It's unlikely that Niemi gets $2.75m on the open market. There just aren't that many teams around. Turco had to go for $1.3m. With Philly, Washington and San Jose though, he'll get around $2-2.5m per. I'd prefer him, Price and Eller over Halak and Price.
Philly, Edmonton and Ottawa are the real true contender for Niemi.. Washington is very high on Varlamov and Neuvirth.
Gauthier actually mentionned that scenario as an actual possibility in his post-season PC. It might not be likely to go through, but weirder things happened.
Yet, when he traded Halak, he mentioned that they had made their choice as to which goalie they were gonna go with. Teammates have been talking about Price now being the #1 goalie on the team. It would, in fact, be considered a fail if PG trades Price as well. Add the hiring of Auld, a definite backup, in the equation and it is clear that Gauthier and co. were going with Price.
We have a big goalie in Price who is skilled and can move well. Niemi is a big goalie with no skill, more of a flopper, but can't get up too fast because of his size. He is a rebound machine too.
Not a fit here in Montreal, but would have been a better fit in Chicago than Turco who is just in the decline.
So you'd down grade in goal with an older goalie just to save ~1 million dollars?
No I wouldn't, but the Canadiens are up against the cap, so I don't know. It would give the rumor at least 1 leg to stand on. ( If Price's demands are of this magnitude that is )
Philly, Edmonton and Ottawa are the real true contender for Niemi.. Washington is very high on Varlamov and Neuvirth.
I don't think so. You're probably right about Washington so I think Philly and San Jose. Edmonton and Ottawa, nope. Ottawa has Elliot and Leclaire, what are they gonna do with them? They traded Vermette for Leclaire, they're not dropping him now. Edmonton is going young to accumulate draft picks. I don't think they care if they have a few mediocre years. Niemi would be unnecessary salary for them right now so I don't see them being interested. They have Khabibuhlin and Dubnyk.
No I wouldn't, but the Canadiens are up against the cap, so I don't know. It would give the rumor at least 1 leg to stand on. ( If Price's demands are of this magnitude that is )
Up against the cap is what Chicago is. Montreal has 4-5 million in cap space
I'd take Niemi at $1M or less. I mean, he's better than Auld. He can push Price. And if Price isn't ready for the challenge, Niemi would give us a better option than Auld. And in the meantime it pressures the Price camp to sign a contract. If Niemi was signed for $1M, and if that knocked $500k or so off Price's salary, it's a pretty minimal investment, which makes the team better.
Now granted, all totally far-fetched to begin with. But if Niemi is on his way back to Europe otherwise, then maybe he'll eventually reach that stage of desperation first.
Up against the cap is what Chicago is. Montreal has 4-5 million in cap space
We are at 55.122 with the Bonus Cushion. The cap is 59.4. Add 3.75 and we have around 0.5 mil to play with. Not that great for the season. It all depends if the Canadiens' GM likes it tight or not.
I'd take Niemi at $1M or less. I mean, he's better than Auld. He can push Price. And if Price isn't ready for the challenge, Niemi would give us a better option than Auld. And in the meantime it pressures the Price camp to sign a contract. If Niemi was signed for $1M, and if that knocked $500k or so off Price's salary, it's a pretty minimal investment, which makes the team better.
Now granted, all totally far-fetched to begin with. But if Niemi is on his way back to Europe otherwise, then maybe he'll eventually reach that stage of desperation first.
The whole point of trading Halak was to save money for other positions. Having Niemi & Price at ~3 million each diffies the whole purpose of trading Halak
Philly, Edmonton and Ottawa are the real true contender for Niemi.. Washington is very high on Varlamov and Neuvirth.
And you take that from?
Ottawa and Philly would have to trade-up to make it happen. They're both at the limit (Ottawa has 800k left to fill the 23rd spot).
Montreal could offer the arbitration amount to Niemi and they'd be at the cap limit with 23 players. But Montreal would then need to trade Price or simply let him walk in January.
Edmonton has the cap space, but they still have the Bulin wall on contract for two more seasons after the one that's coming.
I think that if you put Montreal in your blog/article as a possible trade/ufa landing pad destination than all you are doing is rying to drive up the hits on your site.
We are at 55.122 with the Bonus Cushion. The cap is 59.4. Add 3.75 and we have around 0.5 mil to play with. Not that great for the season. It all depends if the Canadiens' GM likes it tight or not.
Edit: not counting Picard's contribution if ever.
Well thank for proving my point that we have enough cap space to sign Price.
All big market teams hit the cap limit with their final roster
The whole point of trading Halak was to save money for other positions. Having Niemi & Price at ~3 million each diffies the whole purpose of trading Halak
I'd take Niemi at $1M or less. I mean, he's better than Auld. He can push Price. And if Price isn't ready for the challenge, Niemi would give us a better option than Auld. And in the meantime it pressures the Price camp to sign a contract. If Niemi was signed for $1M, and if that knocked $500k or so off Price's salary, it's a pretty minimal investment, which makes the team better.
Now granted, all totally far-fetched to begin with. But if Niemi is on his way back to Europe otherwise, then maybe he'll eventually reach that stage of desperation first.
I can't read Niemi's mind but I can't imagine he'd be contented with a $1M salary. For a team he might end up as backup on top of that. And I just don't see PG looking his way. He's not going to turn around and offer Niemi a contract when he's already hired a backup and he's working on signing his #1. It's too late to consider such an eventuality.
He made a decision, he needs to make it happen by signing Price. Not changing his whole planning by hiring another goalie.
We are at 55.122 with the Bonus Cushion. The cap is 59.4. Add 3.75 and we have around 0.5 mil to play with. Not that great for the season. It all depends if the Canadiens' GM likes it tight or not.
Edit: not counting Picard's contribution if ever.
If I remember correctly, the only player we have with bonuses is Eller, and it's something like 500k.
Our present cap hit is unclear because we don't know who's gonna make it out for spots #13 and 14 on offense. eg: Desharnais or Pac +/- 300k
But counting the cap cushion, we have around 3,1/3,5 of free cap space left to sign Price (although I want him for less than that), depending who makes it out of camp on offense, as I'm pretty sure that with Markov in the lineup, all 7 spots on defense are already settled imo.
I can't read Niemi's mind but I can't imagine he'd be contented with a $1M salary. For a team he might end up as backup on top of that. And I just don't see PG looking his way. He's not going to turn around and offer Niemi a contract when he's already hired a backup and he's working on signing his #1. It's too late to consider such an eventuality.
He made a decision, he needs to make it happen by signing Price. Not changing his whole planning by hiring another goalie.
Well, since I don't like his decision, and since I have no insight whatsoever into how his negotiations with Price are going, I don't mind playing with alternative ideas. But like I said, it's all far-fetched to begin with.
Well, except the part about Niemi potentially ending up desperate. I don't see any other teams with an opening either. Teams might *make* an opening for Niemi. But since the openings aren't there atm, it automatically means fighting for a spot somewhere. He won the fight in Chicago. But now he has just put himself back into a fight again. Dumb move by Niemi. Maybe he'll get some kind of lucky break somewhere. But also maybe not. The fight in Montreal probably wouldn't be any great deal more daunting than most other situations he might enter into. Price lost his fight last year. It's not a slam dunk that Niemi would be a backup. But still a moot point, since obviously the Habs aren't looking that way.
Anyway, I'd rather have Turco at $1.3M than Auld at $1M.
Why? Because they have Varlamov and Neuvirth? Both with starting upside and a really good looking Holtby in the minors. This makes as much sense as Niemi to Montreal. Guess, even less.
