The Sami Salo Question

Giving credit where credit is due, the above image comes from 'Nucks Misconduct.

Well, as we all know, the Canucks are hot right now. They are 18-1-3 over their last 22 game, Kevin Bieksa is doing interviews about feeling Cup ready, and Ryan Kesler in the buzz of midseason award talk. Yes, everything seems to be working out perfectly. Everything except for the fact that Sami Salo is getting healthy. Now that might be kind of a shocking statement unless you know what the Canucks are about to have to do, so let me fill you in.

We live in the era of a NHL salary cap, which has led teams to do crazy things to sneak money away and stay under the cap. How many 30 year contracts with $100 million in deferred money have we seen lately? You may say none, and you'd be right, but I think my overdramatic statement makes it's point. Well, Sami Salo getting injured before the season allowed the Canucks to pull off a move of their own to stay under the cap. With Mr. Glass (meaning Salo, not Tanner) on the IR, his salary didn't count against the cap. This allowed the Canucks to keep Kevin Bieksa on the team, despite all the rumors that he would be sent off to clear that cap space we needed after Hamhuis and Ballard were acquired.

Well, Salo has now been practicing with the Canucks for about 2 weeks, skating around and everything. The NHL keeps a close eye on teams to make sure they aren't abusing the IR salary cap trick, and speculation now exists that the NHL will force Sami Salo off the IR within the month, unless there is another injury (which, knowing Sami Salo, is a strong possibility). To fit Salo back onto the team, and the Canucks have made it clear that they feel that he is still one of the best defensivemen in the league (despite his own statements about being concerned about having anything left in the tank), someone is going to have to go. One would surmise that a defender would go in his place, and with Bieksa and Ehrhoff's contracts expiring after this year, they'd seem to be prime targets. However, the Canucks have hinted that they may want to keep all of their blue liners aboard due to the defensive injury bug that seems to float around this squad, and thus look to the third and fourth line forwards as a possible place to make cuts.

Raffi Torres and Mikael Samuelsson are two names popping up, as speculation has the Vannies needing to get rid of at least $1.8 million to bring Salo back on board. So, let's look at all the options and go from there. We'll start with the untouchables, players who would never be sent off to make room for Sami, along with their salaries:

Luongo ($10)
Daniel ($6.1)
Hank ($6.1)
Kesler ($5)
Hamhuis ($4.5)
Ballard ($4.2)
Edler ($3.25)
Raymond ($2.5)
Burrows ($2)

Now, we'll look at players who should be at least in the discussion:

Bieksa ($3.75, ends this year)
Ehrhoff ($3.1, ends this year)
Malhotra ($2.5)
Samuelsson ($2.5)
Alberts ($1.1, ends this year)
Torres ($1, ends this year)
Tambellini (500K, ends this year)


There are a couple of lower salaried guys who could be cut in combination with each other, and they might enter the discussion later. Look, I know that the Canucks upper management don't want to get rid of any defensivemen to make way for Salo because they don't want to be left thin come playoff time, but I'm having a problem seeing any way around that.

I don't see getting rid of Mikael Samuelsson. We're talking about a Stanley Cup winner who seems to perform well in the playoffs. He's versitile, can excel on multiple lines, and brings an important knowledge of going on a Cup run. Sure, he has just 8 goals this season, but we have to look at the bigger picture. Raffi, he's expendable, but he wouldn't, by himself, take care of the gap we need. I think we get at least a little closer by taking a look at Andrew Alberts. I don't buy into the need to keep 8 defensive players on the roster. I may be stupid based on our recent history, but I think it's kind of dumb to assume that you're going to get injured again. As the GM, I'm looking at a dump of Alberts and Torres, just to make sure we clear up enough space. Salo comes up an excels, and we have plenty of youthful talent on the farm who can put up Raffi-esque numbers.

The question is: Do you believe in Salo or not? Because, guess what? Sami becomes an unrestriced free agent after this season, and if the management is concerned that he may get injured again before playoff time, maybe he's the one who needs to get sent off.

Rangers tonight. More revenge for '94 is in the cards.

-- Sent from my Palm Prē