Panthers trade Cairns to Penguins

 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers traded defenseman Eric Cairns to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday in exchange for a sixth-round pick in this year's NHL entry draft.

 

Cairns, 31, had one assist and 37 penalty minutes in 23 games with the Panthers this season. He was signed by the Panthers as a free agent following the 2003-04 season.

 

In 429 career games with the Rangers, Islanders and Panthers, Cairns has nine goals and 32 assists with 1,090 penalty minutes.

Have we figured out if we are contenders this year and going to add to help our playoff push? Im confused as hell.

That was just shedding unneccesary weight. Cairns wasn't needed in the new NHL. And especially since Kraijeck, JayBo, Hill, Van Ryn, and Montador have all stepped their play up as of late.

Since the Penguins are unquestionably sellers, why didn't Keenan try to expand this to include Gonchar and/or Recchi and/or LeClair?

Since the Penguins are unquestionably sellers, why didn't Keenan try to expand this to include Gonchar and/or Recchi and/or LeClair?

 

You have got to be kidding me. Seriously. LeClair has been injured all year as usual. Recchi has not been himself. Gonchar looks like a joke in the new NHL. He has no offensive groove this year whatsoever. And we don't need more offensive defensemen, we need solid defensive defensemen!

dropping dead weight to purchase something nice and large

Since the Penguins are unquestionably sellers, why didn't Keenan try to expand this to include Gonchar and/or Recchi and/or LeClair?

 

You have got to be kidding me. Seriously. LeClair has been injured all year as usual. Recchi has not been himself. Gonchar looks like a joke in the new NHL. He has no offensive groove this year whatsoever. And we don't need more offensive defensemen, we need solid defensive defensemen!

 

I wasn't advocating anything great, but Cairns, Hill (who himself looks like a joke) and a late pick would have gotten Gonchar, and the cap hit wouldn't have been substantial given that Hill and Cairns make close to Gonchar's $5 million cap number, and honestly, wouldn't you rather have Gonchar than Hill?

 

And even with Recchi not being himself, he'd be second on the team in points, while LeClair would be 5th...I'd take that.

Since the Penguins are unquestionably sellers, why didn't Keenan try to expand this to include Gonchar and/or Recchi and/or LeClair?

 

You have got to be kidding me. Seriously. LeClair has been injured all year as usual. Recchi has not been himself. Gonchar looks like a joke in the new NHL. He has no offensive groove this year whatsoever. And we don't need more offensive defensemen, we need solid defensive defensemen!

 

I wasn't advocating anything great, but Cairns, Hill (who himself looks like a joke) and a late pick would have gotten Gonchar, and the cap hit wouldn't have been substantial given that Hill and Cairns make close to Gonchar's $5 million cap number, and honestly, wouldn't you rather have Gonchar than Hill? As I said before we don't need an offensive defensemen who can't play defense for the life of him. I'd much rather have Hill who is a physical presence and is helping JayBo, Van Ryn, and Kraijeck develop than a selfish Gonchar.

P.S.:

 

And even with Recchi not being himself, he'd be second on the team in points, while LeClair would be 5th...I'd take that.

 

 

Since the Penguins are unquestionably sellers, why didn't Keenan try to expand this to include Gonchar and/or Recchi and/or LeClair?

 

You have got to be kidding me. Seriously. LeClair has been injured all year as usual. Recchi has not been himself. Gonchar looks like a joke in the new NHL. He has no offensive groove this year whatsoever. And we don't need more offensive defensemen, we need solid defensive defensemen!

 

I wasn't advocating anything great, but Cairns, Hill (who himself looks like a joke) and a late pick would have gotten Gonchar, and the cap hit wouldn't have been substantial given that Hill and Cairns make close to Gonchar's $5 million cap number, and honestly, wouldn't you rather have Gonchar than Hill? As I said before we don't need an offensive defensemen who can't play defense for the life of him. I'd much rather have Hill who is a physical presence and is helping JayBo, Van Ryn, and Kraijeck develop than a selfish Gonchar.

 

Hill's a -6, and his partner for most of the year (Bouwmeester) is a -10. That's not really great help for a defensive defenseman. Of course, Bouwmeester's yet to do anything of consequence.

Gonchar-6 Goals, 16 Assists and a -16

 

Recchi-13 Goals, 23 Assists and a -23

 

LeClair-7 Goals, 14 Assists and a -15

 

I will pass thank you.

Gonchar-6 Goals, 16 Assists and a -16

 

Recchi-13 Goals, 23 Assists and a -23

 

LeClair-7 Goals, 14 Assists and a -15

 

I will pass thank you.

 

 

Gonchar would be 4th on the team in points (and the most prolific d-man)

 

Recchi would be second on the team

 

and LeClair would be fifth and be in a statistical tie with the just injured Weiss. Maybe I'm missing something, but why pass on any of them? +/- isn't huge for me in this instance considering the Pens have had a revolving door for their goalie spot thanks to injury/ineffectiveness.

Gonchar-6 Goals, 16 Assists and a -16

 

Recchi-13 Goals, 23 Assists and a -23

 

LeClair-7 Goals, 14 Assists and a -15

 

I will pass thank you.

 

 

Gonchar would be 4th on the team in points (and the most prolific d-man)

 

Recchi would be second on the team

 

and LeClair would be fifth and be in a statistical tie with the just injured Weiss. Maybe I'm missing something, but why pass on any of them? +/- isn't huge for me in this instance considering the Pens have had a revolving door for their goalie spot thanks to injury/ineffectiveness. And again I ask you, why do you want them? We don't need anymore vets like LeClair and LeClair is a huge injury risk. And LeClair is a goalscorer not a playmaker. Recchi you could make a case for but he wants to stay in Pittsburgh according to reports I have read in the past year. And NO TO GONCHAR. We do not need his sorry ass on the team.

Gonchar-6 Goals, 16 Assists and a -16

 

Recchi-13 Goals, 23 Assists and a -23

 

LeClair-7 Goals, 14 Assists and a -15

 

I will pass thank you.

 

 

Gonchar would be 4th on the team in points (and the most prolific d-man)

 

Recchi would be second on the team

 

and LeClair would be fifth and be in a statistical tie with the just injured Weiss. Maybe I'm missing something, but why pass on any of them? +/- isn't huge for me in this instance considering the Pens have had a revolving door for their goalie spot thanks to injury/ineffectiveness. And again I ask you, why do you want them? We don't need anymore vets like LeClair and LeClair is a huge injury risk. And LeClair is a goalscorer not a playmaker. Recchi you could make a case for but he wants to stay in Pittsburgh according to reports I have read in the past year. And NO TO GONCHAR. We do not need his sorry ass on the team.

 

Well, for starters, Luongo wants to see that the organization is committed to winning. Adding a vet like LeClair or Recchi or Gonchar sure goes far to doing that.

 

Furthermore, given their age/salary/subpar season thus far, they could be had for cheap.

 

Unless you think the season is done for the Panthers (which, let's be honest, you could make a case for...7 points out of a playoff spot, in the 11 spot having played 4 more games than the Canadiens, and one more than the Lightning and the 8-seed Thrashers), these are the kind of guys the Panthers are going to be looking for.

Whatever TSwift. You can live in the dream land of hockey where LeClair still has his booming shot. I and many other hockey fans would consider a trade for Recchi, LeClair, or Gonchar, extremely stupid and detrimental to the future of the organization. We don't need more goals. We have been getting goals a lot more as of late. And that is it. I am done talking about the extremely silly notion of trading for Gonchar, LeClair, and/or Recchi.

Whatever TSwift. You can live in the dream land of hockey where LeClair still has his booming shot. I and many other hockey fans would consider a trade for Recchi, LeClair, or Gonchar, extremely stupid and detrimental to the future of the organization. We don't need more goals. We have been getting goals a lot more as of late. And that is it. I am done talking about the extremely silly notion of trading for Gonchar, LeClair, and/or Recchi.

 

 

Then, answer my simple question:

 

1: Is the season over?

If it isn't, who would you like to see realistically added to this team to help?

 

Maybe I'm stupid, but I don't see any better cost-effective options out there. I'm not calling any of these guys all-stars or miracle cures, they're simply cost effective solutions for a team that is treading "almost there" non-playoff waters.

 

As for the "we don't need goals" comment, the Panthers have been shut out twice this month, and are 27th in the league in goals for average.

Who would I realistically like to see added to the team?

 

 

A scorer who is not yet past his prime. Or just past his prime. Like if we could get someone like an Anson Carter. A perfect second line winger.

 

 

A defensive defensemen. Like a Keith Carney who is bound to be available.

so. dumping an extra defensman..

 

once again tswift maybe you should stick with baseball

.the new nhl doesn't need these slow getting old vets...we've got two of them in roberts and niewie...that being said, we need to go for youth, and speed along with the veteran leadership presence. they would just eat up cap space anyway...throw in a nice smooth skating playmaker, we've got plenty of guys that can score goals, we need playmakers and speed to move the puck up ice and create more breakaways whether they're 1-0 or 3-2...speed wins in the new nhl.

No fooling speed is the name of the game, but if everyone wants it, you're going to pay a premium.

 

Last I checked, new NHL or not, the team with the most goals at the end of the game still wins. Recchi or LeClair or Gonchar are still better scoring options than many players on the Panthers currently, and while I'm not proclaiming them to be near their former status, calling them "bad" is simply ignorant. The team needs upgrades if they're going to win/make the playoffs/keep Luongo happy. If you think this team can make the playoffs as is, you're just being a blind homer.

 

The Panthers are tied with the Thrashers for most games played in the eastern conference, but they're 8 points out of the playoffs with two other non-playoff teams ahead of them. They're 27th in the league in goal-scoring average, and their franchise cornerstone skater, Jay Bouwmeester, is having a disappointing season by the new NHL standards, especially for the man that was meant to quarterback the powerplay, let alone be the next Paul Coffey. As bad as Gonchar has been, he still has 4 power-play goals, that's 4 more than Bouwmeester.

 

Personally, I think the Panthers should be sellers, but since it's now or never for Luongo to stay (and, for the record, I think he leaves regardless) something needs to be done, almost immediately, or there will be no chance to make the playoffs, and thus no chance to keep Luongo.

 

All my point was that the Penguins had an interest in Cairns, the Penguins are obviously going to be sellers, therefore, I'm surprised that Keenan didn't try to expand this deal to include one of the veterans that the Penguins will undoubtedly look to unload. As far as I'm concerned, you can't beat the cost effectiveness (at least regarding what they'd cost in a trade) of any of those three players.

Sergei Gonchar's Contract:

2005-2006: $3.5 million

2006-2007: $4.5 million

2007-2008: $5.5 million

2008-2009: $6.0 million

2009-2010: $5.5 million

 

That's about as close to untradable as you can get.

 

Mark Recchi isn't available:

Recchi, whose full-time residence is in suburban Pittsburgh and who has one year worth $2.28 million left on his contract, said he "absolutely" wants to remain with the Penguins. Unless Recchi changes his mind, which seems unlikely, he probably isn't going anywhere.

 

"I think it's going to be up to him to decide [if he wants to leave]," Lemieux said. "He decided to sign in Pittsburgh and gives his all here. I think that out of respect for what he's done for Pittsburgh in his career, it's important to ask him first what he wants to do."

 

And John LeClair is signed for next season too, picking him up if you're not a flat-out Cup contender right now is a mistake.

I still believe the panthers can contend, they arent that many points out really and the season isnt even halfway over yet. They had a terrible start but after that period of 11 losses they have been a much better team.

 

I am new to hockey but I think the team is moving in the right direction though. I do think they need to add a defenseman. But, I think it should be a hard core beast back there for defense. I dont really want a poorer defensive (defenseman) and more scoring from there. I would rather get a front liner for that.

 

Of course I am new to this sport of hockey and trying to learn as I go so I could be completely wrong. But, I gotta say it has been fun to watch some of the games and all and a good learning experience.

I still believe the panthers can contend, they arent that many points out really and the season isnt even halfway over yet. They had a terrible start but after that period of 11 losses they have been a much better team.

 

 

There are 81 games in a season, the Panthers have played 47, the most in the eastern conference, while the team ahead of them, Montreal, has played only 43. Their point total is worse than it looks, as it's 43 points in 47 games, while Montreal has 48 points in 43 games.

 

The season is more than halfway over, and they've got a lot of ground to make up.