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"Hail to the Chief!!"
Vancouver, BC • Canada • 39 Years Old • Male
It's less than a week since the trade deadline, and while the Canucks have picked up 2 of a possible 6 points, they are a disappointing 0-1-2 in that spell.

Not only that, the teams top line has gone pointless in those 3 games, and while there has been some secondary scoring, the team seems to be more apathetic as the games go by.

Even Luongo's passion has diminished since their loss to Colorado last week.

They are all facing the sad reality that the team simply isn't good enough to make a long haul in the playoffs. They just don't have the pieces needed to do it.

While I am still unhappy about losing out on the Richards deal, I agree with Nonis and believe that the King's ransom they wanted for him was ridiculous.

And then the audacity of Jacques Martin thinking that Jokinen is worth BOTH Sedin's is something else. I believe that he's still bent about the Luongo deal and was looking to gain some ground back on that one.

But as anyone who's negotiated anything knows, it HAS to work for both sides. Uneven trades are fine if it provides the right fit.

Think of the deal Tampa got for Richards. Jussi Jokinen, Mike Smith, & Jeff Halpern. That's it. While the Canucks offered up Schneider, Bourdon, a 1st & 2nd round pick. The latter was a better offer, but the former was a better fit as Mike Smith is ready to play goal for Tampa right now.

So what is actually available this summer for Nonis to 'spend' his money on that has been saved from the expiring contracts of Markus Naslund (6m) and Brendan Morrison (3.2m).

Not a whole lot, that's what.

I believe there is only one other player in the league right now that would fill the void the team has and that's Jeff Carter of the Philadelphia Flyers.

With good young wingers such as Mason Raymond, Jurak Simek, & Jannik Hansen coming along nicely, it's strength up the middle the team needs. Morrison won't be back with the emergence of Kesler this last year. Him and Burrows make up an excellent shut-down 3rd line. The second line needs some bulk, and with Richards & Jokinen no longer possibilities, Jeff Carter is the next best option.

He's still only 23, with a massive potential upside. He's over 6'3" and still bulking out. He not only provides the presence the Canucks need, but also the right age for the future of this team.

That, and consider that Philadelphia is completely plugged up at the center position. Daniel Briere just signed on for 8 years, and is earning 10m this year. And Mike Richards just signed on for 12 years at an average well over 5m per year. That's leaves Carter out in no mans land with Philadelphia needing to do something to get the most out of an asset they simply can't keep.

And what they'll need is defensive help. Jason Smith is coming to the end of his deal. Hatcher has never been cared for in the city of brotherly love. They will have a need to do some shoring up there this summer.

Nonis, I know you like this kid. Let's see some magic happen before the summer ends. It's either that or another exceptionally boring year of hockey.

The Chief Canuck
Filed Under:   jeff carter   canucks   trade   nonis  
March 4, 2008 12:13 PM ET | Delete
hhahaha would you like anymore Flyers players my friend? Carter will not be going ANYWHERE. Briere will be moved to the wing if need be. Carter will be locked up to a LONG term deal very soon. I am confident. Funny how you list the Flyers players as your needs.
March 4, 2008 12:14 PM ET | Delete
and we have 2 great young d-men and Timonen, we need to fill one last spot and 3rd line d-men can be plugged in for cheap.
March 4, 2008 12:23 PM ET | Delete
I don't believe that you would sign Briere to a 8 year deal, then move him away from his natural position.Although, the Yankees did that with one of the best players in baseball today, moving A-Rod from Shortstop to a 3rd base (?)
March 4, 2008 12:59 PM ET | Delete
A few things...The fact that you would list Simek and have no mention of Grabner is a little odd. Simek has 17 points less than Grab...Grabner is also tied for 4th in GWG...I don't think Kesler has anything to do with Bmo, considering they play on different lines. That being said, I don't think we'll resign him.If he could come in a trade, than great, but if it comes to an RFA sheet than I wouldn't go for it.
March 4, 2008 1:56 PM ET | Delete
Flyers are going to have to lose someone. We knew all along the Timonen and Brier contracts were going to bite them in the butt.
March 4, 2008 2:40 PM ET | Delete
Dream on. Carter isn't going anywhere. I get why you'd want him, he's a great player. But you have to recognize that it's wishful thinking on your part that he's going to walk from the Flyers because he's ostensibly on the 3rd line. He logs a ton of ice time, probably more than Briere because Carter kills penalties and Danny gets benched when they have the lead late. It's unlikely he even sees RFA. Signing Carter takes precedence over re-signing any of their UFAs. The cap will likely go up again so there should be room for him. Even if there isn't they can always jettison Hatcher's $3.5m if they have to.
March 4, 2008 3:04 PM ET | Delete
The Flyers will shed plenty of cap space in the off season. Hatcher will be gone, as will Kapanen, Dowd. Jason Smith won't be signed unless he accepts 2-3 mil. Prospal and Modry were rentals. Boulerice won't be back and Kukkonen will probably be dealt for picks. That should shed about 10 mil cap increase which would leave us with more than 10 mil to sign Umberger and Carter and Add a defenseman. Kids will make up the rest of the roster as that's a necessity in the NHL now. Carter's not going anywhere. The worst that could happen is he waits until he becomes a RFA and someone tenders him a huge offer sheet. I think to get the Flyers to back off that sheet would have to average 7 to 8 mil a season. I don't think the Flyers are going to let it get to RFA status.
March 4, 2008 3:14 PM ET | Delete
Your right about the Flyers not letting him getting to RFA status, but the only player that you mentioned that figures into getting salary off next year is Hatcher, which is 3.5m...The rest don't count against next year and your already almost hitting 50m...A few thousand off... I averaged that all the signing ur most likely to do with returning players is a minimum of 7.750m(For Carter, Umberger, Smith, and Jones).So you have to get rid of Hatcher to have a hope of getting both Umberger and Carter...
March 4, 2008 4:03 PM ET | Delete
A couple things...Grabner should have been mentioned, in my haste I left him out.My suggestion is that Nonis goes after him via trade, not through an offer sheet. I also don't think this is his style and would prefer this option.Shedding Prospal, Modry, and Smith doesn't not provide you with 10m in cap space, as Philly was only paying for a small portion of both Prospal
March 4, 2008 4:05 PM ET | Delete
i would be happy with putting out an offer on carter, but in any case, if carter stays with the flyers, we'll still fight for RJ...
March 4, 2008 4:30 PM ET | Delete
Before Richards got hurt, Briere was actually playing wing for a few games
March 4, 2008 8:47 PM ET | Delete
mojoworld - you guys already failed to sign Umberger once, what makes you think he'll sign in Vancouver now? There's not a good history there. He supposedly hates Ryan Kesler, as do a few of the Flyers youngsters. Probably not too eager to play with him.
March 4, 2008 8:53 PM ET | Delete
As for trading for Carter, Holmgren is on record as saying he gets calls about him every day and has no intention of trading him. The Flyers will have room to sign both Carter and Umberger. It may take cap space away from their other free agents. But aside from those two, they are expendable. The Flyers are smart enough to know that.
March 5, 2008 11:23 AM ET | Delete
Carter isn't going anywhere??? He was a NTC away from playing for the Leafs! I agree, a Jeff Carter is just what Vancouver needs, but its going to cost over 5 mil per for an offer sheet and that means 4 first rounders... not going to happen.
March 5, 2008 2:59 PM ET | Delete
Learn to seperate rumors from reality. It's only been speculated that Carter would have gone the other way for Kaberle. No one of any standing has actually confirmed that. Wouldn't it make sense for the Leafs to clear a possible trade with Kaberle before they spent the time working out the details. The media, particularly in Toronto, was making up Carter to TO rumors months before the Flyers tried to get Kaberle.
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