Florida trades Demers to Arizona

[CarltonTheBear]

http://www.tsn.ca/panthers-send-demers-to-coyotes-for-mcginn-1.858877

The Florida Panthers and Arizona Coyotes have completed a trade just as training camps are getting in full swing.

The Panthers have sent defenceman Jason Demers to the desert in exchange for left winger Jamie McGinn.

A native of Dorval, Quebec the 29-year-old Demers appeared in 81 games for the Panthers a season ago, scoring nine times and adding 19 assists. Demers was heading into the second year of a five-year, $22.5 million deal signed with the Panthers in the summer of 2016. TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Panthers will retain 12.5 per cent of Demers' salary.

Demers is a legit top-4, right handed defenceman (you know, that thing that Edmonton so desperately wanted that they traded a superstar forward for). This is an inexplicably bad trade for Florida. Especially considering they somehow had to retain salary on the remaining 4 years of his contract. Demers would have been a perfect addition to our blueline.

The bright side to this is I thought Florida was a borderline playoff team before this, now though I don't think they stand much of a chance.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I forgot the Yotes acquired Hjalmarsson earlier this summer too (for again basically nothing). Those will be two very big boosts to their blueline. I'd have been over the moon if we acquired them both this summer.

Rielly-Demers
Gardiner-Hjalmarsson
Marincin-Zaitsev

(Carrick would have probably had to have been traded to Chicago)

 

[AvroArrow]

So, what do we think happened here?  The Leafs weren't interested in Demers, or Florida refused to trade within the conference?

Seems to me the Leafs could have beat this deal with just Leivo.

 

[bustaheims]

So, what do we think happened here?  The Leafs weren't interested in Demers, or Florida refused to trade within the conference?

I wonder if maybe it's just as simple as the Leafs weren't interested in taking a 4 year deal for a guy that would essentially be their #4 defenceman this season, and possibly 5 in a couple seasons (behind Rielly, Gardiner, Zaitsev, and Liljegren).

 

[CarltonTheBear]

It was also reported that Demers nixed a deal to Vancouver earlier this summer because of his NTC. It's possible that the Leafs looked into him and the same thing happened again. Arizona will be his 4th NHL team, and all 4 have been down south and also had pretty favourable tax rates (San Jose, Dallas, Florida, and now Arizona). I'm just speculating but that might not be a coincidence.  He only choose the last 2 but it might have become something he's comfortable with.

Demers is literally exactly what this team was looking for. I can't imagine they didn't at least check in.

 

[AvroArrow]

I wonder if maybe it's just as simple as the Leafs weren't interested in taking a 4 year deal for a guy that would essentially be their #4 defenceman this season, and possibly 5 in a couple seasons (behind Rielly, Gardiner, Zaitsev, and Liljegren).

Yeah, and in that context, Hainsey was the better option - cheaper (ignoring retention), and only 2 years.

Edit: Also a good call by Carleton - forgot about the NTC.