TSN: LeBrun: Alexander Edler on the Trade Block

[WetcoastOrca]

@DarrenDreger

The Ballard buyout means Alex Edler is no longer a trade target.

https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/352463230481870849

I hope that is true!

 

[dave babych returns]

Then what was the issue signing him long-term when he was sitting out? They screwed themselves over by strong-arming this marketable reason into a 2 year deal. He wins the Norris, and now they will pay through the nose for him, or trade him. Bergevin bends to Subban's demand this time, or he trades him. I think you're forgetting the history here.

The Canadiens have a long history with "bridge" contracts at low values.

Plekanec, Price, Gorges, Pacioretty, etc, etc.

All guys who signed a short second contract, then went on to sign a long term deal at close to UFA money.

I don't agree with the strategy - and certainly not with dynamic offensive players like Subban - but for whatever reason that franchise appears to feel it is the way to go.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

@DarrenDreger

The Ballard buyout means Alex Edler is no longer a trade target.

https://twitter.com/DarrenDreger/status/352463230481870849

Okay, new rule. TSN, you are not allowed to report anything conflicting for 24 hours. Otherwise we start playing roshambo.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

I would be okay with elder being traded if the return was two players with one if them being a young d-man who can step into the line up. Couple that with a third line player on a decent contract it would allow gillis to add further ammunition via free agency.

Rangers appear to be a well suited partner.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

The Canadiens have a long history with "bridge" contracts at low values.

Plekanec, Price, Gorges, Pacioretty, etc, etc.

All guys who signed a short second contract, then went on to sign a long term deal at close to UFA money.

I don't agree with the strategy - and certainly not with dynamic offensive players like Subban - but for whatever reason that franchise appears to feel it is the way to go.

Maybe they'll learn once Subban asks for Letang money, if not more.

 

[dave babych returns]

The fact that he ever was makes me want to kick Aquaman in the teeth.

I have a hard time believing the team just decided to buy Keith Ballard out; Edler being on the market (to the extent that he ever actually was) would have been a function of the team looking to get cheap, young, contributing players in return and to capitalize on Edler's trade value, which is huge.

I don't accept that it was a direct Edler vs. Ballard situation.

 

[Bleach Clean]

The Canadiens have a long history with "bridge" contracts at low values.

Plekanec, Price, Gorges, Pacioretty, etc, etc.

All guys who signed a short second contract, then went on to sign a long term deal at close to UFA money.

I don't agree with the strategy - and certainly not with dynamic offensive players like Subban - but for whatever reason that franchise appears to feel it is the way to go.

Bergevin has not history in this regard. But yes, on your larger point I agree. They think it's the right way to go, good or bad. So when Subban seeks UFA money after his bridge contract runs out, then we'll know what it will be like for Bergevin to pay the piper, so to speak. It would not be outside the realm of reason to put Subban at 8m per, by this time.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Maybe they'll learn once Subban asks for Letang money, if not more.

Yup. He's going to get paid an exorbitant amount of money.

I have a hard time believing the team just decided to buy Keith Ballard out; Edler being on the market (to the extent that he ever actually was) would have been a function of the team looking to get cheap, young, contributing players in return and to capitalize on Edler's trade value, which is huge.

I don't accept that it was a direct Edler vs. Ballard situation.

If it isn't a direct either/or situation, then Edler is still on the market...

 

[Barney Gumble]

The fact that he ever was makes me want to kick Aquaman in the teeth.

First Edler was on the trade block because of "financial considerations".

Then Edler was still on the trade block regardless of whether Ballard is bought out.

Now Edler's isn't on the trade block anymore.

Maybe he was never on the trade block (not counting unsoliciated offers Gillis might have received from other GMs) in the first place? About as plausible as Dreger spouting off random ****/making up stuff.

 

[dave babych returns]

Bergevin has not history in this regard. But yes, on your larger point I agree. They think it's the right way to go, good or bad. So when Subban seeks UFA money after his bridge contract runs out, then we'll know what it will be like for Bergevin to pay the piper, so to speak. It would not be outside the realm of reason to put Subban at 8m per, by this time.

Bergevin may not be directly tied to past contracts but he still does his job within that franchise.

Furthermore as Elliotte Friedman argued while this was playing out, getting Subban to tow the party line this early on in his time as GM could be seen as a real benchmark for what Bergevin would or would not do.

If he caves straight away for Subban, what does the next player on an expiring ELC do? Is he giving Galchenyuk (and now in hindsight, Gallagher) $4m per on their next deals too?

Like I said, I think Subban is a player who is worth that compromise, but that seemed to be Bergevin's MO.

edit: Although it is odd that if you are Frenchy McFrencherson (eg. David Desharnais) the bridge contract seems to be much less of an issue.. in fairness his contract progression was different than the rest however.

 

[Wisp]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger 4m
The Ballard buyout means Alex Edler is no longer a trade target.

Sanity prevails. Aquilini loosens his purse strings.

Completely the wrong reasons to be trading Edler.

 

[dave babych returns]

If it isn't a direct either/or situation, then Edler is still on the market...

If you believe that not only was he "shopped" at the draft, but that the team continued to seek a trade after his NTC kicked in, then sure.

I don't happen to believe both of those things.

 

[y2kcanucks]

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger 4m
The Ballard buyout means Alex Edler is no longer a trade target.

Sanity prevails. Aquilini loosens his purse strings.

Completely the wrong reasons to be trading Edler.

The right reason to trade Edler should be to improve this team. Given how tight we are against the cap (financial constraints) we don't have enough cap space to improve the team. You might be happy with the same team coming back but I sure as hell am not!

 

[Treefingers]

If we had traded Edler because Aquilini didn't want to buyout Ballard...well...I'm just glad that's not happening.

 

[thepuckmonster]

The right reason to trade Edler should be to improve this team. Given how tight we are against the cap (financial constraints) we don't have enough cap space to improve the team. You might be happy with the same team coming back but I sure as hell am not!

You're never happy unless the team is in full rebuild.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Maybe they'll learn once Subban asks for Letang money, if not more.

Montreal can work that way because they don't have a lot of real high end players. Price and Subban are the two main ones. They have a boatload of good young players who may or may not become elute so it could be a problem for them down the road a few years but for now they should be fine. With Subban, I would have made an exception and locked him up long term. I know he had some consitency issues but I think he's over them now. Long term this will cost Montreal more money but probably not any cap issues given the way the team is built.

 

[Seatoo]

And that leaves us...

Hamhuis - Bieksa
Garrison - Tanev
Sumgai - Corrado

That's going to go over really well. If we get Del Zotto or Gardiner plus additional assets. Okay, you can argue we traded offense for defense. If it's just picks so Aquilini can be a cheapskate. **** him.

Doesn't really look to bad to me if we can bring in Ian White and give Corrado some time to marinate in the AHL and reliable 3rd pairing LHD

 

[y2kcanucks]

You're never happy unless the team is in full rebuild.

There's middle ground between full rebuild and bringing back the same damn team. I have zero interest in watching the same garbage team that has played like **** the past two years. As it stands, I don't even need to watch this upcoming season and playoffs to know what's going to happen. I can watch re-runs of the last two seasons and at the end of the day probably be able to come on here and discuss the same problems that everyone else is seeing all over again.

 

[pahlsson]

You're never happy unless the team is in full rebuild.

he was pretty damn happy at approx 1:00pm pst on june 30

 

[arsmaster*]

Maybe they'll learn once Subban asks for Letang money, if not more.

Subban will be asking to be the highest paid dman in the league. 8 x 8 = $64m is my guess.

No chance he takes less than Price.

 

[dave babych returns]

The right reason to trade Edler should be to improve this team. Given how tight we are against the cap (financial constraints) we don't have enough cap space to improve the team. You might be happy with the same team coming back but I sure as hell am not!

Except Edler would have been either dealt for a similar contract and we'd be in the exact same situation (ie. not enough cap space to improve the team but we've traded a problem in the forward group for a problem on the blueline, I know that's your personal preference but it doesn't make it a superior option), or he'd be dealt for less effective players in the hopes the team could supplement in UFA and be better at some point in the future (ie. Edler for a young third liner with potential and some picks/prospects).

If your plan is to improve the team this season, the odds of having that happen by just keeping Edler and expecting him to be more effective are probably about as good as they are by dealing him for Bobby Ryan and hoping he does better than the 0.75 PPG he had last year, and better than by dealing him for Sean Couturier and hoping you can find a free agent that makes up the difference.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Until anything new emerges on the subject, I'm shutting this down. Further discussion of trade possibilities can go in the Armchair GM Thread.

Closed.