BigTed3 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Oh I mean there are definitely other options but it never seems to work out for us. Hartnell would be making one million more than DD and I honestly believe Hartnell will be playing until he is 40.. his game hasn't declined at all in my opinion. All the free agents people talk about are going to be at 6 million plus and probably more to come here. What I was suggesting is the possibility of bringing in 2-3 guys as opposed to one big one... I'd be happy either way, but no one ever seems to want to come here and we have more than just one spot to fill But Hartnell is signed for three more years and DD for only next season. That has to be a concern. I thought Cole was a better player than Ryder at the time we made the trade, but Ryder was a UFA and Dallas had to deal with the Cole contract going forward, so we won the trade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyderRocks73 Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 But Hartnell is signed for three more years and DD for only next season. That has to be a concern. I thought Cole was a better player than Ryder at the time we made the trade, but Ryder was a UFA and Dallas had to deal with the Cole contract going forward, so we won the trade. Silly BigTed, no one's a better player than Ryder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Silly BigTed, no one's a better player than Ryder. You should probably change your name to RyderRocked73... past tense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Speaking of former Habs, there are also rumors that Minnesota may buy out Thomas Vanek, who has one year left on his contract with a cap hit of 6.5M and an actual salary of 7.5M. That means Vanek would be available, unable to re-sign with his desired location, and probably willing to accept less money since he would still be receiving salary from Minny. I wouldn't be surprised if he looks at going back to a team he's already played for, like Buf, NYI, or us. So if you're MB, would you consider offering him 2.5-3.5M a year to come back on a one-year deal (assuming you lose out on signing a Stamkos/Okposo/Eriksson/etc.)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnveenie Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 Speaking of former Habs, there are also rumors that Minnesota may buy out Thomas Vanek, who has one year left on his contract with a cap hit of 6.5M and an actual salary of 7.5M. That means Vanek would be available, unable to re-sign with his desired location, and probably willing to accept less money since he would still be receiving salary from Minny. I wouldn't be surprised if he looks at going back to a team he's already played for, like Buf, NYI, or us. So if you're MB, would you consider offering him 2.5-3.5M a year to come back on a one-year deal (assuming you lose out on signing a Stamkos/Okposo/Eriksson/etc.)?He's still got value and we'd be paying him what most people expected we'd be paying Dale Weise had we brought him back. The worst thing that happens is we flip him at the deadline for a low pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnveenie Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 It's official; the Islanders have announced that Kyle Okposo will not be returning. How much and how long are we willing to offer him? I tend to want to be cautious here. Players like him can decline quickly and often in their early 30s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 It's official; the Islanders have announced that Kyle Okposo will not be returning. How much and how long are we willing to offer him? I tend to want to be cautious here. Players like him can decline quickly and often in their early 30s. He's a really good fit for our team, so I'm willing to overpay a bit. Without a doubt, the term becomes an issue when signing highly-coveted UFA's, but we're not talking about a guy who is already 32 or 33. He just turned 28, so he's still got a few years of prime performance left. Maybe he declines at 32 or 33, but would it be worth 1-2 years of drop-off in order to get a top 6 forward for 3-4 seasons? Personally, I think we're close enough to contending that we need to make that push. That being said, I still see Steven Stamkos as the guy who absolutely needs to be the #1 target. You have the window to talk to UFA's, so we should know whether we're in on Stamkos up front and then decide who the next target is. Okposo is probably the next guy up, but if the demand for him is too high, there are other players we can go after (Perron, Ladd, Backes, Lucic, Eriksson, Boedker, Brouwer, Stalberg, etc.). For me, something like 5.5M for 5 years would be a decent offer to make him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Regis2 Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 There are other teams in the mix for Stamkos according to Greg Wyshynski https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/pavel-datsyuk-out--steven-stamkos-in-for-red-wings-161228567.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 There are other teams in the mix for Stamkos according to Greg Wyshynski https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/pavel-datsyuk-out--steven-stamkos-in-for-red-wings-161228567.html Sure, there will be plenty of other teams asking about him. But how many make sense? Take a look at the Datsyuk-less Wings and ask yourself whether you think that line-up with that goaltending and that defence looks more primed to make a Cup run than ours? I don't think it does. Ask yourself the same thing about the Sabres and Leafs, who are closer to home for Stamkos but probably a couple of years further away from a Cup than we could be. Yes, all these teams will want to go after Stamkos. Yes, they may be able to offer him more money, but who gives Stamkos the best chance at winning a Cup AND the ability to play first-line center with talented wingers? Of the teams that have been discussed as potential destinations, I think it's us. That doesn't mean SS will see it that way, but there are definitely arguments to be made for signing here IF Bergevin shows the willingness to make him fit in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habberwacky Posted June 17, 2016 Report Share Posted June 17, 2016 I like Okposo, but the Isles must be afraid of overpaying and so far Bergevin has been pretty good with making low risk moves when signing UFAs. Vanek appears to be another Semin to me. He has all the talent in the world but, you just hope it shows up most nights and I think that impacts the psychology of a team negatively. While Stammer would be nice I don't think Bergevin will overpay and that may be the sign for Stamkos to look elsewhere. Erikkson may be an interesting fit as well, but given the budget, size of our roster and some of the prospects lining up to make the team a trade or two seems more likely at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Regis2 Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 but who gives Stamkos the best chance at winning a Cup AND the ability to play first-line center with talented wingers? After last season's debacle maybe he'd like to paly with Eichel or Austin Mathews or stay in Tampa . A certain MT isn't an enticing reason for signing here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vegasrick Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 MT isn't an enticing reason for signing here This right here is probably the biggest negative for players considering where to go. They not only witnessed the Habs' historical collapse last season, they were the ones who cashed in when they played against them. Plus, I think Bergevin will play it conservatively -- just like he has already -- for the remainder of his tenure here. He must know his job is on thin ice. Actually, he's fortunate he's the GM in this decade, because in years' past, he would have probably been mugged in the parking lot by angry fans. Then there's the mismanagement of the team on the ice. That's no secret to professional athletes. Vanek coming back? Why, so he can learn to grind and play a more defensive role on the nights he's not sitting in the press box? Sure, it's easy money, but come on. And Stamkos? In Montreal? Sure, he'll play center with "talented" wingers.....on the fourth line, until he "learns" to play wing himself. I think another reason elite players won't look to Montreal this season is because they, like many of us, probably expect Coach Therrien to be fired at some point, or even worse.....not fired. I'm willing to bet most tradeable players expect another mediocre season from the Canadiens this year, and if they really want to go to a winning team, will look elsewhere. The ONLY way the Habs get a good player in trade is if that player has no choice in the matter. But Bergevin won't swing for the fence this year anyway, so it's likely the biggest "blockbuster" trade will entail bringing the likes of Cole Schneider or Brian Lerg to Montreal, while getting rid of the "dead weight" like Lars Eller or Paul Byron. Just like that great trade when we got rid of Jarred Tinordi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsisme Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 I think we give the players too much credit. Most of them don't seem to care about winning or history or anything like that. Most of them wanna play for a team where they can have their anonymity, pay less in taxes, and have good weather. Preferably where they don't have to learn a new language. We always have to overpay for this reason. This part is no one's fault, we can't blame MB for that aspect of it. I don't think they care who the coach is, the sad fact is most of them don't care about hockey. At some point the NHL is going to have to recognize some of the disadvantages teams face and do something about the cap. The good news is that the most disadvantaged teams tend to be the ones making the most money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted June 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun (take it for what it's worth) is reporting Tampa is looking to trade the rights to Steven Stamkos ahead of July 1st free agency. Would suggest, if this is true, that Tampa has no hope of re-signing Stamkos. In somewhat related news, Detroit is looking to trade away Datsyuk's contract to free up the cap space to sign Stamkos or someone else. But short of trading his contract to a team that can afford to buy out the contract, the Wings would be on the hook for 7.5M for Datsyuk (since he has a 35+ contract), making it much more difficult for them to add Stamkos and perhaps helping our chances! We've had a lot of discussion about Stamkos and where he could go and I continue to argue Montreal is one of the ideal destinations for him... so to everyone out there, I'm sending an open invitation to make an argument for someone else. Pretend you're Stamkos. Pretend you're another squad. Make the argument for why you see Stamkos heading to another team other than Montreal and why that destination is a better fit for him than here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Regis2 Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 . . Make the argument for why you see Stamkos heading to another team other than Montreal and why that destination is a better fit for him than here. Habs cannot afford him . And there are other teams , besides Montreal, that he fits just as well . As Habs fans we think Montreal is the best place but its not always as it seems . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsisme Posted June 19, 2016 Report Share Posted June 19, 2016 I just think he;s destined for TO even though I think it will be a bad fit for both at this point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs=stanleycup Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Provided MB puts in the effort to acquire him, and that if Stamkos WANTS to come. Then he will be here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaas Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 He's a really good fit for our team, so I'm willing to overpay a bit. Without a doubt, the term becomes an issue when signing highly-coveted UFA's, but we're not talking about a guy who is already 32 or 33. He just turned 28, so he's still got a few years of prime performance left. Maybe he declines at 32 or 33, but would it be worth 1-2 years of drop-off in order to get a top 6 forward for 3-4 seasons? Personally, I think we're close enough to contending that we need to make that push. That being said, I still see Steven Stamkos as the guy who absolutely needs to be the #1 target. You have the window to talk to UFA's, so we should know whether we're in on Stamkos up front and then decide who the next target is. Okposo is probably the next guy up, but if the demand for him is too high, there are other players we can go after (Perron, Ladd, Backes, Lucic, Eriksson, Boedker, Brouwer, Stalberg, etc.). For me, something like 5.5M for 5 years would be a decent offer to make him. Agree with everything you've said here. I just think he;s destined for TO even though I think it will be a bad fit for both at this point Before TO got that first pick, I agree - but with Matthews coming their way, it throws a wrench in. Dont get me wrong, who wouldnt want Matthews AND Stamkos? But they will be drafting a (potentially) generational talent and they will be signing an elite talent...but they only have one #1 Centre spot. Could Matthews play #2 centre? Sure, absolutely - but for how long? If you're signing Stamkos long term (you know he's going to want 6+ years) then that is potentially a problem. Im not saying we're a lock, i just think we have a slightly better chance now than we did before, when TO was not a guarantee for 1st overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTed3 Posted June 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Toronto still doesn't have an established #1 goalie. Their best defenceman is Morgan Rielly, who's not leading a team to a Cup in the immediate future. And even with Matthews and Stamkos, Toronto will need to find other elements to play with them. JVR and Kadri are not as good as Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, and Gallagher IMO. I'm not saying SS doesn't go to Toronto. But if he goes there, it's because he wants to play as closer to home as possible and he's willing to forego a shot at a Cup in the next 2-3 years to do so. From what I've heard about Stamkos and his desire to win and his desire to play the #1 center role, Toronto doesn't make a lot of sense as a fit, outside of the local hero card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaas Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Toronto still doesn't have an established #1 goalie. Their best defenceman is Morgan Rielly, who's not leading a team to a Cup in the immediate future. And even with Matthews and Stamkos, Toronto will need to find other elements to play with them. JVR and Kadri are not as good as Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, and Gallagher IMO. I'm not saying SS doesn't go to Toronto. But if he goes there, it's because he wants to play as closer to home as possible and he's willing to forego a shot at a Cup in the next 2-3 years to do so. From what I've heard about Stamkos and his desire to win and his desire to play the #1 center role, Toronto doesn't make a lot of sense as a fit, outside of the local hero card. Agreed. Like i said earlier 30 teams would take Stamkos in a heartbeat, but probably only a handful of teams can really compete for his services. Some that may want him, he would want to go to while others he might like may want only be able to fit him into their plans on a reduced cap or term. In that respect, we *should* be one of the 5 or 6 best options both in terms of our needs and his. But, as always, who knows whats going on in MB's head. We could have easily had Jagr for the past 4 years but for some reason MB felt he was not the right fit here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsisme Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 I would celebrate if TO got Stamkos, I really would, because I think it would be a terrible move for them. TO has a nice young offence already, they need to improve goaltending and D. So unless they are trading a young forward for goaltending and D, it just doesn't make sense to sign Stamkos.... but I still think he's going there. This whole thing reminds me of last year with Babcock, everyone laughed that the leafs thought they would get him (and rightly so) but then they got him! Nothing would surprise me at this point bu my money is on him going to Leafs. I'd love Stamkos but unless there is another trade of some type I think it would mean playing Chucky on the wing again, but if we have our #1 C in Stamkos, I don't have a problem with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnveenie Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 I agree with Ted. We have basically everything Stamkos reportedly wants: geographical proximity to home, a competitive team that includes the best goalie (and arguably best player) in the world, a bonafide top 3-5 defenceman who happens to be his childhood buddy and a young team who are all simultaneously entering their prime that really only needs one player like him to become a serious threat to contend. I keep seeing people claim that we can't afford to pay what he wants; I strongly disagree. How often does a player like Stamkos go to UFA? Almost never. These are the guys you make room for and with Emelin's NTC terms changing on July 1 and deadweight like DD hanging around, we certainly have pieces we can move out to make room for him with minimal impact on our team depth, if any. Get it done Bergevin. The stars are aligned for you to make a huge splash and bring a 50 goal scorer to Montreal for the first time in two decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habsisme Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Does Anderon to Leafs increase our chances of getting Stamkos? Nice move by them though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Regis2 Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 Does Anderon to Leafs increase our chances of getting Stamkos? Nice move by them though No Maybe SS doesn't want to deal with this in Montreal https://twitter.com/RealStamkos91 Steven Stamkos @RealStamkos91 · Feb 9 Little creepy when a guy dressed in all black follows you around the street snapping pictures. #smile #Montreal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinot-1 Posted June 21, 2016 Report Share Posted June 21, 2016 Does Anderon to Leafs increase our chances of getting Stamkos? Nice move by them though Signed to 5 years at 5 mil. per., and I've heard rumours of the cap only going up by 1-2 mil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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