Curt

That’s interesting. I didn’t realize that they could do that.

Well they are obviously incompetent idiots with a naive neophyte GM. Their fan base should be going berserk. Am I doing this right?

I could see Seattle taking Miller, Borgen, or Girgensons. Miller is useful as a playable D who can QB a PP2, and also he has been through this process before with an expansion team that ended up having great success, so he will have extra confidence that this can work. Borgen if they just really like him. Girgensons if they want a hardworking veteran bottom 6 guy. Probably least likely.

Oh, yes, my bad. Why would they sign Hutton? Lol

Seattle can’t sign him in the exclusive negotiation period because Buffalo protected him. So he can’t be Seattle’s guy from Buffalo.

I don’t think this is quite correct. Doesn’t Seattle already have an exclusive negotiating window with all unprotected UFAs, happening right now? They don’t need to select them to get that early negotiation time. Just checked: yes, from today July 18 until July 21, Seattle has early negotiation rights with all unprotected UFAs. If they sign any of these UFAs in this early negotiation window (as its rumored they will with Drieger) that player counts as their selection from the team. But it’s not like all the teams are protecting their UFAs to stop Seattle from signing them. If Avs are leaving a UFA like Landeskog unprotected it’s because they don’t feel they are going to get them signed. I don’t think Seattle will be taking players that they intend to just let walk in UFA, at least not without some compensation. Seattle needs to take minimum $50M in contracts for the 2021-22 season. Expiring UFA contracts don’t count towards this. In fact I don’t even see how they could select a UFA in the actual expansion draft. I don’t think that’s a thing. Their only way to get UFAs is to sign them to actual contracts. They can’t pick them up without first signing them.

If it’s a lucid dream type of thing, go on and get Byfield! Is any of this informed by things you’ve been told?

Landeskog is a UFA. Technically Avs could still protect him, but their contract talks have broken down and it doesn’t look like the two sides will come to a deal. Seattle can’t select Landeskog in the expansion draft. He would have to sign a free agent contract with them. His choice.

Heiskanen is definitely considered a better player though. He has a 12th place Norris finish, he is already playing big mins (24-25 mins) with good results on a pretty good team, he plays on both special teams. Dallas is projecting him to continue to be their big min #1 for the next 8 years. It’s a lot of money, maybe a little too much, buts it’s not an unreasonable bet considering what he is already doing.

That’s not a bad point. Sometimes we don’t think about stuff like this, but GMs probably do. Would Ron Francis like Borgen? Maybe. Would he feel confident that he will want Borgen in the NHL for the entire season? Maybe not.

Only the plaid threads

I don’t think any insiders have actually said that the Rangers will not include Lafreniere in an Eichel deal. Again, I could be forgetting it.

Not true. They released them ahead of the draft last time. https://www.nhl.com/news/protected-list-for-vegas-golden-knights-nhl-expansion-draft/c-289972722

I don’t even know what you are talking about and it’s still the most annoying thing I’ve seen on here in weeks. If you don’t have anything to contribute except for this, please get lost, and don’t find your way back.

Have Rangers actually stated that Lafreniere would not be part of any Eichel deal? I could be forgetting something, but I don’t remember that one.

Interesting. Are the Rangers going to sign Goodrow, or is this a guy for Seattle to sign?

Squander is a strange word to use. Every team is losing (squandering?) someone.

Who, big one! Nolan Patrick going the other way?

You want Buffalo to tradea 2nd/3rd for a UFA, who then goes on to sign with Seattle? From Florida’s perspective it’s either loose Drieger for nothing, or loose Drieger for a 2nd/3rd and loose some other player for nothing. Its logical that maybe they would rather just loose Drieger, who was probably leaving regardless, and keep the rest of their team together.

I’m saying that for many, the emotional attachment colors the talent analysis. Not that that’s everyone, but surely some. If the team had lost first round, who they be saying the same?

I mean, you are right, but Suzuki is a good young important part of a team that just went to the Cup Finals. That will create an emotional attachment from the fan base in a hurry.

Oh, I certainly would not either. I’m just picking the best of the bad.

At least it would look ok from a distance. The others are beacons of hideousness.

I don’t think it does make sense. Risto is a UFA in 12 months. He isn’t worth a young top 6 forward with years of team control.

Only you, Matt and Matt’s mom think so.