Quote:
Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Then there's cap management. If they do feel they need to move a goalie, far better for PIT or TB to move MAF or Bishop than the younger guy. And there are enough teams out there for whom MAF or Bishop would be a substantial upgrade at the position (CGY, VAN, TOR, EDM, ARI, DAL, CAR, NYI), that they'll be able to get decent value back.
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Yes, then there is cap management. How many teams have $5.75M in cap space available to blow on a goaltender. Vancouver would have to move Miller's $6M salary. They're out of the running. Toronto would have to dump Bernier and his $4.1M salary. Pretty hard sell there. Edmonton would have to move Talbot's $4.1M salary. Again, a very hard sell there as the contract has term. Arizona will have a much harder time trying to move Smith's $5.6M salary, which is long term. They're completely out of the mix. Dallas has $10.4M in goaltenders signed up, with term, making them both impossible to move. Dallas is completely out of the mix. The Islanders have Halak signed at $4.5M, with term, so they would have to find a way to move him. Carolina is a possibility, having only Lack signed for $2.75M, which would make a manageable cap situation. Calgary is really the only team that can accommodate Fleury's salary without playing musical chairs around the league. That is the cap situation in a nutshell.
Moving Fleury with a NMC is going to be tough to begin with, as it limits the marketplace. Moving Fleury to a list of one or two teams, both of which are likely to be in that NMC, makes it extremely difficult. Add in Fleury's age, remember he will be 32 by Thanksgiving, and he becomes that much less attractive. A deal could be struck, but the return is going to minimal.