HOCKEYBUZZ: MCDAVID TO LA

Early prediction: Oilers will beat the Kings in the first round and lose to the Panthers in the Cup Final. Just a feeling.
McDavid out in the first round next year? Ooo, Bettman is not going to like that after he approved the trade to the Kings. This guy just can't seem to catch a good decision break.

Corey Perry in one year's time:
Aaron Paul He Cant Keep Getting Away With This GIF by Breaking Bad
 
Everybody remembers the ex-Oilers who came to LA and loved it like Gretz and Stoll but nobody remembers the ones who hated it like Captain Canada Ryan Smyth. McJesús strikes me more like a Smyth type.
 
Everybody remembers the ex-Oilers who came to LA and loved it like Gretz and Stoll but nobody remembers the ones who hated it like Captain Canada Ryan Smyth. McJesús strikes me more like a Smyth type.
Maybe..... A few things to add. I think I recall Smyth wanted to go back to Edmonton because of his Kids. Though, I cannot say for sure why he did not like LA and wanted out.

McJesus has stated numerous times that he and his wife love LA. So, it would seem strange that he would not want to play in LA because he would not want to live here.

That being said....... Who the heck knows.....
 
Maybe..... A few things to add. I think I recall Smyth wanted to go back to Edmonton because of his Kids. Though, I cannot say for sure why he did not like LA and wanted out.

McJesus has stated numerous times that he and his wife love LA. So, it would seem strange that he would not want to play in LA because he would not want to live here.

That being said....... Who the heck knows.....

Smyth was pretty slippery about the whole thing, but at the end of the day I think he just didn't want to be in the US. It's a shame, but I don't think it reflects on LA as much as his own personal priorities and pride in being Canadian.


Smyth talks about trade to Oilers ” LA Kings Insider

Smyth said that there were no illnesses or health concerns in his family. In explaining further, Smyth said, “My wife and I discussed it for a while, that we wanted to come back to Canada, just for personal reasons. The kids are starting school situations, so we thought it was best to come back. … My wife and I discussed it just after the end of the season. I didn’t want (media reports) to explode to the level that it did. So yes, I did request (a trade) for family reasons.”

You…just felt it would be…best? Because the kids are starting out in school? And they couldn’t go to school in Los Angeles because…

“I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my time down there (in Los Angeles). It was just a different lifestyle for me and my wife to live in.”
 
One of the problems I see McDavid having anywhere he goes is his salary. The precedent has been set at $12.5 mill. That means that the NHL/NHLPA won’t allow him to take a discount when signing anywhere. That puts whichever team he’s on in the position of not being able to fill in gaps around him because they have no $$$.

So McD knows that he can’t win a championship alone, but also can’t take a cut in pay to help a team get good players. It’s a tough situation for him.
 
One of the problems I see McDavid having anywhere he goes is his salary. The precedent has been set at $12.5 mill. That means that the NHL/NHLPA won’t allow him to take a discount when signing anywhere. That puts whichever team he’s on in the position of not being able to fill in gaps around him because they have no $$$.

So McD knows that he can’t win a championship alone, but also can’t take a cut in pay to help a team get good players. It’s a tough situation for him.
I think it's fine as long as a team doesn't try to load up on two superstars such as both McDavid and Drai (without a home town discount involved). That said, people thought the Ovi contract was nuts as was going to cap strap the Capitals but it ended up being a great deal for the Organization. All just depends on when the players sign and how much the cap ceiling increases thereafter.
 
If you want this to really work:

You are probably sending back Byfield, Clarke and Kempe, (+ draft assets, ignore that for now) which more than covers this year's McDavid salary. Kopitar rolls off the books the following year which allows for the bump on the extension contract to be absorbed, plus the cap goes up a lot.

Here's the fun part, you probably still have room to sign Marner.

So you roll next year with:

Fiala/McDavid/Marner
Turcotte/Kopitar/Laferriere
Foegele/Danault/Moore
Lee/Helenius/Thomas

If your 6 D are Doughty, Anderson, Gavrikov, Spence, Edmunson, Moverare. Goalies are Kuemper and Portillo.

Under contract today we have $21.7mm of cap according to PuckPedia. Byfield/Clarke/Kempe add up to $12.65mm in 2025-26 salary, which is a near perfect offset for McDavid's $12.5mm.

So that $21.7mm becomes ~$22mm. To sign Gavrikov @ $7.5mm, Laferriere @ $3.5mm, and Marner @ $13mm requires freeing up $2mm, which can be done by trading Moore somewhere and taking back a cheaper player or elevating someone else.

The really fun part starts in 2027-28 when Doughty's contract rolls off and you have room for an actual prime star D-man to replace him.

Okay, I'm done dreaming. But that top line would be something to watch!!
 
LeBrun says that IF McJesus decides to leave, the four most likely landing spots are LA, Chicago, Dallas and NYR

Dallas has no cap space and Chicago is simply too far away from being a contender. NYR? Seems very unlikely to me. What about other Canadian teams? Toronto might be in a state where they decide to scrap it all up and start with a different core. Canadiens are another option...both teams are close to his home. Heck, even Buffalo is a car ride away and desperately needs something to stop their tires spinning...
 
Dallas has no cap space and Chicago is simply too far away from being a contender. NYR? Seems very unlikely to me. What about other Canadian teams? Toronto might be in a state where they decide to scrap it all up and start with a different core. Canadiens are another option...both teams are close to his home. Heck, even Buffalo is a car ride away and desperately needs something to stop their tires spinning...
McJesus says the most important thing is winning. He wants to win. So, that list makes no sense. Sure, LA and Dallas could be a fit, but the Rangers and Chicago? Makes no sense.
 
If you want this to really work:

You are probably sending back Byfield, Clarke and Kempe, (+ draft assets, ignore that for now) which more than covers this year's McDavid salary. Kopitar rolls off the books the following year which allows for the bump on the extension contract to be absorbed, plus the cap goes up a lot.

Here's the fun part, you probably still have room to sign Marner.

So you roll next year with:

Fiala/McDavid/Marner
Turcotte/Kopitar/Laferriere
Foegele/Danault/Moore
Lee/Helenius/Thomas

If your 6 D are Doughty, Anderson, Gavrikov, Spence, Edmunson, Moverare. Goalies are Kuemper and Portillo.

Under contract today we have $21.7mm of cap according to PuckPedia. Byfield/Clarke/Kempe add up to $12.65mm in 2025-26 salary, which is a near perfect offset for McDavid's $12.5mm.

So that $21.7mm becomes ~$22mm. To sign Gavrikov @ $7.5mm, Laferriere @ $3.5mm, and Marner @ $13mm requires freeing up $2mm, which can be done by trading Moore somewhere and taking back a cheaper player or elevating someone else.

The really fun part starts in 2027-28 when Doughty's contract rolls off and you have room for an actual prime star D-man to replace him.

Okay, I'm done dreaming. But that top line would be something to watch!!
I don't think you have to do a trade yet unless EDM is trying to unload him, knowing he won't sign.

Sign Marner this year, Kopi comes off the books and cap goes up the following season. Sign McDavid, damn solid core of McD, Marner, Kempe (also due a raise), Fiala, Byfield, Foegele (and whomever else is still here to fill out the roster). Defense will be the issue as I'm assuming Gavi is gone and Doughty will be even older. Will have to pick up some serviceable Dmen via UFA. Again, very much likely a pipe dream but it's fun to "what if"
 
If you want this to really work:

You are probably sending back Byfield, Clarke and Kempe, (+ draft assets, ignore that for now) which more than covers this year's McDavid salary. Kopitar rolls off the books the following year which allows for the bump on the extension contract to be absorbed, plus the cap goes up a lot.

Here's the fun part, you probably still have room to sign Marner.

So you roll next year with:

Fiala/McDavid/Marner
Turcotte/Kopitar/Laferriere
Foegele/Danault/Moore
Lee/Helenius/Thomas

If your 6 D are Doughty, Anderson, Gavrikov, Spence, Edmunson, Moverare. Goalies are Kuemper and Portillo.

Under contract today we have $21.7mm of cap according to PuckPedia. Byfield/Clarke/Kempe add up to $12.65mm in 2025-26 salary, which is a near perfect offset for McDavid's $12.5mm.

So that $21.7mm becomes ~$22mm. To sign Gavrikov @ $7.5mm, Laferriere @ $3.5mm, and Marner @ $13mm requires freeing up $2mm, which can be done by trading Moore somewhere and taking back a cheaper player or elevating someone else.

The really fun part starts in 2027-28 when Doughty's contract rolls off and you have room for an actual prime star D-man to replace him.

Okay, I'm done dreaming. But that top line would be something to watch!!
Hard no on moving QB and Kemp. Kempe scores 50+ goals with McDavid.
 
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