The "All Things Lecavalier" Thread - Rumors, Speculation, Proposals
Just fell on this article from Pierre LeBrun on ESPN, where he mentions the eventuality of trading rumours involving Lecavalier heating up, in case the Lightning doesn't perform.
Quote:
aybe we're getting a little ahead of ourselves because perhaps none of this trade talk will ever come to pass. But if it does, it's fun to wonder which teams will call, no? How about the Los Angeles Kings? I think GM Dean Lombardi has the green light to add a major piece this season. Anyone fancy a Lecavalier-Anze Kopitar 1-2 punch at center?
And what of the New York Rangers. Marian Gaborik is flying in the Big Apple. Imagine if he had a bona-fide No. 1 center? Imagine a reunion with Coach John Tortorella? Of course, there's the little matter of the Rangers having zero cap room, but I digress. Then there's the Montreal Canadiens. Oh, I just don't have the energy to go there.
And that leads to my question. How realistic is it for you to see Lecavalier in NY in a not too far future? The fact is this team is cruelly lacking of creativity. Lecavalier has a cap hit of 7.727M$. What would you consider moving for him? Redden's or Drury (most likely) would have to go, but besides that? Stepan, a 1st to open the discussion? discuss, discuss. That's purely speculation, I don't say, let's go after him at all cost, I'd just want to have your enlighten opinions on that matter. I'd love to see Lecavalier in NY...
Just fell on this article from Pierre LeBrun on ESPN, where he mentions the eventuality of trading rumours involving Lecavalier heating up, in case the Lightning doesn't perform.
And that leads to my question. How realistic is it for you to see Lecavalier in NY in a not too far future? The fact is this team is cruelly lacking of creativity. Lecavalier has a cap hit of 7.727M$. What would you consider moving for him? Redden's or Drury (most likely) would have to go, but besides that? Stepan, a 1st to open the discussion? discuss, discuss. That's purely speculation, I don't say, let's go after him at all cost, I'd just want to have your enlighten opinions on that matter. I'd love to see Lecavalier in NY...
You're not getting him without giving up one of MDZ, Gilroy, Callahan, Staal, Dubinsky or Grachev. And then go from there.
Not to mention his contract is obscene. If he's struggling in Tampa because he wants out, that's one thing, but if you really take the risk of him not returning to form and being saddled with another awful contract for a long, long time. That's also without the added benefit of a front-loaded deal with a low cap hit.
Now, on the other hand, even a struggling Lecavalier is light years beyond anyone we have now down the middle. You'd also think he'd be dynamite with Gaborik, but you never know. It's a huge risk.
Regardless, he's not coming here unless we find a way to move Drury's full salary.
I think I'd be fine with shipping Dubinsky back to them as part of the deal, but I think you'd be hard pressed to get the thing done without giving up one of MDZ, Grachev, Anisimov or Stepan.
If they decided to deal him, we've got the salary to make it work.
Rozsival, Higgins, Dubi (2/3 are all in Torts' dog house anyway) and then the prospect/pick sampling is probably enough to start the convo.
Because, after all, if Vinny's getting dealt, it's to save cash, and Higgins is gone at the end of the year, Dubi's a good young player and Rozy has to go to make the salaries work.
I'd say there's about a 25% chance of this happening, but the players we could part with (that make sense for both sides) are now officially in play, I'd suspect.
It would require us getting an amnesty buyout at the end of the season and dumping Drury and maybe another contract. Drury + Voros perhaps would make enough room for him.
You know, after this past summer with us getting Gaborik, I hesitate to say "no chance in hell" to things like these because I think Slats knows how to get other GM's drunk to do his bidding.
If they decided to deal him, we've got the salary to make it work.
Rozsival, Higgins, Dubi (2/3 are all in Torts' dog house anyway) and then the prospect/pick sampling is probably enough to start the convo.
Because, after all, if Vinny's getting dealt, it's to save cash, and Higgins is gone at the end of the year, Dubi's a good young player and Rozy has to go to make the salaries work.
I'd say there's about a 25% chance of this happening, but the players we could part with (that make sense for both sides) are now officially in play, I'd suspect.
Propose Dubinsky, Rozsival and Higgins to the Tampa fans....see how quickly you get booted off the island ;-)
thats nowhere near enough. Youd probably have to add MDZ and a first to make that happen.
Propose Dubinsky, Rozsival and Higgins to the Tampa fans....see how quickly you get booted off the island ;-)
thats nowhere near enough. Youd probably have to add MDZ and a first to make that happen.
I don't know, Tampa fans seem pretty fed up with Vinny....I think they may be happy to get his salary off the books. It isn't rational, but they may not be that upset with any offer right about now.
I watched a lot of Tampa games this season and all I can say is: I do not want him here. We're not talking about just being snake bitten, more like devoured by anaconda.
If they decided to deal him, we've got the salary to make it work.
Rozsival, Higgins, Dubi (2/3 are all in Torts' dog house anyway) and then the prospect/pick sampling is probably enough to start the convo.
Because, after all, if Vinny's getting dealt, it's to save cash, and Higgins is gone at the end of the year, Dubi's a good young player and Rozy has to go to make the salaries work.
I'd say there's about a 25% chance of this happening, but the players we could part with (that make sense for both sides) are now officially in play, I'd suspect.
Would you honestly take that package if LeCavalier was a Ranger and we were going to trade him? C'mon.
I honestly dont see any likely package. We'd have to offer one of our terrible contracts and sweeten the pot with 2 big-time prospects, at the very least.
This is even less likely than the Leafs winning the Cup this year. And that's saying something.
No way can we fit him under the cap and no way is TB taking Drury and/or Redden, Roszival in return.
Gabby - 7.5, Drury - 7, Lundqvist - 6.875, Redden - 6.5, Roszival - 5, Lecavalier @ 7.727 = 40+ Million for 6 players leaving 15 million for the remaining 15 needed for the roster.
Our cap space before Lecavalier is roughly $750,000.00 - so we're about 7 million short.
Ignoring how many assets he would cost in a trade, the Rangers just can't take on another big contract on offense. The only way he might somehow fit is if we get rid of Drury first, otherwise there's no chance.
A lot of Tampa fans are upset with lecavlier and his value is pretty low at the moment (for him). There are lingering doubts his shoulder is 100% and his work ethic is being described as lazy or indifferent.
With that said, Dubinsky, 1st, Sangs would probably get it done, but then you need to consider salary, which is that Drury or Redden needs to go and if Tampa wanted a shorter term money hog they''d probably prefer to take Drury.
So... Drury, Dubinsky, 1st, Sanguinetti would probably be of some interest to TB, but that's just my opinion. Rangers need to give up some pieces due to the salary and the fact that they get the best player in the deal hands down.
Only other option is to trade Higgins somewhere for a pick, then give that pick/Sangs, 1st, Dubinsky, Roszival for Lecavlier, making it more palatable from a TB perspective, considering Roszivals actual money is a lot less than his cap hit upcoming years. This deal saves TB some cash so they get a little less in return, but not that much less.
In short though, its not happening because of our dead weight salary, Roszival, Drury, and Redden.
Would you honestly take that package if LeCavalier was a Ranger and we were going to trade him? C'mon.
I honestly dont see any likely package. We'd have to offer one of our terrible contracts and sweeten the pot with 2 big-time prospects, at the very least.
Well he did say that plus picks and prospects would only begin the conversations.
That contract is terrible. But if Torts is here for the long haul, it will be worth it.
I'd be willing to bend over backwards for Vinny.
Look at how Prospal plays for Torts, Vinny played the best hockey of his life under Torts, and would more than likely, like Prospal, return to form. Vinny would be our bonafide 1c for the next 5 years, at least, before having to step down to a 2c position.
This is a guy who needs a coaching change, and a trade. Vinny on Broadway is something that can propel this team.
I'd be willing to do
Roszival/Drury
Higgins
Dubinsky
Sanguinetti
Williams
2nd
I watched a lot of Tampa games this season and all I can say is: I do not want him here. We're not talking about just being snake bitten, more like devoured by anaconda.
Well that's pretty damn impressive than if he looks that bad on the ice and still managed to post 10 points in 12 games or whatever it was.
Propose Dubinsky, Rozsival and Higgins to the Tampa fans....see how quickly you get booted off the island ;-)
thats nowhere near enough. Youd probably have to add MDZ and a first to make that happen.
Well that's why I said it starts the conversation and isn't enough to hammer it home.
If it takes Del Zotto, I think about it. I try to talk them into multiple firsts, but I don't think there's anyone (save Gaborik and Lundqvist) that'd be absolutely positively out of bounds when talking about LeCavalier.
Well that's why I said it starts the conversation and isn't enough to hammer it home.
If it takes Del Zotto, I think about it. I try to talk them into multiple firsts, but I don't think there's anyone (save Gaborik and Lundqvist) that'd be absolutely positively out of bounds when talking about LeCavalier.
Why would they take multiple firsts? If this is a deal that makes the Rangers Cup contenders, their #1 picks are going to late picks.
I'd take Drury in return with a little bit more, just not his contract.
With Vinny L not doing that well and with his contract being soooooo long I actually think the Rangers could move Drury, Rozsival to TB along with a 1st, Sanguinetti. Rangers would have to take back a few Dmen from TB like Hale and Kraijek and likely give up another prospect/picks
