Gonchar to Ottawa

Dash wrote:ian_mendes




My dealings with Gonchar in the
past have been so pleasant. I always call him the happiest Russian
player in the NHL.

Only Mendez

Can we still sign a cheap forward like Kariya?

Big Ev wrote:Can we still sign a cheap forward like Kariya?

I doubt Murray's done. He's got something up his sleeve.

Dash wrote:wow.... so old though. scares me that it is a 35+ deal.

But the reason he signed with us is the term, nobody else would give it to him. I would rather have a great Gonchar for 2 years and maybe a down 3rd year instead of not having him at all.

Hopefully this shuts people up about no one wanting to come to play in Ottawa. Not ten minutes after he became a UFA, he signed here.

I'm still hoping he can come to terms with Cullen. Or perhaps someone better?

PKC wrote:Hopefully this shuts people up about no one wanting to come to play in Ottawa. Not ten minutes after he became a UFA, he signed here.

Well his #1 destination was to go back to Pittsburgh.

Obviously Ottawa was willing to offer the 3 years, which not many teams were willing to do, and reason is the age factor. Not that he will retire, but the risk of having a huge cap hit for a retired player is a scary thing in the cap world.

Great signing though for sure.

I thought if somebody retires his cap hit goes away?

Big Ev wrote:

PKC wrote:Hopefully this shuts people up about no one wanting to come to play in Ottawa. Not ten minutes after he became a UFA, he signed here.

Well his #1 destination was to go back to Pittsburgh.

Ok. And? What's your point? He wanted to stay with the team he's played with for the last five years. Why wouldn't he? He has a home and family too. It's not like uprooting and moving was his #1 priority.
But he signed here. So I don't get your point.

PKC wrote:

Big Ev wrote:

PKC wrote:Hopefully this shuts people up about no one wanting to come to play in Ottawa. Not ten minutes after he became a UFA, he signed here.

Well his #1 destination was to go back to Pittsburgh.

Ok. And? What's your point? He wanted to stay with the team he's played with for the last five years. Why wouldn't he? He has a home and family too. It's not like uprooting and moving was his #1 priority.
But he signed here. So I don't get your point.

Did N4L change his username to PKC?

JK...but my point was that this wasn't his MOST WANTED destination. Just like Kovalev's wasn't last year. Not a big deal though.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I'm still hoping he can come to terms with Cullen. Or perhaps someone better?

We'd have to move out some salary first. I'm OK, though. We still have Alfie, Spezza, Kovalev, Michalek, Fisher, Regin, Foligno and potentially Butler or Wick to provide scoring. Plus Ruutu - Kelly - Neil is productive.

Gonchar's ability to move the puck to our forwards at ES, and the massive threat he is on the powerplay should help our offence enough to survive losing Cullen.

This is exactly what I wantef. Why sign 2 guys at 3M each when you can get the best guy out there for 5M+.

Big Ev wrote:I thought if somebody retires his cap hit goes away?

a contract made with a player 35 and over is on the cap until it is done if he is to retire after 2 years the third year would be still be on our cap

Murray only had 5.5 to play with WITHOUT Shannon or Lee, so there are some moves coming, but I doubt we do anything else of significance.

Right?

Yup, I don't think there's any need for Cullen now with Gonchar's slapper available. haha man I'm glad I was leaning towards landing gonch more than michalek. THis is super exciting.

I think this takes us out of the running for Michalek though unless there's actually a market for Kuba

Someone please tell me this is a Cussing joke.

Why are you people happy about this?

16.5 million dollars for a 36 year old on the decline. With a NTC no less? I'm glad I don't live in Ottawa and attend games, that way I won't have to see him and Kovalev alternating taking nights off.

Our PP got better today, and our defence got worse.

Remember how happy you were today, because it won't last, especially when you get to see Gonchar's defense.

Brutal. Too much, too old, too long. Worse part is it probably means we are missing out on a right-handed, shot blocking machine with offensive upside entering his prime in Z. Michalek. I would have preferred to overpay Michalek with this money, every day of the week.

EDIT: I guess we'll have a new whipping boy, once Spezza is moved. Unless Murray finds a way to Cuss that up too.

Two things I love about this move:
1- What a role model for Karlsson to learn from.
2- A fellow Russian to wake Kovalev up

I guess this means there's that much less room on that blue line now.
Phillips-Gonchar
Kuba-Karlsson
Campoli-Carkner
Lee

If any one of Cowen, Wiercioch, Gryba make it then Murray has to move Lee, Campoli (I'd rather one of the others be the 7th than Lee)

So that still leaves room to trade for a forward.