Separate thread here as Free Agency is pretty much a week away.

 

An interesting tidbit in recent Free Press article:

 

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/Burmistrovs-future-big-storyline-for-Jets-at-draft-309360161.html

 

 

 

We’re all dealing with trying to sign RFAs or UFAs and not having a solid number in front of you makes things a little bit difficult, difficult from a signing standpoint and difficult from a player agreeing standpoint. Everyone wants to know what might be available out there for him. We’re entering another unique part of the CBA where you have an interview period which starts on Thursday (where teams can ‘court’ prospective free agents in advance ot the market opening on July 1st). That’s a different phenomenon that we’re all learning the ins and outs from that standpoint. I guess once all things come into play and now you know you’re number, you can really start making your final plans for how you can move forward."

 

So while I know that talks with Frolik have apparently begun to "heat" up, if we don't get a deal done by Thursday he will be able to start getting a feel for what kind of money and term other teams would be willing to give him.

 

Must be the busiest time of the year for GMs with the Draft this weekend and Free Agency soon after.

 

With GMs able to talk to agents on Thursday, and pretty much all agents and GMs being at the draft, I expect a huge flurry of singings July 1st when they can officially submit contracts.

Apparently they been talking to Ladd for 2 3 months now. He wants either too much money or too much term.. if he didn't they'd have agreed on a new deal by now. It's at the point where you either sign him or trade him. Probably wants 6 7 years at 6 7 million a year. Sorry but that's just too much for a guy like Ladd. Good player but not a star and totally hinders your future. Ppl talk about losing Ladd and Buff for nothing will do damage.. disagree. Signing them to big money long term deals will do more damage in the long run.

According to lawless they have essentially agreed on term.

You can't say a guy can replace Ladd when it's three years down the road. Myers and trouba replace buff now and for the next 5-10+ years.

I think Ladd can contribute for the next 5-6 years in a way buff can't. Because while buff can dominate games he does so inconsistently. Ladd is worth more to the team than an inconsistent buff.

Factor in Ladd's off ice contributions and he's more valuable to the team. Which is why management is working on him first.

You're too busy thinking of the now when you should be thinking 5 years from now. Is 35 year old Ladd worth 6 6.5 million bucks a year?

5 years from now you'll be telling us we shouldn't be signing Mark Scheifele to an 8 year extension because he'll be 35 at the end of it. When does it end? When can we start thinking about the present?

To each their own, but I'll leave the "5 years from now..." stuff to Chevy & management. As a fan and STH, I want a good team this year and next year. Goalie, I respect your opinion about long term deals handicapping the team down the road, but what about handicapping the team NOW - and next season. Unless your getting solid roster players back, removing Buff or Ladd from this roster is a huge void to fill.

I'd change the 5 years from now to 3 years from now. If they are re-signed, that will be the 2nd year of their new contract.

 

There's lots of unsigned players going into this year that will be UFAs at the end of this season. I'd be more concerned if it was Christmas and they weren't signed yet.

 

Ladd 38 over 6.  7, 7, 7, 6, 5.5, 5.5,

Buff 32 over 4.   8.5, 8.5, 8, 7.

 

Trade em both, Morrissey and Lemieux will take their place!!!!!!!!!!!

@SlawsonTHW: Edmonton Oilers assign Darnell Nurse to their AHL affiliate, Bakersfield Condors.

@SlawsonTHW: Edmonton Oilers assign Darnell Nurse to their AHL affiliate, Bakersfield Condors.

hmmm...did not see that coming. He's had a solid camp, by all accounts, and the Oilers are thin on the blue line.

@SlawsonTHW: Edmonton Oilers assign Darnell Nurse to their AHL affiliate, Bakersfield Condors.

hmmm...did not see that coming. He's had a solid camp, by all accounts, and the Oilers are thin on the blue line.

If this was the previous regime, I would say it is just another f*ck up but I have much more faith these days. I'm guessing it's to get him as much ice time as possible.

Definitely is...but still curious what the 6 D will be. If it's giving Ference more time at the expense of sending Nurse down, I don't know that I agree. 

 

@SlawsonTHW: Edmonton Oilers assign Darnell Nurse to their AHL affiliate, Bakersfield Condors.

hmmm...did not see that coming. He's had a solid camp, by all accounts, and the Oilers are thin on the blue line.

 

Waiting for last day cuts on guys they can pick up?

Will be interesting to see the logic behind this. Giving more ice time to Nikitin and Ference is NOT a good thing, in my books...

Will be interesting to see the logic behind this. Giving more ice time to Nikitin and Ference is NOT a good thing, in my books...

You must be from around these parts. Ference is average at best without Chara by his side.

As a Jet fan,, I'm hoping they play these guys more so I can have great conversations with my Oiler fan colleagues coming into the office every morning.

Something like, 'Unfortunately, McDavid can't play every position for 60 minutes'. 

Whats the realistic expectation for McDavid.  Benn won the scoring race with only 87 points last season and I see predictions for McDavid of at least 70 points.  As a rookie?  Really?  He's going to be in the top 5 or 10 in scoring?

 

Is that realistic?

Whats the realistic expectation for McDavid.  Benn won the scoring race with only 87 points last season and I see predictions for McDavid of at least 70 points.  As a rookie?  Really?  He's going to be in the top 5 or 10 in scoring?

 

Is that realistic?

Funny thing: Picked up a copy of The Hockey News Fantasy Pool Guide for this year and immediately flipped to the Oilers page. They have a thing listing the Top 5 scorers for each team in the league, and they've predicted McDavid will lead the Oilers with 83pts this year. I said "wow, no pressure, kid..." Like, seriously...for **** sakes. Let's temper things a little bit here. With players like RNH and Hall (Eberle will miss the first couple months of the season after injuring a shoulder) and even Yakupov....they really think this kid is going to lead the team? I mean he's good.....but he's still just a kid.

TSN did their top 50 NHL players. McDavid was in there. No doubt he is going to be a super star but he hasn't played a single NHL game yet.

Yeah, McDavid at #37....some serious expectations for the kid.

Time will tell whether McDavid will be a superstar; however, he is considered a generational talent and compared with Sidney Crosby. Crosby had 102 points in his rookie season (2005-06) which was 6th overall, so someone of that talent finishing in the top 10 in his rookie season is not unprecedented. Also the Penguins had 58 points that season, so they weren't any better than the Oilers of last season. Of course scoring was up at that time and Joe Thornton won the scoring title with 125 points. Jamie Benn's 87 points was about 70% of Thornton's total, so 70% of Crosby's total is 71 points - right about where many are predicting for McDavid, although a lot less than the 83 points the Hockey News predicts. To sum up, **IF** he is a Crosby-like talent and puts up Crosby-like numbers, then having 70+ points and finishing top 10 in scoring is not unrealistic. Now to actually play the season and see what happens...

@SportsCentre: UPDATE: @EdmontonOilers place D Nikita Nikitin ($4.5M AAV) on waivers for the purpose of assignment. #TSNHockey http://t.co/0nxBbt3135

Not sure if anyone posted this yet but Stemp signed a one year deal in NJ for 850k.

Also, Oilers waived Ben Scrivens. They'll have sophomore Cam Talbot starting and a rookie, Nilsson, backing up.

2.3m per year to play in the AHL....

Bit surprising... would have kept Scrivens as backup

 

And any deal with Buff now starts with three years at $9 million... that's what Seabrook got

Seabrook is better. Buff won't get that much

Seabrook signed for 6.875m per year NOT 9m.  

 

sheesh

Seabrook signed for 6.875m per year NOT 9m.  

 

sheesh

 

$9m, 9m, 9m, 7.5m, 5m, 6m, 5m, 4.5m - over half of each season is signing bonus/guaranteed

 

If you want to sign Buff for 8 years, maybe you can get $6.5 mill avg - otherwise, its 8.5 o r 9 million for a shorter contract