Canes offer sheet Jesperi Kotkaniemi (MTL)

[KillerKat]

Everyone is sh!tting on this on the Canes FB page.

[Harbingers]

So how do we get back in cap compliance now? LTIR/Buyout Gardiner? 

[MillionDollarCam]

54 minutes ago, Harbingers said:

So how do we get back in cap compliance now? LTIR/Buyout Gardiner? 

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

[MillionDollarCam]

1 hour ago, Harbingers said:

So how do we get back in cap compliance now? LTIR/Buyout Gardiner? 

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.

[t96]

Gardiner is going on LTIR, Waddell just announced it. Having back AND hip surgery... There's our cap relief, also we'll have an extra $2.5M to spend as well.

 

Regarding Kotkaniemi, this offer sheet was an absolute stroke of genius by the Canes. This is Teravainen 2.0. He's going to explode here and I wouldn't be surprised too if we lock him up to a relatively cheap extension as soon as we're able to in January. He wants to be here, we've got deep ties and success with Finnish players and he fits the timeline extremely well. He projects as our long term #2C behind Aho, 60+ point guy with great physical 2 way play as well.

 

$6M this year was an overpay but that's what it takes to do a successful offer sheet and steal a player away from another team like this. We put the Habs in a bind so that we could add an extremely talented young player with huge upside. The money this year really doesn't matter at all, we have the space. The 1st round pick is almost certain to be in the 20s or later which makes it somewhat irrelevant, especially with our deep prospect pool and the 3rd round pick is nothing. Well worth it. 

 

I would think he slots in at 2nd line winger this season until Trocheck likely walks to get paid after the season, then he takes over the 2C role next season.

Svech - Aho - TT

Jesperi - Tro - Necas

Nino - Staal - Fast

 

Fantastic top 9. Now we just need DeAngelo/Bear to step up and the goalies to stay healthy and we have as good a shot as any team to win it all this year.

[MillionDollarCam]

Waddell said that KK will start out playing LW.

This just makes too much sense.

KK - Aho - Turbo

[Harbingers]

2 hours ago, MillionDollarCam said:

Waddell said that KK will start out playing LW.

This just makes too much sense.

KK - Aho - Turbo

Ya that’s what I’ve been saying all along. He was listed as a LW last year too in Montréal for some of his stint at least. Only thing is he’s a lefty on the left side. 

[Rocky Davis]

I feel bad that it didn't work out for Gardiner, but I just don't see him ever being a meaningful NHL player again.

As for the Canes having as good a chance as anyone this year, I agree theoretically but I will say that Tampa Bay is still very formidable, Florida got a lot better, and Colorado is going to be strong out west.

This team will need to gel quickly if we are honestly a Cup contender.  We can't have struggles from players we are counting on....we are skating on thin ice with regards to team chemistry.

[MillionDollarCam]

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.

[hepcat]

Damn what a move. Not used to seeing straight robbery like this.

[Harbingers]

Gardiner still hasn’t gone through. But we’ll be one player out from 23 with 2ish to spare. Jarvis? Suzuki? Or is there a bargain bin rental we can use to round out the roster for camp? 

[Anybodyhome]

I'm surprised the Canes haven't looked at Galchenyuk or Donato (both forwards) or even looked to bring Sami Vatanen back on the blue line. 

Galchenyuk plays all 3 forward spots and is a lefty.

[t96]

1 hour ago, Anybodyhome said:

I'm surprised the Canes haven't looked at Galchenyuk or Donato (both forwards) or even looked to bring Sami Vatanen back on the blue line. 

Galchenyuk plays all 3 forward spots and is a lefty.

We had Galchenyuk last year and traded him away for nothing. He's one of those guys who isn't quite good enough to play in the top 6 and doesn't really fit the mold of a bottom 6 forward. Plus I really don't think we need any more forward especially after the Kotkaniemi addition. We're pretty deep there now. We are still short another clear top 6 scoring winger but that's much harder to acquire and this year anyways we can live with Kotkaniemi playing wing and hope Nino plays well in a contract year. Then we do have Jarvis and some other guys potentially coming into the mix soon.

Vatanen is pretty washed at this point. I liked the way he played but we're also pretty deep on D now, although we are of course will miss Dougie's impact on the top pair. I can't see Vatanen or any other available D man playing above Slavin, TDA, Skjei, Pesce, Cole, Bear.

[t96]

On 9/5/2021 at 2:21 PM, Harbingers said:

Ya that’s what I’ve been saying all along. He was listed as a LW last year too in Montréal for some of his stint at least. Only thing is he’s a lefty on the left side. 

My understanding is he only played about 2 games at wing, the rest was all center. Montreal fans didn't think he was good on the wing but it's such a small sample size and was with poor linemates so not going to read into that. Jesperi is most certainly a center longer term, probably replacing Tro as soon as next year, but there just isn't a slot for him in the middle this season with Aho, Tro and Staal so have no choice but to try him on the wing this year.

On 9/5/2021 at 11:57 AM, MillionDollarCam said:

Waddell said that KK will start out playing LW.

This just makes too much sense.

KK - Aho - Turbo

Maybe, but I really hesitate to breakup SAT line. They have showed signs of breaking out as one of the best lines in the league, up there with Boston's top line and Colorado's. And we have the luxury of keeping them together with Jesperi, Tro and Necas rounding out a pretty damn amazing 2nd line too.