The Official 2025 Offseason Thread: Just me, I guess

[Grand Moff Larkin]

I’m trying to figure out what’ll happen with the Leaves. I think Marner’s gone, Matthews/Nylander/Knies stays, Tavares may take enough of a pay cut to come back (like, a huge pay cut). I wonder if they use Marner’s money on Sam Bennett.

The problem I see is that they need another reliable scorer now, even before Marner leaves, and the best free agent on the market is… Marner. Bennett is an asshole and I think they need some of that, outside of a plug like Reeves, but what’s his point ceiling, 50?

[Grand Moff Larkin]

As for Marner, I think Anaheim or Chicago will probably give him the necessary cash. The former would be a huge change in terms of media pressure, the latter would be geographically closer. I don’t see Detroit giving him $14 million a year so they’re probably out, but if the Wings got Marner and a legit D, they’d be a playoff team.

I don’t know if any contender has the cap space for him.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Apparently someone on Bleacher Report thinks the Isles will take Hagens first overall, which probably should be taken with an enormous grain of salt. But I don’t see how they’d just go up and pick him.

Flip picks with SJ, get a second rounder at least. SJ clearly wants Schaefer. Then flip picks with Chicago, whose fan base (at least) pines for Misa. They’d get Hagens, if that’s who they really want, two additional assets, and the other teams get their chosen players.

This will not happen. Isles will just take Schaefer because they have no D whatsoever in the pipeline. SJ takes Misa. Chicago takes Frondell or Desnoyers.

[Cacophony]

Is he expected to play center or wing? I know he was drafted as the latter but has been doing more of the former

Imagine they will give him a look at center but I fully expect him to end up on the wing.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Matthews had some nagging injury all year. Doesn't need surgery, won't reveal what it is because he's concerned opponents might target it.

I remember people theorizing about wrist issues.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

https://bsky.app/profile/risingaction. ... me557oqs2f

[practice]

good Alberta name here - https://chl.ca/whl/players/28431/

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Blashill officially hired to coach Chicago

I generally liked him as a person, glad he got another head coaching job, can’t say I wish great success for that franchise

[linseman]

they really need to get a new slogan

[practice]

Denmark 2 Canada 1

[Cacophony]

Blashill officially hired to coach Chicago

I generally liked him as a person, glad he got another head coaching job, can’t say I wish great success for that franchise

Lmao ok

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Tomas Tatar signs in Switzerland for two seasons, peace out homie

[Grand Moff Larkin]

17 points in 76 games for NJ this year

For his career, he had 496 in 927, but only 13 in 56 playoff games.

[nick]

I don't know how I came across his Elite Prospects page, but former Red Wing and Maple Leaf great David Booth has had a wild post-NHL career https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/9402/david-booth

[Grand Moff Larkin]

He made money during his career, right? I assumed he was off hunting people for sport

[nick]

I mean, if you're going to hunt people for sport in Europe, Hungary these days seems like as good a place as any

[Cacophony]

Kekalainen hired as senior advisor in Buffalo. I’m sure that’ll do it.

[sutterfamily]

SNES looking like they'll get Giroux signed on a lower base salary ($3M?) + an extra 1.5 or so of bonuses which I think is... fine? The bonuses affects the next year's cap, tho, don't always love that.

Still not really sure how they get a lot better next year. Top end goal scoring is a major need and it's really hard to get that.

[Alexei Ca$hin]

I'd basically roll it back if I were the SNES.

I hate the idea of counting on "internal growth" but I think that's exactly what is going to happen with this group. They already dealt Norris to shake it up, I wouldn't mess with the chemistry too much.

[sutterfamily]

Dunno if I'm on board with that. Running it back will be about the same result - in the mix and needing good health and some luck to make the playoffs. Some guys will have better years, other guys will have worse years.

I mean, I dunno if there's a move in UFA or trade that really moves the needle. So from that angle I'm pro "run it back" because that's probably all they can really do. But there's a glaring hole in the top 3 and nobody internally who can fill it.