Could the Canucks keep Morrison?

[mattola]

VANCOUVER PROVINCE: Ben Kuzma reports Canucks centre Brendan Morrison has been oft-mentioned in trade rumours over the past two years, but his performance this season could either enhance his trade value or his chances of being re-signed to an extension.

here is a dilemma. Morrison seems to be one of our better scoring producers at this time. do we trade him and get an unknown risk? its not like hes going to get us a top 6 scorer that will make an immediate impact and then we lose more production that we so starve to have. do you package him with a prospect to get something more back? would anyone give up an impact player for mo and a prospect?

[levelheaded]

I think Morrison is unlikely to get the same amount of leeway and playing time that he gets here anywhere else. I figure he'll resign for approximately what he makes now. No way a team trades any sort of solid prospect or good young player for him.

[Linden Is God]

I would love to see him stay. I have a soft spot for him and like what he brings. But with that, I do see where he hurts us, namely with his cap hit. In a perfect world, he would take a pay cut and stay. I would be happier if he was making something in the $2 million mark.

[magnum44]

As a veteran with a pretty good resume I don't think Mo's salary is at all out of line compared to other guys around the league. If he wants to go the ufa route I think there are a lot o teams who would give him a raise. He is a vbery solid two way player, good wheels, extremely durable. Not a star player but a valuable addition to almost every team in the league.

[jchockey]

I think he's going to re-sign (and I want to see him back, to be honest) at around $2.5m.

[Linden Is God]

I think he's going to re-sign (and I want to see him back, to be honest) at around $2.5m.

I would be very pleased with that

[BigT420]

yea...i was very surprised to see that on spectors too. i didnt know he was thought of that highly. i was especially surprised to see how the spectors guy said a raise was more than likely for morrison! i think that is highly unlikely, atleast in vancouver. we all know morrison is a good player, but a great player? hes a solid 20 goal 2-way center that can play in any situation with any players. obviously he could fit into any team, but at more than he makes now? its $3.2m right? when he signed that contract the WCE was at full speed. they were making money, there was no cap, therefore at-will spending was ok. i dont think this would be anson carter like, where morrison asks for $3.5 and people laugh. but i dont see him making more than $3.2 on the open market, and especially not that if its here in vancouver. how much home town discount will he give? well see...but im all for bringing him back, but not for more than $2.5-$2.8 per year. on no more than a 2 year deal. incentive driven.

[levelheaded]

yea...i was very surprised to see that on spectors too. i didnt know he was thought of that highly. i was especially surprised to see how the spectors guy said a raise was more than likely for morrison! i think that is highly unlikely, atleast in vancouver. we all know morrison is a good player, but a great player? hes a solid 20 goal 2-way center that can play in any situation with any players. obviously he could fit into any team, but at more than he makes now? its $3.2m right? when he signed that contract the WCE was at full speed. they were making money, there was no cap, therefore at-will spending was ok. i dont think this would be anson carter like, where morrison asks for $3.5 and people laugh. but i dont see him making more than $3.2 on the open market, and especially not that if its here in vancouver. how much home town discount will he give? well see...but im all for bringing him back, but not for more than $2.5-$2.8 per year. on no more than a 2 year deal. incentive driven.

In a world where Handzus makes $4M, Mo deserves at LEAST $3.5. Canucks fans may consider him overpaid, but in reality he's probably right on or below market value. Should he resign with us, it most assuredly WON'T be for a paycut. Naslund on the other hand...

[jchockey]

yea...i was very surprised to see that on spectors too. i didnt know he was thought of that highly. i was especially surprised to see how the spectors guy said a raise was more than likely for morrison! i think that is highly unlikely, atleast in vancouver. we all know morrison is a good player, but a great player? hes a solid 20 goal 2-way center that can play in any situation with any players. obviously he could fit into any team, but at more than he makes now? its $3.2m right? when he signed that contract the WCE was at full speed. they were making money, there was no cap, therefore at-will spending was ok. i dont think this would be anson carter like, where morrison asks for $3.5 and people laugh. but i dont see him making more than $3.2 on the open market, and especially not that if its here in vancouver. how much home town discount will he give? well see...but im all for bringing him back, but not for more than $2.5-$2.8 per year. on no more than a 2 year deal. incentive driven.

In a world where Handzus makes $4M, Mo deserves at LEAST $3.5. Canucks fans may consider him overpaid, but in reality he's probably right on or below market value. Should he resign with us, it most assuredly WON'T be for a paycut. Naslund on the other hand...

If you use that logic, if Jovanovski earns $6.5m, then surely a Lidstrom, Pronger, or Niedermayer deserves $10m. That would also mean that Ohlund and Salo would be in the $5m range.

[Linden Is God]

In a world where Handzus makes $4M, Mo deserves at LEAST $3.5. Canucks fans may consider him overpaid, but in reality he's probably right on or below market value. Should he resign with us, it most assuredly WON'T be for a paycut. Naslund on the other hand...

I will agree with this to an extent. If comparing the market, then yes, Mo is market value. But guys of this ilk are not $3.5 million dollar players. They should be more in the $2 to $2.5 million range.

[levelheaded]

In a world where Handzus makes $4M, Mo deserves at LEAST $3.5. Canucks fans may consider him overpaid, but in reality he's probably right on or below market value. Should he resign with us, it most assuredly WON'T be for a paycut. Naslund on the other hand...

I will agree with this to an extent. If comparing the market, then yes, Mo is market value. But guys of this ilk are not $3.5 million dollar players. They should be more in the $2 to $2.5 million range.

Oh I totally agree, but I somehow doubt Mo will think "Well, I COULD make $4 million a season if I want, but I'm not worth that so I'll sign for $2.5. It's only fair."

Nearly everything costs more than it's worth, the market always sets the prices.


EDIT: Just so I'm clear I don't think Morrison SHOULD get a pay raise, but considering he signed his contract back when the Salary cap was $11 million less than it was and many similar players have signed for much more in recent years it's safe to say he won't take less to stay. While I'm all for the idea of the hometown discount, if someone like Ryan Smyth won't take one, noone will.

[Linden Is God]

Oh I totally agree, but I somehow doubt Mo will think "Well, I COULD make $4 million a season if I want, but I'm not worth that so I'll sign for $2.5. It's only fair."

Nearly everything costs more than it's worth, the market always sets the prices.


EDIT: Just so I'm clear I don't think Morrison SHOULD get a pay raise, but considering he signed his contract back when the Salary cap was $11 million less than it was and many similar players have signed for much more in recent years it's safe to say he won't take less to stay. While I'm all for the idea of the hometown discount, if someone like Ryan Smyth won't take one, noone will.

I think this should go without saying. It's a shame that it happens like this.


Let's just hope Mo can be kept at a reasonable price.

[the toucan kid]

I'm shocked at this point anyone wants him back. Granted he's off to a decent start, but the guy was invisible last year and not any better the year before (injuries were part of it, but once nagging things like that start it's time to be wary). He seems like a good guy, and Game 6 in Calgary is something I won't forget, but I say we cut Nazzy, Mo and Cooke loose and try to re-shape our second line.

[mr perfect]

I'm shocked at this point anyone wants him back. Granted he's off to a decent start, but the guy was invisible last year and not any better the year before (injuries were part of it, but once nagging things like that start it's time to be wary). He seems like a good guy, and Game 6 in Calgary is something I won't forget, but I say we cut Nazzy, Mo and Cooke loose and try to re-shape our second line.

With what? If you hadn't noticed, the Canucks aren't especially deep at center ice. Are you going to try to bribe Chubarov to come back from Russia and replace him? It will probably cost at least $3 million per season to have Chubey come back to Vancouver and he hasn't shown the offensive capability Morrison has. If you also look at last season, Mo was invisible at the start of the season but that was due to him coming off major, and I mean major hip surgery. About Christmas time he got back to playing his normal game and was still able to put up 20 goals and 50 points. So he wasn't invisible last season just for the first third of it. If you look at the Canucks, they do well when Morrison and Ohlund do well. They are some of the straws that stir the Canucks drink.

[the toucan kid]

Cap space and free agency is with what. We're not good enough to win anything and we're not going to get any better by icing the same team next year. We have the Twins, Luongo and the core of our D locked up and about 10 million in mediocre offensive production coming off the books. There are windows of opportunity and next year might be ours. Time to re-tool the offense plain and simple.
I'll accept that Ohlund is a major player in the Canucks success being that he plays the most minutes, but Morrison? You're going to have to elaborate on that one.