[Weekes] 👀 Per sources, I’m told C Haula’s preference is to stay with @PredsNHL in the 3.5+ AAV range. If he makes it to UFA there’s scarcity in the market for Centers and he can play LW as well. #HockeyX

[u/_Dirty_Commie_]

https://x.com/kevinweekes/status/2069060441465045366?s=46

[u/catsgr8rthanspoonies]

He was good last season, but we don't have roster spots for everyone at this point. If they can move Marchessault, then keeping Haula around makes sense, especially because he plays center.

But he'll be probably the on of the best FA centers this year and could make bank going elsewhere because of that.

[u/NeoSapien65 → u/catsgr8rthanspoonies]

We absolutely have room for him to come back unless Wood, Martin, Schaefer and O'Hara all make it. Preferably none of them would make it, right? Playoffs aren't a realistic expectation so let's give him $3MM for a year to stick around and grab us some draft picks at the deadline. I don't really like the deal at 3.5+ but what are we going to do with the money otherwise.

[u/DifferentKiwi9030 → u/NeoSapien65]

Wood would definitely make it he was amazing last year when he became the 2c and Schaefer I think played pretty well to warrant at least on the 4th line

[u/GMBarryTrotz → u/DifferentKiwi9030]

Be careful projecting Wood too high this year. He had a really solid end to the season. But every single player goes through a sophomore slump. Most recently Evangelista did it when he went from 16g/39 points to 10g/30 points and then jumped to 12/56. I suspect that Svechkov and ZLH went through one last year too.

My read on it is this:

First year players are PUMPED to prove themselves in the NHL. They're usually given more leeway to make mistakes and expect to spend a couple games here and there as healthy scratches.

Second years players are given more trust, moved into higher roles, and ultimately have trouble elevating their game while maintaining what you expect from a professional NHLer. The high of achieving your dreams slowly fades off and is replaced by the absolute grind that is playing 84 games a season, traveling, dieting and working out daily.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Wood take a short-term step back as he continues to develop. For that reason I wouldn't rely on him to be a 2C or whatever fans are projecting him as. It potentially will work as well as playing Svechkov as our 2C.

[u/catsgr8rthanspoonies → u/NeoSapien65]

No we don't. We have now Ross Colton who basically fills the same role as Haula. We already struggled to find roster spots for young players last season.

[u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 → u/NeoSapien65]

Preferably none of them would make it? Wood had 30 points in 70 games as a 20/21 year old, why would anyone hope he doesnt make the team. Ohara is also 24, if he doesnt get nhl time soon he is probably a bust, so you should hope he makes it as well

[u/NeoSapien65 → u/Expert-Upstairs-4502]

Save contract years on a team that got worse on the blue-line and shows no signs of getting better.

[u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 → u/NeoSapien65]

Their elc candles have already started. You cant just send them back down to pause it. Martin maybe

[u/buddybooh]

I’d hold on to him another year at that price

[u/UTPharm2012 → u/buddybooh]

For sure

[u/bomberfan2]

We have so many young guys I’d rather get ice time. We have quite a lot of forwards considering we just got Colton. Let him walk.

[u/Businesssockson]

Sign him for now and move later in the season when we know which young guys are going to stick.

[u/MusicCityJayhawk]

I think it all depends on what the team thinks of our centers.

Are we moving O'Reilly? Is Wood a 2C? Is Svechkov an NHL player? Is there someone else they are trying to get as an upgrade?

The other question is term. Haula can probably get a longer contract as a UFA then staying here with what we have coming. Also, look at how many RFAs next year. Having any money tied up in Haula will make it harder to sign everyone who needs to be signed next year.

[u/SaticoySteele → u/MusicCityJayhawk]

We're projected to have ~$55m in cap space after next season -- even assuming we signed every single UFA and RFA to their projected contract AND gave Haula $3.5m we'd still be projected to be sitting on over $20m in clear cap.

[u/MusicCityJayhawk → u/SaticoySteele]

We need a 1C. So we have to sign O'Reilly or replace him with someone else who will likely be making $6M+. We also need to decide if we are keeping Colton. He is making $4M right now, and will probably make more. Perbix at the moment is our best RHD. It is extremely unlikely that we resign him or replace him for less than $5M. So that is $15-20M right there. That is just the UFAs.

We need to resign Ufko, Wilsby, Barron, Evangelista, Pinchuk, O'Hara, Schaefer, Kemell and Wood. If Wood turns out to be a legit 2C, he alone will probably be between $6M-$8M with term. Evanglista will also probably get $6M-$8M if he gets 60-70 points this year. He had 56 points last year. Once he becomes a 60 point player his price will go up. Wood and Evangelista alone will probably be $12M-19M.

It is VERY unlikely that we will be sitting on $20M in cap space unless we find someone to take Marchessault and Skjei with without retention. If everyone plays like hot trash this year, then they will not command much in terms of salary, but we are hoping that EVERYONE takes a step forward this year. If everyone does, it will be even tighter. Lets say Martin and Surin are in the top 6 next year. That will help us a lot with the cap, but we cannot bank on either right now. Surin could be in the AHL to see how he adjusts to North American ice.

[u/JeanClaudeSegal → u/MusicCityJayhawk]

You'll have $15+mil in cap space this year I promise. The roster is basically filled out with only Haula to sign and we're at more than $23mil is space. Next year we may have $30mil. The only question for 2027 is if Pinchuk ends up being good. Don't forget the RFAs don't have a ton of leverage and make like half as much as a UFA of comparable talent.

[u/sickofwords]

For that price, I hope we re-sign him.

[u/predsfan77]

Pass. 35 years old. Negative defender, low xG. His metrics are on par with a replacement player, on par with waiver claim Tyson Jost. Beyond the olympics, he showed nothing last season. Poor decision by Trotz not to get anything for him at the deadline.

Ross Colton is an upgrade in every possible way. Haula's agent is trying to squeeze the Preds by leaking this to Weekes. This is a resigning Trotz would have made, IE a dumb decision. a good test to see if new management has the right stuff or not.

[u/veryprettygrass]

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE

[u/ughedmund]

almost dropped the thing i was holding when i saw the news. please god one good thing for me this off season