LECAVALIER WATCH, What will it take? Options

[Guest_hjumaeni_*]

Lightning to cut salary next year?
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/tbl070304.html

Tampa Bay Lightning GM Jay Feaster has been told the team is going to have to cut money out of its budget for next season.

The Ottawa Sun reports the Lightning's payroll in 2007-08 could be in the $37 million range.

According to the paper, that's led to speculation the Bolts will try and deal center Vinny Lecavalier, who is having a career-season.

If Feaster puts Lecavalier on the market, Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey is expected to be the first in line for his services.

if that happens, I'm sure that Montreal will look at him too. If that happens, would other teams be looking at landing him? If that happens, would Nonis try to pull another summer blockbuster trade? If that happens, what would it take in order to get that particular player on the 2007-2008 Canuck roster?

Let the speculation begin...

YES, THREE MONTHS EARLY! AND I LOVE IT AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

[Kannegiesser]

Tampa gets expiring contracts (if they want) to reduce their budget, which is what they need. They get a second line centre to play behind Richards instead of two 7.5 million centres which is what they need. They also get a player that has been at the top of the league in terms of hits per year which is what they need. They get a potential # 1 franchise D man in the Chelios mode and they need this, so they get three players to play immediately for one player, which is what they need. Then they get a top goaltending prospect which is arguably what they need when they turf out Denis. Finally they can have a first rounder which should be 30th overall after the Nucks win the Cup for the first time in 100 years (which is what they need).

So ya it works.

[dave babych retu...]

Tampa gets expiring contracts (if they want) to reduce their budget, which is what they need. They get a second line centre to play behind Richards instead of two 7.5 million centres which is what they need. They also get a player that has been at the top of the league in terms of hits per year which is what they need.

Well either they get these guys, or they get the cap space. And if they want cap space why don't they ask for a couple of high draft picks rather than a couple of players who will probably spend the rest of the season adjusting to a new team, system and city?

They get a potential # 1 franchise D man in the Chelios mode and they need this, so they get three players to play immediately for one player, which is what they need.

I really do hope that Bieksa can continue his development path, but at this point that's far from a certainty, and I don't think a team is going to trade away their best player if Kevin Bieksa is the best asset going the other way.

Then they get a top goaltending prospect which is arguably what they need when they turf out Denis.

As I mentioned, their top two prospects are goaltenders and neither they nor Schneider will be capable replacements by the time the Bolts need better goaltending than Denis or Holmqvist, because that time is right now.

Finally they can have a first rounder which should be 30th overall after the Nucks win the Cup for the first time in 100 years (which is what they need).

No argument that the cup is what the Canucks need, I fully agree.

So ya it works.

Ya.. if Jay Feaster is trying to lose his job.

[Kannegiesser]

I am sure he is not trying to lose his job but a Canucks offer like the one I have mentioned is about as good as he is going to get.

Having said that, Tampa's best course of action is to keep the big three and sign a top Goalie and top D man next July for 12-14 Million. The problem is that they want to reduce Cap and spread the remaining salaries over several lesser players so if the Nucks were to make such an offer, it would likely represent the best of some bad alternatives for the franchise.

By the way, if they don't want Schneider they can substitute a Gabner covered in mustard instead.

This post has been edited by Kannegiesser: Dec 8 2007, 01:48 PM

[dave babych retu...]

Again you're offering the Canuck's also-ran assets in a guy like Grabner when we have studs like Bourdon and Edler and Tampa needs defensemen.

If I was Tampa Bay and Dave Nonis called me asking about Vinnie I'd be interested in going three possible routes:

• Roberto Luongo, in order to resolve my biggest problem once and for all.
• The Sedins and probably more, in order to improve depth but not hurt my ability to compete now. I would probably be asking for the Sedins, Edler and maybe a high pick.
• A whole wack of depth options that also help me reduce my cap hit. Let's say Kesler, Krajicek, Edler and a few picks/prospects. Even then I think other teams may be able to offer more players with similarly valuable contracts.

I don't think the Canucks are in a position to make any of these trades from a long-term standpoint. The last one is also not feasible from a cap perspective.

[Mophilio]

Again you're offering the Canuck's also-ran assets in a guy like Grabner when we have studs like Bourdon and Edler and Tampa needs defensemen.

If I was Tampa Bay and Dave Nonis called me asking about Vinnie I'd be interested in going three possible routes:

• Roberto Luongo, in order to resolve my biggest problem once and for all.
• The Sedins and probably more, in order to improve depth but not hurt my ability to compete now. I would probably be asking for the Sedins, Edler and maybe a high pick.
• A whole wack of depth options that also help me reduce my cap hit. Let's say Kesler, Krajicek, Edler and a few picks/prospects. Even then I think other teams may be able to offer more players with similarly valuable contracts.

I don't think the Canucks are in a position to make any of these trades from a long-term standpoint. The last one is also not feasible from a cap perspective.

But the Lightning might be in position of trading Lecavalier by fiscal restraints to 29 other teams and that's what this thread is about.

[dave babych retu...]

But the Lightning might be in position of trading Lecavalier by fiscal restraints to 29 other teams and that's what this thread is about.

Yeah that's fine - I was challenging Kannegeisser's trade proposals rather than the concept behind the thread itself.

I still think they put a dead horse's head in Brad Richards' bed or something so they can trade him rather than the best player in the league right now.

[Flinch]

Ah, I see the dream of Lecavalier coming to Vancouver hasn't died.

Wasn't it Jay Feaster who said that he doesn't want to be known as the guy who traded Vincent Lecavalier?

Torterella is gone before Lecavalier is traded.

[Flinch]

So the question is:

LECAVALIER
KESLER

or

LECAVALIER
H. SEDIN

?

I'm pretty sure the question is 'what drugs are you on to be entertaining this notion seriously?'

[Mophilio]

I'm pretty sure the question is 'what drugs are you on to be entertaining this notion seriously?'

Just posting so that I don't have to see his name on the front page of CC.

[Flinch]

AKA, I have no retort.

Annnnd back to the front page I go.

[Mophilio]

AKA, I have no retort.

Annnnd back to the front page I go.

And again...

[dave babych retu...]

Hey, here's a compromise: stop posting, both of you!

[Flinch]

Hey, here's a compromise: stop posting, both of you!

Or jumanji could stop letting his Asperger's dictate how he interacts with people, take a few deep breaths, and try to actually comment on my posts.

Lecavalier to Vancouver is a ridiculous pipe dream...even more so now that Brad Richards might be significantly injured (took a nasty spill into the boards tonight.) Feaster has said he does not want to be known as the guy who traded off Lecavalier.

While it's a bloody nice thought and it'd be awesome to have him, there's no sensible way to get him into a Vancouver jersey. Therefore talking about it makes about as much sense as talking about trading for Carey Price to play backup to Luongo.

[Mophilio]

Or jumanji could stop letting his Asperger's dictate how he interacts with people, take a few deep breaths, and try to actually comment on my posts.

Lecavalier to Vancouver is a ridiculous pipe dream...even more so now that Brad Richards might be significantly injured (took a nasty spill into the boards tonight.) Feaster has said he does not want to be known as the guy who traded off Lecavalier.

While it's a bloody nice thought and it'd be awesome to have him, there's no sensible way to get him into a Vancouver jersey. Therefore talking about it makes about as much sense as talking about trading for Carey Price to play backup to Luongo.

Basically, a player like Lecavalier, a team puts a lot of assets in. Such a player is available to ANY team. It depends on how much they would put in.

If he were to be the piece to be moved (Feaster losing his job), then I expect Montreal to heavily bid for this trade as a local boy top notch 1C of that mold don't come often. I don't believe that Tampa Bay is as strong as Pittsburgh and won't be able to cut loses by increasing attendance in that city and so trades are coming if they don't pick up their play.

But if they were to accept a package that does not include Luongo, the Canucks should gun for such a trade.

Not saying they'd win it. But at the very least try.

Such a player comes every 10 years and only one lucky team can have one.

[Mophilio]

Tortorella shoots down St. Louis rumor

TheFourthPeriod.com


Lightning head coach John Tortorella shot down a recent trade rumor suggesting the Bolts could trade Marty St. Louis for Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco.

"It's absolute [expletive]," Tortorella told the St. Petersburg Times.

Tortorella acknowledged that he isn't surprised by the talk circling around the league, prompted after GM Jay Feaster threatened to make a change if the team didn't start winning consistently by Christmas.

The often vocal bench boss knows what the likes of St. Louis, Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards have meant to the franchise.


"These guys are going nowhere," Tortorella said. "They've done so much for this organization, and they will continue to do things for this organization to get us out of any jams we're in. That's what they've matured to, and they are a huge part of our success."

It should be noted, however, that Tortorella said he was unaware of exactly what Feaster said, so the Times suggests their comments should not be connected.

In addition to the St. Louis rumor, it has also been speculated that the Lightning are receiving a lot of interest for Richards, with the Montreal Canadiens being a prime suspect.