Spezza - Going Going, Gone?

[PDO]

This is complete hearsay, curteousy of some lovely Oiler fans ;).

The Sens are right at the cap. They're almost at the point of having to move someone.. but not quite. Now, here's my question.. what happens if a team like the Oilers walk up to Spezza and give him a qualfiying sheet for $5,000,000? They have the space to do it, and can aford the first round picks. From an Oiler perspective, this makes PERFECT sense. Is it dirty? Absolutely. Would it turn some heads? For sure. Could it be one of the best moves in franchise history? Yup. Just throwing it out there. Same could be said for a player like Brad Richards. I think RFA's aren't going to be as impossible to attain in the capped world as they were in the non-capped because teams won't be able to match like they could before.

[Leafs_Fa_Life]

You dirty SOB...I love it :nod:

Call up the Oiler front office NOW!!!! And get Spezza out of the East :thumb:

[scorpionn]

Sneaky, sneaky :laughing:

That would actually be a really smart move for a team.. but through all the leaks about the CBA we have yet to find out what type of compensation a team would have to give up for a restricted free agent. It may be higher... either way, a move like this would put a ton of pressure on the Sens, so I'd love if this happened ;)

[Max Power]

Not going to happen... But keep dreaming :conspire:
I?m sure with the lowered UFA age the CBA will be hard on any RFA signings. Most likely the penalty will be the same if not higher :D

[Madferret]

Cheeky B...

[Newfie John]

I'd sh!t myself if that happened. I don't know if Lowe would be keen on giving up 5 first round draft picks though.

[Madferret]

My last thought on this subject...

B - The Sens aren't right at the cap, don't know where you got this from?

[Newfie John]

My last thought on this subject...

B - The Sens aren't right at the cap, don't know where you got this from?

I agree, the Sens have plenty of room to resign Spezza, but if it came to a bidding war the Oil would definately have the upper hand since the Sens still have to sign Hossa and Havlat, among others.

[PDO]

My last thought on this subject...

B - The Sens aren't right at the cap, don't know where you got this from?

Man U said something along the lines of having to cut salary and not add a while back, I can find the quote if you want.

I'd be just fine with giving up 5 first rounders for Spezza. Espeacilly if we signed him to a 5 year deal :nod:

[Newfie John]

This reminds me of Carolina vs Detroit over Fedorov.

[Madferret]

This reminds me of Carolina vs Detroit over Fedorov.

....in which eventually resulted in a lock-out. Do you know the real story behind why Carolina did that John? I can't see Edmonton or Kevin Lowe for that matter breaking the GM's Code on RFA's...

[PDO]

This reminds me of Carolina vs Detroit over Fedorov.

Except Detroit can't have a $60,000,000 salary now :D

I see RFA's being signed by other teams happening far more often now. It just makes too much sense for too many teams. Say.. Pittsburgh. They have to get to the floor. They could spend $5,000,000 / season on Kovalev, or they could offer Brad Richards $6,000,000 / season.

[Newfie John]

....in which eventually resulted in a lock-out. Do you know the real story behind why Carolina did that John? I can't see Edmonton or Kevin Lowe for that matter breaking the GM's Code on RFA's...

The new CBA should be idiot proof, which should prevent what happened.

[grim]

Let's keep it real here girls...

With his three-year, entry-level contract now over, Mr. Spezza would ordinarily be looking for a new and more lucrative deal that recognizes his limitless potential.

Instead, with a 24-per-cent cut figured into his 2004-2005 salary of $1.13 million U.S., he'll be negotiating from a starting point of $960,000, and the Senators won't even have to offer him a raise.

Plus, with the Senators trying to slot him into a spot under the $39-million cap, the days of extravagance are gone.

http://www.canada.com/national/story.html?id=aa29ecba-59bb-411e-9b89-9c2d103ef9af

[Newfie John]

Let's keep it real here girls...

Thats all fine and dandy, if Edmonton doesn't come along and start negotiating with him. They can do that.

[grim]

Thats all fine and dandy, if Edmonton doesn't come along and start negotiating with him. They can do that.

Is that just the collarbone medicine talkin?

http://www.wvfd.com/m020109_dsc00588L.jpg

[Madferret]

Thats all fine and dandy, if Edmonton doesn't come along and start negotiating with him. They can do that.

They can't do that John if we qualify him first...

[PDO]

They can't do that John if we qualify him first...

Qualfying him simply means you retain his rights... until he's actually signed however, anyone can feel free to offer him a contract at the expense of draft picks.

[Madferret]

Qualfying him simply means you retain his rights... until he's actually signed however, anyone can feel free to offer him a contract at the expense of draft picks.

If they don't want to be a successfull GM after so, then yes. That's how GM's get black-balled B...

EDIT - I'd like to see Lowe show some teeth finally on the player scene and try a bold move like that actually.

[Newfie John]

If they don't want to be a successfull GM after so, then yes. That's how GM's get black-balled B...

EDIT - I'd like to see Lowe show some teeth finally on the player scene and try a bold move like that actually.

If I were a GM I wouldn't mind looking like a d!ck in order to get Spezza. :laughing:

[Man.Utd]

Man U said something along the lines of having to cut salary and not add a while back, I can find the quote if you want.

If we want retain everybody yes, everything may not work out. Infact, don't be surprised to see Smolinski and/or de Vries bought out (Smoke more likely) at the one-time 2/3 clause and see us find replacements from within/sign cheap FA's for the bottom pairing. We'll still end up paying less $$$ than last season, even after we re-sign all the others, thanks to 24% the roll-back. So Melnyk definatly is willing to spend that much, he has before.

I don't see Ottawa losing any big players in the next two years. After that guys like Havlat and Redden may have to go and be replaced by guys like Meszaros and Kaygorodov. Spezza, Hossa, and Chara will be the 3 we try to hold on to at all cost.

A point to consider, contending teams with lots of stars already on the roster won't have the cap room required to steal our stars away. It's the bottom-feeders who'll have the room to pay them if we can't. Will all our guys jet for more $$$ on a crap team or take a few million less to stay in Ottawa. Alfie definatly would. Chara/Phillips/Redden may depending on how much the difference is, they've spent their careers here, like the city, and have bonded with other long-time teammates. Havlat would definatly say goodbye as far as I'm concerned. I'm not worried about seeing our team being torn apart in the future, but we'll more than likely lose a player or 2 along the way.