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Leaf Rumours

It is believed Nonis already told Flames GM Jay Feaster he will not cough up a first-round draft pick for the 36-year-old Kiprusoff. And Nonis also said he is not interested in giving up a young roster player or highly-regarded prospect for someone like Kiprusoff, who is entering the last lap of his career. If Nonis could land a young goalie with promise like Jonathan Bernier that would be a different story but it looks like the Los Angeles Kings will hang on to him until the summer.

This leaves considerable doubt about the wisdom of getting Kiprusoff, from the price tag to his disturbing numbers this season and what they say about his future, to his family situation.

After getting pulled in the first period Monday night for allowing three goals on six shots, Kiprusoff has a 3.64 goals-against average and .868 save percentage, which are ranked 48th and 47th, respectively, in the NHL. Considering the state of the Flames and their defence, these numbers should not be blamed solely on Kiprusoff, but they do raise other questions.

For example, no one has ever accused Kiprusoff of being a fitness fanatic. It is not unknown for players like that to fall off suddenly once the inevitable decline with age sets in. There are a few who can stop or reverse the trend with a sudden dedication to fitness, like Martin Brodeur, but he’s been the best goalie in the world for a long time.

When Mike Keenan, who was Kiprusoff’s coach when he signed his current contract, opines on Sportsnet that it was understood the goaltender would retire rather than play out the last year on the contract, which calls for a $1.5-million (all currency U.S.) salary but has a cap hit of $5.8-million in 2013-14, then the chances of him agreeing to a new deal with Nonis seem less likely.

If Kiprusoff tells Nonis he would only consider a trade if he gets a contract beyond next season, the Leaf GM again has reason to pause. The Leafs have around $20-million in salary-cap room for next season but eating up almost $6-million of it with Kiprusoff plus several million more the following season is not a move to consider lightly. But Nonis would have some time to think about that because he could not formally sign a deal with the goaltender until July.

There is also Kiprusoff’s family situation. His wife recently gave birth to their second child and Kiprusoff has indicated he does not want to go through a move right now.

Since Reimer is cruising along with a save percentage of .920, you might wonder why Nonis is so interested in Kiprusoff. Well, he did post a .921 save percentage last season and he has lots of playoff experience, including a Stanley Cup final in 2004.

Presumably, Kiprusoff would be brought in with the understanding he would share the job with Reimer, 25, and be insurance if the younger fellow falters in the playoffs. Kiprusoff would get quite a few starts in the Leafs’ last 12 regular-season games, which would give them an indication if he still has anything in the tank.

Finally, there is the question of how to guide Reimer through all of this. He is a level-headed young man but seeing his job being bandied about and the realization it means management is not fully convinced he is up to the job cannot be easy.

Then again, presumably Nonis and head coach Randy Carlyle have fully explained what they have in mind for him and why this is being done. Anything otherwise would be foolish in the extreme.

All things considered, Nonis would be better off settling for a lower-profile solution like Nikolai Khabibulin of the Edmonton Oilers. He’s 40 and will be a free agent this summer but has played well in the eight appearances he’s made this season.

Khabibulin would be a far less threatening presence to Reimer but still good enough to be short-term insurance if there are any problems.
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...-on-potential-kiprusoff-deal/article10671720/
 
Assuming that Nonis is looking for a 3rd goalie (which isn't offbase) Kipper isn't that guy. He fills a different slot and pushes someone else down into that 3rd role.

To think Nonis is going after Kipper for the Marlies is sheer lunacy.
 
I also think he's talking about organizational depth in the Leafs system.

1. Reimer
2. Scrivens
3. Rynnas
4. MacIntyre
5. Owuya
6. Sparks
 
This idea that Kipper would leave the NHL and the city where his wife and baby live to play in the AHL for the Marlies is one of the most ridiculous ideas ever proposed. It's even crazier if you think Nonis would have the balls to request a meeting to propose this to Kipper and his reps. Forget that it's idiotic to begin with to trade for a 6 mill AHL goalie.

Kipper would be brought in to be a top 2 goalie, if not the #1. Like I said, he wouldn't even go the Olympics without a promise that he'd be the #1.
 
I would put MacIntyre to #2, saw him many times in AHL and he is way better than Scrivens.
 
Yeah Marlies is out of the question.

But I can see a scenario where Nonis is meeting with Kipper not to talk about contract extension, but to verify that the Finnish goalie has no intent of playing next season (i.e. no cap hit)

And also, that Kipper has no problem with taking on a #3 role just as an insurance.

If Kipper doesn't agree to those, then no trade.

I can't see kipper taking on a #3 role, but it doesn't hurt to ask if that's his intention.
 
It's a back diving contract - if he retires early isn't the team punished with the difference in caphit vs. salary (Luongo Rule)?
 
GIF is too perfect to not post in this thread...


LTWNw.gif
 
I believe this is much ado about nothing; Noni is either kicking tires or possibly playing chicken with the 'nucks. If I'm wrong, well... Nonis and Carlyle seem to be doing everything right, I'm going to trust them here.
 
^^^ THis ....

This sure freaks me out when I first heard about it, but given Nonis has made all the right decisions with the team I'd say he's way too smart for a stupid move like that.
 
BeLeafer said:
.868 save percentage.
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Ok, so the 28th place Flames, who have nothing left to play for except a high draft pick and are jettisoning just about everything on the team that isn't nailed down in a fire sale, are going to send their starting goalie of nine years down to the minors with 12 games left in the season because he's playing badly? And they're going to do it right after his wife had a kid? Again, what reason would they have for doing this? Because they want to have a strong finish to the season, for some reason, and believe Daniel Taylor or Barry Brust will give them a better chance of winning? Ludicrous.

Nonis may be dreaming in technicolor, but that's exactly what he's after, Kiprusoff fits the bill and it's gone far enough that his agent agreed to have them speak directly with Kiprusoff.
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All 100% based on your shaky interpretation of an unprepared statement Nonis made to the media the other day, and not on any concrete facts or information. And once again: Waivers. Kiprusoff has go go through waivers to go to the Marlies. What say you about that little complication?
 
1. Assure that he won't retire next season (structure a condition in the deal that addresses this)
2. Calgary absorbs all but $1.5 of his cap-hit for next season (actual salary)
3. Send the Flames a decent prospect (goalie or d?)
4. One year extension in July (or perhaps some sort of organizational duty)
 
NO

No one is going to take him.

As for my shaky interpretation of his plain English, I am done with this debate. Read what you want.
 
Yes, the most plausible explanation of Nonis' comments, combined with his interest in Kipper, is that he intends to give up assets to acquire him, then pass him through waivers to send him to the AHL.
 
James Mirtle Reimer on Luongo/Kiprusoff: "If they came, then it would be an honour to play with them and learn from them."

The dude has THE best attitude.
 
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