Habs & the playoffs

[StripperLover]

eastender,

My sources tell me that this is not the case. Perhaps your sources are in the financial community as well ?

 

[spin]

spin,

Montreal cannot afford Lecavalier, (financially or trading of multiple players for him) there is no upside to getting him. Just because Montreal fills the Bell Center every night don't take that to mean that they are financially secure, they're far from it. They pay the highest property taxes of any team in the NHL. That combined with very little broadcast revenue generated as compared to Toronto & the other bigger hockey markets south of the border, doesn't allow them the $ flexibility to grab the highest echelon free agents

SL,

Have to disagree with you on this one. Montreal can afford Lecavalier and there is a huge upside to getting him - Winning! The Montreal Canadiens are the most storied franchise in the history of the NHL and the they need to continue to win Stanley Cups. Vincent Lecavalier is a Quebec born french Canadian superstar (in my opinion the best hockey player in the world right now) There hasn't been a more talented Quebecois since Guy Lafleur - Like it or not we all know what the upside of having a french canadian superstar on the Montreal Canadiens is, any of you who don't just ask Koivu at his next press conference.

I also don't agree with you about being able to afford him, the Salary Cap in the NHL next year will be 44 million if I'm not mistaken, the Montreal Canadiens will have NO TROUBLE financially in meeting a 44 million dollar Salarly cap. Montreal is in the top half in league broadcast revenue (closer to the top than to the middle I may add) and with the revenue sharing system this point is mute.

Don't forget Montreal may sell out of their regular season games but there is a hell of a lot more money involved in selling out second, third round playoff games - and don't forgot the TV money that goes along with them.

Spin

 

[spin]

eastender,

My sources tell me that this is not the case. Perhaps your sources are in the financial community as well ?

Numbers are a funny thing SL, depends on who's reading them and what they want you to think. Whoever is telling you the Montreal Canadiens are NOT finacially secure either has a hidden agenda or is just plain wrong.

On this subject I'll back my sources against anyones - be they in the "financial community" or not.

Spin

 

[StripperLover]

spin,

The 1st part of your argument is subjective. Whether or not the Habs are the most storied franchise in the history of hockey matters little if at all financially at the current time.
The Canadiens did not turn a profit this past season. They needed to get fully through the 2nd round of the playoffs in order to do so, which they did not.
Where are you getting your info on broadcast revenue ?

 

[spin]

The Canadiens did not turn a profit this past season. They needed to get fully through the 2nd round of the playoffs in order to do so, which they did not.
Where are you getting your info on broadcast revenue ?

SL,

The Montreal Canadiens were the #3 Revenue Producing team in the NHL this year, behind only Toronto & Detroit -

Yes the 1st part of my argument may be subjective but you insist that they can't afford Lecavalier while not looking at increased revenue generated by obtaining him.

 

[StripperLover]

spin,

I never mentioned revenues but rather profit.

How are they going to be assured increased profit by obtaining him ? They'd have to be assured to go further in the playoff rounds if they obtained him & that too is a subjective argument.

 

[spin]

spin,

I never mentioned revenues but rather profit.

How are they going to be assured increased profit by obtaining him ? They'd have to be assured to go further in the playoff rounds if they obtained him & that too is a subjective argument.

I would argue that it is not subjective at all - adding a player of Lecavalier's proven talent and ability to win is as close to assuring going further in the playoffs as your going to find.

Merchandising alone would go through the roof.

 

[eastender]

Lecavalier = Profit

spin,

I never mentioned revenues but rather profit.

How are they going to be assured increased profit by obtaining him ? They'd have to be assured to go further in the playoff rounds if they obtained him & that too is a subjective argument.

Since player expenses are capped adding a player like Vincent Lecavalier
re-distributes the salary structure within the team.Regardless of the total salary within the confines of the salary cap no team is guaranteed performance.

On the other hand a high profile Quebecois star would greatly increase souvenir,apparel,novelty,collectible sales,generate additional radio,tv,internet
revenues and impact positively on other periphial revenues.Since the cost factors of the aforementionned are fixed or negligible adding Vincent Lecavalier would only increase these reveues translating into increased profits.

As for the issue of George Gillett's dividend it was reported in daily newspapers and I prefer the reliability of published information.

 

[StripperLover]

eastender,

Here is the link below to the ever-reliable sports journalist AL STRACHAN. And the same article as the media so often does is just issue a one liner in making a statement.

The statement is so non-sensical that it is laughable. He doesn't say where the so-called dividend was derived from, which business or division & he also doesn't state that all of George Gillett Jr's other enterprises, like Le Club de Hockey Canadien are all privately owned & no one, in this case could know what the actual facts are except those investing in his businesses, himself or the various Cdn & American revenue agencies.


http://torontosun.com/Sports/Columnists/Strachan_Al/2006/06/22/1647085-sun.html

List of George Gillett Jr's Business Enterprises.

Club de hockey Canadien, Inc. - Privately Owned - Sporting Activities

Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc. - Privately Owned - Sporting Activities

Swift & Company - Privately Owned - Meat Products

S&C Holdco 3, Inc. - Privately Owned - Meat Products

 

[CMA]

The question here is not a question of revenus or profits because with the salary cap, they cannot go over the amount with or without Lecavalier. The main question here is who Gainey will have to trade for him ?

A goaller, who could be Aebischer, Huet or Danis then what ? I don't beleive that Gillett will accept to let Koivu go and I'm not shure that Gainey will want to let go Bégin, Komisarek, Kovalev or Markov. If Gainey doesn't sign Bouillon till Friday, he will probably loose him then who else ?

If you were Tampa's GM, who would you see fit with your team ? You have the choice : Bonk, Bulis, Dandenault, Downey, Higgins, Murray, Perezhogin, Plekanec, Rideiro, Rivet, Ryder, Simpson, Souray, Streit, Sundstrom and Zednik. Then, you could also ask for some drafts pics for the future.

With all this, if you were Tampa's GM, what would you do, trade Lecavalier to Montreal or try with someone else or keep him ?

CMA

 

[spin]

Glad you put us back on track CMA, if I were the GM in Tampa I would keep him - No Question. That being said had I been the GM in Tampa I wouldn't have signed St.Louis to that contract in the first place...

Now if I were the Canadians GM I would do everything I could to get Lecavalier including trading Koivu - How about Aebischer, Koivu & Ribiero for Lecavalier - I'd even throw in a case full of those $300 sticks for good measure.

We have to get rid of Aebischer he makes way too much money to be a back up.

Now if you're the GM in Tampa do you make the deal???

 

[CMA]

Originally Posted by Spin
Now if I were the Canadians GM I would do everything I could to get Lecavalier including trading Koivu - How about Aebischer, Koivu & Ribiero for Lecavalier - I'd even throw in a case full of those $300 sticks for good measure.

We have to get rid of Aebischer he makes way too much money to be a back up.

Now if you're the GM in Tampa do you make the deal???

If I was GM in Tampa, I wouldn't do that deal because I don't think that they need 2 centre and a goaler but what could be interesting for them is a goaler, Aebischer, a centre, Koivu or Ribiero to replace Lecavalier and a defenseman Rivet or Sourey because one of their problem was at defense. One thing is the total salary of the 3 players compare to Lecavalier salary. Aebischer and Koivu are in the 5 million mark so maybe Aebischer, Ribiero and a defenseman. And don't forget, Montreal have traded Theodore for Aebischer on a one on one deal.

My 2 cents,
CMA

 

[eastender]

You are a few companies short

eastender,

Here is the link below to the ever-reliable sports journalist AL STRACHAN. And the same article as the media so often does is just issue a one liner in making a statement.

The statement is so non-sensical that it is laughable. He doesn't say where the so-called dividend was derived from, which business or division & he also doesn't state that all of George Gillett Jr's other enterprises, like Le Club de Hockey Canadien are all privately owned & no one, in this case could know what the actual facts are except those investing in his businesses, himself or the various Cdn & American revenue agencies.


http://torontosun.com/Sports/Columnists/Strachan_Al/2006/06/22/1647085-sun.html

List of George Gillett Jr's Business Enterprises.

Club de hockey Canadien, Inc. - Privately Owned - Sporting Activities

Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc. - Privately Owned - Sporting Activities

Swift & Company - Privately Owned - Meat Products

S&C Holdco 3, Inc. - Privately Owned - Meat Products

SL
Effectively you admit that the dividend exists you are just backing away from the details and how the information was circulated.Interestingly you cannot provide a link to a denial.The dividend came from a re-financing package estimated at over $270,000,000.00.To provide more information would give clues to my background and of course that is a no-no.

You are at least 10 companies short in your list inc but not limited to Gillett Entertainment - when they advertise non-hockey events at the Bell Centre this company is mentionned.Will not list the others - see previous disclaimer.

 

[joelcairo]

No team would want Koivu - he's damaged goods, he's expensive, he's small, he has not been a success in the NHL.

 

[picasso]

LeCavalier

The Habs' most pressing need is a high-scoring forward to supplement Kovalev and getting LeCavalier would be the ultimate match in heaven. I don't know that Gainey can pull this off because the market has a surplus of defensemen but very few front-line goal scorers and there are plenty of teams besides the Habs who will be bidding for scoring forwards. I believe Gainey has already hedged his bet by signing centers Begin and Murray. There's also Higgins, one of my favorite players, still a pup but tremendous upside at the center position. If I were Gainey I'd offer Bonk, Koivu, Souray, Ribero, even Ryder to Tampa just to get LeCavalier. The guy is a stud, is only 26, a prolific scorer but more importantly plays hard-nosed which is the kind of team personality that Gainey and Carbonneau will be aiming to develop next season.

 

[spin]

The Habs' most pressing need is a high-scoring forward to supplement Kovalev and getting LeCavalier would be the ultimate match in heaven. I don't know that Gainey can pull this off because the market has a surplus of defensemen but very few front-line goal scorers and there are plenty of teams besides the Habs who will be bidding for scoring forwards. I believe Gainey has already hedged his bet by signing centers Begin and Murray. There's also Higgins, one of my favorite players, still a pup but tremendous upside at the center position. If I were Gainey I'd offer Bonk, Koivu, Souray, Ribero, even Ryder to Tampa just to get LeCavalier. The guy is a stud, is only 26, a prolific scorer but more importantly plays hard-nosed which is the kind of team personality that Gainey and Carbonneau will be aiming to develop next season.

I agree with you 100% picasso.

 

[CMA]

Originally Posted by picasso
The Habs' most pressing need is a high-scoring forward to supplement Kovalev and getting LeCavalier would be the ultimate match in heaven. I don't know that Gainey can pull this off because the market has a surplus of defensemen but very few front-line goal scorers and there are plenty of teams besides the Habs who will be bidding for scoring forwards. I believe Gainey has already hedged his bet by signing centers Begin and Murray. There's also Higgins, one of my favorite players, still a pup but tremendous upside at the center position. If I were Gainey I'd offer Bonk, Koivu, Souray, Ribero, even Ryder to Tampa just to get LeCavalier. The guy is a stud, is only 26, a prolific scorer but more importantly plays hard-nosed which is the kind of team personality that Gainey and Carbonneau will be aiming to develop next season.

A trade like that would be the deal of the decade. Face it, Lecavalier is a concession player but none of the above is a match with him. Bonk didn't have a good season last year and cost a lot for what he's bringing. Koivu is still on the injery list, has an over evaluated salary and is consider as a fragile player. Souray would prefere to play out west instead of Florida. Ribeiro has a reputation of a player who has to be push once in while and also has a bad reputation outside the rink. The only interesting player in the list is Ryder.

What could be a good alternative would be a three way deal, let say with Vancouver as exemple. They got Luongo for Burtosi. During the weekend, Luongo declared that he would have love to stay down Florida. How about a deal like :

Luongo goes to Tampa for Lecavalier (who doesn't have a good relashion with head coach Tortorella)

Lecavalier goes to Montreal for Aebischer (Vancouver need a goaler and Aebischer is more familiar with the western divisions), Souray (Vancouver need a defenseman, Souray prefere playing out west to get closer to his daughter and new head coach Vignault already know him) and Ribiero (Vignault knows him well) or Ryder even both of them.

At the end of the run, Tampa will get a prime goaler, Vancouver will get a goaler, a defenseman and 1 or 2 forward and Montreal get Lecavalier, give the second goaler spot to Yann Danis and open a space for a forwarder.

CMA

 

[spin]

I like it CMA - I like it a lot, anyone have Gainey's # in their BlackBerry???

Bob are you out there reading this maybe (in invisible mode of coarse)???

 

[spin]

The only problem with what cma proposes, is that vancouver would never make the deal. Luongo combined with vancouver's scoring punch makes them immediate cup contenders. Aebisher is not a no.1 goalie. He is a back up at best. The only reason he had the job in colorado is because of Roy's retirement and they had no other option. They realized they could't win with him and got rid of him.

I don't think Vancouver will make the deal either but who would have thought Boston would make the Thornton deal with San Jose (or Colorado with Theodore..).

I don't agree that Aebischer is a back up though, there are a lot worse starting goalies in the NHL than him right now.

 

[Techman]

The guy is a stud, is only 26, a prolific scorer

Please guys, enough about his sex life

LeCavalier would have to prove himself very fast if he played in Mtl or the press would eat him up and spit out the bones.

And Koivu has a no trade clause. He's not going anywhere.

and Ribiero (Vignault knows him well)

Exactly why Vigneault would not want anything to do with him. Ribiero has a lousy work ethic and he really has to pick it up before anyone would be interested in him.

As far as Aebischer goes, we could probably trade him back to Colorado. They need a decent goalie.