20 days and counting.
Isles UFAs: F- Okposo, Nielsen, Martin, Bernier D- Zidlicky, Strait G- none.
RFAs: F- Cizikas, Strome D- none G- Berube
Trade request: D- Hamonic.
Okposo leads the team with 41 points in 48 games, 1 more point in 1 more game than Tavares. If you're going to move him, it HAS to be for someone who is a major player. He's 27 and has been one of their best players for a few years. Dal Colle may replace him next year, but with the team currently in a playoff position, it would be dumb to move him for futures. It would also be dumb to let him walk for free July 1st. He may get an offer, but I doubt it'll be the $6-7 million/year he supposedly wants.
Nielsen is 3rd with 33 points, and is a hell of a defensive player. It won't help in the playoffs, but he's also the league's most prolific scorer in the SO, so he'll help you get to the playoffs with SO goals. He's 31 and currently makes only $2.75 million. I expect he'd want a raise to more like $4-5 million, like Kulemin gets. I don't think they can afford to give it to him though.
Martin- 26 years old, 1/3 of the so called "best 4th line in hockey". He's got 5 G, 5 A in 51 games, to go along with 77 PIM. He leads the league in hits every year. How do you not keep him around? Currently makes $1.3, with a cap hit of $1. Probably would take $1.5 for 3 years. Maybe?
Bernier- 30 years old, healthy scratch almost all year. 1G & 2 A in 15 games. Makes $750k. Probably worth keeping as a backup plan to calling up a kid. Let him go whenever.
Zidlicky & Strait- I can't be bothered with stats on these guys. Let them go for anything you can get in return, which probably won't be much. And that's fine. Give Pulock, Mayfield or Pelech a real chance.
Cizikas- 24 years old. $1 million. I thought he was older. He's a great spark plug, and fits nicely between Martin & Clutterbuck. But he's probably replaceable if he's going to cost more than $1.75 million.
Strome- 22 years old, makes $833k. He's going to get a major raise, as he should. Probably into the Nelson area of $2.5 million/year. He really struggled early on, but is now a hair below 0.5 ppg. Kid has vision.
Berube- very interesting. He's 24 and makes $565k. Hard to let that cheap insurance go, but it also sucks to carry 3 goalies. I don't see him passing through waivers, but I don't remember if the Kings get a chance to claim him if he's traded, nullifying the trade. I read that somewhere else but don't recall it's validity. I think I asked that recently. Oh well. He's a really good goalie, but the 3 headed monster so rarely works. But Halak's health doesn't either. Greiss has been really good, so it's not easy to move him in favor of Berube being the backup. Greiss is near his highest # games played already, so Berube is good to have around. But 3 goalies long term sounds like a nightmare.
Then there's still Hamonic & his trade request. 3+ more years left on his team friendly deal. Byfuglien is off the block (thank god!), as is Phaneuf (also good!). Does that further limit potential trading partners, or does it make teams looking for a D-man willing to pay more since their other potential targets have new homes? Only GMs know. All I know is they need a quality NHL player for him, who won't break the bank. Edmonton has a bunch of good young forwards and fits his western Canada bill. Trouba supposedly wants big $, but would send Hamonic home to Winnipeg where he really wants to be. But he has no say in the matter, since he doesn't have a no trade clause. Just a hand shake from Snow that he'll try to send him where he wants. The move may not happen this year, since he's helping the team big time. I'd wait until the draft. Let him give the rest of the year to the Isles, and maybe he somehow changes his mind if they go deep in the playoffs. I think they pull off the series vs the Caps if they had him last year. But they didn't. As of now they'd play the Rangers in the first round, and he'd surely help vs them.
Isles needs: Reliable D-man to replace Hamonic if he's moved. Anyone to replace Zidlicky and/or Strait. Top line winger, like all teams could use. No goalies please.
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