Matt Cooke

[Marvin]

Is it just me? I like him as a Canuck and all but he is now the fifth highest paid Canuck. $4.5 million over three years?! Is he really worth that in this new age of the $39 million salary cap? His contract may cause the Canucks to carry 21 players instead of 22 and there is very little wiggle room under the cap now. Is he the Martin Lapointe of this new CBA era?

 

[thehaggler]

the coookie monster is pretty good, maybe a bit highpriced, but im just happy the canuks signed most ot the team from last year

 

[LonelyGhost]

yup,

and a lot also depends on Carter and how he works out ... he only has a one year contract for a mil, so the nucks can carry him to the end of the season and then he's gone ... but if Carter shines and the sedins suck, then maybe Carter, Cooke and Rutuu/Linden for a second line? or even double shift Bert with Carter and Cooke?.

I do think that looking at Cooke's contract today, then they seem to have overpaid, but down the road if he plays solid, he will look like a fair deal.

This may also be Linden's last season so that frees up some cash too ...

 

[no3]

I agree. If you look at who has one year deals...it falls on the triplets to make or break. Jovo and Auld are the interesting contract situations. Don't know how the 'nucks will afford Jovo at the end of this year...and Auld had better be one heck of a backup with his one way deal cuz ya can't bring Johnson up or Auld down without either going on waivers. Damn I love a good soap opera.

 

[planetsmurf]

my guess is that they will have to trade, let go or sign jovo to a reduced contract if he wants to stay.aslo carter on a one year deal so he will be off the books next year but the cap is to low i think like a 45 million dollar cap would be better

 

[LonelyGhost]

Don't know how the 'nucks will afford Jovo at the end of this year...and Auld had better be one heck of a backup with his one way deal cuz ya can't bring Johnson up or Auld down without either going on waivers. Damn I love a good soap opera.

I think Jovo will either be terrific or traded ... and again, a lot depends on Bert and Nazzy ... will the nucks build on Bert or trade him for someone else? will naslund be back next year?

and if clouts falls on his head again in the post season, then the nucks may package him with jovo just to free up salary and look to trade for a decent goalie.

 

[Marvin]

yeah, he is worth it. especially on the power play kill. and there will be lots of that. plus he is true grit grinder and comes to play EVERY GAME. not like some russians.

Isn't that what they said about Martin Lapointe in Boston when they signed him for $5 million a season a number of years back?

 

[wilde]

especially on the power play kill.

Is this some kind of new terminology under the new CBA?

$1.5M for a third line grinder who thinks he's tough but can't even handle Steve Moore. So much for fiscal restraint.

 

[no3]

Remember that the twins were Burke's signings. I don't think that they'll be back next year. With Kesler looking as good as he is, don't be too surprised to see him as your #2 centre if not next year, in 2007 for sure.

 

[JustAGuy]

my guess is that they will have to trade, let go or sign jovo to a reduced contract if he wants to stay.aslo carter on a one year deal so he will be off the books next year but the cap is to low i think like a 45 million dollar cap would be better

The cap is too low? Well gee, maybe if the stupid fucking Player's Association brainiacs had taken what was first offered, it would have been higher. But no, they wanted everything they wanted with absolutely no concessions. Only when it finally dawned on them that the owners were indeed playing hardball this time did they wake up. Look on the bright side ... if they'd held out a little longer, the eventual agreed upon cap might have been even lower than it is, forcing the Canucks to play the Sedin sisters on the first line.

 

[LonelyGhost]

the cap is not too low ... but the stupid 'designated franchise player' bullshit IS too high ...

they should have capped the 'stars' at 2.5 mil per year for a max of 3 years per team and everyone goes down from there ...

this way teams could have signed quality players and not had one or two prima donnas and a whole lot of grinders that no one wants to pay to see.

the other thing should have been that 10% of ALL NHL earnings should go into a pension for players ... guys like Bobby Orr built this game and got shit pay and shit support after he couldn't play anymore ... the vast wealth of this league should go back to those guys and be there in case players can't play anymore ...

 

[ace85]

Lol

The only real question about Vancouver is whether or not Cloutier has learned to goaltend in the clutch.

COOKE is irellevant. The fact you are talking about him indicates that there is something wrong with the CANUCKs

Sedins will be better (don't need to be so tough).

Bert will be good until he snaps again and gets suspended for his Career.

Naslund will be excellent (very very good player) and the last year of not playing such intense hockey will be good for him as his BROKEN leg from a few years ago has continued to get stronger.

JOVO is the WORST best defenceman in HOCKEY. Cloutier will need to carry this team at times, and I don't think he can do it.

Calgary is going to POWER through the WEST, IGINLA used to get rapped under the old rules. There defense is phenomenal, and they have a better goaltending coach than almost anyone (and a goalie who works with him constantly)

EDMONTON - Misses the Playoffs unless Hemsky gets 80 points. And Robbie Schremp makes the team and is given legitimate ice time. The entire team is made up of second and third liners.

The coach is too defensive and the goaltending this year will be BRUTAL at times.

 

[thehaggler]

the ironic thing is that bertuzzi is MORE popular now after one of hte stupidest moves in sports evar than he was before. the crowd wnet nuts for him everyt iume he touched the puck at the inter squad game last weekend. what a world.