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Which Free Agent Would You Sign?


Considering the salary, which would you pick?  

101 members have voted

  1. 1. Defenseman

    • Wade Redden
      42
    • Zdeno Chara
      36
    • Bryan McCabe
      0
    • Eric Desjardins
      2
    • Kim Johnsson
      10
    • Ruslan Salei (cheaper)
      11
  2. 2. Top 2 line center

    • Marc Savard
      23
    • Jason Arnott
      59
    • Matt Cullen
      2
    • Mike Peca
      11
    • Doug Weight
      3
    • Jason Allison
      2
    • Andrew Cassels
      1
  3. 3. Scoring winger

    • Teemu Selanne
      40
    • Eric Daze (with bonuses)
      3
    • Jochen Hecht
      3
    • Peter Bondra
      0
    • Brendan Shanahan
      3
    • Valeri Bure (if proven healthy)
      1
    • Patrick Elias
      51


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That's what you get for taking a risk on a good player coming off an atrocious year. Either it pays off a la Selanne, or it fizzles like Jeff O'Neill in Toronto, or Czerkawski in Toronto.

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Well if you sign a Kubina or Mara and don't get rid of anyone, then you are pretty much maxed out on the salary cap.

What is your source for the Habs cap?

Cap goes up $4M, Montreal lets free agents go(Bulis etc.) and Theo was ???$4.5M. That is a far cry from maxed out.

I have not been able to find a credible source for the Habs cap. Funny as it is easy to see NBA teams cap numbers as it is discussed every day on sports sites. Now where are those Habs capologists hiding. :ph34r:

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I have no idea what their cap status is, can only guess. BUt by the time they sign the guys they need to sign they'll probably be close to $36 Million. The cap will probably be $44 Million thats means the Habs have around $8 Million to play with. But not really, because they'll probably save atleast $3 Million to play with for injuries and trade deadline aquisitions. The Habs will not spend the full around.

So realistically the Habs have around $5 Milliont play with....ballpark. Definitley not much more, and maybe less.

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What is your source for the Habs cap?

Cap goes up $4M, Montreal lets free agents go(Bulis etc.) and Theo was ???$4.5M. That is a far cry from maxed out.

I have not been able to find a credible source for the Habs cap. Funny as it is easy to see NBA teams cap numbers as it is discussed every day on sports sites. Now where are those Habs capologists hiding. :ph34r:

Here's a quick analysis.

Under contracts and known salaries (11 players):

- Dandenault (1.7M)

- Markov (1.75M)

- Rivet (2.4)

- Souray (2.25M)

- Begin (1M)

- Bonk (2.4M)

- Downey (0.48M)

- Koivu (4.75M)

- Kovalev (4.5M)

- Plekanec (0.57M)

- Zednik (1.9M)

Under contracts and unknown salaries (2 players):

- Streit (0.6) - rumoured to be

- Murray (0.75) - worst case senario

The rest is a guess, here's my best shot at it (includes estimate of salaries towrads the worst case scenario to be conservative and Aebi being traded and Danis resigned):

- Huet (3M)

- Danis (1M)

- Bouillon (1.5M)

- Komisarek (1.2M)

- Higgins (1M)

- Perezhogin (1M)

- Ribeiro (1.75M)

- Ryder (2M)

That's 21 players for 37.5M$, about 6M$ under the cap, maybe more due to cap being between 43 and 46, my guess is 43 (see my post http://forums.habsworld.net/index.php?showtopic=6912 for my reasons of a 43 cap vs 46).

The above 21 players gives us a complete team (2 goalies, 7 D and 12 forwards), with one forward short to play on the 3rd line (see below).

Assuming we maintain the goalies and D as is (as I have been predicting for a while), BG can move Zednik (Kostitsyn at 0.9) and Ribs for an additionnal saving of 2.75M, leaving close to 9M to upgrade the center position (Ribs). Asuuming that BG will keep 3 to 4M in reserve, we have about 5-6M for a center, can anyone spell A-R-N-O-T-T.

That's it folks. We don't have that much cap space and BG said that he wanted to upgrade the offense, so like I've been saying all a long, forget any D coming as help unless we have to trade one for that offensive help.

Kostitsyn-Arnott-Kovalev

Higgins-Koivu-Ryder

Perezhogin-Plekanek-?

Begin-Bonk-Murray

Downey as depth

? could be Zednik or someone else at 2M$ top. That would mean that we don't save the 1M$ (kost vs. Zed), but we have the room for it. Zednik played well with Plekanec and Perezhogin in the playoffs, could be interesting to keep that line. Perezhogin and Kostitsyn could switch places also.

Markov-Komisarek

Souray-Rivet

Bouillon-Dandenault

Streit as depth

Huet-Danis

No way we keep Huet and Aebi, BG just said that to avoid admitting to the other GMs that he wants to trade Aebi.

Anyways, have fun analyzing and tearing apart my analysis :P

Edited by Komisarek the Cruncher
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YOU GUYS RULE! :hockey:

I cannot believe I did not see the Habs player contracts on Habsworld. Shame on me.

I promise to be more resourceful in the future as I just missed this.

Komisarek The Crusher good job on the breakdown. That was a lot of work and is appreciated. Once Bonk and Zednik are gone from the team that really helps open up some wiggle room. Now after reading this I think the only free agents Montreal will be signing is their own.

Thanks.

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YOU GUYS RULE! :hockey:

I cannot believe I did not see the Habs player contracts on Habsworld. Shame on me.

I promise to be more resourceful in the future as I just missed this.

Komisarek The Crusher good job on the breakdown. That was a lot of work and is appreciated. Once Bonk and Zednik are gone from the team that really helps open up some wiggle room. Now after reading this I think the only free agents Montreal will be signing is their own.

Thanks.

You could not be more right about Bonk. Anyone defending him doesn't understand the cap system well. He's a complete waste of money at 2.4M$. Go Chipchura in 2008, a saving of at least 1.5M$, plus the cap increasing again another 3 to 4M$ probably. Then it will be BG's time to make a splash and give us that strong Cup contender team that will be amongst the elite of the league.

I disagree that all he will do is resign our UFA. We do have a lot of room to sign a player, just not that 8M$ guy that some fans are dreaming about. He did say he wanted a UFA forward and that he wanted to upgrade the offense. BG just won't stay still, the fans and media would tare the city upside down if he doesn't do at least one move (trade of UFA).

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Teemu Selanne 40 g 50 a 90 Pts $3.75 Million

Saku Koivu 17 g 45 a 62 Pts $4.75 Million

Alexei Kovalev 23 g 42 a 65 pts $4.50 Million

Yup, that was a nice signing by the Ducks. And he only got a one year contract didn't he.

Hopefully Bob Gainey is a good bargin hunter. He seemed to have the knack in Dallas and put together a decent team around Modanno and Hatcher.

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Considering he also later signed Turgeon to a 5yr, 25.5million deal, and then signed Donald Audette to a 3mil+ deal (whom he later dumped on Montreal for Martin Rucinsky), I'd have to say that I'm not sold.

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That ? in the above analysis can also be a surprise rookie like Lapierre or Latendresse (I won't even mention Chipchura).

I'm also not sold on Gainey's negotiating skills. He gave too much to Koivu, too much to Kovalev, too much to Dandenault, too much to Theo and maybe a little too much to Begin. But the thing is that even if these guys are overpaid, they're valuable players and we're much better off with an overpaid core then with no core at all and a hand full of cash. I say we'll get 1 good forward (most likely a center) and then Gainey'll keep the rest. I think we can finish 5th-6th in the East this season. If we got Arnott AND somehow managed to sign a cheap yet efficient d-man or made an upgrade via trade then I think we can fight Ottawa for division champions (depending on how many guys thye have to let go this offseason).

They'll most likely drop Chara and Havlat. Maybe one of Smolinsi, Phillips and Fisher (they really should keep this guy!) and they still need to sign a goalie. I think we can beat these guys as they'll go from an All-Star team to a very good team and we'll go from a good team to a very good team (assuming we make the above changes). I'm still not sold on Arnott. If he costs 5 million dollars then I'll be upset as he is no more proven then Bonk was when he got him and he's a similar type of player. We complain about Bonk's salary but he may cost double and yet we can never tell if he'll be a bust or not. If we can get a cheaper guy then Bonk then go for it but I think Arnott is a big risk at $5M. But then again, there isn't anyone else available and frankly, Ribs isn't an option.

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That ? in the above analysis can also be a surprise rookie like Lapierre or Latendresse (I won't even mention Chipchura).

I'm also not sold on Gainey's negotiating skills. He gave too much to Koivu, too much to Kovalev, too much to Dandenault, too much to Theo and maybe a little too much to Begin. But the thing is that even if these guys are overpaid, they're valuable players and we're much better off with an overpaid core then with no core at all and a hand full of cash. I say we'll get 1 good forward (most likely a center) and then Gainey'll keep the rest. I think we can finish 5th-6th in the East this season. If we got Arnott AND somehow managed to sign a cheap yet efficient d-man or made an upgrade via trade then I think we can fight Ottawa for division champions (depending on how many guys thye have to let go this offseason).

They'll most likely drop Chara and Havlat. Maybe one of Smolinsi, Phillips and Fisher (they really should keep this guy!) and they still need to sign a goalie. I think we can beat these guys as they'll go from an All-Star team to a very good team and we'll go from a good team to a very good team (assuming we make the above changes). I'm still not sold on Arnott. If he costs 5 million dollars then I'll be upset as he is no more proven then Bonk was when he got him and he's a similar type of player. We complain about Bonk's salary but he may cost double and yet we can never tell if he'll be a bust or not. If we can get a cheaper guy then Bonk then go for it but I think Arnott is a big risk at $5M. But then again, there isn't anyone else available and frankly, Ribs isn't an option.

I am just going to wait and let Gainey surprise everyone when and if he does sign a free agent. We should know by now that Gainey is not influenced by fans or the media. He usually finds a player that fits his needs and requirements for playing on his team. I just love his way of doing business. Not saying he will always be successful but he is interesting.

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I am just going to wait and let Gainey surprise everyone when and if he does sign a free agent. We should know by now that Gainey is not influenced by fans or the media. He usually finds a player that fits his needs and requirements for playing on his team. I just love his way of doing business. Not saying he will always be successful but he is interesting.

Yep. We're lucky to have a guy like him in such an important position.

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I have one question for the group.

If Gainey finds himself against the cap and has an eye on a player that will cost about $1M; do you think he would buyout say a guy like Bonk? It would cost him 66% of his $2.4M salary and spread out over 2 years =$792,000 per year.

The NHL agreement is:

The NHL's labor agreement permits teams to buy out players between June 15, or 48 hours after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup final, whichever is later, and June 30. Players under age 26 are entitled to one-third of the money left on their contract, all others can be bought out for two-thirds.

This is just another factor in free agency that can help eliminate past mistakes with some savings.

Edited by InsaneAVSfan
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Can someone please tell me what the fascination with Jason Arnott is please?

He is talked about in this thread like he is a scoring machine and possible addition to the habs offence.

He is not THAT good.

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Can someone please tell me what the fascination with Jason Arnott is please?

He is talked about in this thread like he is a scoring machine and possible addition to the habs offence.

He is not THAT good.

He's the best center available via UFA this summer. He scored 32 goals and 76 pts last year, he's big and had 102 penalty minutes; and he plays very well both ways, I think that's pretty good, and most certainly 100 times better then Ribs. He finished 17th for points and 9th for goals for centers last year, that's in the top half of 1st line centers in the league, but you must be right, we don't need a guy like that, he would be a nightmare for our offense....

He would probably be be our best forward !!!

I have one question for the group.

If Gainey finds himself against the cap and has an eye on a player that will cost about $1M; do you think he would buyout say a guy like Bonk? It would cost him 66% of his $2.4M salary and spread out over 2 years =$792,000 per year.

The NHL agreement is:

The NHL's labor agreement permits teams to buy out players between June 15, or 48 hours after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup final, whichever is later, and June 30. Players under age 26 are entitled to one-third of the money left on their contract, all others can be bought out for two-thirds.

This is just another factor in free agency that can help eliminate past mistakes with some savings.

You're right about the 66%, but the buyout price is spread over the remaining years of the contract boughtout per the CBA. Therefore it would be a 1.58M$ hit on the cap next year. We're better of keeping him for that year while Chipchura gets that 1 year in the AHL that he needs and then be-bye for the 2007-08 season.

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Can someone please tell me what the fascination with Jason Arnott is please?

He is talked about in this thread like he is a scoring machine and possible addition to the habs offence.

He is not THAT good.

The CH has been concerned with getting themselves a big right handed center from the Andre Savard days

and it has remain it seems a priority for Gainey as well.

All our forwards are left shooter and so are obviously are all our centers.......a right handed center would give

our coaches some options in critical face-off situation while getting ourselves a right handed shooter would

create more scoring opportunities during power-plays. The concern for the size has to do with our forwards

and centers still being on the smallish side of neutral.....so its a question of balance and versatility.

Why then Arnott ? first because he possess those features and he is availlable as a UFA,...secondly,

we need scoring forwards and it seems that the NewNHL as turned his offensive effectiveness to that new level. Third,...we have a place for him as Ribeiro would be expendable in that specific situation.

Based on that, Arnott seems a target entirely based on a rationnal decision.....unlike Lecavalier which would both be based on some rationnalities AND fascination.

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Like INSANE said about Bonk the buying price for Bonk would be 66% of his contract and I also believe

that this amount could be spread over twice the the amount of time that was remaining under the initial contract.

Bonk have one year remaining at 2,400.000

Buying him out at 66% cost 1,700.000

This amount can be paid within twice the amount of time (2years) that was remaining on his contract (1year).

CH would declare only 750.000 per year on the cap.

Doing so this year and adding a replacement cost like Lapierre (450.000) would total 1,200.000 under the cap

and save us 1,200.000 over using bigbadBonk himself.

If those calculations are right,.... I would say that since Gainey cannot shortchanged the CH twice in a row in

term of getting the scoring help the team still needs......he might have to max-out the cap in doing so....and yes, buying Bonk, would be a way to make a little more room under the cap.

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The CH has been concerned with getting themselves a big right handed center from the Andre Savard days

and it has remain it seems a priority for Gainey as well.

All our forwards are left shooter and so are obviously are all our centers.......a right handed center would give

our coaches some options in critical face-off situation while getting ourselves a right handed shooter would

create more scoring opportunities during power-plays. The concern for the size has to do with our forwards

and centers still being on the smallish side of neutral.....so its a question of balance and versatility.

Why then Arnott ? first because he possess those features and he is availlable as a UFA,...secondly,

we need scoring forwards and it seems that the NewNHL as turned his offensive effectiveness to that new level. Third,...we have a place for him as Ribeiro would be expendable in that specific situation.

Based on that, Arnott seems a target entirely based on a rationnal decision.....unlike Lecavalier which would both be based on some rationnalities AND fascination.

Easy guys. I didn't say he sucks, just not THAT good.

Last year was a career year for Arnott. By far his best since the first season in the NHL and Ribs was made expendable by Pleks and Higgins (both centres playing the wing) so that is a crock.

Looking over his career numbers ( on a fantastic team with huge talent beside him don't forget) he averages around 50 points per season.

Big Deal!

Is this a case of him being able to help the habs greatly or a case of him being the only option so we make him sound/seem better then he really is (like we do with others ala Lecavalier, Huet, etc)?

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Easy guys. I didn't say he sucks, just not THAT good.

Last year was a career year for Arnott. By far his best since the first season in the NHL and Ribs was made expendable by Pleks and Higgins (both centres playing the wing) so that is a crock.

Looking over his career numbers ( on a fantastic team with huge talent beside him don't forget) he averages around 50 points per season.

Big Deal!

Is this a case of him being able to help the habs greatly or a case of him being the only option so we make him sound/seem better then he really is (like we do with others ala Lecavalier, Huet, etc)?

Yes it was Arnott's career year, but a 30 years old, it often happens has guys get experienced and hit their prime. Also, could it be that the new NHL suits him better?

Ribs sucks PERIOD. As for Higgins, he's been converted to a winger since is 1st year in the AHL. The Habs don't see him as a center. He will never be one. He was not moved to center when Koivu was hurt last year...

As for Pleks, I prefer him as our 3rd center.

As for Arnott's career numbers, he's more a 60 pts then 50 pts average player and many seasons were not complete due to injuries, he's more of a 70 pts player over a full season. As for playing with guys with huge talent, I think Kovy can easily match any Dallas player that played with Arnott.

Yes he would help the Habs greatly as PB and I pointed out. He fits exactly what we need, a big talented right handed center who plays both ways. There are not too many of those out there. He's not the only option, there are cheaper less talented options in the UFA market and god knows who's available via trade for the right offer. So YES is the answer to your question, he is what we are looking for. Also, we can't afford anybody over 7M$, so again, he's the perfect fit for us.

We never said that he was a Joe Thornton, but he is a very talented center and not many can match what he brings overall.

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