Kovalev Hasn't Ruled Us Out

[jl.roberts]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=91607

From TSN's article, he's still looking at returning to the Habs... but there are lots of other teams too.

[Habs77]

Basically the agent will always try and say he has a lot of options to drive the price up.

So you never know if he's saying all this to get more $$ out of Pittsburgh or what.

And yet, it's still the most positive news we've had in while about Kovy in regards to how he feels about coming back to MTL.

I think that the interest in his type of player is at a low-point... the expensive talented yet recently underachieving type is the kind of risk teams are shying away from.

The hard-working less talented & cheaper type are more of a known quantity, and they've been gobbled up at a furious pace.

I doubt we'll hear anything difinite on Kovy until the new CBA is signed.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I'm not sure if that article was positive or not. I think Kovy will play anywhere-anywhere the money is.

There are some other decent names on that list as well. Is kovalev all we want?

[Zowpeb]

I wonder if the Selanne rumours are fueling Kovalev coming out of hiding...As soon as the Habs are rumoured to go after other UFA's Kovy finally comes out of hiding and says he's still interested in playing for the Habs. I think the Habs have offered him the best salary he's seen yet and he's afraid that if we sign someone else then he'll lose the biggest payday he has available.

[Ribeiro]

Originally posted by Zowpeb

I wonder if the Selanne rumours are fueling Kovalev coming out of hiding...As soon as the Habs are rumoured to go after other UFA's Kovy finally comes out of hiding and says he's still interested in playing for the Habs.  I think the Habs have offered him the best salary he's seen yet and he's afraid that if we sign someone else then he'll lose the biggest payday he has available.

I certainly hope the Habs have given him the best offer. I would much rather have Kovalev than Selanne.

[huzer]

I agree, I'd rather have Kovalev than Selanne. Hopefully the Habs can get something done, but even if they can't with Kovy, I'd still rather go fishing for someone other than Selanne.

[Psycing]

Im optimistic that the habs will sign Kovalev. And I really can't see Selanne in a habs uniform... but I guess we will have to wait and see.

[Psycing]

Another comment, only cuz it just popped in my head... We know that montreal has yet to sign a big name player, I think this shows that we are obviously trying very hard with Kovalev. If or When the Habs hit a point where they know they can't get Kovy, because he isn't agreeing with the money, they will move on, and probably quickly sign another big name... (I'm hoping this made as much sense in written form as it did in my head... lol)

[Uwey]

Or maybe nobody at all????

From Spector :

"The Montreal Canadiens are still believed interested in re-signing winger Alex Kovalev, but the Montreal Gazette points out there may not be much room on their payroll to make this happen.

The paper points out the Habs payroll currently sits at just over $27 million, and they've yet to re-sign Sheldon Souray, Michael Ryder, Cristobal Huet, Jim Dowd, Radek Bonk and Richard Zednik. To keep all these guys under contract will likely push the Habs payroll over $40 million, nearly $10 million above the magic number of $31 million commissioner Gary Bettman has set as the payroll target for NHL clubs under his cost certainty scheme.

Bottom line: There wouldn't be enough money for the Canadiens to re-sign Kovalev or bring in another top scoring winger."

[Ribeiro]

Originally posted by Uwey

Or maybe nobody at all????

From Spector :  

"The Montreal Canadiens are still believed interested in re-signing winger Alex Kovalev, but the Montreal Gazette points out there may not be much room on their payroll to make this happen.

The paper points out the Habs payroll currently sits at just over $27 million, and they've yet to re-sign Sheldon Souray, Michael Ryder, Cristobal Huet, Jim Dowd, Radek Bonk and Richard Zednik. To keep all these guys under contract will likely push the Habs payroll over $40 million, nearly $10 million above the magic number of $31 million commissioner Gary Bettman has set as the payroll target for NHL clubs under his cost certainty scheme.  

Bottom line: There wouldn't be enough money for the Canadiens to re-sign Kovalev or bring in another top scoring winger."

I would be willing to give up Kovalev for some of the players mentioned.

Everyone except Souray because I like his strong character and skills...even if they are on/off.

Ryder, since he may be great one day (he's already good).

The Habs will have to sign either Bonk or Huet. I mean, come on. If they don't, losing Garon would have been useless.

Everyone else I'm willing to part with if it means that Kovalev does come to Montreal.

[TruthMonger]

1) I don't think anyone expects a hard cap at $31 million, even if that's Bettman's dream. Much more likely to end up with a high luxury tax.

2) Any cap would have to be grandfathered in, say over a 3 year period, to give teams an opportunity to get below the magic number without cutting half their players. That opens up the possibility to sign someone like Kovy now, knowing Brisebois' $4 million (and others) will be off the books by the time the cap comes into effect.

3) I like Dowd, but can't see us keeping him.

[puck7x]

I want no part of Selanne, he had his chance 2 years ago, and last year to sign with us, he choose not to, instead he just "used" the habs like many other UFA's have before...

He's also coming off a horrible season, plus he isnt exactly young.

I'd play Higgins, Kostitsyn, Perezhogin, Marcel Hossa over Selanne...

But I still want Kovalev back of course.

[Guy10]

I read Detroit was already at 41 million before they signed Shanahan to the 4 million a year contract, so it appears it doesnt really matter at this point.

The story I read is below.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=91742

[Edited on 2004/7/21 by Guy10]

[Ribeiro]

3) I like Dowd, but can't see us keeping him.

I like Dowd. He's still an awesome 3rd line center and his performance was well worth the trade.

I wish the Habs would get him back, now that Juneau and Perreault (likely) are gone.

[Dutch_Habs_Fan]

Originally posted by puck7x

I want no part of Selanne, he had his chance 2 years ago, and last year to sign with us, he choose not to, instead he just "used" the habs like many other UFA's have before...  

He's also coming off a horrible season, plus he isnt exactly young.

I'd play Higgins, Kostitsyn, Perezhogin, Marcel Hossa over Selanne...  

But I still want Kovalev back of course.

Completely right, Selanne had his chance. Kovy is alright, but i would say if he won't come, play a youngster!!

[Edited on 2004/7/21 by Dutch_Hab_Fan]

[huzer]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

3) I like Dowd, but can't see us keeping him.

I like Dowd. He's still an awesome 3rd line center and his performance was well worth the trade.

I don't mind Dowd (although a certain fantasy league trade comes to mind every time I think about him), but to have him in the group of "needs to be re-signed" is kinda stupid, since he's a UFA. Listing him as counting towards next year's salary is like including Langdon, Dackell, Juneau, Quintal....

[Uwey]

We all know the cap $31 mill won't fly, but how much does George Gillette want to spend on salaries next season??? Will he be willing to spend $45 to $50 mill??? That is more the question rather than the league cap in my mind!!!

I have no problem with Selanne in a Habs uniform. I think Kovalev is a bigger knob than Selanne when it comes to being UFA. The Habs have made him an offer, they lost a 2nd rd pick & a top prospect to bring him to Montreal, yet his attitude is, if Mario wants me, I'll go to Pittsburgh for less!!! Talk about being used, eh???

[Ribeiro]

Completely right, Selanne had his chance. Kovy is alright, but i would say if he won't come, play a youngster!!  

 

Too many of you guys are obsessed with "playing youngsters", as opposed to "old(er)" guys like Perreault, Dowd, Sundstrom, Quintal (last year). Most of you guys don't even want to sign old guys back, because you think it would make room for younger stars...which obviously, wouldn't work too well down the season.

Young players can be great but lots of them are flash in the pans. Not to mention although usually full of energy, can become liabilities.

If you're solution to losing Kovalev is playing a youngster, the Habs will have big problems next year.

Listing him as counting towards next year's salary is like including Langdon, Dackell, Juneau, Quintal...

Neither Langdon, Dackell, Juneau or Quintal matched Dowd's performance last year. If you watched the playoffs, he did some really critical things on Defense.

I have no problem with Selanne in a Habs uniform. I think Kovalev is a bigger knob than Selanne when it comes to being UFA. The Habs have made him an offer, they lost a 2nd rd pick & a top prospect to bring him to Montreal, yet his attitude is, if Mario wants me, I'll go to Pittsburgh for less!!! Talk about  being used, eh??

We all realized the risk that he'd leave next year and more likely, so did the GM and other Management. I would hardly call that being used.

[Dutch_Habs_Fan]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

Completely right, Selanne had his chance. Kovy is alright, but i would say if he won't come, play a youngster!!  

 

Too many of you guys are obsessed with "playing youngsters", as opposed to "old(er)" guys like Perreault, Dowd, Sundstrom, Quintal (last year). Most of you guys don't even want to sign old guys back, because you think it would make room for younger stars...which obviously, wouldn't work too well down the season.

Young players can be great but lots of them are flash in the pans. Not to mention although usually full of energy, can become liabilities.

If you're solution to losing Kovalev is playing a youngster, the Habs will have big problems next year.

I know playing a youngster had his disadvantages. But i would put all my hopes on Kovalev, and would rather see a youngster than Selanne (because he had his change).

I also want 2 see the other "old"guys re-signed.

[Edited on 2004/7/22 by Dutch_Hab_Fan]

[bombTHEice]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

If you're solution to losing Kovalev is playing a youngster, the Habs will have big problems next year.  

Why should they have problems without Kovalev? The HABS made the playoffs without Kovalev this season ...

BTW: I don't know which Kovalev we could see next season ... the one lazy guy from the Rangers or the one from the 2004 playoffs? I wouldn't be wondered if Kovalev "only played for a new contract" in the playoffs and then will fall off again next season, like with the Rangers.

[TruthMonger]

"would rather see a youngster than Selanne (because he had his chance)."

Seems like a ridiculous point of view. Let's black-list a top-line scorer because he once discussed a contract with us but chose to sign somewhere else? That would pretty much keep us from signing half the players in hockey. It's just part of the business...and to not sign Selanne wouldn't punish him (other teams will offer as much as we would), but rather us...

That being said, I'd still prefer Kovy.

"I like Dowd. He's still an awesome 3rd line center"

Agreed, (well, maybe solid as opposed to awesome), but we just qualified our new 3rd line centre at $3.5 million and no longer have a place for Dowd.

[Edited on 2004/7/22 by TruthMonger]

[puck7x]

Originally posted by TruthMonger

"would rather see a youngster than Selanne (because he had his chance)."

Seems like a ridiculous point of view.  Let's black-list a top-line scorer because he once discussed a contract with us but chose to sign somewhere else?  That would pretty much keep us from signing half the players in hockey.  It's just part of the business...and to not sign Selanne wouldn't punish him (other teams will offer as much as we would), but rather us...

But he's not a top-line scorer, did you see his last season? He had a great oppurtunity to put up big numbers with his star linemates, but he did squat. Even the years before that he was on the decline... Selanne is a shadow of his former self, ... he might prove me wrong next season, but I seriously doubt it.

[Ribeiro]

Why should they have problems without Kovalev? The HABS made the playoffs without Kovalev this season ...

We'll make the playoffs, sure. But Kovalev was huge in the playoffs and that's where we need players to shine.

We'll just be another Buffalo Bills-Vancouver Canucks type team without a guy that becomes a superstar in the playoffs. We'll get a spot in the playoffs, then get eliminated.

BTW: I don't know which Kovalev we could see next season ... the one lazy guy from the Rangers or the one from the 2004 playoffs? I wouldn't be wondered if Kovalev "only played for a new contract" in the playoffs and then will fall off again next season, like with the Rangers.

I could care less if Kovalev gets 10 goals in regular season if he gets hat tricks during the playoffs. We have players that can put up numbers in the regular season that'll get the Habs a playoff spot, but we need players like Kovalev in clutch games because he'll always be dangerous anytime he crosses that blue line.

But he's not a top-line scorer, did you see his last season? He had a great oppurtunity to put up big numbers with his star linemates, but he did squat. Even the years before that he was on the decline... Selanne is a shadow of his former self, ... he might prove me wrong next season, but I seriously doubt it.

Yeah, well...that tends to happen when you get old(er). Unless you're Joe Sakic who seem to be still going strong.

[huzer]

Originally posted by Ribeiro

Listing him as counting towards next year's salary is like including Langdon, Dackell, Juneau, Quintal...

Neither Langdon, Dackell, Juneau or Quintal matched Dowd's performance last year. If you watched the playoffs, he did some really critical things on Defense.

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. Since Dowd is a UFA, Hickey saying that the Habs definitely have to figure in his salary next year is wrong. I would welcome Dowd back, but there's nothing stating Dowd won't sign with another team. Of course I prefer Dowd to Langdon and the other players I listed. But for a columnist to say that Dowd is automatically on the Habs payroll next season is a bit of a stretch, IMO.

[TruthMonger]

But he's not a top-line scorer, did you see his last season? He had a great oppurtunity to put up big numbers with his star linemates, but he did squat. Even the years before that he was on the decline... Selanne is a shadow of his former self, ... he might prove me wrong next season, but I seriously doubt it.

You may very well be right (and I did mention that I would prefer Kovy), but that wasn't the point put forward with which I was disagreeing. It was suggested that the main reason to not sign him was that he used us to get a better deal elsewhere. That somehow he had cheated on us or violated our trust. THAT is what I thought was silly...