What Kovalchuk Can Bring to San Jose
by Ivano M on Jun 14, 2010 3:00 AM PDT
in Armchair GM
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PrintAmong the clubs that are expected to compete for the Stanley Cup next season, only San Jose Sharks have much freedom of what to do with their roster this summer. According to CapGeek.com, the Sharks have $20M of uncommitted salary space for next season. New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals are next with the respective $16M and $13 in cap space. Here in San Jose we tend to think that Doug Wilson will decide to stay the course, resign Patrick Marleau to a long, but cap-friendly contract and go from there. But what if this is not going to happen?
What if Marleau decides to test the UFA market? What if Los Angeles Kings or New Jersey Devils or whoever else gives him an offer that Doug Wilson can't match? Or what if Doug Wilson decides to quickly rebuild the team, but still compete for the Cup next season?
If that happens, one of the options Wilson may look into on July 1st is the biggest free agent on the market this summer, Ilya Kovalchuk.
There is no secret of what Kovalchuk brings to the table. He's been under the microscope of Russian and North American media ever since he emerged as the top player at IIHF U18 Junior Championship in 2001 when he scored 11 goals and 15 points in 6 games. It was then that the world of hockey discovered his deadly shot, his great skating ability, his puck handling skills, and his passion for the game. Ever since then, Kovalchuk has been one of the most consistent performers in the league and is rightly considered to be one of the top 10 NHL players today.
It's also no secret that Kovakchuk is expected to sign one of the largest contracts in the league. He already rejected 12-year, $101M and 7-year, $70M offers from Atlanta Thrashers. He's also being actively pursued by the richest KHL clubs and his Russian agent Yuri Nikolaev recently stated that Kovalchuk's return to Russia is a very viable option. At the same time, we think that Kovalchuk will stay in the NHL, despite what the Russians may be offering.
However, one of the reasons why we tend to never think that Kovalchuk may end up in San Jose is the club's history under Doug Wilson. As a general manager of San Jose Sharks, Wilson never signed any free agents of Kovalchuk's caliber. It's not that he is modest with spending, as contracts of Milan Michalek, Matt Carle and Ryane Clowe indicate. But these were all contracts of young players, not established NHL all-stars shopping for a new club. None of these were unrestricted free agents either. Wilson prefers to acquire his top players via trades, and this is how Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley and Dan Boyle all got here.
Yet at the same time, ever since Doug Wilson was appointed as the GM of San Jose Sharks, no other team with the exception of Red Wings accumulated more regular season points than did the Sharks. Regular season wins are fun, but as we learned this spring nothing compares to playoffs wins. During Doug Wilson's tenure in San Jose, only twice out of six playoffs runs the Sharks advanced past the second round. It could very well be that Doug Wilson may be rethinking his strategy at this point.
We don't need to look any further than the two best teams of the past season. Both the Flyers and the Blackhawks saw that the time to compete for the Cup was now. They went out and made a big splash - Chicago by signing Marian Hossa and Philadephia by trading for Chris Pronger. Those two players turned out to be key additions to these teams and both played big roles in their team's run to the Stanley Cup final.
Could it be that the Sharks are one big free agent signing or one big trade away from finally making it into the Stanley Cup final? If that's the case, Kovalchuk could very well be that player who can change the outlook of this franchise.
If we compare Kovalchuk to Marleau, as I think this is where Doug Wilson's choice is, Kovalchuk has been a more consistent goalscorer, having scored 230 goals vs 167 for Marleau since the lockout. It also doesn't play to Marleau's avor that his best two career years in San Jose came when he was mostly playing on Thornton's line. Kovalchuk never had this kind of supporting cast in Atlanta, yet he still scored at least 40 goals in each of the past five seasons. Kovalchuk is also four years younger.
The logical question is, why would the Sharks sign Kovalchuk when they already have Dany Heatley? They both score a lot of goals, they are both deadly on the power play, and they're both defensive liabilities. What differentiates Kovalchuk from Heatley is the same quality for which Marleau has been criticised over the years - his leadership.
Kovalchuk is a natural leader in the locker room. He's the type of the player who always the first to speak up and when he does, he speaks his mind, whether for good, or for bad. When it comes to saying things as they are, he's a Russian version of Dan Boyle, and from all I've heard and read about Kovalchuk, his teammates listen. When coach Bykov was faced with a choice of who to appoint a new captain for Team Russia at the recent World Championship in Germany, the "C" went to Kovalchuk. That happened despite Ovechkin, Fedorov also on the team.
One of the things the Sharks may be lacking going into next season is the leadership on the offense. As great as Pavelski was last spring, we should not be expecting him to carry this team on his shoulders during the whole season. We also know that this isn't Joe Thornton's or Dany Heatley's team. When we think of who is the leader in San Jose, we think Dan Boyle - but the list stops there. There is no question that Chicago, Philadelphia or the past champions Detroit and Pittburgh have leaders on both offense and defense. There is no question who these leaders are. Kovalchuk could bring that missing leadership to San Jose's lineup.
Do I believe that this will actually happen? I don't think it will. Kovalchuk's salary expectations both in terms of the money he's asking and the length of the contract may be too high for Doug Wilson to even think about this option. The signing of Kovalchuk will be even more difficult once Pavelski and Setoguchi sign their new contracts, and that's even before the goaltending situation is sorted. But nonetheless, today is June 14th, and the Sharks still have more salary space on their roster than 24 out of the remaining 29 teams. That chance still remains.
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the only caveat
kovalcuk plays in the east which on the whole has weaker opponents and typically the higher goal disparity and lack of conference parity.
Kovy is probably my favorite non-Shark, but...
I don’t think he makes sense for this team. Not unless we were somehow able to trade away Heatley for him. I think I’d rather have Marleau on the team. But if we don’t resign Patty, we better freaking get Kovy, otherwise I’ll be inconsolable for a while.
"Shave it, and you will score." - Randy Hahn
"The last time I made a video in a hotel room…..very different than this." – Drew Remenda
Proud member of the "Lifetime Contract for Marleau" Club
Leadership?
when i think leadership, i think Marleau. He might not be as vocal, etc. as Boyle or Kovalchuk, but i always remember game 4 in 2008 against Calgary when Marleau was taking an absolute beating: elbows, high-sticks, the works. But he played a great game despite and everybody looked up to him. That game, San Jose rallied and scored 2 goals in the final minute to win 3-2
its games like that where you see his leadership. Patrick marleau leads by example, and he’s darn good at it.
Kovalchuk’s reputation as a defensive liability is largely undeserved.
He’s never going to win a Selke, but his GVT Val D rating is 2.2, which puts him in the same company defensively as Spezza, Knuble, Ballard and Erat, among others. Comparatively, he rates higher than Pavelski (1.8), Nichol (1.7), Clowe (0.7) and Setoguchi (0.5).
Not saying he’s the going to be your first choice defending an odd man rush or that he should be on the PK; and he will take some plays off from time to time leaving you wondering what the heck he was thinking about instead of his positioning… but I don’t believe he deserves the “defensive liability” tag.
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -Mark Twain (?)
Defensive GVT is a joke. It’s ratings for forwards especially often make absolutely no sense, partly due to lack of qualcomp and qualteam normalizations, a I’m generally in favor of statistical ratings, but to claim that Kovalchuk is anything better than mediocre in the defensive zone is ridiculous. (Hence it’s result saying that he’s better than Pavelski defensively. It also says that Kesler is barely better than Kovalchuk at defense, that’s just plain wrong.) I would rather have Marleau than Kovalchuk on this team for sure. If you prefer ,go by total GVT where Marleau was 19.8 to Kovalchuk’s 5.5. I wouldn’t say that he’s a cherrypicker or anything, but just doesn’t have the smarts in the d-zone you need to be effective defensively.
Id rather spend the money on some shut down defense. Ilya would just be another great player during the regular season. But Im not sure if he would be committed to wining a cup. Or be willing to put himself through the grind to get it done.
"I knew when my career was over. In 1965, my baseball card came out with no picture."
— Bob Uecker
If the Sharks can’t sign Marleau by the start of free agency, then they definitely can’t afford Kovalchuk.
Patty Marleau: An Erotic Life in San Jose... to be continued?
It could also be that Marleau is ready for a change. As much as he talks, who knows how he feels about the team.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
I actually get this feeling when thinking about Marleau…that he might actually be ready for a new team. Between the fanbase blaming him for our playoff shortcomings, and then the organization implicitly agreeing by stripping him of the C, we haven’t exactly made it easy on him here. He could very easily walk, and it might not have anything to do with what DW is offering.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions
You could very well be correct...
It’s all speculation at this point! Things will start moving w/in the next few weeks.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions
I think if he wants his chance at a ring to remain strong, he may choose to stay in SJ. It was hard on him last summer, but he became a much better player and leader. He doesn’t need to wear small piece of felt on his shoulder to be a leader, and it showed in the regular season with his scoring.
by zack007attack on Jun 15, 2010 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions
I dont see
DW doing the high priced UFA thing this season, and I dont see him going after players over 25 or 26 save for maybe a perfect fit D-man. Right now the Sharks have a playoff level core even without Blake, Nabby, and Marleau. They need to support that core with some younger talent, to remain competitive for the next 5 years with the current core group.
by rumpledforeskin on Jun 14, 2010 9:18 AM PDT reply actions
THere's no way we can get this guy
He already rejected 12-year, $101M and 7-year, $70M offers from Atlanta Thrashers. He’s also being actively pursued by the richest KHL clubs and his Russian agent Yuri Nikolaev recently stated that Kovalchuk’s return to Russia is a very viable option.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
How do we know that he wasn’t turning down the money, but turning down Atlanta?
We really have no idea what’s really going on when it comes to these matters.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
I suspect he very much WAS turning down Atlanta. And I believe he wants to sign with a winner. I still think he’d command at least 8 million a year, and that’s a cap hit we probably can’t afford.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions
The Defensive Liability issue
There are a million reasons to go after Ilya Kovalchuk, and in my opinion, virtually ALL of them are overriden by that one issue.
Chicago won the Cup this year for several reasons. Yes, they had the best defensive pairing in the league. Yes they had four lines worth of scoring. But they also played AMAZING team defense. On virtually every foray into the offensive zone, there would be four red jerseys in front of Antti Niemi. Jonathan Toews made the Team Canada roster AND won the Conn Smythe largely for his defensive play.
We all remember Henrik Zetterberg’s Conn Smythe winning performance was for similar reasons. Pavel Datsyuk is a wizard with the puck, but he’s also a wizard without it. If the man was unable to skate, he’d have a lucrative career as a pickpocket.
For much of the Playoffs, up until Game 4, Marleau was a bit of a defensive liability during the post-season. For a man whose game is supposed to be about solid 2 way play, Marleau, in my opinion, was a huge letdown for much of the post-season. I know people will point to his 5 goals (I think it was 5) against Chicago, and his excellent game in Game 4, but I personally, because I’m bitter and angry, think his goals were more a result of hard work by other players than Patty making big plays. That’s a point that can very easily be argued against, but that’s a discussion for another thread.
The basic point is this: If Patrick Marleau comes to Doug Wilson and asks for more money from this franchise, I think Wilson has to have a hard discussion with Patty about his defensive play in the most important post-season in franchise history. And if Patty walks, and we suddenly look at some $6.3M shoes to fill, do we throw that money, AND more, at a guy who will, regardless of goal-scoring, be WORSE defensively. And as we saw with his post-season with New Jersey, if things don’t go so well, he will try to do everything himself, probably to the detriment of his team.
Hate to beat the imfamous dead horse, but Kovalchuk is not necessarily a post-season player, mostly because of lack of opportunity. Ivano will point to his legendary World Championship winning performance, but he, like the rest of his team, was a no-show at these Olympics against a full-strength Canadian squad.
Ilya Kovalchuk is an amazing player. I just don’t see how he helps us unless we concede that we are rebuilding this team from the ground up.
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
My question is, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to bring it in the article – why did we lose to Chicago? Sure, they played well 5-on-5 – definitely better than we did. Neimi also saved the best play of the playoffs for the Sharks.
But we can look at it differently. It was our offense that couldn’t score. No one but Marleau showed up for that series.
We saw the same story against Ahaheim a year before. It wasn’t as much defense or even Nabokov’s mediocre play as it was offense unable to score more than Chicago.
If DW decides it’s time to make changes on the offense, Kovalchuk is one of the options. Definitely not the only option, but one of those that would change the whole outlook.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
Damn, I was just writing something similar when you posted this...
I was going to say…I think the Sharks need as many scorers as they can get. We didn’t lose because of our defense, we lost to Chicago because our offense was putrid. Of course, if we were to get Kovy, I’d hope McL wouldn’t put him on the same line as Thornton and Heatley…I’d hope he learned this postseason about the need to spread out your scoring. But a team with Heatley and Thornton on line 1, and Kovalchuk and Pavelski on line 2 would be really ridiculously hard to shut down.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions
Heatley-Thornton-Couture
Seto-Pavelski-Kovalchuk
Not looking too bad, huh.
I think there is no way we can keep Clowe on this team if we decide to sign Kovy. But that’s a tradeoff I’d take in a heartbeat. Clowe+Marleau cap hit could absorb Kovalchuk’s hit, plus a rookie contract for 3rd/4th line.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
I just don’t see Kovalchuck being a good fit for this team, and I don’t see him being a good match with Thornton; but I could definitely see him and Pavelski tearing shit up.
I kind of contradicted myself there. I guess he could be an ok fit for the team assuming he plays alongside Pavelski and he commits a bit more to 2-way play. The last thing our top line needs is another play with questionable defensive play though.
I wouldn’t put Heatley and Kovy on the same line, if we had both of them. No thank you. But having scorers of Heatley’s and Kovy’s caliber on two different line…scary!
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
from the other team's point of view
“oh thank god, heatley is finally off the ice, now we can relax and…wow really?! fucking kovalchuk now?!”
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions
I can’t fathom paying a 2nd line player that much money…
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
Not that he is in anyway a 2nd liner. But you have to break up ice time somehow and both Heater and Kovy would need lots of ice time to make those contracts remotely worth it.
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
If the lines were as such, think of it as 1a and 1b lines. Both would get 20 minutes or so a night, most likely…
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I'll buy the argument about scorers
And perhaps here’s where my ignorance of Kovalchuk comes into play.
If you know the road to the Cup is going to go through a team like Chicago, a team that’ll put 4 warm bodies in front of an average to very good netminder, and force you to take perimeter shots, is Kovalchuk our Holmstrom? The guy who just gets to the net and puts it in regardless of how many people are there?
If he is, then sure, there’s no cap-hit to high, no offer too Lowe, that should stop us from signing him.
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
Kovalchuk doesn’t go to the net. He scores most of his goals from the faceoff circles with his mad shot. He’s also got big speed and scores a few on breakaways.
Heatley should have been the guy parked in front of Niemi, because that’s where he earns his bread, but we all know he couldn’t playing hurt and all. I don’t know why Clowe didn’t go there either.
If we’re thinking PP, Kovalchuk can very easily replace Pavelski on the point, and with Heatley up front and Thornton on the sides, that could continue to be a deadly combination.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
I think we lost to Chicago because they had better goaltending, better speed, ridiculous depth in their lines, and (like Elvis said) better team defense.
I think that the speed of their forwards compared to the speed of our defensemen had a big part in the lack of success of our offense. Besides Boyle, most of our defensemen were a bit lead footed, and because of that our defensemen had to stay back at (or behind) the blueline in order to have any hope of preventing a breakaway by Kane, Hossa, Sharp or any other of their other blazingly fast forwards. This made it so that our defensemen couldn’t pinch to try and keep the puck in the offensive zone like they did so successfully against Detroit and Colorado. I think that had a huge part in our lack of scoring. Whenever we were in the Blackhawks’ zone it was like a 3v4 or 3v5.
Also I think our top lines were spread a bit thin due to the huge minutes they had to play because of the depth in the lines of the Blackhawks. Joe Thornton played 30 freaking minutes in one or two of the games against Chicago, while Toevs played a comfortable 20 or so minutes since Chicago was running 4 lines most of the times. This incredible depth on offense and defense made it so our 3rd and 4th lines didn’t have much hope of scoring.
Oh and Heatley having a torn groin didn’t help our offense, or our team defense at all. He made big defensive mistakes that cost us a few games, and he wasn’t able to get the puck in the back of the net.
I think we need more depth
as opposed to a big name big cap person. two good 4m people I think would be better than one 8m person regardless of who it is (a guy like sharp comes to mind). more lines that can score = more opportunities. Seabrook and Keith cant stay out against every line…
Seabrook and Keith are also faster then us
Could use a big man who’s pretty fast. I couldn’t stand watching Patrick Kane and everybody out running us.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
I’m not entirely sure what it is about him that I don’t like, but I just plain don’t like Ilya Kovalchuk. Maybe it’s because of all superstars in this league, he’s the only one who really seems to put money first, hockey second. He’s coming off a pretty tumultuous year that saw him go from being the franchise player for an oft maligned Thrashers team to a relative non-factor in a premature playoff exit for the Devils. By all accounts, he wasn’t a “good fit” for Lemaire’s system, and I don’t think anyone expects him to remain in New Jersey. Throughout this period, he just gave me the impression that Ilya Kovalchuk comes first, and his team comes second. Maybe I’m misinterpreting certain events, and I suppose if DW did manage to bring him here, I’d be willing to give him a second chance.
..:Fear The Fin:..
The artist formerly known as cyoung
This line of thought assumes he turned down Atlanta’s offers because of money…and not because he actually cares about hockey so much that he desperately wants to play for a winner…
I was pretty shocked that NJ traded for him, though. He really didn’t see like a good fit, there. He could be a good fit for the Sharks, though…if we can afford him (which I’m pretty sure we can’t).
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions
Did you watch the Devils series? He was actually their best player and their top scorer. Not sure how you can say he was a non-factor when he led the Devils offense in scoring.
Also, if he’d put the money first, he’d long accepted the KHL offer, because after-tax, these offers are almost twice than what he’d make here in the NHL.
Finally, let’s not ignore the fact that as soon as Devils were out of the playoffs, he called coach Bykov and said he wanted to play at the Worlds. For someone who’s becoming UFA in few weeks and who’s injury could cost him millions on his new contract, that’s not what I would call putting money first, hockey second.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
by Ivano M on Jun 14, 2010 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah I personally dont believe hes money first hockey second. I think he is percieved that way because he turned down huge amount of money from Atlanta. But in all honesty if you were as good as Kovy would you want to keep playing hockey in Atlanta? We’ll see what happens this offseason, but unless he does something drastic, like taking huge amounts of money from the KHL or huge amounts of money (more than the Atlanta offer) to play for another crappy team, I’ll continue to believe he puts hockey before money.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
Good point about playing in the Worlds. I definitely agree. Kovalchuk wants to player for a cup contender and i wouldn’t be surprised if DW could sign him at a fair price of around 7 mill.
I still don’t know if i’d want that to happen though. Ideally i want to see Marleau signed to a long cap-friendly contract and then use the extra cap to beef up our defense.
I'm not advocating that we should go after Kovie...
I am not a fan of this pursuit. I was just curious what the lineup would look like, and for me, it’s not looking too bad…
2010-11 SAN JOSE SHARKS
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Dany Heatley ($7.500m) / Joe Thornton ($7.200m) / Devin Setoguchi ($3.200m)
Ilya Kovalchuk ($7.800m) / Joe Pavelski ($4.200m) / Logan Couture ($1.242m)
Jamie McGinn ($0.997m) / * Manny Malhotra ($1.500m) / Benn Ferriero ($0.850m)
Steven Zalewski ($0.800m) / Scott Nichol ($0.750m) / Jed Ortmeyer ($0.550m)
Frazer McLaren ($0.543m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dan Boyle ($6.667m) / Dan Hamhuis ($3.500m)
Marc-Edouard Vlasic ($3.100m) / Douglas Murray ($2.500m)
Jordan Leopold ($2.000m) / Jason Demers ($0.543m)
Mike Moore ($0.512m)
GOALTENDERS
Carey Price ($3.000m) / Thomas Greiss ($0.550m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
ROSTER: 22; CAP:$58.8m; PAYROLL: $59.504m; CAP ROOM: $0.226m BONUSES: $0.930m
by kiwi93 on Jun 14, 2010 10:28 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I would put Not Kyle in over Zalewski as he as already gained time with the big club this last season and looked good.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
That’s not the important part. The First three lines are the important lines that should provide you with the scoring (mainly the first two). And that’s what it could look like
Wow, you even worked Hamhuis in there, Leopold and even Price.
As that ad says behind Kovalchuk, dream big.
But this is the line up I could very well live with.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
Something else can be noted from this lineup… If we don’t pick up Kovie, we have 7.8m to work with for one forward… So whoever says Marleau is too expensive, just look at that. Marleau could easily be signed for less than 7.8
This…isn’t actually that terrible. It’s the first realistic thing I’ve seen without Marleau that I think I could live with.
San Jose Sharks - Hey, at least we didn't finish 11th in the West!
Battle of California
I like it.
But I’m not sure if Manny will sign for $1.5M, I was thinking he’d sign closer to $2M.
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Jun 14, 2010 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions
He may sign for 1.5 if he sees that DW made all the moves to insure the Sharks continue competing for the Cup.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
That's true.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take less again, but I think he’d want a longer contract.
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Jun 14, 2010 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
I could see him signing for 1.5 a year if he got term…3 years, something like that.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
This roster makes me giddy…
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
yes please
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm in
DW Make it happen.
Who’s gonna finish this off? I am going Boyle. - FML! No more OT Predictions from me!
I like. Actually, I like a lot. For a roster that’s sans Marleau, it’s definitely tolerable. It relies very heavily on and puts a lot of faith in Worcester players, but I’d be ok with that so long as the proven players can produce consistently all season.
..:Fear The Fin:..
The artist formerly known as cyoung
Yeah...
Those numbers sound probably more fair…but it all works out the same!
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Again...once we add Kovy...
Our bottom 2 lines become not so good _
Kovy is amazing yes, but I think he damages our depth somewhat no?
Go Sharks!
depth
don’t know what that means, we’re not chicago…
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't think so...
Resigning Marleau at what he will require probably leaves our “depth” in the same place. We’ll be relying on players like McGinn and Ferriero and Couture to step up this year regardless.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions
We’ll be relying on players like McGinn and Ferriero and Couture to step up this year regardless.
every year.
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Not as big a change as I agree with
Kovalchuk may be a good idea. I noticed he never scored in the post season until going to NJ. He likely cares much more about winning than money, so we may not have to pay him as much as we pay Heatley. Heatley just wanted to belong somewhere, thats why he wanted to be traded. But for Koval, he just wanted to win; he might be willing to take a paycut in exchange for a place on a winning team.
I say we will probably resign Nabby, because no matter where he goes, he may have to take a paycut anyway (he is the highest priced UFA goalie in the league). We can work with giving Patty a small raise too, unless he explicitly wants to go to another team. I say we keep Pav and letting Seto go may not be a bad idea. We should definitely lose Wallin and Huskins, they have failed to impress me. We might also let guys like Mitchell, Nichol, Ortmeyer, and Malhotra go and try to acquire more young and speedy secondary scorers by either calling up guys from Worcester or signing some FAs. WIth changes like that, combined with Blake’s retirement, it would give us a very good amount of salary cap room. I say our core roster looks like this (if we get Koval):
offense: Thornton 7.2m, Marleau 6.4mil, Heatley 7.5mil, Pavelski 2.0mil, Couture 1.242mil, Kovalchuk 7.8mil, Clowe 3.625mil, McGinn 0.997mil, Ferriero 0.850mil, total: 37.614
defense: Boyle 6.667mil, Vlasic 3.1mil, Murray 2.5mil, Demers 0.543mil, total: 12.81
This commits 50.424 to the team so far
Nabby may have to take a paycut no matter where he goes and there are only a handful of teams that might want him, can afford him or he might want (he is high priced, and he likely wants to be with a strong, winning team, and want to have a starting position).
We can use the rest to call up guys from Worcester.
by zack007attack on Jun 15, 2010 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions
a few more things
Koval might be willing to sign for less than 7.8 million. He is also good friends with Heatley, and produced in the playoffs after going to the Devils, so this is a big plus.
If we lose Nabby, there are only a few goalies I would feel comfortable with. Because Nabby has been with us for so long, I consider him a core part of the team. And if he goes, we might not remain a consistent team, which can weaken our chances of finishing the regular season with a firmly established position to win the Cup. So we have to be extremely careful with who we sign if Nabby goes to another team.
We have to figure that if we lose Nabby, no matter who we put in net, will be new to the team and we will be in a process of rebuilding, sort of. Stalock might not be good enough to do Nabby’s job as good as Nabby has been doing it. Here is a list of goalies that could replace him:
Price: not that good from what I can tell (not much of a starter)
Turco: he has given strong teams especially us a lot of trouble, so he might be a possibility
Niemi: he just won the cup, Chicago might not be able to keep him.
Halak: he is just as good if not better than Nabby, in the playoffs.
Gustavsson: seems consistent, had Toronto made the playoffs, he likely would have gone far
My top pick: Halak.
What about you guys?
by zack007attack on Jun 15, 2010 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions
Well let's see
First the goaltenders:
Niemi is not for sale, I’ll bet. He just won the stanley cup, he’s going to want to stay with that team and they’ll pay him what he’s worth (which is not an extraordinary amount)
Turco is far too old and is super inconsistent.
Halak is not for sale. And really, we can’t afford him, if we want to upgrade our defense
Gustavsson is giant, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to good. I’ve been unimpressed.
Price is available, but I’m just as unimpressed as you are.
I’d prefer to ride the system, where our goaltenders are concerned. If everyone else can flourish with a cheap goalie, so can we.
Now, your lineup. That’s 50M. That leaves 9Mish to cover our fourth line, two defenders (one of which has to be top 4, unless you want Demers in there) and two goalies (and if Halak’s in the lineup, it’s pretty much league minimum for the rest of them). That’s entirely unfeasible, if you don’t want to be playing guys who really shouldn’t be leaving the AHL. Point is, if you want Kovy and Marleau, you have to assume a massive (signs for <2M) hometown discount for Marleau. That’s the only way it can be done, IMO.
I have no idea why you chose Clowe over Seto, but Seto came off what was probably a bad year for him, and is undervalued at the moment, so he should be one of the top priorities. More importantly, we need to bring in at least one, possibly two elite defenders. That’s far more important than getting another big name sniper.
good point
Halak IS for sale, he is an RFA and had a salary this year of $800,000. Maybe if we lose Nabby, getting Halak and putting a couple speedy defenders in front of him is what we need to do.
I’d still like to see Nabby stay with the team. He is probably a greater part of the core group than Patty. I wouldn’t want to see either of them go, but if I had to choose between them, I would choose keeping Nabby. He might realize that there aren’t many teams who want to pay excess of $5.4 million for a goalie who is a strong veteran but without a ring, unless it is the team he is most important to. So he may have to take a pay cut no matter where he goes.
I agree with you on not needing another big name sniper, so if we don’t get Kovalchuk, we can keep both Patty and Nabby.
Most importantly, we should get rid of Wallin and Huskins for younger, faster defenders.
by zack007attack on Jun 15, 2010 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions
My mistake
on Halak. Still, given the reception he’s getting with the Canadiens, I’ll be shocked if he isn’t resigned to the Canadiens.
Well yeah, there aren’t many teams who want to pay that much for Nabby, us included. We shouldn’t be paying more than 2-3M for him. The fact remains that Nabby is far easier to replace than Marleau.
We can’t keep both Patty and Nabby even without Kovy. We need to put some serious money into the defensive end. The only
Sure, but if we want to do that (and want them to be responsible, quality defenders), we’re going to need to sink a lot of money into it. That means we can’t keep Nabby and Patty.
I don’t know if it’s possible or if it makes any sense for the team, but I’d love Kovalchuk to play for the Sharks.
San Jose Sharks - Hey, at least we didn't finish 11th in the West!
Battle of California
Meg -
If you’re looking at who else around us have plenty of cap space, there are also very good possibilities of Kovalchuk ending up in LA or even Anaheim.
Which is fine in the regular season, but not so fine in playoffs if we have to face him.
In fact, Kovy in Anaheim jersey would make me throw up.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
Anyone in an Anaheim jersey
Will make you throw up
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
As well they should :)
Who’s gonna finish this off? I am going Boyle. - FML! No more OT Predictions from me!
do think after another week of this “rumor” it might finally die?
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin
"It's getting harder and harder to differentiate between schizophrenics and people talking on a cell phone. It still brings me up short to walk by somebody who appears to be talking to themselves." -- Bob Newhart
Probaly not. People have nothing better to do than speculate about events that mean nothing. I almost want Marleau to take his kids on vacation to like disneyland or something and watch everyone freak out and say hes gonna play down south. I really want him back tho and i think him playing in San Jose next season is entirely his decision. DW will offfer the money the question is will he be back or not.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
umm
what if it’s so he has a place to stay when he plays against san jose?
or maybe he just likes the bay area? california is pretty damn nice place to live…
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Pshh Noo… the weather in California is terrible, its so cold! Now Edmonton… thats where its at.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
O.o Cold?
Dude, it was 98 here yesterday…California has almost PERFECT weather year round. I remember a year Ive had to wear pants instead of shorts year round. _ I love my Cali weather.
This is Team Teal. Sharks and Phins.
Cut me open and I bleed Teal...
Just a reminder, fans, comin’ up is our "Die-hard Night" here at the stadium. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Dolphins won a Super Bowl. -Mosul_DolFan, Phinsider.com
Marc Emery ... the Big Bad Bogeyman ... who offered natural seeds that could potentially become a non-toxic, non-addictive, highly beneficial 12,000-year-old plant. Where are the victims? Where are the bodies? "Justice Minister" Rob Nicholson and his ilk should be the criminals imprisoned.
by Sharkz_N_Phinz on Jun 14, 2010 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions
/sarcasm fail…
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
oh btw
that profile pic is awesome. Z!!!!! those charlie the unicorn videos are hilarious.
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Nice!
Someone actually got it! That’s excellent.
Charlie the Unicorn is amazing. All three have been hilarious!
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 12:57 PM PDT up reply actions
hell yea
i have them on my ipod since they’re free on itunes
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions
psst
i think that was sarcasm…
MeThinksSports hasn't been updated since 2009...i think...
by serrapadre716 on Jun 14, 2010 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Proud member of the "Re-Sign Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Jun 14, 2010 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Sorry, I have no clue what edmontons like, so I totally missed the sarcasm. lol.
I know lots of people that have been to or lived in canadia(yes, I said canadia) and theyve all raved about some of the weather there. MY BAD!
This is Team Teal. Sharks and Phins.
Cut me open and I bleed Teal...
Just a reminder, fans, comin’ up is our "Die-hard Night" here at the stadium. Free admission to anyone who was actually alive the last time the Dolphins won a Super Bowl. -Mosul_DolFan, Phinsider.com
Marc Emery ... the Big Bad Bogeyman ... who offered natural seeds that could potentially become a non-toxic, non-addictive, highly beneficial 12,000-year-old plant. Where are the victims? Where are the bodies? "Justice Minister" Rob Nicholson and his ilk should be the criminals imprisoned.
by Sharkz_N_Phinz on Jun 14, 2010 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Edmonton weather sucks, at least thats what ive heard from people i know who have lived there. Yeah and as you can see i was being sarcastic lol. i love California weather i never wanna leave.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
Cold?
He probably only visited the North Coast in California. Still having Winter days, in June!
"Marleau spanks one off the pipe!" --VS Commentator, game 5 vs Det. 20100508
"Nice Save!" --Nabby, to Blake
"...Take a deep breath sometimes... a break...and play some street hockey."
"Street hockey is a great way to take a pause from...day-to-day hard work..." -- Lt Gen. D.H. Huntoon Jr.
I was being sarcastic. I live in the bay and I love the weather here.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
Yeah, I know. But it really is cold up here this evening. I think it’s about time to move back down there.
"Marleau spanks one off the pipe!" --VS Commentator, game 5 vs Det. 20100508
"Nice Save!" --Nabby, to Blake
"...Take a deep breath sometimes... a break...and play some street hockey."
"Street hockey is a great way to take a pause from...day-to-day hard work..." -- Lt Gen. D.H. Huntoon Jr.
some of us love the fog … :)
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin
"It's getting harder and harder to differentiate between schizophrenics and people talking on a cell phone. It still brings me up short to walk by somebody who appears to be talking to themselves." -- Bob Newhart
Kovalchuck is good but he’s not what we need. WE NEED JAROME IGINLA! Thornton needs a big strong power forward who can get the puck in the back of the net. I think Thornton and Iginla would make for an unstoppable duo. Throw Heatley in their and you have easily the best line in the NHL. You got probably the best set up man in the league in Joe Thornton, probably the best power forward in the league with Jarome Iginla, and one of the best snipers in the league with Dany Heatley. God that shit would be insane.
I dunno how get-able Iginla is though. There was talk of him being traded at the end of the regular season but now it’s starting to sound like that probably won’t happen. The Flames definitely do need to make some changes though, and they don’t have a lot of tradeable assets. I don’t think they have any high draft picks, and the only players they could probably trade for any kind of real return are Jarome Iginla, Robyn Regehr, and Mikka Kiprusoff (all of which i would love to have on the Sharks). Considering most people thought Kiprusoff was the teams MVP last year I doubt he’ll be traded, especially with the new trend in goaltending and Kiprusoff’s 5.8 mill cap hit.
So there’s a good chance that Calgary is looking to trade either Iginla or Regehr, and either player would be PERFECT for the Sharks imo. I think Iginla is exactly what our top line needs, and i think Regehr is exactly what we need on our top defense pairing.
Yes, yes, we all know you want Iginla...
Our top line doesn’t need to be any stronger…and I in no way want to give up the assets it would take to get Iginla, especially when we can get another sniper as a FA to boster our scoring depth (Pavelski to Kovalchuk makes me tingle).
To be honest, I don’t see the Sharks getting Kovy…but I have no doubt that if we did, he would be an immense help. And we wouldn’t have to give up our prospects/picks to get him!
I’m on the trade for Patrick Sharp train, personally.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 1:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Pavelski to Kovalchuk makes me tingle
I hear they make a cream for that now
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
I think I’d prefer a cream that makes Kovy want to sign with the Sharks for 6 million a year… :-P
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions
I think i was against Kovlchuck at first because i didn’t want another (possible) defensive liability on Jumbo’s line, and i didn’t think him and Thornton were a very good fit stylistically; but the more i think about him and Pavs together the more i get excited about possibly getting Kovalchuk. Pavelski, Couture, and Kovalchuk all on the same line would be pretty awesome. Pavs and Couture are both very good defensively, and they’re both very good at setting people up. Plus all 3 of them know how to score.
OK I’M EXCITED, make the call to DW and give him the go ahead please.
2 defensively responsible set-up guys (who are still very threatening goal scorers) alongside Kovalchuk…MMmMmmm
For sure…that’s where I’d see him slotting in on a potential Sharks roster.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions
The #1 reason why Kovy won’t end up in SJ is for Ivano’s main reason above- Doug Wilson. He doesn’t go after big-time free agents, for better or worse. And in this lean free-agent offseason, Kovy is the marquee player by a huge margin, and will get a monster contract.
The #2 reason why Kovy won’t end up in SJ is one no one has mentioned yet- travel. The Pacific travel schedule is the worst in the league- why would he pass up short hops for all-nighters?
I think travel will have literally nothing to do with where he signs. The money issue, and the marquee FA issue are the main keys. Most people think he’ll end up in LA, which would have the same travel as we do.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Maybe DW see’s that Kovy wants to play for a cup contender. I think DW just doesn’t like getting into the bidding wars and all that, but Kovy seems to definitely be interested in much more than money and i think DW would see that and try to make a move. He’s good at signing guys who want just want to make a cup run, but usually they’re old guys like Blake and Roenick who are close to retirement; rarely do you find guys with the same state of mind who are still in their prime like Kovy.
See
Malhotra, Manny
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
I don’t think travel is as big of an issue as we think it is, especially when one is winning.
Also to keep in mind – Kovalchuk has a family, and three kids. San Jose is a family friendly place, unlike places like New York or even LA.
He’s also a very close friend of Heatley. They roomed in Atlanta, and then played on the same team in Russia during the lockout. They still call each other regularly. That’s a big plus that LA doesn’t have, assuming they get rid of Frolov.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
Interesting I knew they were teammates back when Heatley played for Atlanta but I had no idea they were that close. And agreed about the family. Most of the Bay Area (espicially San Jose and surrounding area where he would persumably live) is a very family friendly neighborhood. Of course that could end up being one of the reasons Marleau stays in which case no Kovalchuck.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
Really
If not for Heatley’s accident and that duo stuck together, who knows where Atlanta would be in the NHL landscape now. It’s scary how good their combined potential was.
I’ll tell you this, Atlanta would have definitely made more than just one playoff appearance in their franchise history.
Ultimately, I don’t think think Kovy will sign here, but the impact of the Heatley connection can’t be overlooked.
So much wasted opportunity in Atlanta
Five top 3 draft picks in the last 10 years:
- Patrick Stefan in 1999
- 2 Heatley in 2000
- Kovalchuk in 2001
- Lehtonen in 2002
- Bogosian in 2008
Only Bogosian is in a Thrashers uniform.
Patty Marleau: An Erotic Life in San Jose... to be continued?
by Will Bulldozer on Jun 14, 2010 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Something else about the Heatley-Kovy bond..
Is that I’ve read that Heatley really helped Kovy learn to speak English when they played together in Atlanta and Russia
Good memory. We wrote about it here. Heatley calls Kovy “a true friend”.
Fear the Fin - all Evgeni, all the time.
Oh all you people with whom reality has some sway
Here’s what will happen: Marleau accepts league minimum, we pick up Kovy as well, for 7M say and we have (with only the slightest thought going into the lines).
Heatley – Thornton – Kovalchuck (give Kovy some time with an elite passer)
Clowe – Pavelski – Seto (I think they could hit their stride as a line next year, given this year)
Marleau – Malhotra – Couture (sort of a 2B line, but we could run 3 legit scoring lines)
McGinn – Nichol – Someone else from the baby sharks
Boyle – Murray
Hamhuis/Martin – Vlasic
Demers – Huskins (maybe?)
Greiss
Stalock
(I apparently have a lot less faith in Price than others do. I had him in fantasy and he was super unreliable and that’s a deal breaker in my book. That said, I haven’t actually watched him much…)
I don't like that line-up at all
Martin/Hamhuis go to 1st pairing….no one to play w/ Vlasic, and 3rd pairing is meh
Also, Clowe needs to go…
Greiss is not a good starter (ESPECIALLY with the iffy Defense you have there – if you added Leopold and Tallinder/ Willie Mitchell instead of Murray and Huskins, then MAYBE he could be a starter)
Go Sharks!
Mix the pairings around then? Get a new third pairing? I wasn’t really worrying about the defense when I had this fantasy. Actually, reality had no sway in it at all.
Anyway, I was thinking a 42/42 split with Greiss and Stalock, which I figure they could both handle and I have no real problem with. In any case, this year proved Price is anything but a good starter, so I’m not sure what the solution is, if that’s the problem.
How the hell does this fit under the cap?
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
Marleau took league minimum
Didn’t you read my crazy premise? It might still be a bit over though, I didn’t really add it up.
What about when we trade for Patrick Sharp by only giving up a 4th. And then convince BOTH Martin and Hamhuis to accept league minimum to man the blueline. Epic.
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 7:12 PM PDT up reply actions
I have a feeling that DW is gonna play poach a Blackhawk this summer, with all the deals hes done in the past. I just hope its Sharp.
"Hes like a Sweedish Bear" -Randy Hahn 4/8/10
Dont boo your team!
I desperately want Sharp…
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions
I desperately want Pronger. Can we convince his wife that Philly’s worse than Edmonton and have DW orchestrate a trade?
Patty Marleau: An Erotic Life in San Jose... to be continued?
by Will Bulldozer on Jun 14, 2010 8:27 PM PDT up reply actions
I love Pronger...
I, in no way, want the next 6 (or is it 7?) years of his contract (that still counts even if he retires before the end).
Esta noche nosotros cenamos Tortugas
Así que bueno, ellos serán
Z!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by ZeroIndulgence on Jun 14, 2010 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Roster Chemistry
Has anyone noticed that all the skaters on the Sharks roster are North Americans? The only Europeans last season were Greiss and Nabokov. Not sure if this means anything and the prospect of getting Kovalchuk is a pipedream anyways.
by John Henry Schroeder on Jun 14, 2010 8:37 PM PDT reply actions
Excuse me, I forgot Douglas Murray was from Sweden, but he spent a lot of time in minors in addition to four years at Cornell.
by John Henry Schroeder on Jun 14, 2010 8:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Not worth Patty or Pavs
Oh wow! A hockey conversation in my own backyard. I had plenty of chances to watch the Thrashers since $15 tickets are on the daily menu. Kovi is a great player, he;s like a Barry Sanders- someone who can still make plays amidst teammmates who dont hold a candle to his talent. We didnt have a chance to see to what potential he has among the talent in NJ this year, but there in lies the hype in what kind of dollars he’ll command in a new contract. People,are sure he’ll find another gear when he gets around the right group of guys, but couldnt see Kovi being the highest paid Shark. He shook off those big offers from Atlanta because he didnt want to be there. Watching him play live, you could see when he was tanking plays and dragging his ass on shifts in the time before he got traded. I see DW adding another household name to the roster but I couldnt say if it would be Kovi or not. We’d have to part ways with another big name (preferably Nabokov) if we wanted someone like Kovi. Losing Marleau or Pavelski for the sake of getting Kovi isnt worth it. Period.
I come in peace, I didn't bring artillery. But I am pleading with you with tears in my eyes: If you fuck with me, I'll kill you all.
Marine General James Mattis, to Iraqi tribal leaders
Article about what Kovalchuk is probably looking for:
It’s kinda strange that he’s interested in joining the Leafs, but maybe he see’s potential in their team; and i think he really wants to go somewhere where hockey is popular and relevant.
maybe the dude just hated atlanta and thought he wanted to go to a hockey city
but if he wanted a playoff bound team then why would he go to toronto?
He wants to much money
SJ says no
Waiting for the cup in San Jose
I never forget a face, but in your case, I'd be glad to make an exception-Groucho Marx
by sanjosesharksfan on Jun 17, 2010 12:37 PM PDT reply actions
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