MillionDollarCam

Top line KK with elite skaters in Aho and Necas is interesting. On one hand I’m like this won’t work because he’ll always be trailing the play but on the other hand I’m like maybe he’ll get some nice chances in the slot if he’s always lagging behind.

Trocheck is currently on IR which might be why Rees is still up. I assume Rees will stay up until Trocheck is ready to roll then head to Chicago. I think Drury is up for good and will fill in wherever he is needed and Jarvis is on a 9 game tryout. I would not be surprised if any of the guy put on waivers today were claimed. Lajoie and Gelinas are definitely better than some other teams 7’s. Then you have Noesen and Smith who showed that they can be solid fourth liners against NHL quality players… and obviously Leivo has the track record. We’ll see.

Final roster moves being made. Current Roster Forward (15): Svech, Aho, Necas, KK, Trocheck, Turbo, Nino, Staal, Fast, Marty, Stepan, Lorentz, Jarvis, Drury, Rees Defense (7): Slavin, Pesce, Skjei, TDA, Bear, Cole, Smith Goalie (2): Andersen, Raanta At least one more must go.

Definitely don’t think Marty is going anywhere and I’d be surprised if Stepan isn’t on the roster but you never know I guess.

Games is on TV tonight: Svech - Aho - Necas KK - Staal - Turbo Nino - Drury - Jarvis Smith - Lorentz - Fast Slavin - TDA Skjei - Pesce Cole - Bear Raanta Lyon Not Playing: Trocheck (precautionary), Stepan, Marty, Leivo, Suzuki, Rees, Noesen, Smith, Keane, Lajoie, Gelinas, Andersen

No taxi squad this year which is why I feel like we should carry 23, the issue is fitting those 23 players under the cap along with Gardiner being on LTIR. Sure we could always call someone up from Chicago but carrying 23 makes it easier.

I believe there will be a stream on OKC’s website. Also…

Two more down.

Looks like the Canes are closing in on the roster. They are still using split groups: Team Attitude (26): Svech, Aho, Necas, KK, Trocheck (wasn’t at practice today), Turbo, Nino, Staal, Jarvis, Marty, Stepan, Fast, Lorentz, Leivo, Smith, Drury, Slavin, TDA, Pesce, Skjei, Bear, Cole, Smith, Keane, Andersen, Raanta At least three need to go, my guess is Leivo, Drury, and Keane get sent to Chicago. Team Energy (7): Suzuki, Rees, Noesen, Gelinas, Lajoie, Jacobs, Chatfield Expect these seven to be assigned to Chicago soon. Side Note: Alex Lyon has been waived with intention to send him to Chicago but he’s being kept in camp in case of an injury. I also forgot to mention, in addition to the 12 already assigned to Chicago (Letunov, Miletic, Poturalski, Smallman, Fitzgerald, Bokk, Cotton, Mattheos, Murray, Sellgren, Makiniemi, Warm); 5 were also returned to juniors (Orr, Robidas, Montgomery, Seeley, Hamrla).

Cuts have started. I’ll mention that I wouldn’t be surprised if Jarvis gets his 9 games in the NHL before a decision is made on whether he heads back to juniors or not. The Canes can carry 23 guys and while they usually don’t it may be in their best interest with Covid still being an issue. That puts us with Forward (14) Aho, Svech, Necas, Turbo, KK, Trochek, Nino, Staal, Fast, Jarvis, Marty, Stepan, Lorentz, Leivo/Smith Defense Slavin, Pesce, TDA, Bear, Cole, Skjei, Smith (7) Goalie Andersen, Raanta

A few notes through 2. - Impressed with the PP, looks really solid. - Andersen is the calmest goalie we’ve had back there since Ward. Can’t tell if he’s made a save or given up a goal because his demeanor is the same. - A 4th line combo of Leivo, Stepan, Lorentz, and Martinook is going to be solid. - Drury and Rees look like very solid future NHL players. - Ian Cole is going to be a great acquisition and be the old vet of this defense that the guys can lean on. The line up was: KK - Trocheck - Turbo Lorentz - Stepan - Leivo Rees - Drury - Noesen Miletic - Suzuki - Bokk Cole - TDA Lajoie - Keane Gelinas - Sellgren Andersen Lyon

Ethan ’s flow is impressive. Also nice to see that we are fully vaccinated.

I’ll mention this regarding the KK compensation. If for some reason we are out of the playoff picture come the trade deadline Nino will get us a 2nd and Trocheck will get us a first.

Waddell said that KK will start out playing LW. This just makes too much sense. KK - Aho - Turbo

You were right, Gardiner to LTIR, he needs hip surgery. Sad to say but his career is done. Don’t see anyway he comes back from hip and back surgery in a span of three or so years. I bet he’s bought out next year.

I’d honestly bury him in Chicago and let him sit until he feels like he’s 120%. Then when he’s ready allow him to come back and play with Chicago for the season and see if that helps him at all. 4-5 years ago he was a real solid player for Toronto but his back injury completely derailed his career. He needs to spend a season getting his mind right and getting his body right. Maybe toward the end of the season he can suit up for Chicago and give it one last go. We have a lot of cap space coming up next year so we can always fit him in if he is able to make a comeback or at that point buy out the last year of his contract. Ian Cole and Brendan Smith are more than likely just one year rentals and if TDA has a bad year he won’t be back and if he has a good year we won’t be able to afford him. I also don’t see anyway Nino or Leivo are back and maybe even Trocheck if he prices himself out of our market. I think the hope is that KK takes a big step forward this year and becomes the future 2C of this franchise. Just spit balling for next year but maybe something like: FREE AGENT - Aho - Turbo Svech - KK - Necas FREE AGENT - Staal - Jarvis Martinook - Drury - Fast Extras: Suzuki, Lorentz Slavin - Pesce Skjei - Bear Gardiner - FREE AGENT Extras: Keane, Sellgren Andersen Raanta

It’s going to be really interesting to see where KK slots in. This could be a special season if Andersen gets back to playing the way he did a couple years ago and Raanta stays healthy. Icing on the cake would be TDA replicating his season from 2019.

Noice!!!!

There is a Montreal Twitter account that called their draft pick hours before the draft that is stating that Montreal will not match the KK offer sheet and instead package the picks for Christian Dvorak from Arizona. We’ll see.

This is all true but the key is that KK has accepted the QO from the Canes meaning that is his contract this year with either Carolina or Montreal. The thing is, he’ll still be an RFA once the QO contract expires next year and per the NHL CBA, his next QO has to start at the $6.1M mark. However, KK can agree to any extension that he’d like and that contract would begin in 21/22. The issue for Montreal is that KK doesn’t seem too keen to sign an extension so he’d play on his QO this year and force Montreal to qualify him again at $6.1M next year or let him walk. If Montreal did that they’d be in rough cap shape with Suzuki’s and Caulfield’s contracts coming up. In Carolina’s scenario, there’s rumors that KK would sign an extension and even cut the Canes a deal since they helped him get out of Montreal. Per this tweet, KK will agree to a contract with the Canes where the total money averages out at $4M per year if the Canadians do not match. For example, let’s say KK signs a 3x$3.3M Year One QO - $6.1M Year Two (First Year of Extension) - $3.3M Year Three (Second Year of Extension) - $3.3M Year Four (Final Year of Extension) - $3.3M In total, it’s essentially a 4x$4M ($16M total)

He’s locked it at $6.1 for 21/22. However, the Canes could have an agreement in place with his reps that because we gave him a great QO that he’ll sign a bridge for one or two years or so 22/23 and 23/24 at maybe 2x$2.5M. Once the bridge is up he’s a UFA either he panned out and we keep him or he didn’t and we don’t. So essentially it’s like a 3yr/11M or a 2/8M deal with the $6.1M coming in the first year on the QO. After the bridge is up KK becomes a UFA and we can evaluate his value appropriately. I think the QO had to be as high as it is to price him out of Montreal as he doesn’t seem to be keen to play there so an extension was never really in the cards. Say Montreal does match and KK doesn’t agree to an extension before the following year, Montreal has to qualify him at or above the $6.1M mark. If they did that they’d really mess up their cap space for Suzuki and Caulfield. No sources or anything just a hunch. If KK and his agent don’t agree to a bridge (off the record) for the following seasons before you submit the QO then you don’t do it because he could turn around and play in Carolina on the $6.1M and choose not to sign an extension before the year is over meaning that we’d have to qualify him at $6.1M or higher. If it works out, it’s quite a shrewd move.

He very well could. He’s played mostly center with Portland but he can also play right wing. Stick him on Staal’s wing so that he’s got a good defensive centerman to play with. KK - Aho - Turbo Svech - Trocheck - Necas Nino - Staal - Jarvis Marty - Stepan - Fast Leivo - Lorentz - Noesen

Covid kicked his ass then the concussion, he had a rough go of it but should bounce back.

Fabulous move. The $6M offer sheet prices KK out of Montreal unless they move someone as it takes them 10% over the cap. Sure he’s overpaid this year but we can afford it and we may already have a gentleman’s agreement with him for an extension (which can be less than the $6m offer sheet). The only risk for the Canes would be if KK plays out the season and his QO was $6M next year. I doubt Waddell does the offer sheet if there isn’t an agreement already in place. As for why Montreal wouldn’t match and do the same thing… for one they would have to move someone out, secondly KK doesn’t seem to enjoy Montreal so it’s highly unlikely he’d play there for less than his QO. If anyone can get KK’s best out of him, it’s RBA. Start him on the wing with his buddies Aho and Turbo and go from there. KK - Aho - Turbo Svech - Trocheck- Necas Nino - Staal - Fast Marty - Stepan - Lorentz Leivo - Noesen Slavin - Pesce Skjei - TDA Cole - Bear Smith Andersen Raanta Not to mention, we can afford the loss of a first and a third as they will likely be late picks and we have a ton of talent waiting in the wings… Honka, Koivunen, Morrow, Tieksola, Rees, Bokk, Suzuki, Drury, Jarvis, etc.