What's Malkin worth?

[BillHoppe]

It's picking up steam the Penguins more or less have to trade Evgeni Malkin to secure a full roster. Rob Rossi from the Tribune-Review explores it in great detail here. I also wrote about here the other day. So what the heck's he worth? Superstars just don't get traded these days. Those contracts have the Pens handcuffed, though.

[Kristian]

It's picking up steam the Penguins more or less have to trade Evgeni Malkin to secure a full roster. Rob Rossi from the Tribune-Review explores it in great detail here. I also wrote about here the other day. So what the heck's he worth? Superstars just don't get traded these days. Those contracts have the Pens handcuffed, though.

 

Well, yes and no.

 

The Lightning managed to unload Brad Richards to Dallas after they pretty much had half their cap space tied up in Vinny, St. Louis and Richards.

[That Aud Smell]

i'd read somewhere - puck daddy? - an op-ed about how malkin should fetch something like two quality roster players, a valued prospect, and one or two 1st round picks.

 

in the abstract, that might make sense. but given that the penguins are evidently desperate to unload the guy, i think he can be had for a discount. i am thinking he would move for a young-ish player who would not look out of place on just about any team's first line, a role roster player (third/fourth liner or a 5-6 d-man), a prospect (no blue chips), and a 2nd round pick or like value of packaged picks.

 

i think the team that gets him might get a guy with a decent chip on his shoulder. i'd love to see a team in the east get him -- that way geno (that's what they call him, yes?) would have a chance to prove the penguins "wrong" (not that i think they are wrong in looking to move him).

[nfreeman]

Bill, I like your work (and congrats on the MSG.com gig), but I must respectfully respond that a couple of sportswriters theorizing about a trade doesn't mean the trade is "picking up steam." There is NFW the Penguins are going to trade Malkin.

[2ForTripping]

Malkin isn't worth what they are said to be asking for him. Shero is pipedreaming

[SabresneedaCup]

ryan miller for evgeni malkin

[BillHoppe]

Bill, I like your work (and congrats on the MSG.com gig), but I must respectfully respond that a couple of sportswriters theorizing about a trade doesn't mean the trade is "picking up steam." There is NFW the Penguins are going to trade Malkin.

 

Whether it's going to happen, it's picking up steam as an idea. What's another way the Pens get out of their mess?

[tom webster]

Whether it's going to happen, it's picking up steam as an idea. What's another way the Pens get out of their mess?

 

 

What mess? They won the Cup last year and have 10 forwards, 2 defenseman and a starting goalie signed for under $42 million. Their problem isn't their salary structure, they just had some under performances this year from some of their players.

[Eleven]

ryan miller for evgeni malkin

 

Nope. I'm not against trading Miller (see my comments in other threads), but the Sabres at least have to get a quality starting goalie back in any such deal.

[shrader]

What mess? They won the Cup last year and have 10 forwards, 2 defenseman and a starting goalie signed for under $42 million. Their problem isn't their salary structure, they just had some under performances this year from some of their players.

 

A down year after winning a championship? That never happens. :o

Quite honestly, if I'm them, the player I'm most worried about is Fleury. He is not the goalie he was during the cup run last year. He played over his head and I don't expect him to ever return to that level. That team is going to be very good for years, even if they surround Crosby-Malkin with nothing but guys from my beer league. I'm not ready to say moving Malkin would be a dumb move because they obviously would get a very nice return, but it is completely unnecessary.

[Stoner]

Nope. I'm not against trading Miller (see my comments in other threads), but the Sabres at least have to get a quality starting goalie back in any such deal.

 

Why? Isn't there a Michael Leighton out there we can sign?

 

Said in jest, really, but I can't stand the idea of four or five more years of Ruff's system and asking Miller to carry the team, something he's not nearly good enough to do (nor is this apparently the paradigm any more for success, if it ever was; see the Wings with average goalies, see Fleury, M-A.).

 

I wouldn't mind trading Miller for some offensive studs, jettisoning Ruff (that's the key!), signing some decent goalie and trying to win 4-3 instead of 2-1 all the time. Yeah, it'll probably end up in the same place the other 39 seasons did, but at least it will be watchable.

 

Wow, I feel a little better now. I won't have to kick the cat onto the futon now.

[tom webster]

Why? Isn't there a Michael Leighton out there we can sign?

 

Said in jest, really, but I can't stand the idea of four or five more years of Ruff's system and asking Miller to carry the team, something he's not nearly good enough to do (nor is this apparently the paradigm any more for success, if it ever was; see the Wings with average goalies, see Fleury, M-A.).

 

I wouldn't mind trading Miller for some offensive studs, jettisoning Ruff (that's the key!), signing some decent goalie and trying to win 4-3 instead of 2-1 all the time. Yeah, it'll probably end up in the same place the other 39 seasons did, but at least it will be watchable.

 

Wow, I feel a little better now. I won't have to kick the cat onto the futon now.

 

You do realize that if a new coach would add 2 goals per game to Ruff's "unwatchable system," the Sabres would challenge the league record for goals in a season? Or at least come with 50 of it.

[That Aud Smell]

I wouldn't mind trading Miller for some offensive studs, jettisoning Ruff (that's the key!), signing some decent goalie and trying to win 4-3 instead of 2-1 all the time. Yeah, it'll probably end up in the same place the other 39 seasons did, but at least it will be watchable.

i think that'd be fun, in theory.

 

problem being: the large majority of games around the league (or at least in the east) are less than compelling entertainment. the watchability problem you've identified is not peculiar to buffalo. so, even if we moved miller for more firepower and brought in a coach who wanted the guys to fly up and down the ice, trade chances, i think the change we would see over an 82-game season wouldn't be as dramatic as you're hoping.

 

You do realize that if a new coach would add 2 goals per game to Ruff's "unwatchable system," the Sabres would challenge the league record for goals in a season? Or at least come with 50 of it.

well, he did say "try to win 4-3" -- i think that 2-1/4-3 dichotomy was more a metaphor than an anticipated outcome.

[darksabre]

i think that'd be fun, in theory.

 

problem being: the large majority of games around the league (or at least in the east) are less than compelling entertainment. the watchability problem you've identified is not peculiar to buffalo. so, even if we moved miller for more firepower and brought in a coach who wanted the guys to fly up and down the ice, trade chances, i think the change we would see over an 82-game season wouldn't be as dramatic as you're hoping.

 

 

well, he did say "try to win 4-3" -- i think that 2-1/4-3 dichotomy was more a metaphor than an anticipated outcome.

 

We did that already anyway, back in 06-07. The problem is that the league got tougher and our guys, while fast and good scorers post lockout, haven't added the amount of grit to their game necessary to be a fast, high scoring team anymore. Watching Detroit, San Jose, Chicago, LA, and many others, these are teams that know how to turn up the pace and also play physical. They don't sacrifice one for the other.

 

We do. How else do you fix that other than getting rid of the junk, which we've all been screaming for for several offseasons now?

[spndnchz]

Even less after not burying this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrJdZSIft38

[SwampD]

You do realize that if a new coach would add 2 goals per game to Ruff's "unwatchable system," the Sabres would challenge the league record for goals in a season? Or at least come with 50 of it.

I'll take just .5 PP GPG in the playoffs.

[Stoner]

We did that already anyway, back in 06-07. The problem is that the league got tougher and our guys, while fast and good scorers post lockout, haven't added the amount of grit to their game necessary to be a fast, high scoring team anymore. Watching Detroit, San Jose, Chicago, LA, and many others, these are teams that know how to turn up the pace and also play physical. They don't sacrifice one for the other.

 

We do. How else do you fix that other than getting rid of the junk, which we've all been screaming for for several offseasons now?

 

What do you think an offensive stud is?

[Stoner]

 

You do realize that if a new coach would add 2 goals per game to Ruff's "unwatchable system," the Sabres would challenge the league record for goals in a season? Or at least come with 50 of it.

 

That would be very watchable.

 

Do you find the typical Sabres game to be watchable?

 

I know I have not much ground to stand on here. I think I just pine for the days this great game is just that -- when a clean sheet of ice and the promise it brings are not scarred by the dinosaurs in the game the instant the puck leaves the ref's hand.

[tom webster]

That would be very watchable.

 

Do you find the typical Sabres game to be watchable?

 

I know I have not much ground to stand on here. I think I just pine for the days this great game is just that -- when a clean sheet of ice and the promise it brings are not scarred by the dinosaurs in the game the instant the puck leaves the ref's hand.

 

 

 

Thats two distinctly different things. The way the game was and whether Ruff really discourages offense.

[BillHoppe]

I'm not saying the Penguins are a bad team based on a second-round exit. They have a TON of money committed to three players. It's going to be tough for them to make moves. That's why writers theorize they may have to move Malkin.

[deluca67]

It's picking up steam the Penguins more or less have to trade Evgeni Malkin to secure a full roster. Rob Rossi from the Tribune-Review explores it in great detail here. I also wrote about here the other day. So what the heck's he worth? Superstars just don't get traded these days. Those contracts have the Pens handcuffed, though.

That's great question. I'm sure fans of the other 28 teams will have a great time dreaming that a deal could be made. Here in Buffalo we know better. We don't dare to dream that big because we know that Status Quo in incapable of thinking that big. I can imagine this going like the Kovalchuk sweepstakes. With Regier touting the Sabres as one of 28 teams that did not get Malkin. Knowing full well he never even called to ask the price.

 

A question I would like to have answered by the Sabres front office is "What is winning a Stanley Cup worth and are you willing to pay the price?"

[tom webster]

I'm not saying the Penguins are a bad team based on a second-round exit. They have a TON of money committed to three players. It's going to be tough for them to make moves. That's why writers theorize they may have to move Malkin.

 

 

Again, I disagree. They have some flexibility. Most teams are finding the way to success is to have 2 or 3 stars, a few value kids on entry level deals and a couple of vets on 1 year deals. The Penguins would have been in the finals for a third straight year if Fleury performs and either Poni or Guerin stepped up.

[darksabre]

What do you think an offensive stud is?

 

Well that's what I'm saying. We could use one (or two) of those. Teams like Chicago are loaded with players that are getting it done. We need some of those players.

[VansTheMans]

Malkin at his peak is among the top 5 forwards in this league.

 

His worth? Somewhere along the lines of what Ovechkin or Crosby would fetch.

[VansTheMans]

Well that's what I'm saying. We could use one (or two) of those. Teams like Chicago are loaded with players that are getting it done. We need some of those players.

 

Patrick Sharp this summer please?

:worthy: