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Armchair GM 2021-2022: Catharsis

Can you imagine the look on Mitch's face when he answers his cell and Kyle thanks him for his service and says "I hope you enjoy Buffalo, by the way the Anchor Bar has the best wings".
 
Clearly, they're talking about JvR or Andreas Johnsson.

Rackell has only one year left on his deal and I think would make for a nice Hyman replacement.

 
OldTimeHockey said:
That's the one everyone's going to talk about. Not sure how they'd ever make that happen.
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Eichel is the only one that would get me excited that I can think of but it's going to cost you Marner. Not sure how Id feel about trading him..
 
Guilt Trip said:
That's the only one that would get me excited but it's going to cost you Marner. Not sure how Id feel about trading him..
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As much as I like Marner, I don't understand for the life of me why Buffalo would do that deal. If I'm Buffalo, I'd rather trade Eichel for the proverbial two quarters a dime and a nickel because at least then you can sell the fans that you're tearing down the team and trying to build back up. If you trade Eichel for Marner you're basically saying you're going to try to do the same thing you've been doing, only built around someone who isn't as good as Eichel and is more expensive.
 
Nik said:
As much as I like Marner, I don't understand for the life of me why Buffalo would do that deal. If I'm Buffalo, I'd rather trade Eichel for the proverbial two quarters a dime and a nickel because at least then you can sell the fans that you're tearing down the team and trying to build back up. If you trade Eichel for Marner you're basically saying you're going to try to do the same thing you've been doing, only built around someone who isn't as good as Eichel and is more expensive.
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I agree with you that would probably be the smarter thing for Buffalo to do, but it's not like the Sabres have a long history of making the right decisions. Selling fans on another rebuild after 10 straight years of missing the playoffs would be pretty tough, and I can see ownership being tempted to solve this Eichel problem by replacing him with another young, legit top tier talent in the league. And if they go that route then I don't think they're going to find anyone available even nearly as good as Marner (if Mitch was available, which he probably isn't). They also might not mind the slightly higher AAV since it also comes at a drastically reduced salary (Eichel gets paid $10mil in each of his next 5 years, while Marner gets paid just $24.8mil total in the next 4 years if the Leafs take his next signing bonus).
 
CarltonTheBear said:
I agree with you that would probably be the smarter thing for Buffalo to do, but it's not like the Sabres have a long history of making the right decisions. Selling fans on another rebuild after 10 straight years of missing the playoffs would be pretty tough, and I can see ownership being tempted to solve this Eichel problem by replacing him with another young, legit top tier talent in the league. And if they go that route then I don't think they're going to find anyone available even nearly as good as Marner (if Mitch was available, which he probably isn't). They also might not mind the slightly higher AAV since it also comes at a drastically reduced salary (Eichel gets paid $10mil in each of his next 5 years, while Marner gets paid just $24.8mil total in the next 4 years if the Leafs take his next signing bonus).
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Your point about the real dollars owed is well taken but I think you always have to be careful about "Well, this team is stupid so they may do dumb things". I get it, and I rule it out, but I think the bad decisions most teams make are defensible decisions that just don't work out.

And with regards to "selling fans" on a move...I mean, I don't think there are a lot of Sabres fans out there labouring under the perception that whatever happens with them isn't effectively already a rebuild. Inserting Marner in Eichel's place doesn't make that any less true.
 
Nik said:
CarltonTheBear said:
I agree with you that would probably be the smarter thing for Buffalo to do, but it's not like the Sabres have a long history of making the right decisions. Selling fans on another rebuild after 10 straight years of missing the playoffs would be pretty tough, and I can see ownership being tempted to solve this Eichel problem by replacing him with another young, legit top tier talent in the league. And if they go that route then I don't think they're going to find anyone available even nearly as good as Marner (if Mitch was available, which he probably isn't). They also might not mind the slightly higher AAV since it also comes at a drastically reduced salary (Eichel gets paid $10mil in each of his next 5 years, while Marner gets paid just $24.8mil total in the next 4 years if the Leafs take his next signing bonus).
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Your point about the real dollars owed is well taken but I think you always have to be careful about "Well, this team is stupid so they may do dumb things". I get it, and I rule it out, but I think the bad decisions most teams make are defensible decisions that just don't work out.

And with regards to "selling fans" on a move...I mean, I don't think there are a lot of Sabres fans out there labouring under the perception that whatever happens with them isn't effectively already a rebuild. Inserting Marner in Eichel's place doesn't make that any less true.
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Nik you make a good point but I offer a friendly edit: delete the the final part of your last sentence beginning with the word "labouring."

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I?ve got time for Jakob Chychrun, Dylan Strome, Dylan Larkin (quite unlikely), maybe Christian Dvorak*, Oliver Bjorkstrand ($$), Travis Konecny, Alex Nylander (RFA), Jakub Vrana (RFA)

* Another personal support acquisition for Marner, eh?
 
herman said:
I?ve got time for Jakob Chychrun, Dylan Strome, Dylan Larkin (quite unlikely), maybe Christian Dvorak*, Oliver Bjorkstrand ($$), Travis Konecny, Alex Nylander (RFA), Jakub Vrana (RFA)

* Another personal support acquisition for Marner, eh?
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Chychrun could be an interesting add, though his defence took a step back as his offence grew.
Strome is a bit of a buy-low candidate, but don't love the $3M cap hit if he doesn't regain some production.
Larkin is also a buy-low candidate with a big cap hit.
Dvorak hasn't shown himself to be worth his cap hit yet. Would need to include salary retention for me to have interest.
Bjorkstrand feels like a lesser Hyman who gets paid similar to what Zach will get as a UFA.
A. Nylander doesn't interest me at all. Missed the entire 20/21 season, and didn't show much before that. For super cheap, maybe.

Konecny is interesting. Vrana could also be, depending on his next contract.

Basically, you have too much time for too many players.
 
bustaheims said:
herman said:
I?ve got time for Jakob Chychrun, Dylan Strome, Dylan Larkin (quite unlikely), maybe Christian Dvorak*, Oliver Bjorkstrand ($$), Travis Konecny, Alex Nylander (RFA), Jakub Vrana (RFA)

* Another personal support acquisition for Marner, eh?
Click to expand...

Chychrun could be an interesting add, though his defence took a step back as his offence grew.
Strome is a bit of a buy-low candidate, but don't love the $3M cap hit if he doesn't regain some production.
Larkin is also a buy-low candidate with a big cap hit.
Dvorak hasn't shown himself to be worth his cap hit yet. Would need to include salary retention for me to have interest.
Bjorkstrand feels like a lesser Hyman who gets paid similar to what Zach will get as a UFA.
A. Nylander doesn't interest me at all. Missed the entire 20/21 season, and didn't show much before that. For super cheap, maybe.

Konecny is interesting. Vrana could also be, depending on his next contract.

Basically, you have too much time for too many players.
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This offseason, there is more time (than expected  :'() to cast a wide net for potential buy-low reclamation projects. The nature of reclamation projects sort of requires having as many options as cap-feasible to see what shakes out. I've got time, but pretty differing amounts.

Chychrun strikes me as a Rielly replacement if it ever comes to that.
Larkin is unlikely to come into play, but if Detroit doesn't think he's peaking in their contention window several years from now, he's a Hyman/Kerfoot hybrid, Tavares-insurance sort of fish. Salary only works if Andersen/Hyman/Kerfoot are all out and replaced with cheapos.

Strome, Dvorak, Bjorkstrand, Nylander are tire kicks to see if they come in low low low.

Slightly outside the scope CJ outlined for his player in mind, but if Winnipeg fully implodes, I want to see what it'd take to get Ehlers.
 
RedLeaf said:
I can hear the backlash on this already but ?.Nylander for Eichel straight up.
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I'm not sure there's a ton of backlash coming your way outside of Buffalo not being willing to do that.
 
Nik said:
RedLeaf said:
I can hear the backlash on this already but ?.Nylander for Eichel straight up.
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I'm not sure there's a ton of backlash coming your way outside of Buffalo not being willing to do that.
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Yeah. You?re probably right. At least not without another piece or two.
 
Nik said:
RedLeaf said:
I can hear the backlash on this already but ?.Nylander for Eichel straight up.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure there's a ton of backlash coming your way outside of Buffalo not being willing to do that.
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That's a no brainer for T.O minus the money. Leafs need to add like Nik says. I would trade Marner for him and Buff may not go for it.
 
Yes, if there's one thing you need, it's the guy with a career .908 playoff SV% who has made it out of the first round once.
 
Nik said:
Yes, if there's one thing you need, it's the guy with a career .908 playoff SV% who has made it out of the first round once.
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Never mind his "stellar" .907 Sv% over the last 3 regular seasons. Yes, he's a two-time Vezina winner and he could turn it around, but his play does not inspire confidence.
 
Also, sure, let's move the guy who, over the last 3 seasons, is 11th in the league in goals and 21st in points while retaining half his salary without taking back an NHL player who is under contract. And move Nylander for the same. Just free up cap space. Who needs to get value in return?
 
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