The odds of improving this team is a lot higher with an extra 5.5 M than via keeping an aging slow D-man who is costing us 5.5 M ... you fail to understand this.
Is Hamrlik a complete tool? no. Is he close to being worth 5.5? no. Can we make better use of this money? Yes.
No need to rush thing we will need that money next summer.
If we sign Volchenkov for 5 millions for 5 years you will be the first to say next summer that we don't have cap space and that we are screw.
A lot of thing happen in a season we will need money next summer!
If moving Hamrlik allows us to upgrade our top 6 without the need to loose Andrei I'm definitely up for it. I still like Akost and think he can be a wild card for the team. If however, I can't move Hammer and would need to shed Akost salary to improve the top 6 (for ex. signing Frolov) , I'd do it.
I think you overestimate the market for a 36 year old vet like him. Look at Phoenix, they signed Aucoin for 2 years ~2 mil per. Nobody is going to allow the Canadiens to off-load Hamrlik to them for a decent pick or any D that could replace him.
You want to go into the season with him and I'm fine with it, but that also means that there won't be any other high profile signings or trade for a winger and that I'm not so sure it will work.
A team like Los Angeles who is looking for an upgrade to the defense corps and a veteran for a playoff push this year would give up a draft pick for Hammer.
A team like Los Angeles who is looking for an upgrade to the defense corps and a veteran for a playoff push this year would give up a draft pick for Hammer.
Well that's a matter of opinion. I doubt it personally. There will be better options when the deadline comes.
The only ways of trading or getting some cap relief with Hammer imho, is to sweeten the deal with a prospect or just a plain buyout.
In any case I don't even think the habs are trying to get rid of the Kostys to have a better top 6 so the top question is moot really.
2.75 Million can get you Moore and Belanger (give or take).
2.75 can you get a decent D-man to replace the aging Hamrlik.... sure not an all star, but certainly someone younger and more mobile.
If this is not improvement than I don't know what is.
We have the cap space and rookie depth to provide a Moore and Belanger without moving Hamrlik. So now you have just lost one of your better defensemen for a downgrade on defense without improving the team. But gasp...WE NOW HAVE 2 EXTRA MILLION DOLLARZZZZ.
A lot of thing happen in a season we will need money next summer!
True........ but since we are never in rebuild in Montreal, you want to build the best team possible each year. It's one or the other. If we are all about future, than we should trade Hamrlik and not use the cap to the max.
And, if there are players to be had that can contribute, better to have them than others that are just weighing down the team with their salary.... given that we are going to exercise the cap fully each year anyways.
We have the cap space and rookie depth to provide a Moore and Belanger without moving Hamrlik. So now you have just lost one of your better defensemen for a downgrade on defense without improving the team. But gasp...WE NOW HAVE 2 EXTRA MILLION DOLLARZZZZ.
You speak as if we have ample cap space... check out the figures, it's nothing to feel so cushy about.
We have 9.2 Million with only 7 forwards and zero goalies signed....
Gomez, Scott
Cammalleri, Mike »
Plekanec, Tomas »
Gionta, Brian »
Kostitsyn, Andrei »
Moen, Travis »
Eller, Lars » EL
DEFENSEMEN
Markov, Andrei »
Hamrlik, Roman »
Spacek, Jaroslav
Gill, Hal »
Gorges, Josh »
O'Byrne, Ryan »
Subban, P.K. »
BUYOUTS
Laraque, Georges » $500,000
Anytime Markov's out I only pray for .500 anyweyz. With a bolstered offense and a serviceable replacement at D, it should easily be attainable.
They will need someone capable of playing 25 min a game. May not be as bad as last year in terms of extra workload with Subban but still, they are going to need a top 4 on the market.
According to CapGeek, Hammer has a NTC until Feb 2011 which he can only be traded 6 teams of his choice. After Feb 1 2011 no NTC.
kind of severely handcuffs moving him for a positive return.
Although he will probably move along with a 3rd round pick to get a second in return.
If I was the other GM, I would probably want the second rounder in return for taking that salary off Mtl's hands.
A 550K rookie is as good as Hamrlik.
Nobody wants a player like him. He will be a Hab for the next season.
You really have no idea what hockey is... Yes he had ups and downs last season but considering Markov was out a long time, he did have his part to not make our defense look terrible.
Moving Hamrlik is a moot point imho
You need him at the beginning of the season
And his value won't be any higher than it will be at the trade deadline.
So hang on to him till then and move him to a team looking for veteran D-man looking to make a push.(a la Rivet)
Use part of the money that will be freed to re-sign Markov and blow the rest on wild weekends in Vegas.
Do people realize that if Hammer stays, it likely means that PG is done. RFAs will be re-signed and he will use some of the money left to add a veteran backup goalie.
I don't feel really confident with the actual forwards group. IMO, we would need a top 6 forward with size and a solid 3rd line forward too.
I don't like it but it is a strong possibility that PG will keep the team pretty much as it is right now.
To get rid of Hamrlik, it means you've found a dance partner to take him
and the likelihood of that is?
One year left on the contract, Markov out, and youngsters coming into the top 6 (see O'Byrne and Subban)
worth keeping till the deadline
if we can move him without taking someone else's crappy contract in return, great...
if not, I'd much rather us focus on moving spacek.
Hamrlik only has 1 year left, which makes him much more valuable/traeable at the deadline if necessary, and opens up an important chunk of cap space for the 2011-2012 season.
plus, despite his disappointing play, when he's rested he is still a solid dman to have.
Spacek and his ~4M$ contract for 2 more seasons is a much bigger concern imo. he's the guy we never should have signed and now need to move.
You really have no idea what hockey is... Yes he had ups and downs last season but considering Markov was out a long time, he did have his part to not make our defense look terrible.
I agree....Hamrlik and Spacek were over user early when Markov went down and plated extremely well in that stretch.
As the season grew older the two started to play somewhat bad because they were tired.
Now with Subban able to play a lot of minutes a Healthy Subban and a proven Duo in Gorges and Gill they will be a lot better in the consistency dept.
They will need someone capable of playing 25 min a game. May not be as bad as last year in terms of extra workload with Subban but still, they are going to need a top 4 on the market.
They just need depth. A bottom pairing vet is enough. It's just patchwork anyweyz until Markov's return who btw seems to always heal ahead of schedule.
The way Subban played in the playoffs and the way O'Byrne played for part of the season you'd have to say there's no need for Hamrlik. And of course having the cap space would be great.
But what if Subban and/or O'Byrne falters? What about injuries? Markov's out already so you'd have to think he'd be welcomed for the first 1/4 of the season.
Maybe hang on to him at least until Markov comes back and then evaluate. If things are running smoothly I'm sure a contender would welcome he pro-rated cap hit in exchange for his veteran presence.
Moving him at the deadline only makes sense if someone clearly stole his spot and even then, I don't see the point. A veteran defenceman is worth more for the playoffs than a 3rd round pick. We won't need cap space in february even if we want to add players.
If he starts the year in Montreal, might as well finish it.
According to CapGeek, Hammer has a NTC until Feb 2011 which he can only be traded 6 teams of his choice. After Feb 1 2011 no NTC.
kind of severely handcuffs moving him for a positive return.
Although he will probably move along with a 3rd round pick to get a second in return.
If I was the other GM, I would probably want the second rounder in return for taking that salary off Mtl's hands.
Do you know who is the 6 teams what he gonna waive his NTC?
With Florida moving two forwards, they may want to look at the Kostitysn brothers if Tallon is unsuccessful in obtaining any of the Hawk players up for trade.
