LECAVALIER WATCH, What will it take? Options

[Mophilio]

And again...

Spector's

LIGHTNING GM THREATENS CHANGE.

ST. PETERSBURG TIMES: Damian Cristodero reports Tampa Bay Lightning GM Jay Feaster has warned his club that if it doesn't improve soon changes could be in the offing. That could include breaking up the core of Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards.

Spector's Note: No offence to Feaster, but we've heard this threat from him before, as recently as mid-season of 2006-07. If he's not bluffing, the only player he could move is Vincent Lecavalier, unless St. Louis or Richards agree to waive their "no-trade" clauses, which doesn't seem likely, not to mention their salaries could make them tough to move during the season despite their obvious talent. Don't expect Feaster to shop Lecavalier, currently the NHL's best player this season. Not only is he on record stating he wouldn't go down in history as the man who trade Lecavalier, but such a move would have an adverse effect on the gate as well as their attractiveness to potential buyers. If a change is coming, I believe it'll be head coach John Tortorella getting the axe as it seems that this season he's losing the room.

Sure Tortorella might be getting the axe soon. Perhaps even Feaster might get the axe himself for refusing to cut financial losses. I expect that this story will take front page soon. It's looks like it's just a matter of time.

[cortez_the_kille...]

Face facts hju

Luongo is our Lecavalier,

Two of the five best players in the NHL will not fit on the same team.

[Mondi]

Who would we f-ing trade from Vinny anyway? Stupid to suggest this over and over again.

H. Sedin, R. Kesler, K. Bieksa, A. Edler and a 1st?

We'd be left with so many holes.

That being said 2 of the top 5 players on one team FOR SURE would work.

Roy, Sakic, Forsberg
Messier, Gretzky, Kurri
Lemieux, Jagr, Coffey
Federov, Yzerman, Lidstrom

[cortez_the_kille...]

Who would we f-ing trade from Vinny anyway? Stupid to suggest this over and over again.

H. Sedin, R. Kesler, K. Bieksa, A. Edler and a 1st?

We'd be left with so many holes.

That being said 2 of the top 5 players on one team FOR SURE would work.

Roy, Sakic, Forsberg
Messier, Gretzky, Kurri
Lemieux, Jagr, Coffey
Federov, Yzerman, Lidstrom

SALARY CAP

[Mophilio]

Just reporting people, just reporting.

Spector's

With the GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning threatening changes the name of Vincent Lecavalier, who lacks a "no-trade" clause, has resurfaced but the Bolts wouldn't be anywhere without him. It's believed the Bolts are seeking a goaltender, and would like to move Marc Denis but can find no takers.

Spector's Note: The Lightning are stuck with Denis, and they won't be moving Lecavalier. If any changes occur, it'll either be firing head coach John Tortorella or perhaps trading impending UFA blueliner Dan Boyle before the trade deadline.

This post has been edited by Mophilio: Dec 2 2007, 10:52 AM

[givergunz]

Vinny won't come here because IF he does get traded it will be a sallry cap room move for T-Bay and we don't have enough cap room to take on his sallary with out giving up sallary. B-mo for Vinny I don't think would cut it they'll want top of the line prospects and probably picks. I can't see him coming here. What is the habs cap situation because I've head their name mentioned regarding trying to aquire Lecavilier before and I'll bet they would be in the sweepstakes for Vinny this time around, and Tampa would be looking at Carey Price included in that package forsure.

This post has been edited by givergunz: Dec 2 2007, 03:30 PM

[Mophilio]

Vinny won't come here because IF he does get traded it will be a sallry cap room move for T-Bay and we don't have enough cap room to take on his sallary with out giving up sallary. B-mo for Vinny I don't think would cut it they'll want top of the line prospects and probably picks. I can't see him coming here. What is the habs cap situation because I've head their name mentioned regarding trying to aquire Lecavilier before and I'll bet they would be in the sweepstakes for Vinny this time around, and Tampa would be looking at Carey Price included in that package forsure.

Well, Montreal would most likely mortgage their franchise for a chance to get such a piece. They seem bent on giving Price all the time he needs in order to assert himself as the #1 goaltender in Montreal, perhaps making Huet expendable by that time.

It would cost but Gainey will most likely better any offer.

[Mondi]

Salary Cap

Sedin + Kesler = 5.0 million

+ 2.5 under the cap. = 7.5 million

Bingo Bango Bongo, he fits.

[Mophilio]

Salary Cap

Sedin + Kesler = 5.0 million

+ 2.5 under the cap. = 7.5 million

Bingo Bango Bongo, he fits.

If you trade one of the Sedins, you kill the other.

Kesler
Bieksa
Schneider
1st

[canucksfan91]

Salary Cap

Sedin + Kesler = 5.0 million

+ 2.5 under the cap. = 7.5 million

Bingo Bango Bongo, he fits.

1 Sedin alone isn't worth much, you either have to give up both or none, that being said, even if we hypothetically switched up the trade to Lecavalier for the Sedins TB still wouldn't do it because the onlyreason they would trade him is to either get a good oalie back or prospects they could trade for a goalie. this trade would give them less the 500 k extra in cap space.

[Mophilio]

So the question is:

LECAVALIER
KESLER

or

LECAVALIER
H. SEDIN

?

[canucksfan91]

only way we can get Lecavalier is if someother team is willing to do a 3way trade and give up a their starter unless it is a team that has a duo of a 1a and 1b. Only team I can think of right now that would be willing to trade a 1A or 1B + more for the Sedins is Montreal seeing how they need a good 1-2 scoring punch, but I don't see them willing to do this trade unless they get Lecavalier instead of the Sedins.

But f Monteral is willing to do a 3 way trade it would have to be something like:

VAN:
Lecavalier

TB:
Huet
Higgins
2nd round pcik

MON:
H.Sedin
D.Sedin

EDIT: Maybe Philly: Niitymaki and one of Richards, Umberger, Carter, Ottawa: Gerber or Emery and Vermette or Foligno and a 1st round pick, or Nashville: Mason and Radulov

This post has been edited by canucksfan91: Dec 2 2007, 09:32 PM

[canucksfan91]

So the question is:

LECAVALIER
KESLER

or

LECAVALIER
H. SEDIN

?

no the question is:

Naslund Lecavalier Insert Name Here

OR
D.Sedin H.Sedin Naslund

[Kannegiesser]

As I can dream, Vinny for Cooke, Morrison, Bieska and Schneider seems doable as it addresses all of Tampa's needs and works with the Cap. Perhaps the Nucks add a first.
Everyone goes away happy. Not sure you can trade injured players though.

[dave babych retu...]

As I can dream, Vinny for Cooke, Morrison, Bieska and Schneider seems doable as it addresses all of Tampa's needs and works with the Cap. Perhaps the Nucks add a first.
Everyone goes away happy. Not sure you can trade injured players though.

Let's break this down.

To Vancouver:

Lecavalier - 7.1m - Probably the top forward in the game, also probably the most complete of the group of players competing for that position. What you can expect: A true franchise player who looks like he has rounded into the perennial 100 point form that everyone has hoped for since the day he was drafted.

To Tampa Bay:

Cooke - 1.5m - Has been wildly inconsistent this season and has been a healthy scratch on a team whose chief concern is forward depth. Impending UFA. What you can expect: 3rd liner at best, healthy scratch at worst.
Morrison - 3.2m - Capable scorer who puts up points and is more or less reliable despite diminishing icetime, again on a team with depth concerns among their forwards and especially the top six. Also heading to UFA in the offseason. What you can expect: 2nd liner at best, special teams specialist at worst.
Bieksa - 0.5m - Has shown impressive growth in the past but can still be inconsistent and you've got to wonder if he was near his ceiling prior to this injury which complicates matters even further. Will be making almost four million dollars for four years after this season. What you can expect: top two defenseman if everything pans out, top six defenseman if the injury has lasting effects.
Schneider - 0.85m? - Could potentially be a legitimate number one goaltender in the NHL and has shown an ability to take a team on his back, Schneider has struggled at the start of his professional career and considering this and the typical development trajectory of most goaltenders looks years away from realizing this potential. What you can expect: number one goaltender? Career backup? Career third stringer? Far too early to say.

So let's see here, the Canucks get this year and next with the best player not named Crosby, who brings size, leadership and grit as well, at a guaranteed 7.1m. The only current significant contributor from the roster they lose is Brendan Morrison.

The bolts get a possible top six forward in Brendan Morrison who they will need to resign (and not at a home town discount) in the next six months. They also get Matt Cooke, a wildly inconsistent player who they will also need to resign if they even want to keep him in the next six months. And then they get two complete wild cards in Kevin Bieksa who is not guaranteed by any means to turn out to be the player we expected him to turn into as recently as a few months ago but is guaranteed to occupy all that cap space, and Cory Schneider who is years away from meeting any of Tampa's needs, unless they feel the need to have more goaltending prospects than they can give icetime to as their two top prospects currently are goaltenders. Oh and they also get what looks like it will be a late first round pick, which may or may not produce an impact player several years down the road. They will likely need to spend more than they spent on Vinny just in order to retain Morrison and Bieksa, let alone Cooke.

Yeah, this really seems 'doable' to me. Really meets Tampa's needs..

This post has been edited by dave babych returns: Dec 8 2007, 12:25 PM