brew wrote:

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whether you like him or not.. you must admit that Koivu is playing some crappy hockey at the moment.  Can the guy come back to form? I hope and think he can but does he want to? Does he have the pride to step up and say " hey, i make tons of money now so i should play much better". Instead he runs out of the dressing room without talking to the press. I like him and want him to play to his full potential but was it a mistake to sign him so high with a no trade clause or is it just a funk?

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 Actually many posters including myself feel that Gainey has a five or six year plan so in a couple or three seasons when we're a stronger team, Saks will be a second or even possibly by then, a third line center. That means at almost five million a season he'll be the highest paid second/third line center in the league. Think about it, who cares about a no trade clause, who would want that salery?

 Also, what form do you want him to return to? He's working hard and seldom producing points. That's what you get from Saks on the ice. As far as leadership, who knows except maybe CJ who has too much class to tell anyone what really happens behind the curtain.

 I think Gainey has signed him on the premise that he had two good playoff series against the same team. Probably not for his regular season play but the problem is we have to get to the playoffs for that contract to pay dividends. Also his agent did a great selling job to Gainey and Gainey bought it.