Flyers make offer to Kesler

[LegoDoom 0]

I do see teams making runs at Flyer RFAs in the future.

Yeah, I can see that as well. Outside of Pitkanen and Richards, I'm fine with that though.

[hamstercaster 2]

Come to think of it, if teams would have know what Clark was up to, people would more than likely have made a run at Simon Gagné....

[Chadd 916]

Come to think of it, if teams would have know what Clark was up to, people would more than likely have made a run at Simon Gagné....

And given up a bunch of first round picks? Not very likely as you need draft picks to build your organization.

[mack 44]

They can just swap the picks back for players like Philly did with Tampa for Gratton.

[kasparaitis 0]

Management practices of Philly and the Islanders would make a great case study of how not to run a team.

Edit: You could throw Chicago and Boston in there was well.

With the exception of being an asshole to their best player (lindros), constantly firing coaches and refusing to sign a top end goalie when they had a chance to win a cup, Clarke has actually been pretty good. His drafting and trades have been much better than average.

He's blaming this on Lindros as well.

[McCabe24 0]

I

[McCabe24 0]

I can see both sides of the argument and he does make some great points in his defence, but I realize there is some sort of politics involved in his decision. My opinion would be stronger if he made the offer sheet to Stajan and the Leafs were subsequently handcuffed in one way or another.

[NuggyBuggy 0]

He's screwed the Nucks, himself and effectively every other NHL team by setting the mark for an RFA with potential at roughly 2 mill a season.

How has he done this ? There is nothing about this deal that compels other GMs to offer such RFAs any particular amount of money. They will, or should, offer players what they think these players are worth, and what the team can afford, period. If Clarke thinks this kid is worth that kind of money, and he can fit that salary in his fiscal environment, he's right : he should do it.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Everyone knows he isn't worth that money for this season. He tried to buy himself a prospect. Players can now use this in arbitration, and Keslers numbers aren't spectacular. If nothing else he screwed himself and the Nucks. For no reason really too, he knew the Nucks would match.

[Adam91 0]

If it weren't for the Canucks history of problems with first round picks I really don't think Nonis would match.

Around Vancouver Kesler is regarded as a very,very good prospect but I beleive thats because Canucks fans are dissapointed with most of the prospects in the system in the pro level(AHL,NHL) their best prospects other then Bourdon are still in jr.

but I bet in the upper management of the Canucks most of them beleive Kesler will turn out to be a very good 3rd line centre( a poor man's John Madden is what I see him as) but they wouldn't be able to deal with the possibly Kesler could become something more in another organization

[NuggyBuggy 0]

Everyone knows he isn't worth that money for this season. He tried to buy himself a prospect. Players can now use this in arbitration, and Keslers numbers aren't spectacular. If nothing else he screwed himself and the Nucks. For no reason really too, he knew the Nucks would match.

Who cares if he tries to buy himself a prospect, if it's allowed under the rules ? It's up to the Flyers how to spend the money they have under their cap, and if they choose to pay for potential, that is their choice, isn't it ? As for players using this in arbitration - if a team doesn't like whatever number an arbitrator sets, they can walk away from it. And if Kesler isn't worth that money, how does he screw himself by doing it, and why would Vancouver match ? You say Kesler isn't worth the money, but obviously the Flyers feel differently, and evidently you think Vancouver does as well.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Not for this season! None of the teams think he is worth it for this season. They are paying him on potential. If it's used in arbitration it eventually has to be paid. This opens the door for more cases like this. Isolated it isn't a huge deal, but if it becomes common, it could kill alot of teams. If he wanted a player, he should've done this to NJ. I have no idea what his motive was for this. He didn't spend his money, he spent Vancouvers. They had a deal in principle worked out, it was all, but done. He was aware the Nucks would match. He had no reason to do this.

I am not saying it isn't allowed under the rules. I'm saying it's a classless thing to do and all he wanted to do was stir the pot. He screwed the Nucks by forcing them to overpay a player who isn't worth his contract, he screwed himself by pissing off other GMs and he may have screwed the league with arbitration awards.

[mack 44]

If he's being paid on potential why is it a one-year deal?

[Eazy_b97 1]

To get his rights. That way he could work out a deal that he is actually worth. That way it's a 1-time hit instead of a long term issue.

[Chadd 916]

To get his rights. That way he could work out a deal that he is actually worth. That way it's a 1-time hit instead of a long term issue.

True but to qualify him for next year they have to offer him $1.9M, so it is going to have a long term impact on their (Canucks) cap number. If they don't pay him $1.9 next year, he walks as a UFA.

[mack 44]

But if he doesn't play well enough to earn the qualifying offer then they should let him walk anyway. I don't know, I see how it's a bush move but at the same time it's one of Sugar Boy's better moves.

[Chadd 916]

But if he doesn't play well enough to earn the qualifying offer then they should let him walk anyway. I don't know, I see how it's a bush move but at the same time it's one of Sugar Boy's better moves.

If they walk away Clarke can sign him next year for $1M instead of 1.9

[mack 44]

Unless Kesler get's Lindros's old man as an agent.

[NuggyBuggy 0]

None of the teams think he is worth it for this season. They are paying him on potential.

And what is so wrong with that ? I should be able to pay players because they score a lot of points, but also because they're good leaders in the clubhouse, they're popular with the fans, they are married to my daughter, or because I think they will become good hockey players. All these are valid business reasons to pay a player (well, except for the daughter one).

Players get paid for potential all the time: first round picks get paid more than second round picks. And players get drafted higher (and thus get paid more) than players who scored more points than them in junior/college, because of estimated future potential. If it was all about past production, noone would be guessing come draft day.

[LegoDoom 0]

None of the teams think he is worth it for this season. They are paying him on potential.

If it's a one or two year deal, then paying him on potential past this year doesn't make any sense.

[Eazy_b97 1]

He's an RFA, he's trying to steal him. It makes perfect sense. The only way to get him was to overpay him. Even that was unlikely. He just stuck it to the Nucks. There was no reason to do so.

[DEATHTRON 19]

If I were the flyers owner I would be happy hes doing everything he can to win a cup, whens the last time they won one? Unfortunately he probably should have picked a team in the east to do it to...still, seems to me hes doing what he has to do and doesnt care about friends or what he looks like.

Zach

[mack 44]

Last time he tried to win a Cup by making unwise signings, he got Rathje and Hatcher.