We’re reaching the slowest point in the NHL offseason as we wait for training camp to arrive. While the World Junior Summer Showcase and KHL preseason are getting underway, we won’t see NHL hockey for some time. With that, we thought it necessary to answer some of your questions about how the offseason has gone. What are your biggest concerns about your favorite team, or what keeps you up at night wondering?
Our Brian La Rose is here to answer all your questions about the offseason, and explain what he thinks about the moves made around the league. Is the Tom Wilson contract going to haunt Washington down the road? Who was the most underrated addition? Where exactly is Tampa Bay supposed to get the cap space to add Erik Karlsson? Make sure to submit your questions using the hashtag #PHRMailbag on Twitter, or by commenting down below.
In the last PHR Mailbag which you can read right here, Brian tried to handicap the John Tavares sweepstakes the night before free agency opened. Though he did list Toronto as a real possibility, he expected like everyone else for the captain to return to New York. Brian touched on other subjects including goaltending, the Chicago Blackhawks and whether Jack Johnson is already overpaid.
What would a bouwmeester and/or Gunnarson trade get the blues aside from salary relief to resign Jordan schmaltz.
What’s been the best contract handed out this offseason? Best trade?
Opening night, the Flyers 3rd line centre will be? (Holding hope they’ll roll the dice and give it to Morgan Frost)
Which team is most likely on the rise this year? Which team is most likely to regress?
Buffalo up
Vegas down
Though Vegas makes the playoffs and buffalo doesn’t
I ran into Trouba and Cheveldayoff after they left their arbitration hearing in Toronto. Everyone says Trouba hates the Jets, and after seeing some of that first hand, I can guarantee a 100% chance he doesn’t sign a long term extension in Winnipeg. Him and his agent hate Chevy. So he has 2 more years of playing before he becomes a UFA. Do you see the Jets trading him before that point assuming this is true or would they keep him as own rental because they’re trying to win
What kind of market/return would there be for Kris Letang if the Penguins would think of trading him? I’m wondering if they would entertain the thought at some point because they are near the cap ceiling.
How does Bergeron and Dorion keep thier jobs?
Bergevin
Fantasy GM time. If you are Dubas, and your goal is to lock up Nylander, Marner and Matthews long term, how or what do you do to address the D? Could Nazem Kadri or Jake Gardiner be considered trade bait?
Could you please clarify to everyone the whole Artemi Panarin issue? It’s getting pretty annoying at this point with people blaming CBJ management and people saying that they’re trying to push Artemi to sign long-term, he’s not interested in signing a short-term deal, if that were the case a deal would have already been done by now…correct?
What effect could the looming work stoppage have on the Seattle expansion team? Would it impact their beginning operations at all? Could the players leverage it saying a lockout in their inaugural season is a PR disaster for the league? Given that, would the league consider expediting/delaying the expansion process accordingly?
I would rather have this question answered if you decide to choose one of mine, but I didn’t think of it until yesterday.