Mike Gillis better watch out. If he's not careful, he may be forced to sign the Sedins for 12 years and re-sign Pavol Demitra in order get a crack at often-injured Marian Gaborik.
As we learn that Marian Gaborik has bought a house in Vancouver, and that the Sedins agent J.P. Barry is talking about ridiculous 12-year deals for the twins to stay in Vancouver, we worry for the poor Canucks.
They finally appear to be heading in the right direction, and now they have two distinct and distasteful choices:
Either sign twin contracts that will make Daniel and Henrik fixtures in Vancouver — and absolutely untradeable — until their 40th birthday. Or, switch gears and go to war with the oft-injured Marian Gaborik, who is coming to Vancouver in large part because of his slovenly pal Pavol Demitra. Without the Sedins, Demitra would be Vancouver’s first-line centre.
Yikes!
If GM Mike Gillis can come out of these next two weeks without painting himself into one of those two rather soul-crushing corners, he’ll have early dibs on GM of the Year.
If he signs the Sedins at that crazy term, whoever is GM’ing the Canucks in 2015 will have a $10.5 million cap hit for the twins when they are at ages 35-40 — six years when production [and general interest in playing hockey] always dries up. Or, he can have an injury-plagued superstar whose role model is (gulp) Demitra, a guy Gillis might have to re-sign after next season just to keep Gaborik happy.
Gillis has done fine work in Vancouver, but Demitra — a former Gillis client when he was a player agent — is his blind spot. He is a $4 million bow-wow who turns 35 in November. Some mentor for Gaborik, Demitra would be.
There will be some talks within the Sedin camp this week. The twins like Vancouver, whereas Barry knows there is interest with the L.A. Kings. We’re betting the 12-year demand is window dressing, and only meant to drive the price up on a shorter deal.
Personally, I’d talk the Sedins down to a five- or six-year deal and stick with them. Go after a shooter like Michael Samuelsson to play alongside the twins, and add a guy with playoff experience, like Sammy Pahlsson, Todd Marchant or Jere Lehtinen.
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Is it me, or is Ottawa GM Bryan Murray dreaming when with his asking price for malcontent Dany Heatley? Word is he wants two players and a draft pick, preferably a first rounder.
Oh, yes. And could we get this done this weekend at the draft, so Ottawa doesn’t have to fork over $4 million to Heatley on July 1? That would be some might smooth GM’ing from Murray, which seems totally out of character for a guy who presided over a train wreck in Ottawa, to be sure.
Heatley is the ultimate me-first player, who leaves the Sens in part because he doesn’t like a coach — the first coach in far too long — who holds his players accountable in Ottawa. [We shouldn’t say that — Murray fired Craig Hartsburg for trying to do the same thing.]
Finally there appears to be some structure in Ottawa under Cory Clouston and Heatley wants no part of it. Yes, he scores goals. But the character deficit with this guy will scare off all but the most desperate GMs.
And if you are one of those desperate GMs in a place like Edmonton, or Minnesota, why would you trade for a guy with a history of giving up on a city? If he doesn’t like Ottawa, and he doesn’t like coaches who make you work for your paycheque, why on earth would you think he is willing to spend more than a season in Edmonton or Minnesota?
This guy has large, American market written all over him, where he can hide from the spotlight and dodge criticism. Preferably a place with warm weather.
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When you hear a respected guy like Al Murray, Hockey Canada’s chief amateur scout, say, “You can watch a game with John Tavares in it and see more scoring chances created than you might see in a whole week of watching games with other players,” you should listen.
In today’s NHL game, if you’re the New York Islanders, how could you not pick Tavares first overall?
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Calgary won’t do anything on draft day, a time when Darryl Sutter is always quiet. Same with the July 1 opening of free agent season, when Sutter hints he might stand pat with the lineup he has.
“It may be time for our top players who are under contract to make lesser players better,” Sutter said. “My target after Christmas was to try and sign David Moss, try and get something done with Curtis McElhinney and try to get something done with Adam Pardy.”
Read between the lines, and Sutter is saying, “This organization has made a huge financial commitment to Jarome Iginla, Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr and Miikka Kirprusoff. It’s time they match that commitment, and get this team right.”
Rightly or wrongly, it is refreshing to see a GM who pays his players well, and then asks for reciprocal treatment.
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In the end, we’re betting the price is too high for Brian Burke to move up significantly at the draft. Although Atlanta’s available pick at No. 4 will entice, how much are you going to give up to move up three spots from No. 7, where the Leafs pick?
Knowing Burke, he’ll get Brayden Schenn at No. 7. Burke has a nose for news, and that would keep the microphones happy in Toronto.
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Can’t get a read on the Vincent Lecavalier situation. Obviously, Tampa owner Oren Koules wants to dump the salary, but co-owner Len Barrie wants to keep the player. No wonder they can’t see eye to eye on anything.
But Montreal? They don’t have assets for Tampa that other teams have. It still sounds like a dream of the Quebec media, rather than a trade that the Habs are going to be able to make.
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With Sergei Fedorov signing in Russia for Metallurg, that’s $4 million the Capitals have to go out and get better with. They should target guys like Rob Niedermayer or Marchant, a Pahlsson, or an Ian Laperriere, who is a UFA in Colorado.
Washington needs resiliency, and some grit. What about a trade for Oilers captain Ethan Moreau, with Edmonton in major rebuilding mode now?
