Haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere but based on DeCock’s reporting, it seems like the Canes are moving on from Pacioretty.
In his most recent article, Dundon implied Pacioretty’s departure would open up a new spot
>Dundon said the departures of Max Pacioretty and Ondrej Kase after injury-ruined seasons will open up roster spots that weren’t available last fall, which could mean there’s still room for older free agents like Paul Stastny and Derek Stepan.
Source: https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article275923576.html
Then when DeCock was asked directly if he thinks the team will move on from him, he said:
>”Believe that’s the case.”
Source: https://twitter.com/LukeDeCock/status/1663721234784219137
I thought we would consider bringing him back on a cheap deal, maybe in the $1.5-2m range. Letting him walk will basically mean we still haven’t addressed our scoring problems, so once again we would have to look to bring someone in for that. I can’t see the team making a long-term deal with a FA like Bertuzzi so maybe a trade.
by ShittyFrogMeme
12 Comments
Thanks for linking this, I saw the DeCock “believe that’s the case” tweet but couldn’t read the article because it’s paywalled. Sounds like Pacioretty wants to find a more significant deal then the Canes are offering, which is fair on both sides I think.
After the injury with Max continuing to hang around in Raleigh it sounded like he would return.
My uneducated unfounded guesses:
1. Max’s agent saw how weak this upcoming free agent market is and hopes to dupe a dumb GM (there is always at least one) by selling on being healthy + regaining form into a final multi-year deal.
2. Dundon wants someone who will actually be healthy in the playoffs. A healthy Patches in the Florida series could’ve really helped in those 4 1 goal losses. Taking Max was a gamble, it didn’t work out this past season, and he is not willing to take the same bet again for next year.
Signing him wouldn’t resolve our scoring problems either. If we sign him it’s a nice to have and see what we get, but our primary strategy can’t be counting on Patches playing 70ish games and scoring 30
Feel for him but this is probably the right move. He ain’t getting younger and he’s proven to be quite injury prone. We still need goals, and resigning him, while interesting, would only solve our issues if he plays >50 or so games, which is a HUGE if in this stage of our career.
Stepper and Stas I’m also lukewarm on. Appreciate their contributions but I’d rather use the $$ to load up on someone big. Would rather have stepan back if given the choice.
Just to give some context, he does not give a direct quote of dundon actually saying this and then follow it up with a contradictory quote of him being open to having everyone back.
*But Dundon said the departures of Max Pacioretty and Ondrej Kase after injury-ruined seasons will open up roster spots that weren’t available last fall, which could mean there’s still room for older free agents like Paul Stastny and Derek Stepan. “I’m sincere,” Dundon said. “Everybody on our team this year, we would be happy to bring back. We were a 113-point team this year. That’s pretty good.”*
I’m sure it was discussed in exit interviews that the canes would like to get a smaller more prove it deal done vs committing serious money or term to max. But he’s got a big family and needs to do what’s best for him. So go test the market and see if a GM will roll the dice on you for money/term
No more injury prone FAs.
Pacioretty on the canes was very much a “what could have been” situation. For a team trying to win a cup it’s complicated working in a player for a 82 game season that has a long injury history. I bet he signs with a bottom tier team and gets traded at the deadline.
I hate that it didn’t work out but this is the right move, we need to be safer about how we build our roster and I just don’t trust the guy to stay healthy
Good. Stop taking chances on injury prone players and players that are just not good but got potential like Pool Party just because you dont want to pay the price to get good and healthy players.
PTO
I think we were all kind of expecting this. Hopefully he can still do something in the sport.
Don’t trust a word out of Dundon or Decock’s mouth. Dundon said just a couple months ago we’d be aggressive at the deadline. He’s full of it. And Decock is not nearly as in tune with the team as he once was. I’d trust Cory a lot more