Good assets management is what Gauthier did today. Subjectivity means nothing. Objectivity tells me we got a 13th overall pick who, in his first year in North America, dominated his AHL club despite starting off slowly, being affected by mono. Objectivity also tells me we got a decent prospect who might become one day a very good bottom-6 player. Objectivity tells me both of our goalies were capable of being #1 goalies in this league, and that having one on the bench just ISN'T good assets management.
I always agreed with you we had to trade one of them. But my point was always that we needed to get a roster player that would help us now. I don't know how much Eller can really help next season. In a few seasons sure, but right now ?
To me the whole point was exactly what you're saying where we had an asset sitting on the bench in the playoffs not helping us at all. I'm not sure how much of a difference Eller will make in the same situation.
But yeah, we were handcuffed by the moves made this summer anyway.
I always agreed with you we had to trade one of them. But my point was always that we needed to get a roster player that would help us now. I don't know how much Eller can really help next season. In a few seasons sure, but right now ?
To me the whole point was exactly what you're saying where we had an asset sitting on the bench in the playoffs not helping us at all. I'm not sure how much of a difference Eller will make in the same situation.
Eller is a great prospect who will likely contribute in our top-9 as soon as next season (Gauthier said it himself). He's signed at a friendly cap hit and his progression in the 2nd part of last season is definitely something we have to look at.
Personally, I would just have traded the one with the most value. Price likely could have fetched more, and keeping Halak was something I would have made a priority. However, I'm relieved to see we get an interesting asset out of a player just coming out of his best year so far. If there was a time to benefit from Halak's trade value, it was now. And if Price really was the guy the organization wanted to move forward with, I'm happy they didn't wait and hope for Halak to fall just to please some fans.
We have one D too many. Trading Hamrlik or Spacek would give us a lot of cap flexibility. Enough to acquire quite a player.
Chicago is in cap trouble, and we have both cheap assets and room to get some of their players. They'll likely dump Huet in the minors, but I wouldn't mind getting a guy like Sharp. They have other good players, Sopel, Bolland, Versteeg, Byfuglien. My money is on Versteeg being traded, I'm not sure Byfuglien would cut it here (fat and lazy during the season), but Sharp and Bolland would fit like a glove.
Then there's the backup goalie problem. Someone mentioned Biron. I like that idea. He's looking for a place where he can play at least a few games. He'd probably get 30 here, for league minimum, or at least under 1M$, I'd take him.
I said all along that I was fine with trading either, so long as the return was at the absolute greatest.
I think this was poor asset management. Like the "experts" on TV are saying, I believe the trade was made far too early. Why not wait till draft day and try to nab a draft pick in the package since we're short one?
Also, trading Halak before we sign Price is a horrible decision. This will allow Price to "drive up his market" since we have no other option.
There are lots of teams who need goalies, yet it looks like Gauthier pulled the trigger on his first option. Poor management, IMO.
I hope Price performs well. I've always been a fan, even if I do think Halak was playing outstanding. The whole "Natey hates Price" thing started because people continually bashed on Halak's lack of potential (even when Price was #1) and I didn't agree. I thought Halak had just as much potential as Price. Still do.
I hope for our sake and the sake of Price (and management) he plays well though. The media is going to be unforgiving for a few months at the start of the season, especially with a player of French heritage on the backburner.
Getting Lars Eller makes it a little less upsetting. If you go back to the draft threads, I wanted this kid so badly. So, so badly.
Explain to me How Price can drive up his value, simply based on their being no other option. That's ridiculous. He has absolutely nothing to bargain with, and isn't even arbitration eligible. He's going to get chump change next season, unless they offer him a longer term deal.
I agree that the timing of the trade is questionable. Maybe they figured that nothing would change between now and draft day as far as interest in Halak is concerned. I suppose also that getting the deal done now gives management the extra time to finalize a deal with Plekanec (instead of knowing only 4-5 days before July 1st that they have enough money to re-sign him).
Bottom line is that if Carey Price plays up to his potential, Bandwagonners and others will quickly forget Halak, just like they have completely forgotten how goalies like Huet and Theodore were considered demi-gods at times in Montreal.
Having Lars Eller now gives us a talented, young, bigger option down the middle for the near future. That's huge for us. He immediately becomes our second best prospect in our system behind Subban. Will he pan out as our second line center of the future? I'm not sure. Still, it's a great asset to have in the organization, an asset at center that we desperately needed.
So many aspects of this deal blow me away. Unless there's something really fishy going on about money or internal problems that I haven't read about, it makes very little sense to me.
What does it matter who drafted Price or Halak or what round they were drafted in? Halak showed this year that he can win pressure games right now both in the NHL playoffs and international competition. Okay, Eller and Schultz are progressing well at their respective levels. Well, Halak's progressed right to the highest levels of the sport. Yeah, maybe it's a fluke and maybe he'll come back down to Earth once all the voodoo dolls in Carey Price's mother's house kick in and maybe Eller and Schultz become great NHLers...
...but those are a lot of maybes.
And all the s**t Price has eaten after a bad game or a bad goal now goes up by 1000%. No pressure, man.
And sure, Gauthier moved the valuable goalie. But he was the valuable one for a reason. Oh, and shouldn't a valuable player bring back at least a roster player? I'm just thinking of a friend of mine from Montreal who's been carping about goaltenders for years. You guys finally get one, and what happens?
We have one D too many. Trading Hamrlik or Spacek would give us a lot of cap flexibility. Enough to acquire quite a player.
Chicago is in cap trouble, and we have both cheap assets and room to get some of their players. They'll likely dump Huet in the minors, but I wouldn't mind getting a guy like Sharp. They have other good players, Sopel, Bolland, Versteeg, Byfuglien. My money is on Versteeg being traded, I'm not sure Byfuglien would cut it here (fat and lazy during the season), but Sharp and Bolland would fit like a glove.
Then there's the backup goalie problem. Someone mentioned Biron. I like that idea. He's looking for a place where he can play at least a few games. He'd probably get 30 here, for league minimum, or at least under 1M$, I'd take him.
Thoughts?
Biron seems like an obvious choice to me. he's a guy that is still pretty good and not that old, but most importantly, a guy who knows his place. This is Price's team now, and Biron will be fine with playing when called upon, and nothing more. I don't really know what we can trade to Chicago, now that we've dealt Halak. One guy i think they would let go of is Byfuglien, simply because he isn't a great regular season performer, and can't afford to pay a guy to go through the motions. Personally i'd take him in a second. I'd trade one of our many similar decent forward prospects to get him. They save money and get a good young player; we get a big body that can score.
Halak was great for this team and he will be missed but we needed to address several issues and I think we have. Weak at centre and no grinders, we got one of each so if they make the NHL this team will be stronger, if they don't then managment should be fired.
i was shocked when it happend but im a big price beliver and i think he will be ready next year he had his time off to get better work ethics and eller sounds like a great prospect we need size center and will go to the net i just hope martins able to get his players going because i dont want to see another year of 40+ shots forthe other team and we get like 15+ shots...........
Explain to me How Price can drive up his value, simply based on their being no other option. That's ridiculous. He has absolutely nothing to bargain with, and isn't even arbitration eligible. He's going to get chump change next season, unless they offer him a longer term deal.
Price could simply refuse to sign the contract if he was offered peanuts and hold out. He may be RFA however that only prevents him from signing elsewhere, not from refusing to sign. Additionally if Montreal low balls him, teams will offer sheet him, which may or may not happen to begin with. Price will not earn less than $3 million next season and we will look ever the more foolish if he is signed to a steeper contract than Halak. I doubt that would happen however it is a possibility.
Eller is a great prospect who will likely contribute in our top-9 as soon as next season (Gauthier said it himself). He's signed at a friendly cap hit and his progression in the 2nd part of last season is definitely something we have to look at.
Personally, I would just have traded the one with the most value. Price likely could have fetched more, and keeping Halak was something I would have made a priority. However, I'm relieved to see we get an interesting asset out of a player just coming out of his best year so far. If there was a time to benefit from Halak's trade value, it was now. And if Price really was the guy the organization wanted to move forward with, I'm happy they didn't wait and hope for Halak to fall just to please some fans.
Stop - I remove your posting privileges based on:
1. You make to much sense for this board.
2. Your not displaying symptoms of hysteria
3. I cannot stress this enough, you sound like you actually analyze complex issues like asset management, cap situation, maximization of assets, etc.
Privileges will be restored only after your display signs that you are posting at the level of a 10 year old.
1. You make to much sense for this board.
2. Your not displaying symptoms of hysteria
3. I cannot stress this enough, you sound like you actually analyze complex issues like asset management, cap situation, maximization of assets, etc.
Privileges will be restored only after your display signs that you are posting at the level of a 10 year old.
Haha...
Well those boards sure are entertaining as hell after a trade happens eh?
So, just a quick note to those that are harping about the timing on this trade. It's like being stabbed and then having the knife removed. It cuts going in and coming back out. They don't have Price signed yet, which is partially why this timing is perfect. Had they let it go until both goalies were RFA's we could have lost both of them through offers from other teams. As it stands, they've traded Halak for assets that make our team deeper.
Now, I say the timing for the trade is perfect for this reason....if they had signed Price first, the trade value for Halak would have dropped significantly because other teams would know at that point which goalie we were going to keep. Of course, some thing this gives Price a little more leverage. I'm wondering where he would get that from. Although he didn't play badly(keep in mind that the team basically shut down in front of him on many occasions), he also didn't play well enough to be able to demand a big contract. Also, there are proven goalies available that could be picked up for a decent contract. Price will only get what he deserves and we still have two very good prospects along with it.
