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O'Reilly didn't have any no-trade protection with Colorado and the Sabres weren't granted permission to talk contract before the deal was done so my guess would be no. The benefit is solely to the player, not the team. I believe signing bonus money is outside the system in terms of HRR which reduces his escrow. It also guarantees him payment in case there's another lockout when the CBA is up. And, as I noted in my other post, it basically makes the contract buyout proof as signing bonus money is owed in full on buyouts. If they were to buy him out, they'd only save a few hundred thousand a year on the cap. Buffalo has done this before with Ehrhoff and Myers. It didn't work too well on either of those occasions, Ehrhoff was bought out and Myers played poorly in the early going of his front loaded deal as complacency set in. I like O'Reilly but something tells me the third time won't be a charm.

I doubt Markov would see a trade as 'doing him a solid.' He's been pretty staunch in his commitment to Montreal for over a decade. I also suspect that, with minutes properly managed (unlike last year), he can be a real asset to a contending team. Like us.

We could always do him a solid and win a Cup.

Looking good

Gary Bettman calls them jerseys. Hockey players wear sweaters with crests, not logos. There is no neutral zone in hockey, it's called centre ice. There are no lockerooms in hockey, it's called a dressing room. Hockey clubs have alternate captains, not assistant captains. Gary Bettman has Americanized hockey language, and many sheep have followed.

First of all, Montreal Canadiens don't wear jerseys...they wear hockey sweaters...anyone who calls them 'jerseys' doesn't know hockey. Secondly, the club did not exist in 1884...Montreal Canadiens were founded in 1909. Third, Montreal Canadiens uniforms should never change again...Reebok needs to take a hike.

Do we do Markov a solid and trade him to a top contender so he can win a cup and retire? It's happened many times before..and he doesn't seem to have anything left in the tank. Ducks need a 3rd pairing guy after losing Beauchemin..Whatta ya say?..bring back a 2nd round pick from Ducks? Bolts? Preds? Blues?