Thread: Kovalchuk is a NJ Devil. Now, get over it already.

Originally Posted by NastiMarvasti

For those making the suggestion, I like Richardson lately, but I'd much rather keep Stoll.

I'm coming at it from a different point of view in looking towards the future.

IF Lombardi and Company have the opinion that Richardson could handle the role of 2nd line center until Schenn is ready, then you have to consider Stoll as a tradeable asset.

Originally Posted by Birdman

I'm coming at it from a different point of view in looking towards the future.

IF Lombardi and Company have the opinion that Richardson could handle the role of 2nd line center until Schenn is ready, then you have to consider Stoll as a tradeable asset.

it'd be a tough call for me to make because i'm such a big Jarret Stoll fan, but i hafta agree.

Originally Posted by Fisticuffs82

Waddell not seeking trade for Kovalchuk | Atlanta Thrashers

I LOVE how the title the article, and then you read it and Waddell states he IS thinking of trading Kovalchuk if they can't work out a deal.

Well guess what? They CAN'T work out a deal, so he IS seeking a trade.

DUH!

I love GM double-speak so much.

Originally Posted by gretzky99

my point being that these guys were not top 6 guys when they were dealt. they may have had "potential" as top 6 guys, but they were not proven top 6 talent. they were 3rd and 4th line guys that could turn into more.

I agree that Christensen wasn't a top 6 guy, but Armstrong was. Just look at the players on the Penguins teams he played on and try to pick 6 top 6 forwards not including Armstrong.

armstrong has turned into a decent player, christensen is a 4th liner on a good team, 3rd liner if he needs to be.

Actually, I think that RIGHT NOW, Christensen is an AHLer on a good NHL team and a 4th liner on a bad one.

maybe Waddell saw them both as top 6 guys, but if that's the case, moller and purcell can be seen as the same. they have played in the top 6 and have that kind of offensive potential and have put up similar numbers in junior and in the minors.

I fully agree with you and that's why I put Christensen, Moller, and Purcell in roughly the same category.

waddell got zero established top 6 NHL players in the hossa deal. he got a couple of guys that he could plug into his lineup right away (moller and purcell?) and a prospect whose value was declining but still could turn out to be a good player (teubert or hickey?) and a very late 1st round pick.

Agreed, but IMO Kovalchuk has more value than Hossa. Although once drafted Esposito's value didn't decline until he started getting hurt.

maybe he tries to get a little more than that for kovy, but i just don't see how he can. we can't compare the heatley trade since heatley wasn't an UFA. and that does matter because the team making the deal knows that they are only getting Kovy for 3 months. Heatley is already signed through 13-14. the best deadline deal we can compare a Kovy deal to is the Hossa deal.

You're right that teams know that they are only getting him for 3 months. That's what make the Hawks and Bruins bidders at all. If he was signed, they'd have ZERO interest in him. But because he's a UFA he has value to him...so increased demand drives up the price.

let's not forget that hossa was a consistent 40 goal man that was a better two-way player than Kovy.

Yup, and I'm on record as saying I'd rather have Hossa and I might not want Kovalchuk at all. BUT, if DL thinks Kovalchuk IS the right guy at the right time at the right price...then all this talk assumes he is (and therefore worth more than Hossa).

Originally Posted by Birdman

I don't think anyone here is saying that they know EVERYTHING,

Speak for yourself.

Originally Posted by Birdman

I'm coming at it from a different point of view in looking towards the future.

IF Lombardi and Company have the opinion that Richardson could handle the role of 2nd line center until Schenn is ready, then you have to consider Stoll as a tradeable asset.

My worry is that Richardson is at his best as a third liner and we'd see less of an impact from him as a regular second liner. He's really only been the "new and improved Brad Richardson" for about 20 games now. We know what we have in Stoll. He's our top face-off man, still young, and our most versatile player. I see what you're saying but I think management would be making a mistake putting that kind of faith in Richardson so soon.

i agree that both boston and chicago are only in on this (if they actually are in) because he's a rental. i wouldn't get into a bidding war for Kovy. if chicago offers versteeg, barker and a 1st, that's more then i would offer. same for boston with wheeler and a couple of 1st rounders. let them trade that much and look at kovy in the summer.

i'm just not sure either will make that deal. chicago has said they aren't interested (hossa/kovy issues?) and does boston really want to trade away everything it got for kessel for 3 months of kovy?

as far as trading stoll, i believe they would be putting their faith in schenn for next year, not richardson. as for this year we have some depth at center with moller, richardson and handzus and there are plenty of 2nd/3rd line guys out there if DL wanted to upgrade this year. you might even see one come our way in the Kovy deal.

Originally Posted by jt

Well sort of. Realistically his leverage is what other teams will (or might) offer. If he knows (or can convince DL) that Chicago will offer Barker and a 1st then that's his leverage. If DL knows otherwise, then that's DL's leverage.

.

Wrong. He has NO leverage because the Kings don't need to make a trade at all.

Originally Posted by NastiMarvasti

My worry is that Richardson is at his best as a third liner and we'd see less of an impact from him as a regular second liner. He's really only been the "new and improved Brad Richardson" for about 20 games now. We know what we have in Stoll. He's our top face-off man, still young, and our most versatile player. I see what you're saying but I think management would be making a mistake putting that kind of faith in Richardson so soon.

IMO, the only 2 things that Stoll does that Richardson doesn't do as well at this point are faceoffs and running being on the point on the powerplay. The former would have to be replaced elsewhere, the latter is less important, and could be replaced from within.

LOL

From Hammond:

"If you’re interested in talking hockey, New York Yankees baseball, politics or any number of subjects with him, Dean Lombardi will be at the Kings game tonight, at Staples Center, in Los Angeles, nowhere near any other cities. That’s what he just said in a text message, and referred to any suggestions to the contrary as “absurd.” Hopefully we can move along now, but I doubt it."