Sportsnet Top 15 UFA's - Predictions

[Axeman33]

Lots of specualtion of Stamkos heading to the big Apple too.

Rangers, I think, should be pretty high on the list.

Rangers would love to have him but need to clear cap (*cough* Rick Nash) before even throwing him an offer.

[Mr. Guru]

They'll have two months before they have to clear cap.

[Axeman33]

They'll have two months before they have to clear cap.

Yep, but that still has to happen at some point if they want to consider Stamkos. The Rangers are not even close to a cap friendly team.

[Goldendelicious]

MY TURN!!!
Stamkos - TOR - 8 years @ $10M
Going with the rumour mill here, and I think if Stevie-Y knows he can't resign him to a discount he will move him to a team so he can get an extra year.

Stamkos can't sign an 8 year deal with anybody but TB. I highly doubt that he is going to waste his time signing him just to trade him and the team in that contract is going to want full control of bonuses and incentives as well. Can see his rights being moved for conditional assets but that's about it. I just don't buy into the Toronto rumors especially with TB being so close to the cup the last two years. From all the interviews I've heard with Stammer since junior, I can't see him going to someone who isn't a contender or on borderline contender status for the next 1-5 years.

[2014olympicgold]

Canadiens:
70.811mill cap hit. $588,320 in space as of today.
Come FA, they have 64.8mill in cap hits, and that’s roughly 9mill in space then? The 64.8mill is for 38players, they need to sign roughly 10 players with that 9mill. They have a few RFAs, but I don’t see Montreal signing Stamkos. If they do, they’ll have to move Plekanec or Markov or both even and retain salary on them. No way another team wants Plekanec for 6mill.

NYR:
No 1^st round pick, no 2^nd round pick this yr and next yr.
They have 28 players on roster next yr for a cap hit of 56mill. Roughly 17mill for 20players. Kreider, Hayes, and Miller RFAs. Zucc, Brassard, Stepan and Nash combine for 23.8mill. They’re screwed for space. Plus you have the immoveable contract of Girardi (5.5mill a yr until 2020, NMC for the end of 2016-17 season (Expansion draft), then a NTC after.

I just don’t see a team helping out Montreal or NYR on taking a big contract away to open up space for them to sign Stamkos to a max. Both fit well physically, financially I don’t see it happening.

[theIceWookie]

Calgary knows their entire season was sewered by bad goaltending. They are not going to risk that happening again next season. I think Reimer is a good goalie. I dunno what Calgary thinks of them.

But I'll peg the chances much higher at Calgary having one of MAF, Bishop, Andersen/Gibson, Elliot/Allen, Howard/Mrazek, than attempting to take a risk like Ward.

If they're willing to take a risk on Ward, I'd almost guarantee it's a one year deal. Limited risk, high upside move. That's pretty much the only way I see him signing in Calgary.

[Kofax]

MY TURN!!!
Stamkos - TOR - 8 years @ $10M
Going with the rumour mill here, and I think if Stevie-Y knows he can't resign him to a discount he will move him to a team so he can get an extra year.

Backes - MTL - 4 yrs @ $5M
MTL will want size down the middle even though his is a declining asset.

Okposo - MIN - 7yrs @ $6.5M
Buy out Vanek and move pominville

Lucic - Vancouver - 6yrs @ $6M
Benning is hilarious and would do this

Ladd - BUF - 4yrs @ $5.5M
Would be a solid addition.

Yandle - BOS - 5yrs @ $5.25M
BOS needs a dman like him (I know they have Krug but the rest of their d can't move the puck like Yandle)

Eriksson - FLA - 4 yrs @ $5M
I think he could fit right in on L2

Hamhuis - Dallas - 2yrs @ $4M
Wants to be on a competitive team, stays in the west, helps out Dallas' defense

Campbell - Florida - 2 years @ $3.5M
With how good they were last year I think he wants to stay and I believe both his teammates and management (new and old) love him

Russell - Colorado - 5yrs @ $5M
Roy wants big dmen, but he is a tough dman who blocks shots, so they'll throw money at him.

Boedker - New Jersey - 6yrs @ $5.5M
A little overpaid but is a UFA in his prime and can help the Devils with scoring next season, possibly speeding up the rebuild

Hudler - NYI - 2 yrs @ 3.25M
Okposo leave, they sign Hudler to a short term deal. Can help their PP and depth scoring

Reimer - Calgary - 2 yrs @ $3M
Cap room and a very good goalie that gets undervalued

Ward - Swiss League - 1 year @ 2M Euro's (or whatever swiss currency is)
NHL teams wake up and realize he is not good anymore. Or a team signs him cheap as a back up

E. Staal - NSH - 4 years @ $4M
They need a C and he is available, Riberio is done there I think.

Vrbata - Chi - 1yr @ $2M
Cheap signing for his chance at the cup

I think this list is excellent. Almost all of your signings make sense. Well done.

[Rodgort]

Stamkos can't sign an 8 year deal with anybody but TB. I highly doubt that he is going to waste his time signing him just to trade him and the team in that contract is going to want full control of bonuses and incentives as well. Can see his rights being moved for conditional assets but that's about it. I just don't buy into the Toronto rumors especially with TB being so close to the cup the last two years. From all the interviews I've heard with Stammer since junior, I can't see him going to someone who isn't a contender or on borderline contender status for the next 1-5 years.

I am pretty sure (though I possibly just continually get this wrong haha) that if his rights are traded to a team before July 1 they would count as his existing team, so he would be able to sign for an extra year.

[STLblues]

Troy Brouwer to EDM 4 yrs 4 million per

A Goligoski to DET 4yrs 5.25 million per

[LawMan]

I am pretty sure (though I possibly just continually get this wrong haha) that if his rights are traded to a team before July 1 they would count as his existing team, so he would be able to sign for an extra year.

This is my understanding as well. Player contracts formally expire on July 1st, thus Stamkos could be traded to the Leafs (or any other team) anytime between now and July 1st and the ne team would be the only team who could sign him before July 1st, and also as his "current" team would be able to offer him an 8-year deal. Further, a team could seek permission to talk to Stamkos on the condition that if they come to an agreement he'd be traded to the Leafs before July 1st for certain consideration.

[rataylor22]

I am pretty sure (though I possibly just continually get this wrong haha) that if his rights are traded to a team before July 1 they would count as his existing team, so he would be able to sign for an extra year.

This is my understanding as well. Player contracts formally expire on July 1st, thus Stamkos could be traded to the Leafs (or any other team) anytime between now and July 1st and the ne team would be the only team who could sign him before July 1st, and also as his "current" team would be able to offer him an 8-year deal. Further, a team could seek permission to talk to Stamkos on the condition that if they come to an agreement he'd be traded to the Leafs before July 1st for certain consideration.

Players have to be on a team at a certain date to be eligible to sign an 8 year contract. Stamkos could not be traded and then sign an 8 year deal. EF mentioned this in one of his 30 thoughts.

[LawMan]

Players have to be on a team at a certain date to be eligible to sign an 8 year contract. Stamkos could not be traded and then sign an 8 year deal. EF mentioned this in one of his 30 thoughts.

Good to know. Thanks for the info.

[plug]

Yandle - BOS - 5yrs @ $5.25M
BOS needs a dman like him (I know they have Krug but the rest of their d can't move the puck like Yandle)


Of all of the predictions I have read, this to me is the best fit with the best payout.

[Goldendelicious]

I am pretty sure (though I possibly just continually get this wrong haha) that if his rights are traded to a team before July 1 they would count as his existing team, so he would be able to sign for an extra year.

No he can't. TB is the only team that can. I believe its the end of the regular season a player needs to be on the teams roster in order to sign an 8 year deal. Either way, it is certain that after the playoffs, only way he could have an 8 year deal with any team but TB is if TB were to sign him and then trade him

[LawMan]

Decided to look up the 8-year contract rules in the CBA.

50.8 Prohibited SPC Terms and Practices.

(b) The following practices also shall not be permitted under this Agreement and may not be included in any SPC, nor otherwise agreed to by any Club, any person or any entity:

An SPC with a term of greater than seven (7) years, provided, however, that a Club may sign a Player to an SPC with a term of up to eight (8) years if that Player was on such Club's Reserve List as of and since the most recent Trade Deadline. With respect to potential Unrestricted Free Agents only, the ability to re-sign a Player to an SPC of eight (8) years expires when the Player becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent. With respect to a Player who becomes a Group 2 Restricted Free Agent, a Club may sign such Player to an SPC with a term of up to eight (8) years provided such Player was on such Club's Reserve List and/or Restricted Free Agent List as of and since the most recent Trade Deadline.

So:
1. The right to sign a player to an 8-year deal is restricted to the team whom the player played for at the trade deadline.
2. The right to sign a pending UFA to an 8-year deal expires on July 1st.
3. The right to sign a pending RFA (Group 2 only) to an 8-year deal is not lost on July 1st.

Thus, Stamkos can only sign a n 8-year deal with Tampa Bay, and only before July 1st, once July 1st comes he can only sign a 7-year deal maximum. No other team can trade for Stamkos’ rights and sign him to an 8-year deal.

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/en/v3/ext/CBA...A_2013_CBA.pdf