Buy out a player

[lstcyr]

I understand each team will be able to buy out two players for whatever reason. Would you buy out Arkhippov?

[SmokeyClause]

Originally Posted by lstcyr

I understand each team will be able to buy out two players for whatever reason. Would you buy out Arkhippov?

Possibly, especially if we don't expect anything more from him that what we've seen the past few years. With the cap, his value is less than ever. Teams are going to be more reluctant to take a chance on a guy that could easily be a 4th line/AHL/RSL player. Hopefully someone will take a gamble on him, and we can just waive him. But if a team dying for big, talented centers doesn't want him, who will?

I think we'll keep him and ride him until the end of the contract and let him go back to the RSL where he can be a 3rd liner.

[PredFred]

Originally Posted by lstcyr

I understand each team will be able to buy out two players for whatever reason. Would you buy out Arkhippov?

I probably wouldn't...He's costing less than a million anyway, and since we're short on centers, I seem to doubt it being a great idea. Even if we went and got a UFA bonafide 1 or 2 center, I'd just run him on the 4th line. He hasn't shown much the past 2 years, but he has shown he has the talent when he wants to have it.

[Enoch]

Why buy him out? He isn't making much, we aren't going to reach the cap, and as Smokey alluded to.......he probably would get picked up if we placed him on waivers. Still, I think we could get at least a 5th-6th round pick for him.

[SmokeyClause]

Originally Posted by Enoch

Why buy him out? He isn't making much, we aren't going to reach the cap, and as Smokey alluded to.......he probably would get picked up if we placed him on waivers. Still, I think we could get at least a 5th-6th round pick for him.

I think if he could be had for that he'd be gone by now. Of course, the effect of the cap could be different than I anticipated. Cash strapped teams could be looking at someone like Arkhipov for his versatility and his ability to potentially play on the 2nd-4th lines. There's not a spot on the bottom 9 that he can't play if need be. A team like Edmonton may want to try their luck and see if he can become something more than serviceable. Turning a 6th round pick into a contributor (like Arkhi can be) is oftentimes what separates the bad teams from the good.

[Enoch]

Originally Posted by SmokeyClause

I think if he could be had for that he'd be gone by now. Of course, the effect of the cap could be different than I anticipated. Cash strapped teams could be looking at someone like Arkhipov for his versatility and his ability to potentially play on the 2nd-4th lines. There's not a spot on the bottom 9 that he can't play if need be. A team like Edmonton may want to try their luck and see if he can become something more than serviceable. Turning a 6th round pick into a contributor (like Arkhi can be) is oftentimes what separates the bad teams from the good.

I really disagree. We got a 6th round pick for Stan Neckar...an 8th for Timo Helbing (he will never see any NHL time.....no one thought he would when we traded him either....) Darby Hendrickson was in the minors on the Wild and was acquired for a 5th round pick, Chris McCalister (God help the Rangers) was acuired for a 6th rounder in 03........a 5th or 6th round pick is very reasonable for a player like Arkhipov, especially with his boom/bust potential.

[SmokeyClause]

Originally Posted by Enoch

I really disagree. We got a 6th round pick for Stan Neckar...an 8th for Timo Helbing (he will never see any NHL time.....no one thought he would when we traded him either....) Darby Hendrickson was in the minors on the Wild and was acquired for a 5th round pick, Chris McCalister (God help the Rangers) was acuired for a 6th rounder in 03........a 5th or 6th round pick is very reasonable for a player like Arkhipov, especially with his boom/bust potential.

Good points. I can't believe he hasn't been traded yet if he could have been traded for a 5th rounder. I'm not even that confident he'll ever cross back over the pond.

[PredsFan77*]

Nah Arki won't be bought out...Poile will hold out a false hope that we can turn him into a decent player.

[belle]

I doubt Poile will buy Arkhi out. It's not like there is a big savings to be gained in buying him out. I imagine Poile will try to trade him. When there are no takers, Arkhi will be a regular scratch.

Just one more year and his contract is done. Most players would excel in this year. Arkhi's last contract year was the beginning of this slump.