Markov signs with AK Bars (KHL) [MOD WARNING POST 60]

[Burke the Legend]

what is wrong with people? Markov WAS a great d man but he has slowed down. many time last year I saw teams bounce the puck of the side boards in a planned play to catch Markov and force him to turn and try to get to the puck BEFORE a racing wing man blasted right by him to get the puck FIRST and now be on a line right to Price. Markov got caught a dozen times last year and the words was out on him. Yes he was forced to play well back to counter this move but that also Is a bad idea and the Habs lost the puck many time due to this, this was NOT going to improve for this year at all might even got worse. It was time to change. Still a good damn but not a 6mil x 2. Sometimes you just have to face the music.

Some sanity here, I loved him but people are just completely ignoring the dude is turning 39. The Rangers targeted him hard too in the playoff series with chips and soft dumps past him. Yes he can still make a nice pass but could not handle NHL speed 210lb forwards anymore and that wasn't going to get any better.

Age caught up with him. Paying him a premium 5-6$ million contract would be crazy. Unlike a guy in a similar situation (Streit) he had too much pride to take a massive pay cut and accept a role as 7-8th D-man.

 

[Burke the Legend]

He wasn't good in the playoffs, but neither were Weber, Perry, Benn, and hell, most of the team. I guess the whole team was on the decline then eh?

Umm I don't know what playoff series you watched but Weber was great. Him and Radulov were the Habs' best skaters. He was rock solid defensively and contributed pretty well offensively. Could have been a different outcome if one of those 3 or so rockets he hit the post (Lunqvist completely beaten) with had found the back of the net.

 

[MaxDummy]

Some sanity here, I loved him but people are just completely ignoring the dude is turning 39. The Rangers targeted him hard too in the playoff series with chips and soft dumps past him. Yes he can still make a nice pass but could not handle NHL speed 210lb forwards anymore and that wasn't going to get any better.

Age caught up with him. Paying him a premium 5-6$ million contract would be crazy. Unlike a guy in a similar situation (Streit) he had too much pride to take a massive pay cut and accept a role as 7-8th D-man.

Markov is not in a similar situation as Streit, come on now

 

[ArtPeur]

Some sanity here, I loved him but people are just completely ignoring the dude is turning 39. The Rangers targeted him hard too in the playoff series with chips and soft dumps past him. Yes he can still make a nice pass but could not handle NHL speed 210lb forwards anymore and that wasn't going to get any better.

Age caught up with him. Paying him a premium 5-6$ million contract would be crazy. Unlike a guy in a similar situation (Streit) he had too much pride to take a massive pay cut and accept a role as 7-8th D-man.

We're not that blind, of course he is getting older and slower. The problem is that we are replacing him with the likes of Schlemko who never played top4, Alzner who never had much offensive upside in him and Morrow/Streit whom you could call rejects. None of them has the same qualities than Markov had. Was Markov still a number 2? Yeah he was on this team or at least he was the number 1 LD. Now the LD spots are filled by players who have been on the bottom pairing in the last year, that is what scares us the most

 

[1909]

We're not that blind, of course he is getting older and slower. The problem is that we are replacing him with the likes of Schlemko who never played top4, Alzner who never had much offensive upside in him and Morrow/Streit whom you could call rejects. None of them has the same qualities than Markov had. Was Markov still a number 2? Yeah he was on this team or at least he was the number 1 LD. Now the LD spots are filled by players who have been on the bottom pairing in the last year, that is what scares us the most

Alzner was not a bottom pairing d-man. He played a lot with Carlson or Niskanen.

Why not wait the camp and see some regular season games before passing a judgment ?

Emelin was not Bobby Orr, and Beaulieu was well Beaulieu, an inconsistent d-man who was skating a lot but doing not much else.

 

[beowulf]

Some sanity here, I loved him but people are just completely ignoring the dude is turning 39. The Rangers targeted him hard too in the playoff series with chips and soft dumps past him. Yes he can still make a nice pass but could not handle NHL speed 210lb forwards anymore and that wasn't going to get any better.

Age caught up with him. Paying him a premium 5-6$ million contract would be crazy. Unlike a guy in a similar situation (Streit) he had too much pride to take a massive pay cut and accept a role as 7-8th D-man.

You cannot be serious saying Markov, even at 38, is a 7-8 dman. Please.

 

[beowulf]

what is wrong with people? Markov WAS a great d man but he has slowed down. many time last year I saw teams bounce the puck of the side boards in a planned play to catch Markov and force him to turn and try to get to the puck BEFORE a racing wing man blasted right by him to get the puck FIRST and now be on a line right to Price. Markov got caught a dozen times last year and the words was out on him. Yes he was forced to play well back to counter this move but that also Is a bad idea and the Habs lost the puck many time due to this, this was NOT going to improve for this year at all might even got worse. It was time to change. Still a good damn but not a 6mil x 2. Sometimes you just have to face the music.

And where is this change coming from? Is the teams backend better or even at par with last year? No. You also neglect to mention that Markov said he would have taken a one year deal but Bergevin said no and now he has a bunch of empty cap space and a suspect defence.

 

[1909]

Incorrect. Bergevin said "how about a contract possibly worth as much as $5M with bonuses?" and Markov said no.

They both agreed on a one-year deal, but not on the $$$. They were 1 million $ apart, according to MB.

Rumours are also saying that MB asked Markov to wait a bit. But why ? Markov had to make his move because the KHL season/camps was about to start, and he had to think about moving his family.

 

[void]

Really sad to see that people have turned on Markov and are completely ignoring how great he was last year. That Bergevin koolaid must be some strong ****.

They both agreed on a one-year deal, but not on the $$$. They were 1 million $ apart, according to MB.

Rumours are also saying that MB asked Markov to wait a bit. But why ? Markov had to make his move because the KHL season/camps was about to start, and he had to think about moving his family.

They're not rumors - Markov said so himself. Bergevin asked him to wait till September because he wanted to see what he could do with the cap space. Markov rightfully said no.

 

[scrubadam]

Really sad to see that people have turned on Markov and are completely ignoring how great he was last year. That Bergevin koolaid must be some strong ****.



They're not rumors - Markov said so himself. Bergevin asked him to wait till September because he wanted to see what he could do with the cap space. Markov rightfully said no.

And if Markov waited he would have a contract with the habs right now!

With hindsight since MB is sitting on cap it was a mistake to not sign Markov, but with hindsight it was also a mistake for Markov to not wait IF he really wanted to play with the Habs this year.

I don't get why you say rightfully he said no. I get that he wanted the guranteed KHL money but for the team it would be better if he waited it out and then signed with the habs because MB couldn't get anything done.

LOL seems like Markov has more confidence in MB then those on this board because he actually thought MB would use the cap space and have nothing left over for Markov.

 

[Captain97]

Markov might return to nhl after Olympics.

So this was posted in le Journal de Montreal last night

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2017/09/12/andrei-markov-evoque-un-retour-possible-dans-la-lnh-2

It basically goes

Are you upset that you did not reach 1000 nhl games

and markov responded with what makes you think I'm done a playing in the Nhl.

Members of the montreal media are speculating that Markov has an escape clause for the nhl and becomes available after the Olympics is over.

 

[Brainiac]

Interesting. Markov coming back after the Olympics could help us a bit. But at this point, I wouldn't even play him for all the games. Let him rest and be ready for the playoffs.

 

[CDN24]

So this was posted in le Journal de Montreal last night

http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2017/09/12/andrei-markov-evoque-un-retour-possible-dans-la-lnh-2

It basically goes

Are you upset that you did not reach 1000 nhl games

and markov responded with what makes you think I'm done a playing in the Nhl.

Members of the montreal media are speculating that Markov has an escape clause for the nhl and becomes available after the Olympics is over.

Wouldn't he have to clear waivers to rejoin a team mid-season after playing in the KHL. Ie after olympics he signs with Nashville to play with his buddy Subban, he would have to clear waivers before he joins Nashville. Seems like a risk. I could see him coming back next year but mid season I think he would want control over where he ends up. Like Nabakov being claimed by the Isles a few years back.

 

[beowulf]

Does not mean it's during the season. He would have to be put on waivers by any team that signs him anyways.

 

[the]

If that's the plan, I'm down for it but I don't think it will be that easy to get him back. Probably a clause somewhere that will make it hard for him to return this season.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

If he comes back, it is obviously to play with the habs and every GM knows that. I doubt a GM would take away a guy who played all 990 of his games with the habs.

 

[the]

If he comes back, it is obviously to play with the habs and every GM knows that. I doubt a GM would take away a guy who played all 990 of his games with the habs.

And make us a better team? I know a lot of people think he's a srub now but there's no way a team who's fighting for the playoffs are going to let him join us if he can bring them closer to making the playoffs.

 

[habsgirl5000]

Interesting. Markov coming back after the Olympics could help us a bit

it says he might return to the NHL, not nessessarily here,

he might go somewhere where he has a chance at a cup

 

[CoupeStanley]

He has to pass waiver but at that point of the season, we might be the only team with enough capspace to take the gamble.

 

[JusticeBeaver]

Wouldn't he have to clear waivers to rejoin a team mid-season after playing in the KHL. Ie after olympics he signs with Nashville to play with his buddy Subban, he would have to clear waivers before he joins Nashville. Seems like a risk. I could see him coming back next year but mid season I think he would want control over where he ends up. Like Nabakov being claimed by the Isles a few years back.

Yes exactly this. He'd have to clear waivers, and his contract would either have to be bought out or he has an NHL out clause which I doubt.

This is 100% media driven babble. He won't be on the habs this year, time to move on.

 

[habsgirl5000]

Would he want to play for the Bergebin Habs and the GM who nickle-and-dimed him?

exactly,

him leaving was basically saying F-You to MB,

he aint gonna come crawling back here

 

[MXD]

Some people really don't understand how things work.

 

[Wats]

Markov has shown nothing but loyalty to playing for Montreal in the NHL. I find it hard to believe he'd put his destination in the hands of waivers just to reach 1000 games when he could just return the following year. Even a washed up Streit got a contract after his last 2 seasons, doubt Markov would struggle to get one.

 

[mitchmagic]

Yeah he won't play for us.

Markov days are over.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

And make us a better team? I know a lot of people think he's a srub now but there's no way a team who's fighting for the playoffs are going to let him join us if he can bring them closer to making the playoffs.

So who do you think will take him when he goes on waivers? The leafs, bruins? They won't even have enough capspace to take in the ~5million he will want for his contract.
Even if they did, I doubt Markov will agree to play for them... Not to mention that the team taking in Markov will send a pretty bad message to other players in the league since they it make them look like a classless organization.

Teams don't even dare offersheet players from other team out of respect... Why would they steal a soon to be 39 year old who played his whole career in Montreal...