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Post by Forum Ghost on Jun 3, 2012 22:21:32 GMT -5
The TSN Insiders mentioned last week that Jordan Staal might be available this summer. I wonder what the board here would think would be a fair deal that the Habs could put together. Jordan is a UFA after this coming season and the Pens are probably not going to be able to keep him, so they'd rather be proactive and shop him now.
I'm guessing a package deal revolving around Plekanec would be enough to get talks started. Pleks would be a perfect 3rd line center on the Pens and could take on Jordan's PK duties. Pleks alone would probably not close the deal, so who else do you guys think we could throw in to make this happen?
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Post by seventeen on Jun 4, 2012 1:15:12 GMT -5
I don't think that's enough of an upgrade for us. Staal is simply Pleks in a bigger body. He might be a better playoff player, but I don't think his scoring instincts are quite as good. In other words, he's not a #1 centre and if you're going to make a splash, better get what you really want. Eric Staal, at Jordan's age, yes, I'd go for it.
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Post by blny on Jun 4, 2012 9:55:26 GMT -5
I don't think Staal is any better than Pleks. He benefits from playing behind two of the best centers in the game, and thus rarely plays against the other teams best imo. He's a good player, but not the best Staal.
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Post by Tankdriver on Jun 4, 2012 11:13:15 GMT -5
Plus I hear the Pens want to keep Crosby and Staal... and see what they can get for Malkin.
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Post by blny on Jun 4, 2012 14:51:33 GMT -5
If it's Malkin, make the call.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jun 4, 2012 16:15:37 GMT -5
I don't think Staal is any better than Pleks. He benefits from playing behind two of the best centers in the game, and thus rarely plays against the other teams best imo. He's a good player, but not the best Staal. Perhaps you need a HD TV. (not a nasty cheap shot and not to be taken personally) Stall is a big strong stud, #1 center on most teams (24 teams?) Pleks is a very good two way player who had one excellent year and some good ones. He doesn't control and dominate like Stall does. He doesn't control the boards in the offensive zone and make sharp passes to open players. Saying Staal is better doesn't imply that Pleks is a dud, but I do think Staal brings more to the table. |
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Post by Skilly on Jun 4, 2012 17:23:40 GMT -5
If they can't afford to keep Staal, how much do they expect him to be worth if they can take on 5 million in the form of Plekanec?
I'd offer them Lars Eller. Cheap and lots of potential.
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Post by blny on Jun 4, 2012 18:17:38 GMT -5
I don't think Staal is any better than Pleks. He benefits from playing behind two of the best centers in the game, and thus rarely plays against the other teams best imo. He's a good player, but not the best Staal. Perhaps you need a HD TV. (not a nasty cheap shot and not to be taken personally) Stall is a big strong stud, #1 center on most teams (24 teams?) Pleks is a very good two way player who had one excellent year and some good ones. He doesn't control and dominate like Stall does. He doesn't control the boards in the offensive zone and make sharp passes to open players. Saying Staal is better doesn't imply that Pleks is a dud, but I do think Staal brings more to the table. My tv is just fine. We're all entitled to our opinion. I watch Staal play, and I don't see a player who'd produce substantially more points with first line minutes. |
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Post by PTH on Jun 6, 2012 23:01:54 GMT -5
If they can't afford to keep Staal, how much do they expect him to be worth if they can take on 5 million in the form of Plekanec? I'd offer them Lars Eller. Cheap and lots of potential. Eller, our 1st rounder and one of Beaulieu or Tinordi ? That's the kind of package it'll take... (IMO) |
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Post by seventeen on Jun 6, 2012 23:42:56 GMT -5
Way too expensive. We're solving a CAP problem for them. At best, our 1st rounder alone, but I'm not convinced the guy we take won't be just as good if not better than J Staal.
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Post by clear observer on Jun 7, 2012 11:02:02 GMT -5
Way too expensive. We're solving a CAP problem for them. At best, our 1st rounder alone, but I'm not convinced the guy we take won't be just as good if not better than J Staal. ^^^ This. I'll add that I shudder to think where this team would have been over the past few seasons WITHOUT the marvelous 2-way play of Tomas Plekanec. Far too many, IMO, take his contributions for granted. He's a hell of a hockey player and one I would not trade straight-up for the "Pocket Stall". |
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Post by Boston_Habs on Jun 7, 2012 16:09:22 GMT -5
Jordan Staal is everything we could hope for from Lars Eller, but he is a UFA after next season so that reduces his trade value a lot, IMO. One year of Jordan Staal is fine if he's the difference in making a Cup run, but he's not going to make a huge difference given where we are starting from.
Staal is in the same position as Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry - guys in their late 20s that will get BIG offers once they go UFA. I can't think of any circumstance where they would sign a long-term deal with a new team and forego the option of free agency.
That said, the guy I would LOVE in here is Corey Perry. I think he would INSTANTLY solve our secondary scoring problems and just about make us a contender right away. I would almost, almost, deal away our #3 pick for a year of Corey Perry (he's a UFA after next year). Sounds crazy, I know, but what if we go on this huge run and he ends up loving it here and signing long-term? Hey, a guy can dream?
Pacioretty/DD/Cole
Perry/Pleks/Gionta
Bourque/Eller/Leblanc
Darche//White/Gallagher
Bury Gomez. Pleky would wet his pants at the prospect of playing with a real scorer. That would be 2 lines that can bury pucks with consistency, and a solid line with Eller, Leblanc, and Bourque.
Throw in a healthy Markov and that's a 100-point team right there.
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Post by Doc Holliday on Jun 7, 2012 18:00:57 GMT -5
While we could say that Pleks and Staal 2-way savvy are somewhat comparable, the comparison stops there IMO. Staal is bigger, tougher and contrary to Pleks he steps up in big games and isn't intimidated in physical contests. Plus we tend to forget that Staal is only 23... Same as (ahem) Lars Eller and already plays with the poise of a seasoned veteran. He'd give us the big skilled physical presence we badly need down the middle.
I would guess the price would be Eller plus our first (or one of Tinordi, Beaulieu).
The Staal acquisition would allow us to deal Plekanec for some help on the wings or on D. Leblanc could then take the 3rd center spot.
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Post by Forum Ghost on Jun 7, 2012 21:53:33 GMT -5
I think Staal is a huge upgrade on Pleks. This is not a criticism of Pleks, but more a credit to how good a hockey player Staal is. I also think that Staal's offence is under appreciated. On Pittsburgh, he's been able to consistently chip in around 50 pts without being on the #1 PP unit, or having the team's best wingers. He would give the Habs a huge shot in the arm and is the type of player this team has been lacking for years.
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Post by Boston_Habs on Jun 8, 2012 8:26:49 GMT -5
I would guess the price would be Eller plus our first (or one of Tinordi, Beaulieu). For one year of Jordan Staal? |
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Post by madhabber on Jun 8, 2012 9:31:08 GMT -5
I think Staal is a huge upgrade on Pleks. This is not a criticism of Pleks, but more a credit to how good a hockey player Staal is. I also think that Staal's offence is under appreciated. On Pittsburgh, he's been able to consistently chip in around 50 pts without being on the #1 PP unit, or having the team's best wingers. He would give the Habs a huge shot in the arm and is the type of player this team has been lacking for years. Don't forget that being on Pittsburgh's third line, he usually plays against opposing teams' 2nd and 3rd pairing. Makes a big difference going into Boston and getting on the ice and playing against McQuade or Corvo rather than Chara. Even against Montreal, he plays against Kaberle/Diaz/Emelin/Weber rather than PK and Gorges. Most of Plekanec's points the past few years were against opposing team's top defensive players. I think Staal is overrated. He played the 2nd line most of the season, he does get some time with Crosby and/or Malkin when Pittsburgh is looking offense in a tight game. I think people tend to downplay his position on the roster a lot. He is still the 4th best forward in Pittsburgh. He plays on a team which scored 273 goals this year. How many points does he get on a team which scored 207. You talk about his linemates, if he had been in Montreal this year, he would have played in Plek's spot with Bourque, Moen, Darche, Gomez, Eller, Cammellari, Gionta, Kostitsyn, Leblanc, Blunden, etc. 50 points this year. That's what he got. A career year. That's a long way to go still to get the career year of Plekanec of 70 and 69 in another season. |
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Post by IamCanadiens on Jun 10, 2012 15:52:41 GMT -5
I like Staal. He's a heck of a player but I don't think he'd be worth it. First off, it would take a lot to obtain him. Secondly, in order to keep him around long term we'd have to overpay. Is it really worth signing him to a huge contract when in all likelihood he'll average well below a point per game? I think he'd be a lightning rod for criticism.
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Post by GNick99 on Jun 16, 2012 13:38:35 GMT -5
The TSN Insiders mentioned last week that Jordan Staal might be available this summer. I wonder what the board here would think would be a fair deal that the Habs could put together. Jordan is a UFA after this coming season and the Pens are probably not going to be able to keep him, so they'd rather be proactive and shop him now. I'm guessing a package deal revolving around Plekanec would be enough to get talks started. Pleks would be a perfect 3rd line center on the Pens and could take on Jordan's PK duties. Pleks alone would probably not close the deal, so who else do you guys think we could throw in to make this happen? I don't know...Staal can walk after one year. Too risky as it stands now. Try again after July 1st when we can sign Staal to an extension |
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