Fact: The Caps are in desperate need of a first-line, play-making center.Fact: The Caps have a handful of core players who will be due new contracts after the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, so it's unlikely they can break the bank (in terms of dollars or years) on any one player this coming offseason.
Fact: The Caps have a young stud Swede who hopefully will be playing in the NHL next season, but undoubtedly will have some difficulty transitioning to North America, both on and off the ice.
Fact: The Rangers are having trouble re-signing Michael Nylander, who just so happens to be a legitimate first-line center who is Swedish and won't cost Scott Gomez/Chris Drury money.
Answer: Sign Nylander for two years at $4-4.5 million per year, and he centers Alex Ovechkin, mentors Nicklas Backstrom and is off the books by the time Backstrom's ready to be the number one center and the team has to make big-time salary commitments elsewhere.
Any questions?
17 comments:
Makes sense. The only problem is Nylander wants to stay in NYC. Now, if the Rangers go after Gomez, I think Nylander becomes available. Persoanlly, I love his pass first, shoot second approach which I think would be the perfect compliment to Ovie's game. Robert Lang might be the more logical option since I doubt he's staying in Detroit.
Fact: Bears like Beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.
double deja vu
1) Where did you hear that the rangers were 'having trouble' signing Nylander?
2) All published reports have said he wants to stay, and the Rangers want him. They have the cap space(Partly thanks to Ted still paying 1/2 of JJ's salary)
3) It won't be easy to get what cap fans want; A true # 1 free agent center. The pickings aren't numerous and the number of potential buyers are many. Meaning the prices will be salary cap unfriendly
This day is bananas - B-A-N-A-N-A-S
didnt you learn from the disaster that was Jagr's tenure in DC? Nylander will float around the ice for 2 years and disappear come playoff time. (if they make it) Drury is clearly a better option if you want to win, shouldnt matter the cost
Nylander'd be a better compliment to Semin's game.
Faux - try clicking a link (new concept in blog reading, I know).
The Caps can't sign Drury. I'd love to see it, but the reality is that with all the UFAs and RFAs they've got coming up, they can't commit to one guy for 5 years at $7m if his name isn't Ovechkin.
And Nylander isn't Jagr. In fact, Nyls was a great fit when he was here... until Yonkman fell on him.
1) Oh, A Larry Brooks linked article. No wonder we are still having to ask "Where did you hear that the rangers were 'having trouble' signing Nylander?" LOL
2) Nylander is NOT coming back to the Caps. You can take that to the bank. Forget about Drury. He's staying in Buffalo. Briere/Gomez will be available but will cost WAY more than the Caps will want to spend
Look at us, we're faux, and we're faux-sty (that's like feisty, but faker).
I'm all for intelligent discussion, but link skipping and then link trashing is silly. That's right. Silly.
And sorry, which bank exactly do I take predictions to?
The FAUX-BANK?!?!?
OMGOMGOMG BURNED.
Triple post. Where's Tyler? Usually it's his domain to be sarcastic and angry.
Eff. Quadruple post. Looks like Tyler's here, but he just let in a soft goal.
Having established that Faux are multimaniacal, I'm letting other people establish it as well. ;-)
I'll play along with Fauxtumor...
"2) All published reports have said he wants to stay, and the Rangers want him. They have the cap space(Partly thanks to Ted still paying 1/2 of JJ's salary)"
Where are all these 'published reports'? It's cute that you can bash a verified published report but don't back yer own stink.
The Rangers have the 3rd highest payroll for 2006-07. Where's all the cap space?
You do realize EVERY team has a salary cap? So the high cost of a good FA EVERY team.
The Caps have the 2nd lowest payroll. Call me crazy, but I'd say the salary cap isn't the issue to focus your negativity.
I don't know J.P., I think it's about time that Teddy gets off his fat wallet, and starts paying for some real talent when it's available.
The Caps are well under the salary cap, and outside of Ovechkin and Semin, who else will become a RFA that you MUST keep? Boyd Gordon? No.
I don't see how Nylander is a better option, just because he can possibly be had on the cheap?
I guess it all depends on what you think Gomez will demand in this market? He hasn't been a true first line Center, ever, which is his main gripe with NJ. He also pretty much knows he's gone, publicly stating it's "the end of an era." He's 7 years younger than Nylander. He's a pass-first guy. You know he's a winner. He's never spent significant time injured. The list goes on and on.
I think you get Gomez, regardless the price, and you don't have to worry about that position for years. Plus, you can always move him back down to the second line, if/when Backstrom is ready.
I think you have to seriously question Teddy's commitment to building a winner, if some of these UFA's go unsigned this cycle.
completely agree with superfan, its time to step up to the f-ing plate, no excuse not to sign gomez, and for all those people that say no because of salary cap in the future or whatever else, grow a pair, unless you dont care if the caps suck forever
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