Canadiens talking to AK46

posted by Mike Boone at 10h18 EST on Jun 3


Well, to his agent, Don Meehan, anyway.

A report in La Presse quotes Bob Gainey as saying that impending RFA Andrei Kostitsyn is the team's top priority and that contract talks have begun.

Gainey, interviewed at the general managers' meeting yesterday, also said the team will be talking contract with Mark Streit within a week or two.




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Comments

The Cat's picture

Just saying, Samsonov would also have had a great year this year with Kovalev and Plekanec. I'm not saying not to sign AK, Im saying don't break the bank for him, is that so unreasonable, or must you split hairs with everything I say. I mean if you were GM zepfan, I think youd make Houle and Ferguson look brilliant.


ZepFan2's picture

"I'm not saying not to sign AK, Im saying don't break the bank for him, is that so unreasonable"

No it's not unreasonable.

I was commenting on your remark about Simon.

Since we (you) are comparing others to lame GM's...you'd make Mike Milbury look like the genius he thinks he is.

;)


The Cat's picture

Zepfan said: What happened with Samsonov. Explain that one kreskin...

What happened to Samsonov was that Kovalev didnt have a good year...tadaa!


ZepFan2's picture

Right, and Kovalev having a bad year rubbed off on Samsonov while he was with Chicago!?

Try again, but with less of a lame-o excuse.


ZepFan2's picture

You wish you could go back to '86?

Lol

I wish I could go back to '76!

Now THAT was a team!!


ZepFan2's picture

"Your old!"

My "old" what?


The Teacher's picture

LOL, ahh there have been so many opportunities to use that one :)


ZepFan2's picture

Couldn't resist. ;)

Btw, did you sign yet?

http://www.petitiononline.com/JACKFM/petition.html

CBC needs to be told they work for us!


The Teacher's picture

Yup.


coutNY's picture

Skip..... Mr. Rogers....Skip..... Soft team......... Skip..... Mr. Rogers..... Skip..... Soft team.........

pat s it seems your broken record is stuck... but again, I am sure glad you're regurgitating the same old spiel. I almost forgot what you wrote yesterday. Daily inspirational words from pat s


ZepFan2's picture

Hey, how's it going Mr. Positive?

I'm ecstatic you're now my number one fan.

Why don't you lay on us how you really feel about Bob Gainey. I don't think that's been established yet. (rolls eyes)


ZepFan2's picture

"anyway I have to kind a take a break on this"

Proof there is a God!!

I'm happy to read you find it "fun" to troll a message board.

Sad and pathetic are two words that come to mind when I read that line.

Btw, the only one who seems "bitter" here is you.


The Teacher's picture

Well, then you should just stick to soccer dude, at least you know what it's all about in one of the two sports you mention.

:)


ZepFan2's picture

Lol


HAB-PROFESSOR's picture

sign him Gainey...he is a keeper.


coutNY's picture

Gainey seems not to overpay RFA. He has had the chance to sign a two time 30 goal scorer in Ryder but was reluctant do to his short comings. He was willing to take him to Arbitration twice before Ryder took a compremised one year deal. I don't expect Gainey to do anything different for Kostitsyn. He has demonstrated this same restraint with Higgins, Plecks, and Komisarek. We have a few free agents that have performed well but none have proven that they are gamebreaking leaders deserving of lottery type contracts. Most will never reach the potiental past playing a supporting role, others have the potential, so I think they will wait before handing any long term star money contracts.


MikeL's picture

I agree with what you are saying, but there are some differences between signing Kostitsyn this year and Pleks, Higgins and Komi last year. All four of these players basically had their breakout season this year(Higgins is debatable). Pleks, Higgins and Komi had less working in their favor last year, versus if they were RFA this year. It will interesting to see how Gainey handles it, but I would assume Kostitsyn will get more money and years than the other three only because he broke out at the right time.


coutNY's picture

True but in Ryder's case he had 2 consecutive 30 goal campaigns and wasn't given the keys to the vault. In many ways, Ryder's first year is nearly identical to Kostitysn's year, granted those were different times, so I would agree he may get more because of comparison market values, but I am not seeing a long deal or above $2.8 per year until he gets closer to UFA status.

Similarly to the Higgin and Komi situations, Kostitsyn even may choose to keep the terms shorter, so he can persue a higher wage using the open market as leverage in the future if he trusts his abilities. It just seems to me, that Gainey has a style that he has rarely deviated from in his tenure. Maybe the Old dog has a new trick, but if the trade deadline and past situations are any indication his style I would bet on him not being forced into something because the Market dictates it.


24 Cups's picture

Let's look at AK46 from a different perspective. Let's have a re-draft of the 2003 Entry Draft (I know it's all hindsight, but what else are we going to do while we wait for tonight's game?).

Where would Kostitsyn go in the draft and how would he compare to guys that are at or near his level of play? What form of compensation would be appropriate based on the inflated salary structure for RFA's since the lockout? For discussion sake, we will exclude goalies and defenemen from the mix.

I'll start. Here are the forwards that I would choose right now over AK46. Keep in mind that he was the 6th forward chosen in the original draft.
Staal, Getzlaf, Richards, Vanek, Horton, Bergeron*
* sleeper pick who went in the middle of the 2nd round

I would then rank AK46 in the same talent group as:
Brown, Carter, Michalek, Parise, Perry, Zherdev

For me, that leads to the following questions.
Is there anyone on the second list that I would rather have than Kostitsyn? Is he worth the same kind of money and term that these guys are (will be) getting?

Lastly, I think two other points have to be considered. AK46 was able to play on the 1st line most of the year and get tons of PP time. Secondly, we don't have a lot of alternatives in terms of young scoring forwards, whether it be on the big team or in the system. This kid may be holding some pretty good cards when he sits down at the table with Gainey. Not to mention that Meehan is his agent.

The Original 24 Cups


The Cat's picture

AK is overvalued. Chris Simon would have had a good year with Plekanec and Kovalev. And no AK is not good enough to take over when Kovalev leaves. AK is alright and deserves a roster spot but not at any price and he certainly isnt/wont be in the class as Kovalev. If the market dictates too high of a price, then we should think about letting him go IMO.


ZepFan2's picture

"Chris Simon would have had a good year with Plekanec and Kovalev."

Really? Then what happened with Samsonov.

Explain that one Kreskin.

Oh wait, I forgot. It's Gainey's fault.


G-Man's picture

LMAO. :)

Kreskin. Great line.

Gilbert


ZepFan2's picture

Thanks.

This guy believes he's able to see in the past as well as into the future. He must be a Kreskin, no?


The Cat's picture

Ryan Malone'd be a great addition Komo.


finally someone who agrees with me :)
id love to see him park his rear end right in front of the net on our PP
In the playoffs exactly what we were missing was a big body presence in front of the net and Malone definately addresses that.


RH's picture

What's with all this talk about toughness? The Habs lost to Philly because of some horrible goaltending, and a lack of a powerplay. Not because Philly bullied them around.

Now, as for Kostitsyn, he deserves to be signed. After being benched, early in the season, he rebounded strong and solidified his spot on the #1 line. The Habs need scorers and Kostitsyn will learn how to be a more complete player, with experience. Now, the problem I have is that I'm not too sure that he deserves $4M per. Not yet anyway. While I'm willing to throw $4.5M at Komisarek, I just don't feel the same confidence in AK46 as yet. I think we all know what we're going to get with Komisarek but, with Kostitsyn, how far along the "pontential" chart has he progressed? Can he be the "go to" guy? Is he really a #1 line player or, was he just fortunate to be playing with Kovalev and Plekanec?
If that Russian team really wants Kostitsyn that badly, and is going to offer him $4-$5M to play for them, I wouldn't question Gainey's decision to not match that offer. I'm glad I don't have to make that decision though.


G-Man's picture

Give AK46 $3, $3.5 and $4 and see what happens. Signing him for 6 years at $4 mil is too steep right now, but may be a bargain when Kovy retires. I expect him to take over from Kovy and make the big bucks.

Gilbert


RH's picture

Maybe an incentive laden contract would pique AK's interest.


24 Cups's picture

RH - I couldn't have said it better myself. I appreciate AK46 and the year he's had, but right now he is a good player, not a very good player. Hopefully, one day he will be a great player. At this point in time, the jury is still out. It's no time to break the bank just yet.

The Original 24 Cups


certainly he's not a great player, it was his first full season in the NHL. He was however very good for the last 60 games of the season, once he received a regular shift. I don't think the Canadiens are in a postition to let players with AK's potential and production walk away. I may over vale the kid but I think he is a game-breaker in the making.