Ekblad?

[Zizzle1297]

Ekbald would be kinda nice. But maybe Gavrikov or Provorov maybe be more realistic. Would love Dobson or Byram too but not that realistic either.

[Harry S Deals]

I’m kind of like you….underwhelmed by him. I would certainly take Ekblad if we could keep the contract to 4 years and if we could move out Faulk, but Ekblad will get overpaid on a 7-year deal. My biggest concern with him is that I think he will age poorly, so a 7-year deal will be terrible for the team that signs him.

I definitely feel the same on the term. The end could be hard to handle but I think you have to accept that with almost any UFA. No way you're getting him without 7 years though and probably an NMC for almost all of it.

I've seen a lot of him and I don't love him but the he fits the Blues current need and theoretically would not require a trade.

If you’re accepting the back end of a deal, you should have just kept Petro

No argument from me there

Why in the world would the Blues want to be on the hook for the back end of APs $7 mil a yr signing bonus and $8.8 mil cap hit at this stage of his career? Yikes. Hard pass on that CP is a better RHD now in every sense and Faulks salary is $4.5 as a marginal 2nd RHD I don't like the difference of quality vs pay out.
Unless Faulk agrees to be dealt and the Blues find a suitor I will assume very little changes on the D. Id really like to see Monty at least start with Tucker Kessel 3rd pair and see what they have. Perhaps sign a veteran cheap RHD but I'll also assume Leddy is here too unless again he can be dealt

[TheHighHat]

You never know what the motivation is for individual UFA's
Does Ekblad want to go (or stay) to a team that has a good chance to win the Cup?
Or does he want to cash in on presumably the last contract of his career since he already has a ring?

There's only a handful of teams in the league that don't need an upgrade at RHD.
While Ekblad is not a true #1 d-man, he can play and eat minutes like a 1RHD if paired with a very good LHD.
He is big and plays in all situations.
The timing could not be more perfect (supply-demand-cap rising) for Ekblad to make bank.

He would be perfect in Ottawa or Montreal to pair with Sanderson or Hutson.
Buffalo could offer him the moon and then turn around and trade Byram.
That would leave the Sabres with Dahlin-Power-Samuelsson as their LHD

I realize the Leafs have their top 6 veteran d-men crew under contract, but they have lacked a RHD that can play top minutes in all situations for years. Ekblad with Rielly would be a helluva pair.

Tanev is at best a 2nd pair (#4 type) d-man.
OEL is a LHD forced to play on the right side.
Carlo is 3rd pair.

Ekblad would also be an upgrade on the Leafs right point PP unit. OEL's days as a PP guru are long gone.
Tanev, OEL, and Carlo all played about the same amount in the playoffs.
The Leafs need to upgrade that RHD position to be true Cup contenders but will instead use their cap space to find offense to replace Marner.

The Achilles heel for the Stars has been 2RHD for years.
The Avs have lacked a true 2RHD as well.
Carolina could use Ekblad. The list goes on and on.

The Blues?

Fowler-Parayko
Broberg-Ekblad
Leddy-Faulk
Tucker

That would be a very good veteran d-men group with pretty good size.
It would also lower Faulk's ice time by several minutes per game.
Not going to happen though.

Dante Fabbro is a 3RHD and is not an upgrade over Faulk.
He doesn't play the PP and is not big. Upgrade for 3rd pair only.
Ceci would be the perfect 3RHD but is older and would cost more than Fabbro.

[seattleblue]

I’m kind of like you….underwhelmed by him. I would certainly take Ekblad if we could keep the contract to 4 years and if we could move out Faulk, but Ekblad will get overpaid on a 7-year deal. My biggest concern with him is that I think he will age poorly, so a 7-year deal will be terrible for the team that signs him.

I definitely feel the same on the term. The end could be hard to handle but I think you have to accept that with almost any UFA. No way you're getting him without 7 years though and probably an NMC for almost all of it.

I've seen a lot of him and I don't love him but the he fits the Blues current need and theoretically would not require a trade.

If you’re accepting the back end of a deal, you should have just kept Petro

No argument from me there

Why in the world would the Blues want to be on the hook for the back end of APs $7 mil a yr signing bonus and $8.8 mil cap hit at this stage of his career? Yikes. Hard pass on that CP is a better RHD now in every sense and Faulks salary is $4.5 as a marginal 2nd RHD I don't like the difference of quality vs pay out.
Unless Faulk agrees to be dealt and the Blues find a suitor I will assume very little changes on the D. Id really like to see Monty at least start with Tucker Kessel 3rd pair and see what they have. Perhaps sign a veteran cheap RHD but I'll also assume Leddy is here too unless again he can be dealt

Are we really still doing "actually, it was good we didn't keep Petro" because that argument is false. It was ludicrous we diidn't keep Petro. He is still playing the most minutes for a division winner of a team. Back end of the contract that are genuinely YIKES were actually Krug, Faulk, Schenn and Buchnevich.

[MiamiLaw]

I’m kind of like you….underwhelmed by him. I would certainly take Ekblad if we could keep the contract to 4 years and if we could move out Faulk, but Ekblad will get overpaid on a 7-year deal. My biggest concern with him is that I think he will age poorly, so a 7-year deal will be terrible for the team that signs him.

I definitely feel the same on the term. The end could be hard to handle but I think you have to accept that with almost any UFA. No way you're getting him without 7 years though and probably an NMC for almost all of it.

I've seen a lot of him and I don't love him but the he fits the Blues current need and theoretically would not require a trade.

If you’re accepting the back end of a deal, you should have just kept Petro

No argument from me there

Why in the world would the Blues want to be on the hook for the back end of APs $7 mil a yr signing bonus and $8.8 mil cap hit at this stage of his career? Yikes. Hard pass on that CP is a better RHD now in every sense and Faulks salary is $4.5 as a marginal 2nd RHD I don't like the difference of quality vs pay out.
Unless Faulk agrees to be dealt and the Blues find a suitor I will assume very little changes on the D. Id really like to see Monty at least start with Tucker Kessel 3rd pair and see what they have. Perhaps sign a veteran cheap RHD but I'll also assume Leddy is here too unless again he can be dealt

Are we really still doing "actually, it was good we didn't keep Petro" because that argument is false. It was ludicrous we diidn't keep Petro. He is still playing the most minutes for a division winner of a team. Back end of the contract that are genuinely YIKES were actually Krug, Faulk, Schenn and Buchnevich.

Yea for real. People talking about the last years of Petros contract but were thrilled about saving $2 mil with Krug who they immediately tried to trade and isn’t even playing anymore

[bluetunehead]

I’m kind of like you….underwhelmed by him. I would certainly take Ekblad if we could keep the contract to 4 years and if we could move out Faulk, but Ekblad will get overpaid on a 7-year deal. My biggest concern with him is that I think he will age poorly, so a 7-year deal will be terrible for the team that signs him.

I definitely feel the same on the term. The end could be hard to handle but I think you have to accept that with almost any UFA. No way you're getting him without 7 years though and probably an NMC for almost all of it.

I've seen a lot of him and I don't love him but the he fits the Blues current need and theoretically would not require a trade.

If you’re accepting the back end of a deal, you should have just kept Petro

No argument from me there

Why in the world would the Blues want to be on the hook for the back end of APs $7 mil a yr signing bonus and $8.8 mil cap hit at this stage of his career? Yikes. Hard pass on that CP is a better RHD now in every sense and Faulks salary is $4.5 as a marginal 2nd RHD I don't like the difference of quality vs pay out.
Unless Faulk agrees to be dealt and the Blues find a suitor I will assume very little changes on the D. Id really like to see Monty at least start with Tucker Kessel 3rd pair and see what they have. Perhaps sign a veteran cheap RHD but I'll also assume Leddy is here too unless again he can be dealt

Are we really still doing "actually, it was good we didn't keep Petro" because that argument is false. It was ludicrous we diidn't keep Petro. He is still playing the most minutes for a division winner of a team. Back end of the contract that are genuinely YIKES were actually Krug, Faulk, Schenn and Buchnevich.

Yea for real. People talking about the last years of Petros contract but were thrilled about saving $2 mil with Krug who they immediately tried to trade and isn’t even playing anymore

Well tbf the last few years of Krug’s deal are covered to some extent by insurance so it’s sort of like we got him on a shorter deal

But really, in no world were we better off without Petro.

[netboy65]

Beating a long dead horse, yes we should have kept him, but if he truly wanted to be here, he’d be here.