What about the Devs going for Spezza instead of Kovalchuk

[bushta55]

Spezza right now is under a 7 year 49 mil contract. That is cheaper than we could get kovalchuk for and I personally feel (maybe others agree) Spezza is a much stronger player. He would play center, so we would have Spezza (1st line), Zajac (2nd) and then Arnott on the third line. This would be a stacked team at center ice and it looks like Ottawa really wants to trade him, so we might not have to give up to much. What if we gave them langenbrunner and a prospect and maybe a pick?

[manbearpig]

I don't think it's a bad idea, but will take at least one veteran, a pick and a couple of prospects. I only say that because this obviously isn't the Sen's first rodeo getting rid of disgruntled players (see: Heatley), so they might approach this a little differently this time around.

[Ollie McKraut]

he has a goofy laugh :|

[bushta55]

I can promise you it would take more than Langenbrunner plus. If they were going to move their franchise center, they'd probably want Josefson in return. We're looking at probably Langenbrunner, Josefson, and this years' 2nd.

still not a bad move, joefeson will never be anything near spezza's level and at least with Lagenbrunner the Sens would be getting a cheaper return which would allow them more cap space.

[Daniel]

Actually, his value is pretty low right now. They had a save Spezza rally in Ottawa and about 20 people showed up. He's a $7 million per year cap hit. Ottawa is probably one of the more plausible dumping spots for a bad contract.

Question, does his $7 million cap hit carry over to the team he's traded to? His contract was grossly front loaded, and his annual salary goes down to $4/$5 million in the last two years.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Daniel

[RSC]

Actually, his value is pretty low right now. They had a save Spezza rally in Ottawa and about 20 people showed up. He's a $7 million per year cap hit. Ottawa is probably one of the more plausible dumping spots for a bad contract.

Question, does his $7 million cap hit carry over to the team he's traded to? His contract was grossly front loaded, and his annual salary goes down to $4/$5 million in the last two years.

Here's that Spezza rally:

Spezza's cap hit will still be $7 million wherever he goes in the last two years of the contract, I believe. He's not exactly the hardest worker, though, so I don't think he's the type of guy that Lou would target.

[thelastonealive]

If we're overpaying for scoring talent, I'd rather Kovalchuk.

[ZeroGravityFat]

langy and rolston for spezza, we'll thrown in peters for good will.

[sundstrom]

if not for the arnott deal, i could be talked into spezza but a few things to consider if the devils wanted to deal for him:

1) Langenbrunner will not waive his NTC to go there. Period. If Lou totally wants to contradict what he said @ MacLean's introduction, that's one thing. Jamie's still gonna have to agree to go and that would mean 4 or 5 teams tops - and Ottawa won't be one.

2) Assuming Zajac isn't the one going back (and he shouldn't be because even though Spezza is a better offensive player, he is not nearly the value that Zajac is), the Devils really don't have players that will match up because they have to send at least $3MM to make this work. If they want Colin White and Joseffson and a 1st (would have to be 2012), that works from a financial standpoint but obviously its done only because Ottawa wants to dump him.

3) Its a mismanagement of resources - especially for this year. Arnott as a 3rd liner making $4.5MM getting 14 minutes of ice time just doesn't make sense. It works beyond that but my concern is that what could conceivably make Josephson so valuable is his cap hit on top of his ability. It's like Andy Greene. If he's even making $2MM (which he's likely making, if not more, next year if he's a UFA on 7/1) he's a totally different beast. But at $750k, he's quite possibly the best deal in the league (next to Parise of course who is head and shoulders the top of that list - I'd also say Doughty is but he's still on his entry deal so that's not entirely fair). I'm not convinced that Spezza is a bonafide all star and that's what you'd better be at that salary. Parise's gonna be $7MM+. There's still 3(!) more years of Elias at $6MM and Marty at $5.2MM. Paul Martin is going to get $5MM (or his replacement will).

While in theory, I'd agree that he's a better spend than Kovalchuk as the Devils are set at LW for the next 3 years, the Devils don't have the players to give up to get him so the point really is moot.

[GoArmySports]

How about this if we can't keep Kovalchuk would a sign and trade be possible?

[RSC]

How about this if we can't keep Kovalchuk would a sign and trade be possible?

I don't think Kovalchuk would do that, he seems pretty set in hitting July 1st so he can weigh both his NHL and KHL options. Even if he has no desire to play in Russia, he'll want to at least show respect by publicly considering the offer, otherwise he may piss off some folks back in the Motherland.

[Triumph]

i could be convinced that trading, like, zajac and salvador and eckford for spezza, lee, and a 2nd is a good move, but i don't see ottawa going for that kind of deal.

also sign and trades don't really exist in the NHL

Edited June 22, 2010 by Triumph

[sundstrom]

i could be convinced that trading, like, zajac and salvador and eckford for spezza, lee, and a 2nd is a good move, but i don't see ottawa going for that kind of deal.

wow. you have soured on zajac. sure the salaries match up and lee might be nice but zajac is a pretty good value in my eyes. at worst, he's a 25-35 defensively responsible center. and as long as the devils as a whole don't score < 2.5G/game, I think he'll bang out a couple 70+ point seasons. if i could be convinced that spezza could be a consistent point/game guy without heatly/alfredsson w/ him, perhaps i think about it.

[maxpower]

nobody scores on Zajac, something to keep in mind.

[stevestevens]

Question, does his $7 million cap hit carry over to the team he's traded to? His contract was grossly front loaded, and his annual salary goes down to $4/$5 million in the last two years.

The cap hit counts against the team - regardless of what a team would pay in actual dollars. The cap hit never changes.

[Devil Dan 56]

Since we're all a little sore about players giving up on the team, would we want a guy who wouldn't play hard in the finals in 07? I don't know, a lot of people are mad about Langs, but Spezza has a reputation of doing that.

How about this if we can't keep Kovalchuk would a sign and trade be possible?

Why would he do that? He's 1 week from a few teams bidding on him, plus a bucket of cash from the KHL if he isn't impressed with what the NHL teams have.

[Triumph]

wow. you have soured on zajac. sure the salaries match up and lee might be nice but zajac is a pretty good value in my eyes. at worst, he's a 25-35 defensively responsible center. and as long as the devils as a whole don't score < 2.5G/game, I think he'll bang out a couple 70+ point seasons. if i could be convinced that spezza could be a consistent point/game guy without heatly/alfredsson w/ him, perhaps i think about it.

i was merely speculating - zajac is a very good value, and he is excellent at even strength - not so much on the power play, though. we get rid of a bad contract in salvador. i was going to put cowen in this deal instead of lee + 2nd at first. i don't see them giving up cowen AND spezza though. i don't think NHL fans are quite ready for these sorts of trades, where you give up a star player and more to get a great contract that's not really a star.

nobody scores on Zajac, something to keep in mind.

yeah zajac would be a selke contender if he played in a big market.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Triumph

[devilsrule33]

i was merely speculating - zajac is a very good value, and he is excellent at even strength - not so much on the power play, though. we get rid of a bad contract in salvador. i was going to put cowen in this deal instead of lee + 2nd at first. i don't see them giving up cowen AND spezza though. i don't think NHL fans are quite ready for these sorts of trades, where you give up a star player and more to get a great contract that's not really a star.

I'd have to think Murray does that deal in a heart beat. Zajac might not have the gifts Spezza has, but he is much cheaper, better defensively and isn't lazy. Salvador gives the Senators a cheaper alternative to Volchenkov, and Brian Lee is an enormous bust. I don't know if he's an NHL defenseman.

Spezza just isn't worth the risk. He'd drive Devils fans up the wall anyway.

[Neb00rs]

I like Spezza but I wouldn't call it "Instead of Kovalchuk". TO me it would be a lesser option. Plus, how ware you going to spread out the centers?

[Joonas #6]

I'd much rather try to keep Kovy here. Nothing against Spezza though.

[Triumph]

I'd have to think Murray does that deal in a heart beat. Zajac might not have the gifts Spezza has, but he is much cheaper, better defensively and isn't lazy. Salvador gives the Senators a cheaper alternative to Volchenkov, and Brian Lee is an enormous bust. I don't know if he's an NHL defenseman.

Spezza just isn't worth the risk. He'd drive Devils fans up the wall anyway.

Salvador really isn't an alternative to Volchenkov - he has stretches where he's capable of playing on a top pairing with tough minutes, but both full seasons he's been in New Jersey, he's fallen back to struggling with 3rd pairing minutes. he turns 35 next season, and he's always been injury prone. at best he is worth nothing.

Lee has talent - from what I've seen of him, he has Andy Greene syndrome, where he doesn't know how to react to the play. Physically, he's got the talent. Obviously I'd rather have Cowen than Lee and a 2nd (or Lee and a 1st), but again, I'm not sure that Ottawa gives up its best player and its best non-NHL prospect.

[bushta55]

Kovalchuk turned down 12 years at 100 million from Atlanta. He is looking to make like 10 million a year, the devils are never going to be able to afford his salary and be a competition team.

[Devs3cups]

8 mil for Spezza is too much money!

[hystyk28]

As soon as I heard this I thought Zajac for Spezza straight up. Not sure how the numbers would be crunched, but I could see it happening.