Penaltykiller17
Registered User
Why choose a young team maybe on the rise over a good one? In a market he wants to play in? Who wants to help a sluggish offense over playing with one that helps him vs the other way around? He's a power forward, not a playmaking center so he's not changing the offense much. He needs offense around him to put up numbers.
Ottawa is a good team and just ate phaneuf's contract. If someone wants him they'll find a way. He'll have more offers than ours, it's a small group of higher end players this year. He's getting overpaid.
We can afford the contract, but do we want to on a power forward? Do we not need the money later for Hanifin or whoever blows up later? He'd be our highest paid player, but he's a complimentary piece. Puts our scale out of whack, with a possible marginal return on the investment. If we're paying that much money we would want a higher impact player then either Ladd or Okposo.
I'd like to get either one but they are hitting their prime time contract. I would think it'll be a mix of highest bidder with the best chance of winning. We shouldn't be bidding. We could use either one of these guys traded to us in the middle of their last contracts, but not flat out buying them on the open market.
If we keep estaal for 6 mill, then I would possibly reconsider. These guys make great line mates. I also like the Purcell idea, especially for estaal.
I get what you're saying, and I'm more of just playing the devil's advocate. My projection of getting Okposo was under the assumption that Eric was re-signed at $6million or less, which would give Okposo someone to play with. I think in the end, cash rules. I think if Carolina and New York offered him the same deal, obviously we're out, but if Carolina truly wanted to pursue him, I don't think it's far fetched that he could come here.
And realistically, we are at least 4-5 years from paying Hanifin top dollar. He has to finish out his current deal, then he'll be on a 2-3 year bridge contract. Then at the ripe old age of 25, he could get the big deal, which would be the tail end of some of the high dollar contracts on the current roster, and any contract we'd offer to a UFA this year.