pretty sure TBL went w/ Hedman--Rutta. Rutta was still RHD.

What would your first choice be out of curiosity?

My thing is I think this is starting to look a lot like Chicago. Chicago missed playoffs, however core was still playing well. Stan Bowman tried to go all in for one last shot trading for Seth Jones and Fleury. Mortgaged the future, messed up their rebuild, and they didn't even make playoffs next year. Sometimes once a dynasty falls out of playoffs it's just over, no matter how well individual players are doing or what moves they make to try and contend again. It just feels like this year was the start of the decline as opposed to an off year. We've seen Detroit, Chicago, and others make these same mistakes before. It's better for us to sell our assets while they still have value, instead of 2-3 years when they may be traded for nothing.

Correct me if I'm wrong but backloading the contract doesn't help get a lower AAV?

Rutta was a top pairing dman but not on his off side. I'd be very surprised if BOS doesn't match tbh

That Zucker for seven years sure looks like a buyout contract in the later years. Not so cap efficient later is it? like Swayman offer sheet but I'm guessing you wouldn't want a five year deal but a shorter term so he can get more $$$ later. Maybe a 2 or 3 deal works.

The problem is we don't have the draft picks to do more money shorter deal

And like I said I am 100% ok with the Zuker deal we're gonna suck by then anyway, pay then prosper now

It doesn't help the AAV but it helps entice him to take it knowing he may be bought out because the buyout skyrockets.

It basically says sign for less lets go win a cup and we'll pay you once you retire and we rebuild

Yea my bad, I thought they went double off D, I was almost certain of it, not sure why I had that in my head.

I'm confused how the backloading makes it more enticing?

It would be amazing for him to sign that deal don't get me wrong - and I think he will take a bit of a pay cut to stay. That just seems a little heavy of a pay cut.

I wouldn't mind selling our assets if they wanted too but they don't, they have made that clear and we need to respect their wishes they've done to much for us not to.

My first choice would be buyout Grunland, use Jospeh or Smith to dump Petry or use a draft pick to Jump Rutta and bring in guys like Ryan Graves, Noel Accari, and maybe trade for a bottom 6 winger.

My first choice is we sign Ryan Graves and Ivan Barbeshev on day 1 and offersheet Swayman or trade for Swaymans rights

What if the new GM wanted to? There's really no way of saying until we know who it is. What if Dubas comes in, is given full control, and that's the path he chooses. I just can't imagine many GM's coming in and thinking they could make this roster into a contender in an offseason or it is worth giving up 1sts to try and contend.

regardless what the new GM wants to do they all have full NMC and have said they don't want to be traded.

Also, I don't think its that hard to make this roster competive, you have the core, that is the hard part

When I said they I meant the assets not the pens

It makes it more enticing because he knows if he signs a deal that long he's gonna get bought out so if we back load it he gets paid more in the buyout. You could also front load so that he gets what he's worth now and let the last years bring the AVV down and buy him out for next to nothing, either way. The only way the deal works is to back load so the buyout goes up or front load so that he gets paid now. If I am him I prefer backloaded but dealers choice.

Word - I gotcha. Thanks. Still think it's a bit too much as a paycut - and I'm saying this as someone who does think he'll take one. But who knows