Who would want a frequently injured 7+ million 32 yr. old? Sure, there may be a team well under the cap who could use Krejci to solidify the center position, but I doubt there would be any takers.
it's actually Allentown, they just chose the regional moniker after being in Philadelphia and Adirondack.... I just don't think Allentown Phantoms rolls off the interest factor
Who do you expect to be trying to acquire Krejci and Backes? I'm not sure if both but Krejci also has a full no trade and I believe Backes has a partial at least. Add in salary, age and injury history and you've got long term Bruins IMO. I'd really like to be able to move away from those contracts but without paying a likely huge premium or eating a big chunk of the salary I don't see it happening.
These two players will be going nowhere anytime soon. They have immense value to the team based on their skill and leadership ability. People seem to want to get rid of all over 30 players and bring in kids, that would be fun! These guys are the ones who are going to lead the younger players to higher levels and the Bruins will benefit from it. Fans have to stop always looking at stats and comparing and look at other aspects of older players game and see how valueable they are. I hope Krejci retires a Bruin and Backes also, they bring a lot of value to this team.
I think its not so much people are looking to get rid of them, but rather see the enormous group of prospects that are going to be pushing for positions on the big club along with having to pay guys after their first contract is up and having to figure out how to fit them under the cap. After next year their contracts move to NTC from NMC and its hard to see their value falling off of a cliff. I'm not sure either is gone after next year but I wouldn't be surprised if one or both doesn't finish their contract in Boston either. I think a lot of it will depend on whether or not a young center is able to solidify themselves next year and push Krejci for 2nd line C, which is a huge ask as of right now. I do think we are going to need to ship some prospects off pretty soon just because there isn't room for all of them here and it is already getting to be very tight. Bjork, Frederick, JFK, and Cehlarik are all really close to the NHL and if both of the Nashs leave there are only 2 spots for them along with Donato fighting for one of those spots, and then there is Fitzgerald, Senyshun and Studnicka coming up close behind them. If Backes and Krejci finish out their contracts here we would a couple of kids and perhaps have a hole in the lineup in a couple of years when those guys have finished their contracts and moved on. If we had the prospect depth we did around 2012 this wouldn't be an issue, as of right now people are going to have to leave at some point and its about whether we want to let the kids go so the older guys can finish out their contracts or part with the older guys and hope that the kids can fill in for them. The experience that Debrusk, Heinen, Pastrnak, and Donato, as well as hopefully a young C on the 3rd line (next year), get this year and next is huge for a successful transition from the older players to the newer ones.
Don’t believe you can have a roster full of 19-22 year olds and be successful, just my opinion. Yes they have lots of prospects but another year or two in Providence won’t hurt them, I don’t see where any of them are tearing that league up. Good solid vets are hard to come by, careful what you wish for.
I'm not saying it will be easy to make decisions when the time comes, what happens next year is going to be extremely important in determining who stays and who goes and when they go. By the end of next year though a lot of the young kids will have had a lot of playoff experience ideally and the youth will not be so inexperienced. I mean I'm not pushing for trading Krejci and Backes at the end of next year, but it's also not inconceivable that the young kids could push one or both of them out of the lineup before their contracts end. And again a year or two is still within their contracts as both have another 3 years after this one, and most of the young kids would have to pass through waivers before that time frame is up.
I don't think Toronto's issues are youth as much as they are a mediocre D. Not that I disagree with what you are saying but I don't think their issues are youth. I think if you have enough talent and good leaders you can do alright. Bergeron, Marchand, and even Krug to some extent are becoming experienced vets that can provide the leadership that Recchi provided for us back in 2011. Again not pushing Krejci or Backes out the door but I don't think leadership is a quality this team would be lacking even if those guys moved on.
Recchi could straight out still fly at his age, the other guys are skating in mud and I do not see them aging well. Everything else is equal in terms of mentoring though but you have to be able to keep up or better yet just coach. Backes would be a good coach, not sure about Krech. They will be here till they retire, those contracts are not going be moved, no one wants them.
He's a UFA and Fitzgerald is ready - also Bjork and Donato coming along
