Re: Who Thinks This Trade Is OK???
posted at 7/25/2010 2:18 PM EDT
So we're effectively adding $200K in cap space while overpaying for an underperforming defenseman. This might be one of the dumbest threads I've seen in a while. You not only add salary on, but you also create a logjam at a position that's actually set for the year.
They do need to trade somebody, but the question is who? You'd like to avoid trading any player under 25, which is why Savard and Thomas have been the popular trade targets. Bergeron is an option to be traded depending on what Chiarelli's opinion is of him. Personally, I'm a fan of Bergerons. He still has a good offensive skill set, and since Julien's restricted what he can do offensively, Bergeron has improved his defensive talents to become one of the better 2-way centers in the league. I think his numbers would improve if he was playing with more talented players, as he scored 52 points in 73 games while playing with little to no offensive talent (see Paille, Daniel).
I think Chiarelli will entertain offers from teams who see blood in the water with the cap space. Teams like the Islanders who actually need to fill cap space to reach the cap floor or teams who have cap space and money to spend may be willing to take on a bad contract like Ryder's or Sturm's on the condition of us giving them a good draft pick or prospect in return.
In the end, I believe Chiarelli will take advantage of Sturm's injury and use the LTIR to save some space. I know that Sturm will most likely be back by the end of November, but that's when you use a player like Colborne, Marchand or Sauve (players with 2-way contracts) so that when Sturm returns they can be sent back down. They may also send Ryder down to Providence, but that's not an attractive option for Jacobs, who had to pay Schaffer when he was sent down. Jacobs has begun to spend more since the cap was implemented, but even the most prosperous of teams would be unwilling to send $4 million to the AHL.
Expect a trade of a veteran and some of the younger players to push for a 3rd line spot. Sending Seguin back may ultimately be the safest move for the structure of the roster and potentially for Seguin. I'm not saying Seguin isn't ready, but another year in Plymouth could benefit him more than making his bones on the 3rd line.
