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Buy Out Bryz Now - The St. Louis Plan


Guest radoran

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So, Jaroslav Halak is in hot water with Hitch in St. Louis. Colour me shocked.

Halak's in the last year of his deal. Elliott is the playoff starter for them (also in last year of deal).

How about this:

1) Trade Briere and something (Read? 2nd?) to St. Louis for Halak. Maybe include Pronger ("retire a Blue") if St. Louis needs additional cap space.

2) Halak/Mason compete next season for starting job - with perhaps the initial nod given to Halak given the pedigree. Both are on one year deals.

3) Buy Bryz Out

St. Louis gets Briere for two years, $5M with a $6.5M cap hit (STL was among the lowest cap teams in the league). They get a "playoff performer" in Briere and a future asset.

Flyers get a chance to audition two potential "goalies of the future" and get out from under the Bryzgalov contract. Most importantly, we don't need to talk about Bryz any more.

Thoughts?

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@radoran - what makes you think Briere will waive his NMC to go to StL?

That is, of course, the fly in the ointment (and I wanted to give someone the opportunity to stick me with it for a change :) )

St. Louis has a young, playoff-bound team. Briere is expected to be bought out anyway. There is a chance he could take that trade option instead of a straight buyout (unless he feels he can definitely make more with a "contender" elsewhere).

I've long thought that one of Halak/Elliott would be worth pursuing (they are both UFA after next season).

If not Briere, riffing off another thread how about Couturier/Read/1st for Halak/Pietrangelo/1st?

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That is, of course, the fly in the ointment (and I wanted to give someone the opportunity to stick me with it for a change :) )

St. Louis has a young, playoff-bound team. Briere is expected to be bought out anyway. There is a chance he could take that trade option instead of a straight buyout (unless he feels he can definitely make more with a "contender" elsewhere).

I've long thought that one of Halak/Elliott would be worth pursuing (they are both UFA after next season).

If not Briere, riffing off another thread how about Couturier/Read/1st for Halak/Pietrangelo/1st?

My guess is that Pietrangelo is off-limits.

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Certainly could be - but they do have Bouwmeester now and have Jackman and Shattenkirk as well.

Would you look at Shattenkirk for a lower price?

I don't really think Bouwmeester (or Jackman, or Shattenkirk) is a substitute for Pietrangelo. I would think StL would be much more inclined to move one of those others than Pietro. But take a run at Shatty for a lower price? Sure.

Edited by JackStraw
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OK - the major questions:

1) Is Halak worth dealing for?

Me: yes

2) What would you give up to get him?

Me: Read is certainly on the block; Couturier?

3) What would St. Louis want?

Me: I don't think the price for Halak will be sky high if you can give SLT something for a player they are likely to lose next year (and are rumored to want to move now)

4) Would Briere go?

Open question, but a good opportunity to get with a young, promising squad instead of the younger, still developing squad that's going to buy you out.

5) Is there a chance for a bigger package deal?

I think so. Looking to get a young D talent might be a good place to go. STL has a number of young RFA D. Doesn't have to be Pietrangelo.

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What makes you think the Blues would commit this act of insenity? They are not the Flyers, you know. ;)

I don't think they would do it, but it's a better option than the one you didn't suggest :)

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Just thinking --- I should clarify. While Halak's groin injury makes me nervous, I'd still rather see him in goal than Bryz. I'll take my chances on the groin strain versus the brain strained headcase we currently have.

Yeah, the big difference for me is Halak is a UFA after next year. Bryz is signed through 2020.

I'd Much Rather take a shot at Halak and if he flames out/is a head case you aren't locked in forever. You also have Mason as a potential competitor/starter/replacement.

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Yeah, the big difference for me is Halak is a UFA after next year. Bryz is signed through 2020

Not sure this really works for me. If Halak is going to be a UFA then they could just wait to sign him then. I'm not in love with Bryz by any means, but I still don't really see a better option than going with him and Mason next year and if Mason looks good, buy out Bryz and bring in a decent backup. I certainly don't think I would give up a top 6 forward (i.e., Read) for a goalie on a one year tryout.

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My two biggest problems with this have already been mentioned. First, odds are very, very good that Briere refuses a trade anywhere. If he's bought out, he gets his full $5M from us, gets salary from wherever he goes, and can pick from every team with any interest in him at whatever additional salary he can get. If we trade him, he goes to that team, and only there, and gets only the $5M. Doesn't make sense to me, unless he intentionally decides to sacrifice vet minimum+ for two years just to do us a solid.

Second, Briere, Read, and #11 probably gets you Jackman/Halak, or maybe Shattenkirk/Halak. No Blues #1. Pietrangelo starts at Couturier + 11 just to keep them on the phone. It may sound crazy, but we're 49 days removed from Douglas Murray costing Pittsburgh 2 #2 picks. Defensemen are worth more than gold these days, and the cost just keeps going up.

Edited by dilbert719
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The only other way the Flyers could perhaps benefit by moving Bryz and replacing him with someone less controversial would be the intangible of getting rid of the distraction he's become. The situation is taking a mental toll. Is there controversy and discontent in the locker room? Is Bryz now at the center of it? It'd almost be a cleanup kind of move similar to getting rid of Richards and Carter. Send the circus packing.

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My two biggest problems with this have already been mentioned. First, odds are very, very good that Briere refuses a trade anywhere. If he's bought out, he gets his full $5M from us, gets salary from wherever he goes, and can pick from every team with any interest in him at whatever additional salary he can get. If we trade him, he goes to that team, and only there, and gets only the $5M. Doesn't make sense to me, unless he intentionally decides to sacrifice vet minimum+ for two years just to do us a solid.

Briere gets $3.35M (2/3) but your point is well-taken.

The NHL minimum is $550K next season - Briere would almost undoubtedly get many multiples of that.

Second, Briere, Read, and #11 probably gets you Jackman/Halak, or maybe Shattenkirk/Halak. No Blues #1. Pietrangelo starts at Couturier + 11 just to keep them on the phone. It may sound crazy, but we're 49 days removed from Douglas Murray costing Pittsburgh 2 #2 picks. Defensemen are worth more than gold these days, and the cost just keeps going up.

Part of the purpose of the thread was to discuss alternatives. You can't have an alternative without an initial suggestion.

I concur with your assessment. Assuming Briere goes, is "something like" Briere/Read/11 for Shattenkirk/Halak worth it? Would Couturier/Read/11 get Halak/Shattenkirk/STL #1? Is that worth it?

Another fly in this ointment is that you have to have Bryz bought out before the draft, so you can't determine what's on the board at 11 when making this deal.

Not sure this really works for me. If Halak is going to be a UFA then they could just wait to sign him then. I'm not in love with Bryz by any means, but I still don't really see a better option than going with him and Mason next year and if Mason looks good, buy out Bryz and bring in a decent backup. I certainly don't think I would give up a top 6 forward (i.e., Read) for a goalie on a one year tryout.

Remember that Read is a UFA after next year as well and they need to sign (RFA) Giroux and BSchenn (as well as Couturier if he's still here). Read may well be the odd man out in that equation regardless.

I've suggested targeting either Halak or Elliott as UFA after next season several times. It was the reports of Halak and Hitch that made me start thinking about it for this off-season. Wouldn't surprise me to see a trade for either one's rights before the UFA period next year.

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St. Louis gets Briere for two years, $5M with a $6.5M cap hit

But why trade for a guy who doesn't want to move and two if you wait you may be able to grab without giving up anything on your roster??

They know he will be bought out....why not just wait.

The only way that makes sense is to hold his rights and trying to avoid getting in a bidding war.

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But why trade for a guy who doesn't want to move and two if you wait you may be able to grab without giving up anything on your roster??

They know he will be bought out....why not just wait.

The only way that makes sense is to hold his rights and trying to avoid getting in a bidding war.

The benefit to STL is the extra cap space (which may or may not be a benefit depending on where they are) and the certainty of avoiding a bidding war.

They key is whether Briere agrees to it.

Taking Briere out of the equation - is Halak someone you would be interested in?

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