Originally Posted by Tampa GM
Is money all that matters when a free agent choose a team in our league? I just looked on the rosters and found out that Phoenix Coyotes has 7(Yes seven) goalies rated 68 or higher. Gerber, Burke, Belfour, Theodore, Thibault, Leighton and Lenevue. This must be the best goalie team ever in sports history
The Eddie Belfour signing might be very smart since if Eddie the eagle will be rated higher then Jose Thedore, Jose is no longer counted to the salary cap. Eddie might play in Sweden next season though.
Yes, would Sean Burke really have signed with Phoenix to be the starter for the ECHL affiliate, or would Leighton have signed to be the starter for the farmteam of the ECHL team? Most likely not, even if there were other offers on the table. Even less likely if there were offers from other teams to become a backup or a 3rd goalie.
I think i can cut into this and give a first point perspective on this, The reason why Phoenix was at the point of 7 goaltenders was for a reason, first off i think Belfour (78OV) when he was there i believe... would have been worth 1M for 1 season, i was suprised that no one offered more, i offered 1year 1M to Joseph and Belfour it really is a rental type player and may have erased the cap loss to Theodore.
Belfour - Was brought in to be the starter for the 07-08, good value for possibly a top 20 goaltender at 1M i believe
Gerber - I have him for a few more years, and picked him up when i had only dunham and thibault in the system, he was a waiver pick up, and came through huge, also i realized after signing the goalies i had that i should keep gerber atleast untill i get a relyable starter that would be here for a few years, becasue it would have been down to burke and leneveu.
Burke - I was flipping through the a vailable players left when i realized i wasn't going to get one of the top netminders, and burke seemed like a fair value as a temporary abck-up solution, since at the time i was planning on sending gerber through waivers at the start of the season if i couldn't deal him.
Theodore - Who to me is a waste of space, i took on his contract in order to get a bigger deal done, myself taking his contract on was actually part of the deal, so now unless i can sell him off or waive him, he'll beh ere till the end of the season, if he does clear waivers and ends up having a good season via injury or trade he may become a small wagering tool since the team would be able to sign him before he became a ufa, but if he bombs this year i can see him spending his season on the farm.
Leighton - I just like the guy, he is basically looking at bench/farm work, but i think he has the potential to really become somewhat of a starting goaltender one day, he's got the tools he just needs the consistancy and experience
Thibault - another player that was put in my lap when i started here, was looking for a way to move him, and montreal's goaltending situation gave me a chance to move him, and for him to atleast at the time be the back-up in montreal.
LeNeveu - I like the guy, and when i came here it was clear i needed an NHL ready goaltending prospect, but that hasn't panned out thus far, LeNeveu certainly has some great potential IMO a step or two behind DiPietro or Miller somewhere along the lines of those 2, but it has seeemed alot more likely now rather than 2 years ago that he won't reach that type of potential, but i'm optimistic beacsue the potential for success is certainly still there.
In reading this i'm sure you see there is a method to my madness here, 7 nhl capable goaltenders is a bit strange, but a year from now only 4 of those goalies would be here, and only 2 would have been legitimate at the time unless leighton or leneveu have solid seasons, however with the retirement of Burke and Belfour going to sweden my team is down it's top 2/3 goaltenders and as it looks right now Theo will be in the minors untill further notice, as will Leneveu; Gerber is being named the Coyotes starter for the 07-08 season unless Belfour can get a NA contract or Burke comes out of retirement (and even then they may not take Gerber's place) and Leighton is being designated the back-up unless he really struggles at which time i'd be looking at Theodore or LeNeveu to come in. Remember 12 months ago this team was a mess, and i'm really going through trial and error on what is the best way of fixing this and turning Phoenix back into a solid respectable franchise in the HFNHL, and coming back up from rock bottom ususally takes it's time, most teams that hit there, have some huge prospects to lean on, and as of right now the only carrying prospects could be Kessel, Tlusty, Blum and Vishnievskiy, so we'll see how the next year goes, and what can happen which is also why i'm open to trading anyone, if i can gain somehting that i believe will help the development of the Coyotes and better benefit the franchise in the end, i will take it even if it does mean a have to part with an asset.