2026 NHL Offseason Thread: Larkin or Lark-OUT?

[neuartillery]

They probably could’ve gotten more, dunno if there was someone they are hoping to get who’ll still be around at 20. I listened to The Athletic’s full first round mock draft and I guess there are a couple of options at that range that seem good.

[nick]

Babcock was cleared by the NHL and will be hired by the GOIL next week it sounds like.

[neuartillery]

Matt Savoie should start therapy now

[sutterfamily]

Leafs sign/trade (8 x $8.5M) for Raddysh which is pretty sweet for a fellow such as myself that figured he was having a career year (at 30 years old!)

[sutterfamily]

Maybe he'll have another good few years but this screams "Leafs acquire new D-man whipping boy to blame all problems on"

[neuartillery]

Insomuch as they desperately needed puck-movers last year and Rielly sounds like he’s on his way out, I guess it’s the right kind of move, but in specific I’d be wary of committing that much money / term to a guy with a short track record of deserving it.

[Cacophony]

AHHHHHH GIMME DEM RADDYSH BUX DO I LOOK LIKE I GIVE A FUCK?!

[sutterfamily]

Insomuch as they desperately needed puck-movers last year and Rielly sounds like he’s on his way out, I guess it’s the right kind of move, but in specific I’d be wary of committing that much money / term to a guy with a short track record of deserving it.

I do think desperate is the best word here. He was really good last year but feels like more of a 3/4 + PP guy than a top pair defenceman. Maybe I'm wrong! I do think you can look at Tampa opting out of signing him to a similar deal and take some signal from that, too (I hate them but they're generally very well run)

[neuartillery]

It's hard to say that there was a better option available in free agency, or likely in trades. Maybe Vancouver moves Hronek but Toronto's not trading the 1st overall for him and they don't have other futures that would matter.

I don't know if Rasmus Andersson would be willing to sign in Toronto, but it felt like the finals were an indictment of him as a high-level guy. I assume he wants to stay in Vegas but they're cap strapped and somebody's gotta go.

John Carlson's the next best remaining free agent D, I was surprised to see he had 60 points last year between Washington and Anaheim. But he's 36 and also may not go to Canada.

Anyway, there's a chance that Raddysh ends up as the best of these options. Do I trust Toronto's pro scouting? Ehhh

[Cacophony]

Wow who could’ve seen that coming.

[neuartillery]

I could still root for Thee Goil when they had but is a bridge too far