Yesterday, Tim Sassone of Daily Herald fame wrote that Dale Tallon will meet with Martin Havlat’s agent this week in Montreal. This is the first report in over a week regarding Havlat’s contract talks. Add that to the fact that free agency starts next week and it the chances of Marty returning next season are slim.
Havlat has three options:
1. Leave via free agency. He won’t see a ton of cash thrown his way if he decides to test the market. Organizations aren’t going to spend big money with the salary-cap situation on a player like Marty who is not a franchise player and susceptible to injury.
2. Sign a one year deal with the ‘Hawks. This may be the only way he would earn close to the $6M per year he made in his three seasons in Chicago. A one year contract works for Tallon as he would not want to hinder his ability to re-sign Toews, Keith and Kane next summer with big money tied up in Marty.
3. Sign a cap friendly three to four year deal. Whether the contract is front loaded or if he is willing to take a substantial pay cut, this is the option is the only way Havlat can stay in Chicago ‘long-term’.
I would like to see Marty return. It would be hard for Tallon to replace him with any player in the organization. No one really possesses his combination of speed and play-making ability. I just don’t see a guy like Kris Versteeg providing as much offense as Havlat did for the Blackhawks.
Finding a free agent to replace his role on the team may be difficult, as well. In Sassone’s article he mentioned a couple free agents that could fill Havlat’s spot if he walks – Marian Gaborik, Marian Hossa and Mike Cammalleri. Gaborik is more prone to injury than Marty, Hossa’s price tag is too high, and Cammalleri is a viable choice but could opt to take more money elsewhere coming off of a career-year.
But if Marty ends up leaving to sign with another team, his absence would not set the organization back as if Tallon couldn’t re-sign Toews, Keith and Kane when their contracts expire next season.
- Bruce Garrioch, of the Toronto Sun, reported yesterday that Chicago is one of Dany Heatley’s desired trade destinations. Heatley will remain a Senator at least until July 1st when a $4M bonus is owed to him by whatever team owns his rights. No team will trade for him until that bonus is paid out – Chicago will not be one of them.
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