Hockey If you were a GM, 2008-09

Dear [Insert name here],

You have been hired as the General Manager of Insert team name here.



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Pretend you guys were GM of your respective team for a day. What moves trades/signings would you make to improve your team? Try to be realistic as possible when creating trade scenarios and what not. For example, you can't trade two 4th line grinders for Ovechkin, and obviously it has to be within the Cap Salary.

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There is a link to a site which provides good info about players contracts, it's not totally accurate but it's good enough.

Please, lets try and keep this civil, this could turn into a very good topic.

If I were the GM of the Ottawa Senators I would make these deals.

1) Trade Antoine Vermette, Brian Lee, San Jose 1st for Jay Bouwmeester.

2) Dump Gerber at seasons end.

3) I may not want to do this but Spezza and a 1st for Kovalchuk and a 2nd.

4) Call Up Ilya Zubov.

5) Call Up Brian Elliot To Back Up Auld.

DetroitTigers said:

If I were the GM of the Ottawa Senators I would make these deals.

1) Trade Antoine Vermette, Brian Lee, San Jose 1st for Jay Bouwmeester.

2) Dump Gerber at seasons end.

3) I may not want to do this but Spezza and a 1st for Kovalchuk and a 2nd.

4) Call Up Ilya Zubov.

5) Call Up Brian Elliot To Back Up Auld.

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1. That would never happen. No team would give up one of the top 5 offensive defensemen in the league for two average players and one of the worst draft picks in the league. I say worst because they are at the top of the league so it would be a very high draft pick.

3. Another trade that most likely would never happen for a few reasons. A) Kovalchuk puts people in the seats, he sells tickets and I just can't see Spezza having an effect close to that of Ilya. B) Your asking for a draft pick. C) Kovalchuk is the better player by a significant margin IMO.

Well I mentioned the Jay Bouwmeester rumor because it is most likely going to happen because Jacques Martin has a obsession with Vermette and that is enough to land a UFA a seasons end who will not sign with the Panthers.

Kovalchuk may be better but I am guessing people under estimate Spezza because on Sportscentre they focus on Spezza and his give aways but I am almost positive Kovalchuk does the same. Yes Kolvachuk puts people in the seats, but for how much longer. He will almost 100% not resign with Atlanta so why not trade him when he is most valuble with another year remaning on his contract instead of UFA at seasons end.

The San Jose's first rounder is going to be 28-30 but with this up comming Draft it is stacked and 1st rounders can usually land you something good despite the fact that it is a lower one. With a lower draft pick you can draft someone like Corey Perry, Mike Green, Andrerw Cogliano, Martin Havlat who are all stars in the league.

DetroitTigers said:

Well I mentioned the Jay Bouwmeester rumor because it is most likely going to happen because Jacques Martin has a obsession with Vermette and that is enough to land a UFA a seasons end who will not sign with the Panthers.

Kovalchuk may be better but I am guessing people under estimate Spezza because on Sportscentre they focus on Spezza and his give aways but I am almost positive Kovalchuk does the same. Yes Kolvachuk puts people in the seats, but for how much longer. He will almost 100% not resign with Atlanta so why not trade him when he is most valuble with another year remaning on his contract instead of UFA at seasons end.

The San Jose's first rounder is going to be 28-30 but with this up comming Draft it is stacked and 1st rounders can usually land you something good despite the fact that it is a lower one. With a lower draft pick you can draft someone like Corey Perry, Mike Green, Andrerw Cogliano, Martin Havlat who are all stars in the league.

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1. Honestly that little obsession you speak of holds no weight over trades. For example Bob Gainey (Montreal GM) is good friends with the GM of the Minnesota Wild, Gaborik wants out but that doesn't mean he'll trade him to us for peanuts you know what I'm saying?

2. I don't know what your referring to because I've never even heard SportsCentre say his name, period. Of course Kovalchuk probably gives away the puck here and there, but it's about risk/reward and the ceiling is MUCH higher for Kovalchuk. He's gone over 50 goals twice in the last 3 seasons and he does all that on a bottom-feeding team whereas Spezza is surrounded by a few star players.

3. Yeah I know what your saying but the draft isn't exactly a skill, there's no telling how good of a player you'll get in the latter rounds. However when your talking about the top 10-15 picks there are always a few players you know what you're getting.

In this scenario I think it'd be in your favor to trade draft picks because Florida surely wants players for their future if they give away Jaybo but I don't think they want to gamble on 29-30'th pick overall when they are giving away the guy they drafted 3rd overall.