GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Winnipeg Jets :: 3:00pm ET :: Sat. Mar. 8th, 2014

SpezDispenser wrote:Meh, there are prospects who could put up the numbers Michalek put up this year easily.  Hoffman, Stone, Pageau, Da Costa.  Put them in a position to succeed like Michalek was in and by this point I bet they'd have better goal totals.

Michalek's knee looked done earlier in the season.  If it's back to 100%, then perhaps you take a 1 year chance, but you don't pay too much, that's for sure.

wprager wrote:NEELY you're being a bit one-sided in this argument.  You're basically saying that if you don't re-sign Michalek then you're also not re-signing Hemsky (no-one said that) and then you lose Ryan and MacArthur so Stone has to score 25-35 goals.  Looks like you dragged that argument to the top of the hill and then just let it fly from there.

All anyone is saying (and, to be clear, I have not thrown my hat into either ring yet) is that they are leery (or outright against) re-signing Michalek given how he played.  Hoffman, if given those top-six and PP minutes, would likely have produced the same or better numbers, as would Stone or Da Costa (not sure I agree on this one).

That's very possibly true.  In any case, Michalek used to be good for 25-30+ goals per year and he is nowhere near that.  We are certainly missing that production and it needs to be replaced.  Are *you* sure that Michalek is the one to replace it?  While I doubt that Hoffman or Stone will replace that production in their first full season, I don't think Michalek would, either.  So if you're keeping him around to provide secondary or even tertiary scoring you better not pay him anything north of $2.5M.

So if you don't re-sign him, then what?  Well, you could try for a UFA or even an RFA.  Or trade for a pending free agent given how many players we have ready for that one-way.

Vandelay wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Meh, there are prospects who could put up the numbers Michalek put up this year easily.  Hoffman, Stone, Pageau, Da Costa.  Put them in a position to succeed like Michalek was in and by this point I bet they'd have better goal totals.

Michalek's knee looked done earlier in the season.  If it's back to 100%, then perhaps you take a 1 year chance, but you don't pay too much, that's for sure.

And there's the rub.  He has gotten better as the year goes on and he's played in every game this year.  He definitely doesn't look like the power forward he has in the past but maybe it's just conditioning and confidence.  Would you rather take the risk with Michalek at 3.5-4 or pay Stastny 6-7 (assuming he makes it to UFA)?

Vandelay wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Meh, there are prospects who could put up the numbers Michalek put up this year easily.  Hoffman, Stone, Pageau, Da Costa.  Put them in a position to succeed like Michalek was in and by this point I bet they'd have better goal totals.

Michalek's knee looked done earlier in the season.  If it's back to 100%, then perhaps you take a 1 year chance, but you don't pay too much, that's for sure.

And there's the rub.  He has gotten better as the year goes on and he's played in every game this year.  He definitely doesn't look like the power forward he has in the past but maybe it's just conditioning and confidence.  Would you rather take the risk with Michalek at 3.5-4 or pay Stastny 6-7 (assuming he makes it to UFA)?

NEELY wrote:
I'm stating the facts.  No top 6 wingers signed beyond next year, that's a fact.  You plan for that kind of thing and despite what some fans hope and wish might happen Stone, Hoffman, Peumpel, Prince, and whoever else might be coming down the pipeline on the wing have not proven to be better players than any of the top 4 right now.  GM's don't make their moves based on hope and faith either.  

As for the 2.5 mil... Michalek isn't a 2.5 million dollar player and I have no idea where you grabbed that number from, he won't be making less than Greening, lol.  Michalek and Hemsky are both around 4-4.5 mil for sure on a 3 or 4 years deal for sure.  

As for trying for a UFA, who is out there that is better than Michalek right now that will come in at the same kind of price?  Pretty much none.  You going to give Moulson 5-6 years at 6 + mil?  Grabovsky? I'm sure Vanek has already packed his bags for Ottawa.  There are absolutely no better options out there right now than Michalek and Hemsky, none.  Sorry, no options that are realistic.

Oglethorpe wrote:I'm inboard with a 2 year deal for MM.  He has stayed healthy and gotten better throughout the year.  Hemsky will likely sign if offered a 3 x 4M contact before the end of the season.  Now the decision on Spezza becomes difficult if you resign both veteran wingers.

wprager wrote:

Oglethorpe wrote:I'm inboard with a 2 year deal for MM.  He has stayed healthy and gotten better throughout the year.  Hemsky will likely sign if offered a 3 x 4M contact before the end of the season.  Now the decision on Spezza becomes difficult if you resign both veteran wingers.

Actually that could be the easiest decision. Spezza's salary is very agreeable to Melnyk, and if the chemistry continues to develop that could be a very good line going forward.  Spezza is 30, so he's not going to get a long extension.  I'd be OK with that -- *if* the chemistry is there.

wprager wrote:The Sens could offer him a 3 year deal.  You really think with his injury issue, the second back surgery and a knee surgery someone is going to offer him a 5 year deal?  If I was him I wouldn't leave town over a year (i.e. not for a 4 year deal over 3).  But, who knows.  In any case, I don't think anyone will offer him more than 4 given his age and health concerns.

SpezDispenser wrote:He'll get a 7 year deal.