Sign Pleks!

[KoZed]

SIGN PLEX!

[BCHabnut]

Sign Pleky

[dlbalr]

This came up during the broadcast tonight, don't remember seeing it here. By rule (the CBA), the Habs can't even begin negotiations with him until the new year because he signed a 1 year extension during the offseason.

The rule in case anyone cares to look it up can be found under Sec. 50.5, Section F, Subsection IV (or somewhere near there...).

Means that we'll be waiting a fair bit longer no matter before we find out if this gets done or not.

[rafikz]

From Pierre Lebrun

Plekanec and the market

Tomas Plekanec entered Saturday's play with 43 points (7-36) in 39 games, good for sixth in NHL scoring. And it just so happens the 27-year-old Czech centre is slated for unrestricted free agency July 1. Cha-ching.

There have been no talks so far this season between the Montreal Canadiens and his agent Rick Curran, and that's because he can't do a new deal until January at the earliest. As per the collective-bargaining agreement, any player on a one-year deal can't talk contract again until Jan. 1 at the earliest.

It's safe to say he'll be getting a raise on the $2.75 million he's earning this season, whether that's in Montreal or not.

What's intriguing is how Canadiens GM Bob Gainey will play this one. Last season, he didn't deal with any of his potential UFAs until after the season. Will that policy remain the same this season? Curran said his client loves it in Montreal, but, at this point, wasn't sure whether the Habs will come calling next week when the calendar turns to January.

"I have no idea. I always try to respect the club's policy," Curran told ESPN.com this week. "And it really doesn't matter to me or Tomas. Right now, Tomas is grateful that things have come back together the way they have in the past and the way he had expected they would.

"Bob Gainey has always been very good and very professional about Tomas. He's also been a big supporter of Tomas as a hockey player."

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?...e=lebrun_pierre

Edited December 27, 2009 by dlbalr
Added link

[hab29RETIRED]

watching Pkeks at the games and the chemistry he is showing with Elias. I can see Elias asking him to wait for July and sign with NJ. Is there any player who more embodies the Lou Lamirollo style then Pleks??? Great two way player, PP and PK specialist, great 5 on 5.

I am REALLY afraid the habs are either going to give him away in a dumb trade at the deadline or lose him for nothing. They really need to move him.

Capwise its going to be tough- but it is doable. SIgn him now, move Hamrlik at the deadline for an expiring contract and then move Gomez during the summer.

I know people keep on saying moving Gomez would adversely effect the habs chances of attracting UFA's. Boston and NYR have consistently dumped bad signings and it hasn't hur their chances of signing more UFA's.

I have a bad feeling that Gauthier is going to make bonehead moves that will see us lose one of our goalies, SK74 and Pleks at the deadline. IMO opinion all three of these moves would hurt us long-term. Our number one need is to give our youth a chance next year to become an integral part of the core (two goalies, Pouliot, SK74, Subban) and dump our epensive salaries (gomez, Hamrlik and Spacek).

The guys that Gauthier should be trying to move are as I've already mentioned, Gomez, Hamrlik, Spacek, along with impending UFA's like Mara, Metro, Dags (not much of a cap hit, but waste of a roster spot that is still tied up with Laraque). Who knows, the Pens may also be interested in getting back Gill.

The moves at the deadline NEED to be made with an eye towards next year, but still help us to get into the playoffs. However, we CANNOT afford to make dumb moves just to get into the playoffs this year.

[thib46]

watching Pkeks at the games and the chemistry he is showing with Elias. I can see Elias asking him to wait for July and sign with NJ. Is there any player who more embodies the Lou Lamirollo style then Pleks??? Great two way player, PP and PK specialist, great 5 on 5.

I am REALLY afraid the habs are either going to give him away in a dumb trade at the deadline or lose him for nothing. They really need to move him.

Capwise its going to be tough- but it is doable. SIgn him now, move Hamrlik at the deadline for an expiring contract and then move Gomez during the summer.

I know people keep on saying moving Gomez would adversely effect the habs chances of attracting UFA's. Boston and NYR have consistently dumped bad signings and it hasn't hur their chances of signing more UFA's.

I have a bad feeling that Gauthier is going to make bonehead moves that will see us lose one of our goalies, SK74 and Pleks at the deadline. IMO opinion all three of these moves would hurt us long-term. Our number one need is to give our youth a chance next year to become an integral part of the core (two goalies, Pouliot, SK74, Subban) and dump our epensive salaries (gomez, Hamrlik and Spacek).

The guys that Gauthier should be trying to move are as I've already mentioned, Gomez, Hamrlik, Spacek, along with impending UFA's like Mara, Metro, Dags (not much of a cap hit, but waste of a roster spot that is still tied up with Laraque). Who knows, the Pens may also be interested in getting back Gill.

The moves at the deadline NEED to be made with an eye towards next year, but still help us to get into the playoffs. However, we CANNOT afford to make dumb moves just to get into the playoffs this year.

I do not disagree with anything you have said, however, it takes willing partners to have a meaningful dance. I do not see a lot of general managers jumping at Gomez, especially Gomez and the others mentioned, well you have equal quality elsewhere. Tough to be any GM in this economy.

[BlueKross]

I do not disagree with anything you have said, however, it takes willing partners to have a meaningful dance. I do not see a lot of general managers jumping at Gomez, especially Gomez and the others mentioned, well you have equal quality elsewhere. Tough to be any GM in this economy.

I also agree. I would sign Plekanec before the deadline to multiple years if possible or move him for equal assets that we can control. I don't have a problem with a lateral move if it brings new energy and perhaps some size up front. I would like to see our top two lines healthy, because they have been showing promise when healthy.

[huzer]

Maybe this could be merged with the thread that has the exact same name.

http://forums.habsworld.net/index.php?showtopic=20682

[dlbalr]

Update on the situation, though nothing overly new:

The Habs and Tomas Plekanec's agent, Rick Curran, continue to talk, and all signs point to the Czech center likely staying put instead of hitting the unrestricted free-agent market July 1.

"We continue to have positive conversations ... not likely to finalize any agreement until after the season has completed," Curran told ESPN.com via e-mail Saturday.

I suspect the Habs need to create some cap space after the season before fitting in any new deal for Plekanec, but it does sound like the Canadiens will likely retain him.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/blog/_/name/lebrun_...l-star-facelift

[MFT77]

Update on the situation, though nothing overly new:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/blog/_/name/lebrun_...l-star-facelift

Ya, i just read the LeBrun log last nite.

Good news if talks are going smoothly and Pleks is resigned. Deal with the cap during the summer. Can't lose an asset like Pleks for nothing.

[JoeLassister]

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/295536.html

Habs and Plex stoped talking until the end of the season to avoid any distraction in the playoffs race.

I blame it on Gainey.

Edited March 16, 2010 by JoeLassister

[Fanpuck33]

Habs and Plex stoped talking until the end of the season to avoid any distraction in the playoffs race.

More like they stopped talking until the team finds a way to fit Plex under the cap.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Signing Plex is guaranteed to put the Habs over the cap. The Habs will then spend the summer getting back under it. You usually don't see media reports saying with such confidence that a player will be re-signed unless there is quite good reason to think it'll happen, so things are looking good on this file. (Now we just have to hope that Pleks really is Pavel Datsyuk Lite and not a 50-60 point C who vanishes in the playoff, which is a fair inference from his career up to this point).

[Habsfan]

The fact that Curran said the negotiations went well is positive news! I really get the feeling Tomas wants to stay in Montreal. I just hope he doesn'T get injured by the end of the year!

I expect Tomas to be signed 1 or 2 weeks after the habs get eliminated...you really don't want to wait til July 1.

[Habsy]

Sure, he wants to stay. However, all this means is that we'll have to match the highest offer, which we can't do, due to salary cap trouble. We shall see.

[Habsfan]

all this means is that we'll have to match the highest offer

Not if he's signed before July 1st!

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Sure, he wants to stay. However, all this means is that we'll have to match the highest offer, which we can't do, due to salary cap trouble. We shall see.

Possible but terribly pessimistic. When people say that it's looking like a player will sign, they *don't* mean that he's planning on testing the UFA waters and will sign with us if we beat the highest bidder. Therefore: either the media have completely misread the signals being sent by the Plekanec camp, or Pleks will be signed well before July 1. Now is the time for cautious optimism regarding Pleks, my friend.

[Habsy]

Possible but terribly pessimistic. When people say that it's looking like a player will sign, they *don't* mean that he's planning on testing the UFA waters and will sign with us if we beat the highest bidder. Therefore: either the media have completely misread the signals being sent by the Plekanec camp, or Pleks will be signed well before July 1. Now is the time for cautious optimism regarding Pleks, my friend.

Oh ya, I'm with you on that. I want him to stay. I just worry about the summer, as we've been burned before.

[Habsfan]

Oh ya, I'm with you on that. I want him to stay. I just worry about the summer, as we've been burned before.

Let's say the habs get eliminated in the second week of May... that still leaves them a full 6 weeks to get to an agreement with Plex. As long as they don't procrastinate, i'm positive, they'll come to some kind of agreement!

Edited March 17, 2010 by Habsfan

[BCHabnut]

Let's say the habs get eliminated in the second week of May... that still leaves them a full 6 weeks to get to an agreement with Plex. As long as they don't procrastinate, i'm positive, they'll come to some kind of agreement!

Let's say they don't get eliminated in May!

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Oh ya, I'm with you on that. I want him to stay. I just worry about the summer, as we've been burned before.

Right. What I'm saying is that - unlike the cases of Souray and Komisarek - the signals being sent are much more convincingly positive. I don't want to jinx anything, but based on these signals, the odds favour a happy outcome.

[BTH]

I never felt like Plekanec is the type to test the market. I feel like he likes it here.

I think we'll sign him for something like 4.75M-5.25M

[ForumGhost]

I'm going to say 4 million.

[saskhab]

Right. What I'm saying is that - unlike the cases of Souray and Komisarek - the signals being sent are much more convincingly positive. I don't want to jinx anything, but based on these signals, the odds favour a happy outcome.

Well... Koivu supposedly had a deal ready to sign in the drawer of a desk somewhere in the Bell Centre, so really, who knows?

[Habitforming]

Well... Koivu supposedly had a deal ready to sign in the drawer of a desk somewhere in the Bell Centre, so really, who knows?

Right, but maybe Saku told them he would test the market..... maybe his numbers weren't good enough.... or maybe the cleaning crew threw it out. The point is that there are alot of intangibles to consider for anything that happens.