A Sad Day For the NHL
Yes, he did it. Without getting burned by his mistakes, Sweet Lou sucessfully unload Vladimir Malakhov from his salary cap. Suddenly, everything fall into place (like Matt wrote) and it seems that the Devils were able to re-sign all their players without making any moves.
Let me set the record straight: Sweet Lou is not a genius here. He simply used the CBA at his full extent to trade a player who didn't sign his retirement papers to get some cap relief. When you look at it, the price for Lamoriello's management mistakes was a first round pick. Of course, some people will consider that #1 pick as a steep price to get ride of Malakhov's contract but think twice here. New Jersey locked up the best goaltender in the league for a couple of years and they will be able to re-sign Gionta, Hale and Martin. Do you really think that Sweet Lou cares about that #1 pick since, with the roster he will have, he will finish high in the ranking; leaving SJ with a #1 draft pick selection at a very high position (2o and up)? Laughable. This is a way to avoid the consequences of a bad management. Lou was painted in the corner but SJ come to his rescue. Do they have another hidden agenda regarding something else? Will the Devils come to the rescue SJ in one or two years? This trade is bad; bad because it sends a clear signal: You can escape cap penalties by trading a #1 pick. It is the start of a new trend where team who have cap room will get a #1 draft pick in exchange for cap relief for the richer teams? It is a way to strip the balance of power from other teams? Look closely, because that's exactly what it is.
This trade is very dangerous for the league. This is a way to remove the possibilty to see talents being sprend around the league. The NHL was knocking on that sale button to promote the cap system around the league and among the fans. Now, with that fake trade,Lou have simply removed that possibility for other teams. The fans, around NHL will have to accept that trade and say, "Well, we will have our turn". There's someting very wrong here but I doubt that the league will have the balls to step up because we all know that Lou had probably signed those players and waited until he had cap room to announce those signing. It's a sad day for the NHL where we are able to see a well respected GM using a bogus strategy because he didn't want to face the consequences of his mistakes. Sorry Sweet Lou, I'm not impressed and guess what; I'm sure that, around the league, they are not impressed too.
Let me set the record straight: Sweet Lou is not a genius here. He simply used the CBA at his full extent to trade a player who didn't sign his retirement papers to get some cap relief. When you look at it, the price for Lamoriello's management mistakes was a first round pick. Of course, some people will consider that #1 pick as a steep price to get ride of Malakhov's contract but think twice here. New Jersey locked up the best goaltender in the league for a couple of years and they will be able to re-sign Gionta, Hale and Martin. Do you really think that Sweet Lou cares about that #1 pick since, with the roster he will have, he will finish high in the ranking; leaving SJ with a #1 draft pick selection at a very high position (2o and up)? Laughable. This is a way to avoid the consequences of a bad management. Lou was painted in the corner but SJ come to his rescue. Do they have another hidden agenda regarding something else? Will the Devils come to the rescue SJ in one or two years? This trade is bad; bad because it sends a clear signal: You can escape cap penalties by trading a #1 pick. It is the start of a new trend where team who have cap room will get a #1 draft pick in exchange for cap relief for the richer teams? It is a way to strip the balance of power from other teams? Look closely, because that's exactly what it is.
This trade is very dangerous for the league. This is a way to remove the possibilty to see talents being sprend around the league. The NHL was knocking on that sale button to promote the cap system around the league and among the fans. Now, with that fake trade,Lou have simply removed that possibility for other teams. The fans, around NHL will have to accept that trade and say, "Well, we will have our turn". There's someting very wrong here but I doubt that the league will have the balls to step up because we all know that Lou had probably signed those players and waited until he had cap room to announce those signing. It's a sad day for the NHL where we are able to see a well respected GM using a bogus strategy because he didn't want to face the consequences of his mistakes. Sorry Sweet Lou, I'm not impressed and guess what; I'm sure that, around the league, they are not impressed too.
posted by Latrappe at 8:25 AM
5 Comments:
Maybe I'm just stupid, but I still don't get it. It's a TRADE. Pure and simple. So what? He gave up a first round draft pick for cap relief. So what? How is that any different from, say, signing Gionta and then trading him for a 1st rounder? (Other than it probably wouldn't have worked). The fact is he's under the cap and what he did was within the rules. As I understand it they had a player who was very unhappy--so unhappy he threatened to retire. But he in fact never did retire. So why can't he be traded? What's the big deal? You say it was a GM mistake. From where I'm standing it looks like he tried to have his cake and eat it too and got away with it. Lucky? Genius? Maybe. But dishonest or underhanded or unfair in some way? I don't see it.
Malkahov alrwady stated that he won't play this year. Normally, a trade involve players WHO WILL PLAY and fill a spot in the lineup.It's not the case of Malkahov and it's simply a way to avoir penalties regarding the cap. Do you really think that you will see the two players NJ got in that trade in their lineup this year. SJ and NJ trade players that they know that they won't play... In my perspective, it's not a trade.
"In my perspective, it's not a trade."
Of course it's a trade: two teams got something they wanted from each other. Yes, this is new. But I don't think you have made the case that it is such a bad thing. The idea that a retired player should count against the cap seems arbitrary to me. What purpose does it serve for the good of the league?
In the end the cap is stll there. This trade got him out of the "mess" you *assumed* he was in, but it didn't get him around the cap. In the end the payroll on the ice will be under the cap.
This was a risky strategy--to forge ahead in the belief that something could be worked out in the last minutes--but it paid off. You have to give him credit for that.
I think we are going to see a lot more of this in the future as GM's figure out that things have changed. By "this" I mean I think we will see more trades at the last minute before the season starts in order to get under the cap. Some teams are going to load up on talent and then shed it just before the deadline. Others are going to bide their time and put themselves in the position to be on the other side of such a deal, assuming that they will have a good bargaining position. In the years to come I think "the cap deadline" may become as hot as the "trade deadline."
this trade makes me happy!!! what does this tell the folks in san jose....it says we would rather you watch half a team of stiffs than pay for a full roster...good luck joe!
this trade makes me happy!!! what does this tell the folks in san jose....it says we would rather you watch half a team of stiffs than pay for a full roster...good luck joe!
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