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2024 NHL Free Agency Coverage: Reaction From Day 1 - Winners, Losers, Biggest Signings & More
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Jul 2, 2024
Host Matthew Zator gets together with Jacob Billington and Mike Fink to react to the opening day of NHL Free Agency. They discuss the biggest and strangest signings, winners and losers, and more. Check out THW's 2024 Free Agency Tracker - https://thehockeywriters.com/nhl-free-agency-tracker-2024/ Follow The Hockey Writers: Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheHockeyWriter Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thehockeywriters_ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheHockeyWriters/ Graphics by Vince Richard - https://www.behance.net/vincergraphics #nhlfreeagency #freeagency #nhl
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0:00
Hello everybody and welcome into another episode of the Hockey Writers Roundtable here
0:06
We are on day one, end of day one of free agency and it was a busy day to say the least
0:13
We had a trade, we had a bunch of the big names go off the board
0:17
Actually, there's only two left on the top 30 list that we had on the hockeywriters.com
0:22
and it's only Vladimir Tarasenko and Adam Henrik left on that list
0:28
Pretty much all the big names went on day one. So we're going to talk a bit about that
0:32
I got Jacob Billington and Mike Fink here. Jacob, how's it going
0:36
Good, and I will just add in, make it down to 29 because Adam Henrik just signed with
0:40
the Oilers. There we go, we only have one left now. So yeah, a busy day
0:49
We'll dissect a bit of these signings. We're not going to go through them all because there are obviously quite a few, but we'll
0:55
talk about the teams that did the most, some of the busier teams, some of the ones that maybe didn't even dent the market at all
1:01
If it's a good thing, bad thing. But let's start with the biggest, probably the biggest name that was on the market after
1:07
all the other guys kind of re-signed with their own team. Sam Reinhardt, you know, re-signed with Florida
1:14
Jake Gensel, Trade to Tampa, re-signed. And so those were the biggest names still left
1:20
Then they were gone. And pretty much Steven Stamkos was the biggest name on the list
1:25
And he went to an odd team in my mind, the Nashville Predators
1:28
When there was talk about him going to Detroit, going to maybe Vancouver, there's some other
1:33
teams on that list as well. Jacob, I'll start with you. Were you surprised that Stamkos signed in Nashville of all places than the others
1:41
We'll talk more about them because they did a lot on day one. Yeah, I've seen a lot of jersey swaps with Stamkos wearing the Predators jersey, and
1:48
it just looks so wrong to not see him in a Tampa jersey. So I was surprised he went anywhere
1:53
Like at this point, I wasn't surprised that he left Tampa. I'm just surprised that he signed somewhere else
1:58
And it just feels so wrong. I think it's a great fit, especially if he's going to be on the wing, play on the second
2:04
line probably with Mercer. So if they want to keep their top line together from last year
2:08
So I'm not surprised. I think it's a great fit. The contract, I think it's a perfect deal
2:14
Maybe a little bit high on the AAV, but it's really hard to complain with Stamkos to four
2:19
years and $8 million. Yeah, great. I mean, the number is actually really good for a lot of teams that probably would put
2:27
that for sure for Stamkos, even though he is 34 years old, but he scored 40 goals last season
2:33
So it's not like he's slowing down. Mike, what did you think about Stamkos going to Nashville
2:38
Yeah, I think, I mean, of course, there's the context of what the Predators did and
2:43
all the moves they made, which I guess we'll dive more into, which probably if you take
2:48
Stamkos in a vacuum, you're like, I don't know, the AAV is high
2:52
I like the Stamkos, I thought any team that signed Stamkos was going to get more value
2:58
off the ice than on it. Because when you look at Stamkos, obviously his production is still, I mean, he's still
3:04
producing at a high level and he's still putting up great numbers and just playing great in
3:11
the offense zone and overall he's playing great. But the thing that I was really impressed with last year with the Lightning is he's
3:18
one of those players that, especially in those dog days early in the season when you
3:24
could tell Lightning weren't doing well and it looked like they weren't going to make
3:27
the playoffs at times, and you have those guys like Stamkos, really those like locker
3:32
room presence players that just show up every day and know, hey, it's a long season, we're
3:36
going to be there eventually. But those guys, the cliche Levi example, he's one of those guys that even if the Predators
3:43
don't get that same production, which I mean, they don't have Kucherov, so I mean, he's
3:48
not going to get the same sort of scoring chance, the same opportunities
3:52
He has, I mean, the Predators have some skill, but still, it's that showing up every day
3:59
like being that veteran for young players that they know what it takes to, he knows
4:03
what it takes to make it through the regular season, through that grind and then the playoffs
4:07
So that's also part of the value. The AAV, not so much, but yeah, I still like this
4:14
Even at 33, I'm like, give him the four years. Yeah, that's fine. It wasn't a crazy term
4:18
I mean, four years is my sweet spot. Whenever I look at contracts like four years, it's not too long, not too short
4:25
It's great for especially for some older guys. You're not, you're not pushing them up really high in their age
4:31
I mean, he'll be 38 when the deal is over. And that's still not ridiculous
4:36
And I think it'll probably be productive for most of those years. Looking at what he is doing right now, like his skill set age is pretty well, I think
4:43
if I were to say, I'd say so too, for sure. All right
4:48
Well, I'll go. I'll start with you, Mike, on who do you think was the next biggest signing after Stamko
4:54
So what was the biggest news that you thought that was of the day? I mean, it was full of signings, but yeah, what was the next biggest one next to Stamko
5:03
Well, no, because I was, I was thinking overall, it's Jake Gensel still, that's yesterday
5:07
So I guess you can't really include that in the day, but yeah, that's the, that's the
5:12
first thing that comes to mind. I do think of the continuous Fredger signings, which it's like give Barry Trotz the chance
5:19
to make some moves and look what, look what happens. He was coaching on his last stop was coaching for the Islanders where Lomerello made no moves
5:30
So this is his first chance to, it's like getting a candy store, but I like the Marsh
5:36
is so signing. I mean, that's the next one that's on the predators list
5:41
I think, yeah, I just keep thinking about all the moves they made
5:45
And then you look at they, I think they got Brady Shea as well
5:49
And it's, it's the, it's just these continuous moves that they're making
5:55
And I would, and you're, you're, I think the interesting thing with the predators is whether
6:00
they should have made these moves or not. That's the debate because are they thinking they're ahead of schedule now
6:07
Last season, there were a pleasant surprise kind of team that kind of snuck into the playoffs
6:11
They weren't, they were not nearly as good as their first round opponent, which was the
6:16
Vancouver Canucks, which beat them in six, but it was a series that was pretty one-sided
6:20
But for, I think for it, what's interesting for, for, I mean, we'll, we'll dive probably
6:24
more into the predators is there is that they, they think that they can accelerate the timeline
6:30
and they think that they're now a playoff team. Let's take the next steps
6:35
This could of course flop on them where if like, they're not there yet, then all of a
6:38
sudden you're dealing with all this, like this cap space. But I, yeah, the, the Mercer still won particularly because then it's like, cause you're adding
6:48
you're adding this, you're adding, I mean, former consmith winner, former play, we're
6:52
talking about playoff proven player, just incredible, really good score still. So I think that's, that's where I'd say that's the next best signing that I'm thinking about
7:05
Yeah, I would say Marcia. So it was probably the next one. I, he was, you know, there was talk that he was going to go back to Vegas and obviously
7:13
they couldn't get anything done. 5 million, not a bad, a bad AAV for him either
7:18
And he was fifth on the, on the, our top 30 list after a bunch of guys that's resigned
7:23
with their own teams. But yeah, Marcia. So definitely, and he's, and he's still at 33s again, a little older, but he had 42 goals
7:31
again, last season. And there's another 40 goal score added to the, to the Predators lineup
7:37
So that's, that's a pretty big signing for them adding 80, 82 goals
7:42
That's not bad. Jacob, what about you? Their next biggest signing on this day here
7:48
I wouldn't say that he was the biggest player, but I think that he is one of the best signings
7:52
of the day and big for the organization. And I think that this is a hot day
7:57
Cause I saw a lot of people hating this deal. I'm going to go with Chandler Stevenson
8:01
He signed, I don't remember exactly what the contract was. Six by 5.75, I believe
8:08
And he, sorry, seven by 6.25. He's a really, really good two-way forward center at that
8:17
And he's a 60 point guy. He's going to come into this lineup, teach Maddie Beneers how to be exactly what Maddie
8:22
Beneers is going to be. And Stevenson's a guy that really struggled in the NHL, not really struggled
8:28
He was making his mark, but he was traded for a fifth round pick. Like he wasn't an impact player for his whole career and he's kind of come out of nowhere
8:35
And I think that this is a fantastic deal and helping develop whether it's going to
8:39
be Maddie Beneers showing Shane Wright the ropes. I just think that he is going to be a fantastic role model and a fantastic piece for the Seattle crack
8:47
And who made some other moves that were impressive and whatnot, but I think Chandler Stevenson
8:51
is going to have a huge impact. Yeah, I was funny because I was thinking crack and the biggest move I thought they made
8:58
was Brandon Montour, which I mean, it's seven years. So you're questioning how much term, but that's he's a big player
9:05
They're getting out of Florida where it's like you're wondering who's going to stay
9:08
from the Panthers and whatnot. But I thought of him and it's like he's him invent him on that blue line
9:16
That's something that they actually used another two way player like that
9:20
So I thought that of all the players on. Yeah, I'm on tour
9:24
I mean, seven million actually is not that bad. And Marshall says 5.5
9:28
I was looking at his previous cap hit 5.5 is his new one, which I mean, not not much
9:34
different, but just to be accurate. Yeah, it's there's like I say, there's a lot of signings, a lot of bigger names
9:42
I mean, a lot of maybe not big, big marquee names, but some some good, good guys that
9:48
did go different places that could make a difference. And we'll talk about the winners and losers
9:52
There's next after this. Jacob, did you find any any ones that were kind of strange to you where they went
10:01
Hi, AV, whatever you want to call it being strange. But was there any strange things that happened today that you think was why they do this
10:09
Well, when you say like that, strange things that happen, maybe it's where they went
10:15
That's David Perron to Ottawa. It's like he got suspended for six games for cross checking Artem Zub in the side of the
10:22
head for Artem Zub did nothing. Now Perron was defending his teammate. He thought Zub was the one that hurt him
10:27
I get the defense to that, but he cross checked him in the side of the head and got suspended
10:32
six games for it. So he better be buying him a Rolex. Yeah, on on paper
10:36
I love the signing. I think that it's a great signing for Ottawa. He's going to be a kind of a offensive but still a little bit gritty for for them
10:45
Brings great leadership. I think he's going to be a great signing. I just think it was the strangest one of the day
10:50
It was. I saw Perron to Ottawa. I'm like of all teams
10:54
Yeah, it gets there. That was an interesting one for sure. Mike, what about you
11:00
Of all the signings that were done today, was anything that kind of had you scratching your
11:04
head for whatever you want to call strange? It is interesting. You talk about the David Perron going to Ottawa because I'm now thinking I was I've been thinking
11:11
all day about Ryan McDonough on the hit on the lightning and Stephen Samcoe's on the
11:18
Predators where it's like just swapping places. I actually also thought of Nikita Zdorov is now on the Bruins and Jake Dabrowski is on
11:27
Yeah, I might as well just traded the two players. It's always one of those like they should just they should drop the gloves when they
11:32
play each other. Confusing signing wasn't a signing, but I've been just confused overall with what the Capitals
11:40
have done. I went I tweeted earlier today. I'm going shopping when I come back
11:45
I expect all the moves to happen. When I got back, Jacob tricking with chickeners traded
11:50
I've just I'm just not sure what the Capitals what direction they're going in slash what
11:54
they want to do. I mean, I like I like chicken. I think I think he'll I think he'll
12:01
He won't necessarily be that player that like always jumps off the statute in Washington where it's like, oh, he's getting a ton of assist
12:06
He's assisting Ovi on all these. Oh, Alexander Vetchkin. All these all these goals, but he's going to be a valuable defenseman there
12:13
But when you add that and then I guess Pierre-Luc Dubois from earlier in the week, I'm just
12:17
like what is going on where it's like you want to do you think you're contending because
12:22
they did not look like contender last year as much as their wild card showing says otherwise
12:29
which it didn't doesn't because they were swept by the Rangers. I I think they have a good farm system
12:35
The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup again. Take that for what it's worth
12:39
They they they could rebuild. Then it's like, OK, we're bringing check when we're bringing it
12:45
So I mean, that it's not a signing, but it's a trade that I'm like, I don't get it
12:50
Another assigning that I originally was like, oh, this is great timing. But then I took a step back
12:55
This is from a few days ago is Chris Tanev, which I know it's a little old, but I mean
13:02
from Sunday, technically, so it's a little old. But I initially I was like, oh, great
13:06
The lightning I mean, the Maple Leafs needed a defenseman in the playoffs proven turned
13:11
around the Stars defense when he got traded. But then I took a step back. I'm like 34 years old
13:16
This is like Giordano just cross out the label and write and write Tanev where it's like
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they're not doing the same things over and over again, expecting different results, which
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is like the Maple Leaf way, I guess. That's my brain. I I actually like the Tanev sign
13:32
I don't like the term. I actually like that because he's still playing at a pretty high level for for a guy at that
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that age is still blocking shots. He's still like probably the best defensive defenseman still in the league
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I wanted the Canucks to sign him, but not at that term. That's just too long for a guy
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What he how old he is. I mean, six years. I mean, oh, I don't like that
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Like at 37, do you think it's going to look? I mean, Giordano was all right, I guess
14:01
But like even so, do you think at 37 he's going to still be doing this
14:05
I don't know. I don't know. It depends on how durable. I mean, that's the thing. He's always had injury problems and that's I mean, not as much since he left Vancouver
14:12
but I way he blocked shots. I mean, you're going to end up probably getting hurt at some point
14:19
Yeah, so it's and Tanev signing was topical. I mean, it was officially signed today
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There you go. Everything, everything officially at one, even though everything was probably
14:32
made already before that, for sure. My strange one is Tyler to Foley to San Jose
14:38
I don't understand a guy at his age going to a rebuilding team
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I mean, yeah, I don't play with Macklin Celebrini, but even so, I mean, are the
14:45
Sharks going to win in the next few years? I mean, is to fully thinking, oh, I'm just going to mentor guys
14:51
It's not going to win. I mean, he's not going to win another cup there. I mean, unless the Sharks have magically do some
14:56
I mean, they added quite a few guys in free agency and trades and stuff, but it's not
15:02
enough to say, oh, he's going to be contending team. I thought he'd be signing with the team that are closer, but that was kind of weird
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Tyler Bertuzzi again going to Chicago and rebuilding team. I'm not sure something they're thinking
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I mean, I guess it's mentoring young guys playing with some of these stars or young stars
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What are your thoughts on that, though, Jacob? I mean, what do you think about the veterans going to rebuilding teams are probably not
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going to be there when they actually are good. I think the Blackhawks are really going to surprise some people next year
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So I'm going to back up. What Kyle Davidson has done, I think, is incredibly impressive, and it's easy to do when
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you are one of the most historic franchises in the league and everybody wants to play for Chicago, but he spent three years tearing down the team, getting as much as as many
15:53
assets as he could, and he got some really, really good prospects. And I think that they have one of the best farm systems, even with Conor Bedard graduating
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And if you want to say Kevin Korchinski graduated, too, they still have a fantastic prospect. Cool
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You look at what they did today. They added Tyler Bertuzzi, Tevo Teravainen, Ilya Mikheyev before, Pat Maroon, Alec Martinez
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TJ Brody and Laurent Bressois. And Peter Morazic played fantastic last year
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Yeah, true. I think that this team, I don't want to knock on the door and say playoffs
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It's too much, especially in the Central Division right now. But the Chicago Blackhawks got significantly better
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And adding Artem Levshunov, he's another fantastic prospect that's going to come in and really
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help this team. Probably not this upcoming year, but I would say two years down the road, he'll be in the NHL
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I love what they're doing. And I think the Bertuzzi, where this conversation started, I think the Bertuzzi was a great
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fit, and he's probably going to play alongside Conor Berdard and Philip Kurashev and just
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kind of be the jerk to play with. Or play against, but for your line
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Not a jerk to play with. What do you think about Toffoli going to San Jose, though? I mean, that one just kind of got me
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I mean, I wasn't really sure what he thinks the team is going to be, unless he's just
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thinking he's just going to be a mentor and just wants to be with a young, up-and-coming
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team, I guess, for the rest of his career here. Yeah, there was a lot of promise on the line. Sorry
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No, I was, no one's Toffoli. I think it says more about the Sharks than it does about Toffoli, just because there's
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so much pressure at this point to just get, not just get, you got to get players in, got
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to get dudes there, but they got to start, you know, showing that they're, they're somewhere
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When you look at their, like, all the rebuilds around the NHL, they've been at the bottom
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where it's been, you ask how many core players are on that roster
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How many players can you say we can build around? Not even prospects, just NHL-ready players
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And the answer for a long time was honestly zero. Now they're starting to get some players in there, like Will Smith's going to make his
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way in. Will, you have Eklund, I believe, you have some younger players, and now Macklin Celebrini
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but there's a lot of pressure, especially when Will Greer is in his third, I think third
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or fourth year as the GM now. And, and what they are replacing head coaches, which I mean, Dave, Dave Quinn, you can talk
18:26
about whether he was right for the rebuild all along, but they're rebuilding after a
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failed rebuild. And this point, the pressure's on to at least show progress
18:35
That's kind of, so with the Toffoli thing, that's what I thought of. Chicago's kind of interesting because all of a sudden they're looking like an older team
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Alec Martinez is what, 36? Teravainen's coming in. You have all these older players
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And I do wonder when you're, when you have a generational talent like Bedard and you
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know, I don't want to say you know, your championship window is going to be around
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for a while, but you know, you're going to always have, I mean, you're, you have him
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and you have some young players to build around. Where do you go from there
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Do you want to bring, do you want to bring in these veterans now and try to win, try
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to, first of all, win now when these, these prospects aren't necessarily ready to win now
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And two, do you want to just get into the playoffs now? But like, in terms of long-term sustainability, having all these players come in, is that
19:25
what you want to do? I don't, I don't know. I like the, I like the direction the Blackhawks are heading in where they have all these young
19:33
pieces in place and they have all, all these promising things going for them on their roster
19:39
and Bedard leading the way. It's the, these moves, like, I think, I think it's definitely going to put them back in
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the conversation for, okay, they're going to now be a playoff team. I mean, McDavid was a playoff team in his second year, I think, right
19:51
He was on a playoff. I mean, I think the Oilers made the playoffs their second year. So, so I think this, this helps them with that
19:58
I, I do wonder though, if, for in terms of long-term competing in the Western Conference
20:04
whether you want to do this or not, or just take it slowly. I don't, I don't know
20:10
Chicago is interesting. I, I do like, I actually do like, when you listed all that, Jacob, I'm like, man, they
20:16
did add actually quite a few really useful players that could potentially make them a
20:20
playoff team or close to, and not be a lottery pick next year, which I mean, looking on paper
20:26
they shouldn't be unless a bunch of injuries happen. Like what happened at the beginning of last season, getting, you know, Taylor Hall getting
20:33
hurt and a bunch of other stuff happening and that kind of derailed them really early on
20:39
So, I mean, we'll see how it all goes, but you know, Ted Ryan returning to the team he
20:43
was on a while ago and now he's older and he's going to be able to make more of an impact
20:49
I actually do like a lot of their signs for sure. And I will say one thing, I would compare these Blackhawks to the Arizona Coyotes of
20:57
last year. They were a surprise team, which just to put it out there on Fantasy 4 Check, when we were
21:03
doing that, Jacob and I both predicted that. The Coyotes were a very good team, almost playoffs until they hit their, what was it
21:12
a 16 game losing streak and that just ruined for them, obviously. But like they were a really good team out of the gate and the majority of the season
21:20
outside of that stretch, they would have been a couple of points out of the playoffs. And I think that's kind of how Chicago season is going to go
21:27
They get the good goal, Tanny. I think that's their biggest thing and their defense comes together and is good
21:31
I think they've got enough of the offense to do it. It's going to, can they keep the puck out of their own net
21:38
And if they can, then they may be a really surprising team
21:42
But they have a good veteran defense core. Like they have Alex Vlasic and Seth Jones, Kevin Korchinski, who's young, Connor Murphy
21:50
and now Alec Martinez and TJ Brody. That's a pretty good defense group
21:56
Yeah, I wonder maybe the depth scoring could be the thing. I mean, if Frank Nazar comes on this year, then you have a second line center, a middle
22:03
six center. So it really does change your dynamics. But that maybe depth scoring could be the thing
22:10
And I guess goal tending also. But yeah, that's always like the what if part of that
22:16
Yeah, I'm persuased showing he can be a good goalie. And if you have a tandem with Mrazic and he has a similar season, that's a pretty good tandem
22:23
1A, 1B if you split the time. Yeah, that's going to be the team that's going to be able to be watched for sure
22:31
We kind of jumped into the winners, losers a bit with Chicago. I mentioned that
22:35
But yeah, it's a good a good talking point for sure. Let's jump into winners and losers for at least for today
22:42
I mean, obviously, we won't know if they're actual winners until later on in the season
22:47
But Jacob, who's your early winner on this day? I mean, apart from Chicago, it seems like we're kind of a bit of a winner so far
22:56
I'm going to stick with I was talking about Chandler Stevenson already, and I'm going to stick with the Seattle Kraken
23:01
They made some pretty good additions. They signed. I think it was just Brandon Montour and Stevenson at the NHL level
23:09
But you add Brandon Montour to a defense group that already has Vince Dunn, Adam Larson
23:15
This is a really quality defense group now. And they're all kind of players that are underrated
23:20
And Montour outside of his 72 point season last year has been underrated
23:24
And he was this year. Arguably, he didn't put up as many points. But people just didn't appreciate how good he was for the Florida Panthers
23:32
And now Seattle is getting a Stanley Cup champion. So I think that they made those two moves and it made them significantly better
23:39
I think that those two moves are more impactful to the Kraken than any other moves to any
23:43
other team. I agree, especially after a season that, you know, they made the playoffs in there before
23:52
and then they kind of fell out. And now they're kind of thinking, well, we want to go back there
23:57
And yeah, adding those two guys, that's actually some pretty big signings
24:01
And that solidifies. I mean, like you mentioned Chandler Stevenson already. He is a very underrated center
24:08
And we talked about him being, you know, the second line center on the Vegas Golden Knights
24:12
He was actually their top line center before Jack Eichel came. And he was pretty good in that role
24:18
I mean, going into and playing, like you said, with Buneers. He's a very good, versatile center
24:25
And he's going to fit in really well in Seattle, for sure
24:28
And then Montour, we saw what he's been doing in Florida and adds to a pretty good defense
24:34
group that they have already, you know, with Vince Dunne and Adam Larson
24:39
That's a pretty good group now. We'll see how he kind of, I think he kind of maybe replaces what Carson Soucy brought
24:46
before he left. And that maybe a bit more offense, not maybe definitely a bit more offense
24:53
And that's, yeah, I say Seattle's a pretty good pick for a winner right now, too
24:57
But far from Chicago, which we already said. Mike, what about you? Any winner for you
25:03
Yeah, I mean, I keep going back to the, I mean, the Predators maybe as a winner
25:09
But other than that, the thing that's on my mind is not necessarily the signings, but
25:14
a lot of the teams that did their re-signings. So like the Hurricanes stand out re-signing Jacob Slavin where, and I just like every
25:22
year the Hurricanes go through this, where they go through turnover, but then it's like, oh, they still have that the same four or five players, the core players that they build
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around and they've kind of pivoted again. So I like what they've done
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And I mean, I do wonder if they probably, I mean, my phone's off
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So I don't know if they signed Jarvis to a big deal. It probably happened while recording this now
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So, okay. Not yet. I wonder what that's going to look like because they kind of got to get that done, but, and
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that's going to be a big contract, but overall, like how they pivoted after losing Gensel
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another team that made a big re-signing, the Montreal Canadiens, they extended Slavkovski
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And I think about this where the term, the AAV is pretty good if you think he's going
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to become a star and we've watched him last year. And it's like, this guy is a superstar in the making
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And if you look at that term, that has ability to age gracefully
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And if you're the Canadians, you're really excited about the core you have now and following
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the draft, all those things that, that's just another one that I've just keep thinking about
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these re-signing moves. So those are two winners right off the bat. Sure
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And Carolina added Sean Walker on a pretty good deal. 3.6. Goss DeSperre, who had a really good season in Detroit, another 3 million
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That's not bad. They lost Brett Pesci to the New Jersey Devils and they kind of replaced him with Sean Walker
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Pesci and Shea also. Yeah, and Shea too. They basically replaced him with Walker and Goss DeSperre
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There you go. Yeah. Carolina is a pretty good, especially re-signing Martin up too
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And that was a guy that they thought maybe could have gone to free agency and he definitely
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would have been signed by someone. And for 3 million for what he does, that's a pretty good salary too
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So yeah, Carolina is a pretty good one. My one right away was the Nashville Predators because of the big signings that they made
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and how they pretty much added a lot of depth. Now they have two guys for a second line that, like we already said, about 40 goal scores
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on your second line now, because they're probably going to keep that top line together, which
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was really good last season. And these are two guys that you're probably going to get at least 30 goals out of
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And you add them to a team that's a pretty solid team already
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They did surprise last season, but you add a couple of guys and then they had re-signed
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UC Soros already to a really good, really long-term deal. So they've got their goaltender
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They've got good defense core and now really good forward group. So Nashville is a definite winner for me today and from the other teams too
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All right, quickly, some losers. Again, this is subjective because we don't know
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I mean, some of these signings may end up being really good, but looking at it right
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now, Jacob, who's a loser? Either the fact that they weren't even in the market and didn't do anything or the signings
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were kind of not good. Yeah, you say we don't know these signings might turn out to be really good
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The Anaheim Ducks did not make a single one. They are the biggest losers
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They did not. That was a bit aggressive. They're the biggest losers of free agency
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Yeah, there is still $9 million under the cap floor and didn't make a signing today
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They showed last year by signing Radko Gudis and Alex Kalorn that they want to take a step
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They did not. And then they just did nothing this year. Like they brought back a couple RFAs
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They brought back Earl Vakkanainen and Brett Leeson. That's all they did today
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What are you doing? I don't know. You know, what's funny is that I've been saying for years that the Ducks making those Kalorn
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type of signings is like the drunken sailor type of thing. If you're rebuilding, why are you bringing these players to try to compete
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The John Klingberg deal, for example, epitomizes that. You're bringing a guy on a one-year deal only to have to trade him at the deadline
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for pennies on the dollar because you were like, we want to compete. He's the last player that's going to put us over the top
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So it's funny that now that they're doing nothing, I'm like, wait, it's actually, I prefer this for them
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But they've been rebuilding for a while. So it's one of those like drunken sailor
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You don't know what direction they're going. Sure. Mike, who's your loser of today here
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Yeah. I've got two that stand out. I've mentioned the Capitals earlier, but that's not necessarily anything they did
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I mean, the Chikrin deal, I guess you could throw into that just because I don't know what direction they're heading in
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Another team, I don't want to criticize the signing, but the overall structure of the
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team has me concerned is the Columbus Blue Jackets. And I know it's been a rough few years for them
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The first thing that I have an issue with is who's their head coach right now
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They hire someone yet? I don't think so. So you hear the cliche of they're drafting him to play under Phil in the coach
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He's going to play in the talk it way. He's going to play in the DJ Smith way or whatever way
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They don't have a guy. You're talking about signing. When it comes to free agents, Koreans usually come
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I want to play for Phil in the blank coach, Rod Brindlemore, whoever. They don't have that guy right now
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They don't have a coach. And then the Monaghan thing, Monaghan signing where it could work out, obviously
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I think the bigger thing for Columbus is when they're rebuilding is that now they're bringing
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another guy who another veteran type of player. I mean, maybe he'll be a mentor type for like Pantele and the other young players there
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But I do question whether first of all, what's going on there
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And second, are they trying to bring him to be a mentor
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Are they trying to bring him into kind of compete? Which I wonder. I mean, he has a relationship with a good drought, which helps, but I do wonder just
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what's going on there. It is an interesting thing. Example of playing for a core, adding players to go for the coach you got is the Vancouver
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Canucks today. Adding Jake to Brask, Danton, Hein and Vincent de Harnay
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Common theme. These guys are going to be able to play for talking and they're talking type players
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And especially Jake to Brask. I'm like, this is a guy that's going to just thrive under talking
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I mean, he just plays that style that that they any likes and Heinen to it
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It's funny how the Canucks swapped Bruins and Bruins swapped. Exeter of Linholm to Boston and the Canucks got Heinen
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Forward and Debrusk. It was just funny. I was like, what did they just do a trade like this
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I just trade these guys. On that, I do like the signings of the Canucks made today because I mean, yeah, the Debrusk
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deals maybe a bit long at seven years, but 5.5 million. A lot of people are saying that he's kind of like how when JT Miller got traded to the
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Canucks, similar production, similar type player to and not a center. I mean, he is just a winger, but if he turns into JT Miller, I am fine with 5.5 million
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because if he gets 80 plus points, it's good for me. But yeah, I like what the Canucks did
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I mean, we kind of jumped over. I should have said they're a winner. I don't know about winner
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I think maybe not on the day, but I just like what they did. For the little signs, everyone's kind of freaking out
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They didn't get Stamkos or missed out on some big names and weren't able to re-sign Lindholm
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But you're looking at the money that they got. Overall, I think they did a pretty good job
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So I like what the Canucks did. We'll see how it all kind of fits. They replaced 6.7 for a 6.7 to 5
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They got Deharnay to replace the Norofs. It is weird after all the talk about like Pettersson traded for Gensel, traded for AHA
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traded for... It's like all those trade talks and then they just had an average sort of free agency
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It's Alvin. I mean, that's what he does. I don't know why we would expect something else
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Every free agency he's been here, he's signed. I mean, his bigger signings aren't really big and they end up being pretty effective
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throughout the season. I'd say the Mikheyev one has probably been the most biggest flop. Other than that, they've been all pretty good
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All right. Well, thanks, Jacob. Thanks, Mike, for coming on and talking free agency
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We're probably going to have a quiet next bit because all the big names are gone off the board
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There'll be some small signings and we'll end up maybe talking about that
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But make sure to check out everything at thehawkrares.com. We got everything with the free agent tracker, lots of reaction pieces after all the signings
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And because there's a lot of them, so keep track. And also we got the substat as well that gives you all the articles that are coming out
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And you can take a look at that too. So but until our next episode, we'll see you next time
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