Huge deal for Vinny Lecavalier on the horizon;
http://www.tsn.ca
Good for Tampa, ensuring the services of arguably the best all-around player in the game for his whole career.
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Huge deal for Vinny Lecavalier on the horizon;
http://www.tsn.ca
Good for Tampa, ensuring the services of arguably the best all-around player in the game for his whole career.
I had thought that he had been locked up for a longterm deal already. I guess not.
Part of TB's problem in the firstplace was that they had most of their salary locked up in St. Louis, Richards, and Lecavalier and didn't have much money left over for the rest of the team. They have alleviated that somewhat by trading Richards last season. But I can imagine that Stamkos will cost them a lot too (as much as a rookie can cost in the NHL).
Looks like it's the new norm in the NHL... a front loaded contract that will not pain the team too much near the end of the players career should that player not put up the same numbers near the end. Still... this will handicap them in the short term (i.e. not much learned after beinf handcuffed by three salaries the past few years).
Yeah, front loading a contract will make it easier for a team to buy a player out down the road, or trade him if needed. Fortunately Philly has the same (albeit smaller) deal with Briere. He started out with a 6.5M cap hit, but it decreases every year.
This works well while your young guys are still clocking the rookie maximum, then it all balances out when those same young players go to sign their first big deal.
For Briere in particular it's a good idea. He has been in the league for a while.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
With Lecavalier and the Lightning... it seems a bit weird to me. I understand wanting to lock up the guy longterm... and that near the end of the contract that it may be a bargain. But I also find it odd that immediately after being handcuffed by having so much salary locked up in a few players that has resulted in the rest of the team being comprised of crappy players. Especially a contract that is front loaded on a team that needs rebuilding.
Must be a "short term pain for long term gain" plan.
I think they just adopted a "whatever it takes" philosophy to keep him. They aren't a great team, but TB actually has good attendance (especially for being in the Southeast), and it's a player like Vinny that will keep butts in the seats.
If they didn't pay the guy, almost every other team would have jumped at the chance to throw money at him.
Wow, Edmonton sends Stoll and Matt Green to LA in exchange for Visnovsky!
http://www.tsn.ca
And right after I stick up for LA's front office no less.:D Oh well, great trade for the Oilers. Does it spell the end of Pitkanen's brief tenure there?
Holy Shi'ite!
I didn't see THAT one coming!
Still not sure how I feel about it... I really liked Stoll. Great one timer slapshot on the powerplay. Is only 25 and with good potential. Though was coming off a bad year.
I think that with Nilsson, Cogliano, and Gagner coming into their own (never mind the bounty of other good looking forwards on Edmonton's farm team) that on a positional basis that this trade made sense.
Vishnovsky is 31 and has a few good years left in him... not as many as Stoll though. Great trade now... maybe not down the road. With him, Souray, Pitkanen, Smid, Gilbert, and Gerbeshkov on the blueline... things looks good at that position.
Matt Greene also impressed me during Edmonton's Stanley Cup run. There were times where he looked overwhelmed (which I guess shouldn't be surprising for a rookie in the Stanley Cup) and other times where he looked solid. He is 230lbs and can supposably benchpress 500lbs... strong as an ox!
I'm also starting to worry about Edmonton's cap situation with this trade... and there are no shortage of angry GMs who will be looking to poach Edmonton's Restricted Free Agent roster this offseason.
If there were any doubt that the Kings were in "rebuilding mode" (yet again) after the trade of Camalleri... this trade should lay all those doubts to rest...
I thought that they were close to being a playoff contender with last years roster (just add experience)... looks like management is taking a step back. Perpetual "rebuilding". Can't wait to bug people tomorrow!
Ohhh... and I think that Pitkanen is fine in Edmonton... he was injured for a good stint last year. And I believe that he signed a contract extension with Edmonton.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard
...........And, Pitkanen traded to the Hurricanes.;)
http://www.tsn.ca
Yay, it's free agency day! One of my favorite days of the year.
Yea... not too long after posting to you, I read a bunch of articles talking about the probability of Pitkanen being traded. I hadn't heard anything previous to that.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
I wish Edmonton had kept him... until I saw that they got Erik Cole for him who I've thought for a LONG time is one of the leagues more under rated players. I am happy to have Cole in Edmonton.
The Torres trade I'm not happy with... yet. Torres has had a few bad seasons in a row... but he is a physical checker who I've seen throw a few crushing hits. He's big and has shown the ability to score some goals (had 25 one season a few seasons ago). I thought that he had potential to develop as a good power forward which I think the league has a good shortage of and who usually take longer to develop than other players.
The only thing is that this guy that they got for Torres I know nothing about... maybe he holds good potential too. I may yet end up being happy with that trade.
Lowe is banking on potential by trading for Brule. He's a former high-first rounder who has underachieved a bit so far.
I agree.Quote:
Originally Posted by r'aggro
At just 21 years old, just what he is capable of is still up in the air. And it looks like he was the 6th overall pick just back in 2005. Which is risky. Torres scored 27 a few years back (I looked it up). So I think that it's a gamble.
Brule's contract is also a lot smaller.
Ohh... and Torres is coming off a ACL injury... which means that it'll probably be one year until he's his old self...
Face! Brian Campbell just signed with the Blackhawks; expensive rental indeed. We lost Steve Bernier and a decent draft pick for him to play only a few months. That kind of stings.
rumored 8 years, 56.8mil :eek:
Ouch!Quote:
Originally Posted by Nabby
I saw that he said that he wanted to move back out East. I had HOPED that meant the Eastern Conference and now instead my Oil will have to face him a few times a year.
An expensive "rental" indeed. Would have been ok if he'd helped the Sharks capture the Cup... but instead they shat the bed.
With Campbell, the signing of Huet... and the development of Toews and Kane... the Hawks may be back. Or at least playoff contenders. They are supposed to now be $3 million over the cap... which is surprising with owners like the Wirtz.
Damn, Campbell is good but not that good :eek:. Still was an expensive rental though.Quote:
Originally Posted by JDC