Oh I love all of this! Excepting any ill effects toward or on the Wiz, the Nabokov rumor mill is by far the most fun -so far this year- that a girl can have without taking her skates off.
As you know, if you read my post yesterday, I had my theory on why this was going down and why Nabby would clear waivers:
Mainly because no one else was talking to him, and if anyone can work a "waiver proof" deal, it would be the Detroit Red Wing GM extraordinaire: Wylie E. Kenyote, E. Pluribus Holland.
Well now that we "know" the deal is a one year $570k contract, my theory might be dead....or not.
My bet now is that the Wings lowballed the contract knowing someone would pick him up off waivers and they have a side deal with another team to do just that. Say they have a side deal with Stevie Y. Tampa picks Nabby up off waivers, then releases him, Wings uh- "nab" him. (ahem).
And while we are on the subject, Maybe we don't want him at all, but Stevie Y. does. Its totally plausible that the Red Wings are doing No. 19 a solid here. I am totally ok with that.
Oh there are other theories too!
Plenty of smart fans on various boards (say...."puck daddy") have some lovely ideas, go ahead pick your favorite or tell me what you think.
One commenter speculated that the Devils will pick him up and trade him back for a draft pick. But Lou addressed this one today and said "Why the faulk would I do that. We got our own problems, leave me alone."
Tyris commented that the Wings are merely doing Nabby a favor to get him back into the NHL, because they want him for next year. (This is my favorite idea, BTW, you know, ONLY if Oz retires.)
An anonymous commenter told us that Nitty was placed on IR after today's morning skate.... If the Wings don't have a side deal on the waiver process, I can't see how the Sharks could NOT pick Nabby up if he's still around at 12:30 tomorrow, at bargain basement prices. If this goes down I think that will be the end of any UFAs heading to Europe "to find themselves".(more on why at a later date.)
Another commenter argued the Blues should pick him up, just out of spite.. ahhh haaa: I say "Piss off, strong letter to follow."
Someone said one of my favorite Red Wings Bloggers,George Malik, has an interesting theory, but I can;t find it anywhere! If you have a link, send it.
What's your theory? What is your favorite?
For more fun, Left Wing Lock has the waiver order.
A consortium of misanthropic, persistent and sometimes brilliant hockey bloggers reconnected in the crease to observe, defend and (occasionally) offend all things on ice sporting two skates and a mouthguard.
This may be Malik's theory:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/A2Y/comments/the_red_wings_want_nabokov_why/
If not, he has a few more posts about it here:
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/search/results/f7bfb52a80c558b34c0ee77ee71348de/
Rather than any outlandish conspiracy theories, I would just settle for the argument that Nabokov at 570k, even if he stood in goal dressed like and moving exactly like Lenin in his current state, would end up with a higher save percentage than Osgood in the three games of work he'd be due before the end of the year. But that would probably not make me popular...
ReplyDeletethanks Christy! When the heck did George join forces with ol' Kukla? Now the column might be worth reading!
ReplyDeleteLW- I'd wager you care about being popular about as much as Dave Reid cares about head shots.