Gourde is also making 5.1M against a tight cap....with a NTC...Ouch

Is your goal by sending him to the AHL to kill his confidence even more, or straight up lose him on waivers? Frankly, you might accomplish both.

His contract is bad, but your only hope is to surround him with quality players which TB has plenty of.

I do not see anyone picking up the contract. He is playing 11 minutes a game on the fourth line. He does not deserve to be moved up in the line up. The purpose is to give him 20 minutes a night playing top line. with the hope of him playing out of the funk. He has not had a goal in over 2 months.

He would be claimed. His possession numbers are fine.
He is having a bad puck luck season. His shooting % dropped by almost 10%.

Ottawa claims him and deals him to Boston or Toronto with 50% retained for a 1st once he starts off well there because he's getting more ice time and 1st PP time.

No way Ott and that owner would retain $2.55M for the next 5 years ($12.75m of real $) to get a pick in the late 20's; not even sure you could validate doing it for anything outside the top 8
I suspect Stevie Y might low ball JB in the offseason as they have tones of space

Ok, fine. Pick another team. He would be claimed. He could also be a serviceable player if said team didn't want to trade him.

How about this:
LA claims him. They trade toffoli. Now they have Gourde and whatever they get for Toffoli.
They have essestially traded toffoli and replaced him with a similar player and got value back.
Or Colorado just claims him. He is a better player than Matt Neito.

Assuming Gourde agrees to a trade, what value does he hold today?

Its almost impossible to predict what is right or makes sense but personally I think Montreal, who is probably a team he is willing to waive for, could make this work. With that said, I disagree about anyone taking him on waivers for free. I think his NTC, term and cap almost guarantee he would not be picked up. Cheap teams won't want to gamble on him with all his still owed money. His NTC follows him wherever he goes so he can nix any trade if he doesn't like where he's going. Finding a trade partner for him his hard enough without him having the option to nix any trade he doesn't like.

Personally the best option here is for TB to rehabilitate him rather than anything else because the value you'd get back in a trade will be in the form of some cap space and term. Not so much picks and prospects.

So bringing it back to MTL, given that one can only assume MTL would be a team he'd waive for, i think there is a move to be made where the Habs get out of some dead cap space and TB gets out of a tons of cap, actual dollars and term in the process.

Alzner
Weal
Maybe a late draft pick for good measure?
for
Gourde

TB gets immediate cap space, gets out of a ton of term and no longer has to worry about Gourde's full NTC. Habs get a hometown kid whose got more skill and ability than some one like Weal for example, they have the cap space so it really isn't a big deal for them and cut the cost by getting rid of Alzner and Weal in the process.

TB then either buys out Alzner now OR frankly just buries him in the minors alleviating an additional 1.1M of his cap and then buys him out the following year when his buyout cap is less harsh or straight up keeps him until his contract is done. Weal can be sent down to the minors or kept as a 13th forward. Whichever they prefer. Cap savings in year one are minimal but get exponentially better each year after that. Its not like buying out Gourde saves that much more anyway and the buyout cap is way longer to boot. This would be an efficient way of getting out form under that contract all while not having to pay a 1st rounder like Toronto did to get rid of all fof Marleau's contract for a year. Because of TB is willing to send a 1st rounder with Gourde for a 6th rounder in return, I'd be all over that too. Your choice in that case.

I mean this is all hypothetical on no one else wanting Gourde and or he nixing trades to anywhere else, etc. Obviously if there is interest, this offer would have to change but assuming I'm right and no one wants him, this wouldn't be the worst offer for both teams.

3rd ish or decent prospect to a contender. I bet the Isles would do Komarov and 2nd or something like that. maybe a later pick coming back to Tampa?

Kovalchuk straight up.

If he picks it up in the next month and scores 8 goals before the deadline that goes way up.

My thought was Kovy straight up.

MTL basically buys Gourde for a pro-rated 700K
Tampa gets out of his Cap hit and doesn't kill their chances this year.

I think the NTC hurts more than the salary. If Tampa is in sight of a cup, you're not moving anyone with trade protection.

His poor performance and protections make him worth keeping. He could get his stride back in the playoffs.

What incentive does MTL have to do this? (Taking the idea of a "hunch" out of the equation)

They don't have a ton of talent. Gourde is a proven 20 goal scorer. He is from Quebec (which shouldn't, but does matter)

They could get what for Kovy? A 3rd? That 3rd likely wouldn't see NHL until gourde contract is up.

Gourde is having a bad production year, but hasn't played terrible. Also feels like a Claude type of guy...

I feel like you ask any TB fan and they'll tell you Gourde's numbers are more a product of his linemates than his actual skill. If he is a 20 goal guy in TB with Kuch and Point, what will he be in MTL? i don't think anyone is willingly going to take a 5 year x 5.16M with a full NTC risk on a 5'9, 28 year old winger whose been playing poorly ever since he signed that contract on literally the best team the league has had since maybe the Detroit/Lidstrom era.

You know what I like about Kovy? I won't have to pay him to go away. We got him for nothing and will turn him into an asset and maybe even have the chance to resign him for cheap next year if we'd like. Getting Gourde is a major commitment with a major risk because of his constraints. Not something good GM's want to risk, for what? Maybe if it works out a 10-20 goals scorer? Is that even worth 5.16M to the Habs? Not really.

It all comes down to risk and how much you're willing to deal with the pros and cons said risks. On one hand you could pay a 3rd (Kovy) to get a potential 20 goal scorer and on the other hand you could be paying a 3rd to get a "5 year x 5.16M with a full NTC risk on a 5'9, 28 year old winger whose been playing poorly ever since he signed that contract on literally the best team the league has had since maybe the Detroit/Lidstrom era."

That's IMO way too much a risk to take on a "maybe" hence why I think if TB is willing to just get out from under that contract, teams would be interested but straight up paying to take him off your hands? I highly highly doubt it. The incentive does not outweigh the risk of it going the other way IMO.

Well thought out. TB in cap hell next year so Alzner to expensive. Weal for Gourde would work. I think given the right linemates and 17 minutes a game he is a 20 goal scorer and a good pest to have. Here he is just caught where there is too much talent ahead of him.

If Gourde was bought out there would be a dozen teams lined up to give him a one year prove it contract. The anchor is 5 years at 5.16 million. TB caught in a hard place, buyout will cost them over 2 million a year for a very long time. You made a great point. After getting the contract, did he lose that fire that made him the last two years?

Oh I understand Alzner provides little relief next year but its the year after and on that provides tons of relief. That's why its short term pain for long term gain. I truly feel if TB was just trying to get rid of the most cap possible overall, this could be one of the better options. If there is someone willing to offer a better trade like a 4th liner @ 1.5M for Gourde straight up and he waives his NTC, by all means take that deal. IMO I don't see that happening. That's why the best option is to play Gourde as much as possible in order to revive his value than trade it now. But seeing as TB doesn't have a ton of options and cap space or time for that matter, they may need to make drastic actions sooner rather than later. Remember, Toronto paid a 1st just to get rid of one year of Marleau. My offer of Alzner, Weal and a draft pick doesn't cost you anything but a player you wish could be taken for free off your lineup right now if you it was possible. So instead of paying someone a 1st to take him, you are taking some dead cap back.




Yeah I don't believe the level of change in a players game from one year to the next like others do. Gourde is still young enough to be able to produce another 60+ point year if given the chance to but something obviously changed since then. IMO its that contract and the fact that he doesn't have to worry about what his next one will be anymore if he doesn't perform. Can't really blame him. Its hard to keep the fire in the belly when you live in Tampa with millions of dollars at your disposal... ahhaha.

First sign of being an addict is to admit you have a problem. Gourde just plain sucks and lacks basic NHL skills. It is NOT his linemates.. it is him. He is short slow and lacks skill. My favorite post above says " .. trade him to Ottawa and then they can trade Gourde to Boston or Toronto for top 6 minutes and 1st PP .. " .. could be the dumbest thing I ever read. He is a 4th line grinder with one of WORST CONTRACTS IN NHL!!!! .. I would drive him out of town myself if someone took him for nothing.. he already cost us JT Miller and could cost us an RFA or Killorn next year .. his new nickname is Mr. November ... and to say his stats are fine .. is from someone who hasnt watched him play last 2 years.. yeah he sucked last year and was demoted to 4th line b4 playoffs last year!!! .. his 2nd half last year was atrocious and same level he is now. He got a 32M NTC contract from ONE year of 60 pts playing with Stamkos and Kuch .. he must be related to JBB or has pictures of him .. only explanation. To anyone defending him .. maybe switch to another sport.

Anger management problems. For the one that does not hear "I SAID SEND HIM TO THE AHL". Your phobia for less than six foot people makes me believe you are less than 4 inches.... please take a pill.... or something. Your rants are not coherent. Your lines are lazy. You have nothing to contribute. That enough? I could go on.

Did you say something?