Trade Rumors and Free Agent TalkTrade rumors, transactions, and free agent talk. Rumors must contain the word RUMOR in post title. Proposals must contain the word PROPOSAL in post title.
Not much comment about the notion of St Louis trading for his rights. As a Blues fan, I'd be thrilled by this....and could live with a salary of $5M/yr (though I think it will be lower than that number people are choking on).
This thread shows pretty well that a lot of folks aren't familiar with Garrison. He'd be a perfect fit in St Louis: paired with Pietro. He doesn't need to be the PMD guy, just have a good first pass and play solid defense. This is a direct upgrade of Colaiacovo. The PP gets better. The defense in its own end gets better. Pietro is able to rely on his partner more, freeing him to explore his offense more (recall how his numbers in the 2nd half improved as he started doing this more?).
The Blues have been positioning for just such a move. Dreger has a lot more credibility than Eklund (who has none). I think this trade for the negotiating rights is likely to occur.
Toronto can sign him and then pair him with Finger
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"Of course giving Sather cap space is like giving teenagers whiskey and car keys." - SBOB "Watching Sather build a team is like watching a blind man with no fingers trying to put together an elaborate puzzle." - Shadowtron
Sestito still on the make a wish tour. - rholt168
If you define Garrison and his career narrowly enough it looks absurd.
That being said, if you look at the whole picture it's hard to see his play over the last couple of years as some kind of flash in the pan.
He broke into the league late, playing collegiate hockey until 23 and then playing a full year in the AHL. At age 25 he split a season with the Panthers and the Rochester Americans, making the league full time at age 26 last season. In that season he played great defensive hockey and contributed little to the offensive side of the game on a pairing with Mike Weaver. Last year at age 27 he played top pairing minutes with an elite puck mover in Brian Campbell and showed an ability to contribute offense on top of his excellent defensive play.
So we have a player that can play both side of a defense pairing, has shown over his NHL career that he is a very solid defensive player and has shown in limited opportunity that he can contribute offensively as well, has a big frame (roughly the same size as Phaneuf) and good mobility, and is just 27 and as such pretty likely to continue to improve over the near future.
He has a very brief track record but there are no real blemishes on it; it would be a risk to sign him to a multi-year deal at the kind of money top four defensemen earn these days, but I'd rather take a risk on a player with age on his side than a player whose age means they will only get worse over the term of that contract.
This.
And therefore, he would be PERFECT in St. Louis. With the new ownership, and no bad existing contracts on this team, I would have NO problem giving him 5 yr 25 mil. He holds so much more value to our team than others.
Garrison must use Jeff Fingers agent. Burke will surely take a stab at landing him. Then put him in the minors the year after, then will buy him out eventually.
Love how the "experts" who had to Google him say he's the next Finger. He's the real deal, he'll be loved where he lands, just is asking for a ton.
Wish he'd re-sign here.
This. He's good for what he is. really good 2nd pairing d-man, can play sound positional hockey. Big body and is able to move bodies out of the slot/crease. Good pass and shot.
With that being said, I wouldn't want my team to give him $5M+ for 5+ years, I could do $5.5M for 2 or 3 years, but I don't think 2nd pairing dmen are the type you invest in for any serious length of time.
I'm really suprised to see the response in this thread, too, Laus. HF should know and respect Garrison, he is a nice defenseman to have on your team. I think he should stick with the Panthers because he has a good thing going there.
This. He's good for what he is. really good 2nd pairing d-man, can play sound positional hockey. Big body and is able to move bodies out of the slot/crease. Good pass and shot.
With that being said, I wouldn't want my team to give him $5M+ for 5+ years, I could do $5.5M for 2 or 3 years, but I don't think 2nd pairing dmen are the type you invest in for any serious length of time.
I'm really suprised to see the response in this thread, too, Laus. HF should know and respect Garrison, he is a nice defenseman to have on your team. I think he should stick with the Panthers because he has a good thing going there.
I think the same. It's a double edged sword for me as I really want Guds paired with Soupy than Jovo, and Weaver is better with Kuli, but he's sound all the way around. Was fun watching him growing is role.
This is from a guy who couldn't stand Bouw, Olli, Nate, and Luongo. Iow, I'm not propping him up cause he's out of our system, I really like the guy. Will cheer for him where he lands, even the Nucks.
