Knutsen on waivers

As per the broadcast between second and third period. Could a certain Russian sniper be on the way over? Shouldn't Doug have kicked, say, Pirjeta or JLGP to curb instead of Shampoo if this report is true?

As per the broadcast between second and third period. Could a certain Russian sniper be on the way over? Shouldn't Doug have kicked, say, Pirjeta or JLGP to curb instead of Shampoo if this report is true?

So basically they may be waiving Knutsen to make room for Zherdev?

That's what I and a few people on Metro are wondering. Why else would they waive him? I know he had some injuries last season, but before that he had two very good seasons. What happens if Marchant is injured, who's going to play the second line center? Knutsen is the only option. I hope Hunter was just talking out of his ass or got his info wrong or something...I'll be mighty pissed if this is true and someone claims him.

That's what I and a few people on Metro are wondering. Why else would they waive him? I know he had some injuries last season, but before that he had two very good seasons. What happens if Marchant is injured, who's going to play the second line center? Knutsen is the only option. I hope Hunter was just talking out of his ass or got his info wrong or something...I'll be mighty pissed if this is true and someone claims him.

i agree, knutsen has done nothing to be waived. i prefer him over jlgp, plus i prefer his versatility, wing or center, to jlgp d or wing. i dont mean to be jumping on jlgp, but the only reason to waive knutsen is because of a need for a roster spot, and imo, there are guys ahead of knutsen, or should i say behind

I honestly only see two alternatives from this:

-Zherdev is on his way over.
-A trade is brewin'

Why, out of the blue, do you cut your only backup option for the second line? Why take apart your third line as well? Why not drop JLGP? There really isn't much of a need to drop Knutsen out of nowhere.

thats the thing that is driving me up the wall. lets say this move was made to open up a spot. whay drop knutsen. also, while i waivered latelyt on this, i think zherdev is coming over. i mean its stupid to sign him this year and pay him to play for another team. you didnt have to sign him this year otherwise

thats the thing that is driving me up the wall. lets say this move was made to open up a spot. whay drop knutsen. also, while i waivered latelyt on this, i think zherdev is coming over. i mean its stupid to sign him this year and pay him to play for another team. you didnt have to sign him this year otherwise

The reason why he signed Zherdev this is because the IIHF contract runs out with the NHL too, and word out of mother Russia is that the Russians want their young stars to play at home instead of in the US. If we didn't sign Zherdev now, who knows when we would have had the chance to.

[QUOTE=Sir Ozzie X]That's what I and a

[QUOTE=Sir Ozzie X]That's wh

That's what I and a few people on Metro are wondering. Why else would they waive him? I know he had some injuries last season, but before that he had two very good seasons. What happens if Marchant is injured, who's going to play the second line center? Knutsen is the only option. I hope Hunter was just talking out of his ass or got his info wrong or something...I'll be mighty pissed if this is true and someone claims him.I didn't hear the broadcast---do you mean Bob Hunter, the sportswriter for the local rag? He's the source for this?

I don't believe it---Espo is simply too versatile, and one of the better two-way forwards the CBJ have. I agree with the majority here; there are others way more deserving of being waived than Espo, if it's being done just to clear a roster spot.

i mean its stupid to sign him this year and pay him to play for another team. you didnt have to sign him this year otherwise

Correct me if I am wrong, but If Zherdev stays in Mother Russia, we dont pay him his salary, just the signing bonus,....

So it doesnt cost us anything really...

I wanna see another source on this before I get too worked up. If it is true, I have to agree that a guy like JLGP is much more expendable than a Knutsen. And I have been Jean Lucs biggest supporter here.

But I find it strange that it isnt being reported anywhere else.

Could a certain Russian sniper be on the way over?

Berezin? :p

Pirjeta would be the obvious choice for the second line center spot if marchant was injured and knutsen is picked up... I doubt Zherdev is coming this year, unless Jim Clark held a special training camp session with him in russia via satellite with MacLean. It just seems crazy now, regardless of the signing and the 6 figure transfer fee, is MacLean comfortable sticking him in the lineup without the kid attending Training Camp? or even having him work with the team even once?

Correct me if I am wrong, but If Zherdev stays in Mother Russia, we dont pay him his salary, just the signing bonus,....

So it doesnt cost us anything really...

according to an article from russia, he is being paid

according to an article from russia, he is being paid

That doesnt make sense to me. Did we pay Klesla year 1? Nope, if we did, his contract would have been up before this year... wouldnt it?

That doesnt make sense to me. Did we pay Klesla year 1? Nope, if we did, his contract would have been up before this year... wouldnt it?

all depends on how the contract was worked out. obviously we paid klesla while he was here, so maybe his contract stated he got paid for the time he spent in the bigs that first year, while zherdevs might state that he gets paid a certain amount the first year no matter what. i dont know, ive never seen their contracts, im just going on an article that quoted zherdev as saying he was being paid

all depends on how the contract was worked out....

Exactly. Players from Canadian Junior teams are signed to try-out contracts for training camp. So, for example, if we sign Fritsche to a three year deal, and then send him back down this season, the deal would start at the point when he surrenders his junior eligibility and turns pro (presumably next year).

This is strictly a guess, but Zherdev might have been given the equivilant of a two-way deal: we'll pay you amount X if you play in North America, but amount Y if you stay in Russia.

The problem with comparing Knutsen and JLGP is that they do not fill the same role on the team. Knutsen is a "top-six" scoring-line kind of guy. JLGP is a "bottom-six" grinder. It's comparing apples to pineapples.

Of course, this lends weight to the theory that something is going to be happening with our top-six apples. I had given up on seeing Z-dev this season, but that may have been premature.

This probobly means two things.


1.Andrej Nedorost has made the team

2.Zherdev is coming over.

So the Lines are something like this.

Sanderson(Nedorost)-Cassels-Vyborny
Nash-Marchant-Letowski/Ling
Zherdev/Ling-Wright-Prijeta
Shelley-Fritiche-Grand-Pierrie/Ling

Ling is the X-Factor. There really is no spot for him. But he deserves to stay on the team.

The problem with comparing Knutsen and JLGP is that they do not fill the same role on the team. Knutsen is a "top-six" scoring-line kind of guy. JLGP is a "bottom-six" grinder. It's comparing apples to pineapples.

Compaing them is unfair, that's indisputable. What isn't disputable is that Espen Knutsen is good enough to be on this team as a scoring forward or on a checking line as a defensive player who could take the puck the other way for a chance. There is not enough depth on this team that there is no room for Espen.

There has to be much more to this than we have heard. Salary, performance, other player movement, salary, something personal, a request to get out of town, salary, or none/all of the above.

I just do not understand how he could be on the way out. I'm shocked. I really am. I've seen a lot, and know to expect odd deals, but I really didn't see it happening like this.

Couple things

I caught a replay of the Doug MacLean show from Fri Morning in which he said that they have to pay the signing bonus, but thats it if Zherdev doesnt come over. So that might explain why the article said he was being paid.

Also, this mornings Dispatch says that the POSSIBILITY of putting Knutsen through waivers has nothing to do with Zherdev. (Dougie wouldnt lie to us now would he? ;) )

I dont like this move at all. Im not even worried about the need for a backup 2nd line center as much as a backup for the 1st line center. If Cass goes down, Knutsen has some chemistry with Sandy and Vyborny (Wright-Knutsen-Vyborny made a good "smurf line" a few times) and could step right in easier than to plug in Marchant and screw up two lines. Plus, Pirjeta is working well on the 3rd line lending size to Wright and Letowski.

Sure Knutsen hasnt lit the world on fire in camp, but he hasnt been bad either. He beat out Pirjeta for that 2nd line winger spot. The paper cited his saving the team $1.5 mill if someone claims him, but this argument is garbage. For one, thats not much money in todays NHL for a top 6 player. And this team isnt exactly spending money like crazy and need to trim the payroll. His salary is pretty good for what he can bring to the table.

This leaves me with two reasons I can think of that they might do it:

1. They are confident that Zherdev is comming over. Even if he was, I thought they would want to play him like they did Nash last year and ease him in on a scoring 3rd line.

2. They want to move Nedorost into the 2nd line RW spot. I think this one is most likely (I know I joke around alot, but Im being serious, for this post anyway.) I dont like this idea. Knutsen is a known comodity and Nedorost, as I have documented endlessly, is not. I think that if they are going to do it, it will be purely to save money and with our current situation, that is just garbage. What if they do this and Nedorost doesnt break through? Then what?

(I was going to write a long couple paragraphs about how to get the roster down to 23 w/out dropping Knutsen, but I'll just start a new thread to keep it more manageable)

This probobly means two things.


1.Andrej Nedorost has made the team

2.Zherdev is coming over.

So the Lines are something like this.

Sanderson(Nedorost)-Cassels-Vyborny
Nash-Marchant-Letowski/Ling
Zherdev/Ling-Wright-Prijeta
Shelley-Fritiche-Grand-Pierrie/Ling

Ling is the X-Factor. There really is no spot for him. But he deserves to stay on the team.

I took too long to type mine!

I think 63 hit it on the head with DM wanting Nederost on that second line when Sandy comes back. I don't want to see Knutsen go, but Nederost has had a good camp. Maybe this is his time. I'm not opposed to giving the guy a shot on a scoring line this time because I think he finally has earned it. Now, risking losing Knutsen over this is another discussion entierly...
If he is going to go, I hope he gets traded, not claimed on waivers.
Of course, the article did say that waivers is just a possiblity and that if he clears them it just gives DM more flexibility. I'm in wait and see mode.

Pirjeta would be the obvious choice for the second line center spot if marchant was injured and knutsen is picked up... I doubt Zherdev is coming this year, unless Jim Clark held a special training camp session with him in russia via satellite with MacLean. It just seems crazy now, regardless of the signing and the 6 figure transfer fee, is MacLean comfortable sticking him in the lineup without the kid attending Training Camp? or even having him work with the team even once?

He's been playing RSL regular season games for almost a month now. The RSL is said to be harder and more competetive than the AHL.

There is absolutely no reason to get rid of Espo. Period. To do so would be madness, IMO.:rant:http://hfboards.com/images/smilies/angryfire.gif

He's been playing RSL regular season games for almost a month now. The RSL is said to be harder and more competetive than the AHL.

It has nothing to do with how competetive the games he is playing are... and if the RSL is better than the AHL.

It has to do with Zherdev hasnt spent 1 second in Columbus, let alone on the ice with the Jackets. Its more of a comfort thing, and an adjustment to the new team, and new players, and new system, and new lifestyle, and new language.... and on and on... The kid needs some time to adjust...

It has nothing to do with how competetive the games he is playing are... and if the RSL is better than the AHL.

It has to do with Zherdev hasnt spent 1 second in Columbus, let alone on the ice with the Jackets. Its more of a comfort thing, and an adjustment to the new team, and new players, and new system, and new lifestyle, and new language.... and on and on... The kid needs some time to adjust...

I'd say he also needs a little time to prove he can play in this league.

Do you guys think Shampo`s going to get picked up by a team or clear the waivers?

Do you guys think Shampo`s going to get picked up by a team or clear the waivers?

I think someone might take a chance on him -- Atlanta maybe?
On the proposal board, an Atlanta fan was proposing one of their three goalies for a top 2 forward (no picks or prospects). I suggested Knutsen for Hurme and then the CBJ could move Hurme for a pick or a prospect. I know it won't happen. I'm just thinking out loud here. I'm sure the proposal will be met with disapproval.

I think someone might take a chance on him -- Atlanta maybe?
On the proposal board, an Atlanta fan was proposing one of their three goalies for a top 2 forward (no picks or prospects). I suggested Knutsen for Hurme and then the CBJ could move Hurme for a pick or a prospect. I know it won't happen. I'm just thinking out loud here. I'm sure the proposal will be met with disapproval.

Yea, Atlanta doesn`t seem to far off. NJ might be another likely destination or maybe Long Island? :dunno: I for one hope NYR takes a chance on him, although we probably don`t need him.

Heh Im as big of a fan as Nedorost as anyone but I dont think he should be handed a spot on the 2nd Line once Sanderson gets back


Remember Steve Maltais :D

Heh Im as big of a fan as Nedorost as anyone but I dont think he should be handed a spot on the 2nd Line once Sanderson gets back


Remember Steve Maltais :D

I don't think he's being handed a spot. From all I've read and seen, I think he's earned it this year. Letowski and Lasse seem to fit better with Wright on the 3rd line.

I do remember Maltais. I have a fantasy hockey team this year called the Maltais Falcons.

I think we need to remember that "...there are strong indications that the CBJ are going through the process of putting Espen Knutsen on waivers...." (as per this morning's local rag), and actually having put Espo on waivers are NOT the same thing.

I'll believe it when it happens.

I have a fantasy hockey team this year called the Maltais Falcons.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

Classic.

2. They want to move Nedorost into the 2nd line RW spot. I think this one is most likely (I know I joke around alot, but Im being serious, for this post anyway.) I dont like this idea. Knutsen is a known comodity and Nedorost, as I have documented endlessly, is not. I think that if they are going to do it, it will be purely to save money and with our current situation, that is just garbage. What if they do this and Nedorost doesnt break through? Then what?



How does an unknown comodity become a known one? Through establishing himself. That'd give us the chance to see him play, for better or for worse.

Heh Im as big of a fan as Nedorost as anyone but I dont think he should be handed a spot on the 2nd Line once Sanderson gets back


Remember Steve Maltais :D

:bow:

At least Maltais put up big numbers in the minors and looked to be too good for the minors.

How does an unknown comodity become a known one? Through establishing himself. That'd give us the chance to see him play, for better or for worse.

You become a known comodity by putting together solid seasons at every stop you come to. He hasnt done it yet. Anywhere.

:bow:

At least Maltais put up big numbers in the minors and looked to be too good for the minors.



You become a known comodity by putting together solid seasons at every stop you come to. He hasnt done it yet. Anywhere.

Often talent overshadows past performance. He has the tools.

You become a known comodity by putting together solid seasons at every stop you come to. He hasnt done it yet. Anywhere.


This, coming from a fan of Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre?

This, coming from a fan of Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre?

I believe that Jean Luc has played a few solid seasons in his role. JLGPs role is to hit, fight and kill penalties. He has done all that at the NHL level before last year's off season. Nedorost's role is to be a scorer and put up points, which he hasnt done even at inferior levels of competition.

Often talent overshadows past performance. He has the tools.

Sounds like the same thing everyone who takes a flyer on Alexander Daigle says. At least Daigle dominated at one level he played at.

Sounds like the same thing everyone who takes a flyer on Alexander Daigle says. At least Daigle dominated at one level he played at.

Nedorost dominated over in Europe...

This, coming from a fan of Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre?

:lol:


I believe that Jean Luc has played a few solid seasons in his role.

:lol: x2

Wow, what a thread. Espen is going through waivers and we're talking Zherdev, Daigle, Maltais and JLGP.

I'm not jumping in the fray to argue for, or against, anyone, I'll just say that I am very concerned about the possibility we could lose Knutsen. I really want to know what is going on. This just doesn't add up.

He's been playing RSL regular season games for almost a month now. The RSL is said to be harder and more competetive than the AHL.


its not about where he's been playing...its that he will be playing in a completely different system, not to mention conflict game styles (NA vs European)

where's the hot chicks? oh, sorry wrong thread

Nedorost dominated over in Europe...

He did?

Year Team Lea GP G A Pts PPG
2000-01 Keramika Plzen Cze-Rep. 33 10 8 18 0.55

1999-00 ESC Essen Ger 66 7 5 12 0.18

1998-99 ESC Essen Ger 30 3 5 8 0.27


I know the European leagues are more low scoring, but I still wouldnt consider any of these to be dominant seasons from an offensive player.

Back to the subject at hand...

Is no news as of 9:45 pm good news? Anyone know when that 24 hour waiver period started?

Back to the subject at hand...

Is no news as of 9:45 pm good news? Anyone know when that 24 hour waiver period started?


Just to update the thread, the dispatch this morning states that Knutsen will clear waivers at 2:00pm today.

I heard Knutsen is on the final roster - we cleared waivers. Source - 1460 around 4:00 (before Fritsche was on).

A final word about this ugly episode:

I find the possible loss of Espen Knutsen to waivers, to get him to step up his game, unsettling at best. I can only hope that MacLean can find a better way to motivate his team through the long haul that is the NHL season.

A final word about this ugly episode:

I find the possible loss of Espen Knutsen to waivers, to get him to step up his game, unsettling at best. I can only hope that MacLean can find a better way to motivate his team through the long haul that is the NHL season.

i agree. it sounds like a pretty weak excuse actually. if he isn't playing to expectations, bench him or trade him. waivers seems like a risky and foolish motivation method.

A final word about this ugly episode:

I find the possible loss of Espen Knutsen to waivers, to get him to step up his game, unsettling at best. I can only hope that MacLean can find a better way to motivate his team through the long haul that is the NHL season.

I find it strange that I agree with a post of yours as much as I do, but you are right on. The Dispatch stated that a claim was unlikely because of his salary being $1.5 mill. Have they even been following hockey? $1.5 mill is nothing nowadays for a guy who is a year removed from an allstar game and could be a good 2nd line center any most teams in the league (including ours.)

I hope that this doesnt backfire and turn Espen against the MacLean or the team. I predict that we are going to rely heavily on him at some point in the season.

I find the possible loss of Espen Knutsen to waivers, to get him to step up his game, unsettling at best. I can only hope that MacLean can find a better way to motivate his team through the long haul that is the NHL season.

Espen (aka The Norwegian Nightmare :) ) has always been one of my favorite players; he was one of the main reasons why our first season went as well as it did. I would have preferred DM tried to trade him (which he may have tried to do this summer) vs. putting him on waivers; I'm sure very few Jackets fans viewed what DM did this weekend in a positive light.

I can't think that DM put Espen on waivers as a ploy to get him to play harder. I've always thought that Espen always played with great effort and did his best; in fact, for not being a real big guy and being primarily offensively-minded, he seemed to be doing a doing a pretty good job of improving his overall game, for example, improving his backchecking skills, which we all got to see him do quite a bit over the last few years. One example was when he checked Milan Hedjuk (I think I'm correct on that) flat onto his back last season at Nationwide.

DM must just believe that Espen doesn't fit in the long term plans of the franchise and he just wanted him to have a chance to be picked up by another team where he'd fit in better. If that is the case, either Espen will ride the pine a lot more this year than he has in the past (unless injuries dictate otherwise), or he won't be a Jacket much longer. I hope I'm wrong, because I think he deserves to stay.

On the MacLean radio show today, DM mentioned, almost in passing, that Nash-Marchant-Knutsen is the 2nd line, with Wright-Pirjeta-Letowski as line three.

DM must just believe that Espen doesn't fit in the long term plans of the franchise and he just wanted him to have a chance to be picked up by another team where he'd fit in better. If that is the case, either Espen will ride the pine a lot more this year than he has in the past (unless injuries dictate otherwise), or he won't be a Jacket much longer. I hope I'm wrong, because I think he deserves to stay..

I believe that Knutsen's stay is directly tied to Zherdev's arrival. Once Zherdev gets here, GMHCDM's going to have to put him somewhere and Espen's spot on the second line is the best place for him. Since MacLean is intent on building lines this year instead of just putting out the best players that we have, I don't see Espen bumping someone else out of the lineup if Zherdev takes his spot. Thus, he becomes a spare part.

Only unfortunate doings are going to save Espen this year, in my opinion. Either Zherdev doesn't come over or perform well once he's here, or one of the top six gets injured and Espen can fill his spot. I hope I am wrong cause Knutsen has given his all during the first three years and has been a good, two-way player for us, but it just seems to be playing out like that.

.

I believe that Knutsen's stay is directly tied to Zherdev's arrival. Once Zherdev gets here, GMHCDM's going to have to put him somewhere and Espen's spot on the second line is the best place for him. Since MacLean is intent on building lines this year instead of just putting out the best players that we have, I don't see Espen bumping someone else out of the lineup if Zherdev takes his spot. Thus, he becomes a spare part.

Only unfortunate doings are going to save Espen this year, in my opinion. Either Zherdev doesn't come over or perform well once he's here, or one of the top six gets injured and Espen can fill his spot. I hope I am wrong cause Knutsen has given his all during the first three years and has been a good, two-way player for us, but it just seems to be playing out like that.

i think you're right about knutsen holding zherdev's roster spot, but i don't think he's holding a spot on the line.
DM has said numerous times that if zherdev comes over, he will be on the 3rd line, like nash last year. too much of a defensive liability to have nash and zherdev on the same line.
my guess is letowski or lasse would move up depending on who is playing better.
would hate to see espen go, especially for nothing. if he has to go, i would hope DM could pick up some sort of draft pick in return.