GAME DAY: Ottawa Senators @ Edmonton Oilers - 9:30PM EST. Tuesday, March 10, 2010

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:Do you think that 5.4 million dollar asking price is legit?

No way, do you? I would say more like 4.5 (Komisarek).

Asking prices tend to creep up year after year though. Maybe they ask for 5.4 and hope for a counter offer of 4.7?

Good luck to him in all his endeavors.

Seriously, signing him for that kind of cash long term in insane and stupid. Volchankov is a nice player, he isnt special by anymeans. Making about the same as Alfi? No shot.

SpezDispenser wrote:I haven't done this for a while...

Here's what I came up with, assuming Campoli and Regin take qualifying offers, thanks to the Capgeek Cap Calculator:

(Gone: Winchester, Sutton, Zack Smith in Bingo)

Milan Michalek ($4.333m) / Jason Spezza ($7.000m) / Daniel Alfredsson ($4.875m)
Nick Foligno ($1.100m) / Mike Fisher ($4.200m) / Alexei Kovalev ($5.000m)
Ryan Shannon ($0.625m) / Matt Cullen ($3.000m) / Chris Kelly ($2.125m)
Jarkko Ruutu ($1.300m) / Peter Regin ($0.607m) /Chris Neil ($2.000m)
DEFENSEMEN
Anton Volchenkov ($4.000m) / Filip Kuba ($3.700m)
Chris Phillips ($3.500m) / Erik Karlsson ($1.300m)
Brian Lee ($0.875m) / Matt Carkner ($0.700m)
Chris Campoli ($0.668m)
GOALTENDERS
Pascal Leclaire ($3.800m) / Brian Elliott ($0.850m)

ROSTER: 21; PAYROLL: $56.821m; CAP ROOM: $0.404m BONUSES: $0.425m

I don't think the bonus is in the cap, so we would actually be about 21K over the cap

Yeah, I love Volchenkov, always have and always will. He probably saved a goal last night by being in such amazing position to not only block a shot, but to transition the puck to the forwards. But...there's simply no chance we can afford anything over 4, let alone 5+. In this NHL, if you pay someone like A-Train that kind of money, you're a dead man in a couple of years. That's the long and the short IMO, we cannot do it.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I haven't done this for a while...

Here's what I came up with, assuming Campoli and Regin take qualifying offers, thanks to the Capgeek Cap Calculator:

Don't forget about Cheechoo, Alfie's buyout (700K), Emery's buyout (something arother). The 3 buyouts added up to 2.3 million, that much I remember.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:I haven't done this for a while...

Here's what I came up with, assuming Campoli and Regin take qualifying offers, thanks to the Capgeek Cap Calculator:

Don't forget about Cheechoo, Alfie's buyout (700K), Emery's buyout (something arother). The 3 buyouts added up to 2.3 million, that much I remember.

Cheechoo is off the cap since he's in Bingo and the calculator accounts for the buyouts. Frankly, I don't think Campoli or Regin accept qualifying offers anyway. Realistically, I think we lose Cullen, Sutton and possibly Winchester and Smith and his miniscule contract draw into the lineup.

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Cheechoo is off the cap since he's in Bingo and the calculator accounts for the buyouts. Frankly, I don't think Campoli or Regin accept qualifying offers anyway. Realistically, I think we lose Cullen, Sutton and possibly Winchester and Smith and his miniscule contract draw into the lineup.

I think there's some work to be done on the RFAs to make sure they're happy and we're happy, but it'll be fine. My preference would be to not lose Sutton or Cullen obviously, so we'll have to see what we can do to make that happen.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Cheechoo is off the cap since he's in Bingo and the calculator accounts for the buyouts. Frankly, I don't think Campoli or Regin accept qualifying offers anyway. Realistically, I think we lose Cullen, Sutton and possibly Winchester and Smith and his miniscule contract draw into the lineup.

I think there's some work to be done on the RFAs to make sure they're happy and we're happy, but it'll be fine. My preference would be to not lose Sutton or Cullen obviously, so we'll have to see what we can do to make that happen.

Saying "peace" to Jesse Winchester obviously won't cut it. Savings have to come from somewhere else. Wouldn't you be pissed to think that both Cullen and Sutton could be retained for the same cap hit as Volchenkov and, well, just him actually?

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Saying "peace" to Jesse Winchester obviously won't cut it. Savings have to come from somewhere else. Wouldn't you be pissed to think that both Cullen and Sutton could be retained for the same cap hit as Volchenkov and, well, just him actually?

Yes I would. The question turns at that point to:

Would you keep Sutton and Cullen over Volchenkov + Winchester?

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Saying "peace" to Jesse Winchester obviously won't cut it. Savings have to come from somewhere else. Wouldn't you be pissed to think that both Cullen and Sutton could be retained for the same cap hit as Volchenkov and, well, just him actually?

Yes I would. The question turns at that point to:

Would you keep Sutton and Cullen over Volchenkov + Winchester?

Absolutely.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Saying "peace" to Jesse Winchester obviously won't cut it. Savings have to come from somewhere else. Wouldn't you be pissed to think that both Cullen and Sutton could be retained for the same cap hit as Volchenkov and, well, just him actually?

Yes I would. The question turns at that point to:

Would you keep Sutton and Cullen over Volchenkov + Winchester?

Absolutely.

These two guys seem to genuinely like it here - although obviously it's not a given that they want to re-sign here, but I would take those two over Volchenkov + as well. I like the energy Sutton and Cullen brings. The more important of the two would be Sutton to me personally though, especially if we're gonna lose A-Train.

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Saying "peace" to Jesse Winchester obviously won't cut it. Savings have to come from somewhere else. Wouldn't you be pissed to think that both Cullen and Sutton could be retained for the same cap hit as Volchenkov and, well, just him actually?

Yes I would. The question turns at that point to:

Would you keep Sutton and Cullen over Volchenkov + Winchester?

Absolutely.

These two guys seem to genuinely like it here - although obviously it's not a given that they want to re-sign here, but I would take those two over Volchenkov + as well. I like the energy Sutton and Cullen brings. The more important of the two would be Sutton to me personally though, especially if we're gonna lose A-Train.

I would 100% keep Sutton and Cullen over Volch. Question is though, what do we do with our blueline? We replace our #2 defenceman with a number 4-6? Can Karlsson play top-pairing minutes? Is he big enough? I'd like to see Kuba get traded somehow, but then our experience on the b-line is shot.

I wouldn't be shocked if Kelly gets traded. Him or Ruuttu anyway. Maybe someone will take a chance on Cheechoo next year too. I'd prefer not to buy him out. Would Melnyk be okay with burying his salary in the minors? Probably if it meant ticket sales go up for fielding a more competitive team. Grand scheme of things what's $3 million if it means a spike of ticket sales here and in Bingo.

I think Murray will end up moving Leclaire and have Elliott/Brodeur run the show until Lehner is ready. Philly the most likely destination.

Michalek-Spezza-Alfie
Cullen-Fisher-Kovalev
Foligno-Regin-Shannon
Ruuttu-Smith-Neil

Philips-Karlsson
Coburn-Sutton
Carkner-Lee
Cowen

Sutton can be a 2nd pairing guy from what I've seen, he's only a small notch below A-Train. Kuba is going nowhere I don't think, at this point he's the guy to bolster the 2nd pairing with Phillips (or some semblance of that).

I doubt Ruutu would get trade, Kelly maybe, but not Ruutu, he's awesome for the $$.

As for Karlsson, he's a top pairing guy next year without a doubt IMO.

SpezDispenser wrote:Sutton can be a 2nd pairing guy from what I've seen, he's only a small notch below A-Train. Kuba is going nowhere I don't think, at this point he's the guy to bolster the 2nd pairing with Phillips (or some semblance of that).

I doubt Ruutu would get trade, Kelly maybe, but not Ruutu, he's awesome for the $$.

As for Karlsson, he's a top pairing guy next year without a doubt IMO.

I disagree. Sutton does everything A-Train does and more. So far the best pairings I've seen this season have been Sutton - Karlsson, Phillips - Karlsson and Campoli - Karlsson in that order.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Sutton can be a 2nd pairing guy from what I've seen, he's only a small notch below A-Train. Kuba is going nowhere I don't think, at this point he's the guy to bolster the 2nd pairing with Phillips (or some semblance of that).

I doubt Ruutu would get trade, Kelly maybe, but not Ruutu, he's awesome for the $$.

As for Karlsson, he's a top pairing guy next year without a doubt IMO.

I disagree. Sutton does everything A-Train does and more. So far the best pairings I've seen this season have been Sutton - Karlsson, Phillips - Karlsson and Campoli - Karlsson in that order.

Does he? I'm actually not sure if Sutton is as good as Volchenkov. I'm really not sure at all, it's a heck of a lot close than I ever dreamed though, that's for sure.

I dont think Sutton is a notch below A Train at all, in fact he may be a tad bit better.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Sutton can be a 2nd pairing guy from what I've seen, he's only a small notch below A-Train. Kuba is going nowhere I don't think, at this point he's the guy to bolster the 2nd pairing with Phillips (or some semblance of that).

I doubt Ruutu would get trade, Kelly maybe, but not Ruutu, he's awesome for the $$.

As for Karlsson, he's a top pairing guy next year without a doubt IMO.

I disagree. Sutton does everything A-Train does and more. So far the best pairings I've seen this season have been Sutton - Karlsson, Phillips - Karlsson and Campoli - Karlsson in that order.

I think I see a pattern there, can't quite put my finger on it though...

N4L wrote:I dont think Sutton is a notch below A Train at all, in fact he may be a tad bit better.

I think so too - right now. Can he sustain this level of play for an entire year- or years? A-Train has.