I love goalies but I have a clear favorite

[schneefink]

3 years, 3.75 AAV for Murray. Good for him.
In MY ideal hockey future the Pens trade Murray for a big return (he's cost-controlled for the next three years now, doesn't that make him a better trade asset?) and keep Flower. Flower still has many years of good play in him, and when he starts to decline the Pens' other goalie prospects will be ready.
I even think this would make sense from a management standpoint! I'd be willing to consider more outrageous proposals too, because I really really want Flower to stay in Pittsburgh. (Expose Murray in the expansion draft? Bad asset management but my heart says it's better than losing Flower.) He's their longest-tenured player, everyone loves him, he loves everyone, he's such a great guy. He was last season's team MVP and then the playoffs must have sucked so much for him (fuck you Nealer), he should get more chances to win a Cup with this team. Many more chances. And Cups. I want Flower to stay a Penguin forever, him and Sid and Geno and Tanger. (It'll be bad enough when Kuni leaves...)

Comments

[vicki_rae]

A complication is that all players with a NMC have to be on the protected list unless they agree to waive their NMC.

*whimper*

[schneefink]

In theory waiving a NMC is voluntary, but imagine being asked. It must be a ton of pressure, if you say no the relationship with management is fucked afterwards so you'll have to leave in a few years anyway... and as much as I want Flower to play for the Pens forever, he's more than good enough to be a starting goaltender, so he wouldn't be happy playing backup and he also wouldn't be happy knowing management values Murray higher than him.