The Vincent Lecavalier Thread-Part III: Philly loves dumb contracts (22.5/5, NMC)

[Et le But]

Can we all agree though, despite contract and term and whatever, that just seeing Lecavalier in red at home next october is going to be spine-tingling?

Sure, but it'll suck for Tampa fans when he makes his debut at home for the Florida Panthers.

 

[Haburger]

exactly what the habs dont need.a washed up spoiled floater.i cant believe this may happen.i'm still in shock mb made an offer.

 

[Seb]

He may get the loudest ovation ever if he signs here.

And conversely, the same, if he doesn't.

Yeah, like instead of booing him, we should simply stop making any noise. Dead empty Bell Center. Everyone starts reading a book or the newspapers.

Being ignored makes you feel terrible.

 

[dreamingofdrouin*]

Can we all agree though, despite contract and term and whatever, that just seeing Lecavalier in red at home next october is going to be spine-tingling?

i'll be buying tickets for the season opener if he's with us

 

[Monctonscout]

Could also be Vancouver so he can play under Tortorella again or in New York to play with his friend Richards.


Just kidding. It would suck if he does not choose Montreal. Come on, we're much more of a contender than Dallas.

I'm sure Richards recommended Tortorella to him.

NYR is already in cap trouble by keeping Richards. Lundquist wants a huge extension.

 

[DJ Breadman]

I don't care if he doesn't sign with us, but if he signs with boston i'm going to be ****ing pissed

 

[overlords]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=426777



So if he doesn't go to MTL it's because we're not offering him the term or money he wants.

Term, maybe. But money? Come on, this guy will have the endorsement deals of jesus christ alive in the american south. He will get paid, lots.

 

[HomaridII]

Never understood guys who choose Hockey as a profession and then don't want to play in a city where Hockey actually matters.

I always give the example of Marcel Dionne, imagine if he had played his entire career in Montreal instead of in LA for most of it? The guy had over 1700 career NHL points, over 700 goals, yet barely talked about here.

If you are a great french canadian player, why wouldn't you want to play in Montreal?

Either you become a legend, of you become Marcel Dionne..

Sorry, but easy choice for me.

 

[overlords]

Yeah, like instead of booing him, we should simply stop making any noise. Dead empty Bell Center. Everyone starts reading a book or the newspapers.

Being ignored makes you feel terrible.

I'm trying to work ' You're bad and you should feel bad' into a chant.

 

[sharks9]

I don't care if he doesn't sign with us, but if he signs with boston i'm going to be ****ing pissed

If not Montreal then go to Dallas and stay out of our conference.

Althoguh anywhere but Boston or Toronto would be fine by me.

 

[ZARTONK]

I don't care if he doesn't sign with us, but if he signs with boston i'm going to be ****ing pissed

Exactly the same for me. Just anyone but Boston.

 

[Natey]

Assuming Vinny signs and we have to keep DD and Pleky, I can see us making it work by placing Vinny on the wing to start off...

Galchenyuk - Eiller - Vinny
Pacioretty - DD - Gallagher
Bourque - Pleky - Gionta
Prust - Dumont - White

Plekanec would be able to play against the top offensive line and gives us some offensive output occasionally.

Why would we put Lecavalier, who would easily be the best Top-9 center we have at faceoffs, on the wing?

It's quite clear if we sign Vinny and don't trade anyone - Eller or Desharnais is moving to the wing to start.

I'd be fine with something like;

Pacioretty - Lecavalier - Gionta = #1 scoring
Bourque - Plekanec - Eller = 2-way checking, defensive assignments
Galchenyuk - Desharnais - Gallagher = #2 scoring

I will say this though - signing Lecavalier and having 5 natural centers would be ****ing incredible. Center is such a hard position to fill - having that many who can play Top-6 minutes is just unreal.

 

[Video Coach]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=426777



So if he doesn't go to MTL it's because we're not offering him the term or money he wants.

I think the other thing you could draw from that was that if Vinny came to Montreal, he wouldn't be coming on a contract that he may not be able to live up to - or one that was long enough that he'd wear out his welcome.

I see MB pitching 3-4 years, 4-5M and maybe, just maybe, our next captain. I'd love to see it.

If he comes in being paid less than his market value and is a reliable 2nd line centre I think he'll be loved. If he comes in at $6M x 5 years his family will never be able to walk the streets.

So, if he wants the money and anonymity he can go to Dallas. Otherwise, he can come home and be our reasonably paid hero.

 

[Andy]

Richard Labbé ‏@Richardlabbe 1m
Le sort des Coyotes (probablement) connu ce soir, et la décision de Lecavalier bientôt...Le hockey, c'est vraiment à l'année.

 

[couris]

Eller will never be again on the wing, he was our best center at the end of last season when the midgets and softies disappeared and when he got hurt in the playoffs, the entire team collapsed.

 

[417]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=426777



So if he doesn't go to MTL it's because we're not offering him the term or money he wants.

Exactly...I think he genuinely wants/wanted to play in Montreal. But probably expected the Habs to 'back the money truck up' and blow him away with an offer as though this was 5-6 years ago.

I think Bergevin, wisely I might add, showed Vinny and his camp that the Habs are interested naturally. But only under certain salary conditions.

While other teams don't have those same salary restrictions.

Lets see what motivates Vinny...

 

[overlords]

Why would we put Lecavalier, who would easily be the best Top-9 center we have at faceoffs, on the wing?

It's quite clear if we sign Vinny and don't trade anyone - Eller or Desharnais is moving to the wing to start.

I'd be fine with something like;

Pacioretty - Lecavalier - Gionta = #1 scoring
Bourque - Plekanec - Eller = 2-way checking, defensive assignments
Galchenyuk - Desharnais - Gallagher = #2 scoring

I will say this though - signing Lecavalier and having 5 natural centers would be ****ing incredible. Center is such a hard position to fill - having that many who can play Top-6 minutes is just unreal.

Faceoffs really aren't important enough to make it a deciding factor of how you structure your lines. Eller and pleks are both far better defensively and should be kept at C. Your lineup has two soft minute centers in the top 9, not generally a recipe for success.

 

[Video Coach]

I'd be fine with something like;

Pacioretty - Lecavalier - Gionta = #1 scoring
Bourque - Plekanec - Eller = 2-way checking, defensive assignments
Galchenyuk - Desharnais - Gallagher = #2 scoring

I'd like to see Eller stay in the middle and move DD to the wing.

Pacioretty - Lecavalier - Desharnais
Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Prust - Dumont - White

That is SOLID!

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Abe Hefter ‏@hefteronthehabs
OK. I'm hearing V.L. wants 5 yrs & #HABS offering 3. #HABS really want him? He really wants to play here? Settle on 4 yrs & shake hands. No?

 

[overlords]

Richard Labbé ‏@Richardlabbe 1m
Le sort des Coyotes (probablement) connu ce soir, et la décision de Lecavalier bientôt...Le hockey, c'est vraiment à l'année.

News comes out that the coyotes move to Quebec city, lecavalier signs in Quebec. Boom.

Troll job complete.

 

[sharks9]

Exactly...I think he genuinely wants/wanted to play in Montreal. But probably expected the Habs to 'back the money truck up' and blow him away with an offer as though this was 5-6 years ago.

I think Bergevin, wisely I might add, showed Vinny and his camp that the Habs are interested naturally. But only under certain salary conditions.

While other teams don't have those same salary restrictions.

Lets see what motivates Vinny...

Yep, I think the fact he hasn't straight up told montreal he's not going there yet speaks to how much he wants to come play here.

He might be trying to get us to add 1 more year or something to our offer before deciding where he wants to go for sure.

 

[sheed36]

If not Montreal then go to Dallas and stay out of our conference.

Although anywhere but Boston or Toronto would be fine by me.

I'd also add Ottawa to that list with the Leafs and Bruins. I don't know why but I've despised the Sens team more than any other since they came back to the NHL.

 

[EveryDay]

Abe Hefter ‏@hefteronthehabs
OK. I'm hearing V.L. wants 5 yrs & #HABS offering 3. #HABS really want him? He really wants to play here? Settle on 4 yrs & shake hands. No?

Who's that guy?

 

[Natey]

I'd like to see Eller stay in the middle and move DD to the wing.

Pacioretty - Lecavalier - Desharnais
Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Prust - Dumont - White

That is SOLID!

That's fine too.

That's the joy with having 5 centers - you're not limited anywhere. You can rotate your lines till you find something that sticks because you're not stuck with 3 default guys on every line.

That line-up actually does look pretty good. When Gionta leaves next year, replacing him with someone with some sandpaper would be awesome.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

Abe Hefter ‏@hefteronthehabs
OK. I'm hearing V.L. wants 5 yrs & #HABS offering 3. #HABS really want him? He really wants to play here? Settle on 4 yrs & shake hands. No?

Seems reasonable. 3 years sounds like a Bergevin offer but given that Lecavalier is under 35 we could bump up the term without really worrying about the implications when the time comes. Also there's buyouts and trades and all that.

DO IT BERGEVIN. JUST CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THINK OF BOUILLON.