Saw that pic and thought you may have been talking about Derek (Geddy) Lee.
L.A. Kings are making a strong push to sign Mersch.
L.A. Kings are making a strong push to sign Mersch.
Question: Is that 4-year rule (the one that caused all the Justin Schultz hoopla) still the same with the new CBA?
Chuck what or who is your resource on the Kings making a hard push for Mersch?
Derek Lee confirmed to me tonight that he tore his MCL vs Penn State. I had a good source tell me that before, but Lee asked to keep it quiet, so I did until he told me officially tonight. Said he wanted to keep it out of the media during the season because he wanted to keep the focus on the guys on the ice. Kid is all class, and will be missed.
Kings GM Dean Lombardi told the LA Media today that they want to sit down with Mersch and talk to him about coming out. Lack of organizational depth at LW, so they are looking to sign him.
LINK to a brief article I wrote today on the topic.
Update: College hockey source says Mersch isn't going anywhere.
the way we saw lee was trying to walk around during the st clown and duluth series in madison you knew he wouldn't be skating the rest of this season...best of luck to this young man on his recovery
supposedly Mersch's mom said he wasn't leaving early......a few million dollars can change a few minds
The thing is...those few million will be there next Summer too (and you buy insurance to protect against an injury). An entry level contract will give you some signing bonus (50-100K) and an annual salary somewhere around a million a year, but if you are playing in the AHL that annual salary is reduced to 60-70K (which isn't bad money by any means...but still far from millions). Mersch would not be hurt by staying at UW, continuing to improve on his skating so he can have faster success at the next level, and have the potential leverage/flexibility that comes with being 4 years removed from high school and having the ability to become a free agent in the following August if he so choses.
The Kings can sell organizational need at LW, but that can change in the blink of an eye in free agency or trades and I'm not sure organizationally they are THAT bad anyways. Penner is a pending UFA, otherwise everyone else that has been playing LW is back. Add in the fact that at Center the Kings are committed long term to Richards, Kopitar, Stoll, and likely Lewis once his RFA status gets worked out this Summer...left handed Centers like Nolan will be playing LW. One of the better Kings prospects is Tanner Pearson, a LW taken in the 1st round the year after Mersch was drafted and he is having a pretty good season in the AHL. I can almost guarantee that the Kings either resign Penner (at a significantly reduced rate) or take his cap hit and go out and get a decent LW (or 2). The Kings organizational issues at LW are in the AHL at best and Mersch isn't going to make big coin playing in the AHL. That said, I never saw Stepan and Craig Smith going straight to the NHL and basically sticking...so I've been wrong before.
Mersch's signing bonus as a 2011 draft pick will be between $225k-$275k. (3 year ELC, $75-92k signing bonus per season). At worst with signing bonus money he's making $135k each of the next three seasons if he signs.
Wisconsin will open up next season once again with Northern Michigan, Oct. 11-12 at the Kohl Center.
The thing is...those few million will be there next Summer too (and you buy insurance to protect against an injury). An entry level contract will give you some signing bonus (50-100K) and an annual salary somewhere around a million a year, but if you are playing in the AHL that annual salary is reduced to 60-70K (which isn't bad money by any means...but still far from millions). Mersch would not be hurt by staying at UW, continuing to improve on his skating so he can have faster success at the next level, and have the potential leverage/flexibility that comes with being 4 years removed from high school and having the ability to become a free agent in the following August if he so choses.
The Kings can sell organizational need at LW, but that can change in the blink of an eye in free agency or trades and I'm not sure organizationally they are THAT bad anyways. Penner is a pending UFA, otherwise everyone else that has been playing LW is back. Add in the fact that at Center the Kings are committed long term to Richards, Kopitar, Stoll, and likely Lewis once his RFA status gets worked out this Summer...left handed Centers like Nolan will be playing LW. One of the better Kings prospects is Tanner Pearson, a LW taken in the 1st round the year after Mersch was drafted and he is having a pretty good season in the AHL. I can almost guarantee that the Kings either resign Penner (at a significantly reduced rate) or take his cap hit and go out and get a decent LW (or 2). The Kings organizational issues at LW are in the AHL at best and Mersch isn't going to make big coin playing in the AHL. That said, I never saw Stepan and Craig Smith going straight to the NHL and basically sticking...so I've been wrong before.
Talked with Northern Michigan's beat writer Matt Wellens tonight and he confirmed that UW and NMU have a four year agreement starting this season. 13-14 in Madison, 14-15 in Green Bay (NMU host), 15-16 in Madison, 16-17 in Green Bay (NMU host). Both schools can opt out after two years.
What do you guys think? Road games in Green Bay are hard to argue with.
Talked with Northern Michigan's beat writer Matt Wellens tonight and he confirmed that UW and NMU have a four year agreement starting this season. 13-14 in Madison, 14-15 in Green Bay (NMU host), 15-16 in Madison, 16-17 in Green Bay (NMU host). Both schools can opt out after two years.
What do you guys think? Road games in Green Bay are hard to argue with.
Talked with Northern Michigan's beat writer Matt Wellens tonight and he confirmed that UW and NMU have a four year agreement starting this season. 13-14 in Madison, 14-15 in Green Bay (NMU host), 15-16 in Madison, 16-17 in Green Bay (NMU host). Both schools can opt out after two years.
What do you guys think? Road games in Green Bay are hard to argue with.
The Resch Center is a great place to watch hockey and going every other year is doable. I like the agreement.
Great news. This will also help keep the Resch Center in Green Bay in the Regional rotation. Love it when the Badgers come to Green Bay.