Ducks re-sign Hiller, 4 years 18 million

Thanks to Dash for posting this, thought it deserved it's own thread here too.

4.5 per year...big money...

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=308275

That seems high...am I wrong?

Where's Giguere going then, because he can't stay there I wouldn't imagine. Who's making a play to acquire him - and...it must be now(ish). Probably don't want to wait until the off-season.

Montreal, or are they sticking with Halak? Because it's surely not Price.

Intriguing....

Stupid, stupid, stupid. One good year (just 46 games, so not a full-time #1 yet), and they give him a 4 year deal at that much? Elliott's stats last year were not that dissimilar, and he didn't have Niedermayer/Pronger in front of him. If Elliott continues to improve his SV% the way he has, his agent could very well use Hiller as a comparable. This is going to bite us.

Yeah, surely signifies the end of Giguere in Anaheim, but the problem will be finding a taker. He's not a cheap contract and his play has not been deserving of a line-up of suitors. LA would have no interest in him really with the way Quick is playing, and can't see them investing in a $5M veteran back-up goalie.

I could see Anaheim moving Giguere and a first to the Maple Leafs for Toskala + Hagman/Ponikarovsky/whoever

PKC wrote:I could see Anaheim moving Giguere and a first to the Maple Leafs for Toskala + Hagman/Ponikarovsky/whoever

This makes sense on alot of levels. Anaheim has an extra first, and Toronto needs one. Anaheim also would be free of Toskala at year's end and could bring in a cheap backup to Hiller.

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:I could see Anaheim moving Giguere and a first to the Maple Leafs for Toskala + Hagman/Ponikarovsky/whoever

This makes sense on alot of levels. Anaheim has an extra first, and Toronto needs one. Anaheim also would be free of Toskala at year's end and could bring in a cheap backup to Hiller.

Plus, Giguere could be the quality mentor that the Leafs need for Gus. This swap makes so much sense, I'd almost be surprised if it didn't happen.

I thought that would have happened a long, long time ago personally. No first rounder though, the Ducks need it badly. They need a lot of things, but the first is the big one. Toronto can get around the 1st. A 2nd + a piece would do it IMO. They have to, because otherwise no deal IMO, Anaheim simply will not deal that pick (again IMO).

PKC wrote:

hemlock wrote:

PKC wrote:I could see Anaheim moving Giguere and a first to the Maple Leafs for Toskala + Hagman/Ponikarovsky/whoever

This makes sense on alot of levels. Anaheim has an extra first, and Toronto needs one. Anaheim also would be free of Toskala at year's end and could bring in a cheap backup to Hiller.

Plus, Giguere could be the quality mentor that the Leafs need for Gus. This swap makes so much sense, I'd almost be surprised if it didn't happen.

Plus, Burke's history with Giggy should factor in. You're right, this is almost a no brainer.

wprager wrote:Stupid, stupid, stupid. One good year (just 46 games, so not a full-time #1 yet), and they give him a 4 year deal at that much? Elliott's stats last year were not that dissimilar, and he didn't have Niedermayer/Pronger in front of him. If Elliott continues to improve his SV% the way he has, his agent could very well use Hiller as a comparable. This is going to bite us.

I won't fight with your stats, but Hiller nearly single handedly beat SJ in the playoffs last year. I watched that entire series, and he was the best player on the ice every night.

Stats may not count as much in negotiations, but when it comes to arbitration they trump everything else. The arbiter is typically *not* a person who follows a lot of hockey. And I think Elliot is old enough to be eligible for arbitration. Rooney?

SpezDispenser wrote:That seems high...am I wrong?

Where's Giguere going then, because he can't stay there I wouldn't imagine. Who's making a play to acquire him - and...it must be now(ish). Probably don't want to wait until the off-season.

Montreal, or are they sticking with Halak? Because it's surely not Price.

Intriguing....

high yes.... but fairly comparable to Emery's 3 year 3.75 m contract after Sens went to the finals ... and Emery didn't really steal any games.

DirtyDave wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:That seems high...am I wrong?

Where's Giguere going then, because he can't stay there I wouldn't imagine. Who's making a play to acquire him - and...it must be now(ish). Probably don't want to wait until the off-season.

Montreal, or are they sticking with Halak? Because it's surely not Price.

Intriguing....

high yes.... but fairly comparable to Emery's 3 year 3.75 m contract after Sens went to the finals ... and Emery didn't really steal any games.

I think Elliott is more technically proficient than Emery was, although Emery gets the edge in athleticism. Not that Elliott's a slouch in that department, but Emery's reflexes were pretty good.

SpezDispenser wrote:I thought that would have happened a long, long time ago personally. No first rounder though, the Ducks need it badly. They need a lot of things, but the first is the big one. Toronto can get around the 1st. A 2nd + a piece would do it IMO. They have to, because otherwise no deal IMO, Anaheim simply will not deal that pick (again IMO).

I think they'd give up one of their first round picks, potentially Philadelphia's, to get rid of an albatross contract and bring in another top six forward who can score to the mix.

With Ryan, Getzlaf, Perry, Selanne, Koivu and Lupul, they're as deep up front as anyone in the West - on paper. Add a Hagman (20G) or a Ponikarovsky (19G) and you're looking at a pretty scary first round matchup for anyone in the West.

PKC wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I thought that would have happened a long, long time ago personally. No first rounder though, the Ducks need it badly. They need a lot of things, but the first is the big one. Toronto can get around the 1st. A 2nd + a piece would do it IMO. They have to, because otherwise no deal IMO, Anaheim simply will not deal that pick (again IMO).

I think they'd give up one of their first round picks, potentially Philadelphia's, to get rid of an albatross contract and bring in another top six forward who can score to the mix.

With Ryan, Getzlaf, Perry, Selanne, Koivu and Lupul, they're as deep up front as anyone in the West - on paper. Add a Hagman (20G) or a Ponikarovsky (19G) and you're looking at a pretty scary first round matchup for anyone in the West.

What contract though? If you shed Lupul, you aren't gaining a T6F, you are replacing one. Perry and Getzlaf make big bucks, but deserve it (imo). Koivu perhaps? Same thing as Lupul imo.

There's Whitney, but they'd basically have to admit that they've given up on him, and I don't know if Murray would do that, considering he gave up a scorers in Kunitz, and a great prospect in Tangradi.

Point is...I just don't see a whole lot that should (could) be dumped. I still agree with you though in that they'd part with a first to unload a $6 million backup.

Diddle. I just realized that the salary you mentioned was Giguere.