2017 Free agency thread.

Elliott signs one-year, $2 million contract to remain with Flyers...

 

Reilly agrees to two-year, $3 million contract with Canadiens...

Mike Reilly agreed to a two-year, $3 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $1.5 million.

Reilly could have become a restricted free agent on July 1.

The 25-year-old defenseman had 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 57 games for the Canadiens this season. Montreal acquired Reilly in a trade with the Minnesota Wild on March 26, 2018 and he had an NHL career-high 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 57 games with the Wild and Canadiens in 2017-18.

Reilly has 37 points (seven goals, 30 assists) in 160 NHL games with the Wild and Canadiens. He was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fourth round (No. 97) in the 2011 NHL Draft but opted not to sign and played three seasons at the University of Minnesota. He became a free agent and signed with the Wild on July 1, 2015. (NHL.com)

 

Another one of those NCAA loophole kids that wasn’t worth the hype. Decent player but it was a big deal when he waited it out and hit FA.

 

Gunnarsson agrees to two-year, $3.5 million contract with Blues...

Carl Gunnarsson agreed to a two-year, $3.5 million contract with the St. Louis Blues on Thursday. It has an average annual value of $1.75 million.

The 32-year-old defenseman could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The native of Orebro, Sweden, had three points (one goal, two assists) in 19 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs; the goal came in overtime of Game 2 in the Cup Final and gave the Blues a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins. It was the Blues' first win in the Stanley Cup Final after losing 13 straight. The Blues defeated the Boston Bruins in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup.

Gunnarsson, who had seven points (three goals, four assists) and was plus-8 in 25 regular-season games for the Blues this season, was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round (No. 194) of the 2007 NHL Draft. He has 129 points (28 goals, 101 assists) and is plus-49 in 581 NHL games with the Blues and Maple Leafs, and has six points (one goal, five assists) in 62 playoff games. (NHL.com)

 

Vegas has -115 odds that Panarin goes to FLA, +215 odds for NYR, +600 for COL, and +750 for NYI.

FLA and COL are really the only teams with both the money and fit for both Panarin and Bobrovsky as a pair. I could see Panarin with NYR and Bob with NYI, if they're separate (and Bob doesn't go to FLA). But all reports say that we'll have an answer from them before July 1st. Fingers crossed - the waiting is killer.

 

Panarin meets with Panthers, Rangers: report
Blue Jackets forward can become unrestricted free agent July 1

Artemi Panarin met with the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers this week, The Fourth Period reported.

Panarin, a 27-year-old forward, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Players have been able to meet with other teams since Sunday.

The New York Islanders are also interested in the Columbus Blue Jackets forward, the magazine said. Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky also met with the Panthers, Sportsnet reported, and forward Matt Duchene has met with the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, TSN reported.

"We've said all along that we assumed the risk and if they're gone by July 1 we're going to have lots of [NHL salary cap] space and lots of different other opportunities to move forward, and life goes on," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Sunday. "That was part of the risk we were willing to take.

"We've thought this could happen, so if it happens we're not going to be shocked. We thought at the [NHL Trade Deadline] that this could be the case, and if it is the case we'll just move forward and start building other ways to fill those holes."

Panarin led the Blue Jackets with 87 points (28 goals, 59 assists) in 79 regular-season games this season and had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games. Columbus swept the Presidents' Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round to win a playoff series for the first time before losing to the Boston Bruins in six games in the second round.

Panarin has been eligible to sign a contract with the Blue Jackets since July 1, 2018, but did not have discussions during the season after the sides failed to reach an agreement prior to training camp in September.

Undrafted, Panarin signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks on April 29, 2015, and won the Calder Trophy voted as the NHL rookie of the year that season, when he scored 77 points (30 goals, 47 assists) in 80 games. He has 320 points (116 goals, 204 assists) in 322 NHL games and 26 points (nine goals, 17 assists) in 27 playoff games. (NHL.com)

 

Im not a big fan of the Rags and the Panthers are a Divisional rival to the Red Wings, but, boy oh boy, would it be huge for the Panthers to land this guy.

 

There's been a lot of discussion among the fan base, ever since word got out that FLA was interested in him around the trade deadline. Fact is, if they sign Panarin, they'll have a plethora of scoring wingers. But, the team needs grit on the bottom end, and to add top-4 talent to the blueline. So there's been just as much talk about moving another winger out as there has been moving Panarin in. You don't want to trade Huberdeau, and Dadonov is one of Panarin's best friends. You just signed Vatrano to a new deal and he's an upcoming young player... So Hoffman becomes someone that you might reluctantly trade, even after a 30+ goal season.

Huberdeau - Dadonov
Panarin - Hoffman
Vatrano - Whoever the hell else they want

... Would be a pretty great set of scoring wingers. But if you could move one of them for a legitimate D-man, that would give you a pretty complete team...

The dominos are going to start falling fast this coming Monday. We'll see what happens.

 

Looks like Kap is a done deal in T.O. I like him (a lot) more than Bill Nylander.

 

How should I put this ... I'm not a big Burke fan. But, what he said about Marner (taking a 2 year deal) is true. Why should the player take that risk?

I think it comes down to how badly Mitch wants/likes to be a Leaf. I'd be surprised if he didn't really want to stay in T.O. But, the business of hockey is full of surprises.

 

Maybe its the Babcock Factor? He may not be crazy about being there because of him (speculation warning).

 

A player should always try to get as much as possible as an RFA. Anyone could end up like Brett Lindros, a concussion write-off.

 

You're right, of course. We all try to make the most of the opportunities and challenges we face in life. Money is certainly an important consideration for someone as young as a pro athlete. He has a short career and a whole life to support himself and his family.
But it's relative too. He's going to make a boatload over the next several years regardless of the color of his sweater. Playing in a city that fits his lifestyle/personality is important. For virtually all athletes, the perceived chance to play for a championship (really, multiple Cups), is extremely important. Having teammates that can accentuate his skills and a coaching system that allows those skills to flourish is a big factor.

I do wonder about the possibility of an organizational disconnect between players and coaching, and coaching and FO in Toronto. Some stuff is out in the open (minor stuff is what we've seen), but there's a lot of rumblings. Time will tell. But - and I say this as a fan of a divisional foe - it'll be too bad if one of the most exciting teams ever built does not achieve ultimate success.

The grossly imbalanced roster and the extreme difficulty in keeping that talent intact under one cap are disquieting. Dubas is going to have to exceed his Whiz Kid reputation. If he can get someone like Tyson Barrie they'll be o.k.

 

So it all comes down to Tyson Barrie? lol

The Leafs aren't in the free agency hunt this year, not sure if he's UFA, or maybe you meant a trade. The Avs I'm thinking will keep Barrie, they have a 4th overall D on ELC money for a few years now.

Dubas is a whiz kid as far as analytics, negotiating? Not sure, I think agents are smelling a little weakness in his soul.

Babbs is on the ropes and anyone saying that he and Dubas are in good standing is just putting lipstick on a pig.
Marners agent and dad are looking to get what Matthews has and maybe a little less, 5yrs/$55M. It's all precedent from here on in.
Getting back to Dubas, I think his job would've been a lot easier if he hadn't signed JT. He took a gamble not locking everyone up last summer, he could've had Marner at $8M aav.

 

Hey son, remember all the times I drove you to the rink? All the money I spent on you and time I invested?
Yeah son, let me worry about how much they pay you.

 

I think the JT signing was a great move even without all bases covered with the free agents. He will produce more than the one or two players Toronto may let walk, in my opinion. By the way, I AM a GM also... I have done well trading and collecting hockey cards as a kid (poking at Dubas).

Seriously, the puck is in the Marner side of the ice. I don't think the Leafs have left themselves much leeway to swing one way or the other. As Dan eluded to... how bad does MM want to be a part of the Leafs campaign?

 

Bottom line - somebody gotsta go...

 

The only problem I have with the JT signing is that it seems to have come with the condition they keep Matthews, Marner and Nylander. If that's the case, that's not being a great gm.