Quotes of the Day

“Check the accompanying sidebar, which combines the won-lost percentages for the current season of the 15 cities with both NHL and NBA teams. Yep, there is Team Tanenbaum, right down there in 15th place.” Dave Perkins…
“To be getting dressed in the Canadiens room is something I always wanted to see,” he said in French.” Vincent Lecavalier
“When I walked through those doors and saw the hundreds of people there for autographs and waiting for the players arrive — my hair was all over the place, and I really didn’t expect to have it,” he said Friday. “I don’t think anybody expected to have a welcome like that.” Vincent Lecavalier
“”For someone being born here, to play here, obviously people add a little bit of pressure,” said Lecavalier. “But I think a good pressure.” Vincent Lecavalier

Sure sounds like Vinny has Montreal on the mind, and no it doesn’t sound like it’s not his kind of town….

“Bettman and his bosses used a hammer to try to fix something that wasn’t necessarily broken in the first place — and what was really broken, they couldn’t acknowledge, let alone fix.” Stephen Brunt on the NHLPA declining to re-open the CBA

“The problem was — and the problem is — there is a wider disparity in NHL markets than in any other sport when it comes to how much people actually care about the product. Hockey is front of mind everywhere in Canada and in a handful of U.S. cities (now, for the first time in years, including Boston and Chicago). There people will pay large amounts of money for a seat, and produce big television audiences that are attractive to advertisers. it didn’t do a thing for the Phoenix Coyotes or Atlanta Thrashers or Nashville Predators or Florida Panthers. If anything, those clubs are in worse shape now than they were before the lockout, their decline accelerated by the credit crunch and ensuing recession, coupled with shaky ownership. If they’re still in business come 2011 — and who would like to bet their life on that right now? — the next labour war won’t cure what’s wrong with them, either.” Stephen Brunt

“Each and every player, NHL Players Association boss Paul Kelly said today, should expect a 13.5 per cent pay cut this season because of declining league revenues. The cut takes the form of escrow payments, monies withheld from players to make sure the union collectively does not make more than its share of the money the league takes in. the league’s revenue growth has dropped to about two per cent from 12 per cent a year ago..”The players aren’t happy about it,” said Kelly. “But they understand it.” Kelly admitted that in this case, the escrow will have the effect of being a salary rollback the same as that the players were forced to accept after the 2004-05 lockout.” Damien Cox-

Who would have guessed that the PA would elect to extend the deal that all the majority of pundits called a loser (not looser) for the players. Perhaps, just perhaps the players have gotten a tad bit smarter this time around….

The best quote of the day however was from PA slappy Glen Healy on the NHL suspension of those players who aren’t in Montreal for the All Star festivities:

” ”

Somewhere, Healy must be a caged dog. Just wait till he gets a few pops in him on St. Catherine tonight… Kelly may have the duct tape on his mouth for now…it won’t last, and when it ends, get ready for quotes like you can’t believe.

The Hot Stove…

A few folks have asked me to post it, so here is the satellite hot stove from CBC tonight

tonight they talked about fighting, and the move to “ban it”, the CBA- Vinny, Al “he is being offered all over the league- at least 5 teams are in on it, TB wants Markov” Montreal number one on Vinny’s list..MB TB has a total lack of credibility if they trade him… NYI playing in KC…trade today…

watch it here

Article of the Morning….

Elliotte Friedman’s blog on the Vinny situation is as good a read as I have seen. The only thing missing from it is an accurate read on how dire things are in Tampa Bay. Elliott’s analysis of the current financial implications and the realities of a trade of this magnitude are bang on.

“So, how many teams are really in this race?

Montreal, for sure. Vancouver definitely could be. It has cap room and prospects. Toronto has cap room, but no prospects. It fits Edmonton’s profile, since the Oilers threw bags of cash at Jaromir Jagr and Marian Hossa. I also wonder about a Colorado, a Dallas, or an LA.”

Take the Leafs out of the picture. It’s not happening. Could you imagine Vinny in Vancouver with Sundin??? Almost happened in TO!

“Lecavalier is a great talent, and a durable one, too. Only twice in his nine seasons has he played less than 80 games – 68 in 2000-01 and 76 in 2001-02. Those two things are extremely attractive to any GM interested in anyone with a long-term deal. But you know what’s become even more important to these GMs? Flexibility.”

Damn straight. Look at the ducks current cap situation, ummmm, who made that mess again ? 🙂

“Other execs are wondering what Chicago is going to do with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook – tough choices despite Nikolai Khabibulin’s $7 million per season clearing this summer. Even Detroit, the model franchise when it comes to drafting, developing and getting players to take hometown discounts, has team-altering decisions to make. Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa, Johan Franzen and Jiri Hudler (restricted) are all up, and Zetterberg is testing the Red Wings’ limits. (They gave Hossa a one-year deal equal to Nicklas Lidstrom’s $7.45 million, and a 10-year, $75 million offer to Zetterberg has apparently been rejected.) The Lightning themselves are in this situation because of the Stanley Cup gifts awarded to three players, Lecavalier being one.”

Folks- this is why it is good to be a Maple Leaf fan right now. Keep your heads up. If Burke plays this right he is going to be able to have a buffet of choices for top players fairly soon. Be patient. Wait until the cap goes down, then watch teams squirm to get under the cap! This is going to be interesting as hell.

“Then, there is the economic collapse. Teams are under the impression that, at best, the cap will stay the same next season, before decreasing in 2010-11. From Oct. 1, 2007, until the financial lunacy began in mid-September, 37 NHL players signed contracts of at least five years in length. That’s an average of three per month. Since then, there have been three in total .”

That’s right. How would you like to the Isles with a goalie tied up for 13/15 more years who has suffered long term injuries of late. The goal is to build properly. Our building is full every night. MLSE is patient enough to get this built properly.

“Managers exhibiting buyer’s remorse are recognizing a painful reality – that if you want to trade one of these contracts, you’re going to have to make the kind of deal that is difficult to explain to your fans. What they’re hearing from potential partners is some variation of this: “If you want me to help you take this contract off your books, well then you’re going to have to take my brutal contract. Oh, you don’t want to do that? Well, you’re going to have to take something else I don’t want – like a middling prospect or a later-round draft pick. You’re not getting anything of value from me for an asset you’re desperately trying to get rid of.”

Keep an eye on guys like Jason Blake and even, gulp Sean Avery…..These are guys who’s contracts get moved in order to accommodate other moves.

The focus in the trade market has changed drastically.:

“As much as Senators fans are making Jason Spezza the scapegoat, how happy would they be if Bryan Murray traded him for a mid-level prospect and a draft pick that wouldn’t be in the first round? A couple of different executives said unless Murray is willing to take on an ugly contract in return – and he probably isn’t – he may not get much more for his best centre. If you believe the whispers, that’s why number 19 remains in the nation’s capital. A harsh reality for the Senators and their fans. But, if you think trading Spezza is going to bring in the players who will start an immediate turnaround, you’re mistaken.”

This is the reality of life in a cap world. In the NBA they talk of trading salary slots. The NHL is moving towards that. For those who love trades and banter, it’s boring as hell.

“Considering some pretty smart hockey people are now saying they knew about the captain’s availability a week ago, chances are the Lightning know all this already. They might as well roll up the sidewalks outside the rink if they screw up this one. Maybe they can’t afford to keep him. But they can’t afford to trade him for what’s being made available, either.”

I am not so sure on this one. If things are as bad as I am hearing (and who the hell am I?) then I cant imagine how bad things really are.

Under 50 days to go until the deadline…. Buckle up!

Vinny Should Say No To Montreal?

Michael Farber has another great article today. This time (anyone surprised) the topic is Vincent Lecavalier. Farber understands why the Bolts want to deal him ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$) and why the Habs both want him and should try to trade for him (A Cup) but, he thinks Vinny should balk (not that he really has any say to be honest). The reason should raise some eyebrows:

“The passion for the team, and the attention lavished on the players, has spilled over the boundaries of all common sense. You would be walking into smack into this merry maelstrom. A fishbowl existence would await. (They do have fishbowls in zoos, don’t they?)
You don’t need this. You have your Stanley Cup. You have your life in Tampa. You have your community, which has benefited from the money you have donated to a children’s hospital. And you don’t have the need to come “home” because, even though most people don’t know this about you, you are a worldly guy with an open spirit (as they say in French). You even enjoyed playing in Kazan of the Russian Superleague during the lockout, although some of the charter flights on those Yak 42s were a little dicey.”

Hmmmm. This really causes a pause. One part of me wants to scream sacrilege! As a player in any sport, shouldn’t any player dream of playing in a town where the coverage has “spilled over the boundaries of all common sense”? I mean, isn’t that we expect of professional athletes. How many times have we said “________________ wants to play in ______________ because he is from there”? In baseball, players say they dream of playing for the Yankees, Red Sox or __________________ all the time. Hell, AJ Burnett, this past off-season said he would love to play in a baseball crazy city like Chicago and play for the Cubs. Where did he sign? With the Yankees. I haven’t even mentioned the financial implications of heading to Montreal. I don’t know what his endorsements are like in Tampa (if any) but i would be willing they would increase in Canada, especially in Montreal. Can you imagine his value in Montreal??? That is not to suggest that this should be a motivating factor. I am willing to bet that his agent has a pretty good idea though.

Bryan McCabe, who’s life had to be pretty hellish here last year said that the one thing he misses is a full building to play in front of every night. That was even true when he got booed. So in Florida he can go to the mall, the beach, the movies and be left alone. It is nice. It sounds to me that most guys would prefer to get bugged and play in a hotbed then the opposite. Maybe that isn’t Vinny. One former Maple Leaf I know, loved playing the game, within some limits. It was a job. When he left the rink he didn’t do anything related to the game. He didn’t follow any developments in the off-season etc. He showed up for practices, games and events. He was an employee. Today he scouts. Again, a job. So I guess it all depends on what motivates the individual. I would be really surprised if Vinny wasn’t more like McCabe and the majority of guys. You want to play in a city where people eat, sleep and dream about the team and the sport.

You can read more from Farber here….

What Would You Do????

OK Leaf fans, for some reason we are being inundated with stories that Vincent Lecavalier may be available. I would love to hear Glen Healy on the Bolts trading a guy who has signed an extension with a no trade clause that doesn’t kick in until after the season before the season ends. So, you, Leaf Fan are Brian Burke. Your team is devoid of a superstar forward:

1. Would you make a play to get him
2. If so, who would you offer up (jason blake submissions will be deleted)

Remember Leaf Fans, a few short years ago Vinny was ours. All that stopped the deal was the president of the Bolts not joining the league call to confirm it. In that deal the buds were sending Tomas Kaberle, wingers Nik Antropov and Jonas Hoglund and either Brad Boyesor a first-round draft pick in 2002. We still have the first two guys 🙂