E.L. wrote:
I don't love this deal for either side.
The Isles already have some weird long-term deals in the books (Ladd, Czikas, Clutter) and now they've added a $6M AAV for two years. But if Tavares is happy to be reunited with his WJC buddy, then perhaps its worth it.
Would the Oilers have been better off grabbing one of New York's dmen? Strome can work as a low-cost winger to ride with Leon or Connor, I suppose.
In a vacuum, taking on the additional $3.5 million is bad, but they had just traded Grabovski's $5 million the day before, which I presume, was done to help make room for this and possibly Duchene. At least, that is Snow's reported plan. As of now the Isles have 13 forwards, 6 D and
only TWO goalies(!!!) with $5.5 million in cap space. However, they still need to sign De Haan (RFA).
I'm bored, so...
Lee-Tavares-Eberle
Ladd-Nelson-Bailey
Beauvillier-Quine-Chimera
Kulemin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck/Prince
Ho-Sang should make it again, and I could easily see Barzal taking over for Quine out of camp.
If they're to make a trade for Duchene, I could see something like a forward & a D going back to the Avs.
Leddy-Boychuk
De Haan-Hamonic
Hickey-Pulock
Seidenberg/Pelech/Mayfield
Halak/Greiss.
Ho-Sang, Pulock, & Barzal are all likely replacements for several players on the roster, and all make $863,333 this year. That's actually a step up from a few of the lower tier players. Quine makes $612k, Prince $850k. Pelech is an RFA.
Minor league goalies Gibson & Williams are both RFAs as well.