Trottier

Ah yes, $$$. Peca is a weird situation, a Catch-22, IMO. His salary is one that takes up a lot of payroll space, and as, such would be a target to move, especially given NYI's relative depth at center. On the other hand, IMO, Peca's worth to this team would increase dramatically, were NYI to acquire more talent to join him on the roster. That is, he is an invaluable player on a winning team. See Sabres '99, Candian Olympic Team, '02.

That's an interesting take on the Isles D corp, and one with which I agree. Aside from the obvious lack of jam on the backline, I tend to think that NYI's top 4 is slightly overrated overall. And that's even with the consideration that Janne and Hamrlik are capable of better play than they showed overall last season.

I'd love him alongside Yashin. However, doubtful he's going to be moved, even more doubtful that NJD and NYI would trade. And finally, he would render a steep return, as he is young, very talented, Cup experienced and relatively inexpensive. If I'm Lou and Milbury calls, the asking price is Scatchard and Niinimaa.

http://www.tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie.asp "The Ducks need to shed about $9 million in payroll. Defenceman Ruslan Salei, a restricted free agent who is eligible for arbitration, is likely gone and in high demand throughout the league. The trouble is, in order to get Salei, interested teams are being told they must also take forward Petr Sykora, who earns more than $4 million a year on a long-term deal. The Ducks may have to eat some of that salary, but they really need to move Sykora to make ends meet." If true (and McKenzie is a solid reporter), Ruslan Salei ($1.75M) and Petr Sykora ($4.2), two names mentioned in the past by me and others, are there for the taking, as the Ducks look to pare payroll. Both are in their prime, both played major roles for a Cup Finalist just 12 months ago, and Sykora (a left-handed shot for Yashin's RW) won a Cup with NJ in 2000. Surely, the Isles could come up with the players to placate Anaheim. The challenge would be opening up the pocketbook, as Anaheim's primary purpose here is to cut salaries (so forget about dumping that ingrate Peca or some other high salary on them.) One could envision the Ducks willing to consider Scatchard or Kvasha, along with Martinek. Or perhaps Niinimaa (or Aucoin) and a #1. Regardless if one doesn't like the NYI names I'm throwing out, these are the types of potential trade opportunities good GM pursue. and these are the times that owners that really wish to improve their team open up their checkbooks a bit. Getting reeeeeeeal hard to care about this team any more.

Not for nothing, but why does that apply to Yashin but not Peca? Hasn't he been around just as long, to the day? Maybe you were just trying to make a point about people calling for Peca's head, but not Yashin's. I don't know. Personally, I've been disappointed with both. Peca, however, is the more movable of the two. Peca is clearly the more movable of the two, though, frankly, his salary and some remaining question marks about his health likely mean that his current trade value is low. Best for NYI to hold on to him, for now. The rosy scenario I envision: he has a stellar season, the Isles too, and they head into the playoffs with him next spring. The pessimistic scenario: he has an average season and/or the team struggles, and he is moved at tnext March's deadline, as surely a contender would love to add Mike Peca to their roster, the lack of appreciation for him on Long Island notwithstanding. Peca's game deserves criticism. But certainly not based on the same criteria (offensive stats) as Yashin. Even if #27 has a "good year" next season, no one in their right mind should expect more than 50 points or so.

It's come to this? Get rid of Michael Peca for "what I don't know." Do some people really devalue the guy this much? Amazing. And better yet, replace him with another soft Euro, who up until the last couple of seasons, has carried the label of an underachieving, inconsistent NHL player? You need heart players to win. I'll leave it to Gradin and 2001 to besmirch Peca in this regard, my days of defending him in that area are long past. However, replacing his type with a Nylander type takes us to a new depth. We've seen Yashin and his band of indifferent linemates and what they have accomplished over the last three seasons. Don't need yet another on his flank. Get Yashin a guy who wants it. A guy who has demonstrated nads throughout his career. A guy who will not allow him to sulk, take nights off, etc., by virtue of example. (See: Gary Roberts.) And retain Peca. Nylander/Yashin and no Peca? That's a team built for October-March. And nothing else. This fan has seen enough of that, thank you.

"If we are trading players based on playoff performance than everyone goes except DiPietro. Agree we need those types in the playoffs, but the ones we have, to this point, aren't getting the job done." If "we" are trading players based on playoff performance, "we" are morons, for that imples that one expected more from this perennial barely 8th place finisher. Speaking for myself, I'm basing player evaluation on multiple factors, including which ones are built for the playoff style of play, and which ones are not. If you don't think Parrish is, and instead want to simply cite his admitted unimpressive post-season offensive statistics to date, be my guest. (Guess up until this spring, Keith Primeau wouldn't have made the cut for you either, eh?) Sorry, that's not my criteria. Guy has guts, jam and desire, and gets his hands dirty constantly. I'll leave it to others to build the case for replacing his type with a Chow, Weinhandl, Yashin or Kvasha come springtime. "And where is this notion that the Isles have a predominance of figure skaters coming from?" You and your ilk want to kick Peca and now Parrish out the door and replace them with the beauty, the grace of yet another Euro who puts up shiny numbers, October-March. Flawed logic. First, NYI is too cheap to acquire a Demitra type. Second, unless you surround Demitra, Yashin, Chow, Kvasha (read: all players who's lack of, um, nads, has been questioned when the going gets rough) with guys who will provide them with "courage" you and other NYI fans will have a fun October-March...and another early playoff exit. Different game once the calendar turns to April. Just ask Sanderson, Rucinsky and those other figure skaters who couldn't come close to replacing Bertuzzi come playoff time for Vancouver.

Last thing NYI needs to do is start divesting itself of gritty N. American boys like Parrish who get their nose dirty. Those type are required come playoff time, and NYI has too many figure skaters as it is.

I never said I'd make the deal (with Peca) that was originally proposed. However, it's a lot more realistic (fairer) than the other ones, IMO. The Sedins would not come cheaply. Likewise, they are not yet "proven" commodities, as in "the differencemakers" we all talk about. However, if you want those type of players (proven, top end talent), expect to pay, both in $ and players (unless you sign FA). NYI has shown absolutely no inclination to do such since June 2001. Hence, if a fan is looking at hypothetical moves, best to try to identify players that have the potential to produce more in their future. Not 18 year old prospects, but NHLers who, one surmises, have not reached the top of their NHL game. The Sedins fit into that category. Personally, not the biggest fan of either, but I understand the rationale behind looking at them. *** Personally, if NYI were to talk deal with Vancouver, I'd rather look at going the reverse route and propose something around Weinhandl and Bryan Allen. (There would likely need to be more included in the deal.) My criteria for proposing a deal: there has to be some "pain" on both sides, and some pleasure. I like Weinie and believe he will be a productive NHLer, therefore I do not "want" to trade him. But I also like Allen, and he could fit a need, as Weinie (reunited with the Sedins) could do in Vancouver.

This trade idea - like every other NYI proposal - comes back to the same quandary: What direction should NYI go in the opinion of fans? Stay the course and try to add established talent to win near-term? Or (re)build for "the future". Likewise, what direction is the team going to take, in reality. We get nowhere discussing deals because there is no general consensus on where this team stands at this point, and where Wanger & Milbury are going to take it. Personally, I believe they will continue the status quo and keep repackaging it for marketing sake to a often-gullible fanbase. Whoop-de-damn-do. At least when you are wretched, you have nowhere to go but up. Seems that this current team, under the management of Wanger and Milbury, are satisfied with going sideways. Weinhandl, Paps, Mapletoft and Bruno are not going to lift this team to great heights. And your one superstar is anything but one. Time to make impactful moves to improve the on-ice product. Or sell the franchise.

Thanks for interjecting a bit of reality into this thread. I mean, can we send our absolute scraps to Vancouver for the Sedin twins? If your new GM were to take that offer, he'd be out of his job in no time. Mapletoft - unable to break into NYI's lineup, to date looking very much like a 4th line NHLer, and injured. Papineau - unproven NHLer. Bates - third liner. 2nd round pick in a weak draft. C'MON!

You would never - NEVER - want Cairns and Ward out as your third-pair d duo. Gradin and Karel could both skate around them. As a spare forward (for physical purposes) or an emergency #6 replacement for Cairns, fine. But a player like him will be of minimum value come playoff time, evidence by the number of times he was scratched by the Ducks last spring. A spare part, yes, and his name was suggested by your's truly months ago. Nothing more. And not for the post-season. *** The further a team goes into the playoffs, the less important fighters become. Round One usually features fisticuffs. It drops off from there forward. Of course, NYI needs to get to the playoffs first.

I'm judging him based on the last calendar year. (He was acquired near the deadline last spring, nearly 12 months ago.) I think you may be getting this wrong. Kovalev's play over the last season may make him more affordable, trade-wise, for NYI (or any other team). His contract is up soon, another plus. Finally, I agree totally that odds are certainly in favor of him snapping out of his funk once he departs Manhattan. He simply possesses too much talent to burn out at age 31. My commentary was really a matter of his play in NYC, which is undeniably subpar. My point is that at this time, if you acquire Kovalev, it's different than the situation when NYR re-acquired him last season. At that point, they were trading for a productive top-flight sniper. Right now, you'd be acquiring an underachiever who has fallen off greatly from previous production. That said, it does fall into my favorite category of "selling high, buying low" when it comes to trading players. Obviously, chances are very slim that this will ever happen. If Kovalev were to be acquired, and put on a line with Yashin, would hate top be the third forward on that line. You'd never see the puck!

Gradin, in your urgency to brand me with the "grit" label, you seemingly overlooked my point. Kovalev is this season a shell of his former self. You don't have to buy it, but perhaps you haven't caught many NYR games, or are simply in denial. In no way should the "Shell" comment, be misconstrued to suggest he is washed up, finished. It is meant to suggest that he is having a wretched season+ since re-joining NYR. As 9-19-22 points out, a change of scenary could very well rejuvenate him. That's a different issue.

I'm thankful NYI is not one of them.