Article concerning Emery is posted on
www.tsn.ca.
The highlight of the article is that Ray Emery will be out for 2-3 months while rehabilitating his injury. This will cause two interesting wrinkles for Bryan Murray.
1. What to do with Martin Gerber
2. How this affects Ray Emery's contract status
On the first issue, if Bryan Murray can trade Martin Gerber at any point, he must. Cap space will become a precious commodity for the Sens as Spezza, Redden, Fisher, and Heatley are all due new contracts in the summer of 2008. Three of those players will receive significant raises.
Clearly, Bryan Murray will not do anything until he receives the results of Emery's surgery later this afternoon. How Emery's surgery will affect Murray is that instead of going with Kelly Guard as the backup to Emery, Murray will be forced to acquire a better backup goalie in case Emery's rehabilitation lasts into the season. This may be the season that we see a former Leaf as Emery's backup (Belfour, Joseph at somewhere between 1 and 1.5 million). While I still think Gerber is going to be traded, the likelihood of him remaining a Senator has increased.
On the second issue, barring some sort of disaster, I don't see this surgery affecting Emery as far as dollar value. It may affect his term. If I were Murray, I would be less likely to throw a four or five year deal at a player coming off of this type of surgery.
I think Cam Ward and Ryan Miller are decent comparables for Emery. Funny enough, both of those goalies have identical contracts. They are 3 year, 8 million dollar deals, working out to a cap hit of 2.67 million per year. That is about what Emery is worth. This deal would take Emery to unrestricted free agency status.
Didn't someone say Emery was arrested for dealing coke? lol, what happened to that story?
if they cant deal gerber why not buy him out he said he dosent want to play for the sens anymore from what he said to reporters
Why would any NHL player need to deal coke? Normally you deal drugs for money. I'm sure Emery has enough money.
Better to go with plan B). I like Sean Burke personally, but a veteran is a must.Gerber's a 1.3ish mil cap hit if we buy him out. Other alternatives must be exhausted first.
Just before Vokoun was send down to Florida there was lots of talk about Gerber landing in the Southeast. Tampa Bay still looks like they're shopping around for a goalie so who knows? Maybe Gerber will end up in Tampa.
This is a song my friend made up for the sens.This a'nt a song for the ottawa senatorsNo silent prayer for the Alfredson lineYour gonna hear my voice when I yell boo sensIt's Buffalos cupits now or nevercause i aint gonna play for everits Buffalos cup