NHL Free Agent Frenzy 2013 - Melnyk's Budget Edition

Diddle, I love that picture of Baby King. I'm using it as my avatar!

Hoags wrote:
If they are targeting Clarkson they must have others in mind.  There is no way they are only set on one player.

Don't forget Clarkson is from Toronto, although who knows if he wants to play there.

Murray said he has "a" target in mind, and he told Melnyk who it is, and Melnyk said go ahead. I listened to the press conference. I will take Murray's words above your own, no offense. It is dumb to go and sign someone else as a "consolation prize" if you miss your true target.

tim1_2 wrote:

Hoags wrote:
If they are targeting Clarkson they must have others in mind.  There is no way they are only set on one player.

Don't forget Clarkson is from Toronto, although who knows if he wants to play there.

Murray said he has "a" target in mind, and he told Melnyk who it is, and Melnyk said go ahead.  I listened to the press conference.  I will take Murray's words above your own, no offense.  It is dumb to go and sign someone else as a "consolation prize" if you miss your true target.

That's how we ended up with Kovalev, I bet.

tim1_2 wrote:

Hoags wrote:
If they are targeting Clarkson they must have others in mind.  There is no way they are only set on one player.

Don't forget Clarkson is from Toronto, although who knows if he wants to play there.

Murray said he has "a" target in mind, and he told Melnyk who it is, and Melnyk said go ahead.  I listened to the press conference.  I will take Murray's words above your own, no offense.  It is dumb to go and sign someone else as a "consolation prize" if you miss your true target.

No, no. Guaranteed Murray has more than one target. Unless he hates the rest of the UFA class - which I guess is possible - you don't target one guy.

Kovalev was allegedly a Melynk signing more than a Murray one.

Hoags wrote:

NEELY wrote:Whether the Sens sign Clarkson or not, it's not important.  Murray has a target, it's Clarkson.  If he doesn't sign Clarkson he won't do the Toronto thing or the Philly thing and sign someone just to sign them and he shouldn't.  This is the best managed team in the NHL, simple as that.

If they are targeting Clarkson they must have others in mind.  There is no way they are only set on one player.

Don't forget Clarkson is from Toronto, although who knows if he wants to play there.

The Sens need one, MAYBE 2 players to put them over the top. They believe it's Clarkson so why would you go out and get Ryder after that or anyone of that sort? Clarkson's first NHL invite was Ottawa and he's good friends with Spezza... see we can do that too.

It's Clarkson or bust and everyone should be fine with that.

SpezDispenser wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

Hoags wrote:
If they are targeting Clarkson they must have others in mind.  There is no way they are only set on one player.

Don't forget Clarkson is from Toronto, although who knows if he wants to play there.

Murray said he has "a" target in mind, and he told Melnyk who it is, and Melnyk said go ahead.  I listened to the press conference.  I will take Murray's words above your own, no offense.  It is dumb to go and sign someone else as a "consolation prize" if you miss your true target.

No, no. Guaranteed Murray has more than one target. Unless he hates the rest of the UFA class - which I guess is possible - you don't target one guy.

I would agree that Murray probably has more than one player in mind, but I don't think that it's a case where, if we miss out on Clarkson, we immediately turn to Player B. If we can't add a top tier forward like Clarkson, Murray may very well want to stick with his current group. Maybe if we don't get Clarkson, then we add a depth player...not someone we would use in the same manner as Clarkson.

tim1_2 wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

tim1_2 wrote:

Hoags wrote:
If they are targeting Clarkson they must have others in mind.  There is no way they are only set on one player.

Don't forget Clarkson is from Toronto, although who knows if he wants to play there.

Murray said he has "a" target in mind, and he told Melnyk who it is, and Melnyk said go ahead.  I listened to the press conference.  I will take Murray's words above your own, no offense.  It is dumb to go and sign someone else as a "consolation prize" if you miss your true target.

No, no.  Guaranteed Murray has more than one target.  Unless he hates the rest of the UFA class - which I guess is possible - you don't target one guy.

I would agree that Murray probably has more than one player in mind, but I don't think that it's a case where, if we miss out on Clarkson, we immediately turn to Player B.  If we can't add a top tier forward like Clarkson, Murray may very well want to stick with his current group.  Maybe if we don't get Clarkson, then we add a depth player...not someone we would use in the same manner as Clarkson.

Yeah, it would presumably be someone they have close to on par with Clarkson, but it certainly sounds like they want Clarkie.

tim1_2 wrote:
Murray said he has "a" target in mind, and he told Melnyk who it is, and Melnyk said go ahead.  I listened to the press conference.  I will take Murray's words above your own, no offense.  It is dumb to go and sign someone else as a "consolation prize" if you miss your true target.

Murray says a lot of things.  At the draft I think he said we're not signing any free agents at all, he was talking trades.

We'll see what happens, I doubt he will advertise all his plans to the media as well.

GMs usually have multiple offers and balls in the air.  I am sure he has options and I am sure new options will open up once teams sign or strike out on free agents signings.

NEELY wrote:
The Sens need one, MAYBE 2 players to put them over the top.  They believe it's Clarkson so why would you go out and get Ryder after that or anyone of that sort?  Clarkson's first NHL invite was Ottawa and he's good friends with Spezza... see we can do that too.

It's Clarkson or bust and everyone should be fine with that.

For a big name FA signing, Clarkson seems to be the target.  Who knows what other options and trade scenarios open up later ? Things can change at the drop of a hat.

The trade for Methot only came about after the deal for Nash fell through.

SpezDispenser wrote:Diddle, I love that picture of Baby King.  I'm using it as my avatar!  

Solid.

The other thing is if Clarkson doesn't land in Ottawa he lands in Toronto and that's a guy you dont want to play 6-13 times a year. If you have to over pay based on that a little too it's money well spent.

NEELY wrote:The other thing is if Clarkson doesn't land in Ottawa he lands in Toronto and that's a guy you dont want to play 6-13 times a year.  If you have to over pay based on that a little too it's money well spent.  

yeah I really don't want him in Toronto.

Yep. Maybe we get into a bidding war with Ol' Bluey and at the very least make them OVER-overpay!

Kinda like how Dave Hester would run up the price of storage units on poor old Jarrod and Brandy.

SeawaySensFan wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:Diddle, I love that picture of Baby King.  I'm using it as my avatar!  

Solid.

I laughed. That's damn cute.

NEELY wrote:The other thing is if Clarkson doesn't land in Ottawa he lands in Toronto and that's a guy you dont want to play 6-13 times a year.  If you have to over pay based on that a little too it's money well spent.  

Working off Bickells deal (again) plus a premium for being a UFA, plus a premium for keeping him away from rivals, you're looking at about 6 schmill. I don't mind the price but I'm not crazy about doing it for more than 4 years...

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Working off Bickells deal (again) plus a premium for being a UFA, plus a premium for keeping him away from rivals, you're looking at about 6 schmill. I don't mind the price but I'm not crazy about doing it for more than 4 years...

I am hoping he doesn't want to play in a circus like Toronto, not that we are much better here.

Hoags wrote:

SeawaySensFan wrote:
Working off Bickells deal (again) plus a premium for being a UFA, plus a premium for keeping him away from rivals, you're looking at about 6 schmill. I don't mind the price but I'm not crazy about doing it for more than 4 years...

I am hoping he doesn't want to play in a circus like Toronto, not that we are much better here.

Oh no you didn't! We're much better here.

Does Scuderi play the right side, because if he does and you can add him and Clarkson, you're HELL to play against.