Eklund: Marc-Andre Fleury's Future Gets More and More Interesting.

"What would you do?"

Keep Fleury. He's the better goalie.

MAF needs to spared from going to Seattle (expansion team) he deserves to stay or move to a playoff contender.

"What would you do?"

Keep Fleury. He's the better goalie.
- Chunk

Agreed.

Imho Vegas screwed up by demoting Fleury and signing Lehner long term.

He will stay in Vegas at least until the offseason. They are a top team and with both a real cup contender. Despite Ek picking them to miss the playoffs...

"The price was crazy high"??? I remember at least one of the big Toronto based guys reporting that Vegas was offering a 2nd just to take him and his 7 million. Given how they gave away Schmidt and Stastny I don't doubt that was true. I'm pretty sure I can find the tweets about it if I look. VGK and the rest of the league thought he was done (he probably still is despite the hot start) and vastly overpaid and no one wanted his albatross contract.

Here's a few crazy thoughts. Maybe Vegas keeps MAF because he's worth more to them than anything they could receive in a trade? Or perhaps they keep him just in case Lehner struggles or gets injured again? Nah. MAF is a multiple Cup winning goalie. Better trade him.

Having 2 top notch goalies playing in a condensed schedule can't be a good thing can it Ek? Vegas is a Cup contender. Having MAF and Lehner sharing the crease is a nice thing to have. MAF has also proven himself to be a great teammate as well. A leader even. But Ek will Ek.

i'll bite,

Buffalo trade: Carter Hutton, Casey Mittle-Shat & Kyle Okposo (maybe retaining some celery)

Vegas Gives up: MAF

Here's a few crazy thoughts. Maybe Vegas keeps MAF because he's worth more to them than anything they could receive in a trade? Or perhaps they keep him just in case Lehner struggles or gets injured again? Nah. MAF is a multiple Cup winning goalie. This can't be good. Better trade him.

Having 2 top notch goalies playing in a condensed schedule can't be a good thing can it Ek? Vegas is a Cup contender. Having MAF and Lehner sharing the crease is a nice thing to have. MAF has also proven himself to be a great teammate as well. A leader even. But Ek will Ek.
- gergeswillems

What a crazy thought. They're now cap compliant after giving away Schmidt and Stastny, Lehner is so dinged that they played Fleury two nights in a row and Fleury has some of the best numbers in the league. Why on earth would they trade him now?

i'll bite,

Buffalo trade: Carter Hutton, Casey Mittle-Shat & Kyle Okposo (maybe retaining some celery)

Vegas Gives up: MAF
- hehateme

What a crazy thought. They're now cap compliant after giving away Schmidt and Stastny, Lehner is so dinged that they played Fleury two nights in a row and Fleury has some of the best numbers in the league. Why on earth would they trade him now?
- FoppaForever

Well MAF recorded a shutout last night. Better ship his ass out of town ASAP. Winning sucks.

- HenryHockey

I give him credit for using "Mittle-Shat."

If a trade is needed, which it is not, why not trade Lehner?

Well MAF recorded a shutout last night.
- gergeswillems

Yeah, I noticed.... (It was v. Colorado). He gave up 1 the night before in a win against SJ. It's the perfect time to trade him - they apparently have no other choice than to play him on both ends of a road/home back to back and he gave up one goal in about 30 hours. Yeah it was against SJ and an Avs team that hadn't played in two weeks missing some guys but it was 4 points and Vegas doesn't seem to have any other options at the moment.

Teams trade guys just because other teams want them. That's just how it works.

(BTW - I think I inadvertently hit report post - or whatever it's called - when I was trying to quote one of your posts. I have no idea what that causes but if you get grief for it, my apologies.)

Here's how "crazy high" the price was for Fleury in the summer:

The issue lies in the price that Vegas is willing to pay. Seravalli reports Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon wants to trade a second round pick to a team to retain up to half ($3.5M per year for two years). But a second round pick was called “way too low” a price for other teams according to Seravalli. The price suggested for that kind of salary retention is both a first and second round draft pick.

https://vegashockeynow.co...arolina-guerin-mccrimmon/

Vegas couldn't get a third team to take half his salary for a 2nd round pick so they could give him away to another team. There were also reports that Vegas offered a 2nd along with him to not have to retain anything and couldn't get any takers there either. The price Vegas was going to have to pay to get rid of him was "crazy high," that's why they had to end up giving away Schmidt and Stastny.

i'll bite,

Buffalo trade: Carter Hutton, Casey Mittle-Shat & Kyle Okposo (maybe retaining some celery)

Vegas Gives up: MAF
- hehateme

Jesus. I’m sure Vegas is dying to make that deal...

Jesus. I’m sure Vegas is dying to make that deal...
- TurdFergeson

I was kinda joking.....

I give him credit for using "Mittle-Shat."
- gergeswillems

Never liked him, never will, Just like Tage Thompson, cant stand both players.

Lol, not sure how he's "vastly overpaid" having won 3 Stanley cups and has been one of the best goalies in the past decade. But sure, pay Ryan Millers, Carey Prices, Lundquists all the money they earn and say they're not over paid. As a Pens fan I'll happily take him back with some retention all because they cannot afford him otherwise.

Hi Ek,

The Sabres need a blogger, stop forcing Mark "Garth" Pino on us. It ain't gona happen.


Signed,
a concerned citizen.

Here's how "crazy high" the price was for Fleury in the summer:



https://vegashockeynow.co...arolina-guerin-mccrimmon/

Vegas couldn't get a third team to take half his salary for a 2nd round pick so they could give him away to another team. There were also reports that Vegas offered a 2nd along with him to not have to retain anything and couldn't get any takers there either. The price Vegas was going to have to pay to get rid of him was "crazy high," that's why they had to end up giving away Schmidt and Stastny.
- FoppaForever

I was banging the drum so hard for Buffalo to do this.

MAF a 2nd and retained salary for Carter Hutton. Hell i would have even taken a 3rd.

Ek, you're right that if asset management and buying high while selling low is the idea, this is an ideal time to move MAF. What you're extremely wrong about is the whole "king's ransom" thing. Fleury is playing very well. Well enough that mayyyyybe Vegas can get an asset like a 2nd or 3rd IF they eat half of the remaining contract. Anybody who trades for MAF absolutely will not be giving anything close to a king's ransom.

I was banging the drum so hard for Buffalo to do this.

MAF a 2nd and retained salary for Carter Hutton. Hell i would have even taken a 3rd.
- ImThatGuy

I don't think Vegas wanted any salary back, for sure if they retained salary they didn't want anything back. They could only keep up to half of Fleury's 7 million. If they kept 3.5 and took Hutton's 2.75 they would have only made less than a million on the deal. Doubt they would have given up a 2nd to gain less than a million in cap.

I don't think Vegas wanted any salary back, for sure if they retained salary they didn't want anything back. They could only keep up to half of Fleury's 7 million. If they kept 3.5 and took Hutton's 2.75 they would have only made less than a million on the deal. Doubt they would have given up a 2nd to gain less than a million in cap.
- FoppaForever

While I agree on premise. Hutton is up after this year though. I would have retained like 700k on Hutton too. So while they only gain a mil this year they gain 3.5 the following years.

I am sure Pittsburgh could offer up a young Casey DeSmith, in a deal for Fleury.