Potential Free-Agent Pick-ups

by Craiga35 on Jun 7, 2010 1:37 AM EDT

With the limited Cap space the bruins have, and many of the players, taking up that cap have no-trade clauses.

While trading Tim Thomas does sound like a good Idea, he has a no-trade clause, and a no-minors clause effective until July of 2012, so he's staying, no matter what. Hopefully, providing his hip heals up good, he and Rask will be able to split the time again, and run a nice tandem in net.

We need at least one, cheap, but good pickup from free-agency this year. There are a few options:

Alex Tanguay who didn't have that great of a season down in Tampa, but that means we could get him for, potentially, cheaper than the 2.5M he was paid in Tampa.

Tomas Plekanec who had a pretty good year up in Montreal, getting 70 points, 18 more than anyone else on the Bruins. However, his good year could come at a price. He was paid 2.75M in MTL this year, meaning he probably will want more than that.

Vaclav Prospal who didn't have that a big year in New York, but still netted over 50 points, and as I'm sure you know, he can put the puck in the back of the net. Even better, he was only paid 1.15M on the NYR's this year, meaning he could be a really cheap pickup.

Maxim Afinogenov had a resurgence in Atlanta this year, getting 61 points, and probably the best part about it, he was only paid 800K so he could be a really cheap pickup!

Saku Koivu I know the thought of the Bruins signing the former Captain of the Montreal Canadiens makes some of our skin crawl, but lets face it, he produces. He hasn't had a year with less than 50 points since 2000-2001 (except for 01-02 when he was injured and played only 3 games) However, he is the most expensive on this list, making 3.25M last year in ANA. It's doubtful he would take a pay cut, so he is probably an unrealistic choice.

Keep in mind, we will also be paying for Hall/Seguin, so with just 4.3M cap space free right now, and we still have Recchi, Begin, Satan, and Boychuck as Unrestricted free agents, and Wheeler, Stuart, Paille, Lehtonen, Sobotka and McQuaid as Restricted free agents.

As for players to trade for some cap space, Ryder is taking up 4M and does not have a NTC. As much as I hate to say it, Lucic is taking up 4.08M, which in my opinion is not worth the amount of offense he provides. He is a crowd favorite and an energy player, but to me he doesn't provide enough to justify anything over 3M in my opinion. Zach Hamill is taking up 1.3M, and he has yet to see more than 3 games in the NHL, in his career. Wideman is taking up almost 4M and I think we can all agree, despite his Playoff performance, he is not worth all that money.

What do you guys think of these picks?

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Comments

Craig, nice post, but the problem is that most of the players you identify as potential bargains are guys who will be line for HUGE raises this year. No way are Afinegenov and Prospal going to settle for deals on the order of what they got to play this year. Also, I think Plekanac is close to re-signing with Montreal, if he hasn’t yet.

I don’t think TT is untradeable at all. He might well waive his NTC if they approach him and say “look, Rask is #1 and will probably start 55+ games next year. We can trade you to Philly (or Chicago, or Washington, or San Jose if Nabokov leaves, etc.) where you’ll get to be a starter again, for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.”

by Phunwin on Jun 7, 2010 11:09 AM EDT reply actions

Thomas will probaly go the Flyers.
I see Plekanac as a possibility

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by bestbostonsports on Jun 7, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I was just thinking about if there’s anything Boston lacks, it’s a natural centerman.

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by nhlcheapshot on Jun 7, 2010 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions

We’re getting a team of centers together. Worked for Team Canada.

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 8, 2010 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

haha
Im thinking if we get Seaguin to move him to the wing

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by bestbostonsports on Jun 8, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Maxim Afinogenov had a resurgence in Atlanta this year, getting 61 points, and probably the best part about it, he was only paid 800K so he could be a really cheap pickup!

No. Bad. We don’t want someone with inflated value like that.

What we do want is someone with deflated value who we can say that about at the end of the year. Guys with good goals or points or assists or whatever stat per 60 but low actual minutes.

http://capgeek.com/bargain_hunter.php

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 7, 2010 12:52 PM EDT reply actions

Exactly. Oddly enough, Dennis Seidenberg kind of fits the bill, given how well he played for Boston in a relatively short time. Had Seidenberg remained healthy and playing at that same level, he surely would have gotten more money. (Of course, the B’s also would probably still be playing hockey, but that’s neither here nor there.)

by Phunwin on Jun 7, 2010 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions

What about Owen Nolan?

In a similar move to Rechhi, older guy but would provide solid locker room presence, great effort game in game out, and wouldn’t be too expensive I don’t think either?

Not that I want a team of senior citizens, but in terms of value….could be worse

by JonnyNYC on Jun 7, 2010 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

Doesn't score enough, and too old.

We need a player who can put the puck in the net. The last time he even broke 25 goals in a season was the 1999-2000 season. He’s not what we need right now, and besides, someone old like Owen Nolan or Recchi is not what we need either. We need a goalscorer, but we also need that goal scorer for more than a year or two. Recchi was a good mid-season pick-up, but I don’t think he would be a great off-season pickup, especially with a team with the little amount of cap space the Bruins have.

by Craiga35 on Jun 10, 2010 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions

Recchi was a mid season pick up 2 yrs ago

he played a full season with the B’s in ’09, and was one of the best/most consistent wings they had.

Of course that says as much about the talent around it as it does him, but a Recchi and Nolan are both sub $2M players, Rechhi probably right around 1M.

I agree the B’s need goal scorers, but they also need more effort guys. Nolan I think is still a B level performer like Recchi, who can provide solid effort, be a good locker room presence and contribute on the 3rd line

by JonnyNYC on Jun 10, 2010 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Let’s get ’em both for next year, why not?

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jun 10, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree that Rex isn’t the goal scorer that this team needs, but he wasn’t signed to be THE guy anyway. The way he plays the game and his well documented approach to preparation along with his commitment to bring everything he has every game is just what this team needs. Especially with thier cap constraints!
Young guys like Wheeler, that have the talent, but appear to be lacking in the commitment and dedication needed to take them to the next level could be learning a lot from this guy. If they just look accross the locker room and say “I want to TRY to do it like Recchi” this team would be much better. A year of being in the room as Recchi could be nothing but a good thing for the #2 pick.
I don’t know much about Nolan’s game now, or if he’s a good locker room guy, he might be the last remaining Nordique, but if you can compare his presence to Recchi it sounds good to me.

by SkateHitShoot on Jun 10, 2010 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions