Tentative plan is to use this article as an open forum for all discussion on free agent frenzy Saturday, so check back for discussion and comments as the rumors fly and the deals close.
With the start of free agency at high noon on Saturday and prospect camp running most of the week too, Canes and Coffee dedicated the regular Thursday Coffee Shop to prospect camp and the Canes prospects and is setting up a separate Coffee Shop discussion forum with polls for the start of free agency.
Hurricanes fans have seen two big NHL deal weeks come and go with only smaller fish fried. The expansion draft week saw the Hurricanes make a deal to keep Lee Stempniak (more or less a trade for a player who was likely gone otherwise) and also a deal to add defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk. The NHL draft was a nothing in terms of yielding the kind of blockbuster deal that Hurricanes fans are craving right now, but Francis was back at work this week tying up smaller loose ends roster-wise for both the Hurricanes and Checkers and closed that round of work off by clearing two NHL roster slots with the trade of Eddie Lack and Ryan Murphy.
Check out the recent chronology of all articles at Canes and Coffee HERE if you want to catch up on our thoughts, but the aim of the Coffee Shop is to gather that opinions of the Canes and Coffee community. And the topic at hand is the impending start of free agent season on Saturday and Ron Francis’ remaining work to build the 2017-18 Carolina Hurricanes opening day roster.
Carolina Hurricanes polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ after each individual poll response.
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Discussion questions
1) Past the quick poll, what are your thoughts on the Eddie Lack/Ryan Murphy trade?
2) Which 3-4 free agent forwards do you think could address the Hurricanes needs for a top 6 forward and scoring help?
3) Which, if any, of the trade targets do you think could still be in play? Could Ron Francis use the threat of fleeing to free agency as just the leverage he needs to get a fair deal with the Avs, Canadiens or another team trying to deal a top 6 forward?
4) Anything else free agency, trades or 2017-18 roster building? Go….!
Go Canes!
1. I just added my thoughts to your Lack/Murph trade column.
2. Find me a forward who can score 20G/60P and will take a 2-to-3 year contract for about $5M. “Bueller? Anyone?” Most of the top-end UFAs are going to want term and excessive money. I don’t see RF swinging for those fences.
3. I think it is unrealistic to presume that such a move would actually be in play or effective. There are too many moving parts in terms of teams and players. The teams that want to trade assets want NHL assets in return, if not top-4 D, and all we have are prospects.
4. I do think we are going to add a top-6 (for us) who may be a top-9 for an elite team. I doubt we will get the “difference maker”. And in that sense we have to make sure we address what I consider a critical need – and that is our PK. Our PK made the team viable last season – it was elite. Main players that drove the PK are no longer with us. We can’t really afford to let that slip.
1) I am sad to see Eddie go as I thought he was a good person, was better than his record here in Carolina showed, and was well liked/popular with his teammates. That said, it is probably better for him as it gives him a chance on a club that needs a backup and he gets a fresh start with another coach. As for Ryan, he needs a scenery change even more so, but I am more skeptical about his chances of taking advantage of it.
2) For free agents, I think Marleau, Williams, Hartnell and Thornton could all add something valuable to the team, but I doubt any of them seriously consider us unless we substantially overpay. They will probably all be “chasing cups” with their last contract and we are not there yet.
3) As far as trades go, I think Sakic’s demands pretty much put anyone from Colorado off the table at this point. I also think that while a team like the Oilers may want to shed salary on RNH soon, this year is probably not the year they look to move him, so I think he is also off the table. My dark horse possibility for a trade would be Evander Kane. I think he would bring a playing style and performance that would be perfect for our team and may be available for just futures…our team’s prefered currency. I doubt Ron Francis would usually consider him due to his past personal issues, but if Buffalo needs to make some space for Shattenkirk (rumored possible destination) and wants to move on from Kane at a small discount, coupled with a strikeout or two on the Cane’s front with other trades or UFAs, I think he just might.
raleightj and minjaben both have valid observations. Personally, I prefer Williams or Marleau as free agent signing to solve our scoring problem. Kane has been flying along under the radar. Getting him for futures (draft pick(s) and/or prospect(s) would really be a good move IMO.
1. I commented in the trade column.
2. Marleau, Thorton, Williams. Maybe Jagr? We need to pay money to someone just to hit the Cap floor. Maybe offer more cash and a NTC to limit things to a one or 2 year deal from one of these guys.
Lots of buyouts:
Cammalleri? – still 0.5 ppg even at his lowest scoring season since 2012.
Jokinen – shall we think about bringing back Jussi? His shot percentage was a reasonable 9.3%, and also about a half-point per game.
Looking at possible depth here.
1/ I also commented in the trade post.
2/ minjabe ’twas idea about Kane is interesting: 1-yr left, not going to be resigned bu BUF, playing for a contract, deadline tradebait in a downside scenario, and probably available for a prospect and/or futures. He’s also the type of player we need.
3/ all of them, and more that we don’t know about. The question is will there be more pressure on the sellers to sell or buyers to buy. In our case, I think there is less pressure than there was so I’m lowering my expectations.
I am going to throw out two other names – having read an analytics article identifying them as statistically strong (and the Canes are increasingly analytics focussed).
Grigorenko – for his 5-on-5 scoring and his PK play (plus young)
Pouliot – had an off year last but has excellent 5-on-5 scoring rates his entire career
Just catching up on Chip Alexander’s tweets today – RF has said he ran some “not cheap” options past Karmanos and got PK’s blessing. They are going after Justin Williams. If my premise these past few weeks proves wrong, I will gladly own it! 😀
1) I made my comments on the Lack/Murph trade post.
2) Williams, Marleau, Gagner. Not sure about Kane as RF has pretty high ethic standards and Kane’s past may be a no go. Jussi Jokinen, I would welcome back. At the time I was pretty pissed off at the coach and that decision. It made the national anthem so much more fun.
3) Trades, just do not see it, as anybody good requires a top 4 D. You already know my opinions about Sakic and his demands.
4) there have been so many years of bargin bin shopping I just do not allow myself to have high hopes any more. Hard to believe PK would bless spending for a “not cheap” option. I hope your right raleightj.
According to Eklund (which is fun to read but anything but reliable) Marleau and Thorton want to play somewhere together on a one year deal (Eklund mentioned Arizona). It’s probably a king’s ransom, but the Canes are one of the few teams that would have the possibility of offering them something, and I still think the CAnes have a better shot at playoff glory than Arizona this year, though Az should not be under estimated with the new owner.
The canes could sign the duo for one year and have a gentltmen’s agreement to ship them off to a cup contender at the trade deadline (although their jobs should be to make the canes a cup contender).
I would give this about 0.5% chance of happening, and that is optimistic, but I think it would be a fun gamble.
WE could always add Ryan Murphy to strengthen our defense, I heard he recently got bought out by the Flames and is available. 😉
My “big fish” would be Landeskog for the pure grit we need. However, this will cost more than futures…same with Ryan O’Reilly (he’s a Peters type and can be had for fair hockey trade, ala Hanifin)…however I tend to lead to easier catches unless GMRF goes Jedi.
RNH could be had since Oilers picked up Strome to potentially take the EDM 3C role, but again we’re talking losing a roster player in return.
So if not the above… and we’re talking realistic top 6 options…I’d shoot for Sam Gagner (playmaker), or Evander Kane (power forward/for reasons I agree w/minjaben).
Runner ups…Grigorenko (young 3C w/talent and new scenery), or Jussi’s return (older 3C).
As for Mr. Game 7, Marleau and Thornton…would love them here but I think in the end they choose higher octane teams.
I checked CapFriendly twice to make sure I was reading it correctly. J. Williams has never made $4M a season. Given his production, that seems strange, maybe a slack agent. So I say offer him 2-years at $4.5M per. Carolina gets some scoring, leadership, sneaks over the cap, and lets the prospects develop in Charlotte. Maybe I am wrong about this, but I think he might see the Canes as having a shot at the Cup. He has been on an offensive powerhouse that also had the game’s best goalie and didn’t make it out of the second round the past two years. So joining a team on the upswing with hunger might just appeal to him.
My predictions seldom happen (except when they are really bad), so
I’ll stick to what I hope doesn’t happen! Don’t want to see a 4th liner, nor Vrbata, nor Versteeg, or hearing some weak excuse why we couldn’t pay Xx dollars for some star signed by another team for 4.5M! No team spends as little for a complete (questionably) team!
Until that changes…no optimistic dreams from me… grrrrr!
CanesCountry reporting Canes got what I and many others wanted–Williams for 2 years. GMRF seems to making plenty of excellent moves. Even puckgod is going to be optimistic about the next two seasons!!
CT, props to you… Willy was on my HOPE LIST, but never really thought we would get him back…!!! Yes, Yes…a legitimate player who should have plenty left in the tank! I’m cautiously optimistic for this coming year. We probably won’t have any other significant signings, I would have liked a better BU GOALIE (than Wardo), but maybe he’ll surprise me?? If Darling lives up to my/ his expectations…our team has a fighting chance…
I said 20G/60P for $5M. And Bueller responded how about 20/50 for $4.5M?