Not really when you have Boldy, Addison, and Talbot due for extensions the year after. I think if Fiala doesn’t sign for cheap, he will be on his way out.

Boldy and Addison will get cheaper bridge deals rather than long term deals and Talbot probably walks.

that's why bridge deals can be a great idea sometimes - bridge both those guys for 2 years to get past the worst of the buyout penalties then give them the extensions they want

Most people don’t seem to understand this concept but yes they are very useful, especially if a team doesn’t want to commit to a good young player who hasn’t fully showed he is worth keeping in the long term.

Well yah, but would you want to bridge Boldy, especially with the way he has been playing, or lock him up? I personally would like to do a longer contract than 2 years if I was the GM. Besides, you bridge Boldy, and he could get better and ask for more money. I could see Addison getting a bridge, but not Boldy.

Guerin likely won’t have any other option to bridge Boldy, regardless of what happens with Fiala. Will Boldy get more money on his long term deal after a 2 year bridge deal? Yes. By that time we’re out of the cap crunch, though, and the NHL cap ceiling will be higher by that time too.

I mean, I guess we will see what happens. I just don’t know if I would want to bridge a guy like Boldy. Then again, it would be hard to sign him for an expensive contract after just one season. I personally would be scared to bridge him, especially if he gets better and demands a lot like Kaprizov did, but I see why you would. You have a lot of money in buyouts. Waiting for them to go down would be awesome!

Thank you for not being ignorant just because we have a different opinion! I hope we can talk more another time, have a good one!

definitely a gamble - but I think if I'm Boldy I look at allllll that cap space showing up in summer 2025 (literally they have $13M in dead cap dropping off the books that July 1st) and take the bet on myself - I know any long term deal I sign while the Parise/Suter buyouts are still huge is going to be artificially lowered by that, since the team needs to still be cap compliant. Instead, take something small like 2x$3M, and when it comes time to re-up, you can obviously play the "team loyalty" card and get a bigger deal. I'm sure Bill Guerin would have no problem kicking the can a little either - those buyouts are just so restricting over the next couple of seasons, he almost has no choice.

Oh yah it would make sense if he looks at the cap, and sees he can get more later, but who knows if he will. He may accept a lower amount long term just to help the team. I can see why he may get a bridge, and it’s definitely hard signing a guy that had one good season to a huge contract, but I could see it. I can absolutely see both sides, and think either one would work. They have a lot of money in buyouts. Waiting for that to go down may benefit Boldy. I just don’t know if he would take the lower amount now, or gamble and go for a big amount in a few years.

Thanks for not being ignorant, just because we have a different opinion. I hope we can talk more in the future, have a good one!

I kinda doubt Sens want to give up good assets for one year of Dumba. Same with Seattle trading picks for bottom enders.

Price is fair but yeah, there would need to have a plan for this. Not at a stage where you can afford to spend assets on rentals. And if they would want to flip Dumba at the deadline, but what if they are still in the playoffs hunt?

But the cruz of the problem is virtually no playoff team has cap for Dumba without sending cap back to Minni. The only way Sens would do a trade if they think they could get more for Dumba at the TDL than what they gave up for him acquiring him. I like Sens and the direction they are going but no way are they playoff contenders next season.

Yeah, if they can get Dumba on a discount then I am all for it. Maybe he'd fit in well with the Sens and would want to sign a reasonable extension?

Like Nate Schmidt trades, he was worth more than he returned each time.

Boldy is the only one of these 3 that will be in for a significant pay increase. That being said - they probably bridge him and Addison and let Talbot walk with Walstadt in the wings.

Fair enough. I understand why people say Boldy, and Addison gets a bridge, and I also think it would be a little risky to bridge, and to give him a long term contract. Long term may help them now, as he could ask for more money later, but it’s definitely preference based! Talbot I think stays for a year or two until Wallstedt comes up. That’s just my opinion.

I think just in terms of making it work - they almost have to give him a 2-3 year bridge deal at like 4 and then go for the 8+x8 year deal after that (when the $15M in dead cap is off the books) - which would expire ~age 31-32. It would be more ideal to do a $6Mx8 now but I dont think they have the $6M at the front end to do it.

I haven’t really done all the calculations, but they may have the cap for it, that’s if they trade Fiala, which who knows if they will. Either way works, it will just be an increase in money against the cap if they wait till later, but the cap should go up so it shouldn’t be a big deal till a few years down the road. Just thought that they may give him a big one now, but I understand.

If they trade Fiala - they can absolutely do it. I am fully in the you absolutely cannot trade Fiala camp though.

That’s fair. I guess we will see what happens. Fiala is a good player, and they should probably try and extend him soon. That buyout cap sucks, but oh well, they will find a way around it. I understand if they give him a big contract, or a bridge!

Thanks for telling me your opinion! I hope we can talk again sometime. Have a good one!