The free agent class has had a big impact, and that could lead to more trade talk this offseason.
The Chris Johnston Show: Johnston and Julian McKenzie in the Final Honor or Disappointment episode, about what’s next for some of the players who weren’t traded at the deadline. Free agency may be dead, but there may be teams revisiting trade talk. It has been an interesting year for the trade.
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McKenzie: “You can give me a little insight into what’s next for guys like Robert Thomas, Colton Parayko, even Simon Nemec, whose name was floating around, at the deadline.
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Johnston: “I think that, maybe the reason I’m so brave at the deadline is that a lot of these things are going to be taken.
You know, the top names on the board, you had Vinnie Trocheck. Like, apparently the Rangers, are going to try to move him in the offseason. You know, I think Ryan O’Reilly, as much as he loves Nashville, is probably revisiting those conversations in the near future.
Simon Nemec, you know, he’s a 22-year-old right tackle, but he needs a new contract, and he needs a raise. And I’m not saying you’re going to be 100% sold, but the reason they’re listening is to see if (A) presents something that we can’t say no to, or if he does, does he maybe introduce a different dynamic to our group. but (B) will it save them from future trouble. That problem is negotiating his next contract. So that will at least be a situation where they have to move around some things.
So, you know, I think the foundation has been laid for a very interesting summer. You know, no news flash here, free agency is dead.
McKenzie: “Yes.
Johnston: “I mean,
McKenzie: “I saw that, I saw it floating around a few days ago.
Johnston: “It’s actually dead. And I mean this about these guys, but look at some of the extensions that have just been signed in the last few days. Like JG Pageua, like, there are, they’re, I’m not saying there aren’t useful players, but it’s going to be…
McKenzie: “Dry.
Johnston: “Dry. It’s hard. But, you know, I will say that I think trades are going to be very important. A lot of teams have a lot of cap space now. There’s this, you know, I don’t want, I don’t think player movement in the league is dead, but it will be, the way this was a different deadline. I think free agency is going to be different.
So, basically, we’re going to revisit all of this. What are you doing in St. Louis? Alex Steen enters the main chair. Are they visiting Robert Thomas? Jordan Kyrou? Jordan Binington, maybe.
What will Florida do? They finally stuck with Bobrosky. Do they sign him? He would be interested if you hit free agency. Can anyone make a big buck out of 38-year-old Sergei Bobrovsky? Maybe, I don’t know.
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Nevertheless, it has been a very interesting year for the trade. At the end of the day, the fact that we had Quinn Hughes was handled, and Rasmus Andersson handled it early. And I think maybe the day itself, the deadline day, may have disappointed you, but I don’t think the season, this season was more compelling and different than what we’ve seen before. I can’t wait for the next 42 days until the Stanley Cup playoffs begin.
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