The Gonchar Conundrum

December 16th, 2009 by Zak Kulin Leave a reply »
Sergei Gonchar is without a doubt one of the league's premier, offensively gifted defenseman. His prowess on the powerplay and innate ability to skate with his head up are second to none. However, he is approaching the end of his contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins and there are questions arising over what action should be taken. Fortunately, the Penguins have several options in which to choose from.

One such option is to try and negotiate with Gonchar throughout the season, and hopefully reach a number that is suitable to both parties. One problem with this option is the fact that Gonchar can probably make a good deal of money on the open market. With superstars such as Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury locked up for several years, there is not much cap space in which to work with. In order for Gonchar to resign with the Penguins, he will likely have to take a "hometown discount".

Another option Ray Shero has is to attempt a trade if negotiations stall. The market for an experienced powerplay quarterback with an above-average defensive skill set is sizeable, as several teams would likely be interested. The defensive depth that the Pengui ...

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