Permanent Rumour Thread

[bbp]

Eklund had a Canes/Habs rumor earlier in the week, he didn't say what though.

I propose Gomez + prospect for Eric Staal.

Yeah then Cole and Staal can be all chemistry and we will win everything!

[Commandant]

As much as I can't stand Gomez. don't like this at all. How many years do Komi and Lombardi have left and how much are they getting? Komi is getting what $4.5M, Lombardi around $4M?

New CBA at end of year will probably have one freebie buyout, to me that is when you get rid of Gomer. Doesn't his actual salary also drop. Should be easier to dump him if the new CBA doesn't give the out.

Komisarek's contract expires the same time as Gomez and his actual salary drops below his cap hit as well.

Lombardi is getting 3.5, and his contract expires one year earlier than Komi/Gomez.

don't know if i should laugh or cry

Nah why go after their best player. I suppose I could settle for Skinner. What was the basis of peckland's rumour. PG and Rutherford were seen together at the bell centre? oh, wait the two teams are playing together and PG said hi to Rutherford when he saw him

LOL

[Trizzak]

As much as I can't stand Gomez. don't like this at all. How many years do Komi and Lombardi have left and how much are they getting? Komi is getting what $4.5M, Lombardi around $4M?

New CBA at end of year will probably have one freebie buyout, to me that is when you get rid of Gomer. Doesn't his actual salary also drop. Should be easier to dump him if the new CBA doesn't give the out.

Komisarek is the same # of years remaining as Gomez. Lombardi one year less at 3.5. Lombardi's contract is perfectly reasonable, he's just a concussion risk. Komisarek's contract is bad, but is it "Gomez bad"?

Despite this rumour being dead, for discussion's sake: does Komisarek fill a bigger need than Gomez?

I'm not sure I would expect another free buyout period being accepted by the players. Nor do I think the NHL will staunchly demand it.

[Commandant]

Also the last free buyout was NOT limited to one player per team.

[hab29RETIRED]

Komisarek is the same # of years remaining as Gomez. Lombardi one year less at 3.5. Lombardi's contract is perfectly reasonable, he's just a concussion risk. Komisarek's contract is bad, but is it "Gomez bad"?

Despite this rumour being dead, for discussion's sake: does Komisarek fill a bigger need than Gomez?

I'm not sure I would expect another free buyout period being accepted by the players. Nor do I think the NHL will staunchly demand it.

I think the players will want it to free guys like Redden stuck in the minors, as well as others like GOmez who may find themselves in similar positions. I also think Bettman will have to appease the rich owners like the NYR's to have some incentive to support a lockout.

As far as Komi goes, he could help now, but in another month, when Markov or Campoli may be back, do you really want Komi to be holding back Weber or Emelin. I would rather play these kids as much as possible up to the trade deadline and see what are needs are at that time.

I think i'm probably the biggest Gomez hater here, but I just don't want to replace one bad contract with two. I like Lombardi - was someone I was hoping the Habs would go after when he was a UFA. But with his concussion history and our own injury issues, i don't want to take on a guy who maybe a hit away from retirement.

[hab29RETIRED]

Also the last free buyout was NOT limited to one player per team.

Didn't realize that. I still wouldn't want Komi though. Maybe being paired with Markov again would revive him, but honestly, do we really want another guy who is pretty much a pylon and has been pretty much has been a rag dog for the bruins to beat on. I think Emelin can turn out to be a much better upgrade over Komi.

[Commandant]

Its not an ideal trade and I agree Komi and Lombardi have problems. But you are not going to get anything of true value for Gomez... no matter what the deal, it will have warts.

[hab29RETIRED]

Its not an ideal trade and I agree Komi and Lombardi have problems. But you are not going to get anything of true value for Gomez... no matter what the deal, it will have warts.

Agreed. But my preference would be to wait and see if we can unload him for free over the summer, otherwise just eat his salary by burying him in the minors. Not sure if the Molson's are willing to do that though. I think we've got 3 pretty good kids and I don't want a guy like Komi taking time away from them. Of course, if it turns out that Markov isn't back, that would change the picture, but even then, is Komi going to replace Markov?

I'd rather gamble on Emelin developing and progressing the way we all want then roll the dice on Komi.

[Commandant]

Agreed with all of that.

My thinking is that its easier to bury Komi in the minors than Gomez... and Lombardi would replace everything Gomez brings.

If he suffers the career ending concussion, you LTIR him.

[Trizzak]

Agreed with all of that.

My thinking is that its easier to bury Komi in the minors than Gomez... and Lombardi would replace everything Gomez brings.

If he suffers the career ending concussion, you LTIR him.

Komisarek has a weird NMC that has him unable to be put in the minors in certain years of his contract. I don't know if he can actually be demoted this season.

[hab29RETIRED]

Komisarek has a weird NMC that has him unable to be put in the minors in certain years of his contract. I don't know if he can actually be demoted this season.

Uggh, the dreaded George Laraque NMC - BTW, how does a goon get a clause like that anyways??????

If komi has a clause like that, there is no way i'd want him.

[Commandant]

Komisarek has a weird NMC that has him unable to be put in the minors in certain years of his contract. I don't know if he can actually be demoted this season.

Yeah that would change my thinking because we are already gonna be at 9 Dmen when healthy.

[hab29RETIRED]

Yeah that would change my thinking because we are already gonna be at 9 Dmen when healthy.

I think you mean IF we are healthy

[Trizzak]

I think you mean IF we are healthy

QFT

[saskhab]

I like that Dreger said the Leafs were offered a player and a 2nd rounder for Cody Franson. He didn't say which player. I mean, to the naked eye it looks like a good deal for the Leafs, but it could be that they offered a bad contract and the 2nd rounder. So... Gomez and a 2nd rounder for Franson. lol

[Willey101]

I believe it was Omark and a 2nd for Franson.

I think the question for this team is do we make a deal for a forward or for a D. If we hypothetically make a deal for a D then what happens when the healthy return? Markov, Campoli, Subban, Gorges, Spacek, Gill and then Emelin, Diaz, Weber. That's 9 D-men. If we add another then does this mean we are dumping one of 2 of the players already in the line-up?

If I am Gauthier then I am not make a trade for the sake of a trade. Go out and target a few guys who you are interested in. For me I look around the league and think perhaps Staal in Carolina is unhappy. Shea Weber needs to be resigned in Nashville.

Problem is that to lure one of these guys is going to require a big return.

Would you for instance part with Tomas Plekanec, Yannick Weber and Nathan Beaulieu perhaps even have to throw in a 2nd rounder for Eric Staal?

[Colin]

I believe it was Omark and a 2nd for Franson.

I think the question for this team is do we make a deal for a forward or for a D. If we hypothetically make a deal for a D then what happens when the healthy return? Markov, Campoli, Subban, Gorges, Spacek, Gill and then Emelin, Diaz, Weber. That's 9 D-men. If we add another then does this mean we are dumping one of 2 of the players already in the line-up?

If I am Gauthier then I am not make a trade for the sake of a trade. Go out and target a few guys who you are interested in. For me I look around the league and think perhaps Staal in Carolina is unhappy. Shea Weber needs to be resigned in Nashville.

Problem is that to lure one of these guys is going to require a big return.

Would you for instance part with Tomas Plekanec, Yannick Weber and Nathan Beaulieu perhaps even have to throw in a 2nd rounder for Eric Staal?

I don't think Staal is at all an option.

That said, once Markov, Gilly, Spaceman and Campoli are back, we will absolutely have a surplus on the back end. Yes, there will always be injuries, but we keep discovering that, while they may be green, the kids coming up from the farm are at least versed in the same style of play, and seem to be well insulated by the coaching staff (IMO Martin develops defenders infinitely better than forwards). I do believe that, as the season progresses, the Habs have enough of a surplus (assuming no more catastrophic injuries) to package a defender to destination unknown with the hope of either hulking up the back end, or maybe making a run at another top-6 guy.

That said, with the way the team is sticking to the system that Martin has instituted the past games, there's probably not a lot of panic, and I can see PG only tweaking if we continue to play like this. People may not be happy with Eller's use or Gomez's production so far, but there's still plenty of time for the former to keep developing and for the latter to find his game (he's been a different player since coming back from injury, so far).

[dlbalr]

Komisarek has a weird NMC that has him unable to be put in the minors in certain years of his contract. I don't know if he can actually be demoted this season.

He has a full no-move that prevents him from being 'Redden'ed' and a partial no-trade clause that can be modified each June. So he can be traded (depending on whether that team is on his list) but not buried in the AHL.

[Colin]

He has a full no-move that prevents him from being 'Redden'ed' and a partial no-trade clause that can be modified each June. So he can be traded (depending on whether that team is on his list) but not buried in the AHL..

I wonder if MTL is on the no-trade list. These are the kinds of questions that keep me up at night!

[BlueKross]

Its not an ideal trade and I agree Komi and Lombardi have problems. But you are not going to get anything of true value for Gomez... no matter what the deal, it will have warts.

I see an upside here for Toronto, but no upside for Montreal. Toronto has a closer in Kessel, they just need somebody to get him the puck. How many times have you heard on this board that Gomez is fine, that we have no one to play with him? Therefore if that is rational, I need for Montreal a pretty good prospect or pick to make this deal work.

[saskhab]

I see an upside here for Toronto, but no upside for Montreal. Toronto has a closer in Kessel, they just need somebody to get him the puck. How many times have you heard on this board that Gomez is fine, that we have no one to play with him? Therefore if that is rational, I need for Montreal a pretty good prospect or pick to make this deal work.

Kessel seems to have no issue getting the puck to or from Joffrey Lupul.

[Commandant]

I think Staal gets massively overrated because of one huge season in 05-06. He scored over 100 pts that year. However since that time, he's in the 70-75 pt range.

That was the first year post lockout and PPs were through the roof. A lot of guys had career years. Joe Thornton had 130+ pts, which even for him is huge. Gionta had 48 goals. Gomez had his best ever season and became a 7million dollar centre as a result. Cheechoo went from 30 goals to 56. On and on down the list guys put up career years with extra PP time.

As I said the rest of his career he's a 70-75 pt guy or in that range.

While he's better than Plekanec, I don't think Staal is so much better that you add so much, I wouldn't move plek plus guys like Beaulieu, Weber, and draft picks to get him. He also makes nearly 3million more per year.

I'd love to get him, but not at the price proposed here, its too much.

[Seb]

If Gomez didn't make so much damn money, I'd say his story is a sad one. I say hang onto him, mid season trades should be to improve the team, not to improve the cap situation. Gomez's salary drops to 5 mil next season (I think it's 5). That's 2+ million against the cap for free, which is worth something to some teams. If he's to be moved, it'll be this off season, at which time the Habs won't have to take back nearly as much salary.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Staal :lol: I like Commandant's analysis, but the guy's 26, 6'4, a Cup-winner and exactly what the doctor ordered for a team reviled as small down the middle and lacking physical presence. Add to that his chemistry with Cole and you've got an absolutely no-brainer acquisition for ye Habs. Of course, you'd absolutely have to dump the Baked Alaskan to make room for that contract, but you have to unload that contract sooner or later anyhow.

The real issue with Staal is just that Carolina is going to want elite young talent back. Think MaxPac, or Subban. No thanks.

I didn't know you couldn't bury Komi in the minors. In that case, that'd be a pretty problematic deal. (Jeez, what were the Leafs thinking with that contract??)

EDIT: looking at Cole's great play and Staal's struggles, part of me wonders whether there might be a bit of the old Denis Savard/Steve Larmer syndrom here - where the 'sidekick' (Cole/larmer) turns out to be the guy who was actually driving the bus. However, I think the real issue is either that Staal was traumatized from concussing his own brother and has allowed that to affect his play - or else that he is just demoralized by his crap team.

[Seb]

With the Habs' depth at D, I'd seriously consider a package involving Subban for Eric Staal. Provided, of course, the cap space situation can be worked out and what else would have to be included. But the element of risk associated with Subban developing into a top flight defenseman versus getting a proven stanley cup winning #1 center who big and skilled. He's all-world. Can we confidently say Subban is all-world?

(Of course, I said seriously consider. This also depends on how Markov performs when he comes back, because we need one of Subban or Markov at the very least.)