Other than Stamkos, which FA forward do you want?

[SwedeLundin77 460]

We've given short term contracts and to me are just a waste of money. He won't be an impact player.

You don't know that and you can't dismiss someone of his caliber over two bad seasons on a terrible team that he was probably sick of. I'm not saying Staal is my dream signing, but we desperately need centers, true centers. There are very few that can put up the possible points that he can. You're looking at Staal who has scored 40+ goals twice, 30 goals three times, 20 goals four times, and had 18 in the lockout season. He's only had less than 30 assists in 2 seasons (his rookie year and last season). He'll be 32 at the start of the season and I believe still has plenty to prove. I'm not saying he's guaranteed, but there are worse options, and if it's a 3 year or less deal for around 5 million or less, why not? I'd rather take a risk on him over Nielsen. Nielsen has pretty much shown his ceiling (right around 50 points). I'm personally between Staal and Backes at this point for our center need/s. We really really need to lock up Okposo. Shoots right and adds a different dimension to our present wingers. Hopefully, we don't lose another one to Minny.

[LeftWinger 5,179]

I'd go Staal for 2 yrs 4.5M per. Then trade for Jordan.

[sjr2012 439]

I'd go Staal for 2 yrs 4.5M per. Then trade for Jordan.

i think that would be as steal Lefty but i think he would want at alittle more would you go 5 for a year?

[brett 1,029]

I'll be boycotting if holland signs staal

[shocky2002 36]

Nothing more overrated in hockey than physicality. Hits have no correlation with winning and never will.

Edited June 30, 2016 by shocky2002

[poel 28]

If Staal is available for max 2 years at around 5 millions each I'll be ok with him. He's still easily a top6 centerman and will be for 2 more years at least. Nielsen and Backes aren't top6 centers even though they at times played in this role. We need pure scoring to replace the magic man. Backes and Nielsen aren't good enough and want long term deals, too.

Shipachev would be interesting though. I'd love to see the guy play for the wings. By far the best FA-Center. If we miss out on him I'd still suggest to trade for Hanzal.

[xault 272]

Nothing more overrated in hockey than physicality. Hits have no correlation with winning and never will.

Yeah, Gordie Howe should of hit less and had less physicality... He would of won more often....

Edited June 30, 2016 by xault

[SwedeLundin77 460]

If Staal is available for max 2 years at around 5 millions each I'll be ok with him. He's still easily a top6 centerman and will be for 2 more years at least. Nielsen and Backes aren't top6 centers even though they at times played in this role. We need pure scoring to replace the magic man. Backes and Nielsen aren't good enough and want long term deals, too.

Shipachev would be interesting though. I'd love to see the guy play for the wings. By far the best FA-Center. If we miss out on him I'd still suggest to trade for Hanzal.

I was saying this the other day, what about this Shipachyov guy from Russia. Good stat line in the KHL and seems interested in coming over to the NHL now.

[sjr2012 439]

I was saying this the other day, what about this Shipachyov guy from Russia. Good stat line in the KHL and seems interested in coming over to the NHL now.

i say Staal and Okposo would be nice than trade for a Dman if you can if not role this

DD Green

Kronwall March

XO smith

E

[xault 272]

i say Staal and Okposo would be nice than trade for a Dman if you can if not role this

DD Green

Kronwall March

XO smith

E

I think we would be pressed to get one of Staal or Okposo, let alone both. That goes for any 2 combo FA pair people keep tossing around. FA are not lining up to play here.

[poel 28]

I was saying this the other day, what about this Shipachyov guy from Russia. Good stat line in the KHL and seems interested in coming over to the NHL now.

You never know about european players...how they adapt to the smaller rink and stuff. But surely the best FA-Center out there. I think that Staal would have the biggest impact as of now...but longterm, and I think we definitely should look for a longterm solution, Shipachev would be great to have.

Otherwise, if it's true that Chayka wants to move Hanzal, Holland should be all over him to get the guy. We have to replace Datsyuk and sooner or later Zetterberg. Larkin and Athanasiou to me are better at wing and there's no guarantee that even one of them will ever be a top6 center although it's likely that Larkin will sooner or later be able to play as a top6 Center.

That said, I'd still like a guy a Staal to help us short term if he doesn't demand too much.

Edited June 30, 2016 by poel

[kliq 3,763]

I just hope Holland doesnt cave to the fan pressure of signing someone

Sucks Stamkos is gone, but I'm just happy he's not going to Toronto...

We desperately need a center and I'm frightened to death Holland is going to overpay for whoever is left over... There are no centers available that I'd want long term but we should probably look at one of Backes or Staal on a short term deal as a stop gap... Not sure if either would go for that though, since both are likely looking for 5-7 year deals. Other than that, the only other name that I'd be willing to pay and give term to is Okposo.

I'd be okay with Backes at a similar contract that Green signed last year and Okposo to $5.5M X 5 years...

Completely agree. I just hope Holland doesnt cave into fan pressure and sign someone to a stupid contract just for the sake of signing someone. I would rather go with the kids, then sign a guy like Frans Nielsen to a ong term deal. I would love to have Okposo though, or even Backes if its a short term deal as a stop gap. Staal I'm not to high on, but for the right price I would be open to it.

[poel 28]

I just hope Holland doesnt cave to the fan pressure of signing someone

Completely agree. I just hope Holland doesnt cave into fan pressure and sign someone to a stupid contract just for the sake of signing someone. I would rather go with the kids, then sign a guy like Frans Nielsen to a ong term deal. I would love to have Okposo though, or even Backes if its a short term deal as a stop gap. Staal I'm not to high on, but for the right price I would be open to it.

Something isn't right here. Firstly you don't want stupid contracts but then you talk about signing Backes or even Nielsen longterm. Really hoping that Holland learned from mistakes like Legwand, Weiss or partly Richards. I'd rather have Richards back than to sign Nielsen or Backes even short term. They wouldn't help us at all but we'd have to overpay to get them.

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

I'd rather re-up Helm and get Okposo then to sign Nielsen to a long deal to get a center. Nielsen will end up being a terrible contract in 2 years.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Kucherov isn't happening. Even if he wanted to, who has he doesn't because offer sheets never work, he can't unless he offers at least $9.38 mil and gives up 4 first rounders because they don't have all of their own picks, and the offering team has to have all of the picks that would be awarded as compensation in order to make an offer sheet.

[xault 272]

I don't think it matters what forwards we sign, Stamkos or not. With our D, I doubt we get pass the 1st round anytime soon. Until we fix our D, we will be watching game 80-82 to see if we are making the playoffs.

Honestly, I think we were the worst team in the playoffs. The teams around us are only getting better. FLA, NYI, PHI, TB, WSH, PIT that's 6 teams in my opinion that look better off than us in the next 3-5 years. I can see BOS, NYR, NJ, CLB, BUF taking a playoff spot from us next few seasons.

At this point I'm not really sure what can be done. People seem to think Holland going to send offer sheets to RFA, which he rarely has ever done.

This teams needs learn to cut dead weight when needed. It's not 2008 anymore, you can't just hold onto it because of loyalty. I doubt any top FA cares that we live up to a verbal contact to Clearly.

[poel 28]

I don't think it matters what forwards we sign, Stamkos or not. With our D, I doubt we get pass the 1st round anytime soon. Until we fix our D, we will be watching game 80-82 to see if we are making the playoffs.

Honestly, I think we were the worst team in the playoffs. The teams around us are only getting better. FLA, NYI, PHI, TB, WSH, PIT that's 6 teams in my opinion that look better off than us in the next 3-5 years. I can see BOS, NYR, NJ, CLB, BUF taking a playoff spot from us next few seasons.

At this point I'm not really sure what can be done. People seem to think Holland going to send offer sheets to RFA, which he rarely has ever done.

This teams needs learn to cut dead weight when needed. It's not 2008 anymore, you can't just hold onto it because of loyalty. I doubt any top FA cares that we live up to a verbal contact to Clearly.

Pittsburgh's defense is even worse than ours and they just won the Stanley Cup. While I do think that possession is overrated it's still a real problem for us. We were chasing the puck all season long and that's why there was that much pressure on our D. This pressure made them look worse than they actually are. Problem is that we got many forwards who are bad at puckhandling or just too stupid to keep it. Even the Datsyuk-line never seemed to have the puck despite Pavel still being one of the best possession players in the world. If we get so sign puck hogs like Staal, Shipachev, Radulov or Okposo it likely would also help out our defense. If we only sign guys like Lucic, Backes, Nielsen or Boedker it would really worry me as we have to replace our best possession player. The only guy I still want outta those would be Boedker...simply because he's a sniper and because of his speed.

[Shaman 713]

To those who want Okposo: He's looking at a contract of at least 7 million according to sources and there are rumors that with Stamkos gone that could balloon to near 8, as a lot of teams need to answer scoring concerns. He's got a skill set that has been shown to potentially age like milk and wants a massive contract, well beyond his worth. This could be David Clarkson level bad contract before it's over.

[amato 3,210]

Kucherov isn't happening. Even if he wanted to, who has he doesn't because offer sheets never work, he can't unless he offers at least $9.38 mil and gives up 4 first rounders because they don't have all of their own picks, and the offering team has to have all of the picks that would be awarded as compensation in order to make an offer sheet.

Ah yeah I didn't look into which picks we still have vs compensation.. So yeah, not gunna happen. Agreed

[krsmith17 7,191]

There's no one I disagree with more when it comes to player analysis than poel... Smith sucks, Helm sucks, Nyquist sucks, Tatar sucks, and now Brad Richards is a better option than David Backes? LOL

If you don't like Backes, you don't have to want him here, but please don't say that Richards is a better player, because it couldn't be further from the truth. Backes is better in every facet of the game. Backes will put up 40-50 points, while Richards will put 20-30 points... Backes is younger, bigger, faster, shoots right, better at faceoffs, hits more, blocks more shots, icorsi, ifenwick, etc, etc... Backes >>>>> Richards, and it's not close...

[DRW Dominance 255]

To those who want Okposo: He's looking at a contract of at least 7 million according to sources and there are rumors that with Stamkos gone that could balloon to near 8, as a lot of teams need to answer scoring concerns. He's got a skill set that has been shown to potentially age like milk and wants a massive contract, well beyond his worth. This could be David Clarkson level bad contract before it's over.

bahahahahaha.....if anyone does that?????? crazy but not unseen for a whopping 67 goals over the last 3 years

[Jacksoni 418]

There's no one I disagree with more when it comes to player analysis than poel... Smith sucks, Helm sucks, Nyquist sucks, Tatar sucks, and now Brad Richards is a better option than David Backes? LOL

If you don't like Backes, you don't have to want him here, but please don't say that Richards is a better player, because it couldn't be further from the truth. Backes is better in every facet of the game. Backes will put up 40-50 points, while Richards will put 20-30 points... Backes is younger, bigger, faster, shoots right, better at faceoffs, hits more, blocks more shots, icorsi, ifenwick, etc, etc... Backes >>>>> Richards, and it's not close...

I like Richards. He is old though, it's time to walk in to the sunset. Backes is bigger and buffer as you mentioned, and plays it. It always make him a potential danger when coming out of the corners with the puck. Backes would be a big upgrade over Richards imo.

Wwith that said there are better ones out there if we can get our Red hands on them such as Okposo, Nielsen and perhaps a few more. Lucic would be an upgrade but I don't want him.

[DRW Dominance 255]

i've heard subtle rumours about nugent hopkins and the wings.....i have no clue what it would take to get him or if we have nearly enough assets to get it done

[krsmith17 7,191]

I don't want any part of Nielson and that asking price, and I'd much prefer Backes on a short term deal if possible... I'd love to land Okposo, but I can see him getting massively overpaid tomorrow too, especially with Stamkos off the board. I don't think he will get as much as Shaman suggested, but $6-6.5 for 7 years could be a possibility, and I don't want him at that price...

I don't see any chance of us landing Nugent-Hopkins. They would definitely be looking for defense, and we don't have what it would take, unless we can talk up the "massive potential" of Marchenko, the same way New Jersey must have with Larsson...

[amato 3,210]

While I agree that the oilers should've gotten more for Hall or given up less for Larsson.... Larsson >>>>> Marchenko.

But agreed, I don't think the wings have or would even give up what it would take to get Nuge.

Would be great if we could swing it though. But even if we could, assets would be better used to bring in a top D man.