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Backstrom might be a UFA, I think.

But I agree, the cap numbers don't work out.

you are 100% correct he is a ufa at the end of this season. but the cap numbers only work if we are giving up koivu, and only then if saku wants to go.

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Losing Halak (a very cap friendly player) does nothing to help our cap situation, since we'd need a goalie to replace him. Denis makes $600,000, so that's only a cap savings of $175,000 and throwing caution to the wind, if you ask me.

Trading Koivu brings us back to where we were in the summer w/r/t centres, so that makes ZERO sense.

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I hate these trade talks. I just hope they are just rumours. I don't wanna see Higgins go!!!

The problem is that RDS doesn't usually print something if there isn't some truth to it! Let's not forget that Gainey and Risebrough are good friends...so there might be something to these rumours. I just hope not!

Don't do it BOB, please!!!!

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The Habs don't need an 8M player to win the Stanley Cup. Especially locked in for 10 years

Let him follow the money.

I would prefer they keep this team together and use their money on 2-3 players instead

of an injury prone player.

This is not fantasy sports. People need to get over the love of big name players.

He is an unsigned player after this year. What are you talking about? He isn't 8 mill and isn't locked in for 2 years let alone 10. He may sign here for less.

Oh right, you thought 4.5 was too much for an aging Kovalev if I remember correct. Wasn't Lang a dumb signing in your eyes also a couple months back? This is not fanatasy sports Wamsley, but the fact is he is a better goal scorer than anyone in our system, he is young, and is a better player than Higgins, Halak and the 30th overall in this years draft put together and only take one roster spot not 3! I also love Higgins and Halak him alot, but a good deal is a good deal. If Bob can make the numbers work, do it. I doubt however that this is more than a rumour. Again I am relieved that Bob Gainey is running the show from Montreal and not you from your lazy boy. Also , Kovalev, Koivu , Markov, Tanguay, and soon Kostitsyn and Komo are all big name players. We are stacked with them and yes we need them! Max Pac is another "big name player" and yes we need him! Oh, and by the way , "Injury Prone?" Elmer Lach was "Injury Prone" .

Are you saying something here or are you just saying? With tenacious play comes injury!

I will say though that I would much rather get Gaborik and keep all our assets intact!

I love Higgins because he is a habs fan! Therefore I would hate to see him traded.

Guess he will play Monday?

Edited by johnnyhasbeen
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I could be wrong, but weren't Zubrus and Zholtok (or at least one of them) part of the trade package that gave us Zednik?

Yup, it was Zuby-Linden for Bulis-Zednik, and I believe there were draft picks too, but I can't remember which ones...

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Yup, it was Zuby-Linden for Bulis-Zednik, and I believe there were draft picks too, but I can't remember which ones...

we got a 1st rounder and gave a second rounder.

our pick gave us perezhogin.

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He is an unsigned player after this year. What are you talking about? He isn't 8 mill and isn't locked in for 2 years let alone 10. He may sign here for less.

Oh right, you thought 4.5 was too much for an aging Kovalev if I remember correct. Wasn't Lang a dumb signing in your eyes also a couple months back? This is not fanatasy sports Wamsley, but the fact is he is a better goal scorer than anyone in our system, he is young, and is a better player than Higgins, Halak and the 30th overall in this years draft put together and only take one roster spot not 3! I also love Higgins and Halak him alot, but a good deal is a good deal. If Bob can make the numbers work, do it. I doubt however that this is more than a rumour. Again I am relieved that Bob Gainey is running the show from Montreal and not you from your lazy boy. Also , Kovalev, Koivu , Markov, Tanguay, and soon Kostitsyn and Komo are all big name players. We are stacked with them and yes we need them! Max Pac is another "big name player" and yes we need him! Oh, and by the way , "Injury Prone?" Elmer Lach was "Injury Prone" .

Are you saying something here or are you just saying? With tenacious play comes injury!

I will say though that I would much rather get Gaborik and keep all our assets intact!

I love Higgins because he is a habs fan! Therefore I would hate to see him traded.

Guess he will play Monday?

Jeez. Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!

I don't think anyone is saying that Gaborik would not be a nice addition to the habs. What most of us are saying is that there are too many reasons as to why we might not need him. First of all, he's averaged about 65 games per year over the past 7 seasons. I don't know about you, but i consider this to be an injury prone player! Secondly Gaborik will demand a HUGE salary next year. He turned down 77 million$ over 10 years from the Wild. That is mostly because he doesn't want to stay in Minnesota. True that he might accept a lower salary to play on a good offensive team, but i doubt he'd accept 6 million$ per year. Minimum Gaborik will cost is 7 million$ per year over at least 6 or 7 years! Can we afford that, with guys like Komisarek, Plekanec, Kovalev, Koivu, Tanguay etc...who will all be looking for raises next year?

Third reason why i don't think getting him would be good, is that the Habs have GREAT chemistry right now. Everyone seems to get along with everyone else. We added 3 new players this year, and they all seem to fit in nicely with the rest of the team. Gaborik has been known to be somewhat of a primadonna and I'm not sure he'd fit into this locker-room. Finally, i don't want to see Chris Higgins go. This kid is good. Obviously he'll never be as good as Gaborik, but he cares about the Habs. He wants to stay in Montreal, and Higgins is the type of player who would accept a hometown discount...i doubt Gaborik would. What happens if we give up Higgins, Halak and a 1st round pick to get Gaborik, and then when the time comes to re-sign him next year, Mister Gaborik decides to pull a Marian Hossa??? We would get screwed like the Penguins did! No thanks, i don't want to take that kind of chance!

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It is not going to happen period

Exactly. Not only is it impossible to happen given our cap situation, but it wouldn't help our team in any way other than helping out our offence in the short-term - and that's the last place we need help.

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He is an unsigned player after this year. What are you talking about? He isn't 8 mill and isn't locked in for 2 years let alone 10. He may sign here for less.

Oh right, you thought 4.5 was too much for an aging Kovalev if I remember correct. Wasn't Lang a dumb signing in your eyes also a couple months back? This is not fanatasy sports Wamsley, but the fact is he is a better goal scorer than anyone in our system, he is young, and is a better player than Higgins, Halak and the 30th overall in this years draft put together and only take one roster spot not 3! I also love Higgins and Halak him alot, but a good deal is a good deal. If Bob can make the numbers work, do it. I doubt however that this is more than a rumour. Again I am relieved that Bob Gainey is running the show from Montreal and not you from your lazy boy. Also , Kovalev, Koivu , Markov, Tanguay, and soon Kostitsyn and Komo are all big name players. We are stacked with them and yes we need them! Max Pac is another "big name player" and yes we need him! Oh, and by the way , "Injury Prone?" Elmer Lach was "Injury Prone" .

Are you saying something here or are you just saying? With tenacious play comes injury!

I will say though that I would much rather get Gaborik and keep all our assets intact!

I love Higgins because he is a habs fan! Therefore I would hate to see him traded.

Guess he will play Monday?

WTF are you talking about?

If you are going to quote me, please refer me to the posts in which I said 4.5 was to much for Kovalev.

I have said many times that Kovalev is inconsistent and if the proper deal came up, that a 35 year old player

is not UNTOUCHABLE. When the hell did I say Lang was a dumb TRADE? I don't know if you noticed, but he was

acquired as an expiring contract which was a GREAT TRADE as it has no long term cap ramifications.

As for a guy who just turned down an 8M per season contract with the Wild over 10 years, expecting him to

accept less in Montreal is ridiculous. The fact remains if the Habs went after Gaborik and signed him for 8-10M

per year (WHICH IS WHAT HE IS EXPECTING), then say goodbye to one of Tanguay, Komisarek, Koivu or Kovalev.

Add in that you would be losing Higgins and Halak and a first round pick as well, do you really like this team

better without those 3! players and Gaborilk instead?

WTF does Elmer Lach have to do with Marian Gaborik? Did Elmer Lach make double the highest paid player?

Did Elmer Lach play in a time where there were 30 teams and no all-star sitting on the farm to replace him?

If the Habs give up 2 NHL players and possibly lose another 1 to 2 players because of cap implications, who the hell is going to step up if Gaborik misses 20 games (which he has averaged over the last 4 years)?

This is not 1985 or 1995. You CANNOT build a team full of stars anymore.

The Habs have 10 UFAs and 4 RFAs next summer. Add in Carey Price and Sergei Kostitsyn the summer after.

ALL OF THE CORE PLAYERS will be getting raises or maintaining their current salary. So let's just dump in a 9-10M player and let me know how it turns out. All of this is with putting blinders on in an economic time in which it is not unreasonable to believe the cap will decrease.

Now if Gaborik walks, you just pissed away Higgins, Halak and a 1st. Who is going to be the backup by the way?

Marc Denis? Cedric Desjardins?

Please, inform me in my lazy boy how the Habs could keep this team together for the near future by allowing two

cheap productive assets to leave with all the raises due in the next 2 years. Last time I checked Begin, Kostopolous,

Dandenault and Boullion make 5.5M combined. THAT, is not going to get it done. Toss in Langs 4M and it is 9M.

Five players to cover Gaborik's salary.

Gaborik - 8M

Markov - 5.75M

Hamrlik - 5.5M

A. Kostitsyn - 3.25M

22.5M on 4 players. Now add in UFA/RFAs with modest raises or the same 2008 salary.

Tanguay - 5.25M

Koivu - 4.75M

Kovalev - 4.5M

Plekanec - 3.5M

Komisarek - 4.5M

Latendresse - 2M

47M on 10 players. Add in the players already locked in.

Laraque - 1.5M

Lapierre - 680K

S. Kostitsyn - 817K

J. Gorges - 1.1M

R. O'Byrne - 942K

C. Price - 2.2M with expected bonuses

That totals out to about 54M for 16 players. So who goes? Where are the remaining 9 players making the minimum

coming from? What do you do when Price gets 5M per and Sergei 3M per?

Fortunately Gainey has his eye to 2-3 years in the future when a stupid move like a Gaborik deal would start

to majorly impact this franchise. You can have your 1 year window and fantasy dream, I would prefer to live

in the 2009 NHL and compete in a 6-10 year championship window.

Edited by Wamsley01
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WTF are you talking about?

If you are going to quote me, please refer me to the posts in which I said 4.5 was to much for Kovalev.

I have said many times that Kovalev is inconsistent and if the proper deal came up, that a 35 year old player

is not UNTOUCHABLE. When the hell did I say Lang was a dumb TRADE? I don't know if you noticed, but he was

acquired as an expiring contract which was a GREAT TRADE as it has no long term cap ramifications.

As for a guy who just turned down an 8M per season contract with the Wild over 10 years, expecting him to

accept less in Montreal is ridiculous. The fact remains if the Habs went after Gaborik and signed him for 8-10M

per year (WHICH IS WHAT HE IS EXPECTING), then say goodbye to one of Tanguay, Komisarek, Koivu or Kovalev.

Add in that you would be losing Higgins and Halak and a first round pick as well, do you really like this team

better without those 3! players and Gaborilk instead?

WTF does Elmer Lach have to do with Marian Gaborik? Did Elmer Lach make double the highest paid player?

Did Elmer Lach play in a time where there were 30 teams and no all-star sitting on the farm to replace him?

If the Habs give up 2 NHL players and possibly lose another 1 to 2 players because of cap implications, who the hell is going to step up if Gaborik misses 20 games (which he has averaged over the last 4 years)?

This is not 1985 or 1995. You CANNOT build a team full of stars anymore.

The Habs have 10 UFAs and 4 RFAs next summer. Add in Carey Price and Sergei Kostitsyn the summer after.

ALL OF THE CORE PLAYERS will be getting raises or maintaining their current salary. So let's just dump in a 9-10M player and let me know how it turns out. All of this is with putting blinders on in an economic time in which it is not unreasonable to believe the cap will decrease.

Now if Gaborik walks, you just pissed away Higgins, Halak and a 1st. Who is going to be the backup by the way?

Marc Denis? Cedric Desjardins?

Please, inform me in my lazy boy how the Habs could keep this team together for the near future by allowing two

cheap productive assets to leave with all the raises due in the next 2 years. Last time I checked Begin, Kostopolous,

Dandenault and Boullion make 5.5M combined. THAT, is not going to get it done. Toss in Langs 4M and it is 9M.

Five players to cover Gaborik's salary.

Gaborik - 8M

Markov - 5.75M

Hamrlik - 5.5M

A. Kostitsyn - 3.25M

22.5M on 4 players. Now add in UFA/RFAs with modest raises or the same 2008 salary.

Tanguay - 5.25M

Koivu - 4.75M

Kovalev - 4.5M

Plekanec - 3.5M

Komisarek - 4.5M

Latendresse - 2M

47M on 10 players. Add in the players already locked in.

Laraque - 1.5M

Lapierre - 680K

S. Kostitsyn - 817K

J. Gorges - 1.1M

R. O'Byrne - 942K

C. Price - 2.2M with expected bonuses

That totals out to about 54M for 16 players. So who goes? Where are the remaining 9 players making the minimum

coming from? What do you do when Price gets 5M per and Sergei 3M per?

Fortunately Gainey has his eye to 2-3 years in the future when a stupid move like a Gaborik deal would start

to majorly impact this franchise. You can have your 1 year window and fantasy dream, I would prefer to live

in the 2009 NHL and compete in a 6-10 year championship window.

:clap:

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Well, I worked it out with Brian - or listened to Brian rattle off a bunch of numbers - and yes, it is possible to make this deal work just barely, now that I know what the exact deal would be.

But I still don't advise it. We could barely do it with this year's team, next year, Gaborik would want a big raise and we'd also want to give raises to Komisarek, Latendresse, Plekanec, and maybe Kovalev, Koivu and Tanguay. That would be impossible without the cap going up. So we'd be relying on

1) We win the Cup --> Koivu retires. Or Koivu just decides to leave. To those who are about to say that he has the CH branded on his heart, he's already said that this could be his last season in Montreal. He didn't make it sound like he wanted to leave but he definitely sounded like he'd consider the possibility of walking away.

2) We make Kovalev walk, and Gaborik becomes our new Kovalev for the next decade.

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Well, I worked it out with Brian - or listened to Brian rattle off a bunch of numbers - and yes, it is possible to make this deal work just barely, now that I know what the exact deal would be.

But I still don't advise it. We could barely do it with this year's team, next year, Gaborik would want a big raise and we'd also want to give raises to Komisarek, Latendresse, Plekanec, and maybe Kovalev, Koivu and Tanguay. That would be impossible without the cap going up. So we'd be relying on

1) We win the Cup --> Koivu retires. Or Koivu just decides to leave. To those who are about to say that he has the CH branded on his heart, he's already said that this could be his last season in Montreal. He didn't make it sound like he wanted to leave but he definitely sounded like he'd consider the possibility of walking away.

2) We make Kovalev walk, and Gaborik becomes our new Kovalev for the next decade.

No thanks. The problem with that is Kovalev makes 4.5M and his replacement would likely come in at double that.

I also believe you do not pay franchise money to guys not named Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin or Lidstrom.

If it is 10 years, what do you do if one of the prospects (AK46, Lats, Max Pac, Price, SK74) become elite

players demanding 7-8M per? Do you now lose them because you overpaid Gaborik? Do you do something

stupid and follow the blueprint that the Lightning ran into the ground, or attempt a futile mission like the Pens

are on right now with Crosby/Malkin?

To many things can go wrong with a Gaborik deal, and only a few scenario's would have the Habs smelling like

roses. I still think it is to early to pull a major trigger like that. The time may arise soon, but this team might

be good enough to win the title this year.

This is a huge season of evaluation. Which kids are a part of the future and which ones are going to need to be dealt.

I don't think they need to blow their load on Gaborik at this point.

Edited by Wamsley01
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No thanks. The problem with that is Kovalev makes 4.5M and his replacement would likely come in at double that.

I also believe you do not pay franchise money to guys not named Crosby, Ovechkin, Malkin or Lidstrom.

If it is 10 years, what do you do if one of the prospects (AK46, Lats, Max Pac, Price, SK74) become elite

players demanding 7-8M per? Do you now lose them because you overpaid Gaborik? Do you do something

stupid and follow the blueprint that the Lightning ran into the ground, or attempt a futile mission like the Pens

are on right now with Crosby/Malkin?

To many things can go wrong with a Gaborik deal, and only a few scenario's would have the Habs smelling like

roses. I still think it is to early to pull a major trigger like that. The time may arise soon, but this team might

be good enough to win the title this year.

This is a huge season of evaluation. Which kids are a part of the future and which ones are going to need to be dealt.

I don't think they need to blow their load on Gaborik at this point.

I agree with Walmsley. I like Gaborik but I don't know if I like Gaborik in Montreal for ten years fu**king up the cap. When we might not really go anywhere with him. I'd rather keep Koivu around and Kovalev to just lead this young team for a little while longer yet. We have Gabs potential in our system........and more. Team spirit and brotherly love. You can't just get that from a trade. Look at the Pens with Hossa. He didn't fit in, he friggin signed with the enemy for f**ck sakes........no way!!!!!! We have a good thing in Montreal that we should keep intact for a few more years anyway. Walmsley really helps me see how it could hurt us in the years to come and it's not worth sacrificing for a "must win CUP now!" attitude which I could be talked into fairly easily. We're good as we are let's not forget that very important point.

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Let's not forget that Carey Price, TFS, could very well be the franchise player we have to pony up for very soon. Price's contract is up in 2010. We need to set aside, IMHO, at least $5m for him right now for those years. And Sergei Kostitsyn comes up that year as well.

Opening up the wallet to a guy like Gaborik long term would restrict our ability to re-sign a LOT of players.

I think any Gaborik scenario needs to be looked at as a rental situation.

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WTF are you talking about?

Please don't swear.

If you are going to quote me, please refer me to the posts in which I said 4.5 was to much for Kovalev.

I have said many times that Kovalev is inconsistent and if the proper deal came up, that a 35 year old player

is not UNTOUCHABLE. When the hell did I say Lang was a dumb TRADE? I don't know if you noticed, but he was

acquired as an expiring contract which was a GREAT TRADE as it has no long term cap ramifications.

Didn't quote you, as such and will take the Lang part back, that wasn't you now that I went back, my mistake.

As for a guy who just turned down an 8M per season contract with the Wild over 10 years, expecting him to

accept less in Montreal is ridiculous. The fact remains if the Habs went after Gaborik and signed him for 8-10M

per year (WHICH IS WHAT HE IS EXPECTING), then say goodbye to one of Tanguay, Komisarek, Koivu or Kovalev.

Add in that you would be losing Higgins and Halak and a first round pick as well, do you really like this team

better without those 3! players and Gaborilk instead?

He is expecting in the 8 range, which he will get, Lang frees up a good chunk of that. koivu will also be gone more than likely.

New look next year. If it went down,which I never said I expect it to, I would be more surprised Higgins and Halak were involved.

Centers will be Pleks , Chips, Laps, Maxwell, or add a free agent. Oh, I take Gaborik over Tanguay and he will want 6 plus!, If Saku stays and we have to pick one. But of course that is hypothetical. I didn't create the rumour and hope to keep the 2 players which I happen to like on our roster.

WTF does Elmer Lach have to do with Marian Gaborik? Did Elmer Lach make double the highest paid player?

Did Elmer Lach play in a time where there were 30 teams and no all-star sitting on the farm to replace him?

You paying him 11 mil?

Okay, go look at our Captains attenance record. enough already.

If the Habs give up 2 NHL players and possibly lose another 1 to 2 players because of cap implications, who the hell is going to step up if Gaborik misses 20 games (which he has averaged over the last 4 years)?

Max Pac

This is not 1985 or 1995. You CANNOT build a team full of stars anymore.

Watch and see, we already have just that, not 1985 0r 1995 but 1976!

The Habs have 10 UFAs and 4 RFAs next summer. Add in Carey Price and Sergei Kostitsyn the summer after.

ALL OF THE CORE PLAYERS will be getting raises or maintaining their current salary. So let's just dump in a 9-10M player and let me know how it turns out. All of this is with putting blinders on in an economic time in which it is not unreasonable to believe the cap will decrease.

How did he become a 10 mil player" Why not call it 15? Nice economics there!

As I said Lang is gone and you pick, resign one or the other Tang or Gab. You said yourself what a great deal it was getting Lang at the end of his contract, how is it worse to get GaboriK?????

Now if Gaborik walks, you just pissed away Higgins, Halak and a 1st. Who is going to be the backup by the way?

Marc Denis? Cedric Desjardins?

If that is the deal, which I doubt. I say Bob gets him cheaper. He is a good horse trader.

If Rollie tells him we can spare Halak, I will go with it.

Please, inform me in my lazy boy how the Habs could keep this team together for the near future by allowing two

cheap productive assets to leave with all the raises due in the next 2 years. Last time I checked Begin, Kostopolous,

Dandenault and Boullion make 5.5M combined. THAT, is not going to get it done. Toss in Langs 4M and it is 9M.

Five players to cover Gaborik's salary.

Gaborik - 8M

Markov - 5.75M

Hamrlik - 5.5M

A. Kostitsyn - 3.25M

22.5M on 4 players. Now add in UFA/RFAs with modest raises or the same 2008 salary.

Tanguay - 5.25M

Koivu - 4.75M

Kovalev - 4.5M

Plekanec - 3.5M

Komisarek - 4.5M

Latendresse - 2M

47M on 10 players. Add in the players already locked in.

Laraque - 1.5M

Lapierre - 680K

S. Kostitsyn - 817K

J. Gorges - 1.1M

R. O'Byrne - 942K

C. Price - 2.2M with expected bonuses

That totals out to about 54M for 16 players. So who goes? Where are the remaining 9 players making the minimum

coming from? What do you do when Price gets 5M per and Sergei 3M per?

Fortunately Gainey has his eye to 2-3 years in the future when a stupid move like a Gaborik deal would start

to majorly impact this franchise. You can have your 1 year window and fantasy dream, I would prefer to live

in the 2009 NHL and compete in a 6-10 year championship window

AS I said, minus Tanguay or Gaborik next season. Also at least on 4 mil centre!

Inject Maxwell, Chipchura, Max Pac, Stewart who by the way is another call up we will see this year.

Fill in once again with key UFAs.

And so on and so on, Thanks to our top notch scouts that will continue to give us ample goalies and NHL caliper players to spare.

Thus we part ways with many talented young players. They are the cast offs as my Grandfather called them back in the 60's. You keep the best and shop the rest.

I don't want to fight you, you picked the name of my favourite Vee goalie! I was showing that this trade can make sense. That is all.

Edited by johnnyhasbeen
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Well, at the risk of being repetitive, I too am with Wamsley. Our current model of building a contender from within, through a raft of excellent cheap young players, seems to me to be working to a 'T' - the very model of how you win in a cap system. From what I can see in this early going, we're easily in the top 5 league-wide, serious contenders as it stands. Logic says stay the course rather than lurch into a different model at the last moment. Wamsley has articulated the key principle here: never, ever, ever pay franchise-player dollars to guys who aren't franchise players in a cap system. Teams like Philly are going to rue the Briere-type deals before it's all played out.

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Well, at the risk of being repetitive, I too am with Wamsley. Our current model of building a contender from within, through a raft of excellent cheap young players, seems to me to be working to a 'T' - the very model of how you win in a cap system. From what I can see in this early going, we're easily in the top 5 league-wide, serious contenders as it stands. Logic says stay the course rather than lurch into a different model at the last moment. Wamsley has articulated the key principle here: never, ever, ever pay franchise-player dollars to guys who aren't franchise players in a cap system. Teams like Philly are going to rue the Briere-type deals before it's all played out.

Exactly. Already I think Philly misses Umberger, whose contract could have been easily afforded had they not overspent on Briere, Hartnell and Timmonen.

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never, ever, ever pay franchise-player dollars to guys who aren't franchise players in a cap system. Teams like Philly are going to rue the Briere-type deals before it's all played out.

Excellent point!

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The way I see it :

+The salary cap might still go up.

-Yes, Plekanec and Komisarek will get raises

+Dandenault and Bouillon will either get big cuts or won't be re-signed

+Lang will surely be replaced by Chipchura, Maxwell, or whoever

+will we be able (and willing?) to retain all of Kovalev, Tanguay and Koivu at their curent rate? maybe one of them will opt for free agency.

so I really have no doubt that we can afford him. if we get him, everything will fall into place.

question though?

Who do we (really) have to give up and are we willing to give it up?

IMO, in the long term, and at the $$ he might asks, Higgins might be more valuable than Gaborik.

Call me crazy, but to me, it amounts to have the choice between a Kirk Muller in his prime (higgins) or a Marian Hossa (Gaborik)

One is a leader, a clutch performer

The other one is a pure talent, cream puff.

We already have a LOT of pure talent (kost x 2, kovalev, tanguay, Markov), I want to keep our core of clutch (Higgins, Koivu, Komisarek) and would actually even admit that we might need more in that department.

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The only thing that keeps Gaborik from the franchise player discussion is health:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/270...U_ck:qK8DMEkDUU

But at last week's dinner, Risebrough and Lynn showed Gaborik that, since the lockout, he's fourth in the NHL in goals per game (behind Alex Ovechin, Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley), first in even-strength goals per minute played and tied for second in goals per 60 minutes played (behind Ovechkin).

"He seemed surprised, pleasantly, to learn he is among the top scorers in the league right now and doesn't need to go anywhere else to do that," Lynn said. "So only his groins have kept him from being right there, which would not change with another team."

If you think that his health issues can be overcome, he is definitely worth franchise money. He is a special player, he doesn't need top end linemates to produce.

I love Gaborik as a player. I just don't know if I'd trade a Tanguay, Lang, Higgins, and Halak for him. That's essentially what's being proposed here if he were to be a long term addition.

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The only thing that keeps Gaborik from the franchise player discussion is health:

http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/270...U_ck:qK8DMEkDUU

If you think that his health issues can be overcome, he is definitely worth franchise money. He is a special player, he doesn't need top end linemates to produce.

I love Gaborik as a player. I just don't know if I'd trade a Tanguay, Lang, Higgins, and Halak for him. That's essentially what's being proposed here if he were to be a long term addition.

well, Koivu was SO injury prone and he is now SO durable.

I have a strong belief that our training staff (Levingston and co) more than luck really improved the durability of our players.

The couple of past seasons, we didn't have any lingering injuries, except for Higgins (20-ish games), I think (? can you tell me otherwise)

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