For what it's worth, with the Devils "electing" arbitration with Parise (if it gets that far), they will be unable to trade him this season anyway. The *only* way the Kings had any hope of trading for him is for the Devils to agree to a contract with him before his arbitration date..
Not true. Only matching an offer sheet prevents a trade for one year.
NJ can't walk away from the award, but they can trade him after arbitration.
There is one thing about Gagne and Richards that I have not seen mentioned very much - these guys have both put up good numbers in the regular season, but most importantly, they have both been deep in the playoffs and have performed very well in the post season. Playoff experience and production is something we have been severely lacking in the last few years.
I like it. Richards wasn't really in the picture. Gagne was the best option out there and still plenty of cap wiggle room to make another move if needed. Significant upgrade to our top 6 this year.
I like it. Richards wasn't really in the picture. Gagne was the best option out there and still plenty of cap wiggle room to make another move if needed. Significant upgrade to our top 6 this year.
Anyway, Mitchell was coming off some pretty serious concussions and signed a two year 3.5M deal, just as Gagne. I'd say Mitchell was a huge success last season, hopefully Gagne can be the same.
Gagne at a (minimum) .5 ppg pace beats the unknown output of Scott Parse any day of the week.
Scott who????
Quote:
Originally Posted by KINGS17
I am with you on this one. I think paying the little extra to keep the prospect pool from getting too thinned out too quickly is fine.
The Kings needed a proven scorer and added depth on the wing and they got it in Gagne.
I dont think its an overpayment. You have to remember that UFA signings, by their very nature, are more costly and end up giving players a higher level of compensation than deals worked out while a player is still an RFA or under contract. Thats how the system was designed to work, to give the veterans the ability to market their skill set and maximize their earnings through a bidding process.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Martyros
The fact that Scotty Upshall got the same amount for a longer term says it all.
Proof of my point above.
and recall that we just got finished paying Ponikarovsky 3 million for the dog of a season he put up for us.
I love this signing, becasue what it amounts to is we that jettisoned an aging defensive liability and acquired Gagne for about 3million less in cap hit per year. Provided he can stay healthy (and that goes for every player in the NHL) its likely the offensive numbers will be equal to or greater than what we got rid of and the defensive responsibility Gagne shows in his game will make us that much stronger. Equally important, we just bolted on a turbocharger to the the foot speed of our team overall, as Smyth and Handzus were pretty well defined as SLOW and SLOWER.
The dollars and term of this contract are exactly what was needed by both player and organ-eye-zation. Gagne needed more than a single year to come west and team didnt want to lock in for more than two and at the amount of money they are paying.
I'll say it elsewhere soon enough, but suffice it for now, I do not think that even the man himself, could have hoped, at the end of last season, for as strong a team as we now have. Call it luck, patience, good planning, foresight and/or cap space management, or (f) ALL OF THE ABOVE, Dean Lombardi has built us a team that appears not just designed to win, but that has us positioned to be competitive, assuming those scouts have done as good a job as many here believe they have, for a good long stretch of time.
As back handed of a compliment as it may sound, coming from a critic like myself, its high praise and tribute gladly paid while I feast upon a full helping of chilled crow that I say:
DEAN LOMBARDI IS A SHILL NO MORE
[Diehard crosses aisle and takes a seat, gleefully reserved for him, amongst the Lombardistas]
I love the signing but DL needs to re-stock the LW position. Penner has one year, Gagne 2, Parse one more, Clifford is probably the only LW that will be on the roster come 2013-2014.
Kistyn is the only natural LW down the system who has top 6 potential.
You sure? I seem to remember the Kings being unable to trade Cammalleri in the first year of his arbitrated contract...
...but then again, I can hardly remember what I ate for breakfast.
That's wrong. Plus, the Kings did technically trade Cammaleri in the first year of his contract (the first year ran through June 30th, 2008 and the Kings traded him at the 2008 draft).
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
Gagne said he talked to Justin Williams and Mike Richards and that Williams 'was kind of pushing for them to sign me in LA'
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
talk to last night....He aso said playing for Kings is 'almost like Philly on the West Coast" bcause of TMurray, JStevens, Hextall, Lombardi
2 minutes ago
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
both sides." He said Kings contacted him Friday but said they wanted to see what would happen with BRichards. 'we had some teams that we did
4 minutes ago
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
Gagne said his priority was to get a deal done with TB before July 1 and they had some talks "but nothing ended up like we wanted to on
4 minutes ago
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
Gagne said he talked to Justin Williams and Mike Richards and that Williams 'was kind of pushing for them to sign me in LA'
1 minute ago Favorite Retweet Reply
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
talk to last night....He aso said playing for Kings is 'almost like Philly on the West Coast" bcause of TMurray, JStevens, Hextall, Lombardi
2 minutes ago
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
both sides." He said Kings contacted him Friday but said they wanted to see what would happen with BRichards. 'we had some teams that we did
4 minutes ago
helenenothelen Helene Elliott
Gagne said his priority was to get a deal done with TB before July 1 and they had some talks "but nothing ended up like we wanted to on
4 minutes ago
