If Alex Tanguay is asking as much as rumored, he probably won't be playing for the Lightning

As I've said, I generally don't like writing about every rumor that comes around, but after several e-mails asking, I figured this was worth exploring.

I've always thought Alex Tanguay was an interesting player. And given that he sustained a shoulder injury when checked by Tampa Bay's Evgeny Artyukhin and played just 50 games last season for the Canadiens, he had a pretty good season: 16 goals, 45 points and plus-13 while averaging 16:05 of ice time.

Tanguay is an unrestricted free agent. And while the Lightning, as GM Brian Lawton has said, would love, if the circumstances are right, to add another top-six forward. Tanguay's agent Bob Sauve would not say if the Lightning has been in contact.

"We've  been contacted by five or six teams," Sauve said. Asked if the Lightning had called, he added, "I just don't want to comment."

Asked how Tanguay, 29, with 193 goals and 580 points in 659 career games, might feel about lining up next to Vinny Lecavalier, Sauve laughed and again said he could not comment.

The conversation is probably moot, though, if the scuttlebutt about what Tanguay wants in a contract are true. One agent said he heard Tanguay wants $5 million for one year. He made $5.375 million last season. If his asking price is true, that's way too much for Tampa Bay, which has a payroll headed toward $50 million before signing players such as Matt Smaby, Matt Lashoff, Martins Karsums and Mike Lundin.

Perhaps Tanguay's price comes down if he is not signed as the summer goes on. There is a market for Tanguay, maybe even for what he wants. But at that price, probably not in Tampa. 

Comments

[Jim - NJ]

Cory Murphy signed with the Devils! I finally have a reason to follow that team now, ugggh. I hope he scores 60pts this year and rubs in Lawton's stupid face. I'm suprised nyr didn't have a look as he's exactly what torts like at the blueline. Oh well.

[2WayCenter]

Granted, a top 6 line mate for stammer or V4 would be nice. But I would rather take a chance on one of our young guys stepping up than go for another god's gift to Tampa FA.

[Spooky]

You'll notice Tanguay, a legitimate top-6 player is still unsigned. The simple truth is his expectations are not in line with his performance last year and the perception of GM's. No way on earth he will get what he wants.

Alex, swallow your pride, sign a two-year $7 million deal, and line up with VL4 and MSL! This is your best option since you had Iginla or maybe Forsberg and Hejduk as linemates. Have a couple of banner years and then consider yourself back in high demand.

[Patrick]

Mikep,

Take out the 1st round pick. That came to us in the Boyle trade and then went to ottawa in the mezaros trade.

Kuba, Picard and #1 for Meszaros.

Perhaps he will turn out to be worth that. Hard to evaluate the Boyle trade until we see what becomes of Wishart. He gets a good rating on hockey's future for what that's worth.

I think the real killer of both the Boyle and Meszaros trades was from a management standpoint. We traded 4 starting NHL defensemen and got 2 back. We didn't have guys down in the farm system waiting to fill those spots either. We didn't have anyone who could replace what Boyle did for this team either.

[PD]

agreed on BB Don.
Some cap busting deals to be had with cap room.

[mike p]

Also, you were right that I was simplying. Trading Boyle opened up a lot of cap space for us. I think he's great, but some would argue he's not worth the 6.7 million now, and I am pretty definite he won't be worth it at age 37.

[mike p]

That's true Don. Vlasic or Hedman, only time will tell I suppose.

[Don in St. Pete]

Mike P, that's simplifying it somewhat but you can at least add Downie and Welch to our take on the Boyle fiasco. IMO the problejm wasn't that we traded DFB, but thayt we got so little in return. Of course if we'd gotten Marc-Edouard Vlasic we probably don't get a top 5 pick.

[RICK L]

Mike,speaking of forsberg.....remember way back when the avs came calling for v4 and espo said,ok we'LL take forsberg and...........end of conversation !

[mike p]

In case anyone was wondering, I didn't count Welch there because we didn't retain him after last season, and there was also a 3rd round pick traded from the Lightning, but we got one back in the Welch trade so I cancelled them out.

[mike p]

Don, definitely think Williams is the better choice for us. He would come so much cheaper than Tanguay and definitely help out our powerplay. Casper, trading Prospal is a pipe dream as I believe he has a no movement clause and I also can't imagine any team wanting him at that price. (Maybe we will be able to trade him after he has his up season this year)

Flasher, with regards to the Boyle story. I agree that it hurt San Jose, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt us as well. If you look at what we gave up in that trade and in trades following that somehow link to the Boyle trade, the Lightning traded:
-Dan Boyle
-Brad Lukowich
-Filip Kuba
-Alex Picard
-Matt Carle
-Steve Eminger
-1st Round Pick '09

And got back:
-Andrej Meszaros
-Ty Wishart
-Steve Downie
-two 4th Round Picks

Nobody can say that we didn't get hosed last year.

[Mike13]

The only UFA forwards that I see out there that I find intriguing are:
Jason Williams, Jason Krog, Marcel Goc, Lukas Kaspar, and Mike Greer. Talk about slim pickin's...

[Don in St. Pete]

PD, I hate to say it but Burke has played it so smart this far. If and when he moves Kaberle ( not a priority unless a boatlod comes back ) or the contracts for Blake and Finger run out Burke will have loads of space and a top notch D to entice forwards to sign with them. In the 09-10' SEASON I figure they will need to overachieve to make the show.

[RICK L]

the sharks blog............LOL and now i guess the sharks would be better off with matt carle as your #1 d'man hahaha and giving tanguay $5 mil is a type move that the tbl would have made LAST YEAR !

[Mike13]

Tanguay hasn't done crap since he played with Forsberg and Hejduk. That's not really fair. He did have his best (81 pts) in 06/07 with Calgary. Howver, there's no way is he worth $5-million a season. I'm not sure I'd pay him more than $2-million given his production over the past 2 years.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=29482

[Casper]

Alex Tanguay would be cool but I’m not holding a whiff of breath. Especially when Jason Williams can be had for half that price, and I’ve given up on him.
If Prospal, Vrbata, and Krajicek go, then Tanguay becomes less impossible and more affordable. ($3.5M +3M +1.5M = $8 MILLION better spent on CONSISTENCY )

So, the latter three stay for now and we wish Tanguay well while we eat eight million in mediocrity.

I would love to have Tanguay AND Willie, but some schlep has to take some dead wood first. Add Craig, R2KN, and anybody else but Adam Hall, to the aforementioned and move forward promoting our kids. I can’t see Downie, Karsums, Szczechura, Tyrell, and Ashton getting stiffed because we like Halpie-has beens and all the rest. Thank Christ, Pettinger is gone; what or who would be missing a spot and languishing in Norfolk because he has low friends in high places?

I’d forget Tanguay though, we need a few bucks margin for the trade deadline. But those first three go first in order for us to move an inch forward.

Good luck to Brandon Segal, hooking up with the Kings and I think it was the Thrashers that took on the Noah Welch jonas.

DEFENSE COACH! There’s a 20 point difference to be enjoyed there alone!

I feel like a bad thesaurus, saying the same things differently.

Go Bolts!

[PD]

Don on Tanguay: "I think it would be foolish to spend this kind of money on a perimeter player who appears to be on the decline".
perfect call, agreed.

[Don in St. Pete]

While speculation is all fine an dandy, I think we need to keep things in perspective. While Vrbata was a bust in Tampa he only played 18 games, hardly enought time to acclimate to your linemates, especially since Stamkos was not ready to compete an a daily basis and Malone took over 20 games to get back into the 08-09' season. While Tanguay is overall a better player than Vrbata he's been on the decline for 4 consecutive years and last scored over 25 goals in 05-06'. I think it would be foolish to spend this kind of money on a perimeter player who appears to be on the decline. Better to take a chance on a player who seemed to be on the rise but had an off year or one of our own prospects. Save the money for a trade deadline pickup, if needs be, or sign Jason Williams at a third of the money and he can work the point on the power play as well.

[Boltflasher]

If Tanguay is considering playing here, one would think the possibiliby of playing on Vinny's line would be the appeal...a far better cap hit for $5 mil than Vrbata...

[RICK L]

but to the topic.....is tanguay worth $5 mil a season? no,and i seriously doubt he'll get it ! i think he would jump sky high for $4 mil.

[RICK L]

you guys, wanna dan boyle this dan boyle that and sharks fans ...blah blah blah but guess what dan boyle deserves every dime he's making,he signed the contract and i'm pretty sure noone held a gun to mgmts. head !times have changed, we're in a recession ! i'm also pretty sure oren and the clan now think $200 mil is far too much for the TBL.

[Herb]

Awww darn it the 'Turds signed Noah Welch. He will be missed....NOT!! He was as worthless as the day is long.

[Don in St. Pete]

Flasher, Yeah that was an interesting read, but in all fairness it wasn't JUST the Boyle deal that caused the problems. Murray has been compunding the problems so that after 5 years they've come to a head. I like Danny Boyle he is one of the best if not the best PP QB in the NHL, but we got Ohlund, Walker, Foster and half of Smaby's salary for what we would have had to pay Danny. SJ is stuck between a rock and a hard place because the can't afford to sign their charachter guys like Moen, Goc and Grier because nobody will take on the salaries of Boyle, Marleau or Thornton. The may still get lucky and be able to trade Michalek or Cheechoo, but their farm system is bankrupt and they have no legit scorers to step into those roles.

[Boltflasher]

Well! Well!...some people in San Jose now complaining about the Boyle deal...interesting...

"How the Boyle and Blake Acquisitions Wrecked the Sharks" http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Ryan-Garner/How-the-Boyle-and-Blake-Acquisitions-Wrecked-the-Sharks/59/22130