"Heatley a Shark?" plus other Sens and non-Sens chat

SpezDispenser wrote:If Komisarek thinks he's avoided the pressure by signing in TO, he's a dead man.

If Gomez's signing got Camerlleri to say no to TO and Ottawa, then that's a major thing right there. But 5 years at 7.3 million. Ouch.

The good thing I see is the chemistry and friendship Gomez and Gionta have. Cammy's just a good player, Spacek is okay, but their D is good already.

I don't think it matters anymore if you're desirable or not. I think this is Edmonton's last - or 2nd last year of having players say Diddle no to going there as UFAs. Soon, players will play wherever they can get a spot - and a guaranteed contract.

i'm not sure how many offers cam got but i would of liked him better over kovalev. i think with komy is that i think he was pissed that he never got a contract offer during the year and that coupled with the questioning of his play in the later half of the season made him not want to come back. some players need job security and need to know ahead of time were they will play next year. gainbey never gives contracts during the year(well he did with andre K) and that's his major downfall. he could of kept streit for 3.2 if he would ofdone that. but no.... gainey is a very flawed GM.

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:If Komisarek thinks he's avoided the pressure by signing in TO, he's a dead man.

If Gomez's signing got Camerlleri to say no to TO and Ottawa, then that's a major thing right there. But 5 years at 7.3 million. Ouch.

The good thing I see is the chemistry and friendship Gomez and Gionta have. Cammy's just a good player, Spacek is okay, but their D is good already.

I don't think it matters anymore if you're desirable or not. I think this is Edmonton's last - or 2nd last year of having players say Diddle no to going there as UFAs. Soon, players will play wherever they can get a spot - and a guaranteed contract.

i'm not sure how many offers cam got but i would of liked him better over kovalev. i think with komy is that i think he was pissed that he never got a contract offer during the year and that coupled with the questioning of his play in the later half of the season made him not want to come back. some players need job security and need to know ahead of time were they will play next year. gainbey never gives contracts during the year(well he did with andre K) and that's his major downfall. he could of kept streit for 3.2 if he would ofdone that. but no.... gainey is a very flawed GM.

I agree. He's made some very questionable moves in his tenure with the Habs. Although it's tough to think straight with a gun to your head.

Not to mention that Habs fans appear to be completely illogical in how a team should be run (and I'm speaking from experience- not intending to stereotype the entire fanbase).

Gainey is under INTENSE scrutiny and pressure in Montreal. As much as I'd hate to play under that kind of microscope- imagine how someone in charge of the makeup of the team must feel?

Flo The Action wrote:
i'm not sure how many offers cam got but i would of liked him better over kovalev. i think with komy is that i think he was pissed that he never got a contract offer during the year and that coupled with the questioning of his play in the later half of the season made him not want to come back. some players need job security and need to know ahead of time were they will play next year. gainbey never gives contracts during the year(well he did with andre K) and that's his major downfall. he could of kept streit for 3.2 if he would ofdone that. but no.... gainey is a very flawed GM.

Cammerlerri said it was between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, but Montreal was prepared to give him the longest term. Also, reportedly Murray pulled out at 5.5. million. Good move IMO - although, I would have liked to have him, that's getting expensive.

Any progress on this pending transaction?

Neely4Life wrote:Wont get that for Kessel. A roster player and a 1st, MAYBE. Boston HAS to move him, Ottawa doesnt have to move Heatley... big difference there.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08022009/sports/moresports/early_bucks_do_players_no_favors_in_the__182553.htm?page=0

If they did then I think Murray could get what he wants for a proven player in Heatley.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Flo The Action wrote:
i'm not sure how many offers cam got but i would of liked him better over kovalev. i think with komy is that i think he was pissed that he never got a contract offer during the year and that coupled with the questioning of his play in the later half of the season made him not want to come back. some players need job security and need to know ahead of time were they will play next year. gainbey never gives contracts during the year(well he did with andre K) and that's his major downfall. he could of kept streit for 3.2 if he would ofdone that. but no.... gainey is a very flawed GM.

Cammerlerri said it was between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, but Montreal was prepared to give him the longest term. Also, reportedly Murray pulled out at 5.5. million. Good move IMO - although, I would have liked to have him, that's getting expensive.

i was also hoping we'd get him... i don't think he'll have his best year to date this year but he'll net 35.

Flo The Action wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote::^^^^: You're right actually. If not for Sather, who could we continuously laugh at? Gainey for paying a top prospect for Gomez I guess...

i know everybody thinks gainey made a mistake with gomez but you have to understand the reputation montreal has. i thinbk it was perfectly orchestrated. they got him before july 1st kicked in and then look what happened, they managed to sign gionta, camelleri, spacek... montreal is not a prime destintion in the NHL, hockey players dread playing cuz the media and fans are so heavy on them. i think they had to show they were going for a major shake-up in order to get anybody there.
personaly i think higgins was a bum, kovalev has questionable ethics(i know yea we got him ) voivu wasn't the same for a few years plus often injured, tanguay was also often injured and overpriced and komisarek had enough of the pressure. i think gainey did what was best and got what was available to him. i'm not sure he's done either.
i don't think this cuzi live in MTL cuz before this i thought the guy was a baffoon, and should of got slacked a long time ago. he's standing on one leg now and he better hope no one comes along and kicks the other one. if they deal halak and price sinks again that will be the kick.

Pretty accurate perspective, Flo...Montreal is a meat grinder for hockey players and hockey executives. When I lived there, hearing hockey 24x7 in English AND French was fun for me as a hockey addict, but for the pros it can be hell.

I think it was Higgins who said he might be out having dinner and fans would just walk up to him and tell him what they thought. Yuck.

And let's be real about it...a young, good looking hockey star with money to burn in a party town like Montreal? Jeez, how do these guys keep their concentration on the game when they can score round the clock?

Montreal AND New York have similar issues in this respect. Having lived in both cities, I can say that hockey fans there have NO reservations about making their feelings known...and those feelings can be downright vicious.

You think people on this forum trash Sather and Gainey? Try checking out what they say on hockey forums--and radio call in shows--in New York and Montreal. Ugly doesn't even begin to describe it.

So, the residual effect on a team is that they have to work harder to convince players to come there, and consequently have to shell out more cash to secure their services.

Not to mention the onerous taxation in the Province of Quebec and the outrageous cost of living in New York.

So when fans here want to ask themselves why Gainey and Sather do the things they do, they might want to remember these guys are constantly taking arrows in the chest while dodging bullets.

By the way, do any of you remember what the Habs and Rangers were like BEFORE Gainey and Sather were in charge?

PS Flo...do not anger The Hockey Gods, for their wrath be mighty...and they do not smite with a small stick...

Sather has dodged a lot more the bullets Dave. It's nothing short of a miracle he still has his job in NY. If Lundqvist didnt come into NY, The Rags would be working on their 11th or 12th straight playoff free year. They caught lightning in the bottle there and cant do anything else except let him play 60 plus games and hope for the best.

Thats Sather's game plan.

Neely4Life wrote:Sather has dodged a lot more the bullets Dave. It's nothing short of a miracle he still has his job in NY. If Lundqvist didnt come into NY, The Rags would be working on their 11th or 12th straight playoff free year. They caught lightning in the bottle there and cant do anything else except let him play 60 plus games and hope for the best.

Thats Sather's game plan.

Neely, my friend, you are correct-a-mundo.

But with Slats, it's more than just about the hockey team. Sather is a one tough SOB who knows how to handle the cutthroat politics of dealing with the Cablevision and Madison Square Garden corporations who own the Rangers.

Believe me, you don't know how brutal that is.

Anyway, Sather doesn't need the money. The guy's rich enough he could put up a million dollar bail bond for his ex-boss Peter Pocklington.

We fans just see the surface.

Tuk Tuk wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:

Tuk Tuk wrote:alot of them are drafted out of high school, which makes them a huge risk.


Not gonna name names, but a certain dman on who rhymes with Pee is a prime example

Dont mistake a stupid draft pick with the majority being a flop.

I never said the majority, but considering players are picked in highschool or early college, its hard to have an accurate read, while CHL players start at 16.

I'm kinda late at this, but one of the good reasons also on why college players take longer to develop is they play way fewer games during a season.

Another good point.

rooneypoo wrote:

Neely4Life wrote:He ruined it signing Gaborik, but that deal was heavily in NYR's favour.

LOL. Yeah, I agree there, didn't take him long to Diddle that up. I think Gaborik's an amazing player when healthy -- truly a gifted player and a treat to watch when he's on -- but I don't see at all why you give someone so injury prone such a long, huge deal.

Anyway, as for this SJ thing, all I know is that SJ has to get its books in order before long. They are effectively over the cap at the moment ($57.322 mil -- only by invoking the bonus cushion to they squeak under with a whopping $217K in cap space) and yet the currently only have 10 forwards (2 on ELCs -- Setoguchi and McGinn), 7 D, and 1 goalie.

At minimum, they have to move out one of the bigger D contracts (Ehrhoff seems to likely target) and fill the remaining 3 roster spots (2 forwards, 1 back up goalie) with minimum wage guys, just to sneak under the cap limit and have about $1.5 mil or so left over in cap space for injuries and call ups.

Something has to give there.

As for what OTT can expect in return on a deal with SJ, I think any deal will have to revolve around one young, signed top-6er -- i.e., one of Michalek or Clowe -- and something like a pick or prospect, with another (less desirable) piece being included for cap purposes. Pavelski and Setoguchi would probably fit the bill, too, even though they're heading for RFA status next July, but I get the sense that SJ would be even more reluctant to deal either. Plus, given SJ's cap issues, I'd think they'd opt to move the bigger salaries.

Personally, I'm expecting any deal with SJ to revolve Michalek, which is I think a pretty good start.

Ah, here's the thread in question, I think....

EDIT: Nope, but getting close...

It's ok ROoney, we believe you