Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
The problem with the contract is the length. He will be making almost $7 million per year until he is 40. Considering where his play is now, there is a good chance that he won't be a #1 or #2 centre in the last half of the contract.
There is a reason only the Rangers and Flames were left at the end. When you are the last man standing with Sather, there is a good chance it's a mistake.
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again - it's the price of doing business in free agency.
For those organizations too inept to develop #1 centers, it's the only avenue to add the pieces necessary to win a Stanley cup.
Of course that deal will be a hindrance towards the end, but if the Rangers win a Cup during that time, who cares?
I'd gladly deal with 2-3 years of painfully overpaying Richards if we won a Stanley Cup with him. It beats the alternative of dwelling in irrelevancy and never being able to draft high enough to net a true #1 center.
You either go big, or you go home. I'm tired of this team simply sitting around claiming they're good while knowing that historically over the last 15 years or so you simply cannot win a Stanley Cup without great/elite depth at the center ice position.
I just don't get why the Flames haven't/don't build their team from the center ice position out. It's the one consistent thing that all Stanley Cup champions share. High end center depth.
LA Kings: Carter, Richards, Kopitar
Boston Bruins: Bergeron, Krejci, Marchand, Seguin
Chicago Blackhawks: Toews, Sharp, Bolland
Pittsburgh Penguins: Crosby, Malkin
Detroit Red Wings: Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Filppula
Anaheim Ducks: McDonald, Getzlaf, Pahlsson
Carolina Hurricanes: Staal, Brind'Amour, Cullen, Weight
Tampa Bay Lightning: Lecavalier, Richards
New Jersey Devils: Arnott, Elias, Nieuwendyk, Madden, Gomez
Detroit Red Wings: Yzerman, Datsyuk, Federov, Larionov
Colorado Avalanche: Sakic, Forsberg, Drury, Yelle