Lemieux: NHLers missed out on best deal

[Doc Hollywood]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?id=128715

Click to read more...

 

[chiavsfan]

No surprises here...another "They should have seen this coming" article

 

[Roots73]

If you read further on, he states that the Pens will be in the market for some higher priced talent. Gotta figure that Kovalev will land there.

The PA should have heeded Lemieux back in February.

 

[EricBowser]

Kovalev will probably be the quickest UFA to sign a contract once the market opens again as he's had a 3-year deal on the table since last summer and Pittsburgh wants him to anchor the second line.

Pens will also look at guys such as Martin Straka, Paul Kariya, Alexei Zhamnov, and a few others depending on the flooded market.

 

[MarkZackKarl]

How could a 42.5 million cap with no floor, lower than 100% qualifying offers, no room for movement upwards or anything be better than a cap thats 3 million lower, has arbitration, QO at 110, 105 and 100 percent and the possibility to go up (and admittedly down)?

 

[Hasbro]

How could a 42.5 million cap with no floor, lower than 100% qualifying offers, no room for movement upwards or anything be better than a cap thats 3 million lower, has arbitration, QO at 110, 105 and 100 percent and the possibility to go up (and admittedly down)?

Considering a year's lost wages, I'll say yes.

Think Mario is getting a little satisfaction out of say "we told you so"?

 

[Resolute]

How could a 42.5 million cap with no floor, lower than 100% qualifying offers, no room for movement upwards or anything be better than a cap thats 3 million lower, has arbitration, QO at 110, 105 and 100 percent and the possibility to go up (and admittedly down)?

The same way a 24% rollback with a worthless luxury tax and virtually nothing else in the way of salary controls would have been great for the owners?

 

[Traitor8]

If you read further on, he states that the Pens will be in the market for some higher priced talent. Gotta figure that Kovalev will land there.

The PA should have heeded Lemieux back in February.

Montreal would have something to say about that

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

How could a 42.5 million cap with no floor, lower than 100% qualifying offers, no room for movement upwards or anything be better than a cap thats 3 million lower, has arbitration, QO at 110, 105 and 100 percent and the possibility to go up (and admittedly down)?

because they lost out on a year's salary for "never in a million years will we take a cap" talk...plus the fact they wouldn't accept linkage...

 

[MontrealCruiser_83*]

Montreal would have something to say about that

I don't see Kovalev playing past 35 so I doubt he'd be interested in signing with the lowly pens for the rest of his career. I also doubt he'd be interested in "anchoring the second line".

 

[Masao]

I don't see Kovalev playing past 35 so I doubt he'd be interested in signing with the lowly pens for the rest of his career. I also doubt he'd be interested in "anchoring the second line".

The Habs aren't exactly cup contenders either.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

I don't see Kovalev playing past 35 so I doubt he'd be interested in signing with the lowly pens for the rest of his career. I also doubt he'd be interested in "anchoring the second line".

The Pens have a lot of young talent and are going to be active in the free agent market, not to mention Kovalev has played his best hockey in Pittsburgh. I don't think the Pens will be a bottom feeder for much longer. Pittsburgh is a big possibility and there were a lot of rumours last year involving him and the Pens (after Recchi was signed). It's not that far fetched.

 

[RobsonStreet]

In other news, water still wet. Story at 11.

 

[Mess]

Its a strange comment from Lemieux really ..

When Gretzky and Lemieux where included in that uncancel the season meeting and they got offended when the PA (without Goodenow) and the NHL (without Bettman) wanted to talk about the other systemic issues but the NHL really didn't want to, but rather dicuss the cap figure.

The meeting failed but what was the purpose if not to try to reach a deal based on the Final Offer Lemieux is talking about?.

According to rumours it was Lemieux, Domi and Tannenbaum that got those back door meetings going that trigger that event.

Yet now we are seeing the painstaking time it is taking to draw up the new CBA.

Strange !!..

 

[tom_servo]

I don't see Kovalev playing past 35 so I doubt he'd be interested in signing with the lowly pens for the rest of his career. I also doubt he'd be interested in "anchoring the second line".

Pshaw.

With the unprecedented turnover we're going to see, there's no telling what teams will look like. The Pens, in particular, have the room and motivation to add talent. So perhaps you were a bit hasty with your comment.

 

[nyr7andcounting]

because they lost out on a year's salary for "never in a million years will we take a cap" talk...plus the fact they wouldn't accept linkage...

That means they lost the fight. Doesn't necesarily mean that the deal got a lot worse since February

 

[MontrealCruiser_83*]

The Habs aren't exactly cup contenders either.

Atleast the playoffs aren't ruled out for them before the season starts.

 

[tom_servo]

Atleast the playoffs aren't ruled out for them before the season starts.

Are you still back in 2003?

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Montreal would have something to say about that

he spent 2 months in montreal and 5 years in pittsburgh. he had the best years of his career here and was only traded due to monetary reasons. if the pens offered a competitive contract i think he would jump on it.

 

[Tawnos]

That means they lost the fight. Doesn't necesarily mean that the deal got a lot worse since February

Good job cutting through the crap.

 

[Grave77digger]

we'll see who's laughing when the Pens comes out swinging next season. 10+ straight years of playoffs followed by a cpl years of rebuilding does not make them a bad franchise.

 

[Masao]

we'll see who's laughing when the Pens comes out swinging next season. 10+ straight years of playoffs followed by a cpl years of rebuilding does not make them a bad franchise.

It's not my fault if people have no memory.

 

[Icey]

Considering a year's lost wages, I'll say yes.

Think Mario is getting a little satisfaction out of say "we told you so"?

Probably not since he is also one of "them". One of those who was paid $5M in the last season, so he was also part of the problem.

And just because the players may have lost the fight, does not mean they won the war. We won't know who wins this war for many years. Remember the last fight was supposidly won by the owners but in the end the players won the war.

 

[tmangos]

I just hope that by Mario saying this that he didn't tick off too many players, and maybe make them think twice about voting for the deal. I mean, he's basically saying that the players got screwed, or "we showed them". I'd be kinda p'o-ed if I was a player after what he said.
He shoulda toed the line - "this is a fair deal for both sides", yadda, yadda.

 

[Otter]

He's brave to play. If I were a fourth liner I'd take any shot I could find to hammer an owner.




....ok, I'm just saying that because I'm a Caps fan and I hate the man.