Caps shopping Lang

[Habs77]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2003Jul23.html

By Jason La Canfora

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, July 24, 2003; Page D01  

The Washington Capitals are shopping center Robert Lang around the NHL, league sources said, and let it be known that they would assume a substantial portion of Lang's salary in a trade. Lang signed a five-year, $20 million contract with Washington last summer -- the largest free agent deal in franchise history -- but owner Ted Leonsis is committed to slashing payroll after years of heavy financial losses.

Efforts last month to trade Jaromir Jagr, who earns $11 million a season, were fruitless and only the New York Rangers have expressed significant interest in the winger, although those talks have cooled since the June draft. Jagr has $55 million left on his deal and, despite the fact that the Capitals would be willing to eat a chunk of the contract to make a trade many, NHL general managers believe Washington will be unable to deal the former scoring champion.

Trading Jagr would rectify Washington's payroll problems in one swoop, but, given the lack of interest, the Capitals have intensified attempts to deal Lang, sources said. General Manager George McPhee has spoken with several teams recently about Lang, according to league sources, and told potential trade partners that the Capitals would pick up $1 million of Lang's $5 million salary for each of the four years remaining on the contract. Lang is Washington's third-highest-paid player behind Jagr and goalie Olaf Kolzig ($6.25 million). McPhee declined to comment for this story.

McPhee is primarily seeking defensive help, sources said, but remains in a position where he cannot take on much additional salary in a trade. The market is flooded with high-priced, high-profile players and there is no shortage of centers available. Doug Weight (St. Louis), Petr Nedved (New York), Jason Arnott and Pierre Turgeon (Dallas), and Jason Allison (Los Angeles) are among the centers who could be acquired via trade, while veteran free agents Adam Oates and Joe Nieuwendyk are also willing to sign for a reasonable fee.

Lang has proven to be a durable and consistent player and was coveted by Dallas, the Rangers and Detroit when he became an unrestricted free agent last summer. Of those teams, only Detroit remains able to spend and is still in need of a center, but the Red Wings are focused primarily on moving goalie Curtis Joseph (and his $8 million salary) and sources said the team's objective is to include Joseph in any deal for a forward.

The Capitals have several young centers under contract -- Jeff Halpern, Brian Sutherby and Boyd Gordon among them -- and although those players lack Lang's offensive gifts, there is depth at the position. Lang was signed in 2002 to replace Oates as the team's top center, but Michael Nylander, who filed for salary arbitration, could fill that role and winger Kip Miller has spent time centering Jagr's line as well.

[Habs77]

When you hear Washington is willing to eat some salary, and they are looking for defensemen in return... you can't help but think that this kinda fits with the Habs' situation.

We could use an upgrade at center after Koivu (Lang is 6'2'' 215lbs which is size we simply don't have at center, not to mention he has skill), and we have D men to spare.

Lang might be look to be a good fit as #2 center if Ribeiro doesn't work out... problem is if you acquire him Ribeiro will never have the chance to prove whether he can hack it or not.

There would also be the fact that we have Perreault & Juneau, despite being on the last year of their deals, who are still under contract for next year at 3M & over 2M.

Gainey said he'd only acquire someone who could help out the team for years to come, giving that as an excuse when saying he wasn't interested in Fedorov.

Lang happens to be the same age... but at half the price will he look any younger in Gainey's eyes? hehe

Just a thought.

[Edited on 24-7-03 by Habs77]

[TheAussiePosse]

There is always someone out there who doesn't like the idea of aquiring so-and-so for our team.

This time it's me.

Lang would not help this team the way we're looking for.

- We're looking to clear up our Centre position. Perreault, Riberio, Juneau for the 2nd and 3rd line pivots. Lang would not help us there

- We're looking to get more physical. While he is bigger, he does not play a physical game.

If there was somehow a three-way deal involved, I wouldn't mind (there've been 2 recently - PHO/CMB/DAL and BUF/CAL/COL). If we shipped off a defencemen for Lang, then traded Lang for another defencemen or physical forward, that would help. I think either STL, DET (as mentioned in article), ATL or NJ (if they lose Nieuwendyk) would benefit from his skills. ALthough NJ would want more defensively, and that might not work out.

However, if he was on the team, he can play on LW (he did with the Caps for some time), and can score, which would help us both Reg . strength and PP.

But IMO, he's not needed.

Oh well, if he don't sign, there's always the WHA...

He is soft, has a bad work ethic and is inconsistent. Not what we want.