Proposal: Free Agency Thread

[sandviper]

Apparently his options are Montreal or Ottawa. The Sens offered him 8 x 10, and we are one year removed from that. If he’s willing to go back to Ottawa that means he’s willing to take 10 million x 7 years from them.. Montreal is a much better destination for him and gives him a legitimate chance at a cup in the Price/Weber window. If he’s reasonable, he’ll take the 10 million and let Price retain the title of highest paid Hab.

I don’t think EK is coming here but while I don’t think he will, I know he isn’t going to Ottawa. Basically, no chance Ottawa even offers him a competitive contract. I also do see him preferring Montreal at this point given we have a more veteran team. Finally, not knowing where his old home and his wife’s family live, if he chooses to live in West Montreal, it may even be closer than wherever he lived in Ottawa as the Sens play like an hour outside the city don’t they?

On the topic of Kessel, I know jokes are made about his, um, look and the video of him dogging it on a bike is well known, but in the ice, the guy is a competitor. Maybe if he was goin to compete with Drouin in a fitness and swimsuit contest, Drouin will beat him, but on the ice, the effort level isn’t the same at all.

 

[le_sean]

Damn taxes might screw the Habs again with Duchene this time. Choice between Montreal and Nashville. If both offer him $8m - he takes home ~$1.3m net more per year over there.

Not sure what that team is doing anyways, they seem to be the new Wild, hanging on by a thread and trying way too desperately to keep their window open. Plus are they really going to pay Turris and Bonino $10m combined to play 3C and 4C? Are they going to move Johansen to the wing? It’s throwing shit against the wall and hoping it sticks.

 

[jaffy27]

Damn taxes might screw the Habs again with Duchene this time. Choice between Montreal and Nashville. If both offer him $8m - he takes home ~$1.3m net more per year over there.

Not sure what that team is doing anyways, they seem to be the new Wild, hanging on by a thread and trying way too desperately to keep their window open. Plus are they really going to pay Turris and Bonino $10m combined to play 3C and 4C? Are they going to move Johansen to the wing? It’s throwing **** against the wall and hoping it sticks.

That’s significant........so much for parity, Habs will always have to overpay which leaves them with less money on the cap to acquire good players.

This has always been something I wanted addressed in regards to cap, the disparity between provinces and states in regards to income tax

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I don’t think EK is coming here but while I don’t think he will, I know he isn’t going to Ottawa. Basically, no chance Ottawa even offers him a competitive contract. I also do see him preferring Montreal at this point given we have a more veteran team. Finally, not knowing where his old home and his wife’s family live, if he chooses to live in West Montreal, it may even be closer than wherever he lived in Ottawa as the Sens play like an hour outside the city don’t they?

On the topic of Kessel, I know jokes are made about his, um, look and the video of him dogging it on a bike is well known, but in the ice, the guy is a competitor. Maybe if he was goin to compete with Drouin in a fitness and swimsuit contest, Drouin will beat him, but on the ice, the effort level isn’t the same at all.

Depends on what you consider the city. It's really only 10 minutes, maybe 15, it the f***ing traffic to get out of there on game nights is terrible.

 

[Guns n Roses]

I don't know if Nylander is more skilled than Drouin. He's more expensive and barely outproduced him despite playing with an elite centerman and outstanding offensive cast.

He’s slightly more skilled imo, I’ve watched him in his first 2 good seasons and he was impressive. But he’s lazy and dumb sometimes just like Drouin. He’s 1.4 mil more expensive, so absolute ripoff. These guys don’t sacrifice enough to be elite players. Scared to take a hit, scared to get dirty.

 

[le_sean]

That’s significant........so much for parity, Habs will always have to overpay which leaves them with less money on the cap to acquire good players.

This has always been something I wanted addressed in regards to cap, the disparity between provinces and states in regards to income tax

Let’s just hope he wants to be closer to home and sees that the Habs are on the upswing and fit his style perfectly. The West is physical, especially that Central division.

 

[Dominator13]

Damn taxes might screw the Habs again with Duchene this time. Choice between Montreal and Nashville. If both offer him $8m - he takes home ~$1.3m net more per year over there.

Not sure what that team is doing anyways, they seem to be the new Wild, hanging on by a thread and trying way too desperately to keep their window open. Plus are they really going to pay Turris and Bonino $10m combined to play 3C and 4C? Are they going to move Johansen to the wing? It’s throwing **** against the wall and hoping it sticks.

The fact that Duschene bought a house in Nashville is a GOOD thing for Montreal.

Predators have 7 mil in cap space, they're not signing Duschene. Now we get to use his low state tax residency to give him a big fat signing bonus that he'll cash in Tennessee before landing here. We've been saving 10 mil a season for the last 3 years. The time's come to use it.

 

[Hins77]

Imo. I prefer to pay 500k or 1m to a province and playing for montreal than living in new jersey or Buffalo. Thought I don’t know for players

 

[webersshot]

I would pay Matt Duchene 9 million. Is it a little more than we'd like, sure. But all it really results is who the bottom six ends up being. Do we want a 3 million dollar third liner or are we ok with trying a 2 million dollar guy there. You know? Really don't have a problem with paying the good players alot. They're much harder to come by than a suitable affordable bottom sixer

 

[le_sean]

Imo. I prefer to pay 500k or 1m to a province and playing for montreal than living in new jersey or Buffalo. Thought I don’t know for players

I don’t think there’s a big tax difference between NY and Quebec.

The issue is the places with no state taxes, like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Nevada. So I can play in sunny Florida AND take home more money? Easy decision when you commit for 5+ years.

 

[Rico Suave]

Damn taxes might screw the Habs again with Duchene this time. Choice between Montreal and Nashville. If both offer him $8m - he takes home ~$1.3m net more per year over there.

Not sure what that team is doing anyways, they seem to be the new Wild, hanging on by a thread and trying way too desperately to keep their window open. Plus are they really going to pay Turris and Bonino $10m combined to play 3C and 4C? Are they going to move Johansen to the wing? It’s throwing **** against the wall and hoping it sticks.

i think having Price and Weber will help alot,if the difference is only 1mill i think he makes more here with endorsements,hes also closer to home/family/friends.I actually think we have a really good shot at Duchene

 

[le_sean]

i think having Price and Weber will help alot,if the difference is only 1mill i think he makes more here with endorsements,hes also closer to home/family/friends.I actually think we have a really good shot at Duchene

I do too. Proximity to his home is a big one. Not sure about endorsements, how much money really is available here for that. But the cap space and desire is there.

 

[jaffy27]

I don’t think there’s a big tax difference between NY and Quebec.

The issue is the places with no state taxes, like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Nevada. So I can play in sunny Florida AND take home more money? Easy decision when you commit for 5+ years.

Plus living in New York is quite more expensive.

California is another State that’s got high tax

I don’t think EK is coming here but while I don’t think he will, I know he isn’t going to Ottawa. Basically, no chance Ottawa even offers him a competitive contract. I also do see him preferring Montreal at this point given we have a more veteran team. Finally, not knowing where his old home and his wife’s family live, if he chooses to live in West Montreal, it may even be closer than wherever he lived in Ottawa as the Sens play like an hour outside the city don’t they?

On the topic of Kessel, I know jokes are made about his, um, look and the video of him dogging it on a bike is well known, but in the ice, the guy is a competitor. Maybe if he was goin to compete with Drouin in a fitness and swimsuit contest, Drouin will beat him, but on the ice, the effort level isn’t the same at all.

Kanata is about a 20min drive from downtown.......it’s not that far. (At non traffic peak times of course)

 

[Habs Icing]

Nothing changed from last week. We're not getting Karlsson and we are among the favourites for Duchene.

We don't need Duchene. He is a redundancy. Our needs are:
1) Maybe a backup goalie
2) A top 4 LHD
3) A power winger

 

[Habs Icing]

Imagine if Bergy makes a trade for Chicago’s first round pick and signs Karlsson!??

In 2 years we would have one of the best if not the best defense in the league

Byram - Karlson
Romanov - Weber
Mete - Juulsen/Brooks

I bet you're a lucid dreamer.

 

[le_sean]

We don't need Duchene. He is a redundancy. Our needs are:
1) Maybe a backup goalie
2) A top 4 LHD
3) A power winger

How is he redundant? The team’s best forward was forced to play with Lehkonen and Shaw in the stretch run. Habs need another legitimate top 6 forward. Duchene gives them that and flexibility.

The PP also sucked in part because the Habs lost the majority of the opening faceoffs since the only players that can win one on the team are not viable PP options. Duchene helps that.

The team was successful last year because they played a speed game. Duchene helps that.

Yes, there are other holes, but we are being disingenuous if we don’t think adding another scoring forward isn’t a need. Everyone had career years and were healthy. How can we expect that to happen again?

 

[Roots73]

I think the time has come to take another look at the cap formula and somehow factor in the tax situation to either allow high tax markets more cap space to help compensate versus competition with low or no tax markets or take the cap number down on low tax markets. Why should Florida, Texas and Tenn. have this competitive advantage?

 

[Habs Icing]

How is he redundant? The team’s best forward was forced to play with Lehkonen and Shaw in the stretch run. Habs need another legitimate top 6 forward. Duchene gives them that and flexibility.

The PP also sucked in part because the Habs lost the majority of the opening faceoffs since the only players that can win one on the team are not viable PP options. Duchene helps that.

The team was successful last year because they played a speed game. Duchene helps that.

Yes, there are other holes, but we are being disingenuous if we don’t think adding another scoring forward isn’t a need. Everyone had career years and were healthy. How can we expect that to happen again?

If MB fills the three needs I stated above, well after that he can sign whoever the hell he wants. I got no problems. But I want those three holes filled before making incremental improvements. Filling those three holes would not be incremental moves. It would be exponential improvements.

 

[le_sean]

If MB fills the three needs I stated above, well after that he can sign whoever the hell he wants. I got no problems. But I want those three holes filled before making incremental improvements. Filling those three holes would not be incremental moves. It would be exponential improvements.

You sign Duchene which allows you to trade an LW for a top 4 LD (ie Drouin for Brodin). Backup goalie you sign. Power forward, well I don’t know what to tell you. The only one available is Anders Lee and I’d rather sign Duchene.

 

[Runner77]

Plus living in New York is quite more expensive.

California is another State that’s got high tax

When we're referring to individuals making the type of money that is in a whole other stratosphere, does the cost of living of any city really become a consideration for them? I doubt it.

You sign Duchene which allows you to trade an LW for a top 4 LD (ie Drouin for Brodin). Backup goalie you sign. Power forward, well I don’t know what to tell you. The only one available is Anders Lee and I’d rather sign Duchene.

You sign Lee, if that's who is really interested.

It's as if we've all forgotten the Habs's track record in attracting quality UFAs.

Reading some of these posts it's like the Habs suddenly have the ability to choose.

I bet you're a lucid dreamer.

Beats being a Lucic dreamer.

 

[Habs Icing]

You sign Duchene which allows you to trade an LW for a top 4 LD (ie Drouin for Brodin). Backup goalie you sign. Power forward, well I don’t know what to tell you. The only one available is Anders Lee and I’d rather sign Duchene.

If you sign Anders Lee that frees up a LW for a trade. That's point number one. Second point even though Duchene will bring more offense than Lee, Anders Lee will fill a hole on the Habs team that will reap exponential benefits. Duchene will be just an incremental benefit.

 

[Hins77]

Plus living in New York is quite more expensive.

California is another State that’s got high tax

It is high taxe and i never saw i player spit on california. So i don’t think that taxe is a big issue for montreal. Players who want to play on hockey market will come

 

[Habs Icing]

Beats being a Lucic dreamer.

I'll bet Lucic beats anyone who dares dream of him.

 

[Runner77]

I'll bet Lucic beats anyone who dares dream of him.

Doesn't even need a dream. It's out of pure anger and it doesn't take much to trigger it.

And when he gets arrested for it, he'll bark "don't you know who I am?".

 

[Habs]

The same people that didn't want ROR, want to throw piles of cash at Duchene lol.

Facepalm X 10