Sergei Gonchar still looking for the big bucks?

Maybe they can sign Sarge to a long-term, low annual deal. Something that would keep him in a Pens uniform until he retires, whenever that is. Like a 5-year, $20 mil extension or something.

That can’t work. The rule is if a player is over 35, the contract counts against the team’s cap even if the player retires. I don’t see a 40 year old Gonchar factoring too much into the team’s plans and it’s not worth two years of that cap hit to do.

Paul Coffey was a HOF’er before he came to the Burgh. And Larry Murphy got a sweetheart deal to go to Toronto. They wanted him for the name.

Why do guys need to retire as Pens? Mario, he should have. Jagr, Francis, Murphy, Coffey, etc. not so much. And this is BEFORE the salary cap era. Only Crosby, from our current roster, is going to retire a Pen. And that is not even guaranteed, but is very probable. I’ll be glad to wager a small gentlemanly sum that Malkin plays at least one year in the KHL before he is done. Although neither of us is going to collect for at least a decade.

contract year, nearly every team in the league would want him, but what would we get back? another thought is how would the move be percieved around pen’s nation? If sarge was having a down year i would agree. however he’s on track for another 60 point season at least. Thats about par for the course for him. never mind playing on a banged up knee stablizing the team and helping bring the cup back home….glad im not in that gm’s box right now

gooch for whitney?

The downfall is that Gonchar’s been so good for the Penguins and the team looks drastically different without him.

With all the pieces in place for another long run, dealing a #1 defenseman isn’t usually something a contender does. And trade wise, whatever team looking to get Gonchar is likely to be a playoff bound team the Pens might have to deal with at some point. That’d be about the last thing anyone would want.

It’s a quandry for sure.

The big downside of trading Gonchar at the deadline is that we won’t have him for the playoffs. If we keep Gonchar for the rest of the year, we have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup. Another cup would mean a great deal to the organization. So, there is a big incentive not to trade him, even if that means we might lost him without getting other players in return.

Yeah Randy, I think the price for Kovalchuk is just too high….

I think if the Pens would have offered something like Staal, Dupuis and a first maybe they’d bite, but it quite clearly wouldn’t be even offered by Shero.

I think it’s best if we stop drooling at the possibility to see Kovalchuk flanking Sid or Geno.

Hossa did not bring us a cup. Renting Kavalchuck for 2 months does not guarantee another cup. The price will be very steep.

How high would you go? $3.5 million (cap hit) for the four years?

I think it’s too risky to give what’ll be a 36 year old defensemen (with injury history) that sort of money. I’d also say Lidstrom is more of the exception than the rule. A lot of guys hit a wall and then they are no more.

Brian Leetch had his last 50+ point season as a 36 year old, as did Rob Blake. Scott Niedermayer’s play (by his high standards) have gone down this season as a 36 year old as well.

I’d be very cautious locking up an older player. I’d love to bring Gonchar back on a 1-2 year contract, but I’m not sure about any more.