Official Best Offseason Ever Thread

[WaukeeBlues]

With the Leafs signing Kerfoot and Ceci, they have a whopping 3.77M to sign Marner. Yeah, there is the option of going 15% over the cap until the season starts, but that would force Dubas to dump the difference in salary somehow. Should be an interesting time until that gets resolved.

With Nathan Horton's LTIR they get an additional $5.3 million to play with.

That being said, I believe that the most beneficial use of that LTIR is the "training camp" equation and not the "off season" equation. I have little to no clue what the difference is but I believe there is some.

Still, even with that though, they're at a hair over $9 to get him done. Might be as much as $2.5 short. They may need to make another move. Zach Hyman would do it, but they really like him (as they liked Conner Brown) and I'm sure don't want to part with him but they may have to.

I'm relatively shocked at them signing Ceci, and for $4.5. I'd been hearing a lot about them trying to trade him to keep that cap hit from hitting. Guess not.

[theohall]

Yeah, forgot about Horton. Using that LTIR money for Marner would put the Leafs into a similar cap issue the Blues faced this past season. Basically, zero roster flexibility leading to someone they don't want to waive being waived.

[Portland Blues]

Filed for arbitration today:

Jordan Binnington
Joel Edmundson
Zach Sanford
Oskar Sundqvist

[theohall]

3 of those were pretty much expected. Sanford is kinda surprising.

[theohall]

Arbitration is likely going to work out very well for Binnington.

In most cases, the arbitrator's decision is binding. However, if a player elected the arbitration and the arbitrator's decision is for a one-year deal with a salary in excess of $3.5 million, the team is allowed to reject the decision and the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. If the decision was for a two-year deal in excess of $3.5 million, the team can opt for only a one-year deal with the given salary, and the player will become an unrestricted free agent the following year. If the team elected arbitration, they must accept the ruling as is."

Odds are his contract will be over 3.5M and his agents will argue for that 2 year term. If he gets both, he's either an unrestricted free agent next season if the Blues only sign him to 1 year or an unrestricted free agent the following year. Or the Blues reject the deal completely and he's immediately an unrestricted free agent.

Assuming he continues to play well, he's going to get paid after this contract.

(Unless the Blues and Binnington work something else out.)

[glen a richter]

If I’m the arbitrator, I’m laughing in the face of every argument the Blues make against giving Binny what he wants. Dude earned himself a statue after what he did and the only valid argument against a big raise is that the sample size was small. He’ll get at least what Allen is getting, if not more.

[JCShutout]

If I’m the arbitrator, I’m laughing in the face of every argument the Blues make against giving Binny what he wants. Dude earned himself a statue after what he did and the only valid argument against a big raise is that the sample size was small. He’ll get at least what Allen is getting, if not more.

Yup. If I'm Binny, I'm offended if the Blues offer less than Allen money. If I'm DA, I offer a quarter mil more than Allen with some term and hope he bites.

[WaukeeBlues]

If I’m the arbitrator, I’m laughing in the face of every argument the Blues make against giving Binny what he wants. Dude earned himself a statue after what he did and the only valid argument against a big raise is that the sample size was small. He’ll get at least what Allen is getting, if not more.

Yup. If I'm Binny, I'm offended if the Blues offer less than Allen money. If I'm DA, I offer a quarter mil more than Allen with some term and hope he bites.

I really think it'll be $4.5/$5 at 2-3 years. Which I think is totally fair. The only way I'd balk at Binnington's numbers is if he was at 5+ years for $6+/AAV or something like that.

Front load it so he gets a multi-million dollar signing bonus as a "thank you" from the franchise and let's move on with this.

If there's one player in this league you can't nickle and dime right now it's Jordan Binnington.

Get him done.

[StL Dan]

If I’m the arbitrator, I’m laughing in the face of every argument the Blues make against giving Binny what he wants. Dude earned himself a statue after what he did and the only valid argument against a big raise is that the sample size was small. He’ll get at least what Allen is getting, if not more.

Yup. If I'm Binny, I'm offended if the Blues offer less than Allen money. If I'm DA, I offer a quarter mil more than Allen with some term and hope he bites.

I really think it'll be $4.5/$5 at 2-3 years. Which I think is totally fair. The only way I'd balk at Binnington's numbers is if he was at 5+ years for $6+/AAV or something like that.

Front load it so he gets a multi-million dollar signing bonus as a "thank you" from the franchise and let's move on with this.

If there's one player in this league you can't nickle and dime right now it's Jordan Binnington.

Get him done.

THIS. Well said.

[glen a richter]

I’d offer 5 mil per for two seasons and then a mutual option for the next 2-3 seasons at 6.5 per. At that point Allen is definitely off the books, the cap has gone up and money is less of an issue. If he turns into a one season wonder, it’s a mutual option and they can just back out and move on. If not, he’ll stay.

[StL Dan]

**Sanford and the Blues agree to a 2yr, 3M dollar deal today.**

Source

Interim HC Craig Berube: 06/24, offered and signed 3 yr contract with the StL Blues

UFA
Thorburn
Maroon
Del Zotto
Carl Gunnarsson: 06/27 - signed 2 yr, 3.5M contract (1.75M AAV) with the StL Blues
Coreau

RFA
Barbashev
Fabbri
Zach Sanford: 07/08 - signed 2 yr, 3M contract with the StL Blues (1.5M AAV)
Sundqvist
Sammy Blais: 07/01 - signed 1 yr, 850K contract with the StL Blues
Binnington (2 years from UFA status)

Existing contracts with caveats
Bozak has 10-team no trade list
Perron has 5-team no trade list
Schwartz has 15-team no trade list

Full no trade clauses:
Tarasenko
Pietrangelo
Steen
Bouwmeester

**Chris Butler: 07/03 - announces retirement from the NHL

[theohall]

Remaining cap space: $12,420,406 (per capfriendly)

They should be able to re-sign everyone left even with Edmundson and Binnington getting significantly bigger contracts.

Won't be surprised at all if Binnington is looking for the 2-year contract (whatever it happens to be) so he becomes a UFA for the 2021-22 season. Only way it would be longer is if the pay matches what he likely would get as a UFA assuming he doesn't turn into a one year wonder goalie. And we all saw what Bobrovsky, whose never won a Cup, just got paid.

[JCShutout]

If I’m the arbitrator, I’m laughing in the face of every argument the Blues make against giving Binny what he wants. Dude earned himself a statue after what he did and the only valid argument against a big raise is that the sample size was small. He’ll get at least what Allen is getting, if not more.

Yup. If I'm Binny, I'm offended if the Blues offer less than Allen money. If I'm DA, I offer a quarter mil more than Allen with some term and hope he bites.

I really think it'll be $4.5/$5 at 2-3 years. Which I think is totally fair. The only way I'd balk at Binnington's numbers is if he was at 5+ years for $6+/AAV or something like that.

Front load it so he gets a multi-million dollar signing bonus as a "thank you" from the franchise and let's move on with this.

If there's one player in this league you can't nickle and dime right now it's Jordan Binnington.

Get him done.

If those are the numbers, DO IT.

I could see Binner going 3 years. Extra security, but still hits FA in his prime. (even 4 years would be a good time for him to be a FA) 3/$14-15m please and thank you.

[StL Dan]

I just bought another Blues cap with the SC logo on it. The wife is gonna kill me.

Aw what the heck. I've been waiting to buy stuff for almost 50 years.

[theohall]

Evolving Wild projected the following salaries for the remaining Blues forwards. They were .1M off on projecting Sanford's contract. All numbers are AAV.

Edmundson 4 yrs $4,617,689
Fabbri 2 yrs $2,056,560
Oskar Sundqvist 3 yrs $1,721,732
Ivan Barbashev 2 yrs $1,565,2512

IMO, Edmundson and Fabbri are way too high. Also, if those numbers are anything close to accurate predictions, it only leaves ~3M for Binnington which we know isn't going to be his number, so something has to give somewhere.

[JCShutout]

Evolving Wild projected the following salaries for the remaining Blues forwards. They were .1M off on projecting Sanford's contract. All numbers are AAV.

Edmundson 4 yrs $4,617,689 HELL NO! BYE!!!
Fabbri 2 yrs $2,056,560 See Edmundson
Oskar Sundqvist 3 yrs $1,721,732 HELL YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU
Ivan Barbashev 2 yrs $1,565,2512 SEE Sundqvist

[JCShutout]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU_Eo5GzMPg[/youtube]

PAY THE MAN!

[theohall]

Evolving Wild projected the following salaries for the remaining Blues forwards. They were .1M off on projecting Sanford's contract. All numbers are AAV.

Edmundson 4 yrs $4,617,689 HELL NO! BYE!!!
Fabbri 2 yrs $2,056,560 See Edmundson
Oskar Sundqvist 3 yrs $1,721,732 HELL YES PLEASE AND THANK YOU
Ivan Barbashev 2 yrs $1,565,2512 SEE Sundqvist

Totally agree.

Fabbri probably got offered the minimum allowed which is 1.10175M. He isn't arbitration eligible, so his only option is finding an offer sheet from someone else to try and get a better contract. I don't really see that happening given his injury history. So... kind of expect him to either stay with the Blues on a 1 yr 1.10175M contract (maybe a little bit more, but nothing that significant) or he signs with someone else. Given the forward depth, he is replaceable.

No way should Edmundson be at 4.6M AAV. He's a #4 defenseman who was regularly replaced by the "7th" d-man and he shouldn't be making more than Bouwmeester, because he simply isn't really any better. At most 3.5M is what he should be paid, but he will probably get over-paid.

Sundvqist is probably going to get more than 1.7M via arbitration, but that would only be a 1 year deal and the same thing happens next season. That's gonna come down to term if they work something out before arbitration settles it.

Barbashev is the most accurate of those, IMO.

I expect Binnington's deal to wind up at 4.5-5M for 2 to 3 years. Could easily be higher if arbitration decides it.

[glen a richter]

I could live without Eddy, definitely could live without Fabbri. As far as Eddy goes, we have guys in the system who can replace him cheaper.

[WaukeeBlues]

I could live without Eddy, definitely could live without Fabbri. As far as Eddy goes, we have guys in the system who can replace him cheaper.

I wouldn't be mad if Armstrong moved the signing rights to Fabbri for even way less than he'd command on even a low offer sheet.

Heck, at this point, I'd take a 4th round pick for him. If not a 5th or 6th. At least it's SOMEthing.

I wish I didn't feel this way but I just think the kid has been ruined by the two big injuries. And we simply cannot afford the cap space to keep taking the risk on him either.