The Vincent Lecavalier Thread - Part II: Bergevin's headache

Status
Not open for further replies.

417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
51,255
27,464
Ottawa
I've pointed that out in this thread before, absolutely agreed. Something is either up or nothing is up at all with Vinny for him to be keeping quiet, and these reporters are all blowing smoke up our *****. I'm hoping it's the former, and in a good way.

I also don't buy this talk about Vinny not wanting the pressure that comes with playing in Montreal.

If he doesn't choose to sign in Montreal, it won't be for that reason
 

Tabarouette

ben kin
Jan 28, 2013
14,776
4,338
mtl
Montreal is a far better franchise than Dallas in so many ways. For one, we don't have the stench of Bob Gainey's failure lingering in the halls here.

it takes years for that stench to go away, it'll be floating around for a long time

maybe with a LOT of Febreze...
 

void

Registered User
Jan 5, 2006
27,459
1,685
Vinny doesn't owe the Habs anything. He'll pick the team/city that's best for him & his family and if he decides that Montreal isn't a good fit, then so be it. Hating on him for going to another team is ridiculous.
 

Natey

GOATS
Aug 2, 2005
62,295
8,430
Montreal is a far better franchise than Dallas in so many ways. For one, we don't have the stench of Bob Gainey's failure lingering in the halls here.
Yes, true. But Dallas will be a decent team if Whitney is healthly.

I'm not saying the franchise isn't great here - were building a good thing. But our fans are freaking crazy. I can understand an older player being terrified to sign here.

I like Vinny, but all this "disowning" comments makes me hope he goes somewhere else. Fans are already being ****ing ridiculous. I'd rather him not have to go through it for 5-years, unless he wants too 100%.
 

Habsawce

Registered User
Nov 16, 2010
31,299
2,603
Canada
I want players who relish the opportunity to bring a cup back to Montreal and don't think it's pressure but exciting.

If Vinny wants to play quietly than I dot' wnt him
 

HeShootsHeScores

Registered User
Mar 17, 2009
3,006
56
I want players who relish the opportunity to bring a cup back to Montreal and don't think it's pressure but exciting.

If Vinny wants to play quietly than I dot' wnt him

This. as a fan you can only dream about playing for your home team and help them win a cup. He can actually do this. I just think he's gonna regret it if he doesn't choose mtl.
 

Et le But

Registered User
Nov 28, 2010
20,473
2,448
New York
I also don't buy this talk about Vinny not wanting the pressure that comes with playing in Montreal.

If he doesn't choose to sign in Montreal, it won't be for that reason

I don't think it's about pressure as much as it is over the top attention.
 

Monctonscout

Monctonscout
Jan 26, 2008
34,935
1
Vinny doesn't owe the Habs anything. He'll pick the team/city that's best for him & his family and if he decides that Montreal isn't a good fit, then so be it. Hating on him for going to another team is ridiculous.

Not the Habs but his hometown. Most players want to play at home at some point and while there give back to the community. If he choses another team for whatever reason then fans have every right to boo him. Money, given his last contract and buyout should not be a factor, or at least a very small one. Guys like Koivu and Kovalev were not born or raised here but they faced the scrutiny and did great things for the community.

If the Habs were in shambles then I can see wanting to stay away, but if he signs with a non playoff team instead of the Habs, he deserves any hate he gets.
 

Lshap

Hardline Moderate
Jun 6, 2011
27,276
24,865
Montreal
the cap will go up.
Gionta, Markov wont be around.

Cap hit of 5 mil wont sink us

Yes, we can afford the cap hit. But it all comes down to what year we're investing in -- are we prying open that Cup window now or later? Lecavalier is a great addition for a WIN-NOW team. He's not getting any younger or healthier. And if we're planning to win now, we'd still need to add more players to make a serious run. It's all or nothing. There's no point in paying Lecavalier, wiping our hands and saying, "Job done". It's not done unless all the holes are fixed. It would be like buying nice new couches without fixing the leaky roof. Pay Vinny and the team's obligated to pay some other big player to make us a true contender. If not, we've just purchased an expensive couch in a water-stained den. So the question is: Can we afford Vinny's Cap hit, plus the additional Cap hit of whomever else we rent?

But if we're building an entire winning structure for 2016 and beyond, then Vinny's 5-year contract is not part of the furniture. He'll be 36 with chronic injury problems and will likely be declining further. At that point, when our young guys are developed and our current core is in their late 20s, that $5M would be much better spent on a younger, stronger, healthier, more productive UFA/trade than on a one-dimensional barely productive player.
 

Et le But

Registered User
Nov 28, 2010
20,473
2,448
New York
Vinny doesn't owe the Habs anything. He'll pick the team/city that's best for him & his family and if he decides that Montreal isn't a good fit, then so be it. Hating on him for going to another team is ridiculous.

This.

It's sad to see so many Habs fans act like Leafs fans and think we "deserve" every local player.

If Vinny does sign with Montreal in the end, it's because he either think he can win a cup here, got the best deal, or wants his children to go to school here. It will still be about Vinny doing what's best for Vinny, not about who deserves what.

Not the Habs but his hometown. Most players want to play at home at some point and while there give back to the community. If he choses another team for whatever reason then fans have every right to boo him. Money, given his last contract and buyout should not be a factor, or at least a very small one. Guys like Koivu and Kovalev were not born or raised here but they faced the scrutiny and did great things for the community.

If the Habs were in shambles then I can see wanting to stay away, but if he signs with a non playoff team instead of the Habs, he deserves any hate he gets.

Please give me an example of how many star or near-star players in sport signed for their hometown without being drafted by them. In recent memory the best example I can think of is in the NBA, Carmelo Anthony signing for the Knicks, and even then his "coming home" claim was transparently BS - he was born in NY but mostly raised in Baltimore, and it was obvious that New York offered him endorsement money he wasn't getting in Denver, a max contract he risked losing under the upcoming new CBA, and a chance to play with one of his good friends. Lecavalier is insanely marketable in the Quebec market, but the Quebec market isn't nearly as significant as New York.

If anything, Saku - and Vinny in Tampa is an example of how pros embrace their new homes, and it's the guys who spend their whole career here, not the guys who were born here, who do the most for the community. Which is what makes it extra sad that someone like Lecavalier gets worshipped while career Habs, from Price to Plekanec to Subban, often get chased out of town. Koivu is another example of someone who was never good enough no matter what he did.
 
Last edited:

Ginu

Registered User
Feb 25, 2009
4,534
1
www.twitter.com
I don't think it's about pressure as much as it is over the top attention.

If it's attention, he wouldn't come back to Montreal during the summers. IMO it's the pressure of playing and succeeding in this market. Can he handle it

This is PK and Price's team. I don't think Vinny has to worry about pressure. People know that we're in a rebuilding phase.
 

HeShootsHeScores

Registered User
Mar 17, 2009
3,006
56
I say he has mtl in his mind, and he is using dallas to get the most out of his contract with the habs. Positive thinking.
 

Jmac1160*

Guest
Does anyone have a video of Vinnys interview after he found out he was bought out? Heard he was pretty bummed.
 

Natey

GOATS
Aug 2, 2005
62,295
8,430
Not the Habs but his hometown. Most players want to play at home at some point and while there give back to the community. If he choses another team for whatever reason then fans have every right to boo him. Money, given his last contract and buyout should not be a factor, or at least a very small one. Guys like Koivu and Kovalev were not born or raised here but they faced the scrutiny and did great things for the community.

If the Habs were in shambles then I can see wanting to stay away, but if he signs with a non playoff team instead of the Habs, he deserves any hate he gets.
No he doesn't! It's his decision. If he doesn't want to play in Montreal, that's his choice. Boo him for being a good player on another team? Sure! Hating him because of the petty reason that he disk sign where you wanted him too? ****ing ridiculous.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->