G Martin Gerber officially put on Waivers

http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20090121/SPORTS/90121039

Ottawa Senators assistant general manager Tim Murray said Wednesday night that goaltender Martin Gerber will head back to Ottawa and will be placed on waivers Thursday. Should Gerber clear the 24-hour waiver period, Murray said he will then sit down and talk with Ottawa management about his options, which could include catching on with a European team or possibly returning to the American Hockey League's Binghamton Senators.

So, they will make a push for the playoffs with Elliott...?

This is essentially a paper exercise. Nobody will actually move from where they currently are.

Nobody is going to pick Gerber up - if you offer him up in trade for essentially nothing, and get no takers, then who is going to pick him up off waivers?

There is also little benefit to this move in the short term, other than giving Elliot some NHL experience in preparation for next season. Waiving Gerber saves no money, unless he's reassigned to the KHL or European leagues (unlikely at this point in the season). So Gerber stays in the AHL, and Elliot stays here, which adds to the cap hit.

Ottawa won't make the playoffs, but Bingo might, so Gerber might be a useful backup (to Glass? ugh - there's a sad 1-2 combo...). Other than an injury call-up, we may have seen our last game with Gerber in an Ottawa uniform.

Acrobat wrote:This is essentially a paper exercise. Nobody will actually move from where they currently are.

Nobody is going to pick Gerber up - if you offer him up in trade for essentially nothing, and get no takers, then who is going to pick him up off waivers?

There is also little benefit to this move in the short term, other than giving Elliot some NHL experience in preparation for next season. Waiving Gerber saves no money, unless he's reassigned to the KHL or European leagues (unlikely at this point in the season). So Gerber stays in the AHL, and Elliot stays here, which adds to the cap hit.

Ottawa won't make the playoffs, but Bingo might, so Gerber might be a useful backup (to Glass? ugh - there's a sad 1-2 combo...). Other than an injury call-up, we may have seen our last game with Gerber in an Ottawa uniform.

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Doesn't save any money, but it does save us Gerber's cap hit.

http://www.ottawasun.com/Sports/Senators/2009/01/22/8108941.html

Martin Gerber will most likely be waived today. He's coming off a 3-0 win over John Paddock's Philly Phantom's. His 'stint' is apparently over.

That was a very short 2 weeks.

It is believed a team in Germany or Sweden have shown interest in Gerber, but he will need to be waived before he can be loaned.

Do any of you think he will be picked up in the NHL or is this it for him?

I think his time is done in the NHL. The early waiving only makes sense if it's to loan him to a European club.

Going to a European club is hardly "it". He can get back to enjoying hockey and earn a very nice living doing so.

Godspeed Tinu.

Huh...interesting. May I be so bald as to ask why we're doing this now? Bingo needs the starting goaltending more than we need to save 1.6 million dollars I'm sure. The ramifications on the young guys missing the playoffs versus playing deep into the playoffs are major - and are worth the $$ IMO.

Brian Elliott won't be returning to play in the American Hockey League's All-Star Classic, Ottawa assistant GM Tim Murray said after Binghamton's 3-0 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

Elliott was voted the starting goalie for the Canadian Team, but has since been recalled to Ottawa, where he's made the last five starts for the big club, winning three of them.

"He's not playing there," Murray said. "He's part of our team. ... There's no possible way that we can send him down here to play in the All-Star game, and then have one goaltender if (Martin Gerber) gets picked up on waivers or whatever the case may be. He's part of the team now, and he's no longer an American League hockey player as of now."

504Heater wrote:Huh...interesting. May I be so bald as to ask why we're doing this now? Bingo needs the starting goaltending more than we need to save 1.6 million dollars I'm sure. The ramifications on the young guys missing the playoffs versus playing deep into the playoffs are major - and are worth the $$ IMO.

I think Murray would prefer Gerber in the minors because of the lack of depth. Europe is an option but I think Murray is giving Gerber the opportunity to decide where he wants to be.

Murray to Gerber: "Would you rather play at home and get away from all this or stay and ride the bus but maybe play in some AHL playoff games. Its the least I can do for you after you have been such a good team player."

Phoenix30 wrote:
I think Murray would prefer Gerber in the minors because of the lack of depth. Europe is an option but I think Murray is giving Gerber the opportunity to decide where he wants to be.

Murray to Gerber: "Would you rather play at home and get away from all this or stay and ride the bus but maybe play in some AHL playoff games. Its the least I can do for you after you have been such a good team player."

Fair enough.

Phoenix30 wrote:

504Heater wrote:Huh...interesting. May I be so bald as to ask why we're doing this now? Bingo needs the starting goaltending more than we need to save 1.6 million dollars I'm sure. The ramifications on the young guys missing the playoffs versus playing deep into the playoffs are major - and are worth the $$ IMO.

I think Murray would prefer Gerber in the minors because of the lack of depth. Europe is an option but I think Murray is giving Gerber the opportunity to decide where he wants to be.

Murray to Gerber: "Would you rather play at home and get away from all this or stay and ride the bus but maybe play in some AHL playoff games. Its the least I can do for you after you have been such a good team player."

I just don't understand why it's being done now and not at the end of his 2 week conditioning stint. If it's being done early I would think there's a reason. The only reasonable ones are 1 - A trade is coming and they need that Cap room NOW.

2 - A European team has informed them they'd like to pick him up.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:
I just don't understand why it's being done now and not at the end of his 2 week conditioning stint. If it's being done early I would think there's a reason. The only reasonable ones are 1 - A trade is coming and they need that Cap room NOW.

2 - A European team has informed them they'd like to pick him up.

That's the one. We don't need cap room for a trade I don't think.

I agree Heater but one can hope right? It'd be nice to hear some big time rumours.

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:
I think Murray would prefer Gerber in the minors because of the lack of depth. Europe is an option but I think Murray is giving Gerber the opportunity to decide where he wants to be.

Murray to Gerber: "Would you rather play at home and get away from all this or stay and ride the bus but maybe play in some AHL playoff games. Its the least I can do for you after you have been such a good team player."

Fair enough.

I wonder though if Gerber gets picked up off waivers or if not goes overseas if Murray does have a back up plan. The only goalie I can think of is O'keefe in the ECHL.

Oh just noticed Mitch O'Keefe was recalled from the ECHL.

Phoenix30 wrote:

504Heater wrote:

Phoenix30 wrote:
I think Murray would prefer Gerber in the minors because of the lack of depth. Europe is an option but I think Murray is giving Gerber the opportunity to decide where he wants to be.

Murray to Gerber: "Would you rather play at home and get away from all this or stay and ride the bus but maybe play in some AHL playoff games. Its the least I can do for you after you have been such a good team player."

Fair enough.

I wonder though if Gerber gets picked up off waivers or if not goes overseas if Murray does have a back up plan. The only goalie I can think of is O'keefe in the ECHL.

Oh just noticed Mitch O'Keefe was recalled from the ECHL.

Hmmm...Could be nothing I suppose. I wonder if thats standard procedure when your goalie is placed on Waivers and you only technically have one goalie on the team?