Reports of my death (free agency) are completely accurate: 2026 NHL Offseason thread

[falafel]

Less than 2 weeks until the draft.

Torts not returning to Vegas.

Interesting decision, but who am I to critique a very successful organization and the changes they decide to make. Although I will confess, I don't know if it was Tortellini or VGK that made that decision.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Interesting decision, but who am I to critique a very successful organization and the changes they decide to make. Although I will confess, I don't know if it was Tortellini or VGK that made that decision.

I don't know either. I'm not sure it is a bad decision either. Torts isn't a long term option. He has always had an expiration date. I also wonder if Torts was willing to sign a longer term contract with VGK with the Cassidy situation. I'm sure he would not want to be in the position where he wants to coach but cannot. Edmonton and VGK are the only openings right now. Cassidy is clearly not going to Edmonton.

I am very interested to see what happens with Edmonton's pursuit of disgraced former Red Wings coach Mike Babock. They already have disgraced son of a former Red Wings coach in the organization, so maybe it is a good fit to fill the organization with disgraced individuals with ties to the Red Wings.

[Donuthole]

I don't know either. I'm not sure it is a bad decision either. Torts isn't a long term option. He has always had an expiration date. I also wonder if Torts was willing to sign a longer term contract with VGK with the Cassidy situation. I'm sure he would not want to be in the position where he wants to coach but cannot. Edmonton and VGK are the only openings right now. Cassidy is clearly not going to Edmonton.

I am very interested to see what happens with Edmonton's pursuit of disgraced former Red Wings coach Mike Babock. They already have disgraced son of a former Red Wings coach in the organization, so maybe it is a good fit to fill the organization with disgraced individuals with ties to the Red Wings.

VGK hired the manager from their minor league club today. Position filled internally.

[falafel]

VGK hired the manager from their minor league club today. Position filled internally.

Plus, Craig was an Assistant during the 2023 Cup year.

[MartyFunkhouser]

While pretty much everyone thought it was a good deal at the time, the Peterka trade ended up not working out so well for the Mammoth.

Doan was better than Peterka this year. Maybe long term Peterka will be better. Now add that Kesselring was just traded for the Sabres to move up 7 spots in the draft.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/737...ade-nhl-draft/

It sounds like VGK must have had a plan in place to hire Ryan Craig when they fired Cassidy.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Babcock investigation frees him up to coach in Edmonton. Players better clear any sexts from their phones.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Brady Tkachuk to Florida for 3 first round picks (including the 9th pick in this draft) and a second round pick.

[MartyFunkhouser]

1. Reid
2. Stenberg
3. Carels
4. Malhotra

That is my order of who I want the Blackhawks to select in the draft. As much as the Blackhawks could use a winger, I want to see what Kantserov can do as Bedard's primary winger.

With the plan to use Frondell long term at center, Malhotra doesn't make sense. Carels slots in better in the lineup as a LHD, but Reid is the better prospect.

[MartyFunkhouser]

I hate that trade. I really really hate that trade. It isn't because Byram is a bad player. I actually really like him as a player. I was initially thrilled when I saw the headline the Blackhawks got him. It is just the cost was way too high. If you were going to use that many assets, you better damn well have got a top line winger for Bedard. He didn't. Yes, we need a LHD and puck moving defenseman and Byram can be that and may even be a top defenseman.

I look at what San Jose is doing right now and while they had some luck with the lottery (fuck them for that), I am so much more impressed with what Mike Greer is doing right now. I get that whatever defenseman we were going to get at the 4th pick was going to be a minimum of 2 years out and probably 4 before they were an effective NHL player. This trade makes the Blackhawks better next year, but it might come at the cost of blowing up the whole damn rebuild.

Davidson is making too many big bets with this one. That Byram is a top defenseman. That Lardis or Kantserov is the answer on the wing for Bedard.

Maybe there is another move in play that makes this make more sense. Right now, I'm worried with the long term.

Korchinski is looking like a bust.

Rinzel regressed last year.

I like Arty and he could be a good player, but we should have drafted Demidov.

Davidson panicked when he knew Stenberg wouldn't be there. This feels like a Stan Bowman move.

[MartyFunkhouser]

By the way, the Knights fans are going to love watching Bedard when he forces a trade to the Knights in a few years or signs there in free agency. The timeline lines up perfect for him to take over for Eichel.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Well, short of an unexpected trade out there, I think the Blackhawks have the roster set for next year. Here is how I am seeing the breakdown of the lines and d pairings.

Bertuzzi-Bedard-Kantserov.
Lardis-Nazar-Donato
Moore-Frondell-Teravainen
Greenway-Green-Cole Smith

Vlasic - Byram
Kaiser - Levshunov
Cole - Rinzel

Ideally, Byram would play LHD but I think he is going to have to slot into RHD on the top pairing.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Eff the Phidelphia Flyers. I hope every Flyers fan and everyone involved with that organization dies of gonorrhea.

[MartyFunkhouser]

This offseason has basically been a nightmare. We now have the highest paid (for now) defenseman. He is the highest paid even though he has never been a top defenseman. If it wasn't the Blackhawks with Byram it would have been San Jose. Friedman reported that there was an offer out there of 4x14 for Byram. So, at least we got in a little lower and with more term.

Bedard hurt while training.

Carlsson setting the market at an insane amount. If I'm Chicago right now, I go to Bedard and give him a couple of options. If being the highest paid player matters most, give him that with an 8-year term. Let him know that it is going to make it harder to build the team around him and ultimately get a Stanley Cup caliber roster. Give him the alternative of a 14 million deal at a shorter term as a McDavid like show me deal to see what can be done with the extra cap room.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Bedard out 4 months. Seriously, what a disaster of an offseason.

[MartyFunkhouser]

If the Blackhawks pass July 17th without Bedard being signed to a new deal, I'm going to start seriously worrying. I'm hoping that everything is basically agreed upon and they just want to announce it on his birthday, like they did with his ELC.

Get this done and also go get Jason Robertson. If you can't get him, get the mullet to return.