have which is very forward/top heavy and lacking on the blueline and all it costs us is a Miller trade and 2 UFA signings, plus we end up with a 1st + pick for Poolman.

I like Paul, Tierney or Sturm for 3C personally but the nice thing is, this free agency is FULL of those guys, which *fingers crossed* hopefully keeps the price down.

 

If we're able to dump Hamonic and Poolman (doubtful unfortunately but here's hoping), I'd prefer Lyubushkin IMO. Schneider is going to be top 4 sooner than later and Risto would require far more term and cap (and Lyubushkin is arguably better).

 

(Wingers fluid)

 

Garland, Horvat , Boeser

Podkolzin, Pettersson, Hoglander (sheltered line)

Pearson, Paul/Tierney/Sturm, Chytil

Dickinson, Lammikko, Highmore

 

OEL, Myers

Hughes, Schneider/Lyubushkin

Schenn, Schneider/Lyubushkin

 

Burroughs

 

Though I'd also like to see us find a pk'ing 3LD and bump Schenn down the as well.

Edited February 8, 2022 by aGENT