[friedman] Panthers Could Breakup Core if Team Misses Playoffs Again

6. When NHL.com?s Nick Cotsonika asked Dale Tallon how the Florida GM felt leaving the BB&T Centre after Sunday?s 3?0 loss to Calgary, Tallon replied, ?I was pissed,? adding the Panthers haven?t been the same since a 4?0 defeat in Montreal on Feb. 1. (They are 5-9-2 since.) If Tallon is upset, you can only imagine how owner Vinny Viola feels. Viola dropped more than $100 million ? from Sergei Bobrovsky to Joel Quenneville to Anton Stralman, etc. ? and while attendance figures have increased a bit, it is still under 14,000 per game. The Panthers are in danger of missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season, and the question being asked is, ?What are the consequences?? There are many potential changes on and off the ice, but what has other GMs buzzing is a belief the Panthers will strongly consider breaking up their core because the mix hasn?t worked. Was the Vincent Trocheck deal just the tip of the iceberg?

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-marc-bergevin-sees-canadiens-present-future/

I'd sooner pick them apart for useful, less expensive pieces. Acciari, Scevior, etc.

The Rangers, I doubt, would be candidates for any of their core guys. Would be too expensive, similar to the Eichel talk.

Buch, a 1st, and Strome for Barkov.

How is that helping them shed salary? One guy needs a new contract now and the other needs one the year after.

More like Chtil, Fox, 1st.

How is that helping them shed salary? One guy needs a new contract now and the other needs one the year after.

 

More like Chtil, Fox, 1st.

I didn’t know they are trying to shed salary? Thought they were just trying to change the mix. That’s how I read it at least. The 1st gives them an asset , Strome and Buch are young and not going to break the bank realistically anyway and we all know Barkov is going to command more in two years . I’m willing to kick that can down the road just for the idea of two seasons of elite centers in ziby and Barkov all while mentoring Kakko.

I didn’t know they are trying to shed salary? Thought they were just trying to change the mix. That’s how I read it at least. The 1st gives them an asset , Strome and Buch are young and not going to break the bank realistically anyway and we all know Barkov is going to command more in two years . I’m willing to kick that can down the road just for the idea of two seasons of elite centers in ziby and Barkov all while mentoring Kakko.

Chris Johnston reported that ownership told the FO to cut $10 million or more next season.

Strome is probably gonna cost $5 million himself — a wash with Barkov, largely. Plus what they have to pay Buch. It's adding, not subracting.

Chris Johnston reported that ownership told the FO to cut $10 million or more next season.

 

Strome is probably gonna cost $5 million himself — a wash with Barkov, largely. Plus what they have to pay Buch. It's adding, not subracting.

Ah. Makes sense then. I guess it wouldn't work although I suppose u could make a case that it's two players making up with one player will make himself in two years

Chris Johnston reported that ownership told the FO to cut $10 million or more next season.

 

Strome is probably gonna cost $5 million himself — a wash with Barkov, largely. Plus what they have to pay Buch. It's adding, not subracting.

Cutting payroll, you say?

Backdiving contracts where the last years are worth higher cap hits than actual salary, you say?

I think we've got a few of those.

Wouldn't Trocheck qualify as a pay dump?

Worth $9.75M in base salary over the next two years, so, I guess technically?

I think he was part of it, anyways. They got good value on him I think, but it's cheap value.

Also, they were trying to dump Matheson.

Good thing Gorton had the upper hand. His shitty Dman made a bit less, *and* had less term. (I think, I'm not looking it up)

Matheson is signed til the end of the Xi Jinping administration.

They'll find a way to move him. But I'm not sure how much of the "core" Matheson + Trochek constitutes. If they're serious about breaking up the band, you gotta cut deeper than the bassist and a backup singer.

True, but it sheds cash. I think it's two different things.

Scevior would be just like fast having two of them eliminates a mckegg or such which is great. That's who I'd look for

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk

I still can't believe that deal they gave to Bobrovsky.

Yea not good at all.

I?ll take Barkov though.

Sent from my iPhone using Blueshirts Brotherhood mobile app powered by Tapatalk

They'll find a way to move him. But I'm not sure how much of the "core" Matheson + Trochek constitutes. If they're serious about breaking up the band, you gotta cut deeper than the bassist and a backup singer.

So, let's actually start here: If the Panthers are mandated to cut 10m in payroll, they have to do literally nothing. Their long-term contract structuring is super weird - Barkov's gonna make 2.25m less next year, Huberdeau is making 1m less, Ekblad's making 3m less. Combined with Hoffman and Dadonov being off the books, they're already golden on the payroll cut. Just gotta add players; figure RFA deals, Tippett, Heponiemi, and Borgstrom cover the gaps.

By raw salary, here's the Panthers highest earners:

Bob (12m in 20-21)

Ekblad (6m in 20-21)

Yandle (5.75)

Stralman (5.5)

Huberdeau (5.3)

I'd guess the casualty, if any, is Yandle or Stralman.