Markov or Vanek?

[FlavorFlav]

Simple question - when it comes time to sign free agents at season end, assuming -

- they would be after roughly the same $$$ ($6M or in that neighborhood),
- Vanek is interested in staying,
- we still need to settle with the mighty PK

...to whom would you accord cash and prizes?

Personally, I would cut Markov loose, has value and still an asset, but too old and fragile. With Beaulieu's stock rising, and Tinordi pretty much settled in now, I'd take Vanek to the bank. I'd give him the 3-year contract Markov wants, and let him finish his career - in Detroit (they'd love him there ). Oh, and offer a boatload to Subban long-term

Click to read more...

 

[LeHab]

Vanek will get/want more money/year and more years.

 

[DAChampion]

Markov is very likely to bolt to Russia once the great Obama loses patience with the evil war mongerer Vladimir Putin and sends in troops to liberate Eastern European minorities, so let's keep the Austrian.

;-)

 

[Hoople]

Neither Vanek nor Markov are $6 million per year players.

Not enough for Vanek.

Too much for Markov.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

Personally, I would cut Markov loose, has value and still an asset, but too old and fragile. With Beaulieu's stock rising, and Tinordi pretty much settled in now, I'd take Vanek to the bank. I'd give him the 3-year contract Markov wants, and let him finish his career - in Detroit (they'd love him there ). Oh, and offer a boatload to Subban long-term

..

 

[Demon Wolf]

Let Markov go for nothing? Good god.

The answer is BOTH.

 

[Brainiac]

Does not compute.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

whynotboth.jpg

 

[Theosis]

If I had to pick one, Vanek. Although I would prefer both

 

[radicalcenter]

Signing both will be hard but it is doable

FORWARDS
Max Pacioretty ($4.500m) / David Desharnais ($3.500m) / Thomas Vanek ($8.000m)
Alex Galchenyuk ($0.925m) / Tomas Plekanec ($5.000m) / Brendan Gallagher ($0.685m)
Brandon Prust ($2.500m) / Lars Eller ($2.500m) / Michael Bournival ($0.660m)
Travis Moen ($1.850m) / Ryan White ($1.000m) / Dale Weise ($1.000m)
Rene Bourque ($3.333m) / Daniel Briere ($4.000m) /

DEFENSEMEN
Andrei Markov ($5.000m) / Alexei Emelin ($4.100m)
Josh Gorges ($3.900m) / P.K. Subban ($8.000m)
Nathan Beaulieu ($0.925m) / Mike Weaver ($0.900m)
Jarred Tinordi ($0.870m) /

GOALTENDERS
Carey Price ($6.500m)
Peter Budaj ($1.400m)

BUYOUTS
Tomas Kaberle ($0.000m)
Scott Gomez ($0.000m)

-----
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $71,048,333; BONUSES: $3,257,500
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $51,667

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And if we buy out both Brière and Bourque, we could ice this team

FORWARDS
Max Pacioretty ($4.500m) / David Desharnais ($3.500m) / Thomas Vanek ($8.000m)
Alex Galchenyuk ($0.925m) / Tomas Plekanec ($5.000m) / Brendan Gallagher ($0.685m)
Michael Bournival ($0.660m) / Lars Eller ($2.500m) / Sven Andrighetto ($0.633m)
Travis Moen ($1.850m) / Brandon Prust ($2.500m) / Dale Weise ($1.000m)
Ryan White ($1.000m) /

DEFENSEMEN
Andrei Markov ($5.000m) / Alexei Emelin ($4.100m)
Josh Gorges ($3.900m) / P.K. Subban ($8.000m)
Nathan Beaulieu ($0.925m) / Matt Niskanen ($4.500m)
Jarred Tinordi ($0.870m) /

GOALTENDERS
Carey Price ($6.500m)
Peter Budaj ($1.400m)

BUYOUTS
Tomas Kaberle ($0.000m)
Rene Bourque ($1.667m)
Scott Gomez ($0.000m)
Daniel Briere ($1.333m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $70,948,333; BONUSES: $3,374,167
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $151,667

 

[Et le But]

If you have to pick one, Markov, quite easily.

Getting both (and Subban) should be the priority of course.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

You can replace 30 goals with a couple cheaper forwards.

You can't replace Markov.

 

[Mathradio]

Gionta must be cut loose, not Vanek and not Markov either...

 

[MasterD]

I want both. If I absolutely must choose, I take Vanek.

Would leave a large gaping hole on our D though. I don't believe in Beaulieu, don't see Gorges as good as most people here. The way I see it, we wouldn't have a decent #2 or even #3 on this team.

#1 Subban

#4 Emelin (when he's actually playing well).
#5 Gorges
#5 Weaver
#5 Beaulieu
#6 Tinordi

Hopefully Bennett can become a top 3 kind of guy.

 

[The Gal Pals]

If I had to choose, it's easy. Vanek. Hands down.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

You can replace 30 goals with a couple cheaper forwards.

You can't replace Markov.

This is the best way to look at it.

 

[Hoople]

You can replace 30 goals with a couple cheaper forwards.

You can't replace Markov.

We've been doing that for a couple of decades now.

And we don't have the Cups to show for it.

 

[JoelWarlord]

It's a bit of an odd premise because if we could get Vanek for 6M we'd be able to bring back Markov too and that would be the best decision. Beaulieu and Tinordi are both on affordable deals and you're not going to get an upgrade on Markov in free agency.

If I could only choose one probably Vanek but it's tough because you'd leave a gaping hole on D.

 

[Fish on The Sand]

Choosing the geriatric, decling dman over the in his prime 35-40 goal scorer is exactly the type of decision that will keep us from becoming a top team.

 

[Nicko999]

Any Habs fan with a bit of knowledge should have Markov as his answer.

But why not both?

 

[overlords]

We can and should fit in both.


No excuses.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If we had to choose... I'd go with Vanek.

Of course we'd have a hole to fill on the blueline and we'd have to go trade or find another UFA.

 

[Draft]

I want both. If I absolutely must choose, I take Vanek.

Would leave a large gaping hole on our D though. I don't believe in Beaulieu, don't see Gorges as good as most people here. The way I see it, we wouldn't have a decent #2 or even #3 on this team.

#1 Subban

#4 Emelin (when he's actually playing well).
#5 Gorges
#5 Weaver
#5 Beaulieu
#6 Tinordi

Hopefully Bennett can become a top 3 kind of guy.

Beaulieu and Tinordi are #5/#6 but Bennett has top three potential? Ridiculous. Nygren and Pateryn are both well ahead of Bennett at this point, at least choose prospects with similar experience and potential when degrading our best young players.

I'd either take a risk and go for the long-term investment in Vanek (5yrs) or play it totally safe and offer a one year deal to Markov, nothing in between. Not sure that Vanek's got that team-first attitude management is looking for. Seems like the type of guy that would have no qualms about signing a big contract and then giving little effort for it's duration.

 

[MsChanandlerBong]

It would be very tough to choose, because a #2 dman is more important than a 1st line winger, but considering both their ages...I'd take Vanek for sure. This guy is just too good...he makes our offense a legit threat. However, $6mill/year is too much for Markov and way too little for Vanek. I'd like to sign them both though.

 

[MasterDecoy]

letting markov go would mean the team letting in more goals than vanek can make up for. we were winning without vanek, are still winning with vanek, but i shudder to think what this defense would do without markov

so for me it's marky mark, ainec