tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703672817425686916.post1206514294206011431..comments2023-11-03T09:15:38.743-04:00Comments on The Daily Hab-it: How much does a "champion" cost?Arpon Basuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11896844844557916169noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703672817425686916.post-50039910291935175992008-11-07T13:38:00.000-05:002008-11-07T13:38:00.000-05:00Recent trend: Koivu has missed 6.66% of games due ...Recent trend: Koivu has missed 6.66% of games due to injury since returning from his bout with cancer. That's right 28 games out of a possible 420 (including this season)in five+ full seasons of hockey. Pas pire. I'm tired of everyone telling me how fragile the guy is. He's no Gaborik. He will sign, and sign for less. Guy, unlike Sundin, wants to win a cup before he packs it in. Staying here, even for significantly less is his best shot at winning one. He's already a God in Finland. (and it looks like that's where he will retire to??? opinions? cause that could be a big determining factor in this whole legacy deal) Winning the cup will only add to the lore. He'll make plenty of bucks from the age of 40-60 back home. What does the current head coach of the Finnish national team make? This is cutting into my day too much so i'll wrap it up. Love him, love him... in fact, I wish he was the father of my children. <BR/>SRSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-703672817425686916.post-64831363359582603912008-11-07T10:05:00.000-05:002008-11-07T10:05:00.000-05:00I'll admit to being one of those guys that didn't ...I'll admit to being one of those guys that didn't always appreciate Saku. While I always saw his talent, I didn't feel he was the right player to single-handedly carry a mediocre team (which is what was being expected of him at the time). His size was definitely a contributing factor to those feelings, as was his seeming fragility. Looking back on it, I do think that I realized at the time that my expectations were unfair, but being reasonable doesn't always come into play when you're a die-hard fan of a team that’s struggling.<BR/><BR/>Right now Saku is in a perfect position for himself and for the team. He's got to be enjoying himself in a role that he filled at the worst of times (I imagine wearing the C right now is a little more enjoyable than it was in '01). As crappy as it may be to play for the Habs when they're struggling, there's no better place to play when the team's successful.<BR/><BR/>After all the sacrifices he's made over the last decade I don't see him jumping ship now, when those sacrifices are finally starting to pay off. The team is a legitimate contender this season, and with a prospects pipeline that's teeming with talent, the next half decade looks just as promising. The fact that he's been around forever gives him instant credibility with the other players on the team - young and old alike. There's no question about where the leadership lies in that dressing room.<BR/><BR/>For all those reason and more, I think Koivu will be willing to give Gainey the chance to sign him for less than he could get on the open market. <BR/><BR/>If I'm Saku, I'm willing to sign at $5 million a season, despite the $7 and $8 million contracts being handed out like candy on Halloween. What I expect in return, however, is a) that no movement clause you referred to, and b), simply put, years. Your 3-year deal doesn't cut it, at least not at $15 million. Maybe at $18 million I'm willing to talk, but if you just add $2 or $3 million to the total package, I'll give you an extra year of my time. We can worry about that jersey retirement later on...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com