Preds decline. Not sure they'd give Montour a QO, given how high his current salary is. Johnansson wouldn't have a spot in NSH. It's better to overpay one good player, than two not so good ones.

Johansen wasn't a good player this year

One year does not a career make.


And while I'm here - OP: we've turned down eleventy billion variants of Tage Thompson and a late pick for Anderson over the last few months; what makes you think your proposal here is any different? The answer is still no.

Really like that Nashville deal. It address what I see as an organizational need in the Music City - another legot top 4 defender, and Marcus gives them line up flexibility for the year. It's a smart hockey deal for both sides. Just wondering if you don't add Pilut (he surely makes that team as a bottom pairing D), for a little more window dressing.

I do feel you come up short on the Columbus trade. Andersson had a terrible year, but I think most would agree he is worth more than a prospect that can't seem to put it togther and a mid round pick. My hunch is the Jackets may listen if you said Asplund.....

Signings are brilliant! Talbot has officially played himself out of Calgary ($$$), and Edmundson is a great stay at home D that brings a little edge.

With $4 million in cap, I would frankly look at upgrading Mittlestadt/Cozens on the third line. I debate if Cozens is ready this year (that is a debate) and Mitts didn't put it together in Rochester which makes playing him dicey. Someone like a Pitlick could be a under the radar pick up while leaving cap space.

Overall, this is pretty solid.

I think Poile entertains it. The Nashville blueline is not what it once was. It's thin after the top 3. Fabbro needs to be insulated more - not playing top 4 minutes to develop.

Marcus 100% has a spot in Nashville. Grandlund isn't back imo. Johansson fills that spot.

If you think Montour's contract will bento pricey, Miller fits just the same.

There is defintiely a deal there.

would you give Turris another shot at the 2C role then?

Agreed the previous tow years he was a good player that was overpaid. This past year he was a below average player paid like an elite level player

It's true that NSH needs a new 3rd pair, but paying Montour that kind of money to play ten minutes a night is poor cap management. Miller would be definitely be preferable to Montour - a better defenseman at a lower cost.

I disagree about Johansson having Granlund's spot. Johansson isn't going to play on the 2nd line, and he makes too much for the 3rd, where there isn't really a spot for him. NSH is probably looking at trading their 3rd line center in Bonino, because of the cap, and because they have the players to replace him internally. If they'd give up a better player in Bonino for the cap space, I can't see why they'd be interested in a lesser player that makes more money.

It really depends on how you see Montour.

I don't really disagree with what you're saying, but the way in which Nashville crashed and burned - and decisively so, I think bigger changes are coming than moving Bonino.

I for one don't see Montour getting a pay raise..... might be a hair less if he wants to play. Looking at what RFA's are signing for, there is a very flat trend on new contracts.... now, given the Preds situation, this may not be a risk they want to take - hence Miller.

As for Johansson, I don't see the Preds having the cap room to add a top 6 winger. They need to address the blueline first. Beyond Arvidson and Forsberg the wing is kind of uninspiring. You are not wrong in what you say about Marcus, but I see him as a place holder more than anything else. For theblast couple years, the Preds have moved the likes of Jarnkrok and Scissons in and out of the top 6. Given the cap contraints, I see more of the same for next year.

I agree that more than just moving Bonino is required, but this trade doesn't help NSH achieve anything other than losing Johansen. He definitely doesn't always live up to his contract, but when he's playing motivated hockey he's still very good.

Montour can't make less than he does now, unless he doesn't get a QO and becomes a UFA. Then anyone can just sign him without giving anything up. There are UFAs this off-season that could be sign for less than what Montour or Miller make. DeMelo or Shattenkirk are a couple examples that could get the job done for less, in my opinion.

I disagree that there isn't enough room to upgrade the top six, especially if one of Johnasen/Duchene/Turris are able to be moved, without taking back as much salary as the Preds do in this proposal. Instead of bringing in Johansson as a 2nd line placeholder for one year, it makes more sense to plug Jarnrkok in that spot again. Ideally he's a 3rd liner, but he's still a better player than Johansson, for less than half the cap hit.

OTT declines.

If you want to offload hutton, you have to compensate OTT

I like Johansen, but I will also look into Duchene. The reality is teams looking to drop money will have to take less to do it. Buffalo is in an advantageous position being one of the few who can add money. They could also sign Granlund or Craig Smith instead of paying assets to get someone. I’m very interested to see how this off-season will go.

I think Buffalo keeps Hutton and buries his contract for the year, no need to trade him.

Montour's QO is only 3.5 mil. That's not overly high. And this rumor that Buffalo won't qualify him is bogus. Friedman thinks he knows all the rumors out there. Rumors start when someone sitting at their couch at home thinks "maybe Buffalo won't qualify Brandon" and then tells his buddy Friedman that there is a chance that they don't. Then Elliote goes on the record and states it like its a fact. It's a true disgrace. We aren't letting a player we traded a 1st and a good prospect for walk for nothing and if we trade him it's only for a comparable LHD or a top 6 forward