Gomez' return had to do with paying a 60-70 point player 7M long-term. The same goes for Brad Richards. Neither of those guys are good comparisons for Lecavalier, who still has the ability to be an elite player, and if he is determined to be, worth his salary.
I agree with you here, except about Brad Richards. The only reason he isn't thought of better league-wide is because of his cap hit. At this point, there's no reason to say that he has less of a chance of being elite than Lecavalier, to be honest.
But there's a reason you don't have everyone bringing up his contract as one of the league's worst or have Stars fans jokingly trying to throw him away in trade proposals. He's a very good and valuable player and is not as overpaid at 7.8M as some say - maybe by 1M? Definitely pretty underrated, I think.
I agree with you here, except about Brad Richards. The only reason he isn't thought of better league-wide is because of his cap hit. At this point, there's no reason to say that he has less of a chance of being elite than Lecavalier, to be honest.
But there's a reason you don't have everyone bringing up his contract as one of the league's worst or have Stars fans jokingly trying to throw him away in trade proposals. He's a very good and valuable player and is not as overpaid at 7.8M as some say - maybe by 1M? Definitely pretty underrated, I think.
He's not a 7.8M player, and never really has been. I'd easily pay him 6M, but his current contract isn't that horrible considering it expires in 2011. Richards is a playoff monster, even if he's not worth his salary in the regular season. Dallas is not going to trade him because they can afford to pay him, partly because they have Ribeiro and Morrow signed long-term at 7.1M combined, and they free up even more money with the likely retirements of Modano and Lehtinen following this season (6M off the books).
Richards' biggest problem was that he was paid mostly based on him having a career year during a season (2005-06) where many players had point totals that they will never touch again, due to defenses adjusting to the new rules. Even then, I'll take Richards at 7.8M through 2011 over Gomez at 7.3M through 2014, and don't even get me started on the travesty that is the Chris Drury contract.
The more I think about it, the less "bad" the Richards contract really becomes. Comparing what he got and what he brings to the ice, especially in big games, to what other #1/#2 centers that signed new deals post-lockout, and you see that it's not bad at all. The cap hit is obviously too high, but the length is decent, and you'll see him sign a new deal that probably gets him around 5.5-6M, which is perfectly fine for him.
Honestly, I'd take Richards and his contract over almost every center in the league making close to or over 7M per season. Obviously not Thornton, Datsyuk, Crosby, Malkin, Staal, or Kopitar, but give me him over Lecavalier, Drury, Gomez, Briere, and Spezza, all of whom have 6.5M+ cap hits, are signed to long contracts, and don't touch his list of accomplishments. Hell, I'd take him at 7.8M over a lot of forwards making at least 5M, like Cammalleri, Ryan Smyth, Horcoff, Hossa (length of contract is ugly), Kovalev, and Elias (only because Richards' contract is much shorter), to name a few.
The Joe Thornton deal was simply a case of Mike O'Connell being retarded. The Heatley deal was influenced greatly by his NTC and trade request. Not good comparisons.
Gomez' return had to do with paying a 60-70 point player 7M long-term. The same goes for Brad Richards. Neither of those guys are good comparisons for Lecavalier, who still has the ability to be an elite player, and if he is determined to be, worth his salary.
I still can't believe they signed Lecavalier till age 40 at a steady 7.3M cap hit. No one is going to want that contract, and that alone will hurt his trade value. Still, he's worth far more than a typical Montreal deal (Hamrlik, Kostitsyns, etc).
Montreal isn't going to trade for Lecavalier. They don't have the assets, and they are already paying 7M long-term to Gomez. A team that could trade for him? Columbus could offer a deal centered around Filatov and maybe Voracek, which fills a need at wing for Tampa Bay. St. Louis is getting older, and they need a young winger or two to put on Stamkos' wing for the future.
Colorado could have interest in VL during the off-season, if they feel they are ready to take the next step, but I honestly think they'll focus on fixing that atrocious defense and let their young forwards grow.
Nashville is an interesting option, though I don't know if VL would want to go there. Something centered around Suter or Weber, two future Norris candidates, would be attractive. Imagine Tampa Bay's defense for the next 5-10 years with Hedman, Weber/Suter, Ranger, and Meszaros.
Toronto needs any help they can get offensively, but I don't think Burke will give up Kadri or Schenn for him, and it likely would take one of the two to build a package that interests Tampa Bay.
Maybe St. Louis will entertain thoughts of building an offer around Berglund or another one of their young forwards, but I highly doubt they will be willing to do that.
Other than that, there are no other realistic options for a VL trade, mostly because his contract length and constant cap hit are ridiculous. I mean, a 7.3M cap hit until June 2020? There are 3 players in the league who are worth that type of contract, and they are Crosby, Ovechkin, and Malkin, and that too only because they are young.
As a Sharks fan, I have no interest in Lecavalier. The Sharks probably have the assets to trade for him, but they obviously do not have the cap space nor the need for another center. I would love St. Louis, though, but his price would likely be too high for the Sharks, even if they managed to find the cap room.
First you talk about how different the other deals are from a possible Vinny deal and then you go on about what an underachiever he is who can be elite if he just want and what an albatross his contract is. And that is my point. Vinny does not seem happy in Tampa, he have crazy contract. He does not act as a leader or put up any points and the owners are uncertain if they can really pay his contract seeing as they in a few years will have a new generation to resign. Vinny will not get top prospects or other teams franchise players in return. He will if traded get as much back to Tampa as any of the other big names who have been traded after the lock out.
I don't know where some of you get your info that Vinny isn't happy in Tampa. There is no way a guy could have put stronger roots in a city. Nor is there any way he could have expressed that he is happy in Tampa anyomore than he has already done. Until he flat out says otherwise allot of people, mainly Habs fans want him not to be happy in Tampa.
I'm a Vinny fan but quite frankly ever since he came back from his injury he has decided that he doesn't really want to hit or be hit. So unless he starts to, no matter where he goes he will be a marginal forward at best.
I dont think they are interested in picking up more CAP right now. They were barely able to scrounge up the money to pay the NHL for "projected future loses" (yeh its that bad)
9.4M from TB
Lecavalier (7.7M)
Walker (1.7M)
2nd '10
TO CALGARY:
8.95M from CAL
Jokinen (5.25M)
Sarich (3.7M)
Lecavalier is a big gamble so that is why I put in the pick. Flames get a little swap of talent to the forwards (If lecavalier plays well). Tampa gets a little off the pay roll.
Thoughts???
*after I did this i remembered Jokinen only has a year left on his contract. Maybe a pick from calgary to even out the deal???
I dont think they are interested in picking up more CAP right now. They were barely able to scrounge up the money to pay the NHL for "projected future loses" (yeh its that bad)
Huh?
Quote:
Originally Posted by flames123
9.4M from TB
Lecavalier (7.7M)
Walker (1.7M)
2nd '10
TO CALGARY:
8.95M from CAL
Jokinen (5.25M)
Sarich (3.7M)
Lecavalier is a big gamble so that is why I put in the pick. Flames get a little swap of talent to the forwards (If lecavalier plays well). Tampa gets a little off the pay roll.
Thoughts???
*after I did this i remembered Jokinen only has a year left on his contract. Maybe a pick from calgary to even out the deal???
Uh, no thanks. Can't stand Jokinen but wouldn't mind Sarich again.
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"looking at that picture he's like hockey's version of a baked potato" - sandwichestime on Garrioch.
You know, at first I thought "oh **** no" to it, but now that I think about it, its interesting how the players contrast.
Both players seem to play in a manner that would be more beneficial to the opposite team. Staal seems to be more rugged, physical in a system that lends itself to speedy, softer forwards.
Vinny seems to be the softer forward who isn't fitting into the system that expects a lot on the wall and a lot of physical play.
