NHL 2021 Irregular Season and Plagueoffs

StoiCynic · Sep 4, 2021

Apparently they already spoke about a potential extension with more term and less aav. It's fine to overpay since they had the cap space this season I guess. Still dislike their offseason though. Blue line and goaltending got worse.

Animosity · Sep 4, 2021

I’d say Montreal way upgraded too by flipping those picks for Dvorak.

Merrith · Sep 4, 2021

Technically Carolina is $1.5M over the cap right now, any easy moves to get under?

Ishad · Sep 4, 2021

Animosity said:
I’d say Montreal way upgraded too by flipping those picks for Dvorak.

I think Montreal made the best of a bad situation but Dvorak seems like an older KK with less upside. They basically downgraded two picks and swapped KK for Dvorak. A complete shit sandwich for Montreal.

Merrith · Sep 5, 2021

Ishad said:
I think Montreal made the best of a bad situation but Dvorak seems like an older KK with less upside. They basically downgraded two picks and swapped KK for Dvorak. A complete shit sandwich for Montreal.

Older, but Dvorak is only 25. Not sure how much more upside KK has, either. Aside from '18-'19 when he only played 20 games, Dvorak has seasons of 15, 15, 18, and 17 goals. KK has 22 goals in 3 years. Even more impressive when you figure the 17 goals last year were in only 56 games with the shortened season. ~25 goal, 45 point pace over 82 games last year, and he's signed for over $1.5M cheaper than KK and locked in at that number for 3 more years after this one?

Ishad · Sep 5, 2021

Merrith said:
Older, but Dvorak is only 25. Not sure how much more upside KK has, either. Aside from '18-'19 when he only played 20 games, Dvorak has seasons of 15, 15, 18, and 17 goals. KK has 22 goals in 3 years. Even more impressive when you figure the 17 goals last year were in only 56 games with the shortened season. ~25 goal, 45 point pace over 82 games last year, and he's signed for over $1.5M cheaper than KK and locked in at that number for 3 more years after this one?

Yeah, that’s part of Dvorak being older. At 18 kk put up as many points as Dvorak put at 20.

Hell, Pius Suter put up similar stats to Dvorak at a similar age last year and signed for less and cost zero in draft picks.

Merrith · Sep 5, 2021

Ishad said:
Yeah, that’s part of Dvorak being older. At 18 kk put up as many points as Dvorak put at 20.

Hell, Pius Suter put up similar stats to Dvorak at a similar age last year and signed for less and cost zero in draft picks.

At 18, but his points per game has been lower each of his next 2 years and his goals per game has gotten worse each consecutive year, too. Meanwhile Dvorak's rates have only gone up.

No real surprise Suter was cheaper, only had the single year contract and straight into UFA. Dvorak's contract covered all 4 RFA years and bought out 2 years of UFA. Plus it was signed the offseason before covid hit, Suter's signed in flat cap era. Also no offense, but Suter's most common linemates being Patrick Kane and DeBrincat last year likely pumped up his numbers a bit more than Dvorak playing most of his time with Lawson Crouse and Tyler Pitlick.

Merrith · Sep 5, 2021

Btw, that isn't to say I didn't like the Suter signing by the Wings, just that considering the factors their contracts shouldn't be that surprising.

Animosity · Sep 5, 2021

I feel like Dvorak being on the coyotes is being overlooked. That team was a black hole for goals. Not even Kessel could score there. Give Dvorak some better wingers and better system and he should be better.

Merrith · Sep 5, 2021

Animosity said:
I feel like Dvorak being on the coyotes is being overlooked. That team was a black hole for goals. Not even Kessel could score there. Give Dvorak some better wingers and better system and he should be better.

This is the main point I was trying to make with the linemate comparison between him and Suter. Dvorak himself is proven goal producer, 15+ in all 4 of the seasons where he played more than 20 games, and 20+ pace each of the last two years if not for covid cutting seasons short. Give him some better linemates and the assists will bump up some, too.

Ishad · Sep 5, 2021

The Habs weren’t exactly an offensive dynamo last year. They’ll get more out of Caufield this season, but they lost Tatar and it will be interesting if toffoli’s last season is repeatable.

My main point is the Habs really got screwed on the timing because the ufa cupboard was bare by the time they had to make a decision. They might have even tried to retain Danault based on the circumstances.

Merrith · Sep 5, 2021

Ishad said:
it will be interesting if toffoli’s last season is repeatable.

I'm sure they're hoping it is. Not sure I'm convinced.

There is a weird quirk to the Dvorak deal where if either their 1st or Carolina's 1st (or both) ends up a top 10 pick, then they get to keep the better of the two 1sts. I don't expect Carolina to somehow bomb out to that level, but maybe if the Habs have a bad year, it protects them keeping a top 10 pick that way. The '24 2nd is kind of whatevs, still a couple years to recoup a 2nd that year in a deadline deal if need be.

Ishad · Sep 7, 2021

Vandyn · Sep 10, 2021

StoiCynic said:
Apparently they already spoke about a potential extension with more term and less aav. It's fine to overpay since they had the cap space this season I guess. Still dislike their offseason though. Blue line and goaltending got worse.

I think the cap space and the potential upside made it more worth it. He's not even going to start at C. As for the Canes offseason, I'd argue their goaltending is at least as good as last year. I hated losing Ned (Mrazek was gone no matter what) but everyone made him out to be the next Vasilevskiy based on one season (20 games). As for the D I think they actually got better. They were never going to pay Hamilton what he got in NJ and to be fair, you could argue he was the 3rd best D on the team last year (behind Slavin and Pesce). As a whole, imo they are (on paper) actually better than last years team and that was with Svech having a down year.