The 2018-19 NHL season is officially over, but that doesn’t mean the hockey world gets a moment of rest. The draft is just around the corner, with free agents allowed to start talking to new teams just after that. Teams have already started to reshape their rosters with trades, while others try to steady the ship with long-term extensions.
Erik Karlsson was set to become the top free agent on the market this summer but has re-signed in San Jose, leaving a hole at the top of the list of available defensemen. Do Tyler Myers and Jake Gardiner become the de facto top options, or will teams instead circle back to the trade market to try and find their blue line solutions? What about up front? Does Artemi Panarin have a market outside of a handful of teams? Will San Jose be able to afford Joe Pavelski now? All those questions and more are on the minds of hockey fans everywhere.
With that in mind, it’s time to run another edition of our mailbag. You can submit your query by using #PHRMailbag on Twitter or by leaving a comment down below. Make sure to get your questions in early and we’ll try to get through them all when the mailbag runs this weekend.
If you missed our last edition, it was split into two parts that you can read here and here. The first tackled topics like morality clauses in player contracts, the New Jersey Devils’ offseason plans, and the unfortunate reality of bad Edmonton Oilers contracts. Next, Brian took on questions regarding Chris Kreider‘s future in New York, a potential Jacob Trouba trade, and gave his thoughts on the Phil Kessel situation.
With the money going to Skinner should the Sabres go in win now mode and move someone’s like Alex Nylander for a more proven top 6 aka Kessel?
What are the chances between a Ceci trade or signing?
Who will be the “backup “goalie on the Rangers next season?
Was there a clear cut winner in the Hawks/Pens trade? I thought giving up the 5th rounder might have been too much. But then again the Pens get a one year rental essentially.
Has the Karlsson signing possibly paved the way for Artemi Panarin to become to highest paid player in the league?
Which Rangers player, if any, is most likely to be traded at the draft? Do we see Lundqvist finally waive his NTC to chase a ring? Does NYR cut ties with Kreider?
since they just fell short, do the Bruins re-tool/tweak? or (backes being shown the door not withstanding) make a (semi?)major change to try and get over the top?
Now that the Rangers have obtained Trouba,what do you see as their next big move?
Will the Red Wings be the team that takes a chance in Podkolzin if they can not get Byram? Any goalies other then Knight that they could look at possibly in the 2nd round?
Who is more likely to stay in San Jose, Pavelski or Thornton?
Does Trouba resign in New York or did the Rangers just give away a 1st rounder and Pionk for a 1 year rental?
Do the Rangers have enough assets to make a run at a top 6 forward? How seriously do they go after Panarin?
They gotta stay with Pavelski. Pavelski is a difference maker. I think Thornton is finished in SJ
where does everyone think Panarin ends up this season?
Does Chuck Fletcher actually know what he is doing? He has just made three questionable moves in a row at time when he could turn the Flyers into a legit contender. Two defenseman trending in the wrong direction and paying a non-top tier center near top tier money. At least Hextall had a plan that you could see shaping to form, albeit at a snails place, but a logical plan nonetheless.
What would a bridge contract look like for Will Butcher? Also, what is Darcy Kuemper’s trade value right now a middle 2nd? A late 1st? Finally, why doesn’t Ottawa weaponize it’s cheapness? Go out and get players that other teams are going to buyout and take on those contracts and keep them in exchange for picks? Is it that teams aren’t willing to pay a large enough price or is it that Ottawa is too dumb to even begin to think about something that has any modicum of complexity to it?
Based on rumors, will there be another round of compliance buyouts with the next CBA? If there was, who would be bought out (other than Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter, Lucic, everyone not named Nurse on the Oilers blueline, & Brent Seabrook)?
What would Jonathan Quick actually fetch in a trade? Would him and Kempe be enough for LA to get a pick and draft Cole Caulfield?
Since Carl Gunnarsson’s deal expires this year do the Blues bring him back, or do they take a shot at T.Myers, J.Gardiner, facilitate a trade for someone like Risto, or try to beat Ottawa’s offer sheet for Cody Ceci (if they offer him a deal)?
with the sens being under the floor, rumours of ceci and boedker being shopped and tons of draft pick capital in 2020, are the sens not a prime contender to dole out an offer sheet to an RFA? (Johnson/kapanen come to mind but also in a dream world M. Tkachuk)
With the Blues so close to the cap, who do you see them targeting in Free Agency to fill out the roster?
I can’t fathom MacKinnon playing out his entire contract at its current #. What happens first, a restructure or a holdout? And when?
what do you see as a hypothetical trade for PK or Turris? Could PK end up in Colorado as they are reportedly Shopping Barrie around and have a ton of cap room.
For what it’s worth, I had Detroit taking Podkolzin when I did a mock draft of the first round. Clearly, Steve Yzerman was focused on a defenseman with the Seider selection. There was one goalie in particular that I really liked in the second round in Pyotr Kochetkov, who went just after the Antti Tuomisto selection. Considering Detroit only picked a goalie in the seventh round (a long-term project at that), it doesn’t appear they believe it’s a position of need at the moment.