Scott Niedermayer

THE FUTURE OF THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…
WILL BE DECIDED IN THE NEXT 40 DAYS…
THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS IS GETTING DANIEL AND HENRIK SEDIN SIGNED TO LONG TERM CONTRACTS…
LET’S SAY FOR A MOMENT…THE TWINS SIGN…
THE NEXT MOVE WOULD BE TO GET ROBERTO LUONGO SIGNED…
LUONGO HAS NOT MADE ANY SECRET OF THE FACT…HE WANT TO WIN A STANLEY CUP…
IN HIS WORDS…“WHICH EVER TEAM IS GOING TO GIVE ME THE BEST CHANCE TO DO THAT…IS THE TEAM I WANT TO BE WITH”…
YOU CAN DEBATE HIS JUDGEMENT IN MAKING THAT STATEMENT…
BUT WHAT YOU CAN NOT DEBATE IS WHERE HIS PRIORITY IS AT…
IT IS NOT ABOUT “THE MONEY”…
IT IS ABOUT WINNING…
AND GILLIS HAS MADE IT CLEAR…HE INTENDS TO GET LUONGO SIGNED…
IN HIS WORDS…“WE HAVE A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK…AND WE INTEND TO DO THAT”…
SO NOW THE QUESTION IS…HOW???
CERTINALY THE SEDINS ARE THE FIRST STEP…
BUT ADD TO THAT…THE CANUCKS HAVE 12 PLAYERS ALREADY SIGNED FOR NEXT SEASON…FOR A TOTAL OF $33 MILLION DOLLARS…
AND THERE COULD BE AS MANY AS 3 OR 4 PLAYERS ADDED FROM THE MANITOBA MOOSE…
INCLUDING CODY HODGSON…
WHICH MEANS…
EVEN AFTER THE SEDINS GET SIGNED…GILLIS WILL HAVE ENOUGH ROOM UNDER THE CAP TO MAKE A BIG DEAL…
AND THAT GETS US TO:
SCOTT AND ROB NIEDERMAYER…
BOTH ARE ABOUT TO BECOME UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…
WORD ON THE STREET IS… THE TWO HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST TO FINISH OUT THEIR CAREERS HERE IN VANCOUVER…
NOT ONLY WOULD THIS BE A HOME COMING…
BUT IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW SCOTT NIEDERMAYER THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN HIS OWN BACK YARD…
AFTER THE DUCKS WERE KNOCKED OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS…
SCOTT SAID A DECISION ON HIS FUTURE WOULD COME VERY SOON…SIMPLY OUT OF RESPECT FOR ANAHEIM GENERAL MANAGER BOB MURRAY…
SO NO MATTER HOW ALL THIS PLAYS OUT…
IT WOULD APPEAR…CANUCK FANS ARE ABOUT TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THEIR FUTURE…
AND THEY MAY BE VERY SURPRISED…AT WHAT THEY SEE…