Free Agent Pursuit Thread(No You-Know-Who)

[Nik]

So, absent discussion of a certain someone, is there any UFA's we think the team should be pursuing? Any offer sheets you'd like to see made? Any PAP-types to fill out the team and maybe flip at the deadline?

Or do we think the roster is more or less set?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If nobody offer sheets Seth Jones I'm going to be pretty upset. He's literally the perfect offer sheet target.

1) Soon-to-be 22 year old top-4 defenceman, right handed, with top pairing potential. So any picks you have to give up will likely be worth it.

2) He's only been a member of the Columbus organization for a little under 7 months, and he's already been traded by the team that drafted him. That says two things. First, he doesn't exactly have any emotional attachment to Columbus. And second, he's already learned at a younger age than most players that NHL teams treat their players strictly as business assets. I feel like most younger players feel somewhat iffy about going the offer sheet route because they a certain sense of loyalty to the team that drafted and developed them. That isn't the case here.

3) Seth Jones is likely going to want to get paid on a long-term deal, and the Blue Jackets don't have the cap space for it to happen. It's not going to be an easy negotiation, and I'm sure he and his agent have already found that out. Even if they don't necessarily want to leave Columbus, the smartest thing for them to do would be to put the Blue Jackets in a position to have to accept a long-term deal or lose him for picks by signing an offer sheet.

So, yeah, offer sheet Seth Jones. Anything between $5.5-$7.3mil would only mean we lose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. I'd be willing to do that at this point for him.

 

[sneakyray]

I mean...there are a handful of rfas that might be worth a 1st and a 3rd offer sheet or a little over 5 mil per season.

seth jones, trouba, dumba, lindholm.  dekeyser would be nice but not for a 1st and a 3rd, same for barrie.

I like kucherov.

I don't think anyone is getting offer sheeted though or at least that won't be immediately matched.

 

[maplesyrup]

I wish Backes was a few years younger. Not a fit for our team but I fargin' love that guy. I envy the team he lands with.

 

[sneakyray]

oh man...I forgot forsberg.  theres a centre I wouldn't mind giving up some picks for.

 

[Nik]

So, yeah, offer sheet Seth Jones. Anything between $5.5-$7.3mil would only mean we lose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. I'd be willing to do that at this point for him.

I agree. I wonder though if the Leafs can do that when, at this point, I think they're obligated to send away their next two 3rd round picks.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I wish Backes was a few years younger. Not a fit for our team but I fargin' love that guy. I envy the team he lands with.

I absolutely loved Backes from the ages of 25-30. Now though, any long-term deal he signs will be quickly regretted.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I agree. I wonder though if the Leafs can do that when, at this point, I think they're obligated to send away their next two 3rd round picks.

Won't be a problem thanks to the NHLPA:

Renaud Lavoie: The Players Association filed a grievance when the NHL decided in 2015 to impose a compensation system (choice of second or third round) in training who accepted a "leader" or a coach or general manager, is a new position elsewhere. In its complaint, the NHLPA argued that this had a major impact on the number of teams that could make unwanted offers (offer sheet) to free agents.

More Lavoie (on the agreement between NHL and NHLPA): Here it is: during the period of free agents this year and in 2017, Columbus, Edmonton, Toronto and San Jose will therefore be (like 26 other teams) make offers to free agents, even if they don't have more choices for second or third round. They may do so by giving them choice next draft or by giving them choice of second or third round they acquired through such transaction or a choice of the following year.

http://oilersnation.com/2016/5/21/thanks-nhlpa

 

[herman]

Offer Sheet 5.5-7.5M Jones > UFA 10.5+M He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named?

 

[Nik]

Offer Sheet 5.5-7.5M Jones > UFA 10.5+M He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named?

There was one rule in this thread.

 

[herman]

Offer Sheet 5.5-7.5M Jones > UFA 10.5+M He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named?

There was one rule in this thread.

Haha, I don't think I can talk about offer-sheeting Jones in a vacuum. Are not the arguments for patience still applicable?

 

[louisstamos]

I think the roster is more-or-less set.  There will be a handful of kids to start the year, and more after the deadline when more of the vets are traded away.

 

[herman]

Pending the RFA offers, I'd like to see what we can do with the kids we have. Let the UFAs play out their strings.

A good hockey trade for a #1-2D would be my prime target if possible, preferable over offer-sheeting. Mayhaps even trading for the negotiating rights to Jones, or something like that.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Haha, I don't think I can talk about offer-sheeting Jones in a vacuum. Are not the arguments for patience still applicable?

I prraaayyyyyy that this doesn't become a Stamkos 2.0 thread and if it does I will move posts over there, but in just a general sense I would say:

1) Not every no-Stamkos argument is the same
2) A lot of no-Stamkos arguments are that the assets (i.e. cap space) could be better used towards addressed a glaring weakness in our organization (top pairing defenceman, preferably one that's right-handed). That would be Seth Jones.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

As for anything other than Jones, nothing else really piques my interest. I don't think there are really any other strong offer-sheet candidates. Guys like Forsberg and Lindholm will get insta-matched.

 

[Nik]

Pending the RFA offers, I'd like to see what we can do with the kids we have. Let the UFAs play out their strings.

A good hockey trade for a #1-2D would be my prime target if possible, preferable over offer-sheeting. Mayhaps even trading for the negotiating rights to Jones, or something like that.

That's probably true for everyone but one of the things to clearly emerge from the draft was that the defensemen that were available, like Shattenkirk and Fowler, didn't get moved because everyone was balking at the asking price. If you're like me and think Shattenkirk or Fowler barely fit the bill as top 2 guys(and certainly can't make a claim to the upper echelons of #1 territory) I think a pretty logical follow through is that landing someone like Lindholm or Jones or whoever would cost even more. JVR + Bozak + Brown doesn't really seem to meet those expectations.

So in terms of what you're giving up for a 7 million offer sheet vs. What you'd be giving up in a trade the difference seems pretty small, especially if this unnamed top 2 defenseman has to be signed anyway.

 

[herman]

a glaring weakness in our organization (top pairing defenceman, preferably one that's right-handed). That would be Seth Jones.

I'd prefer a rights-trade vs. an offer sheet with regards to a Jones-type player. I think we can put together a very compelling package. Wouldn't CBJ want more known quantities? They're capped out too, and we have that room and patience to play it out.

Jones is the perfect age/player type/potential to line up with our success window, so I have no issue with pursuing him.

 

[Peter D.]

Okposo would be #2 on my list of available free agents.  But I think the Leafs will be in on only one big ticket free agent. 

Depth, PAP-types I would put a feeler on: C. Stewart, Tlusty, Stalberg,  Tyler Kennedy.  I'd include Helm and Gerbe, but they'll likely cost more than what you're really looking to give these types.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'd prefer a rights-trade vs. an offer sheet with regards to a Jones-type player. I think we can put together a very compelling package. Wouldn't CBJ want more known quantities? They're capped out too, and we have that room and patience to play it out.

Jones is the perfect age/player type/potential to line up with our success window, so I have no issue with pursuing him.

I'd be somewhat surprised to see Columbus basically admit defeat and trade him though. I think they'll play hardball with him as much as they can in negotiations, or tell him to wait while they spend the offseason figuring out how to makes things work. Signing him to an offer sheet early would box them in a corner and force them to make a quick decision before they can figure out how make it work cap wise. I think the odds of Columbus matching are still pretty decent, but it's worth a shot. Maybe if they max out the salary in the first year or two with massive signing bonuses it would make for a tough pill for the owners to swallow.

I also think that trading him would be an impossible thing to sell to that fanbase right now. At least if he signs an offer sheet and they don't match they can kind of make him out to look like the villain here.

 

[Nik]

I also think that trading him would be an impossible thing to sell to that fanbase right now. At least if he signs an offer sheet and they don't match they can kind of make him out to look like the villain here.

I think you could sell it to the fanbase, you just couldn't sell it if you're not coming out of the deal grinning like the cheshire cat. There's not a soggy chance in heck that the Leafs could make that trade without giving up one of their big 4 youth and probably the #1 pick they'd lose in an offer sheet. Especially if Columbus puts him out on the market.

Like we saw with Kessel, trading as opposed to offer-sheeting doesn't mean you do better. It probably means you'll do worse.