Rolston: “I’m looking for my market value”
Posted on June 19th, 2008 – 12:43 AMBy Michael Russo
I talked to Brian Rolston early this evening for awhile and here is the story in Thursday’s editions.
He rejected Friday’s most recent offer from the Wild and has not heard back from the team since. Rolston maintained that he wants to stay in Minnesota, but the Wild has to hit his “market value,” which is expected to be substantial regardless of his age in the year of an average free-agent class.
Like I wrote a few months ago, this is probably going to be Rolston’s last contract, so he feels after scoring 30-plus goals three years in a row and being a significant fixture on the team that he should be paid accordingly (i.e. what he’d get as a free agent).
FYI, the story is one-sided, but I tried hard to get a comment from the Wild tonight to no avail. That’s their right; they don’t have to give public play-by-play of their negotiations. I’m just telling you I did try to even out the story.
Negotiations will likely continue, but barring a significant offer Thursday from the Wild, this looks like it’ll last past the draft despite Doug Risebrough’s desire this end before it. Rolston did say he’s not worrying about this. He says the pressure’s on the Wild because he’ll find a job. There is a risk if the Wild waits to the last hour to offer its best contract (many free agents who get hours from free agency find it too enticing to give up the opportunity).
I do want to add that Rolston was extremely respectful of the Wild during our conversation, saying his first desire is still to stay in Minnesota and that they’ve made significant offers.
Rolston did speculate that maybe the Wild won’t even make another offer (again just speculation), but this leads me to my last late-night thought.
The Florida Panthers’ camp is based at my hotel — one of four teams with St. Louis, L.A. and Anaheim — and if you didn’t know, I used to cover them. I know that’s news to you 
I’m hearing Olli Jokinen is definitely going to be moved. In other words, that “90 percent” number I mentioned earlier, I believe it’s greater. And remember, I was the first to report to you last year 1) that Tomas Vokoun would be traded and 2) that he was traded to Florida. (and as you’ll see, that Boston was the eventual destination of Manny).
The Panthers have grown tired on Jokinen (acquired in 2000, no playoff appearances). They feel his leadership lacked this past season, they were not happy he went 22 games without a goal at one point (fyi, I didn’t look this up, this was the number told to me by a few people) and that he was a liability defensively.
On the plus side, he’s a heckuva power center.
Minnesota has had trade talks with Florida, I am told, and if there’s a chance it adds a $5 million player, that could affect Rolston.
This still doesn’t seem plausible just from a how-much-are-they-willing-to-part-with category. The Panthers want a higher first-round pick than the Wild’s 24 anyway, and would Risebrough part with a prospect (Benoit Pouliot? I’d guess yes) AND/OR a significant player (maybe a young, chrome-headed, smallish one with a potentially big contract on the horizon? This guess, I waver on.)?
I just don’t know if this is a risk Risebrough is willing to take.
We will see, but the Wild’s centers right now are Mikko Koivu (two-way stud), James Sheppard (young future stud) and Eric Belanger (struggled bigtime in the second half). The Wild needs a top center.
Whether he goes to the Wild or not, it does sound like GM Jacques Martin is working OT at his attempt to get something substantial for Jokinen. I’d think he’d be traded to the West (Calgary? Vancouver? Columbus?), although Bryan Murray — the Ottawa GM — loves the guy and is the guy that brought him to Florida in the first place.
On another subject, here’s the new Kurtis Foster rule, essentially — a reaction to Foster’s broken femur following being crashed into on an icing by the Sharks’ Torrey Mitchell.
175 Responses to "Rolston: “I’m looking for my market value”"
I’m not a hockey expert but doesn’t it bother people that Jokinen was a -19 according to NHL.com?
Here is my concern about the Olli trade. Say we move PMB and someone + our 1st for Olli and we don’t get Rolston. That wipes out our second line.
We will then essentially competing for 2- 2nd line wingers in FA. Might be easier to find but still… its going to cost us.
Florida doesn’t have great defense except for JB. They also play against Ovechkin, Lecavalier, and Kovalchuk.
Wow - are two paths emerging for DR? 1.) the Wild with PMB and Rolston with long term contracts at “market value” and pick 24 in this draft
or
2.) use the pick, PMB (and Benny?) to get Jokinen (2 years left at $5 million I think) and then hope to get Malone on July 1. I just couldn’t understand why the Wild’s name and Malone have continued to come up but perhaps it is starting to make some sense. The hot stove is on fire!
On the -19, if JL thinks Jokinen can play C for the Wild then I am sure he will be fine. Note to DR: unlike the Dominic Moore deal, please ask JL about Jokinen before making a trade. Thanks!
If people are upset about giving up O’Sullivan and a 1st pick for Demitra, how would in two years they feel if we give up PMB, Pouliot, and 1st pick for Olli and it got us to the same place — bounce in the first round?
A little wild thought here… I seem to have them late at nights when no one is around and I can ramble them off and claim lack of sleep.
Okay. Not for Ollie but our #24 to Florida for #31 and their 3rd round pick. So we end up with #31, #55, and #80. Heck they might throw in Kilger but I don’t know what his problem is.
#55 was ours already.
Either Russo updated his post or I am sleep deprived! All the more to chew on in sleepy land.
He added to his post.
I am getting sleepy and losing my train of thought. I don’t see us getting Olli but maybe moving our #24 pick for additional picks. Martin can always make another deal using our #24 or trade Olli for another #1 pick. Best case scenario for Florida — two #2 picks.
I meant to say two #1 picks: Olli trade and #31 for our #24.
If Rolston doesn’t sign, then it’s tempting to make the move for Jokinen. Wild’s most glaring need is at center. In Calgary, he’d be a small fish in a big pond. Vancouver could leverage Jokinen to re-sign Markus Naslund. Columbus has needed someone to skate alongside Rick Nash for years.
All three scenarios are interesting…
I agree with Sunshine, if you pull the trigger on Olli and lose Rolston then you are stuck with no 2nd line. The problem with this team is scoring and I’d rather have scoring then a #1 Center. Would I love both, sure… but that is appearing unlikely.
Could the Wild offer this instead?
#24 in the 1st
2nd rounder in 2009
Johnsson, which gives them depth at D and insurance against JB leaving
and Ryan Jones (a promising young, yet unproven prospect)
I know its a little of a reach but this article in TSN (http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/scott_cullen/?id=240138&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl) states that Kim is trade material and the salaries match up. They also get two high picks and a young prospect they desire.
That should be the type of deal DR should be trying to make. That keeps PMB here which I think is a must, keeps Pouli here and then we are only faced with going out and adding two defensemen.
It’s just a thought. I’d rather see DR offer up more draft picks & “other non-roster” players in the move. I don’t see how giving up PMB & Pouli for OJ helps us. You are giving up in scoring what you’d get back (MAYBE) and you are losing youth in the process.
Those would be some nices lines-
Gabby-Olli-Fridge
Rolston-Koivu-Bouchard
Pouli-Belanger-Parrish
Vorus-Sheppard-Veilluex
And if Ryan Jones isn’t their guy, maybe Kalus is. Heck, off them Kalus, Foy, and Irmen with some picks.
In the end, as we all know the Wild are waffer thin at scoring and so losing any of those players in a trade for Olli or anyone else seems like a wash to me.
As side note trade, how bout Parrish and the #24 to someone to move up in the draft and then use that pick to limit the other things we need to send FL for Olli? Just a thought.
Schmidty…interesting scenarios all, but I don’t see the Wild trading Johnsson. The way he played in the Avs series cemented his position with JL.
If Rolston is not resigned, I see a low-ball offer on the table to Demitra and then a HARD run at Jokinen. I don’t have a problem with sending PMB, B-B-B-Benny and a 1st to F-L-A. Sadly, it is probably close to what DR offered them back in Feb.
Would you rather have Rolston at 4.5 mil for 2 years or Jokinen at 5 mil for 2 years. Just sayin…
I think Malone in Iron Range Red is a foregone conclusion and they’re just waiting for July 1 to make it official.
They’re going to give Parrish a fresh start in camp in September and if he continues to struggle, he’ll be a trade deadline deal to someone for a low-round draft pick.
We’ll know a LOT more tomorrow night.
Hockey is in the air…if only for a weekend!
Schmidty, Just for Bandgeek you should probably clarify “the #24″ is the 24th pick and not litterally #24 (Boogaard).
KJ, you haven’t ‘forseen’ Malone here have you?
I don’t think I’d like it if we were to trade Ryan Jones without seeing him first in a full season of AHL action. Though, his trade value might be higher now if he were to turn out to be not so stellar.
It’s ok Goody. I’m awake enough to know the difference. Besides we don’t usually call guys by their numbers, we call them by their names or nick names. Of course I do wish Pool Boy had caught on better for Benny, he reminds me of that character from the Dixie Wetsworth sketches on older Mad TV episodes, and it sort of goes with his last name.
Excellent point Goody. The #24 pick
I’m just trying to think of ways where DR isn’t just doing the shell game.
PMB+Pouli may almost equal what Olli would give back to us in offense. How does that make us better? I just don’t see it.
Part with picks, part with players yet to prove themselves or make our club like Kalus, Irmen, Jones or even Foy, and offer quantity over select quality. I know that’s a harder sell for DR, but it’s been done in other sports (gratz KG) to some success.
Olli - 34G, 37A for 71 points
Bouch - 13G, 50A for 63 points
Add a full seaon of Pouli and you are just trading apple for apples. No gain for us and we get older.
Get Creative DR!! Go outside the box and mortage a little undrafted future to fill some holes now.
Bandgeek…I still like Pouh-blah-blah too…
Instead of Pool Boy maybe we should refer to him as ‘Kato’??? 
Goody…cloudy is the future my vison of it is. The Star Wars exhibit is messin with my mojo.
Schmidty…Isn’t McHale co-GM of the year int he NBA? Will Danny Ainge send him another ring?
Unfortunately DR’s alma mater (Les Habitants) won’t send him any good players so a KG-like trade won’t happen. I still hold out hope tho that DR will make a bold (get it) move.
I frankly do not see the PMB upside. He’s another soft forward on a team with soft scoring forwards. Malone should help to correct that.
I hear ya kj, but if we are struggling to get Rolston under contract then Malone will be a nightmare.
Also, latest reports out of Ottawa have the Sens “rumored” to be offering Spezza & Meszaros for Olli & Bouwmeester. We just can’t compete with that… even with a PMB in the mix.
PMB is very soft and out forwards are softer, but you still need that play maker to setup those soft fowards. And our luck of getting and having a “tough guy” do any “rough work” has been very unsuccessful.
Radio - brought in for his physical prescense (didn’t happen)
Adam Hall - same story
Fridge to an extent
Simon
Sean Hill
Burns out hit all of them and was more of a physical force. It seems the tough guys get here and Minnesota nice turns them to Marshmallows.
I’m (still) with kj on PMB. I’m starting to feel more and more like Malone is going to cash in for taking a puck in the face - which, while awesome, is not worth $5M to me.
PMB being a French Canadian has to give him some leverage as long as JL is around though.
It may not be “upside” kj on PMB, but wouldn’t you agree that it’s a wash trading him & Pool-boy for OJ from what the Wild gain offensively?
And I agree NiNY, Malone will get around $5 million a year and that simply isn’t worth it.
So then the question to KJ/NiNY is would you trade PMB or sign him to a multi-year deal for around 4 million a year? Cause after the fun of the Roslton Soap Opera DR will have to start asking himself that question.
I don’t like any of it. I think my gut has hit the panic button without my brain’s permission. Alarms are going off, the power has flipped over to the generator, only the emergency exit signs are lit… chaos.
I may have to spike my coffee this morning.
So then the question to KJ/NiNY is would you trade PMB or sign him to a multi-year deal for around 4 million a year?
I’ve been on the Trade PMB bandwagon for a couple seasons now (when Austin wakes up and reads this he’s not going to be happy)
ROSIE IN ASS-LESS CHAPS! <–diversionary tactic
The question is whether or not DR thinks we’re a Cup contender this season or not. If so, then move a couple kids for a Jokinen and keep Rolston. If not, then Rolston’s more expendable.
The other question, frankly, is whether or not DR sacks up and pulls the trigger on a real trade again.
As much as I hated to see O’Sully go on that draft day, I am all for seeing the Wild make another big trade to make this team better. The GM’s in Minny have always had cold feet and rarly have the “boys” to make a big trade for fear of making a mistake. (for some like McHale… he should be)
But for DR, I think it was good he went after a proven player in Demo to make this team better. We did win a division title and now Demo is on his way out so now it’s time to make that splash again.
I only ask that we get better, have more offense. I don’t even need a trade. Heck, reports out of Pitt are that the Penguins didn’t offer Hossa that 7 year $50+ million deal. If Rolston falls through I think you go sign Hossa for $8 mil a year for four or five years and see where things go.
Yes KJ, Hossa is also another one of those soft forwards but we know he can put the puck in the net. It would also maybe help with the Gabby re-signing (although I wouldn’t just sign him for that)
according to the Don, Hossa is one heckuva defensive forward. I believe KiPA sang his defensive praises as well once or twice.
Given his ties with Gaby, that would be a very interesting development.
Though it still doesn’t solve our problems at center.
The Jokinen drought was 1 goal in 14 games and it was IMMEDIATELY after Zednik got his neck cut against Buffalo.
Agreed NiNY. Let’s hope this Gillies kid is all they are saying he’s going to be because he could become our 4th Center on a team in need of someone to step up there.
The Jokinen drought was 1 goal in 14 games and it was IMMEDIATELY after Zednik got his neck cut against Buffalo.
I’d say that explains it pretty well.
I see the OJ/PMB trade talks have begun again. I think you guys kjnow how I feel about this talk. I actually like what Schmidty was saying in an eariler post : “PMB+Pouli may almost equal what Olli would give back to us in offense. How does that make us better? I just don’t see it.”
I agree. It seems like a wash for sure. Plus, if Oli is a liability on D, then I don’t think we want him.
re: Jokinen’s slump…considering the circumstances it’s pretty lame for the Panthers to be unhappy with him for having the slump in the first place.
It’s not like they were going to win the Cup this year. This is a team that has been mired in mediocrity since the year of the rat, and they would have the temerity to decry their best player for having a hard time coping with slicing a teammate’s neck open?
Is idiocy a symptom of sun stroke?
dammit! Austin didn’t fall for my diversion!
More and more as I hear about trades and contract negotiations do I feel like the team is going to drop next year. I haven’t really seen any good news yet.
I would like to see the team improve, but I’m not sure how that is going to be accomplished. I think the team is going to be worse. And they could be BAD next year. Anyone else fearing this?
I think the only way the team improves this year is if one or more of our younger players steps up in a BIG way. Like a Sheppard or a Pouliot.
temerity
Ooh, good word. I haven’t seen anyone use that in a while.
It’s simple math:
Jokinen + Gaborik > (B-B-B-Benny + Parrish) * (Rolston + PMB)
PMBs points will come from other sources.
Besides, I will always take the points of a stud over 2 mediocre players.
Again tho…it’s is up to DR to make major retooling his priority. Without it, we’re in for a rebuilding year.
And I thought rebuilding only took place after you built something.
It was a good tactic NiNY, it got me stunned for a sec, but I recovered 
.
I just can’t believe how much some people are willing to give up for one guy. I can’t imagine we would give up PMB (our leading assist man), and a good prospect (Benny, or RJ), PLUS a first round pick… that just seems like too much. I would rather focus on getting Rolston back and adding someone else that is a decent scorer for less of a cost.
kj, I think you are smoking the rock.
I wouldn’t underestimate the contributions of Reitz & Jones. I think they will surprise. I also think an addition of Holik and perhaps the return of Bruno and using the draft pick to choose a stud d-man or center would be better than screwing up another trade. I think Foster in Houston could be a decent replacement for Belanger. Then you have Pouliot and Clutterbuck who also could help fill in as well, and who knows, maybe Irmen will redouble and rediscover the promise he once had and become the grinder and “bulldog” he was supposed to be. Or see what Olvecky or Voloshenko can do, or see if we can get Sprunger (hasn’t been settled) I’d rather see that and ride it out that see the stupidty of throwing people away for someone like Jokinen who may be just as ineffective as detrimental as the O’Sullivan/Demitra or White trades were.
ATX…I know you are but what am I???
Seriously, I know you have man-love for PMB and I think he is servicable at best. He is NOT a 4 mil a year player. And I think that’s what he is looking for long term.
Why not trade him IF he is unsignable?
Claire…Brunette could score a LOT of goals with Jokinen and Gaborik. But I believe he is going elsewhere.
Holik is t-o-o o-l-d.
The Hossa situation bears watching…
I don’t want to see bad trades either Claire… but tossing hope to a group of players that both other teams and our own coach said “have little talent” isn’t what I dropped my season ticket money on to watch and most certainly not why Leipold bought the team.
btw- Voloshenko left of Russia… so he isn’t around to help
DR needs to sign Rolston, sign PMB and then go get a stud to make this team put more pucks in the net. The numbers will be tight but I say you take the chance. Trade picks or spend big bucks and land either Hossa or Marleau.
Would Rolston allegedly have his house up for sale if he was planning on staying? On the one hand he knows he is going to be making more money here. Maybe he is just planning on upgrading, but why would you sell now and buy another that you are going to sell in 3-4 years unless he will stay here after he retires. On the other hand, he knows there is no chance a deal gets done. Tough call.
This may not be news to devoted hockey aficionados, but when I am jonesin’ for a hockey fix, I tap into a few Labatt’s and curl up with the movie “Mystery Alaska”. Where else can you see a guy nicknamed Skank slidin’ around on the ice in nothing but a jock and his Tackaberry’s
All we really need to add in my opinion is Jesse “the body” ventura at center…who else can win the faceoffs crash the net and pound in rebounds like this guy…only prob he and Lemaire would not get along!
Two things on prospects-
Hasn’t Voloshenko gone back to Russia?
Isn’t Gillies projected by the Wild to play left wing and not center once he gets in the system? Thought I read that when he was drafted.
I just can’t believe how much some people are willing to give up for one guy
There is a shortage of 1st tier players in the league (By my definitition: A legitimate top-line player capable of scoring a point per game or more). If you believe Jokinen is indeed a first tier player (which could be debated), then you have to consider that he is more valuable than any second-tier player you have, and in most cases worth more than 2 of them.
I like PMB, but let’s face it he is not a top-tier guy, and I don’t see any indication that he will be one in the future.
I hear people concerned about the second line and while that is a valid concern… let’s say we re-sign Rolston and PMB, and then try to fill our holes on the open market. There are no first line players out there (except Hossa, and maybe Jagr) so where would that leave the team. We’d have a solid second line, and no first line. How is that better than a first line but no solid second line?
KJ, if PMB is unsignable then you do have to get the best you can get for him.. that I agree on. But PMB has expressed desire to play his entire career in MN, and I would love to see him stay. At what cost? I am not sure.
Schmidty, I like your idea best, but I am not sure how viable it is. How would we get Hossa? We would have to drop some bucks someplace to make him fit. Plus, I hear that Pitt is trying to keep him around.
Oh, and SOTB, the housing market is crap right now.. so maybe Rolston is putting the house up prematurely ‘just in case’? Just a thought.
Wallshot, please leave Jagr out of these discussions… we wouldn’t want that ass-clown anywhere near MN imo.
I don’t want him either, Austin. I mentioned his name precisely to emphasize my point on there not being a first line player on the FA market for the Wild to sign.
What ever happened to Petr Kalus? Looks like he disappeared in Houston this season, no playoff time at all. Did Boston dump a player on us after we went through the trouble to dump Manny on them?
SELLING his house may be an issue, but even for a piddly $2.4M a year he can probably buy a ton of house in Eden Prarie or Woodbury or wherever the hell these guys put their feet up.
You know Rolston don’t need no sub-prime mortgage, either.
For what its worth, we have been hearing Malone to Wild rumors for several days so I think we need to keep that in mind in trying to figure out what DR will do. Meanwhile, a couple of nuggets from north of the boarder:
- A league source tells Sun that it is going to be more difficult for the Panthers to make this OJ deal than most of us in Russoville have speculated. If this is the case, Russo’s PMB and/or Benny and the pick is very much in play.
- Don’t expect to see free-agent C Alexei Yashin back in the NHL next season. Teams aren’t willing to pay his asking price and he can make more money if he signs a deal with Yaroslavl in the Russian league So no worries here although it sounded like Yashin burned his bridge with the Wild last year.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Florida/2008/06/19/5923306-sun.html
plus, didn’t someone point out that he’s probably just looking to move next door to Burnsie to save on gas driving Ryder to and from Wild Kingdom every day?? I liked that theory.
I think Rolston has a deal in place with another team and giving good lip service to the crew here (I think DR knows this also).
It will be fun to watch Wes light a fire under those boys in Tampa.
I hope Burnsie gave his Yoda a parting gift, the Carney family has already left the state.
Would anyone have a problem with:
Gaborik/OJ/Fedoruk
Malone/Koivu/Parrish
SRV/Shepp/Voros
Boogey/Belanger/Anyone from Houston
D:
Burns/Johnsson
Schultz/Skoula
Reitz/Cheap Veteran FA
Bergeron/Foster (when he returns)
G:
Backstrom
Harding
I do not understand why everyone is so high on malone, take away his supporting cast and he is a 2nd to 3rd line player….the wild would be crazy to give up butch imo…keep Roston keep butch and forget oli
ATXW - In doing the numbers with the following signings (not saying these are exactly what I want)
Rolston - 4.5 million
PMB - 4 million
Voros - .600
SRV - 1 million
Fridge - .850
We could add Hossa at 8 million a year and our Salary Cap number would be 56.23 million. So, over the cap. You are right that we’d need to make a move to dump some salary. Parrish probably is the odd man out on that plan.
However, you could maybe trade Parrish, Kalus and your #1 (24th overall) for Marleau at 6.3 million and have 51 million dollar cap number. So that would leave us some room.
Again, DR will need to get creative but he can do it. He also doesn’t need to have their contracts be flat either. You could offer Rolston a 3 year deal for 3.5 this year, 4.5 the next two years. Or something similar to that with PMB and you start making room for Hossa.
I know… its a bit of a dream but when else are players of that caliber just laying around for the bidding?
El Gato The only problem i have is i dont think Reitz is higher then Foster or Bergeron on the depth chart. I mean i could see going Burns/Johnsson Schultz/ufa Begeron/Foster - Skoula then the other d from the bergeron with Reitz..
I keep forgetting that we have Parrish. Man, I even think about Voros and Fedoruk before him. How low he has fallen on the totem pole.
JohnsonFan, Foster is out for at least half the year and Reitz has been in the system for a while. At least Reitz performed admirably on a gimpy ankle in the playoffs, JL doesn’t really know what Bergeron’s game is, so I’ll give familiarity the upper hand. Skoula is top 4 in JL’s mind, so that’s where he is going to be, like it or not. I can definately see validity to your reasoning once foster is back.
Parrish fits on the 2nd line if PMB is gone, he has no place on the team if PMB stays.
At the risk of being a broken record, Foster - though playing better at the time - was still not more than a 3rd pairing defenseman when he got hurt. I don’t see him being a 2nd pair defenseman just because he got hurt.
You could offer Rolston a 3 year deal for 3.5 this year, 4.5 the next two years. Or something similar to that with PMB and you start making room for Hossa
Again, this does NOT work. The cap hit is the average salary. Paying someone 3.5 one year and 4.5 the next two is the a cap hit of 4.167 each year.
Rolston will get more than that anyway. I would try to sign Rolston to a deal like 14 mil for 3. 6mil, 5mil and 3mil in the last year. That would give a cap hit of 4.67 each year and would make him slightly more tradeable in the final year of his contract.
Kalus got sent back to the Czechs for the World Championships during the Aeros playoff run, but got cut from the team (seemingly almost immediately). Someone on the Wild board coined the nickname “Crack Squirrel” for him and it fits the bill perfectly. He’ll drive JL to retirement by the AS break if he goes to Minny. But he’s still a young guy. He just needs Ritalin and he’ll be fine.
Give up on Irmen. I’m telling you. Pretend he doesn’t exist. It’s not gonna happen.
Right now, my call-up pick is Hamilton. Then Clutterbuck. Foster kinda disappeared/got sloppy near the end of the season, but I suspect he might have been playing through some injuries. I was loving him in Jan/Feb though, so we’ll see, assuming he comes back next year. I hope the team keeps him around. In fact, I’d love to see a two-way NHL contract for him, esp since he’s a natural center who they just felt was better on the wing in KC’s system. Good to have guys who can go both ways.
would make him slightly more tradeable in the final year of his contract.
is your “price” at trade the un-used portion of your cap hit for that season or the un-used portion of your nominal salary for that season?
plus, didn’t someone point out that he’s probably just looking to move next door to Burnsie to save on gas driving Ryder to and from Wild Kingdom every day?? I liked that theory.
That was me! My best theory yet.
El G, I see a problem. I don’t know that having Malone and Parrish on a line is a good idea. Aren’t they both ‘front of the net’ type guys? If they’re both in front… and I’m not saying Koivu isn’t the MAN but… the puck would most likely rarely make it to the front of the net with only one player to work the corners and walls.
Are the Wild seriously going to overpay for Malone? All I have heard is that he is over valued. If they do get him, I really hope he won’t turn into the next Kimmy J. From most reactions it seems like that is a likely path for him.
Please forget about OJ! Let some other team overpay for the guy. I do not want to mortgage the future for a guy that will score goals for 2 years and then say bye bye again.
Question: will Rolston on the open market get a 5 year deal from someone?
is your “price” at trade the un-used portion of your cap hit for that season or the un-used portion of your nominal salary for that season?
I’m pretty sure it is the cap hit. A team might have the cap space but prefer not to actually spend that amount of money. I.E. Take a $2 mil cap hit on paper, but only have to pay that player $1 mil.
Like I said, slightly more. 
The other thing that does in my mind is I think the idea of getting that $6 mil up front is more attractive to the player signing the paper, but maybe that’s just my opinion.
No way does Rolston get a 5 year deal. He could get a Guerin deal: $4.5 for 4 years.
Adam, Rolston is 35… so I am not sure how a team would feel about giving him 5 years. That seems like a risk. 3 would be more realistic imo.
Just out of curiosity…
It seems (I’m probably wrong) that recently a lot of the new guys to the NHL who are doing well skipped the AHL.
Are they that good?
Or, did the team really need bodies right away and as such they ‘developed’ in the NHL rather than in the AHL. Is the AHL game different enough that sending players there doesn’t really help them get to the NHL? Does sending players to the AHL actually make it harder for them to reach the NHL?
I’m just curious what with the seemingly slow development of the Wild’s AHL players. Yet, Shep skipped the AHL and seemed to do pretty well for himself and will most likely do better next season.
El G, I see a problem. I don’t know that having Malone and Parrish on a line is a good idea. Aren’t they both ‘front of the net’ type guys?
I agree and I guess that is a reason to put more fule on the Malone to Wild fire as you could clearly see in 2008 that JL is enamored with putting a big guy in front of the net on the PP.
Only the good ones go straight from junior/College to the NHL.
The Wild had patience and being an expansion team gave them the luxury to play most of our young players in the first few years. You can’t say the same now. Pouliot could have done it but we didn’t have the space and he didn’t have the maturity that Gillies and Sheppard have.
For me, I would like to see OJ here, he makes Gabby a much better threat.
But at what price? Certainly not for too many assets.
Nobody has answered me regarding an earlier question: If PMB is not signed, then in trading him the only thing we are trading is the right to negotiate for another team, right?
Well, how much value is that?
It does not seem to me that if I was a GM I would trade much for that.
PMB is RFA. The other team just has to qualify him then go to arbitration. PMB can take a one year deal and become UFA next summer.
- So if a 5 year deal is unrealistic for Rolston, is the contract impase more about a 3 v. 4 year deal or about $ in a 3 year deal. Also, I guess the Wild could be working a 2 year offer but that seems unrealistic on their part.
- Iceman - if a team acquired PMB today, they would have him in his last year of RFA status so they would be in charge of his extension - right?
Adam: I think it has to be about do-re-mi.
hey Lemmi: if you’re around today, nice to chat last night. Sorry to bail, but 11pm is late for this geezer!
Enjoy the grill, brother!
The Rolston deal is going to get done. It has to; there are too few options available for the Wild this offseason. I think DR recognizes that at least.
As long as it is a 3 year deal, I think I have to lean toward retaining Rolston at “market value” - any longer and the risk is just too high at a “market value” price.
Personally, I think that $5 mill/yr is too much to pony up for Rolston, considering his age and the new CBA rules regarding hurt/injured players. I hope the Wild does not fall into the trap of listening to this summer’s “market”. This is a very, very weak UFA summer. If Huggy thiinks he deserves $5 mill+/yr, I say let him go; sign PMB and Gabby to extensions and make a play for another center this summer. The Wild is not a contract for Rolston away from competing for the Cup in 08-09. Next year’s class of UFAs is infinitely more appealing than this years. I say, lock up two more of the cogs (PMB/Gabby), don’t go postal with the money for Roslton; bring in a serviceable centerman and make a major play NEXT summer when you’ll still have your core players locked up and players like Shepp, Reitz, Gilies, etc have another year of NHL play under their collective breezers. Just doesn’t seem wise to overpay for Huggy simply because this summer’s market for forwards is Paris Hilton-thin.
Deep Breath, you are a calm voice of reason. No Rolston…can we make a run at Hossa?
I still have a tough time thinking of PMB as a $4 mil/yr player, though.
well-said, Deep.
Just hope that jives with the new owner smell around the X right now.
At this point, I think PMB may think his “market value” is higher than it actually is simply because this year’s crop of UFA has a bit of an odor to it. Next summer, with a much nicer group of UFAs, PMB’s market value will be considerably less. Unless of course he goes nuts on the ice this year. But, provided we see similar butu slightly improved play from PMB this year, I think he would be cheaper to sign long term than what it may take this summer, even though he has a year left.
here’s why I’m just not sold on PMB:
they’ve been giving him one year deals for at least a couple years, now, right? And Mikko got the LT deal last year. So they’ve CLEARLY been trying to cattle prod him - but it hasn’t worked.
Really, it’s time for DR to fish or cut bait on him. The fall back is to qualify him for this year, let him take you to arbitration, sign the one-year deal and then shop him at the deadline. That way you give him ONE MORE CHANCE to be the player they want him to be this season - maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. I can’t see him getting $4M in arbitration so he doesn’t kill your cap space this season, and you still have an out if he doesn’t work out.
If we can get PMB for Burns money, that would be a great signing.
DB, that’s the first logic on this that has made sense to me and doesn’t put me in freak out mode over losing Roli. You clearly chose your name well. *deep breath* Don’t anybody argue with DB on his points… I’m in a good place mentally.
I’m even feeling a little rosier about Pouliot.
Not “assless chaps” rosy, but a little bit rosy.
uh…speaking of, ms.c…(ahem)…how’s the hip today?
I don’t think you can this year’s decisions based on the potential free agent market NEXT year. Keep any of those players can sign exensions after July 1, but teams can’t even BEGIN to negotiate with their own players in this group until after that date. So what looks available now has little meaning. Gaborik could very well be in that group as well.
I think if Pouliot plays in the bigs this season, he’ll have a good year. Maybe that’s just rosie-colored glasses if you will.
*”Keep in mind” is what I meant to say.
someone’s going to have to work pretty hard to convince me that Russo’s BFF’s big bro is not a selfish prick at this point.
After that little stunt the Fowl had to pull with him last season when he couldn’t make up his mind about retiring, now to do the same thing (essentially) is total crap.
And his agent has the balls to say that “Scott always wants to do what’s best for the team.”
Bull.
Let them know what your intentions are going into the draft so they can plan accordingly.
Love him or hate him, I think Delta Burke is certainly accomodating (enabling?) Scott in this case.
(I don’t consider Selanne in the same boat since he was a UFA last summer.)
http://tsn.ca/columnists/darren_dreger/?id=241117&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_main
BTW I was just looking at the Fowl page on nhlnumbers, and Doug (E Fresh) Weight is a UFA. I profess utter ignorance as to the book on him. How is he in the defensive zone? Would he be okay in the limited-offensive role a center plays in JL’s system? Does he have the wheels/motor to get back and cover?
and what happened to the Conroy talk? Have the Flames worked out an agreement with him too?
Weight will go back to St. Louis. He usually does after being traded. He likes it there even though they keep trading.
Didn’t he and Boogaard have words last year and two years ago?
What I read (couple different places, but can’t remember where off hand) is that Dougie Weight has nothing left in the tank at this point.
NiNY, If I were a D*cks fan (God Forbid!) I’d be pissed about him not being able to make up his mind for a second year in a row.
It’s a rainbow, Nick, thanks for asking. I’ve never seen a bruise quite like it. I really should take a picture. BUT it feels a ton better and the pain in my hamstring is subsiding. We’ll see how skating goes tonight, but I’m not too worried about it.
I haven’t read the comments before me, so I am sorry if I am repeating…
Rolston scored 59 points. 31 goals, 28assists.
Hossa had 66 points 29 goals, 37 assists.
Jokinen had 71 points 34 goals, 37 assists.
Hossa will likely make at least the 7 mil he made last year, and Jokinen is around 5 mil.
So, now why, oh why, would the Wild think that Rolston is worth less than 4 to 5?
I’m going to ask the same question I asked to the reports of the Pens trading Malkin for the #2 pick and Cammalleri… Are they stuck in a drunken rip in the space time continuum?
Rolston cannot be replaced. Lose him, and they are looking at a middle of the pack finish at best.
It is a surprise to me if Rolston wants the biggest bucks this year. If he gets them from the Wild he effectively limits their ability to fill other holes. Same with PMB.
With their contracts, Mikko, Burns, and Schultz show the attitude you want to build with.
Somebody attributed a Malone statement that in essence was: “I want to limit what my new team will need to give my old team because I do not wish to handicap their opportunities”.
If you are the old team it may not sound so good, but the attitude certainly helps where you are going.
Wallshot: of course some of the potential UFAs next summer will most likely sign with their current squad, but that still doesn’t make me want to over spend of Huggy. Even if nobody signs with their current squad this summer, the list is still dismal. Odds are strong that there will be exponentially more quality available next summer that would make me shy away from getting cash-happy with Huggy now. If it can be done reasonably, I’d say do it. But reading between the lines makes me believe Huggy is looking for serious dollars for his “last contract”. He’s no idiot and knows his value is inflated this summer because the talent pool is for sh!t right now for UFAs. But, hopefully the Wild brass is also aware of this and doesn’t do anything stupid financially based on panic (i.e. Kimmie J). I have no problem with Huggy coming back but I just don’t want to see the Wild do something foolish finnancially. Not this summer anyway.
From Shipley on the East End:
“Of the 16 players the Wild have taken in the first two rounds of the entry draft, 10 are still in the system and eight were on the playoff roster for the team that won the Northwest Division last season.”
Buddha: you absolutely have to take into account Huggy’s age. With the new rules regarding retirees and injured players, teams have to watch their dollars when it comes to 35+ year olds. The numbers may be similar between Huggy, OJ and Hossa, but OJ and Hossa are much further away from retirement. Do we want Huggy on the roster when he’s 38 and making $5+ million a year? I personally do not.
Rolston is 35 years-old. OJ is 29 and so is Hossa. They are still in their prime. Now, you have to consider future production when considering contracts.
For me the issue is length as long as the cap hit is $5 million or less for 3 years. Anymore than that, we got to cut him loose.
Its not the Wild’s fault that he didn’t produce during is prime to get the big bucks like Demitra or Olli. We can’t pay him more because he was underpaid for the 3 years with the Wild.
We pay Schultz, Burns, and Koivu their amounts because of future production.
My point to breaking the bank is the attitude of selfless players instead of selfish players.
Building the team with selfless players pays the dividends.
NINY: good talking to you too. Still can’t believe what some people practically give away. For everyone else: playing B league intramurals next semester at CU and my buddy is going to play goalie. You can rent the stuff from CU but found complete set of goalie equipment on CL for $150. Leg pads, 2 gloves, blocker - all Vaughn. Pants, 2 masks, tons of jerseys and socks. TPS stick and chest/upper protector. Graf Skates. Granted some of the stuff needs some TLC and a few buckles, etc are missing, but can’t argue with that.
Is it friday yet? I want to watch the draft and work is killing me this week as we have a bunch of high-end townhomes that are due out friday
I’d like to know what the deal is with Conroy…maybe Smolinski, too.
Thoughts on trading Harding? You’ll need to resign them both goalies next year and with trying to resign Gabby and possibly Pouli already.. that might be one “youthful roster prospect” we could affort to trade away to upgrade our scoring talent. Granted he’d only save you $750,000 but he is an asset that actually has value.
All that for 150, Lemmi? Damn. Well done.
Schmidty — what happens if Backstrom pulls a hammy or somthing…who else does the Wild have in the system that can back him up? If if we have to sign another vet to back him up, we really don’t save much $$$.
I think the point Schmidty was making was more toward using Harding as an assett to acquire scoring as opposed to a method to lower the cap usage.
I like that idea except that I think Harding will emerge as the better goaltender within the next few years.
Schmidty: again your idea has merit only if had other decent to above average goalie ready to play in our system. Since we don’t really have that, the answer is no.
Pouliot is not going to get more than $1.5 million in his next contract. He has not proven himself yet. I am not worried about his contract plus he’s RFA.
I know that was the point, but it would still create a hole that would need to be filled.
In other news, I saw this in Chuck Walters column: “Forget the rumor — for the time being — that the Wild and Los Angeles Kings are interested in a trade at draft time involving Pierre-Marc Bouchard, who can become an unrestricted free agent in two weeks, for the Kings’ No. 2 overall pick.”
I don’t know where that guy gets his information. Have any of you heard about that “rumor”?
Besides the fact that PMB would be an RFA and not UFA in two weeks.
I’ve said it before: “Shooter” is a douche.
We can forget about it because it was never discussed before in any if not most rumor boards.
I held out no hope that there was any truth to that rumor. Just providing more proof of his douche-baggery to back up Wallshot’s assertion.
Not caught up yet, but Schmidty, I do not think Hossa is soft. He threw quite a few big hits the last two series. His defense is great as well.
(Kevin in PA) He did have some nice hits but isn’t a “grinding winger” was my point.
As far as who to take Hardings place, you’d have to bring up either Shaffer or Kopriva. They aren’t studs but having the two goalies is a luxary and eventually we need to stop holding onto that like a security blanket and use that asset (in this case Harding) and the money to add scoring to the Roster.
Mason has done a great job with many of the goalies that have been in with the Wild in the past. Making Manny better, Rolli better, taking a somewhat unproven in Backstrom and making him a start and grooming Harding nicely.
It’s just a thought. Another way of adding scoring without giving scoring away or someone like Pouli/Shep/Gillies.
Furthering my thoughts….
Mason could work with Shaffer or Kopriva to make them better and Backstrom would have to be the full time starter until then.
Trying to win 2-1 in this league, in this division is always tough. It works but as shown in the playoffs, you need more than 1 or 2 goals to win.
Oh, I see your point, Schmidty. No argument there. Speaking of Hossa, people were wondering about cap hits after trades. I think the Pens were on the hook for only like $1 mil or so cap hit for the season. I’d have to look it up though.
And Malkin for Camalleri and the #2? Ugh. No thanks.
no way do you move Harding. Backstrom, fine. Just for the fact that he’s better in the shootout than Nik alone, Hards is worth more.
Goaltending is too important.
If you have a surplus on defense, wing or center, fine, use that as trade leverage. But not goaltending.
Really, Schmidty, you gotta quit saying Kopriva… *shudder* He couldn’t even stick in the CHL.
Khudobin’s the next in line after Schaef. But he still needs to prove himself in the AHL.
I don’t disagree goaltending isn’t important, but eventually you have to get to one starter, one back-up and get some scoring. I don’t think we have a surplus at any other position NiNY, except for maybe failed young talent.
Sorry ms.conduct on Kopi, Khudobin is fine. I think it would be safe to say if we lost one of our goaltenders that Shaffer would get the call.
While at Lifetime over lunch, this little nugget came across my Ipod. I apologize for it being so dated, but it just never seems to get old.
“Morris getting it ahead back out for Sakic at center, stopped by Gaborik. Back come the Wild…..Here’s Park, right side. Park fires…..SCORES. Richard Park has scored..in overtime. And the Wild……will advance to Game number 7. Park, in overtime at four twenty-two. There will be a seventh game.”
I read Russo’s post, got about halfway through the comments and then my head blew up. After picking up the pieces of my skull, here’s what I’ve got to say on this. Actually, I’ve already said this, but I’m going to say it again.
Rolston’s last contract? Market value? If I’m reading between the lines correctly here, I think the Wild should let him walk. For a guy over 35, he should be getting 1-year contracts. Period. If he wants longer, I think for each additional year, a hefty reduction in the cap number needs to be taken into account. Granted, if he does walk, he will need to be replaced somehow, and I’ll say this again. I’d much rather them throw really big money at Hossa than big money at Rolston over multiple years. And yeah, that assumes that Hossa is interested, but you’d think he would like to play with Gabby, right? Anyway… It will be interesting to see how that situation plays out eventually.
As for Olli… PMB + a first + Pouliot is too much. I’m not quite in love with Butch as much as Austin, but I think he’s a fine player. Not great, but certainly pretty good. Maybe the Wild aren’t seeing what they’d like from him ideally, but then I think it becomes a question of how much money he’ll take or not take. If there seems to be a big difference in what the team values him at/can afford and what he values himself at, then I think trading him makes sense, but if he fits into the picture financially I see no reason to move him. Has anyone confirmed that he’s looking for a long-term $4MM per season? If an offer sheet comes his way in that range then I think the Wild would have to consider taking the picks, but who knows if we’ll see that happen.
I also think Jokinen is a bit overrated, and why would FL be trading him if he was all that? Giving up a good young player, a first and a highly-talented (though flawed) prospect for him seems awfully steep IMO.
Speaking of Kopriva… Did anyone happen to see this?
Also, the Wild organization doesn’t have enough goaltending depth presently to trade any goalies.
Nice Deep!
A nice little stroll to the good times during a day of concern for Wild fans and the snubbing from one 35 yr old Vet.
Agreed Toivo, but considering we aren’t deep at anything… and we need scoring? The only other option is to trade nothing but draft picks.
I’m fine with that option but it can eventually catch up with you.
As Sid (or more likely a minion) noted today, ESPN’s mock draft has the Wild taking Harri Sateri, goaltender Tappara of the Finnish League. However, since the mock draft guy’s analysis does not have the words “Josh Harding” in it, take it with a grain of salt. Still, I would guess that drafting a Finnish G is usually a safe move.
The Wild got great mileage out of Niklas Backstrom this season, but he’s 30, and goaltending isn’t a strength of the minor league system. Markstrom and Chet Pickard would be backup options.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3448428
Snubbing? I don’t see that.
Yeah, I’ve seen that, Toivo. Pretty funny. Apparently, Miro is quite a character, though I was too busy crying in my beer to notice.
Hmm. I hadn’t heard much about Sateri but he sounds decent. Would love to see a clip of him.
Oh wait. I’m sold. See “Who was your favorite player growing up?”
http://www.sportsology.info/article.php?ArticleID=6747
I’d say we’re quite deep in third and fourth line career NHLers.
maybe the deepest in the whole league.
If they trade Backs and sign Huet, no problem. You can’t just trade away your starting goalie when what you’ve got behind him is so completely untested. The Kings had pretty good scoring this past season, you know?
p.s. Speaking of Huet, anyone think Montreal had second thoughts about trading him at the deadline? Maybe they rushed Price a bit?
NiNY, I think you need to specify that it’s 3rd and 4th line wings that the Wild are set at. They’re not deep at center!
I should say, Schmidty, that your rationale is pretty much exactly why I’ve been on the trade PMB bandwagon.
It’s not that he’s not good.
It’s that he has the most trade value of the guys you would presume we would trade.
toivo: point taken. I will go to the box and feel shame.
Hey at least he didn’t throw that guy like 10 feet in the air. That is a dangerous play but funny as heck - as long as the player is not injured.
People like to take out Gaborik’s legs. I saw a clip of Gaborik jumping over a German player who was sliding to take him out on a breakaway goal. Even DiPietro made a comment at the All-Star game about taking out his legs.
Jovanaski playing for Canada chased Gaborik on a breakaway tried to play the puck but took out Gabby, who landed on his knees sliding. Gabby was able to get up and go topshelf against Brodeur.
I would agree NiNY that PMB is probably the only asset we have of true value north of the 3rd line, but we would need to get more scoring (goals & assists) back in return for him in order for us to get better and I just don’t see how we can. That’s why I was looking at other options like Harding. Again, it was just a thought.
At the end of the season, the Wild had: SRV, Branko, Voros, Foy, Boogaard, Fedoruk, Simon, Parrish… That’s four sets of wings right there! Am I missing anyone?
but we would need to get more scoring (goals & assists) back in return for him in order for us to get better and I just don’t see how we can.
I think we could definitely get more goals. Whether or not that equates to more scoring (G+A) remains to be seen. Could a guy that creates more opportunities by playing a more physical game - without necessarily showing up on the scoresheet (other than +/-) - give us more “scoring”, overall?
I agree we’d have to make sure we replaced his offense with at least the same amount of offense in the trade.
toivo: that looks comprehensive to me. I’ve said before that the Wild doesn’t really have four lines as much as they have two groups of forwards. JL treats each group as more or less interchangeable within that group.
Toivo, I am not so sure that OJ is overrated. Perhaps it is the cast he is playing with.
But, the Wild can’t trade too many assets for him if they do trade. Maybe I can see somebody like PMB, the draft choice, and player like Foy.
But, if they do trade PMB, then they need to sign Rolston or find someone that effective … perhaps Malone?
So what would be a reasonable price for Malone? I hear his stock will be massivly inflated, but how much is too much for a guy like him?
Russo the big eared freak!!
Wild = Epic Fail!!!!
No Cup!!!!!!
Dumb fans!!
If the NHL goes as far to admit there is a safety issue with touch up icing and make a rule against dangerous contact when going for the puck, why oh why not just take the other half step and go to no-touch icing completely taking out the risk of another incident like Fosters and others?
It looks like what we have now is a deterrent to hopefully avoid another broken femur, but a two minute minor just in case you do break somebody’s.
Personally, I’d rather have the opportunity to cripple someone taken away completely.
AND WHILE I’M AT IT, when are they going to eliminate that ugly, ugly rule where you can do a hand pass in your own defensive zone?
They talk and talk about wanting to increase scoring, yet leave in a rule that A) helps the defense B) is dumb to allow a certain type of play only on end of the playing surface and not the other and C) is the single most visually unappealing looking play in all of sports.
It’s just so, so ugly to watch a game of flow and style allow such a crude thing as part of it’s game. Bleah.
Ahhh the smell of troll in the afternoon.
JeffB, I am in total agreeance over the hand pass thing.. it drives me nuts.
Austin: I’ve always wondered why that wasn’t illegal. Someone please come over here and freshen up my drink, all I see are dimension lines for columns, beams, more columns, occaisionally walls.
Hey, Carney made a hand pass to Sheppard in the defensive zone to break up a a 4-on-2 play who then threw it up ice to Gaborik for a breakaway goal against Kipper. That was the game winning goal, also.
Defense turned into offense in a split second.
Drinking and architecting! Good combo!
Sure is quiet in Ottawa…
Hi gang - Just walking in off the golf course and starting to pay more serious attention to the draft.
But first: My sense is that the hand pass rule is enforced the way it is in order to cut down on faceoffs and move the game along. Players in the defensive zone will do whatever it takes to stop a chance, and we don’t want an extra 10-12 faceoffs a game, so we allow it in the D-zone. Again, that’s just my rough understanding of the rationale.
Couple other thoughts: I agree with Nick that there is not enough goalie depth here to even consider trading Harding. I believe him to be a stud goalie of the future, and the future is not far away for him.
Second: I’ve made my thoughts on P-Marc known before, but I’ll reiterate them since his name keeps coming up. You have to remember people, he’s still only 24! He has over 220 points in the NHL and he only turned 24 seen weeks ago. He’s a top six (some might argue top 4) forward on a playoff-caliber, division-winning team and he’s three or four years away from reaching his peak.
It’s not unreasonable to project him as a career 800-900 point scorer (that’s just 60 points a year until he’s a year younger than Rolston is NOW). P-Marc is going to be a very valuable piece on some very good hockey teams over the next decade, and we should all be hoping it happens here.
Now, back to the Central Scouting reports….
Ms. C - How do you think the world has all those crazy looking buildings? Drunk architects scribbling!
True, GoalieGuy, but if he is not affordable …?
Funny thing about team sports is that parts are sort of interchangable, but personalities are not.
Don’t we have a Finnish goalie, still playing in Finland from a year or so ago?
PS - Keep an eye pealed for Laine, perhaps in the draft.
Word, Lemmi. I dig. There are parts of my townhome that definitely have a certain SoCo flair.
Be careful lemmi dear, my Mr is sort of an Architect. He’s got the degree but he graduated right as building trades took a nose dive so not the job. I tend to think it’s the womanizing and bathtub gin (ie Frank Lloyd Wright) but who knows how to explain some things, like the guy who designed the crack stacks next to the U campus.
And I’ll leave you all to your draft talk, I’ll be out and about with the fam for the weekend. Here’s hoping DR doesn’t fudge this up.
So I’ve been out for a few days and I come back to the Ryan Malone show? Why exactly has the State of Hockey fallen in love with this guy? It doesn’t take a whole lot of skill to use your face to block shots.
Malone was at SCSU when I was there and I am a huge fan of his but it would be ridiculous to pay out $4 or $5 million a year for him. That is pretty much top scoring line money and he wouldn’t be on the top line.
With the Wild he would likely play on the 2nd scoring line. But assuming PMB and Rolston are back we don’t need FA second line scoring.
Amen AiH. I don’t get it either. Enough with Malone already! Unless you get him real cheap.
If Malone comes here, I think he gets moved up to play with Gaborik. He will be Gaborik’s defender, work the corners, and drive to the net.
Bandgeek: Here’s hoping yor family won’t take you away this weekend from the things that really count in life. Like, hockey.
Nick’s assessment of the Wild as two groups of forwards (instead of four lines) is correct. DR has to expand the groups to six players each, however, and there’s the rub. How do you fit them all in? And, just as important, how do you pay for them all?
Should be a good weekend for all us hockey fans. I’ll be in-n-out the next 3-4 days due to other commitments but I’ll look in now ‘n’ then for you all.
I was listening to CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada radio a couple days ago and the rumor was Columbus was going to trade a pick for the rights to Malone. That has since fell through, or was never true.
Bottom line is that DR isn’t going to put that much money into Malone. I’m also starting to think he is struggling with the thought of giving Rolston a big and long contract.
After reading the blog I’m struggling with it as well. Sure, Rolston is always on the ice, but one freak injury and the Wild could be on the hook for 3 years at $5M a year for a guy on his couch in Michigan.
Think about it - you’re cap takes the hit for a 30 goal scoring caliber player who isn’t playing.
AiH - the C-bus beat writer included the Wild in the “trade for Malone’s negotiating rights” game so that, way more than Russoville, has driven the Malone to Wild talk.
I would like to put all your fears to rest. The better half and I have had to give up our season tickets which will almost guarentee a cup run this year. I may not be as strong with the force as kj but I have forseen it.
Band - how’s it goin’ today?
Ms. C - How do you think the world has all those crazy looking buildings? Drunk architects scribbling!
Funny you should mention this. Tonight is beer league for me, and a guy on our team–an architect–is saying he’s just losing his buzz now and his hangover is starting, but he’ll make it to our game tonight. 3pm on a Thursday. Tsk tsk…
We’ve got two other architects on the team as well, so I’m onto you!
So is it just wishful thinking that Brunette is leaving Colorado? Or has there been real speculation that the Avs are not re-signing him?
This will make the Gabby negotiations interesting, although no $ figure is provided:
Report: Lecavalier close to lifelong deal with Lightning
How does that work, a lifetime contract?
I feel ill.
IMHO I have to agree that Malone = this years Penner. No doubt some team will throw big money at him but I don’t think he will be putting up big numbers or having half the season he had for the Pens. If someone throws a big fat contract his way I hope it’s a divsion foe.
TSN mock draft says Jake Gardiner will fall to the Wild - http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?fid=11490&lid=sublink02&lpos=topRelated_nhl
TSN’s also using Geno’s picture for their “trade talks and rumours heat up” story.
I picked the wrong day to quit taking amphetamines.
KiPA - I saw that but didn’t want to mention it in deference to you. I wouldn’t sweat it.
A-hole extraordinaire, but hockey aficionado Mark Madden (recently fired by ESPN Radio) wrote a column earlier this week saying if Shero can trade Malkin to LA for Dustin Brown, Jack Johnson, “a couple more NHL regulars and a first-round pick or two,” he should consider it.
That’s sorta different than the report that said it’s Malkin for Cammalleri and the No. 2 pick.
Habs inside/out WANTS oTTAWA AND ALL ITS CRACK ADDICTED PLAYERS OUT OF THE nhl, Gainey may be a lost cause, but Montreal has less gays than Ottawa.
