ecbm wrote:cprice12 wrote:If the Canadiens don't turn it around, they'll miss the playoffs. Hell, they are already a handful of points out of it. So, yes.
That would be a tremendous waste of limited resources based on fear. I just can't get down with that.
Montreal's game plan this year was to keep their "tremendous resources" and go with lesser backup goaltending and guess what? They are in real danger of missing the playoffs because their #1 got hurt (and isn't coming back anytime soon) and he was their whole team. He has been out for a substantial period of time now and they can't seem to win without him. They currently sit 13th in the East after getting off to the best start in franchise history. It has been a historic collapse, primarily because they lost their #1 goalie.
Montreal's game plan...the one that you seem to think is a better way to go than what the Blues are doing, has proven to be catastrophic.
Sure, it's fine if your #1 goalie stays healthy...but that's a big gamble. And I've said this for a while now, if you want to be a serious cup contender, you damn well better have a backup that can perform because you might need him at some point.
If not for Elliott, we'd be down with Minnesota and Anaheim fighting for a playoff spot...that's guaranteed. This season, like Monteal, goaltending has gotten us to where we are. But unlike Montreal, we have a quality backup, or 1B option.
This is an odd time for you to take that stance considering the Blues and Montreal both suffered injuries to their #1's, who were playing very well a the time and carrying the team. The Blues have flat out proven it pays to have a backup goalie who can step in and play well when needed...especially since our offense isn't going to win us any 6-5 games.
ecbm wrote:cprice12 wrote:The return I want is an impact roster player.
Why? Where does the Blues roster really have need? I think you have to take that opportunity to clear cap space or the Blues are going to find themselves in a real problem in a couple of years.
Where do we have a need? Seriously?
Oh, I dunno...how about a #1 center? How about another 25-30 goal scorer? We need offense...badly. And Schwartz should help with that, but he's still not the #1 center we've been seeking. Lehtera certainly isn't that guy. If we do go after someone at the deadline, it should be a guy who can create some offense.
Why in the hell would a cup contender dump a key player just to clear cap space at the deadline?
You think it's wise to trade Elliott now so we can address cap concerns 2 years from now?
I don't get that at all.
If trading Elliott is the plan to clear cap space in the future, you don't do it now, you do it in the offseason.
And there are far, far better ways to clear cap space anyway.
We have a few UFA's this offseason:
- Backes - $4.5 million cap hit
- Brouwer - $3.67
- Ott - $2.6
- Upshall - $700k
- Gunnarson - $3.45
That's $15 million that they have to play with.
And here are the UFA's two offseasons from now:
- Steen - $5.8
- Berglund - $3.7
- Shattenkirk - $4.25
- Bortuzzo - $1.05
- Elliott - $2.7
That's another $17.5 million.
If they currently have concerns for the salary cap two years from now (they don't), they have all kinds of time and money to play with between now and then. It can be addressed in the offseason or next offseason.
The cap will change quite a bit based on what we decide to do with Backes, Brouwer and our other UFA's this offseason. Clearing $2.5 million now in preparation for two years from now doesn't make any sense.