Confirmed with Link: Gusev traded to Devils for picks 2020 3rd; 2021 2nd

IceNeophyte

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Nov 14, 2017
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He wanted to come but TB said to him that if he comes he would be send to AHL so he said no, I can understand him. If you have the choice between AHL or KHl when you are russian, you chose KHL.

I can respect that decision, but he can't expect to go the KHL route, then come to NHL and expect a contract he would have gotten had he paid his dues and proven himself on small ice in the AHL.

I honestly don't think he's asking far above a fair value, but the truth is that VGK has the negotiating power if he wants to play in North America this year.
 

Albatros

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The AHL is so far below the standards of the KHL that playing there would serve no purpose.
 

IceNeophyte

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The AHL is so far below the standards of the KHL that playing there would serve no purpose.
Of course it serves a purpose, acclimation to the smaller ice and more physical play of NA hockey. Like I said, you can't have your cake and eat it too, by demanding a contract a proven NA player would command without proving yourself as a NA player.
 

IceNeophyte

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The KHL has no standard rink, some teams have the same dimensions as in the NHL.

Even on the, what, two smaller rinks in the KHL?.....the rules discourage physicality, and that still changes the overall style of play.

Again, if you're too good to get your chops in the AHL, that's cool. Just don't expect to walk in and be treated like you've been taking charges for the last 5 years when it comes to contract price.
 

theslatcher

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Gusev said that Tampa told him was an AHL player and that they didn't want him. Far removed from him not wanting to prove himself in the A. He even said he'd be ok getting sent down to the A in a recent interview.
 

IceNeophyte

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Gusev said that Tampa told him was an AHL player and that they didn't want him. Far removed from him not wanting to prove himself in the A. He even said he'd be ok getting sent down to the A in a recent interview.

I found that interview, and this was at the end of it....I find it a little disconcerting:

-----------------------------------
S-E: They gave up on you in CSKA before and now in Tampa. Did you have a feeling that this already happened to you?
Gusev: No, I was okay with that. If they don’t want to see me, it’s just how they see things. It was clear that I’m not going to the AHL. So I’m glad that I was traded. Yes, the Golden Knights style of hockey more relies on skating and speed but it’s better than playing in the AHL at this moment.
-----------------------------------

If Gusev sees VGK as a necessary sacrifice that is at least better than the AHL, I'm not sure he's a Golden Misfit. The vast majority of our guys REALLY want to be here. Maybe the $4M ask is Gusev's agent pushing a trade to a team more to Gusev's liking......

If I'm the McGMs, even reading that comment in the interview might cool me off quite a bit. ETA I found another translated interview where he was quite complimentary of Vegas the town and team.
 
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mundyc3

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Could the Knights potentially use Gusev, Clarkson's salary, picks, and maybe Holden for a larger deal for a player already signed that would be a better fit? Just a thought.
 

Vegan Knight

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That poster said something about Forsberg for Erat. I think this may be a situation they look back on, keeping Eakin over Gusev.
 

Knightmare

VGK fan since the 70’s
Jun 15, 2018
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I don’t think GMGM making comments of “we’ll accommodate him here or elsewhere” is all that concerning.

I think if McPhee had stepped up to the podium with heart eyes and was gushing like a little school girl with a crush about Gusev being our very own Kucherov or Panarin and we just had to sign him by any means necessary, Gusev’s agent would have said 10 million. It’s a smart business tactic imo.

With all that being said....

giphy.gif
 

BenedictGomez

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I didn't really follow the Las Vegas / San Jose playoff series until the last 2 games, what was the reason Gusev didn't play (given he was signed right beforehand)?

Given I've read he may be one of the best players in the world not in the NHL, it seems logical to an outsider he could have at least been plugged into the 3rd-line without messing-up core offensive chemistry.
 

IceNeophyte

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I didn't really follow the Las Vegas / San Jose playoff series until the last 2 games, what was the reason Gusev didn't play (given he was signed right beforehand)?

Given I've read he may be one of the best players in the world not in the NHL, it seems logical to an outsider he could have at least been plugged into the 3rd-line without messing-up core offensive chemistry.

He hadn't been practicing with the team enough to be thrown to the wolves (or in this case, the sharks). Rumor was that he was going to debut in the second round.
 

derriko

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I didn't really follow the Las Vegas / San Jose playoff series until the last 2 games, what was the reason Gusev didn't play (given he was signed right beforehand)?

Given I've read he may be one of the best players in the world not in the NHL, it seems logical to an outsider he could have at least been plugged into the 3rd-line without messing-up core offensive chemistry.

There was a very vocal minority (hell, even a majority) of us that wanted him in the lineup. We had some guys struggling to produce offense lower in the lineup, and that injection of skill, regardless of chemistry could've been a boost.

GM has to do whatever it takes to fit this guy in. Put as many non first round picks + prospects not named Glass or Hague into a Clarkson deal. Being a cap team, there's not a reason in the world Clarkson is still on this roster. Vegas by all means had a great draft. They can sacrifice a bit to boost the team now.

I see Gusev putting up Dadonov's numbers in the NHL. He may start on the 3rd line with Eakin, but as we saw last year, Tuch can be inconsistent in creating offense. IIRC Patches even played a little bit with Eakin in spots. If given the chance, I think Gusev may even work his way into the top 6, and PP2... maybe even onto the first unit if he can play one of the D spots.

I don't think it would be that difficult to move Clarkson to Arizona or Ottawa. AZ takes LTIR players all the time to reach the cap floor. And Ottawa...don't even get me started. They have oodles of room, and Clarkson is almost entirely covered by insurance. It's a wet dream for Melnyk to get a contract like that and not have to pay the cap hit. Clarkson + 2nd + maybe a second-third tier prospect for future considerations.
 
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Vegan Knight

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There was a very vocal minority (hell, even a majority) of us that wanted him in the lineup. We had some guys struggling to produce offense lower in the lineup, and that injection of skill, regardless of chemistry could've been a boost.

GM has to do whatever it takes to fit this guy in. Put as many non first round picks + prospects not named Glass or Hague into a Clarkson deal. Being a cap team, there's not a reason in the world Clarkson is still on this roster. Vegas by all means had a great draft. They can sacrifice a bit to boost the team now.

I see Gusev putting up Dadonov's numbers in the NHL. He may start on the 3rd line with Eakin, but as we saw last year, Tuch can be inconsistent in creating offense. IIRC Patches even played a little bit with Eakin in spots. If given the chance, I think Gusev may even work his way into the top 6, and PP2... maybe even onto the first unit if he can play one of the D spots.

I don't think it would be that difficult to move Clarkson to Arizona or Ottawa. AZ takes LTIR players all the time to reach the cap floor. And Ottawa...don't even get me started. They have oodles of room, and Clarkson is almost entirely covered by insurance. It's a wet dream for Melnyk to get a contract like that and not have to pay the cap hit. Clarkson + 2nd + maybe a second-third tier prospect for future considerations.

I think I agree with this. Also, if we have to trade a 3rd to get rid of Holden, do it. If we ever needed extra room there would always be options in trading Eakin or Reaves, even if the team doesn't get anything valuable.

We could sign Gusev to the Eakin contract for extra season, you have to do that. Unless Gusev is bringing in a blue chip defensive prospect in a trade.

2nd, Leschyshyn and Clarkson for a 6th and an AHL player.
3rd, Holden for a low tier prospect.
If needed, Reaves or Eakin for nothing valuable.
 
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Brazen331

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If I remember correctly, didn’t they play Pirri in that SJ series over Gusev? If so, you can say that was a mistake.

I don’t see how Gusev could have been more of a liability than Pirri, even if he never played a game in NA before.

If Pirri doesn’t score a goal you don’t get much from him.
 
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willy702

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The AHL is so far below the standards of the KHL that playing there would serve no purpose.

This is total nonsense. AHL teams are better than many KHL teams. The KHL is top heavy so the best teams there are just a little better than AHL teams, but remember KHL teams are trying to put together winners while AHL teams are mostly trying to prepare players for the NHL.
 
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willy702

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If I remember correctly, didn’t they play Pirri in that SJ series over Gusev? If so, you can say that was a mistake.

I don’t see how Gusev could have been more of a liability than Pirri, even if he never played a game in NA before.

If Pirri doesn’t score a goal you don’t get much from him.

Pirri played in game 7 and had a very good game. If they would have won it I think he would have started game 1 of the second round. Neither he nor Gusev would have been out on the PK so neither really could have changed the outcome of the game.
 

willy702

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I think you all are looking at the numbers wrong. Remember its an RFA year he's burning, you don't sign him to a $3m one year deal. If you do one year then he's gotta go at $1.5-2m max. If you do a 2 year deal, one RFA/one UFA, then you can pay a little more AAV, but I'm with GMGM, fair market is something like 2 years, $5m total so $2.5m AAV. For a guy who hasn't proven a thing at the NHL level.

Otherwise you are the dumb GM who messes up the pay scale. Tough crap its less than maybe what KHL would pay him, its called pay your dues and every NHLer has done it. No one should walk over and just start making UFA type money based on wild projections. For one, its nonsense to say he's a Panarin or a Dadonov, or whoever else. That's not how a smart projection works. He's a unique player that will have to find his own niche in the grind of the NHL. Once he establishes that production, it will be full UFA time and he can go get whatever money he can then.
 

Albatros

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This is total nonsense. AHL teams are better than many KHL teams. The KHL is top heavy so the best teams there are just a little better than AHL teams, but remember KHL teams are trying to put together winners while AHL teams are mostly trying to prepare players for the NHL.

Trying to prepare players for the NHL makes a better league than trying to win? Also to suggest that the best KHL teams like CSKA are "just a little bit better than AHL teams" is utterly ridiculous. Rather the best of the AHL could perhaps survive against the worst of the KHL, Charlotte versus Cherepovets could be reasonably tight, but it's not like the AHL is a league of much parity either.
 

Vegan Knight

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Feb 16, 2018
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I think you all are looking at the numbers wrong. Remember its an RFA year he's burning, you don't sign him to a $3m one year deal. If you do one year then he's gotta go at $1.5-2m max. If you do a 2 year deal, one RFA/one UFA, then you can pay a little more AAV, but I'm with GMGM, fair market is something like 2 years, $5m total so $2.5m AAV. For a guy who hasn't proven a thing at the NHL level.

Otherwise you are the dumb GM who messes up the pay scale. Tough crap its less than maybe what KHL would pay him, its called pay your dues and every NHLer has done it. No one should walk over and just start making UFA type money based on wild projections. For one, its nonsense to say he's a Panarin or a Dadonov, or whoever else. That's not how a smart projection works. He's a unique player that will have to find his own niche in the grind of the NHL. Once he establishes that production, it will be full UFA time and he can go get whatever money he can then.

We paid Shipachyov 4.5 for 2 years when he was older and had proven less. Salary cap was not what the number is now.

He was a UFA and we were an expansion franchise but the market isn't as low as you make it for a 2 year deal.
 
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