Capitals settling for less?
I think this deal shows the Caps are not being as demanding in trades for their players.
Robert Lang, like Sergei Gonchar, is due for a lot of cash, with 3 years and $15,000,000 left on his contract. (Gonchar is a RFA as of July 1st, but with arbitration rights it's figured he'll get 7 to 8 million per year.
This is a good deal for the Caps. They purge Lang's contract, and get a first rounder (albeit a late one), and centre Thomas Fleishmann, a second round pick of Detroit's in the 2002 draft.
From a Toronto standpoint, I'm glad Lang is going to the Western Conference, and secondly it looks like The Leafs' offer for Sergei Gonchar of Carlo Colaiacovo and their first rounder in 2004 is realistic.
If the Caps were being hard-liners, thy would've gotten more for Lang. Fleishmann is not Detroit's top prospect. They have winger Jiri Hudler, and defenceman Nicklas Kronwall that are better than Fleischmann.
Besides Matt Stajan, Colaiacovo is the Leafs best prospect. I find it hard to believe the Leafs can be expected to part with Stajan, Nik Antropov or Alexei Ponikarovsky in addition to their 2004 1st rounder and Colaiacovo for Gonchar.
I also have a theory that the Caps want to dump all their best talent as soon as possible in order to get behind Columbus and Chicago in the standings. That will give them the second best shot in the draft lottery (after dead-last Pittsburgh) at Alexander Ovechkin, the sure #1 pick in the 2004 draft.
So, the Gonchar deal should not be far off.
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Draft shmaft! -- Cliff Fletcher
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Red Wings acquire Lang
ock: I didn't want Lang to come to the nucks because of money but i also didn't want him to be on the wings...This really sucks! Is that offical? or is it still in the making?
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