Wilderness Walk for 5-27-2010 (Kind Of)

Thanks for the link to my blog. For the record, I also recommend everyone reading the whole thing, unlike the author here.

I’ve read the whole thing. Multiple times, but thanks for checking that video camera you have in my head before you made that comment.

I also wrote "I originally wrote this part after the first round, when Byfuglien had zero playoff points because he was playing as a defenceman." Obviously his value has increased.

I don’t buy for a second that you wrote it after the first round, since the first line you use while discussing him is: “Yes, I know, easier said than done, especially after the playoffs he just had.” Nice try, though.

"I now think the Habs would have to add more to the deal, but if the Blackhawks want to get rid of Campbell, they’ll have to add something else to the deal."

So if the Hawks want to trade Byfuglien and Campbell for Markov and the Kositsyn sisters, the Hawks need to sweeten the deal? Or they need to throw in Byfuglien to make it worth it for the Hawks? The point is, the Hawks don;t want Markov, or the Kostitsyns, so why would they possibly want to give up the Conne Smythe favorite for them?

Originally though, I listed Markov as part of a trade as going to Colorado, since they need a top puck-moving defenceman, but I see you left that part out. (That’s why I didn’t include Campbell in my lines at the end of the posting, or did you miss that part as well?)

I left most of your post out, or did you miss that part as well? I’m not going to post your entire post, thus the link so people can read it. As for the trade to Colorado part… then why mention him as being traded for Campbell later? You trying to be Eklund and just throwing things out there and hoping something sticks? Colorado doesn’t need Markov either. They already have two d-men making over $ 4 million. Why add another?

You don’t think there are teams out there that would want Carey Price? A 22-year-old potential franchise goalie who has won world junior championships, a Calder Cup (along with the Calder Cup MVP), won CHL and WHL goalie of the year awards, and has had some NHL success (not a lot, but a litte).

And was replaced as a starter by his back up two years in a row. And who melts down at the slightest bit of pressure. Success at the WJC? A Calder Cup? CHL and WHL goalie of the year? Big deal. I’ve had my driver’s license for 15 years now. It’s time to stop bragging about it and start bragging about where I go now that I have it. None of those things matter. He is in the NHL, and he is terrible, and the laughing stock of NHL goaltenders. You are so sure teams want him, name them please. Who would over spend on a washout? Then again, that’s the entire point of your post. Price, the Kostitsyns… you think teams are just lining up for your off casts.

It’s not like we’re talking about Josh Harding. We’re actually talking about a potential #1 starter here.

Oh. Woe is me. You talked trash about Josh Harding. What ever shall I do. I better go cry this out. I’ll be right back.

OK. I’m OK now. Harding is an unproven, untested back up, ready for a shot at the #1 spot. He has shown poise in his games, and he has shown mental lapses. He is young and unproven. He is also going to get a shot at a #1 spot before Price gets another one. If you would go back and read comments, posts, and analysis on Harding on this blog, you would see that none of us see him as the next coming of Patrick Roy. He is, however, a serviceable and viable option for a team rebuilding and ready to take a chance with a cheap goaltender who could be the next goalie jackpot.

I didn’t put Byfuglien on the fourth line. I put him in brackets after I listed the offensive lines, because that’s where you generally list players not on lines. You wouldn’t say "top line: Cammy-Gionta-Gomez (not included: Sergei Kostitsyn)." It just doesn’t make sense.

First off, those are parentheses, not brackets. These are brackets: [ ] Here is the exact lines from your post:

Gionta-Gomez-Kovalchuk

Cammalleri-Kariya-Cullen

Lapierre-Moore-Pouliot

Boogaard-Moen-Metropolit (not including a trade to get Byfuglien)

So, how about you list Byfuglien in parentheses next to the line you think he fits on, rather than next to the fourth line. Or, drop the line to it’s own line to distinguish it from the fourth line. Show me another place where they list players not listed on a line directly after the fourth line, and sharing a line in the formatting with the fourth line.

No, you would not include players on a line that are not on the line, as you suggest with the Kostitsyn remark. However, when you want to potentially include a player on that line, you certainly would list them near that line. At least, it would make sense.

I’d like to know where you think Kovalchuk is going to get a $100 million/10 year deal. Is there any team that would do that, or even afford to?

To this, I simply reply: www.CapGeek.com. The Islanders look to be an intriguing spot he could land. 17 players signed, $29 million in cap space left to sign seven guys. Hell, even Anaheim has 18 players signed with $19 million left over. Either team would make sense. Also the Coyotes, the Blues, the Avs… all have the cap sapce to sign him, depending on if they want him that badly. As I said, I think he gets his $10 million deal, or he bolts for the KHL. He is not a team player. He could care less about the cap hit and how it affects the team. He wants his money.

I visited a salary cap site. I did up the numbers. Under my ideas, the Habs can afford to ice the team I listed.

You may want to revisit them. If you can’t find any teams that can fit Kovalchuk under the cap, you obviously didn’t look the sites over very well. Yes, under your plan, maybe they fit. My point was that your “plan” is a pipe dream. The Hawks won’t make the trades you think they will, no one wants to give anything up for Price, and the Kostitsyns are worthless. Markov may be able to draw some interest, but not the value you think he has.

I would like to remind everyone who decides to comment on blog postings to please read the whole thing.

Agreed. Read the whole thing. Then read it again. It is good for a laugh every time.

Again, thanks for the link and the comments.

I do what I can to keep myself entertained. If that results in linking to your site, so be it. You are very welcome for the link, but you may want to temper the celebration. Being linked to for the reason you were linked to is not good. We are laughing at you, not with you.

Wow. From the guy who typed “resign” repeatedly in his post, pointing out a missed capital letter in a brand name seems a bit petty.

HA! I love it.

I agree. So sick of Ovechkin and Crosby being rammed down my throat. It’s like Kobe-Lebron in the finals, Red Sox-Yanks, Brady/Patriots, etc. It makes me want to throw up or drink until I throw up.

It was to be expected. Bizzare how Pitt gets in on two WCs before some teams ever get a shot at one.

The real question to me is why are they having a second outdoor game in February? The whole point of the WC was to be special. Having another one a month and a half later degrades it. It also reeks of patronizing BS.

I did as well. My favorite part of the whole blog: “Last November, I wrote a letter to Marc-Andre Bergeron, asking him to leave the Habs because he wasn’t performing.” (nearly impossible to read that with a straight face) hahahahahahahahaha!!! Yep, he’s gonna leave the Habs because of that 1 letter, what a joke. If that were the case, I’d write letters to James Sheppard and Derek Boogaard every single day asking them to leave. Looks like I better get started on those 2 letters, peace out for now Wilderness. ;)

Hmm… I don’t think they announce the players until very close to the dates. Not sure on an exact date, but it seems to me it was almost right when they started last year.

Email in to Wild PR. Will let you know when / if they reply.

I need some of what you are on. You live in a dream world.

No one will sign Kovalchuk to a $10 mil per deal? Write down the exact date and time you said that. There are teams that will be willing to do so, and I have listed them for you. For the last time, if they don’t, he will go to the KHL, not to Montreal. Keep dreaming though.

As for the dollar amounts after the RFAs, I have an edit button over at Hockey Wilderness, too. They were not there originally, so… good on ya for covering you butt with that.

You are the only person on the planet that thinks the Kostitsyns have value. Let me correct that. People in Montreal are the only ones who think they have value. They don’t. Let it go. You’re stuck with them, and the horrible contracts.

Bringing up Plekanec and Bergeron is avoiding the topic, as they are not included in the cap hit for next season, so who cares?

You are willing to bet there are teams willing to take a chance on Price. As I have asked you before, name them, please.

The NHL is indeed filled with guys who have been given too many chances, but none of them are drama queen Soviet bloc nothings.

Now. Cut straight to it. Do the math on your line-up. You have no back up goaltender, and your salary comes in at $62.37 million.

You are going to say "Show your work," so here it is:

Gomez 7.37
Squid 6
Gionta 5
Moen 1.5
Laraque .5 (Buyout)
Maxwell 0.735
Hamrlik 5.5
Spacek 3.833
Gill 2.25
Gorges 1.3
O’Byrne 0.942
Moore 1.1
Metropolit 1.25
Pouliot 1
Lapierre 1.25
Halak 0.84 (No new salary listed in his post, so I used the basic RFA raise of 5%, but he likely gets more than that)
Byfuglien 3
Kovalchuk 7
Karyia 3.5
Blake 3
Cullen 3
Boogaard 1.5

Total of $62.37 million

(Note: I had to rework my math. No excuses, I did the math wrong and missed something while doing it. No one said I was a math major, but the numbers are correct now, and they still don’t work.)

This salary is $3.77 million over the cap, and relies heavily on way too many hings going perfectly for the Habs.