June NHL News

Jettisoned

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Ceci is easily the worst defenceman I've ever seen given a lot of ice time. He was consistently given top 4 minutes despite being totally unable to lead a breakout or actually cover anyone in his own end. It was frustrating watching him play on my favorite team. That being said, I don't get this trade for the Senators. Zaitsev is miles better than Ceci but he's mediocre at best and has a bad contract. I'd have preferred that we keep Ceci to help reach the cap floor, finish last again with him eating up minutes playing shit hockey and cut him loose as a UFA in 2020.

Ceci doesn't have a contract yet, but I think the Sens made him a QO, so my guess is that the Leafs either try to wriggle their way out of that or just buy him out. They'll re-sign Marner with what's left under the cap and hope their defencemen prospects can make up for losing Jake Gardiner.
 

cshea

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We’ll have to see what the sweetener is for Ottawa. I think Zaitsev is better than Ceci, but not by a huge margin. They both would probably be better off in lesser roles. After the bonus is paid by the Leafs, $12 million of the $31.5 million contract will have been paid out. Melnyk gets a $4.5 million cap hit for 5 years but only has to spend ~$3.9 million in real dollars each year for it.

My guess is the Leafs flip Ceci elsewhere. Ceci is restricted and made $4.3 million last year, so his qualifying offer is $4.7 million. That’s a high number for a not very good player.
 

cshea

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Last day for buyouts..Sekera, Schlemko and Scott Darling round out the group. Darling was just traded to Florida for James Reimer.
 

prizminferno

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Jul 12, 2005
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lol stars

David Pagnotta @TheFourthPeriod
Looks like Joe Pavelski will sign a three-year contract with Dallas tomorrow. Sounds like the AAV will be in the neighborhood of $7M.
 

coremiller

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lol stars

David Pagnotta @TheFourthPeriod
Looks like Joe Pavelski will sign a three-year contract with Dallas tomorrow. Sounds like the AAV will be in the neighborhood of $7M.
Nobody loves Pavelski more than me (I own a Pavelski sharks sweater), but this is an overpay for a guy who turns 35 in a couple weeks, who was never a great skater, and whose scoring last year was inflated by a wildly unsustainable shooting % (38 goals on a 20.2% shooting %, while Pav's career shooting % is 12.5).
 

prizminferno

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Jul 12, 2005
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Nobody loves Pavelski more than me (I own a Pavelski sharks sweater), but this is an overpay for a guy who turns 35 in a couple weeks, who was never a great skater, and whose scoring last year was inflated by a wildly unsustainable shooting % (38 goals on a 20.2% shooting %, while Pav's career shooting % is 12.5).
He had a lot of deflection goals which is not entirely sustainable.
 

coremiller

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He had a lot of deflection goals which is not entirely sustainable.
Pavelski's been the best in the league at deflections and tips for a while, and the Sharks run a lot of set plays to get him tips, but yeah. If his scoring had been in line with his career shooting %, he would have had 24 goals, not 38. 3x7m is a lot for a 20-25 goal scorer who is trending the wrong way and whose lack of skating is likely to become a defensive liability.
 

veritas

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Pavelski's been the best in the league at deflections and tips for a while, and the Sharks run a lot of set plays to get him tips, but yeah. If his scoring had been in line with his career shooting %, he would have had 24 goals, not 38. 3x7m is a lot for a 20-25 goal scorer who is trending the wrong way and whose lack of skating is likely to become a defensive liability.
You're right that the Sharks system fits him uniquely. Just looking at generating shots, he drives a ton of them from right in front of the net. But I really think he's a player where generating high danger shots is not particularly transferable. Maybe Carolina would have been somewhat close to as much of a fit system-wise. Dallas was below average in shots from the point last season. 3x$7m is a huge gamble on a 35 year old who doesn't seem to fit into their system. No idea what the numbers are on Perry, I think he's worth a flyer on a one year deal at the right price. I don't think the price will be right.

Seems like Connor Brown is also headed to Ottawa in the Zaitsev/Ceci deal.

Mats Zuccarello is headed to the Wild on a big deal, 5 years, ~$30 mil for a 32 year old. Love me some Zucc but Paul Fenton has been the worst GM in the league since taking over, IMO.
 

prizminferno

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Jul 12, 2005
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Pavelski might get 50 on Carolina. Zucc deal is horrendous. I thought NHL was 12 am and was wondering why nobody was signing. Welp, noon.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Dec 12, 2004
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Just saw the Connor Brown inclusion in the Ceci deal... Dorion has now gifted a division rival $6.6m to re-sign one of their best players, for essentially one year of Connor Brown before his RFA status comes up next summer.

I wish I could find something redeeming about the Sens’ ineptitude, but at this point they’re fucking up at being awful.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
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Ha, it’s even worse according to Garrioch

https://twitter.com/sungarrioch/status/1145656368155766787
The pick is said to be a CBJ-owned pick, meaning it’s either the 2nd or 3rd in 2020. Meanwhile, Ceci / Harpur will never play in Toronto and the Leafs will get a top 90 pick for dumping $6.6m.

I am praying that Sweeney is targeting deals with Fenton and Dorion before anyone else in the future
 

Jettisoned

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May 6, 2008
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Sweeney can target the Sens all he wants but, but we don't actually have any good players and management isn't actually trying to win, so you're not likely to get anything good.

Just saw the Connor Brown inclusion in the Ceci deal... Dorion has now gifted a division rival $6.6m to re-sign one of their best players, for essentially one year of Connor Brown before his RFA status comes up next summer.

I wish I could find something redeeming about the Sens’ ineptitude, but at this point they’re fucking up at being awful.
I think Zaitsev was attractive to them because they only have to pay him $1.5 million this year while his cap hit is $4.5 million. This is entirely so that Meldick can save a few million dollars while still hitting the cap floor.