He's useless, he doesnt have the offense to be in the top 6, no speed and drive to be in the top 9 and no grit for the 4th line. He have some skill but he doesnt use it really often...
I agree with alot of poster that its useless to buy his contract and replace him with an UFA since it would cost more to buy the last year of his contract and pay another player. He can waste his skill on the 4th line and hope that he gonna get more involved in the game while playing with Begin...
I think that if Ferland and/or Lapierre have a really good camp and bonk have a crappy one they could buy his contact to let the kid have more ice time. I would be really happy.
I think that if Ferland and/or Lapierre have a really good camp and bonk have a crappy one they could buy his contact to let the kid have more ice time. I would be really happy.
I don't think you can buy out contracts at that point.
I for one don't want to give him a break because he was clearly traded to become a 2b center to put pressure on Ribeiro. He has size but I never remember him being physical. (remember, you can be 6'5'' and still be a wuss... ask Dagenais).
I am not ready to qualify him as a superb asset because he can manage to come off ok on as a 4th line/pk presence (during what, 10-20 games?).
That being said, I would not buy him off because he is an ok spare part in case of injury. I don't want him to replace Plek on the 3rd and I'd prefer to give his 4th line minutes to a rookie or a project. Besides, he doesn't seem to complain a lot.
Anyways, a 0.8 cap hit per season would be what a spare part would cost.
So, yeah, keep him but put him in the freezer.
With all due respect, comparing Bonk to Dagenais is ludicrous. Which project or rookie would be better than Bonk in your opinion?
Bonk was acquired to be the No3 checking centre essentially to provide a capability that had not existed since Trevor Linden. Gainey made this clear. Like Linden, he has size, can fill in as No2 centre or play wing in a pinch and is fairly good on face-offs. Please refer to Gainey's comments on draft day. He was not expected to be a top scorer but to shut down the other team's top line, play PK and win battles along the boards etc...It baffles me that people still don't understand this. He played with a serious groin injury for at least half the season and his play picked up as he recovered. I wonder if people would be so harsh if Bulis would have scored on half the set-ups provided by Bonk.
An uninjured and motivated Bonk is a valuable asset. He is very experienced, has good chemistry with Begin, and his work along the boards, in the face-off circle, and in the corners is far better than a Ferland or a Lapierre. The latter are not even considered NHL players. At least for now...
True, but some people seem to think that he's the best defensive tool in the NHL...
Nobody thinks that, just like nobody thinks Kovalev is a god. Thats things you've created as a reason to bash them. Bonk was good ont he PK and he did his job as far as defensive play went. Nobody ever said he was the best defensive player in the league, people have a hard time admitting he's the best defensive player on the team. But his teammates seem to appreciate what he did and I've never seen him smile as much as in Montreal.
i say keep bonk . if he wants to become a pure defensive shutdown guy let him develop under carbo . he does a dam good job of it .he was rock solid last season . when his contract is due let him come back for less money as strictly a defense first guy .
Nobody thinks that, just like nobody thinks Kovalev is a god. Thats things you've created as a reason to bash them. Bonk was good ont he PK and he did his job as far as defensive play went. Nobody ever said he was the best defensive player in the league, people have a hard time admitting he's the best defensive player on the team. But his teammates seem to appreciate what he did and I've never seen him smile as much as in Montreal.
think of it this way . if bonk is content play defense only his pay check will also become more defensive. so next year another 20 pts season will be able to sign him under 2 million a season . which is fine with me .
now if he want to come to camp and score 40 goals this year so be it . it's all up to bonk .
Well I'll go the opposite way that everybody here and say that I hope we'll buy Bonk but totally sure we won't. I just don't agree that buying Bonk and going after an UFA will cost us more. Sure it will moneywise, but not skillwise. Halpern or Chouinard will do a much better job, for the reason that they do bring an offensive side that most of the other teams are sure Bonk does not have anymore. It bring size with Chouinard, grit with Halpern both with an offensive touch that Bonk doesn't have. And this translates with the other teams not being afraid of what he'll do offensively and concentrate their defensive efforts on the first 2 lines.
But it won't happen for all the reasons you guys gave above.
True, but some people seem to think that he's the best defensive tool in the NHL...
We all know your intentions in any thread that relates to our centers so why not stay away from the hyperboles because even your "realistic" assertions are tainted with bias. Pretty transparent and it's definately time for you to change your tune. Jezus.
We all know your intentions in any thread that relates to our centers so why not stay away from the hyperboles because even your "realistic" assertions are tainted with bias. Pretty transparent and it's definately time for you to change your tune. Jezus.
Actually I like our centers. As Saku pointed out the only 2 players I dislike are Kovalev and Bonk. But they do fill their roles. Unfortunetly Bonk is majorly overpriced for a 4th line center.
Honestly i don't mind him on our team, he's a great 4th line czecher(lol...had to do it). He gives the the bottom lines more offencive flair. Besides, I think Lampierre might do well on our third line:
Perezhogin Pleckanec Lampierre
Honestly i don't mind him on our team, he's a great 4th line czecher(lol...had to do it). He gives the the bottom lines more offencive flair. Besides, I think Lampierre might do well on our third line:
Perezhogin Pleckanec Lampierre
Joe Juneau was making over 2 million for the same job and he scored more than bonk, albeit only slightly more.
At the time, I tought bonk was an instant upgrade over juneau but it didn't really turn out that way.
I agree with BG though, it doesn't make a whole lot of fiscal difference if you buy him out and you're not really getting a better player with any of the potential replacements anyways.
Besides, if Radek has any pride whatsoever, he will be mad after this season and come back with a new sense of hunger and prove the doubters wrong that he was just piggybacking his points off guys like hossa, and alfy.
If bonk comes back hungry and on a mission, it will add a whole new dimension to this team.
All I'm saying is that Bonk may be overpayed but its the last year on his contract and we don't have cap problems so i don't think its really nessesary to get rid of him.
All I'm saying is that Bonk may be overpayed but its the last year on his contract and we don't have cap problems so i don't think its really nessesary to get rid of him.
Well of course Bonk won't get bought out. But Lapierre doesn't deserve a 3rd line spot more than Murray at this point. Not to mention that Kost has a good likeliness at making the team as well.
Joe Juneau was making over 2 million for the same job and he scored more than bonk, albeit only slightly more.
Man I remember a while back, when Juneau got on a breakaway...AND SCORED!!! Since then I haven't jumped out of my seat like I did that night. Man...that old bunch was fun to critique, but there was nothing like watching them score. Especially on breakaways.
Well of course Bonk won't get bought out. But Lapierre doesn't deserve a 3rd line spot more than Murray at this point. Not to mention that Kost has a good likeliness at making the team as well.
As true as that may be, it is just that I would like to see Lampierre on that line.
I wish everyone would get over the point total thing. It was widely known and generally accepted that bonk was not going to be put in a offensive role and his offensive production was expected to be significantly less.
In my opinion he did exactly what he was brought in to do.
Man I remember a while back, when Juneau got on a breakaway...AND SCORED!!! Since then I haven't jumped out of my seat like I did that night. Man...that old bunch was fun to critique, but there was nothing like watching them score. Especially on breakaways.
was this the time where he lost control of the puck and it somehow went in? He didn't even get a shot off?
was this the time where he lost control of the puck and it somehow went in? He didn't even get a shot off?
and leave it to felix potvin to allow a goal like that.
Habs 1 Bruins 0 OT/Final... ending a long winless streak... I remember it well
But he did score another breaway goal (shorthanded) that year where he opened up the goalie's legs and put it in 5-hole with the backhand... so he scored a beauty too. (you can tell he didn't score much when we can remember his goals)
