Kariya, Paul

[fargoblues]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports ... enDocument

[ViPeRx007]

I doubt they'd just say they didn't want him. They'd probably say the same thing about any upcoming FA we have...even Winchester.

It makes sense to have some leadership but there are other veterans to choose from in the FA pool who I'd be more happy with at this point. I guess if he took a huge discount it wouldn't be a bad move.

[northwest dave]

I see the BC weed made it to St. Louis.
Put the spliff down JD, no thanks to Kariya.

[STLADOGG]

I think he is worth 2 Mill but I wouldn't go any higher than that.

[WaukeeBlues]

I think he is worth 2 Mill but I wouldn't go any higher than that.

Provided Eller isn't coming up, etc, I agree. The spot he would take on the roster is almost as valuable as the salary the Blues would be paying him, and that's what I'm having a tough time with more than his salary. Especially given the fact his days as a 30+ goal scorer are long gone.

[richtedm]

Please, there is no reason NOT to to re-sign Kariya if you can get him at the right price. If Eller is good enough to make the team, he will make the team regardless of whether Paul Korea is on the roster.

[Nyghtewynd]

The right price is about a mill. He's been terrible when the games have meant something, and he has nothing to do with the future, unless we're talking about the future of selling tickets to gullible fans who think he's going to suddenly become the player from five years ago.

[philco_3]

I would say 1.5-2.5 million Or just go balls out for Kovalchuk if he doesn't resign with NJ.

[Robb_K]

I wouldn't want to give him more than $1.5 million. But he'll want more. So, I don't mind if he moves on. 2 younger better goal-scorers should be picked up (one of them "elite").

[JPonder94]

This guy is not a checker and is no longer a goal scorer. Where does he fit on this roster? Leadership? A guy that jumps from team to team where the paycheck is? Or the guy that has been a shot his whole career and never learned how to pass? I don't want that guy leading guys like Oshie and Berglund.

Pass a million times over. We can get way better in the free-agent market. I don't care if he'll play for league minimum. The guy does not bring it anymore.

[richtedm]

This guy is not a checker and is no longer a goal scorer. Where does he fit on this roster? Leadership? A guy that jumps from team to team where the paycheck is? Or the guy that has been a shot his whole career and never learned how to pass? I don't want that guy leading guys like Oshie and Berglund.

Pass a million times over. We can get way better in the free-agent market. I don't care if he'll play for league minimum. The guy does not bring it anymore.

He's BEEN bringing it down the stretch here. Sadly, and like the rest of the Blues, he doesn't bring it at home. And jumps from team to team for the paycheck? Didn't he take a significant pay cut to try and win one with the Avs? I'll agree, he has been a MAJOR disappointment since we signed him, for the amount they signed him for. But when he's healthy and when he is playing, the guy can certainly still "bring it." Its absurd to say he can't play, and if you can get him for the right value, you bring him back everyday of the week.

If he wants another fat paycheck then l'm the first one to say "See ya later." But for the right price, Kariya would absolutely still be able to help this team.

[glen a richter]

He signed with the Avs so he could play with Teemu. We all saw what happened with that.

This guy is not a checker and is no longer a goal scorer. Where does he fit on this roster? Leadership? A guy that jumps from team to team where the paycheck is? Or the guy that has been a shot his whole career and never learned how to pass? I don't want that guy leading guys like Oshie and Berglund.

Pass a million times over. We can get way better in the free-agent market. I don't care if he'll play for league minimum. The guy does not bring it anymore.

He's BEEN bringing it down the stretch here. Sadly, and like the rest of the Blues, he doesn't bring it at home. And jumps from team to team for the paycheck? Didn't he take a significant pay cut to try and win one with the Avs? I'll agree, he has been a MAJOR disappointment since we signed him, for the amount they signed him for. But when he's healthy and when he is playing, the guy can certainly still "bring it." Its absurd to say he can't play, and if you can get him for the right value, you bring him back everyday of the week.

If he wants another fat paycheck then l'm the first one to say "See ya later." But for the right price, Kariya would absolutely still be able to help this team.

[JPonder94]

He's BEEN bringing it down the stretch here. Sadly, and like the rest of the Blues, he doesn't bring it at home. And jumps from team to team for the paycheck? Didn't he take a significant pay cut to try and win one with the Avs? I'll agree, he has been a MAJOR disappointment since we signed him, for the amount they signed him for. But when he's healthy and when he is playing, the guy can certainly still "bring it." Its absurd to say he can't play, and if you can get him for the right value, you bring him back everyday of the week.

If he wants another fat paycheck then l'm the first one to say "See ya later." But for the right price, Kariya would absolutely still be able to help this team.

Sorry, I'm still not buying it. He's bringing it lately because he's playing for another contract. What's gonna happen in December-January next season? Same old disappointment.

He loses the puck constantly because he doesn't have the strength to shake off poke-checks or hits anymore and his shooting decisions are poor. What exactly does he bring offensively that you can't get from any young player in Peoria?

[thedoc]

Take Eller out of the equation, because we are all just speculating that he can make the big club. The possible facts in hand are this. We need a goal scorer, I don't think any of you would argue that. We need at least $10 million to even be in the running to sign Kolvy. We are already $2 million under the cap. If Walt does retire that is $2 million more giving us $4. They are raising ticket prices which will make some more money available. Paul's contract is gone so there is another $6 so we are now at $10 million. That being said we have to re-sign Steen and he has 21 goals as of last night so he won't be cheap. He is making somewhere in the ballpark of $1.5 so I can see that easily being doubled for his asking price. There is also the issue of a number 1 goal tender as well and Nabokov is going to be available. This off season could define this team for as long as a decade positive or negative. I hope management takes there time and looks at things from all angles.

[ViPeRx007]

Take Eller out of the equation, because we are all just speculating that he can make the big club. The possible facts in hand are this. We need a goal scorer, I don't think any of you would argue that. We need at least $10 million to even be in the running to sign Kolvy. We are already $2 million under the cap. If Walt does retire that is $2 million more giving us $4. They are raising ticket prices which will make some more money available. Paul's contract is gone so there is another $6 so we are now at $10 million. That being said we have to re-sign Steen and he has 21 goals as of last night so he won't be cheap. He is making somewhere in the ballpark of $1.5 so I can see that easily being doubled for his asking price. There is also the issue of a number 1 goal tender as well and Nabokov is going to be available. This off season could define this team for as long as a decade positive or negative. I hope management takes there time and looks at things from all angles.

Possibly the most important offseason we've had in a long time.

[cprice12]

We'd be stupid not to take Kariya back for the right price.
He can still contribute...especially if he is put on a line with the right players...but he's far from a top line player anymore. If he wants more than $2 million, that's too much. Hopefully $1.5 million.

To be honest, I don't know if he'd get a lot more somewhere else. It's not like he had a sudden drop off this year. He's been sub-par for most of his three years here and wasn't great in Nashville. Teams know this.
Anyone who gives him more than $2.5 million, is crazy.

He didn't waive his no trade clause, which makes me think he wants to resign here.
If we offer him $2 million per...and he signs somewhere else for $2.5 million, then yeah, it's all about the money. But I don't see him doing that. If he wanted a bigger paycheck next season, he could have waived his no trade clause and allowed a trade to a contender where he would get to play in the playoffs and have a chance to contribute and maybe even go deep into the playoffs. That would only increase his trade value...but he didn't do that.

I'd rather have him than Crombeen or Winchester...no question.

Here's my gut feeling...
(Assuming Kovalchuk isn't available and we don't make a play for him, because if we get him, Kariya is gone for sure...unless he wants to play for $1 million a year)
Kariya resigns here...two years for about $2 million per.

[cprice12]

We need at least $10 million to even be in the running to sign Kolvy.

How do you figure?
Ovechkin makes $9 million per year and then it bumps to $10 million per year in 2014. Kovalchuk is a great player, but he doesn't bring as much to the table as Ovechkin. Ovechkin currently has almost 30 more points than Kovalchuk and he outscored him by 20+ pts. last year. Plus Ovechkin bring the physical aspect to the table and not to mention a more dynamic player with the puck.
Kovalchuk also has never reached 100pts. and he's been in the league 8 years now...and he's only cracked 90 pts. once in the past four seasons...and he won't hit 90 this season, hell...he probably won't hit 80 pts this year.

Kovalchuk makes $7.5 million now. That's about what he's worth I guess, but he figures to get a slight raise just because teams will overpay. I think $8.5 million could get him...unless he gets some goofy/retarded Zetterburg length contract where he makes $6 million or so per year for 500 years...which I think the Blues should try. They could try to offer him an 8 year contract and front load it so the first 4 years are worth $32 million ($8 million per) and the next two are worth $12 million ($6 million per) and the final 2 are with $2 million per. That's a $48 million contract over 8 years, and it's only $6 million against the cap each year.

[WaukeeBlues]

I think $8.5 million could get him...unless he gets some goofy/retarded Zetterburg length contract where he makes $6 million or so per year for 500 years...which I think the Blues should try. They could try to offer him an 8 year contract and front load it so the first 4 years are worth $32 million ($8 million per) and the next two are worth $12 million ($6 million per) and the final 2 are with $2 million per. That's a $48 million contract over 8 years, and it's only $6 million against the cap each year.

I think that's the Blues' best shot as well. The only problem with that is selling him to St. Louis. He obviously hasn't played here yet and if he can't picture himself here for 12 years or 8 or doesn't want to commit to that length of a contract without knowing he'll like it here, then that's obviously a problem. It wasn't with Hossa though so meh- you never know.

[Nyghtewynd]

After the crap egg he laid tonight, what's the right price--ten cents? An average player scores twice with those chances. Unfortunately, Paul Kariya is no longer average.

[thedoc]

You may have a point on what his actual value is but the fact is we are paying a for a market value. The fact is that he turned down a heck of a contract to not stay in Atlanta. If you think that you can get him that cheap I am all for it. The simple economics are that we are going to have to pay $10-12 million per year and sign him to a long term deal. If he won't sign for that then we will make a few smaller short term deals and save our penny's and get in the Stamko's line. As far as Paulie goes, if he want's to resign here and we want him I would be suprised if the deal is for less than $3 million for a one year deal. (Although he played in Colorado for $1 million). Like I said though we have to resign #6, # 57, and # 20 also we have to have a new number one goalie. FACT!