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Post by habsorbed on May 17, 2020 15:34:56 GMT -5
Yup. I'd get him on the cheap with NJ retaining salary. Not worried if he's not good in the room as this team ain't competing for a year or two at best. After a year if PK is not meshing then we move him for a lot more than we gave up. Does anyone really think PK couldn't help our top 4 immensely? The real question is what would NJ want and what would the hit be on our cap.
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Post by franko on May 17, 2020 17:20:15 GMT -5
Yup. I'd get him on the cheap with NJ retaining salary. Not worried if he's not good in the room as this team ain't competing for a year or two at best. After a year if PK is not meshing then we move him for a lot more than we gave up. Does anyone really think PK couldn't help our top 4 immensely? The real question is what would NJ want and what would the hit be on our cap. well that's hilarious. NJ retain salary? good one!
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Post by folatre on May 17, 2020 22:43:36 GMT -5
For me Subban is still an above average d-man, but he is like the 999th guy in a hard cap era of the NHL who ends up being evaluated against his cap hit and not measuring up by that standard. That is part of the business and obviously part of the roster architecture issues so there is no point in fighting windmills.
Subban and the Habs? Dollars are going to get tight sooner than many people think. Montreal, with the vets that management seems 95 percent committed to, could not afford to take on Subban at even 50 percent ($4.5 million) of his current cap hit.
Regarding Puljujarvi, I have no idea what Holland wants. As you guys say, he seems to a big kid with decent wheels and a hard shot who does not seem to process the game anywhere near the speed that is required to be an offensive top-6 cog in the best league in the world. And on top of that, there are questions about his attitude and coachability. No doubt there is size and skill there but with 139 NHL games and such meager production no one is going to offer Edmonton a first round pick in the top 20-25. If Montreal's management feels Puljajarvi could come alive in a new environment, an offer of a second rounder plus Ikonen or Evans plus a fourth round pick would be about as rich as I would go.
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Post by seventeen on May 18, 2020 2:10:41 GMT -5
Subban's salary could be $1 a year and Bergevin would never, ever entertain having him on the team. A return by Subban would mean the MB has been told to hit the road. Personally I like the idea, but it has less than the proverbial snowball's chance in hell of ever happening.
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Post by folatre on May 18, 2020 21:33:35 GMT -5
Subban will be 34 years old when he signs his next contract. By the time Bergevin re-signs guys that he considers part of his core, in two years time the Habs will have eight major earners on the roster being 30+ years old. There are also going to be quite a number of players age 23 or younger when 2022-23 begins. Therefore, I continue to think if the Habs want to be contenders it might not be a bad idea to focus on having more lads (impactful ones and preferably larger ones) in that prime age 24-28 range to row the boat when it is time to contend. Montreal does not need more draft picks nor does it need more players on their final NHL contract. Montreal needs more guys in that sweet spot in the middle.
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Post by GNick99 on May 21, 2020 6:38:21 GMT -5
Hockey is debatable, for me Montreal with or without Dadonov is a playoff bubble team on paper. Unlike the Penguins and Blue Jackets of the league that survived insane roster attrition through injuries, the Habs are in free fall less than two weeks after the injury bug visited. That seems like a team with more bottom five potential than deep playoff run potential. Not going to see another Cup in Montreal in our lifetime. Even the best odds are 1 in 31, soon to be 1 in 32. On top of that they won't drop down to draft stars, while other teams like Detriot and Ottawa will. Then Montreal is not a top destination for UFA. We are highly taxed, insane media pressure, the climate, language. Makes two avenues of talent cut off from us which other clubs have. Another Cup is not going to happen. Unless they change their philosophy. In good draft years, like this year and next two, Habs should have traded the Tatars, Gallaghers, Petrys at trade deadline. It weakens the team, instead of draft 8th overall be selecting in top 3. We have a shot at a Lafreniere, or a Wright, Raty, etc... Even if we lose lottery still end up with a Drysdale, Lavoie or Stutzle. Put them with complimentary players like Koktaniemi, Caufield, Romanov, Suzuki, etc... A few vets you keep, Danault, Weber, Price, etc.... To instill character and hard work in the young players. You have the makings of a consistent winning team. The trade of vets at deadline would also adds future first round picks. We could draft a Bourque 20th, a Guhle 25th. Maybe same next year as Gallagher and Petry should return more than 1 first pick. Going to give you a strong farm system. Combined that with the 8 million in salary not used, and the 14 million in traded veterans. You have 22 million to sign top UFAs. Who now be more open to play on a winning team. This would open the door to first line UFA signing here.
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Post by Skilly on May 21, 2020 10:43:01 GMT -5
Sounds good in theory … but we never spend that money on bringing people here. It gets spent on keeping what we have ...
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Post by UberCranky on May 21, 2020 15:08:30 GMT -5
Hockey is debatable, for me Montreal with or without Dadonov is a playoff bubble team on paper. Unlike the Penguins and Blue Jackets of the league that survived insane roster attrition through injuries, the Habs are in free fall less than two weeks after the injury bug visited. That seems like a team with more bottom five potential than deep playoff run potential. Not going to see another Cup in Montreal in our lifetime. Even the best odds are 1 in 31, soon to be 1 in 32. On top of that they won't drop down to draft stars, while other teams like Detriot and Ottawa will. Then Montreal is not a top destination for UFA. We are highly taxed, insane media pressure, the climate, language. Makes two avenues of talent cut off from us which other clubs have. Another Cup is not going to happen. Unless they change their philosophy. Unfortunately.....you are right. Two things need to happen to change that and BOTH are about destroying their value if they stay the same path. One......boycott. Two....Quebec City team. Both of those will focus the mind of a rich golden spooner like Mol$on like nothing else.
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Post by folatre on May 21, 2020 17:31:04 GMT -5
The (supposed) Plan: draft and development The Executor of the Plan: Marc Bergevin The Executor's track record in draft and development: Poor Oversight of the Executor: Geoff Molson
What could go wrong?
I would never say never, but man I am skeptical.
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Post by seventeen on May 21, 2020 19:00:41 GMT -5
Not going to see another Cup in Montreal in our lifetime. Even the best odds are 1 in 31, soon to be 1 in 32. On top of that they won't drop down to draft stars, while other teams like Detriot and Ottawa will. Then Montreal is not a top destination for UFA. We are highly taxed, insane media pressure, the climate, language. Makes two avenues of talent cut off from us which other clubs have. Another Cup is not going to happen. Unless they change their philosophy. Unfortunately.....you are right. Two things need to happen to change that and BOTH are about destroying their value if they stay the same path. One......boycott. Two....Quebec City team. Both of those will focus the mind of a rich golden spooner like Mol$on like nothing else. Just get good management. It's as simple as that. Odds of a cup will improve dramatically. What were the odds of a Toronto NBA championship in 2013 when Masai Ujiri was hired as president and GM of the Raptors? A zillion to one? Canadian team where no players would want to go, history of losing, never a real contender. Six years later and they're on top of the world. Good management can overcome a lot of obstacles. Bad management never will. Competition, like a Quebec City team, will indeed focus Molson's attention and force him to hire good management. But you don't need to be forced into it. You just need the will.
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Post by Willie Dog on May 22, 2020 7:36:08 GMT -5
Not going to see another Cup in Montreal in our lifetime. Even the best odds are 1 in 31, soon to be 1 in 32. On top of that they won't drop down to draft stars, while other teams like Detriot and Ottawa will. Then Montreal is not a top destination for UFA. We are highly taxed, insane media pressure, the climate, language. Makes two avenues of talent cut off from us which other clubs have. Another Cup is not going to happen. Unless they change their philosophy. Unfortunately.....you are right. Two things need to happen to change that and BOTH are about destroying their value if they stay the same path. One......boycott. Two....Quebec City team. Both of those will focus the mind of a rich golden spooner like Mol$on like nothing else. Boycott will never ever happen Quebec city will never happen... Bettman and Molson dont want it
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Post by GNick99 on May 22, 2020 14:26:24 GMT -5
Unfortunately.....you are right. Two things need to happen to change that and BOTH are about destroying their value if they stay the same path. One......boycott. Two....Quebec City team. Both of those will focus the mind of a rich golden spooner like Mol$on like nothing else. Just get good management. It's as simple as that. Odds of a cup will improve dramatically. What were the odds of a Toronto NBA championship in 2013 when Masai Ujiri was hired as president and GM of the Raptors? A zillion to one? Canadian team where no players would want to go, history of losing, never a real contender. Six years later and they're on top of the world. Good management can overcome a lot of obstacles. Bad management never will. Competition, like a Quebec City team, will indeed focus Molson's attention and force him to hire good management. But you don't need to be forced into it. You just need the will. Tried that for last 27 years, 7 different guys in here. With zero success. Near all teams have good management today. You need the skill.
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Post by BadCompany on Jul 2, 2020 10:09:37 GMT -5
So now that we know the salary cap won't change for the next two years, and likely for a few more years after that, here is where we stand:
Not a lot of work for Bergevin to do this summer, but next summer figures to be a tough one. Especially once you factor in the Seattle expansion draft, which may or may not help us. Bergevin could try to have some wink-wink agreements with his UFAs, which would allow him to expose them in the draft and protect other players, but that's always a dangerous proposition. Once somebody hits free agency, or even gets close to it, you never know what is going to happen. Of course having a flat cap and with most teams being in serious trouble already, this might not be an issue. We'd still have room to match any reasonable offer, and there won't be too many teams capable of throwing out unreasonable ones. So, cautiously, right now I would say we're in good shape.
But I also think that means we're going to have a lot of cap space again next year. I'm not sure it will be that wise to commit a lot of money to somebody, and screw up the long-range plan.
2020-21
Salary cap: $81.5 million
Committed: $63.14 million
Space: $18.36 million
Free agents:
UFA: Weise, Folin, Kinkaid
RFA: Domi, Mete, Evans, Juulsen, McNiven, Vejdemo
2021-22
Salary cap: $81.5 million
Committed: $38.86 million
Space: $42.64 million
Free agents:
UFA: Petry, Tatar, Gallagher, Danault, Armia, Weal, Lindgren, Demchenko
RFA: Kotkaniemi, Lehkonen, Poehling, Fleury, Leskinen
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Post by folatre on Jul 2, 2020 11:40:08 GMT -5
There is plenty of space for the upcoming season. Weise, Kinkaid, Folin, McNiven, and Hudon are basically goners. I would pencil in Vejdemo, Juulsen, and Evans at $1 million per; Mete makes sense at $2 million; Domi is tricky because he arbitration eligible and getting a medium-term deal done (like 4 years) probably does not add much more to the AAV than what the arbitrator might stick you with so I kind of see 4 years/$23 or 24 million being realistic.
Basically, Montreal would still have approximately $7 million available. Bergevin could let a team park on bad contract on the Habs roster for 2020-21 in exchange for a pick, but to be quite honest I am not so sure Molson will authorize it given how revenue for 2020-21 will be considerably lower.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 2, 2020 12:44:51 GMT -5
We also have Alzner’s cap hit for the next two seasons which is essentially wasted cap space now. When you net out the amount they can bury in the AHL, they will still be eating over $3M for a non-roster player. Weise was in the same boat this year, but not nearly as big a net hit.
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Post by folatre on Jul 2, 2020 13:08:54 GMT -5
Jeje, it seems like Alzner signed ten years ago. I think the numbers BC supplied are counting the non-buryable portion (~$3.6 million) of Alzner's cap hit.
I concur with BC's point that the market for the Habs’ 2021 UFAs may not be near as buoyant as it would have been pre-pandemic. Overpayments may not be required, but good players are still going to get paid. Things will get tight pretty quick in 2021-22 if Bergevin intends to keep the entirety of his veteran core together.
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Post by folatre on Jul 2, 2020 20:18:59 GMT -5
6900000 Gallagher 5800000 Tatar 5750000 Domi 5500000 Drouin 5000000 Danault 4000000 Armia 3400000 Byron 3333333 Lehkonen 2500000 Kotkaniemi 1000000 Evans 1000000 Vejdemo 925000 Poehling 863333 Suzuki
7857143 Weber 6000000 Petry 3500000 Chiarot 2291667 Alzner 1900000 Mete 1850000 Kulak 1000000 Fleury 1000000 Juulsen 925000 Romanov 10500000 Price 1000000 Backup Goalie
For 2021-22 this 23 man roster (Alzner is bought out and not on the active roster, though his buyout cap hit is real) is actually over the cap limit. The above total is $82,795,476 and the cap ceiling is $81,500,000. And this does not include if players such as Suzuki, Poehling, and Romanov attain ELC performance bonuses. Granted, this does not predict who may be picked by Seattle after the 2020-21 season.
Nevertheless, it feels kind of scary to have one's nose up against the cap ceiling without adding anyone, simply reaching that pressure point by keeping the band together.
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Post by BadCompany on Jul 13, 2020 10:31:12 GMT -5
There was some chatter (I think in The Athletic) about throwing an offer sheet at left defenseman Vince Dunn as the Blues are up against it when it comes to the cap, even moreso if they hope to retain Alex Pietrangelo. Right now they only have about $2 million in cap space, and both Pietrangelo and Dunn need to be signed. You're looking at a good $8 million, at least, that would be needed there. So the idea was that if you threw a $4.2 million offer at Dunn (compensation being a 2nd round pick) the Blues would be have some difficulty matching it. Now as I've always stated I don't think any offer sheet is going to work, as the targeted team will just match the offer and then figure out the rest later. Given that $4.2 million might only be one or two million more than what the Blues are hoping to pay Dunn in the first place I don't think this will cripple them. Make life difficult, yes, but probably not enough for them to accept a mere second rounder for him.
Now having said that...
The Blues DO provide us with some good trade opportunities here, and Bergevin can quietly and politely let Doug Armstrong know that he's considering an offer sheet to Dunn, if and when Armstrong decides to play hardball in any trade negotiations. "Let's keep this civil, but..." sort of thing. They could target Dunn with a a good trade offer, which will help Armstrong sell the deal. Start with the two picks they sent to us for Scandella (2nd and 4th), add in Mete, and see where that goes. Probably, almost certainly, not enough for a potential top 2 defenseman, but I would think it would be a good starting point.
If Armstrong is hell-bent on keeping Dunn - and why wouldn't he be? - then the Blues still have some other options. Jaden Schwartz for example, who is making $5.35 million and will be a UFA at the end of next season. Solid 20+ goal, 55+ point player. He too though, has a no-trade clause (limited to 15 teams, but it's always safe to assume we're on it), so that could be a problem. I would want the Blues to compensate us for taking on that salary, so some sort of Armia-type deal would have to be negotiated. I don't know what that would be, but there are options there. For that matter, Tyler Bozak and his $5 million contract could be an option too, but as a center we have less of an need for him.
The third possibility would be Jake Allen. He played well in that split-starter/backup role, and would be an excellent side-kick for Carey Price, in my opinion. He's a UFA after next season, so he wouldn't be blocking Primeau if it comes to that, and his $4.35 million salary makes him an attractive salary dump. But the Blues really liked there split-goalie tandem, so they may not want to break that up. And with Bergevin having already signed a 26 year old out of the KHL he may feel that he's got his stop-gap measure already.
However it works, I think St. Louis offers up all the requirements for an off-season deal. We have the space, they need the space, the GMs seem to get along, there is a match of assets that can go either way, we play in different conferences, etcetera.
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Post by UberCranky on Jul 13, 2020 12:32:45 GMT -5
BC,
I'm not sure that Bbinz is a "I got an offer you can't resist" type of manager. I think he's more of a buddy-buddy lets make a deal type.
For another GM to take him seriously he has to show that he's going to do what he says. The only example of that was that hail Mary for Aho, which can't be taken seriously.
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Post by folatre on Jul 13, 2020 19:09:42 GMT -5
Good post, BC. Strategically, with the complicated flat cap landscape, I like the idea of going after good established NHL players in the age 24-27 range via the offer sheet mechanism. I have argued that Montreal could begin to address its size issue up front by targeting guys like Josh Anderson and Brendan Lemieux without giving up much draft pick capital. Likewise, it is not entirely improbable to address the offensive LHD need on the roster this way.
You are probably right that St. Louis would likely match a modest salary overpayment to retain Dunn's services. And thus it may be more fruitful to talk trade with Armstrong. Who knows, maybe he likes Dunn a lot and just does not want to flip him for Mete and the picks he gave the Habs in the Scandella deal.
Jake Allen had a really good season and I would not mind working with them there even if Armstrong wants nothing to do with trading Dunn. A couple of months ago I suggested something like: St. Louis gets its 2nd and 4th round picks back, Lindgren (or McNiven if they prefer), and a B-level prospect from the Rocket; and in exchange Montreal takes Allen (and his big 2020-21 cap hit off their hands), their 2020 first rounder, and Blais.
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Post by seventeen on Jul 13, 2020 19:58:49 GMT -5
6900000 Gallagher 5800000 Tatar 5750000 Domi 5500000 Drouin 5000000 Danault 4000000 Armia 3400000 Byron 3333333 Lehkonen 2500000 Kotkaniemi 1000000 Evans 1000000 Vejdemo 925000 Poehling 863333 Suzuki 7857143 Weber 6000000 Petry 3500000 Chiarot 2291667 Alzner 1900000 Mete 1850000 Kulak 1000000 Fleury 1000000 Juulsen 925000 Romanov 10500000 Price 1000000 Backup Goalie For 2021-22 this 23 man roster (Alzner is bought out and not on the active roster, though his buyout cap hit is real) is actually over the cap limit. The above total is $82,795,476 and the cap ceiling is $81,500,000. And this does not include if players such as Suzuki, Poehling, and Romanov attain ELC performance bonuses. Granted, this does not predict who may be picked by Seattle after the 2020-21 season. Nevertheless, it feels kind of scary to have one's nose up against the cap ceiling without adding anyone, simply reaching that pressure point by keeping the band together. Weber---- Weber----Weber----Weber----Weber
My effort at an echo. In all seriousness, trading Weber is a simple, realistic solution. He's a 2nd pair d-man regressing, costing the team nealy $8MM in CAP space. OUtside of his leadership qualities (which are manageable because of guys like Gallagher, Danault, Price, etc), there is little reason to keep him. His age directly conflicts with the age of our best prospects and his CAP hit is crippling. Freeing up $8MM in CAP space opens up all kinds of opportunities to make deals with CAP strapped teams. Price would be another option except for a) his NMC clause which he'd probably waive in the right circumstances, and b) no other young goalie is ready yet to step in. That may be different in 2 years, but that contract is an anchor that will be problematic for many years, even if Carey earns it the next 2 or 3. Amazing huh? The CAP was always going to go up.
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Post by folatre on Jul 14, 2020 10:32:37 GMT -5
In a flat cap landscape, rolling with both Weber and Petry on the right side beyond 2020-21 is probably not a luxury that savvy management would indulge in.
In the same vein, losing any young cheap guy who can really play to Seattle is foolish in this economic paradigm. The whole point of following a draft and development model is to actually produce young players who can then make some of the vets expendable.
What has me worried about the numbers above is that Montreal hits the ceiling in 2021-22 without doing anything awe inspiring like signing Dubois or Barzal. Bergevin could hit the ceiling by paying market value to his own UFAs, none of whom have proven to be difference-makers capable of dragging this roster on a playoff run.
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Post by seventeen on Jul 14, 2020 11:58:33 GMT -5
My hope is that Suzuki or JK can become difference makers. We'd still need on one defense, though. If Bergevin had traded Weber 2 years ago, we'd be no further behind, we'd have CAP space and we'd probably have another prospect or top pick in our arsenal. Just like a stock, you should never get too attached to a player.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jul 14, 2020 12:13:20 GMT -5
My hope is that Suzuki or JK can become difference makers. We'd still need on one defense, though. If Bergevin had traded Weber 2 years ago, we'd be no further behind, we'd have CAP space and we'd probably have another prospect or top pick in our arsenal. Just like a stock, you should never get too attached to a player.
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Post by seventeen on Jul 14, 2020 15:45:03 GMT -5
Engels goes on to clarify that Julien had nice things to say about Suzuki as well.
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Post by PTH on Jul 14, 2020 18:52:32 GMT -5
In a flat cap landscape, rolling with both Weber and Petry on the right side beyond 2020-21 is probably not a luxury that savvy management would indulge in. You've made this point consistently over the past season or two, but the flat cap makes it all even worse, since I think it makes Weber harder to move, even if his real salary starts falling in a couple of seasons. Then again, perhaps a truly cash-poor (or below-cap) team won't care about the cap hit. Still, the window for moving him might be closed, so it's time to plan on life without Petry instead. I think what makes this approach difficult is that you have to move fan favorites when they're in their prime years, and likely most popular years (ie, just after a few really good seasons, just before they start to head downhill). In this regard, moving Subban for cheap futures (the Edmonton talks come to mind - Draisatl, a young D and picks...) would have been a smart play, though it still would've been an unpopular move at the time. Guys like Gallagher, Tatar, Danault and Petry all fit that same category right now - guys who've done well and we just can't see the team as being the same without them, yet keeping them all around will likely mean stagnating. Excellent but painful point. We can tread water and count on kids progressing to improve, or refuse to get buried in big dollar contracts which will be impossible to move in a flat cap environment.
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Post by folatre on Jul 14, 2020 19:54:14 GMT -5
PTH, your second point is a really good one. This really is a likable group of guys and at this point in time they are good NHL players, so fans naturally do not relish the idea of cutting some of them loose.
But this is increasingly a young man's league and cap space needs to be rationed so there are dollars available to lock up difference-makers coming out of their ECL. If the Habs are so lucky as to have one or more difference-makers emerge among Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Romanov, or whoever, then the numbers that I threw out there would leave inadequate room to get a young difference-maker locked up long-term at a reasonable number.
I don't begrudge good NHL players like Tatar, Gallagher, Petry, and Danault finding market value in their next contract, but keeping the whole gang together here in Montreal commits too much of the budget to guys in their 30s who likely become hard to move with their new contracts.
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Post by Tankdriver on Jul 15, 2020 9:42:14 GMT -5
PTH, your second point is a really good one. This really is a likable group of guys and at this point in time they are good NHL players, so fans naturally do not relish the idea of cutting some of them loose. But this is increasingly a young man's league and cap space needs to be rationed so there are dollars available to lock up difference-makers coming out of their ECL. If the Habs are so lucky as to have one or more difference-makers emerge among Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Romanov, or whoever, then the numbers that I threw out there would leave inadequate room to get a young difference-maker locked up long-term at a reasonable number. I don't begrudge good NHL players like Tatar, Gallagher, Petry, and Danault finding market value in their next contract, but keeping the whole gang together here in Montreal commits too much of the budget to guys in their 30s who likely become hard to move with their new contracts. The problem is we have good players making too much money. To succeed you either need a few offensive players making 8.5 + (MacKinnon, Draisatl, Crosby, Raatonen, etc) or a bunch of entry players you are superstars coming into the league where their salary is capped Hugehes, Pettersen, Dahlin. When you start having a team of 6 or 7 players making 5-6.6 million, that's when you get into trouble. The NHL is going to become a league where the middleman is going to get squeezed out. And as much as this hurts me to say it, since he is my favourite player, Carey Price shouldn't be making 10.5 million. 8.5 million would of been fair, but I understand the rationale of overpaying. He is the franchise and without him a few years ago the team doesn't even get close to the playoffs. If the team wanted to pay that much then they should of reduced the years. It's too late now, so Bergevin better be persuasive and start getting players signed in the 4 million range.
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Post by seventeen on Jul 15, 2020 11:44:35 GMT -5
PTH, your second point is a really good one. This really is a likable group of guys and at this point in time they are good NHL players, so fans naturally do not relish the idea of cutting some of them loose. But this is increasingly a young man's league and cap space needs to be rationed so there are dollars available to lock up difference-makers coming out of their ECL. If the Habs are so lucky as to have one or more difference-makers emerge among Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Romanov, or whoever, then the numbers that I threw out there would leave inadequate room to get a young difference-maker locked up long-term at a reasonable number. I don't begrudge good NHL players like Tatar, Gallagher, Petry, and Danault finding market value in their next contract, but keeping the whole gang together here in Montreal commits too much of the budget to guys in their 30s who likely become hard to move with their new contracts. The problem is we have good players making too much money. To succeed you either need a few offensive players making 8.5 + (MacKinnon, Draisatl, Crosby, Raatonen, etc) or a bunch of entry players you are superstars coming into the league where their salary is capped Hugehes, Pettersen, Dahlin. When you start having a team of 6 or 7 players making 5-6.6 million, that's when you get into trouble. The NHL is going to become a league where the middleman is going to get squeezed out. And as much as this hurts me to say it, since he is my favourite player, Carey Price shouldn't be making 10.5 million. 8.5 million would of been fair, but I understand the rationale of overpaying. He is the franchise and without him a few years ago the team doesn't even get close to the playoffs. If the team wanted to pay that much then they should of reduced the years. It's too late now, so Bergevin better be persuasive and start getting players signed in the 4 million range. That's the trouble when you become too attached to any specific player. Bergevin has had no qualms at all trading or releasing Pacioretty, Subban, Galchenyuk, Radulov and Markov (at least 4 of whom are/were highly skilled, valuable players), but bends over backwards for others like Weber, Price, Drouin, Gallagher. He likes the second grouup, for varying reasons, while disliking at least one characteristic of those in the first group. I wouldn't have cared for Chucky's fathers interference either, but the others all brought something to the table that the team needed, even Markov at his age. We are going to see the effect of two contracts in the coming years. Price's and Weber's. Neither will earn what the are being paid and the difference will keep the team from having the resources to be truly competitive. ONe of the benefits of being bad for so long is that you are able to pick up some young, cheap kids, but they too will start to cost money and those middle guys tankdriver mentions above are decent players, but not difference makers. I don't see a rosy future for the Habs. Those two contracts are killers.
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Post by folatre on Jul 15, 2020 20:46:58 GMT -5
Assuming Molson and Bergevin intend to maintain Price and Weber as the pillars of the roster, then most of the ‘middle class’ and even ‘upper-middle class’ vets on the club should probably not be paid rich contracts in the new normal of the league.
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