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Koivu or Kovalev: which would you keep?


Koivu or Kovalev  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. Pick just one

    • Alex Kovalev
      9
    • Saku Koivu
      7


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I'm sure he can find one centre. We aren't such a UFA deathtrap that NO ONE will sign here. It may be a guy a little ways down the list, but there would be someone that would be signed.

At least it would give all the same Koivu haters something to bitch about.... again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again.

:wacko:

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I'm sure he can find one centre. We aren't such a UFA deathtrap that NO ONE will sign here. It may be a guy a little ways down the list, but there would be someone that would be signed.

Someone who can replace Koivu? Sure, he may not be in his prime but c'mon, he's still better than most of the UFA centers out there.

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Someone who can replace Koivu? Sure, he may not be in his prime but c'mon, he's still better than most of the UFA centers out there.

I agree to an extent, but I also believe that we have to just make the break right now and try something new. If worse comes to worse, I'd sign a Sami Pahlsson type and try the trade route for an offensive guy. We're just treading water with Koivu. I'll take my chances with the younger Plekanec and someone from the outside. I'd even bring Lang back as a stopgap if nothing tangible emerges. Koivu's on the decline, he doesn't have the speed he used to and things won't get better at age 34-36. Maybe we don't find the solution next year, but we save the space to go for it again the year after.

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I wouldn't write Koivu off as a liability. Sure, he's like 34 but it's not like he's 40. Even though he's on teh tail end of his career, he still has some good hockey in him. His end of the season performance proved that. Plus, even if you can't rely on him to produce at a point per game, he's still a valuable veteran prescence on a team full of kids.

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Koivu, easily. He's the best centre on the team, and in case no one has heard, we are short on centers. Seems like a simple equation to me.

And that sums up why we suck.. if Koivu was a number 2/3 centre on this team, no issue, but then why pay more then $2M for that?

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Both players have their up and their downs, but in the end, i think Kovy could be more usefull to the habs.

However, I'd offer him something in the range of 3.5 million per year, for 1 maybe 2 years maximum!

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Both players have their up and their downs, but in the end, i think Kovy could be more usefull to the habs.

However, I'd offer him something in the range of 3.5 million per year, for 1 maybe 2 years maximum!

1 year max, no more. Need flexibility for next season.

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1 year max, no more. Need flexibility for next season.

That would be the one benefit of this contract if this rumour is true (probably isn't). IMO, Kovalev at 6M for one season is better than Kovalev at 4M for 3 seasons. We can bring back all our guys this season and still fit under the cap but we have virtually no salary coming off the books next year, while both our goalies will need (pretty big) raises, and the cap likely goes down. I'd be willing to pay extra to ensure that whoever we sign accepts a one-year contract. (Another advantage Lang has over Koivu.)

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That would be the one benefit of this contract if this rumour is true (probably isn't). IMO, Kovalev at 6M for one season is better than Kovalev at 4M for 3 seasons. We can bring back all our guys this season and still fit under the cap but we have virtually no salary coming off the books next year, while both our goalies will need (pretty big) raises, and the cap likely goes down. I'd be willing to pay extra to ensure that whoever we sign accepts a one-year contract. (Another advantage Lang has over Koivu.)

Price won't be much if any of a raise. Right now his salary is $2.2M with bonuses, $850K without I think.

Since he is still getting his game together he could very easily be signed for $2.5M with no bonuses and it would be "a raise"

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NEITHER!

Kovy is not worth the money when he shows up for 40% of the games. You think his lack of effort affected the younger guys this year? Absolutely.

And I love Saku, but he is TOO small to be our #1 or #2 centre.

With so many free agents and so much money to spend, this is the time to put a new face to the franchise. A new type of team that isn't small and fast. Because who cares how fast you are when you are constantly on your ass.

Our priority at forward is Tanguay. And he shouldn't be an expensive player.

Our priority at defense should be Emelin. Get him over here and lets see what he's got.

This is the time for Bob to show what he can do. I don't care about years past, because if he takes this off-season and ices the same team as last year then he'll be out of my good books. I don't want a team that gets 4th or 5th in the East and then loses in 4 or 5 games in the first round. BUILD A NEW TEAM BOB!

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Price won't be much if any of a raise. Right now his salary is $2.2M with bonuses, $850K without I think.

Since he is still getting his game together he could very easily be signed for $2.5M with no bonuses and it would be "a raise"

He'll be entering his 3rd season as our starting goaltender. In this case, maybe early experience will make him jump the second contract phase. I could see us locking Price up long-term at a high price (higher than 2.5M) next off-season. But it doesn't really matter. Either way, there isn't going to be much room next season, especially if the cap drops. If we sign Koivu or Kovalev for longer than one season, we can expect our 09-10 team to be identical to the 10-11 team (aside for rookies trying to steal spots). I'd prefer to open up space for next off-season when everyone is panicking that the cap is dropping.

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The habs are in arguably the best cap situation of any team. This is there opportunity to get a coaching staff together, pick a direction. Then move to signing the appropriate UFA's or trade for players you want. Several teams will be in bad shape with the cap and will need to make moves. It's already been reported the cap is going down, know one has any idea how much.

Having the same or simlilar roster just doesn't make sense.

This is a HUGE opportunity to make a big splash and needed changes.

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The habs are in arguably the best cap situation of any team. This is there opportunity to get a coaching staff together, pick a direction. Then move to signing the appropriate UFA's or trade for players you want. Several teams will be in bad shape with the cap and will need to make moves. It's already been reported the cap is going down, know one has any idea how much.

Having the same or simlilar roster just doesn't make sense.

This is a HUGE opportunity to make a big splash and needed changes.

I think this might be true next off-season. But right now... we're kinda screwed. If we reach out and bid 8M x 6 years on Bouwmeester or Gaborik (without making serious cuts to the rest of the roster) we'll be just another one of the screwed teams next off-season when the cap drops.

We could either keep people on one-year contracts and make the splash next year (Kovalchuk!), or we could just let everyone go and hustle to make the playoffs with a roster full of 22-25 year olds.

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Maybe, but if BG breaks the bank on a Gaborik or Boumeester, you have definatley seen the last of Koivu, Kovalev and Komi And all the other UFA's also.

There are players to replace those guys.

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If we keep Tanguay, pay 8M for Bouwmeester and let Koivu, Kovalev and Komisarek walk, do you think we'll be a better team next season? I don't.

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Yea I do. Boumeester will be a huge upgrade to Komi, especially moving and skating the puck out of the zone. He is a RD and could step right in with Markov.

I'm not big fans of Kovalev and Koivu, I am just speaking of production on the ice, it has detiorates significanlty over time, 50 points for a 4 mill player is redicoulous.

Kovalev is a train wreck waiting to happen at any time. He was benched last year because of lack of efort and production. That's unacceptable.

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I think this might be true next off-season. But right now... we're kinda screwed. If we reach out and bid 8M x 6 years on Bouwmeester or Gaborik (without making serious cuts to the rest of the roster) we'll be just another one of the screwed teams next off-season when the cap drops.

We could either keep people on one-year contracts and make the splash next year (Kovalchuk!), or we could just let everyone go and hustle to make the playoffs with a roster full of 22-25 year olds.

I would prefer that Gainey hires a coach with a strong system and commits to it.

Stay the course, if Kovy wants to come back, 1 year. Same with Lang and Koivu. If they don't like that,

there is the door. Build a team committed to each other, if that means a step back and missing the playoffs,

so what. But spend the next 12 months figuring out WHO they need to create a cup contender.

There are ZERO players out there who I would commit long term to on July 1st. The only player who

intrigues me is Beauchemin, a strong back end will insulate Price and Halak and assure they are competitive.

One more season of development for the young core and the big splash NEXT season with all the cap room

and the likelihood of a lot of strong players springing free because of cap commitments.

I just don't think it will happen, the worst thing to do is destroy the cap space on a mediocre UFA.

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How on earth does JayBo desevre anything even CLOSE to 8 million? Even 7 million is waaay too much. Sure, he's good, but what has he accomplished? He's put up okay numbers on a bad team. Big deal. I don't think he's any better than Rafalski or Campbell, and not even at the same level as Markov, Green or Lindstrom.

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I would let Koivu go. It's unfortunate, because as a player, I really like him. His point per game stat is close to Vinny's. And we want to cripple the franchise to get Vinny.

I would give Kovy 4.5 to 5 million and the C for one year. Try to sign Lang and Schnide for 3 to 4 million for one to two years. If Komi and Tanguay can't be signed to 4 or 5 year deals at 4 to 5 million. G'bye. Everyone is expecting the cap to go down next year, so the old guys can get short term deals. Komi and Tanguay are the only two I would try to lock in.

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I would let Koivu go. It's unfortunate, because as a player, I really like him. His point per game stat is close to Vinny's. And we want to cripple the franchise to get Vinny.

I would give Kovy 4.5 to 5 million and the C for one year. Try to sign Lang and Schnide for 3 to 4 million for one to two years. If Komi and Tanguay can't be signed to 4 or 5 year deals at 4 to 5 million. G'bye. Everyone is expecting the cap to go down next year, so the old guys can get short term deals. Komi and Tanguay are the only two I would try to lock in.

if you think signing the shnide for 3 or 4 million is a good idea then you must be a fan of mad mike milbury. I love the shnide but he is finished maybe 1 or 2 years at 1.5mill tops filling in when needed like breezy who should retire. Kovy did nothing this year that says he should earn 4.5 mill, I would say 3-3.5 with a lot of bonuses. Komi was bad this year and should sign for no more than 4 mill. Tanguay should get an extension (3 years) at the same as he is making now. Koivu should be offered a contract 2 years at 3 mill per year. and bonuses.

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Believe me, if you guys think Komi is worth 6, then Boumeester is worth 8.

I don't think Komi is worth 6M, but it is not important what I feel his worth is.

Just like nobody in their right mind thought that Luongo/Jokinen was worth Parrish/Kvasha,

but ONE idiot did. UFAs being overpaid is not a new phenomenon.

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