Why can’t they protect him?

No room at the Inn .. Gourde Palat and Killorn will all be exposed ... amazing that these 3 aren't part of top 8 and doesn't include Colemen Goodrow or Savard either from last year's team...

Whats your list?

8/1 ... Kuch Point Cirelli and unfortunately Stamkos up front .. defense are Hedmen Cernek Sergachev and Mc Donough (we don't win last 2 Cups or 4 peat without Mc Donough. Amazing how people dont get how good Mc Donough is)

At end of day if Seattle.doesnt take Gourde look.for Colton/ABB/Foote to go

Graves is worth more than Palat.
Competent defensemen are way harder to find than competent forwards, unless they are consistent 30+ goal scoreres.
Palat hasn't even cracked 20 in like 7 years or something.

Sure but a competent LW for McDavid which weirdly has been a struggle for EDM to find for a couple years could be worth a lot. He knows how to play with stars, he's been playing in tampa's top 6 for years throughout all their success. Or just sign Galchenyuk or something to save picks/punish tampa

Palat is consistent 0.7 pts a game forward who has no injury background over last 8 years .. Graves? .. come on .. he serviceable but about it. Amazes me how personal envy of Tampa effects how they view the players.

Blackhawks have an extra forward slot available for protection. I haven't heard any specific rumors, but they could protect Palat. They actually also have Two 2nds, but IDK if they trade a 2nd for him.

I think you are spot on .. there are about 6 to 8 teams where it makes all sense in world.. gives teams flexibility to resign or not .. one ex coach made comment that teams like Edmonton and similar teams needing to bring in players to make them stay also in addition to getting over hump.. Palat plays well with all stars

The problem is that TBL is still going to lose someone else. So now Killorn AND Palat are gone...if you trade Palat. I think TBL just let's Seattle take one.

Does the roster freeze kick in tonight?

Given TBs cap situation, they NEED to lose more than one player. They currently aren’t cap compliant and need to shed salary. Sea might take a $5M player, but they could select an ELC player like Joseph instead.

I expected that 2-4 players from Johnson, Palat, Gourde, McDonough will be lost this offseason; either through trade and the expansion draft.

I would like 4 Tampa players to move this off-season.. Johnson Gourde Palat and Stamkos ...has to be at least 2 .. only player at risk of leaving that will eliminate Tampa from 4 peat is Mc Donough

I see your point but disagree. Same goes for many of their forwards like Killorn or Gourde. If I had the choice I'd rather protect two players than one. But I guess it depends on how one values Killorn and Gourde vs. McDonagh.

I dont see Gourde or Palat as "differentiators" .. where I see Killorn and Mc Donough as differentiators.. keep who you need to win going forward and swap out role players .. Killorns injury makes him easy to expose as Seattle won't take ... too risky

I don't watch a lot of TB so I'm not sure about the actual impact of certain players on the team. I always felt like Gourdes contract is a bit rich (money or term). So yes, maybe you rather keep McDonagh. I guess it really depends on what values BrisBois more forwards vs. defence, younger vs. older. In the end TB will only lose one player anyways. If I was Seattle I'd pick a guy like Foote and stay away from bigger contracts for older players even if they're good players.

I'm wondering if they don't take a Joseph or a Foote and leave themselves cap flexibility hoping Tampa has trouble clearing salary and their asking price drops. Get a young asset and then potentially get another proven player on the cheap.

I don't like the value here - I don't think Palat gets a 2nd just due to Tampa's cap & expansion situations - but I wouldn't be surprised if Edmonton was the destination AND it happens today. Ken Holland said explicitly that he was going out to get a "top-6 forward" BEFORE free agency opens (emphasis mine).

FYI you won't get the 2022 2nd as it's tied up by the Keith trade conditions.

Yup. That's what I would do if I was Francis. Or just go out and spend the remaining cap space on some FAs.

Especially when it's flat cap, you have tons of space and don't have to overpay guys.

it amazes me how narrow minded TB fans are.
Even if cap wasn't in issue league wide, teams would still be struggling to find defensemen. Can we really sat that about forwards. When is the last time you ever seen teams scrambling to fix their forward situation? Hell it would be one thing if he was a center. You may have something there as good centers are hard to find. But he's not.
There just aren't enough of Dmen. It's basic economics. Demand >>>>>>>> Supply. And that derives a lot of value beyond the player.
Palat on the other hand, has been a wheel, he's no driving force. He's just a run of the mill winger who has been in the right spot at the right time. You could look at FA and there are 20 options of equal if not greater value. Where as FA for defense man is typically a run and everyone is gone and people are scrambling to fill holes. You add in Seattle taking up 7 more Defensemen and you can start to understand why the premium is on defense and it has been for some time.