Quote:
Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary
sure, the penguins could hold onto MAF just to "be sure" that Murray wasn't a flash in the pan...
however, there are only 30 openings for starters in the NHL. The longer they wait, the more likely it is that teams fill that opening with other options...
Let's say that the Pens wait until the end of the year/playoffs to make that switch, how many teams would be there to surrender top assets for MAF (a goalie that many have already noted has a lot of red flags), knowing that the goalie that they currently have will be exposed to the expansion draft as well?
MAF would have to be a clear upgrade on the goalie you went through the season with already...
Anaheim was basically in the same situation and elected to do a deal now rather than wait...Gibson has 66 career starts in the NHL, which isn't a huge number either...
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If would be a bit of a gamble on Pittsburgh's part, that's for sure:
Say the Flames move on and pick up a different goalie (Bishop/Varlamov), that still leaves Reimer on the market for another team who might be looking for a new starter. Pittsburgh is then relying on a playoff-contending team's goalie to have an injury or Bryz-style meltdown mid-season. Who knows; could happen. If they wait until post-season to move MAF teams will actually be able to hold them to ransom, knowing that if Pittsburgh can't unload that NMC they'll lose one of the top young goalies in the league to the expansion draft. Could they simply buy-out MAF, or negotiate with him to remove the NMC? Perhaps, but it's unlikely. Perhaps they aren't completely sold on Murray and the prospect of ditching their veteran #1 for someone relatively unproven is too much of a gamble anyway. If Murray was just a flash in the pan they may be more than happy to leave him exposed next year. They may be happy to roll the dice on losing him.
So, yes is it a gamble on Pittsburgh's part to hang onto MAF & his NMC. It's not just the depreciation in MAF's trade value as the season goes on, but also the possibility that he handcuffs the team and they have to expose Murray. In a year's time they could be faced with receiving a pitiful return for Murray when faced with the inevitability that they would lose him to expansion (assuming he's still good).
At the end of the day, in any event they'll probably end up with a 2nd round pick out of this situation. It's just a matter of which goalie they want to be able to hang onto. If it's Murray then they probably need to act sooner than later.